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Monday, jun 23
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Catholic Church
News
Investigation Into Priest Sexual Abuse Can Proceed, NJ Supreme Court Rules
The New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Monday, June 16 that a grand jury investigation into New Jersey archdioceses for sexual abuse can proceed. The Diocese of Camden had challenged the original grand jury investigation, which began in 2018, and a trial court had ruled in favor of the church, blocking the investigation, ruling it was not authorized by law. "We find that the State has the right to proceed with its investigation and present evidence before a special grand jury. If the grand jury issues a presentment, the assignment judge should review the report and publ…
News
First
Us-b
orn Pope Vows Unity At Historic Inauguration In Rome
In a historic celebration, Pope Leo XIV, the first United States-born pontiff in the nearly 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, made a pledge to work for unity during his inauguration mass on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter's Square in Rome. Addressing a crowd of over 200,000, including many world leaders, he expressed gratitude for the support he has received as he steps into his new role after Pope Francis died at age 88 on Easter Monday, April 21. “Following the death of Pope Francis, we felt like sheep without a shepherd," Pope Leo said. "Yet, having received his final blessing on E…
News
'Never Again War!': Pope Leo XIV Issues Powerful Plea In Historic First Address
In his first Sunday address as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV urged world leaders to end all global conflicts, describing them as a “third world war in pieces.” Speaking to tens of thousands outside St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, May 11, the first U.S.-born pope delivered his message in fluent Italian, calling for an end to violence and a renewed global effort of care. It echoed remarks made by his predecessor before his death last month. “Let us take up the invitation that Pope Francis left us in his message for today: the invitation to welcome and accompany young people,…
News
Habemus Bobble: Pope Leo XIV Depicted In Bobbleheads — Here's How To Get One
Pope Leo XIV is being honored with a couple of special collectibles. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum released two limited-edition bobbleheads of the new pope on Friday, May 9. The 267th pope of the Catholic Church was elected on the conclave's fourth ballot on Thursday, May 8. The pontiff, born Robert Francis Prevost, is the first US-born pope and the first one from North America. His Argentinian predecessor, Pope Francis, was the first pope from the Americas. The Chicago native's historic moment emerging on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica has been captur…
News
Leo XIV Celebrates First Mass As Pope: Hear His Message To Catholics
Pope Leo XIV had a simple message during the first Mass of his papacy: life lacks meaning where faith is lacking. The Chicago native, born Robert Francis Prevost, celebrated Mass at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican on Friday, May 9. It was the 69-year-old's first service as head of the Catholic Church, leading about 1.4 billion followers worldwide. Leo XIV is the church's 267th pope, the first born in the US, and the first North American pontiff. His predecessor, Pope Francis, was the first pope from the Americas, hailing from Argentina. Briefly speaking in English during his homily,…
Politics
New Pope Blasted Trump, Vance On X Before Election — And Now He’s In The Vatican
President Trump welcomed the new pope — though Pope Leo XIV hasn’t always welcomed him. As recently as three weeks ago, Pope Leo XIV — formerly known as Chicago's Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69 — shared articles and news on social media critical of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and some of the administration's hard-line stances. Tweets condemning Trump date back to 2015, when he shared a story from the Washington Post about Trump's "anti-immigrant rhetoric." In February, Prevost slammed Vance, stating that "Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others," with a …
News
From Math Class To The Vatican: Villanova Alum Named First American Pope
The Catholic Church made history on Thursday, May 8, naming its first American pope — and he’s a math whiz from Villanova. White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 6:06 p.m. Rome time, signaling the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, of Chicago, as the 267th pope in the Church’s 2,000-year history. He has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV. At 6:06 p.m. Rome time, Thursday, May 8, white smoke emanated from the Sistine Chapel's chimney Vatican News The conclave began just a day earlier on Wednesday, May 7, and concluded in either the fourth or fifth round of vo…
