The Archbishop of Newark has announced that he will not attend an October gathering of bishops slated to discuss young adults and vocational discernment. The Archbishop cited his pastoral obligations in the Archdiocese amid the U.S. Church’s ongoing sexual abuse crisis.
“The Holy Father responded the next day with a beautiful pastoral and compassionate message. He told me that he understands why I need to stay close to home, and he released me from the obligation to attend the Synod next month,” he added.
His Eminence was a personal appointment of Pope Francis for attendance at the synod of bishops, which will take place October 3-28 in Rome.
Other U.S. bishops who will attend are Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, who was also appointed by Pope Francis to attend, along with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop José H. Gomez, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, and Bishop Robert E. Barron, who were elected as delegates by the U.S. bishops’ conference, and Archbishop William Skurla, leader of the Ruthenian Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, who will participate as an ex officio member of the synod.
The Archdiocese of Newark has been the subject of controversy in recent months. In June, the disgraced Theodore McCarrick, formerly of Newark, was revealed to have been credibly accused of serially sexually abusing a teenage boy in the 1970s. McCarrick was subsequently accused of serially sexually abusing another teenage boy, and of sexually coercing and assaulting numerous Priests and seminarians for decades.
Curiously, in late August, Cardinal Tobin told a journalist that he had heard rumors shortly after his 2017 arrival in the Archdiocese of Newark about McCarrick's sexual misconduct. He said he did not investigate those rumors because he found them unbelievable.
Yet even after reports emerged about homosexual behavior among some Newark priests, and allegations were made public regarding the conduct of a former seminary administrator, Cardinal Tobin told Newark Priests that no Priest had “ever spoken to me about a gay subculture in the Archdiocese of Newark.”
Later that month, Seton Hall University announced an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct at Newark’s Immaculate Conception Seminary, which is connected to the university.
Cardinal Tobin has stated that he plans to initiate an Archdiocesan investigation into the reasons he was not told about McCarrick’s alleged sexual misconduct.
“I will work for justice, healing and compassion for all,” His Eminence stated.
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