Priest in Newark Archdiocese Scandal Says Contact with Kids Was "My Fault Alone"

By Mark Mueller
The Star-Ledger
May 3, 2013

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/05/priest_is_newark_archdiocese_s.html

The Rev. Michael Fugee shortly after being found guilty of sexually fondling a teenager or April 11, 2003. (Star-Ledger file photo)

The Newark Archdiocese has released a statement citing the resignation letter of the Rev. Michael Fugee, the priest who interacted with minors despite an agreement with law enforcement barring him from doing so.

Fugee's actions, disclosed by The Star-Ledger last week, have created an enormous controversy for Archbishop John J. Myers, who, through a spokesman, had argued Fugee's interactions did not violate the agreement because he was under supervision. The archdiocese reversed course Thursday night, announcing the priest's resignation.

Below is the text of the release by James Goodness:

On Thursday, May 2, Fr. Michael Fugee, a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, wrote the following to The Most Reverend John J. Myers, Archbishop of Newark:

“For the good of the Church and for my peace, I have requested permission to leave public exercise of my priestly ministry.

“In conscience, I feel it necessary to make clear to all that my actions described in recent news stories were outside of my assigned ministry within the Archdiocese. The leadership of the Archdiocese of Newark, especially Archbishop John Myers, did not know or approve of my actions. My failure to request the required permissions to engage in those ministry activities is my fault, my fault alone.

“I am sorry that my actions have caused pain to my Church and to her people.”

Archbishop Myers granted this request on May 2.

Fr. Fugee remains a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, but he no longer has faculties to minister publicly as a priest. He cannot present himself as a priest, cannot wear clerical clothing, and cannot perform publicly the duties or activities of a priest.

Following the Memorandum of Understanding, the Archdiocese did not assign Fr. Fugee to any post involving ministry with minors. His assignments were supervised administrative positions located at the Archdiocesan Center in Newark. Fr. Fugee was under continual supervision during the exercise of these ministerial duties.

The Archdiocese only learned about two weeks ago when approached by a reporter that Fr. Fugee had engaged in other activities or ministries. The activities written about in recent news stories were not part of his assigned ministry. Had the Archdiocese known about them at the time, permission to undertake them would not have been granted.

Neither Archbishop Myers nor others in the leadership of the Archdiocese gave Fr. Fugee permission to work in any ministry other than those ministries that were physically located within the Archdiocesan Center. He did not seek, nor would it have been granted, permission to engage in activities involving minors either through the Archdiocese or at any other diocese in the state. He failed to follow established procedures and protocols in place among all of the dioceses in the state designed to prevent unauthorized ministries.