New Jersey Church Leader Vows Transparency Amid Crisis — Again
Cardinal Joseph Tobin, a prominent figure in the Catholic Church, previously committed to "a new level of transparency" regarding abuse issues. He is now reiterating these promises in light of a recent scandal.
TroibNews 
Six years ago, the highest-ranking Catholic leader in New Jersey, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, promised “a new level of transparency” in response to one of the most significant abuse scandals in the church’s history.
At that time, Tobin published a list of clergy members in the Archdiocese of Newark, which serves over 1 million Catholics in the state, who were credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. He stated that this list was “not an endpoint in our process,” but rather “an expression of our commitment to protecting our children.”
Since then, however, under Tobin's guidance, the archdiocese has kept the public in the dark about allegations of abuse related to one of his predecessors, former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. McCarrick faced accusations of decades of sexual abuse and was later defrocked.
Tobin is a prominent figure, not only in New Jersey but also globally within the Roman Catholic Church. He is a member of the College of Cardinals, which elects the pope, serves on the Vatican’s Supreme Court, and advises the pope on bishop nominations.
However, just months after his transparency promise, the archdiocese directed Joseph Reilly, a seminary leader, not to comment on a 2014 sexual harassment allegation at Seton Hall University. Seton Hall, where Tobin holds board positions as archbishop, hired Reilly as its new president last year, despite an independent recommendation for his removal for failing to properly report past abuse allegations.
Additionally, a little over two years ago, one of New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses, led by Camden, managed to persuade a judge to block part of a state investigation into clergy abuse, preventing findings from being made public. Critics argue this move would not have occurred without Tobin's approval.
“Instead of taking action to try and stop Camden, they instead sat idly by while Camden essentially shut down this whole investigation,” remarked Greg Gianforcaro, an attorney representing abuse victims suing the dioceses in the state.
The archdiocese responded, asserting it has “fully cooperated” with the state and remains “committed to the principles of transparency set forth in the 2002 Memorandum of Understanding between the State of New Jersey and each of the Dioceses in New Jersey.”
Now, with a public relations issue at hand, Tobin has again pledged transparency. Last Monday, he announced the hiring of a law firm to conduct a “comprehensive third-party review” of a 2019 investigation that named Reilly and several other unnamed priests. Reilly is not accused of abuse but rather of failing to report allegations properly.
In light of these events, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and three state lawmakers have urged Seton Hall to release the report. While two lawmakers have called for Reilly's resignation, Seton Hall, which falls under the Newark archdiocese, has ignored these appeals and reaffirmed its support for him.
The announcement of the investigation, to be carried out by Ropes & Gray, came a week after state Sens. Joseph Vitale and Andrew Zwicker wrote to Tobin insisting on “immediate corrective action” and for Seton Hall to “stand unequivocally on the side of transparency, accountability, and justice.”
Critics are not satisfied with Tobin’s decision to hire another law firm, expressing concern that he did not provide a timeline for the new investigation. They stated that fundamental questions linger, including why the university neglected previous recommendations and why it hasn't addressed potential flaws in the prior investigation.
“With those questions in mind, we cannot ignore a troubling thought: that this new investigation is meant to delay taking meaningful action and to shield the release of the existing report under the protection of attorney-client privilege,” wrote Vitale and Zwicker, both of whom lead committees on health and higher education in the Senate. They mentioned that they are reviewing public funding for Seton Hall, which does receive some state support for certain programs.
“Survivors and the Seton Hall community deserve answers and action now, not in an indefinite future determined behind closed doors. Accountability delayed is accountability denied,” they stated. “Hiring a law firm does not absolve Seton Hall from their responsibility to act in the best interest of students and survivors. A report already exists, and anything less than its release and immediate decisive action would be yet another attempt to sweep a grave injustice under the rug.”
In his announcement, Tobin stated that the review would focus on “a transparent review of the facts,” yet his claims have been met with skepticism outside the Statehouse.
“This is an investigation of the investigation — or a cover up of the cover up,” said Mark Crawford, a victim of clergy abuse and a member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Pope Francis appointed Tobin to lead the Archdiocese of Newark on November 7, 2016 — just one day before the election of Donald Trump as president. Tobin took on a significant challenge, inheriting a legacy marred by McCarrick's alleged abuses and the subsequent fallout, where he became the first cardinal in history to be defrocked for such crimes. His predecessor, John J. Myers, also faced scrutiny for handling abuse allegations and extravagant spending.
Tobin's installation Mass in 2017 drew notable figures, including then-Gov. Chris Christie, a Seton Hall law school alumnus, and former Sen. Bob Menendez. He recognized the “daunting proposition” and high expectations ahead. Over the years, Tobin has participated in events with various political leaders and has drawn them to his Masses.
When allegations against McCarrick surfaced publicly in 2018, Seton Hall, with Tobin sitting atop its boards, hired two law firms to investigate. The findings revealed decades of sexual harassment and a pervasive “culture of fear and intimidation” under McCarrick, as summarized by the university.
