NY Church Dedicates Tree Lighting to Priest Accused of Sex Abuse
The decision of a Brooklyn, N.Y., church to dedicate its annual tree lighting to a retired pastor accused of sexually abusing two boys has sparked outrage from one of the boy’s fathers.
Monsignor Thomas Brady of Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church was charged in Oct. 2011 with attempting a "criminal sex act" on two boys, and was placed on administrative leave. A spokesman for the Brooklyn district attorney’s office, Jerry Schmetterer, revealed in a New York Times article that the charges include endangering the welfare of a child and attempted sexual abuse.
Stefanie Gutierrez of the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn said the alleged incidents with the two boys occurred recently. She shared her shock of the revelations: “I cannot stress enough just how out of character the allegations are.”
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Msgr. Brady had been the pastor of Good Shepherd Church for 20 years before retiring in 2009, and also served as the New York Fire Department chaplain for 25 years. His long and dedicated service made it hard for many people in the community to believe the charges.
One parishioner, John Sweeney, told CBS News that Brady was a good man, and called the sex abuse claims "ridiculous" and "crazy."
"I wish I was with Monsignor right now to tell him that the community, especially us young ones, our hearts are breaking. We know it’s not true," Jamielyn LoBello, another parishioner, shared.
Despite the accusations, the church has stood by him, and posted a display at the church over the holidays that dedicated the tree lighting to him. "This year's tree lighting is dedicated to Monsignor Thomas F. Brady for his Service to and Love for the People of Good Shepherd," the sign reads, according to a photo from the New York Daily News.
The father of one of the boys who accused Brady of abuse shared his anger over the display, saying, "That's a slap in the face. Take it down. That’s hurtful. You’re gaining support for Brady, but what about the victims?"
He continued by revealing how his son had reacted to the news. "Dad, if this guy attacked me, why would they dedicate a tree to him?" the boy, who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged attack, reportedly asked his father.
Msgr. Brady is credited as being an important part of the community and helping to unite the neighborhood after the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks, shared Mary Ann Moran, a family friend of the victim. Moran added, however, that no one who had been accused of sexually abusing a child at any other job would be honored in such a way.
Staten Island prosecutors are handling the case, since the monsignor and Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes are said to have known each other for years.
