NEW YORK (NY)
LoHud
December 12, 2017
By Jorge Fitz-Gibbon
The Archdiocese of New York has paid $750,000 to three men who were abused as children by former Croton-on-Hudson priest Gennaro “Jerry” Gentile.
An attorney for the three unidentified men said they were victims of ongoing molestation by Gentile — who once even wrote a children’s book — while he was pastor at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Croton from 1987 to 2000.
Their settlements under the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program now bring the amount paid to victims of Catholic priest abuse in the archdiocese to more than $40 million. In all, 189 abuse victims received compensation.
“I think the problem is that the church, at that time, was essentially protecting them,” said Joe O’Connor, the attorney for the three men abused by Gentile. “I mean, that’s the whole story. If you look at the record at how many times Gentile was moved, I think that’s the real harm, that they didn’t reach out and discipline.”
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