Monsignor Manuel Fernandez
Diocese of Trenton
Ordained: 1959
Removed from Trenton: 2002
Died: 2006
Assigned as follows:
- St. Mary of the Assumption Church (Trenton, NJ)
- Eatontown Mission (Eatontown, NJ)
- Blessed Sacrament (Trenton, NJ)
- St. John the Baptist (Long Branch, NJ)
- Star of the Sea (Long Branch, NJ)
- Jesus the Lord (Keyport, NJ)
- 1999 - 2002 St. Joseph (Trenton, NJ)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Monsignor Manuel Fernandez:
In 2002, the Diocese of Trenton released a statement confirming Msgr. Manuel Fernandez was the subject of credible allegations of child sexual abuse against him. According to media reports, the alleged assaults took place in 1982 against an adolescent female parishioner who claimed Fernandez engaged in inappropriate conduct against her.
After having received the complaint against Fernandez, the Diocese of Trenton conducted an internal investigation which concluded in the removal of Fernandez from the Diocese of Trenton. Fernandez agreed to a leave of absence without question and promptly returned to his native Spain.
At the time of his departure, Fernandez served at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, St. John the Baptist, and St. Joseph. U.S. Sexual Abuse reforms aided in the removal of Fernandez from the Diocese of Trenton; however, it could not prevent the father from returning to Spain and leading a parish. The Diocese did not confirm if they had informed Bishop Luis Quinteiro in Spain of Fernandez's alleged molestation of a teenage girl.
In February 2019, the Trenton Diocese published a list of priests with credible allegations of sexual abuse against children and Fernandez is on said list. The Diocese of Trenton did not release much information about the allegations against Fernandez, except to say that there are multiple allegations against him.
Fernandez died in 2006.
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