As news of the New York State Legislature’s bill to provide a one year window for sexual abuse victims has caught media attention this week, I’ve found a surprising and disturbing connection between the dioceses of New York and dioceses in Florida. There are a number of priests who were accused of sexual abuse of minors while in New York were transferred to parishes across the state of Florida. Rev. James Russo, formerly a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, came to the Diocese of St. Petersburg in the mid-1970’s. While in NY, he had been accused of abusing altar boys. Yet, St. Petersburg’s former bishop, Thomas Larkin took him in. Russo quickly moved up to top positions in the Diocese of St. Petersburg before being removed from ministry after new allegations of sexual abuse surfaced in Florida.
Rev. Matthew Fitzgerald and Rev. Salvatore Miraglia, both of Rockville Centre worked in Florida parishes after abusing minors in New York.
Brother Jorge Acosta, a Salesian Brother, was transferred from New York after the Salesians had learned of credible sex abuse allegations in Tampa. He was transferred to Mary Help of Christians in Tampa where he abused more young boys.
Rev. Polienato Bernabe was an Army chaplain in the Diocese of Ogdensburg before being sent to St. Petersburg where he abused young boys.
Another Salesian, Brother William Burke was accused of sexual abuse while in NY but allowed to work in Florida (Mary Help of Christians) where he abused more boys. Richard McCormick, another Salesian, was accused of inappropriate behavior at St. Pete Catholic High and transferred back to New York.
Rev. Terrance O’Donnell, a Salesian priest was also accused of abusing numerous boys at Mary Help of Christians. He’s another NY priest.
A Claretian priest, Rev. Ronald Luka, was accused of abusing boys at a school in Ft. Lauderdale after abusing other boys in a school in New York.
Hopefully, the 2009 NY Child Victims’ Act will be signed this year. We need this law in order to protect children everywhere, not just in New York. Unfortunately, current New York law tends to protect priest abusers and the institutions that transferred them. Florida families and children need this New York law just as much as New Yorkers do. Too many New York priest abusers have been moved to Florida where they’ve molested again and again. It’s high time for a change.
New York NY Priest Abuse Attorney