Louisiana church solicits prayers for pastor convicted of sexual assault – but not for his victims

Anthony Odiong was sentenced to life in prison for sex crimes against his congregants in Texas

A Louisiana church where a Roman Catholic priest served as pastor before being recently convicted in Texas of criminal clergy sexual assault and sentenced to life in prison has been criticized by his victims and their supporters for soliciting prayers on his behalf in a parochial bulletin published after his guilty verdict - which neglected to mention the survivors.

One of the two women whom Anthony Odiong was convicted of assaulting in Waco, Texas - identified in court proceedings as Mary Doe - issued a statement on Tuesday encouraging St Anthony of Padua's community in the New Orleans suburb of Luling, Louisiana, to pray for his victims, too.