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Rev. Jim Weiner of St. Andrew's Church in Westwood stepped away from his position after church officials announced they would be reopening an investigation from nearly 15 years ago, Archdiocese of Newark spokesman Jim Goodness said. Weiner had intended to tell the community this weekend, Goodness said.
An investigation by the Archdiocese of Newark was continuing into the actions of the Rev. Gerald Sudol at St. Francis of Assisi Church -- formerly of Ridgefield Park -- following an online column by village native Ed Hanratty that went viral.
"Rev. Weiner decided to step away for a short period of time while arch looks at the case that had been investigated earlier," Goodness said. "He is doing that for the benefit of the parish, the church and his own benefit."
Several priests claimed in a published report that Weiner hosted cocktail parties attended by known homosexual priests from the Archiocese of Newark.
SEE: Westwood Pastor In Sexual Misconduct Probe Part Of 'Gay Subculture,' Priests Claim
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UPDATE: A no-holds-barred account of sex abuse has gotten a once-popular Ridgefield Park priest removed from his current position.
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DAILY VOICE INTERVIEW: It was the summer before 8th grade when Ridgefield Park native Ed Hanratty said the worst sexual abuse he’d endured from a local priest happened – in his own backyard.
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