NEW: 300 NJ Catholic clergy, 3 nuns accused sexual misconduct – New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio
A list of more than 300 Catholic priests, deacons and other clergy accused of sexual misconduct in New Jersey was shared Monday by a law firm also now suing the New Jersey Catholic Conference, which represents all five bishops in the state.
It follows the February release by the Archdiocese of Newark and NJ’s four other Dioceses (Camden, Metuchen, Trenton and Paterson) of 189 priests and deacons “credibly accused” of sexual abuse of children. The disclosure was said to be part of the Dioceses’ “efforts to promote healing for all victims of child sexual abuse.”
“They have claimed to be open and transparent. Their list was horrendously inadequate,” attorney Greg Gianforcaro said during a news conference Monday.
The new, lengthier list of sexual misconduct allegations involves priests, deacons, brothers, at least one monsignor and three nuns, spanning the Archdiocese of Newark and the four other dioceses.
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was given his own section on the list, as “the highest ranking Catholic official to be removed from the priesthood because of allegations of child sexual abuse.” Pope Francis removed McCarrick from ministry in June 2018 after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced against him. He was allowed to resign from his position in July 2018 and was suspended from public ministry. This past February, McCarrick was removed from the clerical state.
The law firm, Jeff Anderson & Associates, has said that all five New Jersey Catholic bishops should release the identities, background information and histories of all clergy accused of sexual misconduct with minors, which the firm says has have largely been concealed.
The lawsuit involves Edward Hanratty, a sexual abuse survivor who first went public last summer with his memories of abuse as a North Jersey altar boy. It accuses Catholic bishops of maintaining a public hazard, by refusing to fully identify the names of all clergy accused of sexual misconduct in New Jersey.
Hanratty’s on-record account of sexual abuse in Ridgefield Park over a four year span, starting in 1987 when he was 10, led to the removal of the Rev. Gerald Sudol from his more recent position at a church in Jersey City.
For the full list of NJ priests and other clergy accused of sexual misconduct, click here.
As of Monday afternoon, there was no response from either the Archdiocese of Newark or the New Jersey Catholic Conference on the newer list of clergy accused of sexual misconduct.
The press conference during which the list was made public and the new lawsuit was announced was streamed on Youtube:
The same law firm last month released the names of 52 former Boy Scout leaders from New Jersey accused of sexually abusing boys that were under their care decades ago.
More from New Jersey 101.5: