15 Priests With Haddonfield, Haddon Ties Named On Sex Abuse List

A total of 15 priests with ties to Haddonfield and Haddon Township were among 56 priests in the Diocese of Camden who were named as being "credibly accused" of child sex abuse on Wednesday.

All of New Jersey's five dioceses were expected to release individual lists of accused priests at the same time. The Camden Diocese, which covers Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties, released their list just before noon.

The list includes those who admitted to the abuse, those who were found guilty after a trial in the church courts or the civil courts, and others against whom the evidence was so overwhelming as to be virtually unquestionable, Rev. Dennis J. Sullivan said in a statement announcing the names.

“Most of these incidents occurred in the 1970’s and the 1980’s and involved male teenagers. It should also be noted that the majority of these priests, all of whose names have been provided to local law enforcement authorities, are dead,” Sullivan said. “In many cases, a single allegation from 30 or 40 years ago was the only such charge that had ever been made against the priest, and was received after he had died. Thus, he was unable to respond to the allegation.”

Four allegations from the 1960’s and 1970’s that are being referred to the Diocesan Review Board for a determination as to their credibility were not included in the list, Sullivan said. Read his full statement here.

According to the Camden Archdiocese, the priests with Haddonfield and Haddon Township connections include:

John P. Bernard: Born in 1939, ordained in 1962. Served at Blessed Sacrament, Margate; Annunciation, Bellmawr; Assumption, Pomona; St. Margaret, Woodbury Heights; Holy Savior, Westmont; Sts. Peter & Paul, Washington Township; Chaplain Pomona Air Base; Veteran's Administrative Hospital, Batavia NY. Has been permanently removed from the ministry.

William B. Cannon: Born in 1927, ordained in 1954. Served at St. Peter, Pleasantville; St. Joan of Arc, Camden; Holy Name, Camden; St. Michael, Minotola; St. Vincent de Paul, Mays Landing; St. Lawrence, Lindenwold; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Woodlynne; Queen of Heaven, Cherry Hill; St. Martin de Porres, Hammonton; Christ the King, Haddonfield; St. Pius X, Cherry Hill; Chaplain Kessler Memorial Hospital, Hammonton. Cannon is deceased.

Gerald P. Clements: Born in 1941, ordained in 1970. Served at O.L. of Mt. Carmel, Berlin; Most Holy Redeemer, Westville Grove; Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill; Holy Savior, Westmont; St. Peter, Merchantville; St. Joseph, South Camden; Director, Vianney Villa; Director, Sacred Heart Residence; and Chaplain West Jersey Hospital, Camden. Clements is deceased.

John P. Connor: Born in 1934, ordained in 1962. Served at St. Francis of Assisi, Vineland; St. Mary, Gloucester; Paul VI High School, Haddon Township; St. Rose, Haddon Heights; Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, Cherry Hill; St. John, Collingswood; Diocese of Pittsburgh; St. Alphonsus, Wexford PA; St. James, Sewickley PA; Immaculate Conception, Bridgeton; St. Teresa of Avila, Bridgeton; Sacred Heart Priest Residence; Chaplain Bridgeton/Millville Hospitals; and Vianney Renewal Center, Dittmer MO. Has been permanently removed from the ministry.

Francis J. Flemming: Born in 1935, ordained in 1961. Served at Sacred Heart, Vineland; Puerto Rican Apostolate; Sacred Heart High School, Vineland; Christ the King, Haddonfield; St. Mary of the Angels, Haddonfield; St. Bartholomew, Camden; St. Peter Celestine, Cherry Hill; Most Holy Redeemer, Westville; Our Lady Star of the Sea, Atlantic City; St. Joseph, Swedesboro; and St. John Neumann, Sicklerville. Flemming is deceased.

Thomas A. Harkins: Born in 1947, ordained in 1971. Served at St. Teresa, Runnemede; O.L. of Mt. Carmel, Camden; Holy Name, Camden; St. Anthony of Padua, Hammonton; Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico; St. Mary, Cherry Hill; Holy Savior, Westmont; Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill; St. Stephen, Pennsauken; Immaculate Conception, Camden; Chaplain Camden County Jail, Camden; and Chaplain Riverfront State Prison, Camden. Has been permanently removed from the ministry.

James F. Hopkins: Born in 1943, ordained in 1968. Served at Holy Maternity, Audubon; St. Cecilia, Pennsauken; Annunciation, Bellmawr; Holy Family, Turnersville; St. Vincent de Paul, Mays Landing; St. Peter, Merchantville; St. Aloysius, Oaklyn; St. Pius X, Cherry Hill; and St. Maurice, Brooklawn. Has been permanently removed from the ministry.

Frank X. Hudson: Born in 1944, ordained in 1974. Served at St. Mary, Gloucester; O.L. Star of the Sea, Atlantic City; St. Aloysius, Oaklyn; Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill; Most Holy Redeemer, Westville; St. Veronica, Delair; St. Peter, Pleasantville; St. Francis, Vineland; Immaculate Conception, Bridgeton; St. Michael, Cedarville; St. John Bosco, Millville; and St. John, Deptford. Has been permanently removed from the ministry.

