Cardinal Accused Of Sexually Abusing North Jersey Boy Resigns

A former North Jersey priest has resigned from the Roman Catholic Church's College of Cardinals amid allegations he sexually abused a boy for 20 years.

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, directing him to observe a "life of prayer and penance until the accusations made against him are examined in a regular canonical trial," a report by The Holy See's Vatican News service stated.

Pope Francis also barred McCarrick from taking part in any public ministry and imposed that McCarrick is obligated to "remain in a house yet to be indicated to him."

McCarrick, who is also Archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., sent his letter of resignation as a member of the College of Cardinals to Pope Francis Friday night.

A former Tenafly man, known only by his first name, James, recalled the abuse he endured that started when he was 11 and McCarrick was 39, The New York Time and NorthJersey.com reported earlier this month.

James was baptized by McCarrick in June 1958, just two weeks after his ordination as priest of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Teanfly. It was the first baptism McCarrick performed.

"He had chosen me to be his special boy," James told the Times. "If I go back to my family, they tell me that it's good for you to be with him. And if you go to try to tell somebody, they'll say 'I think you are mistaken.'"

The details of the alleged abuse include McCarrick giving James alcohol and sleeping naked with him, NorthJersey.com reported.

Earlier this month, a group of priests told The New York Times McCarrick would touch them inappropriately during overnight trips to a beach house owned by the Diocese of Metuchen. In that same report, McCarrick was accused of sexually assaulting an underage boy while working in New York.

McCarrick left the Newark Archdiocese to become Bishop of Metuchen in 1981. The Times reported Monday that an ex-priest received part of an $80,000 settlement regarding allegations that McCarrick inappropriately touched and sexually harassed him when he was Bishop of Metuchen.

The Diocese of Metuchen first learned about the additional allegations from the report, a spokesperson for the Diocese told Patch.

In response to the reports, Rev. James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen said no minors had been abused during McCarrick's time in Metuchen, but did confirm the Diocese had settled sexual misconduct allegations with adults.

Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman with the Archdiocese of New York, said the archdiocese has not seen the allegations beyond what was previously reported.

The Metuchen Police Department told Patch they have not received any complaints of abuse from the parish, or by anyone about the parish.

With reporting by Katie Kausch, Patch staff

Related:

• Catholic Church In NJ Paid Leader's Alleged Sex Victims
  
• Bergen Man Alleges Ex-Priest Sexually Abused Him For 20 Years

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., speaks during a news conference with senators and national religious leaders. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)