Fr. James Selvaraj
From India, became U.S. citizen. Worked in the Trenton diocese beginning in 1998. Accused in 2005 of improperly touching an 11-year-old girl. Removed from duties. In 2/06 a grand jury dismissed the charges. State AG expunged his record so there would be no trace of the accusation or charge. Nonetheless, Bishop Smith removed him from ministry and tried to send him back to India, saying Selvaraj had been repeatedly warned of his “overly friendly personality.” As of 2012, Selvaraj was still in NJ without privileges. His appeal to the Vatican was denied when it ruled that the diocese had followed proper protocol and was within its rights. Said in 2/12 he would return to his home parish in India when he received a formal declaration from the diocese that he was a priest in good standing.
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