NJ Bishop Reassigns Gay Priest Caught in Risqué Photos Scandal

News: US News
by William Mahoney, Ph.D.  •  ChurchMilitant.com  •  June 20, 2019   

Bishop Serratelli promotes active homosexuals in his diocese

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PATERSON, New Jersey (ChurchMilitant.com) - A McCarrick-ordained New Jersey bishop has moved a homosexual priest caught in a risqué photos scandal to a new parish.

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Fr. Marcin Bradtke

On June 13, Bp. Arthur Serratelli of the diocese of Paterson, New Jersey reassigned Fr. Marcin Bradtke to St. Virgil in Morris Plains. He had previously been assigned to Our Lady of the Lake in Sparta. An unpublicized change, however, has Bradtke instead moving to St. Pius X in Montville, a parish with many youth ministry programs (predominantly for grades 9–12). Those programs include monthly meetings, feeding the hungry, caring for those with AIDS and HIV, and retreats with overnight sleep-aways.

In January, Church Militant reported on Bradtke's homosexual relationship with Fr. Dulibber Gonzalez, publishing selfies of the two cuddling and kissing in the rectory at Our Lady of the Lake parish.

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Selfies of Fr. Martin Bradtke and Fr. Dulibber Gonzalez in the rectory of

Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Sparta

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Fr. Dulibber Gonzalez

After Church Militant's report, Serratelli appeared at Bradtke's parish posing in public photos with the priest, appearing in a show of moral support. Parishioners who have spoken with Church Militant have expressed frustration with Serratelli's inaction against the priests, with one active parishioner quitting and leaving in disgust.

Gonzalez continues as a parochial vicar at St. Therese Parish in Succasunna. The parish has a school (Pre-K and K-8), a Religious Education program for children and a vacation Bible school.

In February, Fr. Gonzalez threatened legal action against Church Militant on copyright grounds for using his images without permission. Church Militant consulted an attorney and replaced the images with a screenshot, removing the copyright claim.

 
Following up on this story, Church Militant spoke with some current and former parishioners in the diocese of Paterson familiar with the incident.
 
Rumblings in the diocese suggest that more than one person is dissatisfied with Serratelli's failure to discipline clergy behaving improperly, in general and in this particular case. The bishop also has a history of not responding to inquiries or calls to action.
 
More than one person in the diocese tells Church Militant they are tired of how Serratelli handles matters and no longer donate to the bishop's fundraising appeal.
 
Church Militant learned that, prior to the risqué photos incident, Bradtke had been complaining about the rectory assistant who prepared meals, cleaned and handled various errands.
 
Bradtke was annoyed that this assistant had easy access to the rectory for running errands, apparently bothered that he did not know when she would be coming or going.
 
Soon after she was let go from her job, the photos of Bradtke and Gonzalez cuddling and kissing in the rectory emerged.
 
Serratelli was ordained a bishop September 8, 2000; the principal consecrator was then-Archbishop Theodore Edgar McCarrick.

Before Church Militant's January report, multiple queries had been sent to both priests, their pastors, the Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the diocese, the Vice-Chancellor/Priest Secretary to the bishop, the Director of Clergy Personnel and Chair of the Presbyteral Council, the Judicial Vicar, and Bp. Serratelli, without any response.

Once the story was published, Serratelli threatened Church Militant with a lawsuit and sent a cease and desist letter demanding the story be removed.

Church Militant did not comply and continues to stand by the veracity of this story.

Serratelli was ordained a bishop September 8, 2000; the principal consecrator was then-Archbishop Theodore Edgar McCarrick.

Contact information for Bp. Serratelli and his executive staff:

Most Reverend Arthur J. Serratelli, STD, SSL, DD
(973) 777-8818 X 246
shepherd@patersondiocese.org

Rev. Msgr. James T. Mahoney, PhD
Pastor: Corpus Christi, Chatham; Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia
(973) 777-8818 X 205
jmahoney@patersondiocese.org

Rev. T. Kevin Corcoran
Vice-Chancellor/Priest Secretary to Bishop
(973) 777-8818 X 206
frkevin@patersondiocese.org

Rev. Msgr. John E. Hart, JCL
Pastor, Assumption of BVM, Morristown; Director of Clergy Personnel; Chair, Presbyteral Council
(973) 539-2141
Jhart@patersondiocese.org

Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Kurtyka, JCD, PA
Pastor: St. Paul, Prospect Park/Judicial Vicar
(973) 777-8818 X 229
msgrkurtyka@patersondiocese.org

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