Rev. Romano J. Ferraro—Assignment
Record
Summary of Case: Ferraro was arrested on 4/1/02 for repeatedly
raping a boy 1973-80 in Billerica MA, starting when the boy was 7 years old.
Ferraro was convicted on 5/7/04, when a jury found him guilty of child rape
and guilty on three counts of indecent assault and battery against a child under
14. He was sentenced on 5/20/04 to life in prison. Ferraro was a childhood friend
of the boy's father and molested the child during annual Christmas visits. The
victim had come forward to authorities in late 2001, and it was possible to
prosecute because the SOL clock, which precluded bringing charges six years
or more after a crime is committed, had stopped with Ferraro out of state. Ferraro
denied the charge but admitted at the trial that he was a pedophile predator
who had abused perhaps dozens of boys. He also stated that he knew he was a
pedophile by 1955, 5 years before his ordination. Earliest abuse alleged in
civil suits was 1964-68 but previous assignments suggest earlier problems. Then
he was in Key West FL as Navy chaplain 1968-71 in the Miami archdiocese; was
dishonorably discharged; and was sued 1/06 for FL abuse. Reassigned, he allegedly
abused in the Brooklyn, Rockville Centre, St. Louis, and Metuchen dioceses.
A St. Louis man who alleged abuse by Ferraro committed suicide in 2006 after
a long struggle with depression. Ferraro was suspended in 1988 after an allegation,
but the Brooklyn diocese apparently knew much earlier (see discussion
below).
Ordained: 1960
Incardinated: Brooklyn NY (1960-85); Metuchen NJ (1985-86);
Brooklyn NY (1986-2007)
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| Rev. Romano J. Ferraro in the vestibule of St. Joseph's church in Kings Park in the Rockville Centre diocese on December 25, 1975 or 1974. His is posing with several children and a teenager dressed as Santa Claus. Photo donated by a former parishioner; cropped and redacted by BishopAccountability.org. | Ferraro at his arraignment on April 8, 2002 in Cambridge MA on charges of child rape and abuse. |
| Start | Stop | Parish | Town/Allegation | State | Position | Notes |
1960 Brooklyn bishop was Bryan J. McEntegart (1957-68). |
1962 | St. Joseph Patron of the Universal
Church 185 Suydam St. (see satellite photo/map) 
|
Brooklyn • Ferraro knew he was a pedophile in 1955, five years before he was ordained, according to his testimony in his 2004 criminal trial. See article. |
NY | 3/3. Priests were Msgr. Raphael J. Testagrossa, Rev. Joseph DeSimpliciis, and Ferraro. In 1961, Rev. Angelo F. Brugli replaced DeSimpliciis. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Parish school had 523 boys and 513 girls. |
| 1962 | 1963 | St. Rosalia's 63rd St. and 14th Ave. (see satellite photo/map) 
|
Brooklyn Borough Park |
NY | 3/6. Priests were Msgr. Angelo R. Cioffi and Revs. Charles Mariani, Ferraro, Joseph Zeman, Vincent Attanasio, and Felix Miritello. Residence at 1230 65th St. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Parish school had 565 boys and 528 girls. |
| 1962 | 1963 | Regina Pacis Votive Shrine 65th Street and 12th Ave. |
Brooklyn | NY | Mission of St. Rosalia's. | |
| 1963 | 1964 | St. Lucy’s (Italian) Kent Ave. near Park Ave. (see satellite photo/map) |
Brooklyn | NY | 3/3. Priests were Msgr. Dante Del Fiorentino and Revs. Angelo Moschella and Ferraro. Residence was at 802 Kent Ave., 11205. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest.
