20
QUEENS WEEKLY, FEB. 24, 2019
Priests
encouraging other victims
to come forward.”
There are more than 100
priests on the list and the diocese
said it is aware of about
14 percent of cases prior to a
2017 effort to pay remediations
to victims.
Boston attorney Mitchell
Garabedian, who was depicted
in the film “Spotlight,”
was also defending alleged
victims of Prochaski and in
2017 told TimesLedger that
not only did the diocese owe
the women coming forward
settlement, but also warned
that Prochaski was still in
the New York City area.
Linda Porcaro, a teacher
who was close to the matter,
told Timesledger in an interview
that Prochaski was a
physically imposing figure
at the parish school for both
boys and girls, often using
this to intimidate those
aware of his misconduct.
“He was mean and
YMCA
Flushing Y branch, located
at 138-46 Northern Blvd.
Designed by Manhattan
firm Marvel Architects,
the modern inspired
space allows staff
to interact with members
on a more personal level
and check in guests more
easily, and opens the facility
to bright, natural
light and a more inviting
flow to the busy day-today
activity.
The new lobby includes
built in benches
for member comfort, and
digital signage to better
inform members of
events and updates. Additional
office and work
stations were added
for more efficient staff
operations, as well.
The estimated costs
of the renovations were
$420,000 with support
from both local lawmakers.
Kim donated $125,000
and Stavisky donated
$105,000 for the project.
“We are very pleased
with how the Flushing
YMCA lobby renovations
turned out and excited to
put the space to good use
for our community,” said
Dunbar. “I am appreciative
to all of our members,
program participants and
staff who were so adaptable
and patient throughout
this process. I think
everyone is happy with
the final result.”
The Flushing Y features
state-of-the-art exercise
equipment and two indoor
pools, sports teams,
immigrant services, and
comprehensive childcare.
The branch continues
to welcome visitors from
around the world, offering
more than 125 hotel
rooms and access to its
world-class swimming
and fitness facilities.
The Flushing Y continues
to build on its historic
emphasis on aquatics,
providing swimming
classes for all ages and
levels of ability.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4526.
Continued from Page 1
intimidating,” Porcaro
said in an interview with
TimesLedger. “He was
very large, he towered over
me … He was about 6-foot-
4, he wasn’t slim, He wasn’t
overweight, but he was
built and to a child that’s
already very intimidating.
I know he was rough with
the boys, I saw him with
the boys.”
Prochaski is listed as
resigned from the ministry
as of 1994, the year a spokeswoman
from the diocese
says the first reports against
him arose, but Garabedian
claims records showed the
priest was on sick leave between
1995 and 2002.
“Based on my experience
from handing clergy
sexual abuse cases, that is
code for in many instances
pedophilia and treatment
for pedophilia,” Garabedian
said. “It’s troubling that
Bishop Vose Daily and
other supervisors of Father
Prochaski did not protect innocent
children when Father
Prochaski was openly and
notoriously sexually abusing
children in the hallways
of the Holy Cross School,
the Holy Cross Church and
other locations.”
Another priest to make
both lists was Romano Ferraro,
who served in the Rockaways
as well as many other
locations across the state
from 1960 to 2002.
He was placed on sick
leave twice during his career
as a priest and in 2002 was arrested
in connection with the
raping an underaged boy in
Massachusetts between 1973
and 1980. At trial, Ferraro
admitted to abusing dozens
of children before receiving
a life sentence in 2004.
The Brooklyn Diocese
has released the report as
part of an Independent Reconciliation
and Compensation
Program with attorney
Kenneth Fienberg as
the administrator.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum
by e-mail at mhallum@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4564.
Continued from Page 1
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