Former St. Agnes Pastor Suspended Amid Child Abuse Allegation

By Barbara Heins
The Patch
February 5, 2015

http://patch.com/connecticut/greenwich/former-st-agnes-pastor-suspended-amid-child-abuse-allegation-0

Photo: Bishop Frank J. Caggiano. Credit: Diocese of Bridgeport.

The former pastor of St. Agnes Church has been placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Bridgeport amid a “credible” allegation of child abuse, according to a statement from Bishop Frank J. Caggiano.

The Rev. Stephen J. DeLuca, who retired as pastor in 2006 and has since been a priest in residence at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Riverside and a chaplain at Greenwich Hospital, has been placed “on administrative leave and has removed his faculties to exercise any and all forms of public ministry as a priest. The decision was made after the Diocesan Sexual Misconduct Review Board ruled that there is credible evidence of an incident of child abuse on the part of Fr. Deluca more than 30 years ago,” Caggiano wrote in a Jan. 31 letter posted on the diocesan website.

According to Caggiano, the diocese “did not learn of this allegation until recently, well after Father DeLuca retired on June 30, 2014. In accordance with both state reporting mandates and the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, we notified both the police and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) immediately. Given the information available and the significant time which had passed, neither the police nor DCF took further action.”

The diocese hired an independent investigator who determined the allegation was credible, Caggiano wrote.

A diocesan spokesman told Greenwich Time the incident did not occur in Greenwich, but did not elaborate.

DeLuca will no longer reside at St. Catherine and “is prohibited from any future ministry,” according to the letter. “We have taken steps to work with Father DeLuca in this transition, and the services of our diocesan clergy counselor have been made available to him. Diocesan personnel will also be on hand as a resource to the parishes in which he served in the coming days,” Caggiano added.

He also said, “It is important to note that, other than this reported incident, we are not aware of any other victim that has come forward with an allegation of misconduct by Father DeLuca in any of his previous assignments.”

The 75-year-old DeLuca was ordained in 1965 and was appointed the third pastor of St. Agnes in August, 1984, a position he held until June of 2006, according to the St. Agnes Church website.

The diocese also added, that anyone who wants to report suspected abuse involving a minor, recently or in the past, contact: Erin Neil, L.C.S.W., diocesan director of Safe Environments: 203.650.3265; or Michael Tintrup, L.C.S.W., victim assistance counselor: 203.241.0987. Mandated reporters must also directly report any incident of sexual abuse of a minor to the State of Connecticut Child Abuse and Neglect care line: 1-800-842-2288. Those who are not mandated reporters, may also report suspected abuse to the Abuse and Neglect Care line at 1-800-842-2288.