|
| 1964 | 6/68 | Holy Family Flatlands Ave. and Rockaway Pkwy. (see satellite photo/map) 
|
Brooklyn • Accused in 10/1/03 suit of sexually abusing an altar boy in this parish starting at age 8. Suit claims Ferraro abused altar boys in a local pool, where the abuse included oral sex, and on school trips to NJ and at the home of a friend. See article and excerpts from complaint. |
NY | 4/5. Priests were Msgr. Vincent O. Genova
and Revs. Raphael A. Florido, Andrew R. Varano,
Ferraro, and Walter A. Mitchell. Residence was at 9719
Flatlands Ave., 11236. Mitchell left in 1965. |
Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Parish school had 771 boys and 723 girls. |
6/68 Brooklyn and the Military Ordinariate were in transition in 1968. Cardinal Spellman had died on 12/2/67, and Terence J. Cooke became archbishop of New York and Military Vicar on 4/4/68. In Brooklyn, McEntegart retired on 7/15/68 and Francis J. Mugavero was appointed bishop on 7/17/68. On 9/12/68 he was installed, and McEntegart died on 9/30/68. |
1971 | U.S. Naval Air Station | Key West • Accused in 1/06 suit of sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy in 1968 or 1969, at gatherings of boys brought to Ferraro's house from Mass at Navy base chapel. See article. • Dishonorably discharged from Navy in 1971 after allegations of sexually abuse. See article. |
FL | Chaplain. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Indexed as an Army chaplain and listed in Brooklyn pages as a Navy and VA chaplain, but listed in AMS pages as an active duty Navy Reserve chaplain. Key West is in the Miami archdiocese. |
1971 Bishop was Francis J. Mugavero (1968-90), who had been McEntegart's secretary for charities. One of the vice chancellors was Anthony J. Bevilacqua. |
1973 | St. Rose of Lima (see satellite photo/map) 
|
Brooklyn Far Rockaway |
NY | 3/3. Priests were Revs. James F. McDonald, Francis J. McGee, and Ferraro. Residence was at 1-30 Beach 84th St. Rev. Karl M. Michel replaced McDonald as pastor in 1972. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Parish school had 304 boys and 307 girls. |
1973 Bishop of Rockville Centre was Walter P. Kellenberg (1957-76). His Episcopal Vicar for Suffolk was Auxiliary Bishop John R. McGann. As Ferraro began his last year at Kings Park, John R. McGann became bishop of Rockville Centre (1976-2000).
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1977 | St. Joseph's
|
Kings Park • Accused in 10/15/02 suit of sexually abusing 2 boys here 1974-78, starting at ages 10 and 11. Abuse included oral sex, sodomy, and attempted anal penetration of one boy. See article, which misidentifies the parish as St. Joseph's in Astoria (see map), aka Long Island City, in the Brooklyn diocese. In 2004 article, it was confirmed that Ferraro worked at St. Joseph's in Kings Park in the Rockville Centre diocese 1973-77. • Convicted of repeatedly raping the son of a boyhood friend during Ferraro's Christmas visits to Billerica MA in 1973-80, starting when the boy was age 7. Convicted and sentenced to life in prison on 5/20/04. Ferraro admitted to perhaps dozens of victims but denied he molested the MA boy. See article. • Accused of transporting a boy from this parish to Billerica MA and abusing him along with the boy whom Ferraro was convicted of raping. See article. |
NY | 4/4. Other priests were Revs. Francis P. McCormack, Edward J. Boyle, and John L. King. Ferraro is not listed in the Directory. Frederic C. Heiden replaced Boyle in 1974. Lee W. Freeman replaced Heiden in 1975. The 1977 Directory begins to list St. Joseph's School of Religion, with Bro. Franciscus Rowles OSF. | Parish is in Rockville Centre diocese. Ferraro was listed as a Brooklyn priest on leave with no parish specified. But after Ferraro's 2004 conviction in MA, a pastor confirmed (see article) that Ferraro worked at St. Joseph's 1973-77. It was not mentioned that Ferraro had allegedly taken a boy from the parish and molested him in MA. A 2002 news report quotes diocesan spokesman Frank DeRosa as stating that Ferraro was on leave 1973-83 and then returned as a working priest. See article. |
| 1977 | 1978 | St. Francis Xavier Carroll St. and 6th Ave. (see satellite photo/map)  |
Brooklyn • Abuse of MA victim continued while Ferraro was at this parish. |
5/5. Priests were Revs. John J. Ansbro, Richard H. Reder, James R. Lara, Theodore Martin (Spain), and Ferraro (in residence). Residence was at 225 6th Ave., 11215. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Parish school had 503 students. |
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| 1978 | 1979 | St. Aloysius (see satellite photo/map) |
Queens • Abuse of MA victim continued while Ferraro was at this parish. |
5/5. Priests were Revs. George Schuster,
Peter I. Vaccari, Anthony V. DiLorenzo,
Maximo Ocampo (Philippines), Anthony Acciarito,
and Ferraro (in residence). Residence was at 382 Onderdonk Ave., Ridgewood,
11237. |
Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Parish school had 515 students. |
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| 1979 | 3/80 | Whereabouts unknown | ||||
| 3/80 | 1/81 | House of Affirmation |
Webster Groves | MO | Listed in the 1980-84 Directory as a Brooklyn priest on sick leave in the Brooklyn diocese and released from diocesan assignment. But a letter by Bevilacqua and a letter by Ferraro show that Ferraro was in treatment at the House of Affirmation. |
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1/19/81 Archbishop of St. Louis was John L. May (1980-92). |
1983 | St. Joan of Arc 5800 Oleatha Avenue (see satellite photo/map) 
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St. Louis • Accused in 1/19/04 suit of sexually abusing an altar boy here. See article. • Accused in 5/11/04 suit of sexually abusing an altar boy at age 11 or 12. See article. This suit and previous one were settled 8/26/04 by archdiocese for $65.7K. See article. • Accused in 3/13/06 wrongful death suit of sexually abusing a boy repeatedly at age 10 or 11. The victim, called John Doe GS in court documents, struggled with depression and shot himself 7/14/05. See complaint and article. |
MO | In residence while a chaplain at Jewish Hospital (see next entry). Other priests at parish were Msgr. James E. Pieper, Michael A. Freymuth, and Charles M. Donahue. Pieper was vice-officialis of the archdiocese. Freymuth has been accused of sexual abuse. | In St. Louis archdiocese. Listed as a Brooklyn priest but not listed as working at St. Joan of Arc. Residence and assignment confirmed by the archdiocese of St. Louis. See article. Frank De Rosa, spokesman of the Brooklyn diocese, stated in 1/04 that when the treatment center advised that Ferraro do "some kind of ministry," he was assigned to St. Joan of Arc while he continued outpatient treatment. See article. See also the letter by Bevilacqua. The letter by Ferraro shows that Ferraro's assignments in St. Louis were extended into 1983 at the request of Brooklyn bishop Mugavero. |
| 1981 | 1983 | Jewish Hospital
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St. Louis | MO | In St. Louis archdicoese. Listed as a Brooklyn priest but not listed here. |
|
| 1981 | 1983 | Unknown hospital | St. Louis | MO | The letter by Bevilacqua mentions a second hospital assignment, not yet named in news reports. | |
| 1983 | 6/84 | Whereabouts unknown | Listed as a Brooklyn priest on sick leave in the Brooklyn diocese and released from diocesan assignment. | |||
6/84 Bishop of Metuchen was Theodore E. McCarrick (1981-86). |
11/84 | St. James (see satellite photo/map) 
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Woodbridge • Accused of sexually abusing 2 brothers in NJ, probably from this parish or St. John Vianney, for which see next entry. See article. |
NJ | 4/4. Priests were Revs. Francis A. Crine, Francis Vaz, Douglas J. Haefner, and Ferraro. Residence was at 145 Grove St. 07095. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest. St. James is in the Metuchen diocese. Parish school had 290 students. Note that Ferraro is not included in the parish listing. His assignment to St. James is listed only in the Brooklyn pages, in the section "Released from diocesan assignment." |
| 11/84 | 6/85 | Our Lady of Mount Virgin (see satellite photo/map) 
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Middlesex | NJ | 3/3. Priests were Very Rev. William J. Haughney, Rev. Patrick S. Durkin, and Ferraro. Haughney was the officialis of the diocese, and presumably Ferraro's minder, just as Pieper was at St. Joan of Arc in St. Louis (see above). Residence in Middlesex was at 650 Harris Ave, 08846. | Listed as a Brooklyn priest. Our Lady's is in the Metuchen diocese. This assignment is not listed in the Directory. We know of it because Bishop Bootkoski wrote to this diocese about Ferraro on 5/28/04. See article. Parish school had 200 students. |
6/85 Metuchen was a vacant see when Ferraro was placed on leave. McCarrick had been installed as archbishop of Newark on 7/25/86, and his successor in Metuchen, Edward T. Hughes, was appointed 12/15/86 and installed 2/5/87. |
1/87 | St. John Vianney (see satellite photo/map) 
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Colonia
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NJ | 2/3. Priests were Revs. Francis J. Sergel, Ferraro, and Lawrence J. Cashioli. Residence was at 420 Inman Ave., 07067. Sergel told parishioners on 12/14/86 that Ferraro had been "granted a temporary leave of absence for reasons that are both personal and parochial." Ferraro had been "victimized by our unconscionable press" after he told parish children on 12/6/86 that their parents were lying to them about Santa Claus. See article. |
Listed as a Metuchen priest. Parish school had 371 students. |
| 1986 | 1989 | Whereabouts unknown | Brooklyn diocese reportedly received an allegation from a Brooklyn family in 1988 and "resolved" the accusation to the family's satisfaction (see article); since then, Ferraro hadn't been allowed to say Mass, to give baptism or to hear confessions (see article). | During his criminal trial, Ferraro is reported to have stated
that he received treatment in 1989 and did not sexually abuse boys afterward.
See article.
|
Listed as a Brooklyn priest on sick leave. In 1987 Directory, also listed as released from diocesan assignment. | |
1989 Thomas V. Daily became bishop of Brooklyn (1990-2003). |
2002 | Parsons Manor | Jamaica Ferraro was arrested here on 4/1/02 and arraigned on 4/7/02 for raping a boy in Billerica MA. |
NY | Priests were Msgr. Joseph M. Dolan and Revs.
John S. Hunt, John L. Kiernan, Daniel
J. Sheehan, James Patrick Sweeney, Ferraro,
and Jose Cadusale (Philippines). All worked at the Medical
Center or as chaplains at institutions in the area. But Ferraro's assignment,
if any, is not specified in the Directory. Dolan died in 1990.
Sweeney left in 1993 and returned in 1996. Rev. Louis D. Aufiero arrived
in 1999. |
Listed as a Brooklyn priest on sick leave. Parsons Manor was in the complex of the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn & Queens. East across Parsons Blvd. from the complex was Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary church and school. |
5/7/04 Nicholas A. DiMarzio was bishop of Brooklyn 2003- ). |
Middlesex Superior Court | Cambridge | MA | Convicted. | ||
| 5/20/04 | Middlesex Superior Court | Cambridge | MA | Sentenced to life in prison by Judge Raymond Brassard. | Romano is not indexed or listed in the 2003-2005 Directory. In the 2006 and 2007 Directory he is indexed as on leave / unassigned. | |
| 5/20/04 | MCI-Cedar Junction |
South Walpole
|
MA | Maximum security prison. |
Source: Official Catholic Directory (New
York: Kenedy & Sons, 1961-2007). See also:
- Letter
from Bevilacqua to Wurm about Ferraro's Treatment and St. Louis Assignments
(January 16, 1981)
- Letter
from Ferraro to May about Extending St. Louis Assignments (April 28, 1982)
- Priest
Who Said Santa Is Dead Takes Leave of Absence, Associated Press (December
15, 1986)
- A
Leave Is Granted to Priest in Santa Dispute, by Alfonso A. Narvaez, New
York Times (December 16, 1986)
- Priest
Busted in Rape, by Philip Messing and Dan Mangan, New York Post (April 2,
2002)
- Queens
Priest Faces Charges: Alleged Sex Abuse Occurred in '70s, by Melanie Lefkowitz,
Newsday (April 2, 2002)
- Queens
Priest Arraigned on Sex Abuse Rap, by Scott Shifrel and Austin Fenner Daily,
New York Daily News (April 3, 2002)
- Charged
Priest Served St. Rose in 70's, by Howard Schwach, The Wave (April 6, 2002)
- Brooklyn
Priest Pleads Not Guilty to Assaults, by John Ellement, Boston Globe (April
9, 2002)
- Priest-Sex
Suit Seeks $300M Diocese of B'klyn Hit, by Barbara Ross and Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News (October 16, 2002)
- Twelve
Priests, One Brother Named in Lawsuit, Newsday (October 16, 2002)
- Queens
Clergymen Accused in Civil Sex Suit, Flushing Times Ledger (October 17,
2002 )
- The
Accused, USA Today (November 11, 2002)
- Complaint
Filed in Supreme Court: Portions Relating to Rev. Romano J. Ferraro (October
1, 2003)
- More
Abuse Claims: 24 Priests Named in $300m Suit, by Stephanie Saul, Newsday
(October 2, 2003)
- Suit
Claims Priest Abused Youth in '80s: Cleric Is Defendant in Criminal Case near
Boston, Civil Case in New York, by Tim Bryant, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (January
21, 2004)
- Ex-Billerica
Man Testifies of Alleged Abuse, by Lisa Redmond, Lowell Sun (May 5, 2004)
- 'I
Never Had Sex with Him': Admitted Pedophile Priest Denies Molesting Former Billerica
Boy, by Lisa Redmond, Lowell Sun (May 6, 2004)
- N.Y.
Priest Convicted in Billerica Boy's Rape 20 Years Ago, by Peter Ward, Lowell
Sun (May 8, 2004)
- Man
Alleges Abuse by Priest in Early 1980s, by Betsy Taylor, Associated Press
(May 11, 2004)
- Life
Term in Billerica Abuse: N.Y. Pedophile Priest Molested Local Boy, Now 37, during
Home Visits over 11 Years, by Lisa Redmond, Lowell Sun (May 21, 2004)
- New
York Priest Receives Life Sentence for Child Rape, Associated Press (May
21, 2004)
- Abusive
Cleric Gets Life, by Mary Ann Bourbeau, Home News Tribune (June 17, 2004)
- Bishop
Bootkoski Addresses Father Ferraro's Former Ministry in Diocese, by Chris
Donahue, Catholic Spirit (June 24, 2004)
- Kings
Park Parish to Hear of Priest's Sex Abuse, by Samuel Bruchey, Newsday (August
25, 2004)
- Diocese
Settles 18 Abuse Suits, by Tim Townsend, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (August
26, 2004)
- Man
Sues Military Archdiocese, Says He Was Abused in Key West, by Becky Iannotta,
KeyNews.com (January 10, 2006)
- Navy
Pilot's Son Sues Priest, Alleges Sex Abuse, Post-Dispatch (January 11, 2006)
- New
Complaint Against Priest, by Stephanie Saul, Newsday (January 21, 2004)
- Amended
Petition, Jury Trial Demanded, in Mary Doe GS v. Father Romano Ferraro,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Archishop Raymond Burke, Cause
No. 052-01702 (March 13, 2006)
- Abuse
by Priest Led to Suicide, Suit Says, by Robert Patrick, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
(March 13, 2006)
- Statement
of Mary Doe GS, Widow of John Doe GS, posted by SNAP Midwest (March 13,
2006)
- Statement
of Sister of John Doe GS, posted by SNAP Midwest (March 13, 2006)
- Statement
of the Archdiocese of St. Louis Regarding Wrongful Death Suit (March 13,
2006)
Knowledge of Ferraro's Pedophilia
The public began to learn about Ferraro's crimes when he was arrested on 4/1/02. But Ferraro's superiors appear to have known about him long before. Diocesan statements at the time of the arrest indicated that a complaint had been received from a family in 1988, and that Ferraro had been put on leave, for reasons unspecified, in 1973. But evidence indicates that the diocese knew even earlier.
• 1955 Five years before ordination, Ferraro knew he "had a desire for young boys" and considered this "an illness," according to his 2004 testimony in his criminal trial. It is not known whether these facts were revealed during seminary screening or training, and whether Ferraro's personnel file shows this.
• 1964 By this year, Ferraro had worked in 3 parishes in 4 years, all led by monsignors and the last one with no school. Frequent transfers without advancement and under senior supervision are often signs of a problem, and abusers are sometimes shunted to parishes without schools in an attempt to limit their access to victims. Brooklyn bishop was Bryan J. McEntegart (1957-68).
• 1968 After 4 years at his fourth parish, Holy Family in Canarsie, Ferraro was loaned by the Brooklyn diocese in 1968 to the Military Ordinariate and assigned as a Navy Reserve chaplain at the Naval Air Station in Key West FL. Ferraro would later be accused in a civil suit of abusing an 8-year-old boy at Holy Family, immediately before the Navy chaplaincy. The suit claims that Ferraro engaged in sexual misconduct with groups of boys. Did that abuse come to the attention of the Brooklyn diocese, and was Ferraro sent into the military as a result? See Thomas P. Doyle on this practice in the Peebles case. Brooklyn and the Military Ordinariate were in transition in 1968. Cardinal Spellman had died on 12/2/67, and Terence J. Cooke became archbishop of New York and Military Vicar on 4/4/68. In Brooklyn, McEntegart retired on 7/15/68 and Francis J. Mugavero was appointed bishop on 7/17/68. On 9/12/68 he was installed, and McEntegart died on 9/30/68.
• 1971 Ferraro reportedly received a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, after allegations of sexual abuse. He would later be accused in a civil suit of sexually abusing a boy during his Navy chaplaincy, at parties where he would behave in a sexual way with other boys. The Brooklyn diocese was certainly apprised of Ferraro's dishonorable discharge and the reasons for it. Cardinal Cooke was Military Vicar and Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn.
