New Bishops for New York

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Pope Appoints Two New Auxiliary Bishops in New York

Accepts Resignation of Bishop Jenik

October 10, 2019 15:49Deborah Castellano LubovPope and Holy See, Uncategorized

Pope Francis has appointed two auxiliary bishops to the Archdiocese of New York, and accepted the resignation of Bishop John J. Jenik.

According to today’s Holy See Press Office ordinary bulletin, Oct. 10, 2019, it was written that the Holy Father “accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of New York, United States of America, presented by Bishop John J. Jenik, and appointed as its auxiliaries Msgr. Edmund J. Whalen of the clergy of the same archdiocese, vicar for the clergy, and Msgr. Gerardo G. Colacicco, of the clergy of the same archdiocese, currently parish priest of the Saint Joseph-Immaculate Conception Parish in Millbrook.”

Bishop-elect Whalen, who also speaks Italian, Spanish and French, was assigned the Titular See of Cemeriniano. Whereas Bishop-elect Colacicco, who also knows Italian and Spanish, was assigned the Titular See of Erdonia.

Born on July 6, 1958 on Staten Island, New York, Edmund J. Whalen later would attend the Blessed Sacrament School and Monsignor Farrell High School. He entered the seminary and obtained his Baccalaureate at Cathedral College in Douglaston, New York.

Later, he carried out his ecclesiastical studies at the Pontifical North American College and at the Pontifical Gregorian University, obtaining a licentiate in moral theology from the Higher Institute of Moral Theology, the Alphonsian Academy, and subsequently a doctorate. On June 23, 1984, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York.

Since ordination, he held the following positions: parish vicar of the Resurrection parish in Rye , teacher at the Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island, personal secretary to the archbishop of New York, Cardinal John J. O’Connor, professor and vice-rector of Saint Joseph’s Major Seminary in Yonkers, rector of the minor seminary of the Saint John Neumann Residence in the Bronx, parish priest of the Saint Benedict parish in the Bronx and of the Saint Joseph – Saint Thomas parish at Staten Island, and dean of the Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island. Since January 2019, he has served as vicar for the clergy of the Archdiocese of New York.

In 1999, both he and Bishop-elect Colacicco were appointed as Prelates of Honor.

Born on Sept. 19, 1955 in Poughkeepsie, New York, Gerardo J. Colacicco later obtained his baccalaureate at the Marist College in Poughkeepsie. He completed his ecclesiastical studies at Saint Joseph’s Major Seminary in Yonkers. Subsequently, he obtained a licentiate in canon law from the University of Saint Thomas, the Angelicum, in Rome.

On Nov. 6, 1982, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese. Since ordination, he has held the following positions: parish vicar of the Good Shepherd parish in Rhinebeck, the Our Lady of Fatima parish in Scarsdale, and the Saint Denis-Saint Columba parish in Hopewell Junction; personal secretary to the archbishop of New York, Cardinal John J. O’Connor; member of the Faculty and director of pastoral formation at Saint Joseph’s Archdiocesan Seminary in Yonkers, pastor of the Sacred Heart parish in Newburgh and of the Saint Columba parish in Hopewell Junction; administrator of the Saint Joseph parish in Millbrook; defender of the bond and judge of the Metropolitan Court. Since 2015, he has served as parish priest of the Saint Joseph-Immaculate Conception parish in Millbrook.

A sad announcement from the Archdiocese of New York

NY auxiliary bishop is credibly accused of sexual abuse, archdiocese says

October 31, 2018 CNA Daily News 

New York City, N.Y., Oct 31, 2018 / 10:31 am (CNA).- A New York auxiliary bishop has been credibly accused of sexual abuse, the Archdiocese of New York has reported. The bishop maintains his innocence.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced in an Oct. 29 letter to parishioners of a Bronx parish that Bishop John Jenik, 74 had been accused of “inappropriate behavior with one person .”

“This was the first time any such allegation about him was ever made,” Dolan added.

Dolan’s letter, which was posted Oct. 31 on the Archdiocese of New York’s website, explained that the claim was reviewed by the diocesan lay review board, which concluded “the evidence is sufficient to find the allegation credible and substantiated.”

The case will be reviewed by the Vatican, most likely at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, sources say, before being passed to Pope Francis for judgment. Canon law establishes that only the pope may judge a penal matter involving a bishop, unless the pope delegates that responsibility elsewhere.

Dolan did not offer specifics regarding the allegation, but cases forwarded to the Vatican generally involve abuse against minors or other “vulnerable persons,” a term used in Church law to refer to the intellectually disabled.

“Although Bishop Jenik continues to deny the accusation, loyal priest that he is, he has stepped aside from public ministry, and, as we await Rome’s review, may not function or present himself as a bishop or priest,” Dolan wrote.

Jenik also wrote a letter to the parishioners of Our Lady of Refuge, the parish at which he has served as pastor since 1985.

“While I have the utmost respect for both the IRCP and the Review Board, and I know that they have a great burden as they confront the evil of sexual abuse, I continue to steadfastly deny that I have ever abused anyone at any time. Therefore, I will ask the Vatican, which has ultimate jurisdiction over such cases, to review the matter, with the hope of ultimately proving my innocence,” Jenik wrote.

“In the meantime, I will abide by the protocols of the archdiocese’s policy, and will not be publicly exercising my ministry,” he wrote, adding that he would be “stepping aside and moving as pastor of Our Lady of Refuge until the matter is settled.”

The bishop asked parishioners to pray for the person who had accused him of abuse, and “for all those who are victim-survivors of abuse.”

Jenik has been an auxiliary bishop in New York since 2014. A New York Daily News profile published shortly before he was consecrated a bishop said that Jenik is known in the Bronx as an advocate for affordable housing, and as an opponent of drug dealers in his parish neighborhood.

Dolan encouraged those with allegations or concerns about Jenik to contact the Bronx District Attorney and the Victim Assistance Coordinator  in the Archdiocese of New York.