By Joshua Rhett Miller
April 26, 2019 | 3:14pm
St. Patrick's Cathedral
AP
The Archdiocese of New York on Friday released a list of 120 clergy who it said have been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing a minor, possessing child pornography or whose actions led to related paid compensation claims.
In a letter accompanying the list, New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan said he decided to publish the names after hearing from “many victim-survivors” and priests alike.
“I write today as someone who himself realizes the shame that has come upon our Church due to the sexual abuse of minors,” Dolan wrote. “I write to ask forgiveness again for the failings of those clergy and bishops who should have provided for the safety of our young people but instead betrayed the trust placed in them by God and by the faithful.”
The list, which was posted on the archdiocese’s website, contains the clergy’s names, as well as their dates of ordination and current status.
It does not include where they served. The list comes on the heels of some other large archdioceses releasing their own names.
“Please be assured there is not a single priest or deacon of the Archdiocese of New York whom there has been a credible and substantiated claim of abuse against a minor currently in ministry,” Dolan’s letter continued.
Most of the accused clergy were ordained during the 1950s and 1960s, while the bulk of the alleged abuse took place in the 1970s and 1980s, the archdiocese said.
Of the 120 clergy, roughly half were removed from ministry and defrocked, while the others have since passed away. The overwhelming majority were priests, although the list also includes two bishops — John Jenik and James F. McCarthy — and five deacons.
“Please join me in praying that this outreach helps bring peace and consolation to victim-survivors and their families who have experienced the horror of abuse,” Dolan wrote. “Finally, I once again urge anyone who has an allegation of abuse of a minor to go immediately to the district attorney to report it.”
The release of the list comes after the Brooklyn Diocese in February published the names of more than 100 clergy “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors. That list came just two days after the five dioceses of New Jersey published a similar one containing 188 alleged sexual abusers.
One of the priests on New York’s list, Donald Timone, who was ordained in 1960, declined to comment when reached Friday by phone.
“It’s all still under investigation, and it’s all in the hands of the archdiocese,” Timone told The Post. “Anything else, my friend, and I have to say no comment.”
When pressed for details of the allegations that led to his inclusion on the list, Timone again declined comment.
“I think the archdiocese would be very disappointed in me if I started making comments on their investigation,” he said. “Have yourself a fairly decent day, pal.”
In December, Timone was suspended by the New York Archdiocese after it was revealed by the New York Times that he had continued his clerical duties for more than 18 months despite two settlements involving the alleged sexual abuse of teenage boys.
Spokesman Joseph Zwilling told the newspaper that the archdiocese would no longer allow Timone to remain in ministry.
Timone’s status in the archdiocese as of Friday is listed as “removed from ministry; archdiocesan Review Board process pending,” according to the list.
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