Spared Prison, the Rev. Michael Fugee Faces Loss of His Priesthood, Lifetime of Restrictions

Star-Ledger
November 8, 2013

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/11/spared_prison_the_rev_michael_fugee_faces_loss_of_his_priesthood_lifetime_of_restrictions.html

[• Read the consent order] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/816971-fugee-contempt-order.html

[• Read the prosecutor's press release] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/816973-fugee-press-release.html

[• Read the archdiocese's response] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/817239-james-goodness-statement-on-conclusion-of-fugee.html

[• Read Michael Fugee's confession to police.] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/561652-fugee-police-statement.html

The New Jersey priest charged earlier this year with violating a lifetime ban on ministry to children will not face criminal prosecution, but his freedom comes at the expense of his occupation.

The Rev. Michael Fugee, 52, will petition the Vatican for his permanent removal from the priesthood, one of dozens of conditions he must abide by for life under a court-approved agreement with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Among the restrictions, Fugee is forever barred from unsupervised contact with minors.

In announcing the consent order Friday, Prosecutor John L. Molinelli sharply rebuked Newark Archbishop John J. Myers, saying it was clear neither Myers nor his deputies made any significant effort to monitor Fugee as required under a previous memorandum of understanding.

Fugee signed the 2007 agreement to avoid retrial on charges he groped a teenage boy on multiple occasions.

The prosecutor said he no longer had confidence in Myers and felt compelled to shift the supervision of Fugee from the archdiocese to the prosecutor’s office.