NEW JERSEY
Renew America
Matt C. Abbott
June 8, 2005
The following is the story of Michael Iatesta, a survivor of clergy abuse. It is a slightly edited version of a statement he gave at an April 17 press conference.
"Gerald Ruane, a recently retired priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, parish priest, college professor, campus minister, chaplain, director of the Sacred Heart Institute of Healing, and a national charismatic healer is also a child sex offender.
"I was one of his victims.
"I was raised in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and received all of my education from Catholic institutions. I graduated from Sacred Heart Grammar School in Bloomfield, Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair, and received my Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Seton Hall University in South Orange. I now reside in Westfield, New Jersey.
"I'm a human rights activist, and for the last decade have worked to fight the spread of HIV — AIDS around the world. Most recently, I have worked for the Centers for Disease Control's Global AIDS Program. I am here to tell you my story and to inform you that I will be filing a civil law suit against the Archdiocese of Newark, Father Ruane and the Archbishop for years of emotional and psychological exploitation. I am fortunate to have attorney John Aretakis to represent me.
"In 1973, when I was eleven, my father was dying of cancer. Hoping for a cure, I was introduced to Father Ruane at a charismatic healing mass by my cousin who worked for him at Caldwell College between 1973 and 1977. Unfortunately, my father succumbed to his illness and died in 1974. During the next year, I remained a vulnerable, depressed young boy
Posted by kshaw at June 8, 2005 04:29 PM