NJ Catholic diocese used secret court hearing to block investigation of clergy sex abuse; SNAP outraged

For Immediate Release: February 5, 2025 

New Jersey's attorney general launched an investigation into abuse by Roman Catholic clergy in the state more than five years ago. However, court documents recently obtained by The Record and NorthJersey.com revealed that the Diocese of Camden succeeded in quashing a key part of the investigation at a secret hearing almost two years ago. Representatives from all five of the state’s Catholic dioceses attended that proceeding. The ruling has now been appealed to the New Jersey Supreme Court.

SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is outraged at this action by the New Jersey Catholic dioceses. As local SNAP leader Mark Crawford told Deena Yellin, the reporter who broke the story, “The bishops promised the public they would cooperate fully with the investigation, but meanwhile they secretly took this action to fight it."

We hope that the New Jersey Supreme Court will demonstrate the wisdom of Solomon and upend this under-handed maneuver by Catholic officials in the state. We also applaud the hundreds of victims who took the time to relive their trauma as they gave testimony in the state’s Attorney General’s investigation into Catholic clergy abuse. Let us hope that their voices are not once again silenced!

CONTACT: Mark Crawford, SNAP New Jersey ([email protected], 732-632-7687), Melanie Sakoda, Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)