The Diocese of Metuchen on Friday — Good Friday — announced the laicization of Mark Dolak. He was ordained in 1979 and faced multiple accusations of abuse that were deemed credible, the diocese had announced in February.

Dolak had been assigned to six churches in the diocese, including St. Catherine of Siena in Pittstown.

Dolak is now returned to the status of layperson. Because of the accusations against him, the Diocese of Metuchen says it removed his ability to serve as priest more than 20 years ago.

Metuchen Bishop James F. Checchio said Friday in a statement about Dolak:

“Upon receiving the news from the Holy See about the removal from the priesthood of Mark Dolak, my first thought was to pray for the survivors of child sexual abuse, particularly for the survivors of Mark Dolak’s abuse.

“While his crimes and sins are decades old, as is so much of what we hear about today, they are no less shameful and horrific and their effects sadly remain.

“I asked diocesan staff to let his survivors know of this latest step which permanently removed Mark Dolak from the priesthood, a priesthood ordained by God to be a source of healing and strength to His people and not of abuse, manipulation nor harm.

“I pray that this action in at least some small way aids his victims in the healing process.”

Dolak was among 188 clergy across New Jersey who were named in February as having faced credible accusations of sexual abuse of a minor. They included 63 priests and deacons accused in the Archdiocese of Newark, 56 in the Diocese of Camden, 30 in the Diocese of Trenton, 28 in the Diocese of Paterson and 11 in the Diocese of Metuchen.

The Diocese of Metuchen reiterated Friday it has taken steps to create safe environments for children to ensure that such patterns of abuse never occur again.

Since 2002, the diocese says it has required background checks, child protection training for all who work or volunteer with children and has implemented zero-tolerance policies; no cleric who has had a credible accusation of child sexual abuse is in ministry.

Just before the publication of the names of credibly accused clergy, New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses commissioned an Independent Victim Compensation Program, available for survivors who were sexually abused by clergy as minors. Since its founding 38 years ago, the diocese says it has provided $1.5 million of compensation to survivors regardless of whether they fell within the civil statute of limitations or not.