NEW ORLEANS (LA)
WDSU [New Orleans]
December 4, 2024
By Aubry Killion
WDSU Investigates has uncovered new court records linked to convicted rapist Lawrence Hecker.
Warning: the details in the records are graphic.
According to the records, one victim said he met Lawrence Hecker at a seminary pool and was later raped.
Records show extensive evidence from 1996 to 2012 in the court file.
The documents outline the graphic abuse of about a dozen people, all with similar stories, according to court records.
The records state in 2022, the victim was interviewed by the FBI. The victim indicated that while attending Saint John Vianney Prep School (“St. John Prep”), he began working next door at St. Theresa of the Little Flower Church (“St. Theresa”) in New Orleans.
The victim stated that when he was not working at St. Theresa, he often hung out and worked out in the converted workout room in preparation for trying out for sports teams. He also recalled that on Wednesdays, there was a pool night held at Notre Dame Seminary, open only to Saint John Prep students. The pool night was a large social event for the students and the clergy in the New Orleans area. The victim recalled that Hecker always attended pool nights. One night, Hecker came up to talk to him, asking how he was doing and if he was still at St. Theresa.
One Sunday after Mass, Hecker showed up at St. Theresa and surprised the victim in the workout room. Hecker made conversation with the victim, telling him about the wrestling team Saint John Prep would be getting, and offered to give the victim some pointers for tryouts.
The victim remembered starting off in a “ready position,” with Hecker behind him, when Hecker grabbed him, and he felt Hecker’s arm around his neck before he passed out. He realized it was much later than normal due to the sun’s position on the bell tower and was worried he had missed his bus home.
Upon arriving home, the victim’s mother asked why he was home late, but he did not tell her what happened that day.
He refused to go back to the pool night at Notre Dame Seminary the following Wednesday. Later, his mother asked where his paper bag of dirty clothes was for laundry, which led him to break down and tell her what happened.
The records state after the incident, he began getting into fights at school. On one occasion, after fighting with a friend, a teacher broke up the fight and took him to the office of the principal, Paul Calamari (“Calamari”). The victim broke down in front of Calamari, telling him that Hecker had raped him. Calamari became angry, asking him if he talked to anyone else about the incident. The victim replied that he had told his mother, after which Calamari sent him away and said he would call his parents.
Calamari told his parents that the victim needed to see a psychiatrist due to his “anger issues and fantasy stories,” or he would be expelled. The thought of expulsion scared him, so he agreed to see a therapist for several months.
Calamari’s attorney declined to comment.
The archdiocese issued WDSU the following statement:
Paul Calamari did serve as principal of St. John Vianney Prep as a layperson prior to his ordination to the priesthood.
“Any allegation of abuse reported to a school leader or to the Archdiocese of New Orleans is immediately reported to law enforcement.”