Catholic order says 30 victims have alleged sexual abuse

MORRISTOWN (NJ)
Associated Press via Crux

July 26, 2018

Leaders of a Catholic order in New Jersey said in a letter posted on its website that 30 people have come forward alleging sexual abuse by the monks or lay faculty associated with a private school.

In a joint letter written to the community on July 20, the head of St. Mary’s Abbey and the Delbarton School headmaster said the order had settled eight lawsuits with alleged victims, while seven others were pending.

The abuse allegedly took place while many of the victims were students at Delbarton School in Morristown, which is managed by the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey. Other reports were made by a parishioner of St. James Church in Basking Ridge and former students of St. Elizabeth of Hungary School in Linden as well as by the sons of a former Delbarton School employee.

The letter said the reported assaults happened between 1968 and 1999 and involved 13 monks and one lay teacher.

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