12 men who served locally credibly accused of priestly sexual abuse

The list of approximately 70 priests of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark credibly accused of improper sexual activity against minors from at least 1940 on includes 12 men who once served at either a parish or entity in The Observer’s readership area.

The archdiocese — and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the archbishop of Newark — as well as the other dioceses of New Jersey — released the names on Wednesday, Feb. 13, via a news release and a new website at healing.rcan.org.

Tobin offered a contrite tone in releasing the names, many of whom had already been released by Bishop Accountability, an organization unaffiliated with any diocese that keeps track of priests accused.

“The release of names of clergy with a credible allegation(s) of sexual abuse of a minor is part of our ongoing commitment to be transparent to help bring healing to the victims and to help restore trust in the leadership of Catholic Church,” Tobin said. “Additionally, the disclosure of the names is part of our ongoing commitment to protect our children and to ensure safe environments for minors.

“The list is the result of an extensive review of the archdiocese’s records by an archdiocesan review team and outside legal counsel to identify allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy in the archdiocese dating back to 1940. The disclosure of this list of names is not an endpoint in our process — it is a beginning.

“We express genuine sorrow and regret to the victims who put their trust in a member of the church only to have that trust so profoundly betrayed. We must protect our children, first, foremost and always.”

The 12 former clergy who have a connection to The Observer’s readership area include the following. (Please note the specific allegations were not released by the archdiocese, nor were the locations and dates the credible allegations happened. It is not known whether any of the alleged abuse happened here. Also please note — these men served elsewhere, but for the purposes of this story, we’re only including their former local assignments.

  1. John X. Bergeur, who was ordained in 1945, served at St. Anthony’s Parish, East Newark. There was one credible allegation levied against him. He is dead.
  2. Robert Chabak, who was ordained in 1972, served at Holy Family Parish, Nutley, and St. Valentine Parish, Bloomfield. There were multiple victims who credibly accused Chabak, who is still alive and who was permanently removed priestly ministry.
  3. John J. Donohue, ordained in 1973, served as a chaplain at Clara Maass Medical Center, Belleville, and St. Valentine Parish, Bloomfield. There were multiple credible victims in his case — and he was permanently removed from priestly ministry.
  4. Thomas F. Duffy, ordained in 1933, served at Queen of Peace Church, North Arlington. There was one credible allegation levied against him. He is dead.
  5. William Giblin, ordained in 1959, also served at Queen of Peace, NA. Giblin, dead, had one credible allegation levied against him.
  6. Robert Gibney, ordained in 1954, served at St. Cecilia Church, Kearny. One credible allegation was levied against him. He is dead.
  7. Alan Guglielmo, ordained in 1968, served at St. Valentine Church, Bloomfield, Clara Maass Medical Center, Belleville, and Sacred Heart Church, Lyndhurst. He was permanently removed from ministry following one credible allegation.
  8. Robert Marotta, ordained to the priesthood in 1963, served at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Lyndhurst, and St. Cecilia, Kearny. There was one credible allegation levied against him. Marotta is dead.
  9. Thomas Mousley, ordained to the deaconate in 1976, served at what was then called Boystown, Kearny. One credible allegation was levied against Mousley, who has since been permanently removed from active ministry.
  10. Michael O’Brien, ordained in 1977, served at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Kearny, and Mt. Carmel Church, Lyndhurst. O’Brien, who is now dead, had one credible allegation levied against him.
  11. Edward Stanley, ordained in 1931, served at Sacred Heart Church, Bloomfield, and also served as the Archdiocesan Director of CYO. One credible allegation was levied against Stanley who is now dead.
  12. Gerald Sudol, ordained in 1980, served at Holy Family Church, Nutley. He had multiple credible allegations levied against him. Sudol has been permanently removed from priestly ministry.

Meanwhile, the list also includes the name of former Newark Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, who also served as the cardinal-archbishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

McCarrick, who was stripped last year of his faculties as a cardinal, and who was defrocked by Pope Francis just last week, was a frequent visitor to parishes in the area during his tenure here.

As a defrocked former priest, McCarrick is no longer able to celebrate Mass and/or sacraments — and has also been stripped of any and all titles he was once called, including “Father,” “Bishop,” “Archbishop” and, of course, “Cardinal.”

He is now referred to as simply Theodore McCarrick, or Mr. McCarrick.

The archdiocese says this list is not final. Those whose allegations have not yet been adjudicated are not listed yet, but will be if allegations are deemed credible.

Learn more about the writer ...

Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.