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Photo: Trinity Hall on the campus of Delbarton School; via Wikipedia.
NBC News reported Saturday that Delbarton, a prestigious all-boys Catholic prep school in northern New Jersey, is facing a Sept. 2 trial brought by a former student in Morris County Superior Court. It will mark the first civil trial against the Catholic Church in New Jersey over clergy sexual abuse.
The student, “T.M.,” alleges that in 1975, when he was 15, he was abused by the Rev. Richard Lott, a monk and teacher at Delbarton. Court records show he reported the incident in a letter to Abbot Brian Clarke after his graduation in 1977. During a 2018 deposition, Clarke admitted to destroying the letter, saying, “Because it’s bad for the reputation of a school when there is sexual abuse associated with it.” Clarke, who served as abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey from 1975 to 1995, died in 2019. Lott, now 89, no longer lives on campus.
The lawsuit names both Delbarton and St. Mary’s Abbey as defendants. Both institutions have declined comment, citing pending litigation.
A School with a Troubled History
Delbarton, located in Morristown, is one of New Jersey’s most elite Catholic schools, charging nearly $49,000 in annual tuition and boasting alumni including New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, actor Peter Dinklage, and the sons of former Gov. Chris Christie. But its reputation has been shadowed by decades of sexual abuse allegations against monks and priests.
In 2018, school officials acknowledged that more than 30 men had accused 13 monks, priests, or staff of abuse over a span of decades. At least eight lawsuits were settled, though the order admitted no liability. More survivors later came forward after New Jersey’s Child Victims Act took effect in 2019, allowing civil suits even when the abuse fell outside the statute of limitations.
Billy Crane, one of the earliest accusers who settled his case in 2018, said some monks referred to survivors as “termites.” A 2011 mediation transcript shows a monk using the term to describe accusers. Crane said this language shows the institution’s disregard: “It shows what they really think of us.”
Ongoing Concerns on Campus
Among those accused of abuse are the Revs. Benedict Worry and Jude Salus, both still living at St. Mary’s Abbey on Delbarton’s campus. School leaders maintain they are under strict supervision and mobility restrictions, but survivors like Crane remain concerned that they remain so close to students. “They’re like unsupervised predators,” he said.
A Trial with Wider Implications
The trial of T.M.’s case will place Delbarton—and by extension the Catholic Church in New Jersey—under a public microscope. For decades, survivors say the institution prioritized reputation over protection of children. The proceedings may also signal how the courts in New Jersey will treat future claims tied to the Child Victims Act.
Survivors of Catholic Church abuse in New Jersey and beyond are finding new paths to justice through laws like the Child Victims Act. For many, the most meaningful result is not only financial compensation but also the chance to be heard and validated. If you or someone you love experienced abuse in a religious setting, you may still have legal options. Learn more in our Catholic Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide and start your free case review process by filling out the brief form below.
