NEW JERSEY
National Catholic Reporter
Brian Roewe | May. 3, 2013
The Newark, N.J., priest accused of violating negotiated agreement to stay away from children has decided to leave his archdiocesan positions and active ministry.
Fr. Michael Fugee submitted his resignation to Archbishop John J. Myers Thursday afternoon, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. The newspaper reported he will relinquish authority to say Mass, perform sacraments and represent himself as a priest. It is unclear whether Myers will seek laicization of the priest through the Vatican.
The scandal around Fugee emerged over the weekend, when the Star-Ledger first reported that he had attended youth events, such as retreats and weekend trips, and heard confessions for minors, a seeming violation of the memorandum of understanding he signed in order to avoid a retrial on charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault.
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