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Abuse finding didn’t end ex-deacon’s work with children

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Church records show a former Roman Catholic deacon removed from the ministry in New Orleans three decades ago because of sexual abuse claims maintained contact with children through the Knights of Columbus fraternity.

Church emails obtained by The Associated Press show George Brignac played a role in planning an event for schoolchildren as recently as 2017.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans removed Brignac from the ministry in 1988.

But it did not contact the Knights of Columbus until last summer, when the archdiocese publicly apologized for allowing Brignac to continue serving in lay ministry despite his defrocking.

The Knights of Columbus said it didn’t know of the claims against Brignac until that point.

The archdiocese declined to comment in light of pending litigation.

Brignac denies touching children “for immoral purposes.”

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Jim Mustian reported from New York.