Fr. Bruce Ritter
Established Covenant House in Greenwich Village in the early 1970s as a shelter and foundation for homeless and troubled youth. Complaints of sexual abuse of teen boys date back as far as the 1950s. Complaints documented in book, “Broken Covenant” by C. Sennott, 1992. Civil suit. Forced to resign in 1990 after allegations. Refused counseling, resigned from the order in 1991, reportedly joined an overseas diocese. Died in 1999. Accused in a lawsuit filed in 7/21 in Manhattan of sexually abusing a boy, ages 13-16, beginning in 1981. His accuser, who was a Covenant House resident, said that Ritter gave him gifts and clothing, and that the abuse included forcing him to have sex with other men, including Covenant House donors.
- The New York Times 02.06.90
- The Washington Post 02.10.90
- People 02.26.90
- Houston Chronicle 09.27.92
- The Sun-Sentinel 02.28.93
- Los Angeles Times 06.13.93
- Newsweek 08.15.93
- NY Times 10.13.99
- New York Times 10.22.99
- Youth Today 01.01.00
- NY Times 01.12.03
- Republican 03.10.04
- New York Daily News 02.14.19
- New York Times 01.30.21
- New York Post 07.01.21
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