Sex Abuse Allegations Rock NJ Catholic School, Leadership As Advocates Demand Transparency
Published By admin
MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is demanding transparency from Delbarton School in Morristown and its affiliates, following troubling allegations of clergy sexual abuse.
SNAP specifically is demanding that Auxiliary Bishop Elias R. Lorenzo, school leader and a potential successor for Cardinal Joseph Tobin in the Archdiocese of Newark, be removed from consideration.
According to advocates, Lorenzo served in several leadership positions at Delbarton School, including Director of Liturgy, Director of Monastic Formation, Prior of St. Mary’s Abbey, and Rector of the Abbey Church. SNAP claims that under his leadership, several instances of child sexual abuse occurred within the all-boys Catholic high school.
SNAP specifically cites that in 2018, school officials disclosed that 13 monks and one lay teacher had been “credibly accused of abusing 30 known victims that courageously came forward.”
SNAP claims these cases of abuse were “quietly settled,” with accused clergymen being allowed to remain at St. Mary’s Abbey under “undisclosed restrictions.” Representatives added that this was “a systemic failure by leadership to protect children and report abuse.”
According to a report from the New York Post, details of these abuses could be made public soon. Read more here.
“Bishop Lorenzo’s rise cannot erase the pain experienced by Delbarton survivors,” said Mark Crawford, SNAP’s New Jersey Coordinator. “It is unacceptable that someone who held authority during decades when so many students were being preyed upon should now be considered for further promotion. Our members demand transparency and accountability. Under Lorenzo’s watch, children were abused by wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
SNAP is demanding the following, according to a statement:
1. “Independent investigation: SNAP urges the Archdiocese of Newark and the Benedictine community to commission an independent inquiry into how abuse allegations at Delbarton were handled during Lorenzo’s leadership and throughout the crisis at Delbarton that scarred so many innocent boys’ lives. Survivors deserve answers and a full accounting of records documenting all complaints.
2. Public disclosure of findings: The results of any investigation must be made public. Predators have been protected by secrets for too long. Full transparency is the only way to begin to restore trust.
3. Exclusion from succession: SNAP calls on Pope Leo and the Apostolic Nuncio to remove Bishop Lorenzo from consideration for the office of Archbishop of Newark and any higher positions. Survivors and Catholics cannot be expected to accept leadership from those who routinely failed to protect children.
4. Support for survivors: Finally, we ask the church to provide accessible counseling and assistance for Delbarton survivors and to publicly encourage victims of clergy abuse to report to law enforcement.”
Content retrieved from: https://patch.com/new-jersey/morristown/sex-abuse-allegations-rock-nj-catholic-school-leadership-advocates-demands.
