(LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday named Bishop James F. Checchio, the current bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, as coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
In 33 years as a priest, Checchio, 59, has allegedly covered up the abuse of the late disgraced Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and has expressed support for Father James Martin, and a dissident pro-LGBT ministry. Checchio will initially serve as coadjutor archbishop alongside Archbishop Gregory Aymond but will succeed Aymond as the next archbishop of New Orleans upon his retirement.
“It is with great hope for the future of our archdiocese that I share the news that the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has appointed Most Reverend James F. Checchio of the Diocese of Metuchen as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans,” Archbishop Aymond said in a statement.
Pope Leo XIV Appoints Bishop James Checchio as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans | Read the full release at: https://t.co/LzRCbcPmit pic.twitter.com/lPPwXdDZan
— U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (@USCCB) September 24, 2025
Ties to disgraced McCarrick
After Checchio’s ordination to the priesthood in 1992, he served in various parishes within the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, and held diocesan administrative roles, including secretary to Bishop James McHugh.
From 2006 to 2016, Checchio served as rector of the Pontifical North American College (NAC) in Rome after a 2 1/2-year tenure as vice rector. During his tenure, Checchio was credited with the NAC enjoying its highest enrollment of Americans since the 1960s.
However, it was also during his tenure that then-Cardinal McCarrick was allowed to stay at the college during the 2013 papal conclave despite allegations and rumors of his sexual abuse of seminarians surfacing among the clergy.
READ: The devil must be proud of McCarrick’s role in hurting the Church
In 2016, Checchio was appointed as bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen by Pope Francis. McCarrick, the founding bishop of the diocese, was notably front and center at Checchio’s episcopal consecration.
As bishop, Checchio would have been responsible for reviewing the diocese’s past sexual abuse settlements, which included two settlements the Metuchen and Newark dioceses paid between 2005 and 2007 to priests allegedly abused by McCarrick totaling $180,000. However, Checchio and Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin never disclosed this settlement information.
Bp. Checchio has been appointed “coadjutor” for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. We are told from people who know him personally that he is a McCarrick protege. https://t.co/VXPJnKPTcm pic.twitter.com/yc2t4SZCaz
— Lepanto Institute (@LepantoInst) September 24, 2025
In August 2018, after decades of abuse allegations against McCarrick became public, Checchio wrote in a diocesan statement that he was “saddened and ashamed” by the reports of the “abhorrent events we have been learning about in regard to (then) Archbishop McCarrick.”
Support for Fr. James Martin and pro-LGBT groups
The new coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans has also shown support for heterodox Jesuit priest Fr. James Martin. In 2018, he invited Martin to speak in the diocese and even extended an invitation to his private residence before the talk.
“They tried to bury us. They forgot we were seeds.” Thanks to everyone who packed the room for a lecture on Jesus last night, which was moved after angry protests from hateful online groups. Thanks also Bishop Checchio for meeting with me before the talk. https://t.co/HOqQD6lJCr pic.twitter.com/v2SgpZKNLl
— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) February 16, 2018
Indeed, Martin appeared to express approval at Checchio’s New Orleans appointment, reposting the USCCB’s announcement via X.
Checchio has also allowed the dissident pro-LGBT ministry “In God’s image” at the Church of the Sacred Heart in South Plainfield.
“‘In God’s Image’ is the parish faith sharing group for Catholic gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning persons 18 and over and their families,” the ministry’s webpage, which features rainbow imagery, states.
READ: Pope Leo appoints new Oregon bishop who helped draft LGBT pastoral guidelines in Iowa
While the ministry claims to accept the Church’s teaching on same-sex “marriage,” a layman named David Harvie, who is “married” to another man, previously served as the group’s facilitator.
According to a 2019 ChurchMilitant.com report, Checchio had ignored concerns from the Metuchen faithful and only removed his name from the ministry’s webpage after Church Militant’s investigation was published. LifeSiteNews was unable to corroborate whether Harvie is currently involved with the ministry in any capacity.
Support and suppression of TLM
Checchio has a mixed record on supporting the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in Metuchen. In 2022, the bishop suppressed the TLM at Corpus Christi Church without providing a public explanation.
READ: Latin Mass will be suppressed at New Jersey church a year after Pope Francis’ crackdown
On the other hand, Checchio has shown support for other Tridentine Masses, celebrating one at the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in Raritan earlier this year.
Bishop Checchio celebrated a traditional Latin Mass for the faithful at the historic Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in Raritan on Sunday, March 2nd.
📸: John Batkowski / @CathSpiritNJ pic.twitter.com/hipI6JYUTY
— Diocese of Metuchen (@diocesemetuchen) March 3, 2025
In addition to his diocesan assignments, Checchio has served as the treasurer for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) since 2022.
The bishop holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, a Master of Business Administration degree from La Salle University in Philadelphia, and a Doctorate of Canon Law and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from the University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He was previously named a chaplain to His Holiness by Pope John Paul II in 2000, which granted him the title of Monsignor, and was named a prelate of honor by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans, which Checchio will eventually lead, has faced a massive sex abuse scandal, recently offering a whopping $230 million settlement to abuse victims.
The New Orleans archdiocese did not respond to LifeSite’s request for comment by publication time.
