Catholic church officials extended the pastoral term of a priest who was later convicted of sexual assault, despite having received multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him, according to internal church documents.

Anthony Odiong was initially assigned as temporary pastor at St Anthony of Padua church in Luling, Louisiana, from 2015 to 2018. Near the end of that period, church supervisors extended his assignment by three years despite receiving complaints from nearly half a dozen women alleging sexual misconduct or unwanted advances during his ministry.

The extension would have kept Odiong in the pastoral role until 2027, but he did not complete the extended term. In June, a jury in Waco, Texas, where Odiong had previously worked, convicted him of criminal clergy sexual assault involving two women. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Internal Catholic church files show that clergy leaders were aware of the allegations against Odiong when they decided to extend what was originally intended as a temporary three-year assignment. The complaints included incidents that occurred while Odiong was ministering to female congregants.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about how the Catholic church handles reports of sexual misconduct by clergy members and the processes in place for investigating such allegations before making personnel decisions.