NEW YORK (NY)
ChurchMilitant.com
December 27, 2018
By Christine Niles, M.St. (Oxon.), J.D.
James Grein: ‘I cried, worse than I’ve ever cried before’
(caution: graphic content)
James Grein, the victim on whom Abp. Theodore McCarrick preyed for 18 years, gave his sworn testimony of abuse in the archdiocese of New York Thursday.
In emotional testimony that lasted just under 45 minutes, Grein met with Fr. Richard L. Welch, judicial vicar for the archdiocese, at the chancery office on 1011 First Avenue Thursday morning. Although Grein’s attorney was present as well as two canon lawyers in Albany representing McCarrick, no one was allowed to speak but Grein and Welch, who had been assigned directly by the Holy See to take down the testimony. An unnamed priest was also present at the meeting to ensure the session was conducted fairly and properly.
“He was there to listen, and not to twist and turn anything,” Grein told Church Militant, speaking of Welch. “He was there to gather information for the Holy See. Period.”
During the session, Welch told Grein he’d been following him ever since he went public with his testimony in The New York Times, reading about him and watching him at the Silence Stops Now rally and in other interviews. He told Grein he believed him.
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