TRENTON, N.J. — A Catholic diocese wants to stop New Jersey from trying to empanel a grand jury to investigate allegations of clergy sexual abuse, with arguments before the state’s high court set for Monday.

After a Pennsylvania grand jury report found over 1,000 children had been abused since the 1940s, New Jersey formed a task force in 2018 and intended to empanel its own grand jury to investigate allegations of abuse there. But the Diocese of Camden pushed back in court in 2021, arguing that state law doesn’t permit having a grand jury investigate possible abuse by private church officials.

That legal battle has happened away from public view for years, as courts had sealed the proceedings in New Jersey and the attorney general’s office didn’t share updates. But last month, the state Supreme Court unsealed a handful of documents between the diocese and the attorney general after the Bergen Record obtained records detailing the court battle.

The diocese argues that such grand jury investigations are only for governments and public officials.

In 2023, a trial court judge sided with the diocese, finding that such a grand jury would lack authority because it would be focused on “private conduct,” rather than a government agency’s actions. An appeals court affirmed that judgment last year, and Attorney General Matt Platkin appealed to the state Supreme Court.

The documents that the high court unsealed in March sketch out some of what the state’s task force has found so far but don’t include specific allegations. The papers show that 550 phone calls alleging abuse from the 1940s to the “recent past” came into a hotline the state had set up.

The diocese argues a grand jury isn’t needed in large part because of a 2002 memorandum of understanding between New Jersey Catholic dioceses and prosecutors. The memorandum required church officials to report abuse and said authorities would be provided with all relevant information about the allegations. One of the court documents says abuse had been “effectively eradicated” in the church.

But the Pennsylvania grand jury report in 2018 touched off a reexamination of statute of limitations law in New Jersey, which overhauled its civil statute of limitations on childhood sex abuse claims in 2019. The new law allows child victims to sue until they turn 55 or within seven years of their first realization that the abuse caused them harm. The previous statute of limitations was age 20 or two years after first realizing the abuse caused harm.

Also in 2019, New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses listed more than 180 priests who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors over a span of several decades, joining more than two dozen other states that have named suspects of abuse in the wake of the landmark Pennsylvania grand jury report.

Many priests on the lists were deceased; others were removed from ministry.

The Camden diocese, like others across the country, filed for bankruptcy amid a torrent of lawsuits — up to 55, according to court records — stemming from the relaxed statute of limitations.

Then in 2022, the diocese agreed to pay $87.5 million to settle claims involving clergy sex abuse with some 300 accusers in one of the largest cash settlements involving the Catholic church in the United States.

The agreement by the diocese, which encompasses six counties in southern New Jersey on the outskirts of Philadelphia, exceeded the nearly $85 million settlement in 2003 in the clergy abuse scandal in Boston, but was less than other settlements in California and Oregon.

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It can be attained right here in the Garden State.

According to Esquire.com’s list The Best New Hotels in the World 2025, Pendry Natirar in Peapack is the best hotel in New Jersey and among the best around the world.

The popular gentlemen’s magazine list only contains 42 properties in which writer’s of the publication reviewed themselves by becoming guests at each entity.

Here is what the popular magazine said about Pendry Natirar:

“Did I expect my favorite hotel stay of the year to be in I-don’t-know-where New Jersey? (Peapack, formally.) Absolutely not. Am I still thinking about it? All the time. Perched on top of a towering hill, the hotel grounds boast a gorgeous wellness spa, a cozy restaurant, and a lobby that looks like it belongs somewhere in the Biltmore. The kicker: Pendry Natirar is fueled by the sprawling farm on the property, which you can tour, and where you can say hi to the chickens and pick up goodies. (I’m still using the honey they gave me.) It all makes for an intimate, Hudson-esque adventure — but without the hike upstate. Rooms from $675.” — Brady Langmann

Pendry Natirar is a stately escape on 500 rolling acres in Somerset County, constructed with 68 guestrooms and 21 suites. The hotel has luxurious and comfortable amenities with a combination of rich traditional and contemporary country influence and style. The location has a winery, afternoon teas and offers pilates classes to guests.

