Holmdel Priest Accused Of Abusing Minor In Keansburg In '70s

HOLMDEL, NJ — A priest who up until very recently served at St. Catharine's in Holmdel was abruptly removed from the church this past weekend after allegations surfaced accusing him of sexually abusing a minor at St. Ann's parish in Keansburg back in the late 1970s and 1980s.

The priest is Rev. Gregory D. Vaughan; he was the head priest at St. Catharine's. He also worked for a time at St. Mary's in Middletown. He denies the allegation.

The Diocese of Trenton announced the allegation against Vaughan over this past weekend, March 30/31, and announced they immediately removed Vaughan from the ministry after finding the allegation "credible."

"It is with profound sadness that we report to our community the following," the Diocese of Trenton said this past Saturday, March 30, in a news release. "Following our own interviews with the victim, the Diocese has determined that the allegation is credible. Msgr. Vaughan has denied the allegation."

The diocese said the allegation was first made known to them on March 17, 2019. It allegedly occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Vaughan was a parochial vicar in St. Ann's in Keansburg.

Vaughan had served as pastor of St. Catharine Parish in Holmdel since 2013.

The Diocese said it immediately reported the allegation to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. As a result of finding the allegation credible, Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., removed Msgr. Vaughan from ministry, effective immediately. The allegation will also be reported to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.

No charges have been filed by the Monmouth County prosecutor. Charlie Webster, a spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, told NJ.com the allegation was "thoroughly investigated," but fell outside the statute of limitations.

Parishioners at St. Catharine's expressed surprise and disappointment this past Sunday as they walked into church.

"It's all coming out now. He was new, but he seemed alright," John Revolinsky, of Holmdel, told the Asbury Park Press. "He was a great speaker. His homilies were motivational."

In total, Vaughan has worked in the following parishes in New Jersey: St. Ann; Keansburg; St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson; St. Mary, Middletown; St. Raphael, Hamilton, and St. Catharine, Holmdel.

This is the first and only allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against Msgr. Vaughan reported to the Diocese.

The Diocese encourages anyone who has been sexually abused as a minor by a representative of the Church to report the abuse to the appropriate law enforcement agency, and to the Diocese through its abuse hotline: 1-888-296-2965 or via email at abuseline@dioceseoftrenton.org.