Barrett ultimately became a priest with Opus Dei, and is currently a pastor at St. Agnes parish in the New York archdiocese.
You can read the full lawsuit below:
The defendants in the lawsuit are McCarrick, then a priest of the New York archdiocese and secretary to then-Cardinal Terence Cooke, and Barrett, then a lay member of Opus Dei, Anderson explained. The archdiocese was also named in the lawsuit for alleged negligence in McCarrick’s case.
According to the lawsuit, McCarrick abused the plaintiff from 1975 to 1978, when he was approximately 13 to 16 years old.
McCarrick, a priest of the archdiocese and secretary to Cardinal Cooke before his elevation to New York auxiliary bishop in 1977, had become friends with the plaintiff's family members who were "deeply embedded" with leadership in the archdiocese, Anderson said.
Anderson alleged on Wednesday that McCarrick took the victim on trips away from home while he "groomed" him. The plaintiff's abuse by McCarrick occurred in the victim's home, as well as in a limousine. The plaintiff is now in his 50s.
Barrett allegedly abused the plaintiff from approximately 1974 to 1978 according to the lawsuit.
Anderson called on Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York to release a list of all clerics the archdiocese has made settlements with, as well as the names of those in the archdiocese known to have committed abuse.
Barrett graduated from Columbia University in 1974 and worked as an account executive for Merrill Lynch. He was ordained a priest in 1985 by Pope John Paul II.
According to the St. Agnes parish website, Barrett served in the past as theological adviser to Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez beginning in 2013. Archbishop Gomez is also a member of Opus Dei.
(Story continues below)
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This story was updated on August 4 with quotes from Opus Dei, the New York archdiocese, and McCarrick's legal representation, and with new information.
Matt Hadro was the political editor at Catholic News Agency through October 2021. He previously worked as CNA senior D.C. correspondent and as a press secretary for U.S. Congressman Chris Smith.
Christine Rousselle is a former DC Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. Prior to working at CNA, she was the managing web editor of Townhall.com; she has a BA in political science from Providence College.