An internal memo detailing key findings was provided to the Board of Regents, the university’s governing body, showing that Reilly, then rector and dean of the Immaculate Conception Seminary, mishandled a student complaint of sexual assault and failed to adhere to school and federal Title IX policies. Furthermore, Reilly reportedly dismissed a seminarian in 2012 who claimed to be a victim of abuse without investigating the matter—a clear violation of university policy.
Reilly, who previously served as priest secretary to McCarrick, disclosed that he had received information about a 2014 harassment allegation at St. Andrew’s Hall, a seminary at Seton Hall, yet he did not report it. The archdiocese had instructed him to refrain from discussing that allegation, though the reasons remain unclear. Tobin’s office indicated that “this and other questions will be examined” during the new investigation.
In 2019, investigators recommended Reilly’s removal from seminary leadership and university boards in response to a plan adopted by the school’s governing body. Despite acknowledging the findings, Reilly only stepped down from a hiring committee while keeping his leadership position.
After taking a sabbatical in 2022, Reilly returned as vice provost and became the university president last year “with the endorsement of the University’s leadership and the Archdiocese of Newark,” according to the school.
Reilly’s promotion incensed John Bellocchio, who alleged he was abused by McCarrick as a teenager.
“I am just completely sick of the bullshit of the archdiocese of Newark,” Bellocchio stated prior to Tobin's announcement. “The record speaks for itself that Joe Reilly shouldn’t have this job and Joe Reilly shouldn’t keep this job.”
Around the time of the McCarrick-related investigation, New Jersey’s attorney general launched a task force to investigate clergy abuse statewide. However, documents obtained by PMG and reported last week showed that the dioceses, led by Camden, appeared before a Superior Court judge in May 2023. Camden contested the state’s authority to present its findings to a grand jury.
Judge Peter Warshaw ruled in favor of Camden, and the case now awaits consideration by the state Supreme Court. The attorney general’s office has reiterated its commitment to the mission of the Clergy Abuse Task Force and will continue efforts to seek justice for victims and survivors, holding accountable not only their abusers but also those who facilitated the abuse.
Tobin’s office maintained that all dioceses “have fully cooperated” with the state and “have not filed or joined any motions before any court to delay or impede any investigation by the State of New Jersey.”
Crawford, from the SNAP advocacy group, asserted that Tobin could have taken action to permit the state investigation to proceed and provide some measure of accountability for victims.
“If he really wanted to, he could have directed Camden to stand down and let this unfold so victims can heal and there’s closure,” Crawford said. “That’s been a long tactic of the church — delay, delay, delay. It’s worked for them.”
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
At that time, Tobin published a list of clergy members in the Archdiocese of Newark, which serves over 1 million Catholics in the state, who were credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. He stated that this list was “not an endpoint in our process,” but rather “an expression of our commitment to protecting our children.”
Since then, however, under Tobin's guidance, the archdiocese has kept the public in the dark about allegations of abuse related to one of his predecessors, former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. McCarrick faced accusations of decades of sexual abuse and was later defrocked.
Tobin is a prominent figure, not only in New Jersey but also globally within the Roman Catholic Church. He is a member of the College of Cardinals, which elects the pope, serves on the Vatican’s Supreme Court, and advises the pope on bishop nominations.
However, just months after his transparency promise, the archdiocese directed Joseph Reilly, a seminary leader, not to comment on a 2014 sexual harassment allegation at Seton Hall University. Seton Hall, where Tobin holds board positions as archbishop, hired Reilly as its new president last year, despite an independent recommendation for his removal for failing to properly report past abuse allegations.
Additionally, a little over two years ago, one of New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses, led by Camden, managed to persuade a judge to block part of a state investigation into clergy abuse, preventing findings from being made public. Critics argue this move would not have occurred without Tobin's approval.
“Instead of taking action to try and stop Camden, they instead sat idly by while Camden essentially shut down this whole investigation,” remarked Greg Gianforcaro, an attorney representing abuse victims suing the dioceses in the state.
The archdiocese responded, asserting it has “fully cooperated” with the state and remains “committed to the principles of transparency set forth in the 2002 Memorandum of Understanding between the State of New Jersey and each of the Dioceses in New Jersey.”
Now, with a public relations issue at hand, Tobin has again pledged transparency. Last Monday, he announced the hiring of a law firm to conduct a “comprehensive third-party review” of a 2019 investigation that named Reilly and several other unnamed priests. Reilly is not accused of abuse but rather of failing to report allegations properly.
In light of these events, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and three state lawmakers have urged Seton Hall to release the report. While two lawmakers have called for Reilly's resignation, Seton Hall, which falls under the Newark archdiocese, has ignored these appeals and reaffirmed its support for him.