• 1973 After only two years at his new Brooklyn parish, St. Rose of Lima in Far Rockaway, Ferraro was transferred yet again in 1973, this time to St. Joseph's in Kings Park in the Rockville Centre diocese. This unusual assignment was not listed by the Brooklyn diocese in the Official Catholic Directory, where Brooklyn described Ferraro as "on leave." Nor did Rockville Centre list him as a priest at St. Joseph's. Whatever happened while Ferraro was at St. Rose, it was serious enough to prompt a 50-mile transfer to another diocese and total concealment in the Directory. This assignment would still be unknown, but for the alertness of a VOTF-Long Island member. While Ferraro was under the radar at this parish, he began to rape the son of an old friend during Christmas visits to Billerica MA. Once he brought a boy from Kings Park to MA and molested him too. Ferraro is also accused of sexually abusing two other boys at this parish. Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn and Kellenberg was bishop of Rockville Centre.
• 1977 When Ferraro was brought back to the Brooklyn diocese in 1977 and assigned to St. Francis Xavier in Park Slope, he is listed as "in residence." This is a very common assignment for priests who have been accused of sexual abuse. This parish had a school. Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn.
• 1978 Ferraro is shifted for a year to St. Aloysius in the Ridgewood section of Queens, still in the Brooklyn diocese, and again he is "in residence." This parish had a school. Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn.
• 1979 Ferraro began another two years off the radar, listed as on sick leave. It is not known whether he was in treatment, or assigned secretly to a parish, as he was in 1973-77. Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn.
• 1981 Ferraro began a two-year assignment as a chaplain at Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He lived at St. Joan of Arc parish, where Rev. James E. Pieper, vice-officialis of the archdiocese, was the pastor and Ferraro's minder. Once again, this assignment is not listed in the Directory, where Ferraro is described as "on sick leave." This St. Louis assignment was made public only in 2004, when a man allegedly molested by Ferraro at St. Joan's filed suit. In 2006, another Ferraro accuser from St. Joan's committed suicide after a long struggle with depression. Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn and John L. May was archbishop of St. Louis.
• 1983 Ferraro began another year off the radar, listed by the Brooklyn diocese as on sick leave. It is not known whether he was in treatment, or assigned secretly to a parish, as he was in 1973-77. Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn.
• 1984 Ferraro began to work in the Metuchen NJ diocese, first at St. James in Woodbridge (1984-85) and then at St. John Vianney in Colonia (1985-86). In the 1985 Directory, the Brooklyn section lists him at St. James but the Metuchen section does not. In the 1986 Directory, he is listed in the Metuchen section as working at St. John Vianney, and he is indexed as incardinated in Metuchen. Parishioners were not told of Ferraro's past. He is accused of abusing two brothers in NJ. Mugaverowas bishop of Brooklyn and Theodore E. McCarrick was bishop of Metuchen.
• 1986 Ferraro is put on leave after publicity
about a children's Mass at which Ferraro said that Santa Claus was dead. In
the 1987 Directory, he is a Brooklyn priest, released from diocesan assignment.
After a 1988 allegation and treatment, Ferraro would live until his 2002 arrest
at Parsons Manor, with his faculties revoked. It is not known whether he worked
as a hospital chaplain or in some other job in 1988-2002. Metuchen
was a vacant see when Ferraro was placed on leave. McCarrick had been installed
as archbishop of Newark on 7/25/86, and his successor in Metuchen, Edward T.
Hughes, was appointed 12/15/86, on the very day that Ferraro went on leave.
Mugavero was bishop of Brooklyn.
Priests in a Parish: We use the following
convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means
that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually
the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand
3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample
page from the Directory.
Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report
the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the
Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest
listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment
for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes
accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are
rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also
sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment
record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records
are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post.
Please email us
with new information and corrections.
This assignment record collates Ferraro's career history as it is represented
in the Official Catholic Directory with his conviction and allegations
as they are reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth
of the allegation we report. We remind our readers that in the U.S. judicial
system, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty.
A Note on Nomenclature: We use the term "assignment record,"
instead of the more common "service record," because "service"
is not an appropriate word for the activities of an abusive priest. Dioceses
are often less than forthcoming about the activities of retired priests, but
when we can determine those activities, we list them in these assignment records,
particularly if they involve ministry. Retired priests remain under obedience
to their bishop, and even the activities of laicized priests should be a concern
to the diocese.
This assignment record was last updated on 12/18/07.
