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Priest once found guilty of molesting given supervisory post in Newark archdiocese
February 04, 2013
Archbishop John Myers of Newark, New Jersey, has given a key archdiocesan assignment to a priest who was once convicted for molesting young boys.
Father Michael Fugee, who was named to co-direct the archdiocesan office of priestly formation, was convicted in 2003 of sexual contact with minors. The conviction was later overturned by an appeals court, which ruled that the trial judge had improperly allowed jurors to review a statement in which the accused priest said that he is homosexual or bisexual.
“We have every confidence in him,” a spokesman for the archdiocese said of Father Fugee. The spokesman assured reporters that in his new role Father Fugee will not have any contact with children.
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Posted by: -
Feb. 04, 2013 10:01 PM ET USA
If he cannot have any contact with children, why does the archdiocesan spokesman have confidence in him? Aren't there any good men around to take this job? Short answer--of course there are. Whoops, I see that someone already said what I said. Oh, well, it needs to be said twice, maybe three times.
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Posted by: -
Feb. 04, 2013 9:52 PM ET USA
"They have learned nothing; they have forgotten nothing." In the two-phases-of-human-history format ("What harm could it do?" - "How was I supposed to know?") I predict they are within months of Phase Two. How much hard-knocks schooling before you get a clue?
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Posted by: -
Feb. 04, 2013 9:15 PM ET USA
At the very least, this is yet another example of extremely poor episcopal prudential judgment. A public relations "black eye" undermining the evangelizing effort.
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Posted by: [email protected] -
Feb. 04, 2013 6:46 PM ET USA
Very good article and clearly shows why the Bishops and the Church have problems. The Bishops have not learned anything. This "priest" who is a self proclaimed homosexual or bisexual is allowed to operate in the hierarchy. He should be banned from all church activities and out in the middle New Mexico. No wonder we have no confidence in our bishops as a group.
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Posted by: Contrary1995 -
Feb. 04, 2013 5:32 PM ET USA
Archbishop Meyers is a first class clerical politician who has longed for a red hat for quite a while. Remember when Uncle Di traced the rumor that Meyers was headed to Detroit to Meyers himself?
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Posted by: Gil125 -
Feb. 04, 2013 3:42 PM ET USA
Dear Mr. Spokesman: If you have "every confidence in him", why is it necessary to add that he will not have any contact with children?