The announcement of the investigation, to be carried out by Ropes & Gray, came a week after state Sens. Joseph Vitale and Andrew Zwicker wrote to Tobin insisting on “immediate corrective action” and for Seton Hall to “stand unequivocally on the side of transparency, accountability, and justice.”
Critics are not satisfied with Tobin’s decision to hire another law firm, expressing concern that he did not provide a timeline for the new investigation. They stated that fundamental questions linger, including why the university neglected previous recommendations and why it hasn't addressed potential flaws in the prior investigation.
“With those questions in mind, we cannot ignore a troubling thought: that this new investigation is meant to delay taking meaningful action and to shield the release of the existing report under the protection of attorney-client privilege,” wrote Vitale and Zwicker, both of whom lead committees on health and higher education in the Senate. They mentioned that they are reviewing public funding for Seton Hall, which does receive some state support for certain programs.
“Survivors and the Seton Hall community deserve answers and action now, not in an indefinite future determined behind closed doors. Accountability delayed is accountability denied,” they stated. “Hiring a law firm does not absolve Seton Hall from their responsibility to act in the best interest of students and survivors. A report already exists, and anything less than its release and immediate decisive action would be yet another attempt to sweep a grave injustice under the rug.”
In his announcement, Tobin stated that the review would focus on “a transparent review of the facts,” yet his claims have been met with skepticism outside the Statehouse.
“This is an investigation of the investigation — or a cover up of the cover up,” said Mark Crawford, a victim of clergy abuse and a member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Pope Francis appointed Tobin to lead the Archdiocese of Newark on November 7, 2016 — just one day before the election of Donald Trump as president. Tobin took on a significant challenge, inheriting a legacy marred by McCarrick's alleged abuses and the subsequent fallout, where he became the first cardinal in history to be defrocked for such crimes. His predecessor, John J. Myers, also faced scrutiny for handling abuse allegations and extravagant spending.
Tobin's installation Mass in 2017 drew notable figures, including then-Gov. Chris Christie, a Seton Hall law school alumnus, and former Sen. Bob Menendez. He recognized the “daunting proposition” and high expectations ahead. Over the years, Tobin has participated in events with various political leaders and has drawn them to his Masses.
When allegations against McCarrick surfaced publicly in 2018, Seton Hall, with Tobin sitting atop its boards, hired two law firms to investigate. The findings revealed decades of sexual harassment and a pervasive “culture of fear and intimidation” under McCarrick, as summarized by the university.
An internal memo detailing key findings was provided to the Board of Regents, the university’s governing body, showing that Reilly, then rector and dean of the Immaculate Conception Seminary, mishandled a student complaint of sexual assault and failed to adhere to school and federal Title IX policies. Furthermore, Reilly reportedly dismissed a seminarian in 2012 who claimed to be a victim of abuse without investigating the matter—a clear violation of university policy.
Reilly, who previously served as priest secretary to McCarrick, disclosed that he had received information about a 2014 harassment allegation at St. Andrew’s Hall, a seminary at Seton Hall, yet he did not report it. The archdiocese had instructed him to refrain from discussing that allegation, though the reasons remain unclear. Tobin’s office indicated that “this and other questions will be examined” during the new investigation.
In 2019, investigators recommended Reilly’s removal from seminary leadership and university boards in response to a plan adopted by the school’s governing body. Despite acknowledging the findings, Reilly only stepped down from a hiring committee while keeping his leadership position.
After taking a sabbatical in 2022, Reilly returned as vice provost and became the university president last year “with the endorsement of the University’s leadership and the Archdiocese of Newark,” according to the school.
Reilly’s promotion incensed John Bellocchio, who alleged he was abused by McCarrick as a teenager.
“I am just completely sick of the bullshit of the archdiocese of Newark,” Bellocchio stated prior to Tobin's announcement. “The record speaks for itself that Joe Reilly shouldn’t have this job and Joe Reilly shouldn’t keep this job.”
Around the time of the McCarrick-related investigation, New Jersey’s attorney general launched a task force to investigate clergy abuse statewide. However, documents obtained by PMG and reported last week showed that the dioceses, led by Camden, appeared before a Superior Court judge in May 2023. Camden contested the state’s authority to present its findings to a grand jury.
Judge Peter Warshaw ruled in favor of Camden, and the case now awaits consideration by the state Supreme Court. The attorney general’s office has reiterated its commitment to the mission of the Clergy Abuse Task Force and will continue efforts to seek justice for victims and survivors, holding accountable not only their abusers but also those who facilitated the abuse.
Tobin’s office maintained that all dioceses “have fully cooperated” with the state and “have not filed or joined any motions before any court to delay or impede any investigation by the State of New Jersey.”
Crawford, from the SNAP advocacy group, asserted that Tobin could have taken action to permit the state investigation to proceed and provide some measure of accountability for victims.
“If he really wanted to, he could have directed Camden to stand down and let this unfold so victims can heal and there’s closure,” Crawford said. “That’s been a long tactic of the church — delay, delay, delay. It’s worked for them.”
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
