Greene County priest faces new sex abuse charges

Catholic priest Jeremiah Nunan, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Cairo and Our Lady of Knock Shrine in East Durham, has been suspended from ministry, while the Albany Diocese and the Greene County District Attorney investigate charges that he sexually abused a minor.

The Daily Mail has a brief item about the charges in today's paper.

The Albany Times-Union, which has done quite a bit of in-depth reporting on allegations of sexual abuse in the Albany Diocese, has more. This is not the first time the 74-year-old Nunan has faced abuse charges, reporter Bryan Fitzgerald writes:

In 2006, Nunan was placed on leave after allegations surfaced that he molested a child in the late 1960s and early 1970s. That case began after a California priest, Rev. Mark Jaufmann, accused Nunan of abusing him for about three years, starting in 1967, when Jaufmann was 9. Nunan was serving at St. Mary's Church in Hudson at the time.

An 11-month investigation by the diocese's Independent Mediation Assistance Program concluded those claims could not be substantiated. Nunan was then restored to the ministry.

More on sexual abuse scandals in the Albany Diocese, from the archives of the Times Union:

Catholic diocese panel finds "reasonable grounds" ex-janitor attacked boy (4/12/2012)

Church clears 5 priests of abuse (11/23/2011)

Victim alleges fifth Catholic priest abused him in child sex case (8/15/2011)

Questions raised on Albany diocese action (3/22/2011)

Alleged victim: Priests used me as a child sex slave (3/15/2011)

2 say priest's abuse started early (2/3/2011)

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