NJ priest groped girl just a month after being ordained, cops say

By Adam Hochron
New Jersey 101.5
August 07, 2017

http://nj1015.com/nj-priest-touched-teen-inappropriately-and-said-she-was-sexy-police-say/

A newly ordained Roman Catholic priest has been charged with groping a teen girl under her skirt.

The Rev. Marcin Nurek was charged last week with endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact.

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office says the 37-year-old touched the teen girl’s buttocks in Boonton over her underwear and told her she was “sexy.”

According to a statement from the Diocese of Paterson, Nurek was arrested at approximately 8:45 p.m. on Aug. 3. After learning about the arrest, the diocese’s statement said, the “Rev. Nurek was immediately placed on administrative leave, his faculties were revoked and his assignment as parochial vicar at St. Catherine of Siena Church, Mountain Lakes was concluded.”

The diocese said Nurek came to this country from Poland in March of 2015 and that he had just been ordained on July 1. Prior to his arrest, Nurek was assigned to begin work at the church in August. The statement also said he had undergone a full background check in October of 2014 that came back clear.

Nurek completed the Diocese’s “Protecting God’s Children” training program in April of 2015 and had signed the Code of Pastoral Conduct in March of that year.

“The Diocese is deeply saddened by the charges filed against Rev. Nurek and offers its prayers to everyone involved, especially the minor who has come forward,” the diocese said.

Nurek remains in jail pending a detention hearing on Wednesday. It wasn’t immediately known if he had an attorney to comment on his behalf.