Charles E. Kuhl: Born in 1927, ordained in 1954. Served at O.L. Star of the Sea, Atlantic City; Queen of Heaven, Erlton; St. Ann, Wildwood; St. Luke, Stratford; Camden Catholic High School, Camden; O.L. of Mt. Carmel, Berlin; St. Peter, Merchantville; Our Lady of Lourdes Nursing School, Camden; Paul VI High School, Haddon Township; St. Michael, Atlantic City; St. Bridget, Glassboro; and St. Anthony, Waterford. Kuhl is deceased.

Dermott F. Lyons: Born in 1939, ordained in 1967. Served at St. Paul, Stone Harbor; St. Luke, Stratford; Paul VI High School, Haddon Township; St. Joan of Arc, Camden; St. Joseph, Sea Isle; Epiphany, Longport; and St. Teresa, Runnemede. Lyons is deceased.

Peter J. Osinski: Born in 1943, ordained in 1969. Served at St. Andrew, Gibbsboro; Assumption, Wildwood Crest; St. Maria Goretti, Runnemede; Paul VI High School, Haddon Township; St. Lucy, Blue Anchor; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Woodlynne; Divine Word College, Washington DC; Sacred Heart High School, Vineland; St. John Bosco, Millville; Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill; Our Lady of Grace, Somerdale; St. Stephen, Pennsauken; St. James High School, Carneys Point; St. Michael, Gibbstown; and Queen of the Apostles, Pennsville. Osinski is deceased.

Dennis J. Rigney: Born in 1914, ordained in 1942. Served at St. Mary, Gloucester; St. Joseph, East Camden; St. Joseph, Somers Point; Sacred Heart, Camden; Holy Saviour, Westmont; Our Lady of Victories, Landisville; Our Lady Queen of Peace, Pitman; St. Anne, Westville; St. Pius X, Cherry Hill; St. Vincent Pallotti, Haddon Township. Rigney is deceased.

Glendon E. Robertson: Born in 1927, ordained in 1957. Served at Holy Spirit, Atlantic City; Catholic University; St. Mary, Gloucester; Gloucester Catholic High School, Gloucester; St. Mary, Salem; St. James High School, Carneys Point; St. Aloysius, Oaklyn; Holy Spirit High School, Absecon; St. Thomas, Brigantine (weekends); and St. Andrew, Gibbsboro. Robertson is deceased.

Francis L. Salamandra: Born in 1931, ordained in 1961. Served at St. Matthew, National Park; Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill; St. Aloysius, Oaklyn; St. Ann, Wildwood; St. Stephen, Pennsauken; O.L. of Good Counsel, Ocean City; and St. Rose, Newfield. Has been permanently removed from the ministry.

Alfred J. Vasapolli: Born in 1947, ordained in 1973. Served at Christ the King, Haddonfield; St. Aloysius, Oaklyn; Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill; St. Peter Celestine, Cherry Hill; St. Rose of Lima, Haddon Heights; St. Veronica, Delair; Transfiguration, West Collingswood; St. Joseph, South Camden; and O.L. of the Lakes, Collings Lakes. Has been permanently removed from the ministry.

The Roman Catholic Dioceses in New Jersey are undertaking a complete review of their files so that the names of all priests and deacons who have been credibly accused of the sexual abuse of minors could be made public.

The dioceses are undertaking this action in coordination with the Attorney General of New Jersey's ongoing task force examining the issue of clergy sexual abuse.

“In September 2018, I established a statewide task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic dioceses of New Jersey. I am pleased to see that our task force’s grand jury investigation has prompted the dioceses to finally take some measures to hold predator priests accountable,” Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a separate statement. “While this is a positive first step towards transparency and accountability, I hope this spirit of openness continues during the course of our ongoing investigation and in response to our requests for records and information.

“Despite the recent actions by the dioceses, our investigation remains ongoing because no institution or individual is immune from accountability. We know from the hundreds of calls that we have received over our tip line that there are many others who were abused as children and as adults, both by diocesan clergy and clergy members in various religious orders. The investigative work of the task force continues so that we may assure that all survivors of clergy abuse are heard and all abusers and institutions are held accountable for their acts. To this end, we anticipate taking criminal action wherever appropriate and releasing comprehensive information at the conclusion of our investigation.”

The Archdiocese of Newark and the Dioceses of Camden, Trenton, Paterson and Metuchen said they are committed to the establishment of a "Victim Compensation and Counseling Program."
This program will provide the resources to compensate those victims of child sexual abuse by clergy and employees of the Dioceses in New Jersey whose financial claims are legally barred by New Jersey's statute of limitations, according to the statement.

Authorities said the program also will assure that victims who have not received any financial compensation will be paid, regardless of whether their claims meet the time requirements of the statute of limitations.

The Attorney General’s Office urges survivors and others with information to contact its toll-free tip line, 855-363-6548, which is staffed by trained professionals on a 24/7 basis.

See related: List Of 186 Priests Accused Of Child Sexual Abuse

This article includes reporting by Tom Davis, Patch staff

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