Margaretville, NY - Retired Sacred Heart Priest, Gregory Weider, Accused of Sexually Assaulting Minors

Former NY Priest Facing Child Sex Abuse Charges

According to The Daily Star, sexual allegations have been made against a former priest of Sacred Heart located at 543 Main St, Margaretville, NY 12455. 

On Monday, May 16, 2022, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany declared that Father Gregory Weider would be added to the list of those "credibly accused" of sexual assault against minors. The priest was removed from his ministry duties in August 2021 due to a child victim's allegation that Weider sexually assaulted them. 

Weider most recently served as a sacramental minister at Sacred Heart in addition to its mission, St. Anne’s in Andes. Weider, 85, has served at the following parishes since his ordination in 1963:

• Blessed Sacrament, Mohawk
• St. Anthony, Schenectady
• St. Agnes, Cohoes
• St. Thomas the Apostle, Delmar
• St. Mary's, Coxsackie
• Holy Cross, Albany
• Sacred Heart, Watervliet
• Holy Trinity, Schaghticoke, which was formed by the merger of St. John the Baptist and Our Lady of Mount Car According to the statement. 

He also worked as a diocesan chaplain for Scouting, an assistant national chaplain for Scouting, a chaplain at Samaritan Hospital in Troy with a home at Our Lady of Victory, and a chaplain at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam. In 2010, he stepped down from full-time ministry.

Filing Lawsuits Victims Sexually Abused by a Priest

Attorney contributor Laurence Banville is an experienced attorney working at a sexual assault law firm in New York. Laurence has represented numerous sexual abuse victims in civil lawsuits. Recently he shared his thoughts on the legal rights of victims of sexual abuse by a priest.

"Churches and religious organizations are required by law to ensure a level of protection for their congregation. Unfortunately, sexual predators seek positions within churches to abuse their positions of trust and power. This has been seen across the nation and throughout all religious denominations. Churches and church governances, like the Catholic diocese, must do everything possible to prevent predators from operating in their congregations. This can include doing frequent background checks on all clergy and by utilizing functional surveillance systems throughout the church property."

"Victims and their families should be aware that they may have grounds to file a civil case against a church or its governance. In certain circumstances, sexual abuse is the result of a third party's negligence, such as the church's elders or the diocese. If past charges were made against a priest, but they were disregarded or investigated inadequately, that is an example of negligence. Victims and their families may be entitled to financial compensation in negligence lawsuits."

Sources:

The Daily Star