In New Jersey, Catholic dioceses recently released the names of high ranking clergy members, including priests and deacons, accused of sexually abusing children. Currently, the list contains the names, dioceses, and churches where these 188 accusers served, from across the five dioceses of New Jersey.

New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses came to the decision to open up their files, which span decades and release the names of members who are “credibly accused” of sexually abusing a child due to the weight of public outcry. Members of their New Jersey communities demanded answers and the identities of clergy accused of sexual misconduct, both to protect their children and to seek justice.

Though collectively the dioceses voluntarily released this information, it also comes at the same moment of creation of a new task force by the New Jersey’s attorney general’s office, after a year of their own investigations. This task force’s goal is to investigate all claims of sexual abuse within the Catholic churches of New Jersey and to fully determine if the Church improperly handled these allegations over the years, whether through attempts to cover-up allegations or silence accusers.

Critics voiced that they were pleased that the Catholic Church was finally being open about sexual abuse allegations and releasing these names, but many had reservations that the religious institution was being entirely transparent. The lists published included names of priests and deacons who worked within the New Jersey dioceses only, other types of clergy members, however, were left off, raising some suspicions.

State Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, a long-time advocate for victims of abuse and who has aggressively legislated to eliminate New Jersey’s limits on civil lawsuits involving child sex abuse complaints against priests, was very vocal on his belief that some priests may be left off these lists.

Church officials themselves sifted through accusations, separating charges they believed to have some merit and were not blatantly false, and those they deemed as “credibly accused.” Though there is no exact definition of what “credibly accused” means, only those who have been determined by the Church to be “credibly accused” of sexual abuse of a minor were named in the lists. Jesuit priests, Franciscan priests, Benedictine monks and others who worked at schools and organizations run by the Church were not and are not expected to be included in the lists, despite any allegations of the sexual abuse of children against them.

The lists of accused priests and deacons may contain their names, dioceses, churches, even birth years, but offer little to no other pertinent information about the 188 involved. The Church did not release information on what the clergy members were accused of, any details on transfers from parish to parish or whether these monsters were allowed to continue to serve over children after their accusations. In fact, of those 188 accused perpetrators on the list, more than 100 of them are deceased, while others were removed from ministry duties and stripped of their standing as clergy.

The five Catholic dioceses that released the lists also have already collaborated to create a compensation fund for alleged victims, looking to pay settlements to these accusers in exchange for them refraining from filing the lawsuits against the Church. All these actions paint a tremendously somber picture of the length and reach these horrendous crimes have had across generations, and causes some to wonder on whether the Church is being truly candid about their past.

If you were sexually abused, raped, molested, inappropriately touched, or experienced any sexual misconduct involving a priest or any other church official, contact KBA Attorneys and receive a free case evaluation. Let us help you confront your abuser and protect your legal rights.

List Priests and Deacons Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Within New Jersey Catholic Churches