Statement from Maria Margiotta, Director of Communications and Public Relations, Archdiocese of Newark

Today’s story on NorthJersey.com written by reporter Abbott Koloff at The Bergen Record, is disingenuous, unbalanced, and inaccurate. We communicated the following to the reporter:

  • “A paramount goal for the Archdiocese of Newark is the protection of the faithful. Towards that end: 1. No bishop, priest, or deacon who has been credibly accused of sexual misconduct with a minor is ministering in the Archdiocese of Newark; 2. The Archdiocese of Newark has faithfully reported accusations to law enforcement; 3. Accusations have been or are being reviewed or investigated by the Archdiocese of Newark, the Independent Victims Compensation Program, and/or law enforcement. Your questions refer to matters that are now or soon could be in litigation, or that are under investigation. It would be inappropriate to discuss or comment on such matters.”

We also communicated the following to the reporter:

  • “The Archbishop is awaiting clarification from the Holy See regarding the decision reached by the Tribunal of another diocese on Monsignor George Trabold.”

By the reporter’s own admission, he was informed by the Archdiocese that it could not comment “on matters that are now or soon could be in litigation, or that are under investigation.” As Koloff acknowledges in his story, the church trial was conducted by a panel of priests from another diocese—not by the Archdiocese itself.

Koloff also inaccurately states that the Archdiocese “did not respond when asked why the archdiocese would not reveal the Trabold verdict.” In fact, the Archdiocese’s response, clarifying that Cardinal Tobin awaits information about the outcome from the Holy See, is referenced within the same article. 

The Archdiocese will continue to cooperate fully with the Holy See and civil authorities and will remain as open and transparent as possible within legal constraints. As noted within the recently announced “Forward in Faith Together” pastoral vision, the Archdiocese remains committed to its efforts to protect the faithful, a process that has included not only publishing a list of credibly accused clergy, but also conducting thousands of background checks and training programs since 2002.