An Auxiliary Bishop of New York has been credibly accused of sexual abuse.
In a pastoral letter to New York Catholics yesterday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been made against Auxiliary Bishop John Jenik.
The Archdiocesan Lay Review Board, Cardinal Dolan reported, "has carefully examined the allegation, which concerns incidents from decades ago, and concluded that the evidence is sufficient to find the allegation credible and substantiated."
He explained the allegation surfaced during the process of the Archdiocesan Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) — a compensation fund set up for victims of Clerical sex abuse.
Accuser Michael J. Meenan, 52, said Wednesday he first notified the Archdiocese about the alleged abuse in January. He claims then-Father Jenik abused him from 1980 to 1986, beginning at age 13. Meenan said Jenik first took an interest in him during Confession, and within months was taking him out to dinner and plying him with alcohol. From there, Meenan claims, Jenik began taking him for overnight stays to a house he owned in the Hudson River valley, north of the city.
Bishop Jenik has denied the allegation. In a letter to his parishioners, he wrote:
While I have the utmost respect for both the IRCP and the Review Board, and know that they have a great burden as they confront the evil of sexual abuse, I continue to steadfastly deny that I have ever abused anyone at any time. Therefore, I will ask the Vatican, which has ultimate jurisdiction over such cases, to review the matter, with the hope of ultimately proving my innocence.
I endorse and commend Bishop Jenik's appeal to the Holy See to insure that his right to due process and adequate defense of his name and reputation is provided to him as it should be to anyone accused of criminal behavior.
Still, the allegation is just the latest to befall the Archdiocese.
In September, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced an investigation into Clerical sex abuse and cover-up by Church officials in the Archdiocese and across the State.
In June, the Archdiocese revealed that. as a New York Priest, Theodore McCarrick sexually abused young males — at least one inside St. Patrick's Cathedral itself.
Since 2009, the Archdiocese has lost more than $122 million in operating expenses as a result of decreased contributions by the faithful, and has had to mortgage $100 million in property to keep afloat.
Cardinal Dolan has likewise launched a $200 million capital campaign to enlist remaining parishioners to help cover tens of millions of dollars in Clerical sex abuse claims.
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