Newark Archdiocese Holds Day Of Prayer, Talks On Sex Abuse Scandal
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – Hundreds of parishioners gathered at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Friday night to confront the sex abuse scandal that is rocking the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Joseph Tobin dedicated the service to the survivors of the sex abuse scandal and asked parishioners to recognize the sins against the victims and to pray for them.
The congregation also heard from a sex abuse survivor.
"I'm not leaving my church," said survivor Fred Marigliano. "These pedophiles have to leave and these people that protected them have to leave."
"We cannot avert our eyes, we must look at what has been raised up," said Tobin.
Last month the Pennsylvania attorney general's office alleged it uncovered more than a thousand cases of sex abuse by some 300 priests.
New Jersey has now launched its own investigation.