Fr. William J. Dowd

Ordained: 1967
Status: Settled

Diocese: Archdiocese of Newark NJ

Suspended in 2002. Accused by two men of abuse as boys. Case referred to Vatican which sent it back to archdiocese for trial. Church trial held in 1/05. Acquitted; Vatican did not confirm the verdict until 2007. Returned to ministry as of 7/01/07. Returned to job as chaplain for NY Giants, but not to parish ministry. Lawsuit filed in 12/19 by one of the two who came forward in 2002, claiming abuse for five years, beginning in 1967 when he was age 12. Settled. Accused in suit filed in 11/20 of raping a girl, age 10, in 1971, and abusing her until 1975. Per the suit, two nuns held the girl down during the rape. Dowd denied it.


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