EAST FLATBUSH – The Diocese of Brooklyn has fired Father Bony Monastere, parochial vicar of St. Therese of Lisieux Church in East Flatbush, after proving an allegation of sexual abuse against an adult.
Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn announced the decision in a letter read to parishioners by Auxiliary Bishop Neil Tiedemann on Sunday, March 19.
Bishop Brennan wrote that the diocese learned of the accusation in September 2022 and that Father Monastere had denied it. The matter was then referred to the Diocesan Review Board, an independent panel tasked with investigating allegations of abuse.
Following an investigation, the Board of Review determined that the accusation was substantiated and recommended the removal of Father Monastere.
The bishop wrote in his letter: “I have accepted the recommendation of the Diocesan Review Board and Father Monastere has been removed from priestly ministry.”
Father Monastere had served as parochial vicar of Saint Therese of Lisieux since June 30, 2020.
He was ordained on June 2, 2007 and appointed parochial vicar of the Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Jamaica. He was also parochial vicar of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Cambria Heights (2008-2010), the Church of the Holy Innocents in Flatbush (2010-2013) and the Church of the Holy Cross in Flatbush (2016-2020).
In addition, he was administrator and then pastor of the church of San Lorenzo in eastern New York (2013-2016) and coordinator of the Youth Ministry of the Haitian National Apostolate. He was associate pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Corona in 2016, prior to his assignment at Holy Cross.
The Diocese of Brooklyn, which has a zero-tolerance policy for abuse, has protocols in place to combat it. Victims are encouraged to report the allegations by calling a confidential tip line (888-634-4499) that connects with law enforcement.