News
First American Pope Chosen: Takes Name Of Leo XIV
This story has been updated. The Catholic Church and its approximately 1.4 billion followers have a new leader and the first American pope. At 6:06 p.m. Rome time Thursday, May 8, white smoke emanated from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, signaling that the Cardinal electors had decided on a new pope. Robert Francis Prevost, age 69, currently the cardinal from Chicago, is the new pontiff, the 267th head of the church in its 2,000-year history, He has taken the name of Pope Leo XIV. Just over an hour after the white smoke appeared, Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced from the balcony of St.…
Politics
Pope Donald I? Trump's AI Image As Holy Father Sparks Catholic Outrage
Pope Donald The First? Many are up in arms after President Donald Trump posted an AI image of himself as the Pope on Truth Social, which was then shared on the official White House social media pages. "Why would he do this? It’s not funny, and I am not a (C)atholic, I am a believer in Christ, but this I feel (this is) very inappropriate and I actually am concerned if he really posted it or someone else (did)," one person posted on Twitter. I love Trump but find his Pope meme disrespectful and insulting. God will not be mocked. Not a wise decisionThat said I pray for hi…
News
Date Set For Conclave To Elect New Pope
The Vatican has announced when the conclave to elect the 267th Pope will begin following the death of Pope Francis. Funeral services were held for Francis in Rome on Saturday, April 26. He died on Easter Monday, April 21 at age 88. The cause of death was a stroke that resulted in a coma and irreversible cardiovascular collapse. Conclave Schedule The Cardinals in attendance for the funeral have resolved to initiate the conclave on Wednesday, May 7. This decision was made during the Fifth General Congregation, convened on Monday morning, April 28 in the Vatican’s Synod Hall. Conclave…
News
Pope Francis' Cause Of Death Revealed By Vatican
New details from the Vatican shed light on what led to the death of Pope Francis, the trailblazing leader of the Catholic Church who served as a global voice for compassion, humility, and reform. Click here for a new, updated story: Details Of Pope Francis' Final Hours, Including Some Of His Last Words, Revealed By Vatican The official cause of death was a stroke that led to a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse, according to a medical report released by the Holy See Press Office on Monday evening, April 21. The certification was issued by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Di…
News
Historic Paterson Catholic Church Closing Indefinitely
St. Michael Catholic Church in Paterson will be closed indefinitely beginning Friday, March 1, the Diocese of Paterson announced. The church, at 74 Cianci St. was built in 1929 at a cost of $175,000 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The land the church sits on was originally purchased by Methodists in 1836 before being purchased by the Catholic Church in 1903. Reasons for the closure included concern for the safety of the public and how to deal with the parish's debt, the diocese said. The diocese said it has supported the parish financially for 12 year…
News
Pregnant Out Of Wedlock: NJ Supreme Court Rules Teacher Can Be Fired
Nearly a decade after a New Jersey Catholic school fired one of its teachers for getting pregnant out of wedlock, a New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the school was within its rights. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday, Aug. 14 in favor of the Church of St. Theresa in Kenilworth, which fired Victoria Crisitello — a second grade art teacher — in 2014, after she told them she was pregnant out of wedlock. The school said that Crisitello had violated her employment agreement and fired her. The agreement requires teachers to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the discipline, no…
Politics
NJ Mayor Who Opposed Pride Flag Raising Ousted By Colleagues
A New Jersey mayor who allegedly called some fellow elected officials "not good Catholics" for supporting the raising of a rainbow flag during Pride Month was removed from office by members of his own party. The flag controversy ended up being the last straw for fellow Republicans who were already at war with now-former Rochelle Park Mayor Perrin Mosca over what they said was abusive behavior. Three who sit on the Township Committee voted 4-0 with Democrat Linda Boniface to oust Mosca earlier this week. Deputy Mayor Jennifer Appice took over as acting mayor following the work session vote …
News
NJ Catholic Diocese Agrees To Pay Record $87.5M Cash Settlement To 300 Child Sex Abuse Victims
