Catholic Church to release names of NJ priest accused of abuse

<p>New Jersey's highest-ranking cleric says the Catholic Church will release the names early next year of priests &ldquo;credibly accused&rdquo; of abusing children.</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 21, 2018, 1:33 AM

Updated 2,155 days ago

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New Jersey's highest-ranking cleric says the Catholic Church will release the names early next year of priests “credibly accused” of abusing children.
Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Tobin also announced Monday that the church will establish a fund to compensate victims of clergy abuse in New Jersey, including in cases where the legal statute of limitations has expired. But some victims and victims’ advocates say that the Church isn’t going far enough.
Kevin Waldrip, 67, says that he was molested by a priest in Newark when he was 13 years old. He says that the experience still casts a shadow on his life.
“It affected all aspects of my life. I don't trust people. I don't trust women. I don't trust myself in relationships,” he says.
The archdiocese issued a statement in response. "We welcome constructive input on how to expand on our almost two decades-long practice of providing financial compensation and healing to survivors of abuse, without regard to the current civil statute of limitations.”
The statement continued, “It is completely understandable that there will be some skepticism and mistrust on this new initiative, until there is proof of sincerity through further action."
New Jersey's attorney general is conducting an investigation into the clergy abuse scandal.
The investigation comes on the heels of a grand jury investigation in Pennsylvania that concluded more than 1,000 children had been abused over a span of decades by about 300 priests.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.