The Paterson Roman Catholic Diocese acknowledged Monday that it settled
yet another case of sexual abuse allegations against Monsignor Ronald
J. Tully, this time involving a woman who accused the one-time Passaic
Catholic high school administrator of repeatedly fondling her decades
ago.
The diocese now has paid at least nine victims an estimated $2.1
million to settle cases of abuse against Tully, who has been barred from
working as a priest since 2004. In the latest case, the first against
Tully to involve a female victim, the accuser alleges that Tully fondled
her 20 times in 1977 when she was a 16-year-old student at Pope Pius
High School in Passaic. Tully was then the high school’s vice principal.
Mitchell Garabedien, the woman’s Boston-based attorney, said his client
came to him several months ago after having a conversation about Tully
with someone who gave her “the courage to come forward.” The woman, who
still lives in New Jersey, hopes her actions will encourage other women
to come forward, whether about Tully or other cases, Garabedian said.
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Mullaney said the settlement is not an admission of “fact or
liability,” and that church officials did not conduct a hearing related
to the allegations because Tully already is stripped of his priestly
faculties. The diocese review board, he said, reviews abuse cases to
determine whether priests should be placed on leave.
“There’s really no reason to have a review board meeting because it’s a fait accompli,” Mullaney said.
Paterson Diocese settles sex abuse case from 1977 - News - NorthJersey.com
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