The Catholic Diocese of Camden has agreed to pay an unprecedented $87.5 million -- in cash – to 300 survivors of child sex abuse. The average payment to each of the survivors comes to roughly $290,000, plus whatever is later obtained from the southern New Jersey's diocese’s insurance companies, under the proposed bankruptcy settlement. That’s a sharp difference from a proposed settlement by the Boy Scouts of America, whose claimants stand to receive an average of about $31,000. “I want to express my sincere apology to all those who have been affected by sexual abuse in our diocese,” Bish…
News
Vatican City, NJ Priests Using Hookup Apps Alarms Catholic Church Officials, Reports Say
A conservative Catholic media organization has published a series of reports claiming that priests at New Jersey churches and the Vatican have been using hookup apps. "The Pillar" collected and reviewed commercially available app signal indicating patterns on location-based hookup apps at more than 10 rectories within the Archdiocese of Newark between 2018 and 2020, the blog reported July 23. The data apparently shows evidence that "both homosexual and heterosexual hookup apps were used in parish rectories or other clerical residences with a frequency suggesting, in several cases, residence…
Obituaries
NJ Man, 29, Studying To Become Priest Killed In NYC Hit-Run Crash
A 29-year-old man studying to become a priest was struck and killed in New York City by a drunken hit-and-run driver late Tuesday night, according to Catholic Church officials. Ngu Quoc Tran, who went by Peter, was walking on Manhattan’s East Side when he was struck by the driver, who was arrested after he car was involved in another collision, the Diocese of Metuchen said. Born and raised in the An Giang Province in the south of Vietnam, Tran moved to the U.S. in August 2017 and lived at the Saint John Vianney House of Discernment in Highland Park. Tran began pre-theology in Spring 2…
News
Catholic NJ High School Pair In Profane, Racist Video Draw Wrath, Shake Community
Two seniors at a respected Catholic Bergen County high school used a racial epithet and then cursed “Black Lives Matter” while downing shots in an offensive viral video that has brought widespread wrath on a shaken community. "Don't be snowflakes," one student from the all-girls Immaculate Heart Academy in Washington Township says, before the other utters a racial epithet during a 25-second clip recorded at a Valentine’s Day party in earshot of other underage teens. Laughter is heard, after which the second girl leans into the camera leans and repeats the epithet, then says "Black Lives Mat…
Police & Fire
'Sex Slave' Priest Accused Of Drinking Boyfriend's Urine Found Dead In Jersey Shore Home
The body of a former Bronx priest with a penchant for rough and kinky sex was found dead in his Ocean County home on Thursday, authorities said. Peter Miqueli, 58, attracted headlines in a 2015 lawsuit accusing him of paying $1,000-an-hour to mingle with a muscle-bound boyfriend whom he called "master" and drinking his urine during rough sex sessions, according to multiple news outlets. Miqueli resigned as a priest a year after the scandal broke. He was officially suspended by the Catholic Church last year, meaning he was barred from leading Mass or administering church sacraments. Br…
News
New Lawsuits Against Newark Archdiocese Accuse Former Rutherford Priest Of Sex Assault
A pair of lawsuits filed under new state law have been filed against the Archdiocese of Newark by men saying they were sexually abused nearly four decades ago by a late Catholic priest. The men accuse the church of failing to protect them from the Rev. David Ernst, who was assigned to Saint Mary's in Rutherford and taught at Our Lady Help of Christians parochial school in East Orange. Jeff Anderson & Associates, the firm representing the two alleged victims, held a press conference Wednesday. Click here to watch. The suits were filed by Stephen Tyminski, now a 66-year-old Orthodox…
Lifestyle
Cardinal Tobin Shares Vision For Newark Archdiocese
“You’ve got to have a foundation to continue to heal as Christ heals,” Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., said as he presented Forward in Faith Together: Our Road Ahead, his vision for the Archdiocese of Newark, at one of the four presentations throughout the Archdiocese of Newark in October. Attended by members of the parish community and clergy, the town hall meetings were held at churches in Hudson, Union, Bergen, and Essex. The cardinal shared his broad pastoral vision that maps out the future of the archdiocese in six pillars: Protection of the Faithful; Accountability, Transpar…
News
Bishop Investigating Sex Abuse Accused Of Molesting Altar Boy In Jersey City
The bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Brooklyn has been accused of molesting an altar boy while he served as a priest in Jersey City four decades ago. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio released a statement Wednesday in response to the allegation, first reported by the Associated Press, that he assaulted the boy while serving as a priest at St. Nicholas Church in the 1970s. In his statement, he flatly denied the charge and vowed to contest it. "I am just learning about this allegation," he said he told the Associated Press. "In my nearly 50-year ministry as a priest, I have never en…
