Two brothers have filed a sexual abuse lawsuit accusing St. Mary’s Abbey for failing to protect them from two priests on their Catholic school campus, though they had reported the abuse to the Abbey, as reported by the Mendham-Chester, NJ Patch.
The brothers, referred to as “T.C.” and W.C.” in the suit, claim Rev. L.T. sexually abused them while they attended the Delbarton School in Morristown, NJ. The school is for male students only, grades 7 through 12, and is operated by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey.
Rev. L.T. served as Delbarton’s headmaster from 1999 to 2007. He was in an administrative position at a Catholic school in Virginia when he was removed in 2011 – due to allegations of sexual abuse.
A second priest, Rev. J.C., is also named in the suit for sexually abusing the brothers. He was recently placed in Cedar Knolls’ Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel Parish.
Both priests are restricted from contact with students. Furthermore, St. Mary’s always has another priest go with them anytime they travel.
The lawsuit, announced during a new conference on March 20, lists 19 counts. Phillipsburg-based attorney Gregory G. Gianforcaro represents the brothers, B.C. and T.C. The suit alleges that Rev. J.C. sexually assaulted both brothers between 1977 and 1980. The, in 1980, according to the lawsuit, Rev. LT. sexually assaulted B.C.
B.C. said that the campus at Delbarton is similar in vein to Penn State – in that both schools retain officials that have been charged with hiding sexual abuse on campus.
The brothers were known for being in the “Green Wave” group of athletes that enjoyed a camaraderie on campus. T.C. said, “When some of my fellow alumni read this, they won’t be talking to me anymore. I wish they would.”
Both brothers allege that they reported their abuse to the abbey: T.C. in 2004 and B.C. in 2010.
Those noted for their failure to prevent sexual abuse of students, and other priests, though evidence was strong include: teachers, priests, trustees, deacons, employees, volunteers and directors.
Those named, according to the lawsuit, are thereby guilty of willfully ignoring known facts, violating their responsibilities as student supervisors and failing to protect students from the alleged activities.
The suit states that the defendants failed to act on behalf of the abused students because they were “motivated by their desire to prevent knowledge from being disseminated, prevent criminal prosecution and minimize disgrace and scandal…”
A former abuse victim and now advocate, Patrick Marker, said that the abuse at St. Mary’s can be trailed back to the 1970s and what has been reported was “hidden behind monastery walls.”
Marker wrote a letter in January to Gov. Chris Christie regarding the school – Christie has children currently attending Delbarton.
If you, or someone you hold dear, has been a victim of sexual abuse by a member of the clergy, click here to contact a personal injury lawyer for help. A lawsuit is one way to bring about change and closure.