Hank D’Alessandro, the chair of Seton Hall’s Board of Regents, released a statement to the university community on Jan. 23 in response to the allegations raised about Msgr. Joseph Reilly in a recent series of articles from Politico.
D’Alessandro wrote that Msgr. Reilly is being “falsely and unfairly portrayed” in news stories.
“I have known Monsignor Reilly for many years and witnessed his commitment to academic and student success and the infusion of our Catholic identity into all aspects of university life,” the statement said.
This response from D’Alessandro comes after Politico published an article on Dec. 21, 2024, claiming that an internal investigation commissioned in 2018 by Seton Hall concluded Msgr. Reilly knew about the sexual abuse allegations surrounding disgraced Cardinal Theodore McCarrick but did not report it. McCarrick, who was defrocked in 2019, was found to have sexually harassed seminarians at Seton Hall’s Immaculate Conception Seminary.
The article also reported that while investigators were not accusing Msgr. Reilly of abuse, they “recommended” that he “be removed as seminary leader and member of university boards.”
Politico published another article on Jan. 9, in which elected officials called on Seton Hall to release the full results of the review that the university commissioned in 2018 to investigate the McCarrick scandal in relation to the Immaculate Conception Seminary. U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, whose congressional district includes South Orange, called the situation “deeply disturbing.” New Jersey State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, vice chair of the state senate’s Higher Education Committee, said the allegations were “appalling and disgraceful.”
On Jan. 17, a spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy weighed in, releasing a statement to Politico that said, “The governor is deeply concerned by the allegations and believes Seton Hall University must release the full report.”
D’Alessandro’s statement to the SHU community hinted at these calls to publish the complete findings of the review, which was conducted by the law firm Latham & Watkins.
“The review depended on the voluntary participation of many individuals, assured of confidentiality, in accordance with Title IX,” D’Alessandro wrote, suggesting that the board will not release the report due to concerns it would violate those promises of confidentiality.
After reviewing the report’s findings, the Board and the university implemented “personnel changes and improvements” to the Immaculate Conception Seminary, including university structure and compliance systems, as well as investment in “significant resources in its Title IX staff and policies,” according to D’Alessandro.
He also stated the Board “enthusiastically” supported Msgr. Reilly in holding leadership positions within the university, such as being the rector and dean of the Immaculate Conception Seminary from 2012 to 2022, and his promotion to Vice Provost of Academics and Catholic Identity after returning from a sabbatical year in 2023.
There was no mention in D’Alessandro’s statement of Msgr. Reilly’s alleged failure to report the sexual abuse allegations.
“The Board has stood by and continues to stand by Monsignor and trusts his proven record of effective leadership,” D’Alessandro said.
He concluded with further praise of Msgr. Reilly, calling him “a person of the highest integrity who has always acted to put the needs and well-being of others first” and saying, “I look forward to Monsignor Joseph Reilly leading our beloved university for many years to come.”
Rachel Suazo is the Editor-in-Chief of The Setonian. She can be reached at rachel.suazo@student.shu.edu.