News
Dozens Of Morris County Priests Accused Of Sexual Abuse, NJ Diocese Reveals
The Catholic Church in New Jersey on Wednesday released a list of allegedly abusive priests. Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, in November announced there would be a "complete review" of abuse allegations and establishment of a victim compensation fund and counseling program. The list follows a two-year investigation that found more than 1,000 victims spanning 70 years -- along with evidence of a coverup by some church leaders (click here for the list of accused priests with Bergen County ties). Here are the accused priests with Morris County ties: Absalom Coutinho …
News
Dozens Of Bergen County Priests Accused Of Sexual Abuse, NJ Diocese Reveals
The Catholic Church in New Jersey on Wednesday released a list of allegedly abusive priests. Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, in November announced there would be a "complete review" of abuse allegations and establishment of a victim compensation fund and counseling program. The list follows a two-year investigation that found more than 1,000 victims spanning 70 years -- along with evidence of a coverup by some church leaders. The Paterson Diocese on Wednesday released its list of priests accused of sexual abuse but didn't identify their parishes. Click here for the …
News
Priests Revealed: NJ Diocese Gives 'Formal Voice' To Catholic Church Child Sex Abuse Victims
The Archbishop of Newark is hoping to give a voice to victims of sex abuse by clergymen in the Catholic church. Cardinal Joseph Tobin on Monday announced the establishment of a victim compensation and counseling program in response to the dozens of allegations, providing resources to compensate the victims of child sexual abuse whose financial claims are barred due to the statute of limitations. Names of the priests and deacons who have been credibly accused of sex abuse of minors will be named early next year as part of a complete review, Tobin added "It is hoped that these step…
Police & Fire
NJ To Investigate Not Only Priests But Also Suspected Catholic Church Sex Abuse Cover-Ups
New Jersey authorities will investigate not only charges of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic Church but also any attempts by their superiors at covering it up, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced Thursday. “No person is above the law and no institution is immune from accountability,” Grewal said, noting that a special task force will issue subpoenas compelling priests and church officials to testify and surrender documents. Grewal has appointed an experienced sex crimes prosecutor to head a team of detectives and prosecutors from across the state who will collect and present …
News
Ex-Ridgefield Park Priest Takes Leave After Onetime Altar Boy Describes Sex Abuse
UPDATE: A no-holds-barred account of sex abuse has gotten a once-popular Ridgefield Park priest removed from his current position. An investigation by the Archdiocese of Newark was continuing into the allegations against the Rev. Gerald Sudol at St. Francis of Assisi Church following an online column by village native Ed Hanratty that went viral, a spokesman for the diocese said. Sudol took a leave of absence as reverend in residence at Our Lady of Czestochowa Catholic Church in Jersey City while the investigation proceeds, said the spokesman, Jim Goodness. Another local priest -- the Rev.…
News
Ridgefield Park Native Hailed For Detailing Sexual Abuse At Hands Of Popular Priest
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. Before then, the Rev. Gerald Sudol of St. Francis of Assisi Church had kissed him and other boys on the mouth, Hanratty said. But instead of telling their parents, the boys made jokes about his sexuality. “None of us ever thought to complain to anyone. Not our parents. Not our teachers….Nobody,” Hanratty, 41, wrote in a reverbpress.news column that has begun attracting widespread attention since it was published on Sunday. “…
News
Former Newark Archbishop Leaves Ministry Amid Sexual Conduct Allegations
Retired Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, formerly the Archbishop of Newark, is stepping out of the ministry after allegations of sexual abuse were found "credible and substantiated." The incident apparently involved sexual abuse of a teenager when McCarrick was a priest of the Archdiocese of New York nearly five decades ago, according to a statement from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, who was appointed by the Vatican to oversee the investigation. "Carefully following the process detailed by the Charter of the American bishops, this alleg…
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