Tressic, 61, a millionaire from Connecticut who became a Catholic priest after his marriage was annulled in 1995, left his post as pastor at Sacred Heart in late June.
Tressic was accused of sexual misconduct by Steven Hall, 34, of Cortland. Hall was a homeless drug addict when Tressic met him in Albany's Washington Park. Tressic hired Hall and gave him room and board at the Sacred Heart rectory. Hall claims he was sexually molested when he was either sleeping or was in an alcohol/drug-induced state.
After Hall threatened to come forward with the story, there was allegedly a settlement drafted that stipulated Tressic pay Hall $75,000.
Attorney John Aretakis, who represents many alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse, said he wonders why the information on Tressic did not come out until this week, speculating that officials did not want it to come out around the same time as the results of the investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by Bishop Howard Hubbard.
The diocese, however, said it sent out a release regarding Tressic on July 4. Hubbard was cleared of sexual misconduct on June 24 after an investigation by former federal prosecutor Mary Jo White.
Aretakis asserts that, "The Albany Diocese continues to struggle with telling the hard truth and that truth is that there are many more priests involved and Bishop Hubbard still administers an era of secrecy and widespread protection of sexually abusive priests."
Ken Goldfarb and Rev. Kenneth Doyle, both Diocese spokesmen, were out of town Friday and unavailable for comment.