NEW JERSEY
Voice from the Desert
June 6, 2012
Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D.
One week ago, six courageous survivors of sexual abuse by Monsignor John J. Laferrera, disgraced pastor of St. Philomena’s Roman Catholic Church in Livingston, New Jersey, sat in a law firm’s conference room in Morristown to engage in mediation of their charges of hideous sexual abuse against them. Today, the Catholic Advocate, newspaper of the Newark Archdiocese, announced that Laferrera has been granted retirement by Archbishop John J. Myers. Myers brings new meaning to “you can’t make this stuff up.”
Myers’ actions continue a pattern of allowing pedophile priests to retire instead of recommending that they be defrocked by the Vatican. For example, Monsignor Peter Cheplic was credibly accused a few years ago of abusing several men, including Joe Capozzi, the author and producer of “For Pete’s Sake,” a riveting play about Cheplic’s abuse of Capozzi which began when Cheplic was a priest at St. Matthew’s Parish in Ridgefield. He was allowed to retire with full pension and benefits and no accountability.
At least twelve men have made it known that Laferrera sexually abused them at Immaculate Conception Parish in Newark, Laferrera’s first priestly assignment. In addition, a parishioner of St. Aloysius Parish in Caldwell has indicated that Laferrera, who was the pastor there, was seen as late as last year riding with young boys in a convertible car through the streets of Caldwell. Another St. Aloysius parishioner reported that as early as the 1990s, letters about Laferrera’s abuse of children were made known to authorities.
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