Delbarton, an elite all-boys Catholic preparatory school in northern New Jersey, is once again under a spotlight as it faces a highly anticipated civil trial that could redefine how clergy abuse cases are viewed in the state. The lawsuit, filed by a former student identified as T.M., is scheduled for trial on September 2 in Morris County Superior Court. This case will mark the first civil trial of its kind in New Jersey involving clergy abuse allegations against the Catholic Church. T.M. alleges that when he was 15, he was sexually abused by Reverend Richard Lott, a Benedictine monk and teacher at Delbarton, in 1975.
According to court documents, T.M. claims that Lott lured him with alcohol before assaulting him inside a barn on the school’s campus, where the priest resided. He further alleges that the monk often invited other underage students to participate in illicit gatherings. The lawsuit accuses the Benedictine order and Delbarton School of enabling the abuse and failing to take action to protect students. This trial comes decades after the alleged incident, thanks to New Jersey’s Child Victims Act, which expanded the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to bring civil claims.
The lawsuit names Delbarton School and its affiliated monastery, St. Mary’s Abbey, as defendants. The Benedictine order and school administrators have declined to comment publicly due to the ongoing litigation. However, court testimony has revealed troubling details, including former abbot Brian Clarke admitting under oath in 2018 that he destroyed a letter from T.M. reporting the abuse because he believed it would damage the school’s reputation. Clarke, who served as abbot from 1975 to 1995, passed away in 2019. Lott, now 89, no longer resides on the campus, but his presence still looms large over the case.
Delbarton has faced numerous lawsuits in recent years from former students and individuals connected to the school, many of whom allege abuse spanning decades. In 2018, the school acknowledged that at least 30 men had come forward with accusations against 13 priests, monks, and a retired lay faculty member. Several lawsuits have since been settled, while many others remain unresolved. Legal representatives for some of the survivors emphasize that no admissions of liability were made in settlements, but the sheer volume of allegations continues to cast a shadow over the institution.
The case also sheds light on the culture surrounding abuse at Delbarton. Some survivors reported being derogatorily referred to as “termites” by members of the clergy, a term that has surfaced in legal testimony and mediation records. For many, the language reflects the dismissive attitude of church leaders toward victims and raises questions about accountability within the Benedictine order.
Alumni and critics have expressed concern over the fact that monks named in abuse lawsuits, including Reverend Benedict Worry and Reverend Jude Salus, still reside on the campus of St. Mary’s Abbey, only steps away from student facilities. While the school insists that strict safety protocols and supervision prevent any contact with students, survivors argue that the presence of accused clergy so close to young students is deeply unsettling. Statements from school officials stress that both monks are elderly, disabled, and subject to strict monitoring under a safety plan reviewed annually by independent boards. However, skepticism remains strong among survivors and advocates.
Delbarton, located in Morristown with tuition nearing $49,000 a year, has long been recognized for its prestigious academic programs and high-profile alumni, including professional athletes, actors, and political families. Yet, the legal battles over past abuse have left lasting scars on its reputation. For many survivors, the upcoming trial is not just about personal justice but about forcing accountability from an institution that has long avoided transparency.
The trial of T.M. versus Delbarton School and St. Mary’s Abbey is expected to bring forth testimony, past admissions, and decades of unresolved pain into the courtroom. The case may also serve as a precedent for other ongoing lawsuits against the Catholic Church in New Jersey. Survivors and advocates see it as a moment of reckoning not just for Delbarton but for institutions across the state that face similar allegations of protecting abusers at the expense of vulnerable children.
As the trial begins, attention will turn to the voices of survivors who have waited decades to be heard. For them, justice delayed may no longer mean justice denied, as New Jersey courts confront one of the most significant clergy abuse trials in state history.
