New Pastor Assigned to St. Mary's as Church Moves Forward

St. Mary's Parish in Colts Neck is trying to move on. 

According to the National Catholic Reporter, Fr. Jeffrey Lee will take over for Fr. Thomas Triggs, who recently resigned amidst a controversy surrounding Rev. Michael Fugee.

According a The Star Ledger investigative report on April 29, Fugee confessed in 2001 to groping a 14-year-old boy while working at the Church of St. Elizabeth in Wyckoff. 

However, The Ledger reports Fugee has been seen on youth retreats in Marlboro where he allegedly heard young children and teen's confessions in private while working with the youth ministry.

Fr. Triggs told parishioners Fugee was never unsupervised around children. Triggs resigned last weekend, along with two youth ministers Michael and Amy Lenehan who were reportedly close with Fugee.

Fugee resigned from a position with the church last week, and could face additional criminal charges in relation to violating his plea agreement, according to The Star Ledger.

Fr. Triggs and Lenehan never asked for a letter of suitability when Fugee came to the diocese, according to The National Catholic Reporter.

Fr. Lee hails from Our Lady of the Angels in Trenton and will begin his post on June 29 of this year. According to a diocese press release, Deacon Vincent Rinaldi of St. Mary's will run the parish until then.