In New Jersey, a preparatory school’s chaplain has been placed on leave while the school investigates allegations of sexual assault against him.

The chaplain is one Reverend Salvatore DiStefano, who is a Catholic priest assigned to Oratory Catholic Preparatory School. According to NJ.com, the reverend was placed on administrative leave after complaints made against him came to light in January.

Maria Margiotta, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Newark, explained that the administrative leave “should not be interpreted as punishment” as the reverend “continues to have the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.”

Reportedly, the allegations are being investigated by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

As for the Archdiocese of Newark’s response to the investigation, Margiotta said that the archdiocese has procedures in place designed to protect community members and provide a safe environment. According to Margiotta, “the Archdiocese of Newark takes very seriously any and all credible complaints of sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy, religious, lay staff and volunteers of the Archdiocese.”

NJ.com reports that Oratory Catholic Preparatory School will continue to operate and celebrate Mass. 

Unfortunately, this is not the only allegation of sexual abuse in a New Jersey Catholic school that has been reported recently. In recent years, a wave of sexual abuse allegations has come to light around the country, some of which originate in New Jersey. 

Some of these cases allegedly occurred many years ago. To grapple with these cases, New Jersey has implemented a new law change that allows victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to file lawsuits against their alleged abusers. The state’s new law went into effect on Jan. 1 and gives victims until they turn 55 to file a claim of childhood sexual assault, or two years after they discovered that they were abused, whichever is later.

The new law also provides a two-year look-back window that allows victims to file a civil lawsuit against their alleged abuser, regardless of their age or when the abuse occurred, explains NPR.

Many lawsuits have been filed under this new law and similar laws enacted around the country. The New York Post reports that a 62-year-old woman has filed a New Jersey lawsuit saying that she was sexually abused over 50 years ago by a nun at Rumson’s Holy Cross School.

According to the woman, administrators at the school were aware of the abuse, but did not take action to protect the student. Allegedly, the nun was allowed to keep her position at the school, and law enforcement was not notified. 

The New York Post’s article on the issue says that the Diocese of Trenton says that it recently became aware of the allegations, and then at that point reported them to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office. The New Jersey Catholic nun abuse lawsuit was filed on Dec. 13. 

Many lawsuits filed over the Roman Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal share a common thread — victims often argue that the Church did not do enough to protect victims of abuse, or even went so far as to cover up the abuse to protect the Church’s reputation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.