Sexually Abusive Newark, Nj, Archdiocesan Priest to Be Given a Farewell Party by His West Orange, Nj, Parish – Where Is He Going?

Ralph Riegel
April 25, 2015

http://www.road-to-recovery.org/

Fr. Edson Fernando Costa, a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, sexually assaulted a senior citizen woman in 2007 in St. Anne’s Church, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, admitted he did it, and the Archdiocese of Newark knowingly placed him in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, West Orange, New Jersey without notifying parishioners of his past, thus placing other women at risk of sexual assault.

In April, 2015, one week after sexual abuse advocates demonstrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in West Orange, New Jersey regarding previous alleged sexual abuse by the late Fr. Michael H. Hansen, the Archdiocese of Newark, in reaction to the demonstration, announced that Fr. Edson Fernando Costa would be removed from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and possibly the priestly ministry, but not quietly - the Archdiocese of Newark is allowing the parish to throw him a good-bye party.

What

A demonstration and leafleting alerting parishioners and the general public of the inappropriateness of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish throwing a party for an admitted sexually abusive priest who finally may be removed from ministry only after sexual abuse advocates demonstrated about another alleged sexually abusive priest and exposed the knowingly unsafe and inappropriate actions of the Archdiocese of Newark regarding Fr. Edson Fernando Costa.

When

Sunday, April 26, 2015 from 10:30 am until 1:00 pm.

Where

On the public sidewalks outside Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, 1 Eagle Rock Avenue, West Orange, New Jersey, 07052 (on the Mississippi Avenue side of the church).

Who

Approximately 6-7 members of Road to Recovery, Inc., a non-profit charity based in New Jersey that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families.

Why

From April 11 to 12, 2015, members of Road to Recovery, Inc. demonstrated and leafleted outside Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in West Orange, New Jersey in order to alert parishioners and the general public about previous allegations of sexual abuse against a deceased priest, Fr. Michael H. Hansen, who served for several years at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Some parishioners spoke to the demonstrators about their concerns regarding another sexually abusive priest, Fr. Edson Fernando Costa, who is currently assigned to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. According to media reports, Fr. Costa admitted that he sexually assaulted a 72 year-old woman in a church hallway at St. Anne’s Parish in Fair Lawn (Bergen County, New Jersey) on November 15, 2007. Fr. Costa was arrested on June 6, 2008, for criminal and sexual contact. Fr. Costa admitted the crime and entered the Pretrial Intervention Program in Bergen County, New Jersey. It is believed the Archdiocese of Newark knowingly moved Fr. Costa to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in West Orange, New Jersey, and allowed him to continue to serve as a priest without telling or warning the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish about Fr. Costa’s past. It is believed that the Archdiocese of Newark is now removing Fr. Edson Fernando Costa from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish NOT because it is the right thing to do but because they were “caught” once again covering up sexual abuse by priests and allowed a sexually abusive priest to continue to serve in ministry, and the Archdiocese of Newark seemingly has not announced where Fr. Edson Fernando Costa will be going.

Contacts

Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., Road to Recovery, Inc. – 862-368-2800

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, Boston, MA – 617-523-6250