Newark Archbishop Is Silent on Fugee Controversy at Memorial Day Mass in North Arlington
By Jeff Green
Newark Archbishop John J. Myers came to Holy Cross Cemetery to celebrate a Memorial Day Mass on Monday, a day after a letter bearing his signature, in which he defended the archdiocese’s handling of a snowballing controversy involving a former Wyckoff associate pastor, was read to parishioners. Surrounded by a few dozen priests and members from the local Knights of Columbus, the leader of 1.3 million North Jersey Catholics received a warm reception at the service, including a 10-second round of applause. At no point, however, did Myers mention the Rev. Michael Fugee, a former associate pastor at the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Wyckoff who allegedly heard the confessions of minors over the past three years despite a legal agreement barring him from ministering to children. Fugee, whose decade-old conviction for groping an adolescent boy was overturned on a technicality, was arrested last week and charged with seven counts of violating a judicial order. John L. Molinelli, the Bergen County prosecutor, said Fugee heard confessions from children at least seven times between 2010 and 2012, including twice at Sacred Heart Church in Rochelle Park, where archdiocesan officials allowed him to live for two years, and once at Our Lady of Visitation in Paramus in violation of an agreement that Fugee signed with Molinelli’s office to avoid a second trial. Revelations that Fugee, who resigned from the ministry on May 2, was involved with youth groups and hearing confession from minors, have sparked a torrent of criticism toward Myers, some of it from parishioners, and calls for his resignation. On Sunday, a letter penned by Myers addressing the Fugee controversy was read aloud in parishes across the four-county archdiocese. In the letter, he announced the resignation of Vicar General John E. Doran, the archdiocese’s second-highest-ranking official, who signed the 2007 agreement with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office barring Fugee from working with children for as long as he remained a priest. He was the fifth person to resign in the wake of the scandal, including a Monmouth County pastor, two youth ministers and Fugee. Myers used the letter to defend his handling of the controversy, saying that the archdiocese has an “exemplary record of addressing allegations against our clergy,” and pledged more resources for sex-abuse awareness training and to an archdiocesan review board. While Myers did not add to those statements on Monday, the issue was on the minds of several who attended the commemorative Mass. Jim Lind, 71, of Nutley said afterward that he has closely followed news reports about the Fugee case as he has pursued a conversion to Catholicism. He said he believes the archbishop erred in returning Fugee to the ministry in 2009, but the mistake was not “so serious he would have to resign.” He said he will continue to watch the archdiocese’s response. Julia Pinto of North Arlington said she would not form an opinion and that it was up to God to determine whether Fugee or Myers did anything wrong. “We do not judge,” she said. “He’s the judge.” Several prominent Democratic politicians and victims’ advocates were not swayed by Myers’ statement and have continued to demand his resignation. They say the archbishop never should have returned Fugee to the ministry based on a review board finding in 2009 that no sexual abuse occurred. Jim Goodness, Myers’ spokesman, said Monday the archbishop does not plan to step down. “There is no intent and there’s no reason” for Myers to resign, Goodness said. In accordance with church law, Goodness said Myers, 71, must offer his resignation when he turns 75. The pope then will choose whether to accept it. Goodness has maintained that the archbishop had no knowledge of Fugee’s involvement with youth groups across New Jersey until news reports about those activities surfaced late last month. Goodness initially defended Fugee’s activities as being within the bounds of his agreement with prosecutors, but he reversed himself days later, insisting that it was prohibited. The Memorial Day Mass is an annual ritual Myers has presided over in all but one of his 12 years as archbishop. Myers, who wore sunglasses and white vestments, led communion, said blessings and sang along during the Mass, which was dedicated to fallen soldiers and members of the military, and was attended by some 800 people. As Myers departed in a recessional that passed through the middle aisle of a large white tent, people shook his hand and several nuns flocked to kiss his ecclesiastical ring. Email: greenj@northjersey.com Twitter: Jeff_A_Green
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