Queens clergymen named in Diocese report
More than borough 95 priests spanning 20th century accused of sexual abuse
BY MARK HALLUM
The Brooklyn Diocese
has released a list of priests
spanning the 20th century who
they say have credible claims
of sexual abuse against them
from victims, either before or
after their death.
The report also shows that
while many of the alleged
sexual predators are long
dead, many not only served in
Queens, but about 40 percent
are still alive, though none of
them still serve as clergymen,
either by their own volition or
by removal from the ministry.
Up to 95 of those listed
served at locations in Forest
Hills, Ridgewood and Flushing
with one of the most notorious
offenders being Father Adam
Prochaski, who served at
Holy Cross School in Maspeth
from 1969 to 1994 and has been
accused of abusing more than
20 female victims, according
to Lawyers Helping Survivors
of Child Sex Abuse.
What differs between the
earlier report released by
the legal organization and
the report released by the
diocese is that it does not list
the number of accusations
against various priests and
only indicates whether reports
emerged before or after the
individuals death and how
they eventually left the diocese.
The diocese report does not
list clergy members currently
serving with accusations
against them.
“As we know, sexual abuse
is a shameful and destructive
problem that is found in all
aspects of society, yet it is
especially egregious when
it occurs within the church
and such abuse cannot be
tolerated,” Brooklyn Bishop
Nicholas DiMarzio said in
a letter. “It is my hope that
publishing this list will provide
some assistance to some of
Most of the accused priests are dead, and none of those who are still alive still serve as clergymen. File Photo
those who are continuing the
difficult process of healing,
as well as 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
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.
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