In First Interview since Scandal, Newark Archbishop Myers Reflects on Missteps in Fugee Case
The Star-Ledger
Archbishop of Newark John J. Myers said the church will no longer enter into an agreement with a civil authority that places the archdiocese in a supervisory role, according to a report on NCRegister.com. Myers made the revelation in an interview with the National Catholic Register after admitting the church mishandled the supervision of a priest who violated a lifetime ban on ministry to children. The agreement with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office required the Newark Archdiocese to supervise Michael Fugee, who was convicted of groping a boy in 2003. The verdict was later overturned because of judicial error. To avoid retrial, Fugee entered a state rehabilitation program, underwent counseling for sex offenders and, by means of the agreement with prosecutors, promised to stay away from children. Fugee resigned from the ministry in May though he is back in the rectory in a different role. In the interview published on the National Catholic Register's website today, Myers defended the decision to allow Fugee to return to restricted ministry after he won an appeal of his conviction. "Basically, our decision was appropriate at the time," Myers said. "But what I don't think we will do again is enter into an agreement with a civil authority that gives the supervisory function to the archdiocese. We would not enter into a memorandum of understanding that places a burden on the Church. "The state has more resources. Our advice would be to tell the priest, 'Go back for a second trial and clear your name.' " Myers added that since he became archbishop in 2001, he has removed 19 priests from the ministry. Five died and 14 are "chartered" priests not permitted to be in ministry, Myers said in the interview.
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