N.J. Priests Take Leave of Absence

NEWARK, N.J. Marchg 26, 2002 — Several priests in the state's largest archdiocese have taken voluntary leaves from their jobs while archdiocese officials investigate sexual abuse charges against them, a spokesman said Tuesday. Archdiocese of Newark spokesman James Goodness said the priests, who were working actively in parishes in the nation's seventh-largest archdiocese, have agreed to stay out of ministry while the allegations are being investigated.

Goodness said officials learned of the charges in recent weeks as church officials in Boston deal with several sexual abuse allegations, including one that officials moved a pedophile priest from parish to parish despite evidence that he was a threat.

A 37-year-old Virginia man came forward last week to say he had been repeatedly sexually assaulted by his priest in Mendham as a child. Archdiocese officials in Paterson said they removed the priest from his parish but did not contact prosecutors about the matter.

Goodness did not know whether the archdiocese had contacted police or the specific allegations against each priest. He said the number of priests who have taken leave represent less than 1 percent of archdiocese priests, or less than 10.

On Monday, Archbishop John J. Myers publicly addressed the sexual abuse allegations in the Roman Catholic Church before a Holy Week Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. He apologized to victims of sex abuse by priests and vowed to fully investigate any future allegations.

"It should not need to be said, that a church which spends the largest portion of its resources and the largest portion of its personnel in serving children can never, and will never condone anything which harms those children," Myers said. "Molesting children by anyone, especially by those in Holy Orders, must be condemned."

During the service, Myers also questioned the media's motivation for what he called the "constant barrage of publicity" about the abuse cases. His comments drew loud applause from his audience, which included 400 priests and lay representatives of all 235 parishes in Union, Essex, Bergen and Hudson counties.

"I am not downplaying the various terrible situations, but I think too much has been written," the Rev. Joseph Masiello of Holy Trinity Church in Westfield told The Record of Hackensack for Tuesday's editions.

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Author: 6-ABC