Survivors Say Nj's List of Abusive Clergy Leaves Many Unanswered Questions

WNYC Radio
February 14, 2019

https://www.wnyc.org/story/njs-list-abusive-clergy-leaves-many-unanswered-questions-survivors-say/

New Jersey's bishops have released the names of nearly 200 priests who were "credibly accused" of child sex abuse. But according to survivors who spoke with WNYC, the lists raise almost as many questions as they answer.

For instance, priests who are currently under investigation aren't included. Some of the dioceses list priests who abused "multiple" victims, but don't offer specific numbers. Four of the five dioceses fail to disclose the dates of when abusive priests were removed from ministry.

And Mark Crawford, the New Jersey coordinator for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), says there's another key piece of information that's missing.

"They failed to disclose what they knew and when," Crawford said. "As a victim, it's part of your healing. You want to know. You have a need [and] an appetite for that information."

Through Crawford's extensive network of survivors in New Jersey, he estimates at least 100 clergy are missing from the lists, including the priest who repeatedly raped Fred Marigliano and his little brothers over the course of several years in the 1950's and 60's. That's because their abuser was from a religious order, like the Jesuits, the Franciscans and, in their case, the Society of St. Paul. A spokesperson for Newark's Archdiocese says priests from religious orders aren't included on the dioceses' list because the orders are supposed to police themselves.

Because their abuser isn't a diocesan priest, Marigliano and his brothers won't be eligible to apply for funds through the recently announced statewide victim compensation program. Still, Marigliano says he remains a devout Catholic and that he has faith in Newark Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Tobin, who has been the driving force behind Wednesday's disclosure.

"I'm hoping and praying that he would release all of the names," said Marigliano. "I believe he's a good man with a very difficult job."

Now that nearly 200 abusers have had their names made public, Marigliano said the church needs to take the next step.

"I want these pedophiles out of my church," he said. "And I want the people who protected the pedophiles out of my church."

The names of bishops and clergy who protected abusive priests remains a secret. Still, survivor advocates say they hope that information comes out in the statewide investigation that's currently being led by New Jersey's Attorney General Gurbir Grewal.