Protection of the Faithful

We foster a safe environment where youth can build a relationship with God, supporting the Archdiocese of Newark’s mission to be a living sign of Jesus Christ’s presence.

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Empowering God’s Children


We engage children in our Catholic Schools and Faith Formation programs with relevant and age-appropriate resources, ensuring they are informed to stay safe and aware in protected, nurtured faith communities.

Transparency and Healing

We are committed to the protection of the faithful.

Read our accountability statement and access prayers, FAQs, and additional resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

For all employees, volunteers, members of religious communities, and clergy (including those who are international and temporarily assigned) who interact with minors

What are the requirements for serving in a position that interacts with minors?

First, you must work with your Local Safe Environment Coordinator (LSEC) to fill out a volunteer application, sign the Archdiocesan Code of Conduct, and complete a criminal background check. You must also complete a course in child sexual abuse awareness and prevention: Protecting God’s Children for Adults by VIRTUSOnline. This programming must be completed within 30 days of your service and every five years after.

If you are completing the Protecting God’s Children for Adults course for the first time, you must attend in person. When it is time for you to recertify, you will have the option to do so online.

Do I need to complete background check if I’ve already been fingerprinted to teach in a New Jersey school?

No, as long as your role at the parish is a volunteer, and you are still teaching in a New Jersey school, you do not need to complete a background check. Ensure the school at which you are teaching is correctly indicated on your New Jersey Department of Education Applicant Approval History form. If it is not, you must complete an Archive Applicant Request.

What happens when a criminal history record turns up after a background check?

Careful consideration will be given to the role and type of contact as it relates to minors and/or vulnerable individuals. At all times, the safety of minors and/or vulnerable individuals is paramount and decisions will be made accordingly.

Who should I contact for more information?

Your Local Safe Environment Coordinator (LSEC), designated by your pastor or principal, will be able to assist you throughout this process. Contact your parish or school for their information, or use the VIRTUSOnline portal if you have an existing account.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Audit

Independent auditors from the USCCB have found the Archdiocese fully compliant with the USCCB’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People every year since audits began in 2003.

The most recent determination in November 2023 was made after the Archdiocese participated in an on-site audit, which occurs every three years. The audit measures the Archdiocese’s compliance with the Charter and includes numerous interviews with staff, rectors, priests, principals, and local safe environment coordinators, as well as detailed record reviews.

Forward in Faith Together: Our Road Ahead

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin’s pastoral vision for the Archdiocese of Newark seeks to establish a positive path forward for the faithful, the clergy, and the Archdiocese while simultaneously addressing crucial challenges of the past and present. It is a foundation for healing that addresses the hurt and mistrust within our community, reinforces the changes we have begun to implement, and provides a firm foundation for our lives as missionary disciples of Jesus. 

Archdiocesan Review Board Members

This board acts as a consultative body that advises the Archbishop in his assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests and deacons.

Ms. Filomena D’Amico

Ms. Lisa Dressner

Msgr. David Fulton

Mr. Michael McGarrity

Sr. Rosemary Moynihan

Rev. Philip Waters

Hon. Thomas Olivieri (Chair)

Olivieri was appointed as a Superior Court Judge in 1992 and served in the Family, Criminal, and Civil Divisions until 2002, when he was named as Presiding Judge of General Equity in Hudson County, New Jersey. He served as the Chairperson of the Conference of General Equity Judges and is the longest-serving Chancery Judge in Hudson County Superior Court history. He retired from the bench in 2012 and currently serves as Counsel to the law firm of Chasan Lamparello Mallon & Cappuzzo, PC. Judge Olivieri has a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Notre Dame and a J.D. from the University of Richmond. 

D’Amico began her career as an educator at the Academy of Our Lady of Grace in 2005 and has served as School Principal for ten years. She received a Master’s in Educational Leadership at Saint Peter’s University and is in her second year at Fordham pursuing her PhD in Educational Policy and Supervision for Catholic School Leadership.

Lisa Dressner is the Vice President in the Department of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry at Trinitas Regional Medical Center. There, she establishes strong collaboration and communication across a department of over 500 employees.  She develops and implements strategic planning in coordination with system and service line vision, manages and tracks budgets, ensuring programs are delivered in compliance with regulatory bodies, and works closely with the executive management team to improve and sustain hospital outcomes on patient care, safety, quality, employee retention, and efficiency.

Her previous role, from 2020 to 2022, was as Executive Director of Behavioral Health Operations.

She has an MSW from Rutgers and a BA in Psychology, with a minor in Social Work from LaSalle University.

Ordained in 1967, Fulton is pastor emeritus of Our Lady of Victories Church, Baptistown, NJ (1988-2012) and retired associate professor of moral theology at St Mary’s Seminary and University, Baltimore (2006-2020). He was a member of the NJ Supreme Court’s Advisory committee on Professional Ethics (1990-2009) and served as Promoter of Justice for the Diocese of Metuchen (2002-2019). He holds doctorates in moral theology and in canon law.

McGarrity has spent a career protecting others and currently provides Fortune 500 businesses with tailored risk management and security services. Previously, McGarrity served as the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, where he led all counterterrorism operations and investigations, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI New York Office, Director of the U.S. Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, Director of Counterterrorism at the White House National Security Council and Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office. Michael is the recipient of the Presidential Rank Leadership Award – Distinguished and Department of Justice Victim Assistance National Award.

Moynihan is Vice President, Mission Integration, Trinitas Regional Medical Center where she is responsible for the integration of an organization-wide mission plan and serving as a clinician in the Adult Outpatient Mental Health Clinic.

From 2011 to 2019, Moynihan served as the General Superior of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. Under her direction several efforts were developed and implemented including a Congregation sustainability plan, a structure to expand the responsibility for Sponsorship of Congregational Works to lay women and men, and growth of the Congregational ministry in Haiti.

Prior to that, Sister Rosemary served as Director of Ecology and Global Ministry for the Bon Secours Health System in Marriottsville, Maryland, where she was responsible for their international HIV/AIDS outreach programs to Haiti, Peru, and South Africa. She has also served on the Catholic Hospital Association’s International Outreach Committee. Her ministry history includes several years as Manager of Community Mental Health at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey, working with those affected by HIV/AIDS, and 16 years in Social Work and Social Work Administration at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. From 2011 to 2019, she chaired both the Board of Trustees of the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey, and the Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. Sister Rosemary holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from the College of Saint Elizabeth, a Master of Science degree in Social Work from Columbia University, and a PhD in Clinical Social Work from New York University.

Fr. Philip Waters graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep, Seton Hall University, and Woodstock Theological Seminary; he was ordained in 1972. He taught and coached track at St. Benedict’s for the next fifteen years and earned an M.A. in English from NYU. After a three-year assignment in Kentucky, he returned to St. Benedict’s. In 1995, he was appointed Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, a position he has held since. He is in his fourth term as Dean of Central Newark Deanery 20.

Our Offices

Office of Child and Youth Protection

We support the Archdiocese’s mission to be a living sign of Jesus Christ’s presence by fostering a safe environment where youth can build a relationship with God.

We implement and enforce compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Office of Accompaniment

We provide outreach to victims/survivors and their families, prioritizing their spiritual and emotional well-being.

We share in the Archdiocese’s mission to offer God’s merciful and loving providence to all.

For victim assistance information and services, contact Gina Criscuolo, LCSW (Coordinator, Department for the Protection of the Faithful).

Office of Investigations

We conduct external, independent investigations into allegations of impropriety by clergy and lay employees, following the principles set by Pope Francis and Cardinal Joseph Tobin to “follow the path of truth wherever it may lead.”

Staff

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