Pendry Natirar is where daily life is laced with inspiration and where nature guides us from season to season in splendor. A haven from the bustling tempo of the city’s pace, and located just an hour outside of New York City, we have reimagined Natirar’s historic grounds into an idyllic retreat layered with luxury, comfort and endless allure, according to Pendry.com.

3-minute read

• Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, necessitating a multifaceted approach to energy solutions.
• While renewable energy sources are important, a balanced approach that incorporates existing infrastructure like propane is crucial for reliability and affordability.
• Propane offers a resilient energy source independent of the electric grid, vital during emergencies and grid failures.
• Overreliance on a single energy system could strain affordability and reliability as energy demands increase.
• A practical, collaborative approach involving businesses, government, and researchers is needed to build a resilient and accessible energy future.

There is no doubt that our climate is changing. The frequency and severity of extreme weather events impacting local communities across the country have increased dramatically. According to the American Red Cross, the number of billion-dollar disaster response events in the last decade has grown five-fold compared to the 1980s. While one factor impacting climate change is our reliance on high carbon intensity energy, the path forward cannot be reduced to a simple choice between fossil fuels and full electrification.

Over recent decades, society has made major strides in energy efficiency — from appliances to building construction — and we’ve seen innovation across energy production and delivery that has lowered the cost and carbon footprint of traditional fuels. Meanwhile, renewable energy technologies have advanced rapidly, offering even cleaner energy options. Yet, despite this progress, the national debate around climate change solutions and energy policy has become increasingly polarized. The narrative has become a binary one: stick with fossil fuels or embrace full electrification.

This false choice is both misleading and counterproductive. What society truly needs is affordable, reliable, low carbon-intensity energy that is available on-demand — and this need is growing more urgent by the day.

As a leader in an energy business that has delivered on-demand fuel to local communities for nearly a century, I’ve seen firsthand how energy demand shifts — especially for heating — and how critical it is to have access to energy when and where it’s needed. I’ve also witnessed the hardship that follows when that access is lost. In just the past year, devastating wildfires, hurricanes and historic floods have left families without homes, power or safety. These events have a very human cost: lives lost, livelihoods disrupted and communities forever changed.

In times of crisis, our electric grid — though essential — has shown its vulnerabilities. When the grid fails, people suffer. And increasingly, it does fail under pressure. That’s why energy resilience must be treated as a core pillar of our energy future, alongside sustainability and affordability. We cannot ignore the need for redundancy, flexibility and accessibility in our energy systems.

Propane can help fill gaps in demand for energy

Propane is one often-overlooked solution that can play a vital role in filling that gap. It’s a reliable, clean-burning energy source used by millions of Americans every day. Because of its portable infrastructure and availability, propane is one of the most accessible on-demand energy sources. When the grid goes down — whether from wildfire, hurricane, or ice storm — propane-powered generators keep critical services operational. During recent flooding in the southeast, propane helped restore power, feed displaced families and heat emergency shelters.

Importantly, propane operates independently of the electric grid. As a distributed energy source, it provides communities with a resilient backup that can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively. This kind of infrastructure matters — not just for disaster response, but for long-term energy planning.

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We have to manage the shift to renewables through economic reality

We also have to recognize that the transition to lower carbon alternatives must be grounded in economic reality. Millions of Americans live with energy insecurity, where fluctuating costs force impossible choices — like heating their homes or feeding their families. As demand for electricity is projected to rise by 55% in the next two decades — driven in part by the growth of AI and data centers — overreliance on a single energy system could raise costs and strain reliability.

Abandoning existing infrastructure before new systems are fully viable will only add to the financial burden on vulnerable communities. A resilient energy future cannot afford to be ideological—it must be practical.

It’s time to move beyond the binary. The future of energy is not either-or — it’s both-and. Yes, we must reduce emissions. Yes, we must invest in renewables. But we must also prioritize resilience, affordability and access. Propane is one tool — among many — that can help us meet those goals today, not just years down the road.

The climate will continue to change. Our response must be bold, but also thoughtful. Real progress will come not through rigid mandates, but through collaboration — between businesses, government and researchers — to innovate, bring down costs, expand access and protect people.

Let’s move beyond the binary and build an energy future that truly works—for everyone.

Michael Stivala is president and CEO of Suburban Propane.