Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England

On July 14, 2020, after public declerations by a victims, the pedophile priest Yousef Aziz Khalil (under the title Hegomen Reweis Aziz Khalil) was exposed and later defrocked.[2] Khalil served in several churches and was reported throughout the years to have assaulted several girls and women in the diocese during the sacrament of confession. Khalil was moved to another diocese following the discovery.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Khalil served in several churches and was several times reported to the church community, but nothing was done to bring him to justice. In a leaked church investigation it was revealed that priests and doctors from the community and council members kept quiet in order not to bring the name of the church into disrepute, to prevent Khalil from going to prison and potentially being killed there, and to protect church leaders of the diocese from being prosecuted in the United States.[3]

Pope Tawadros II and the late Pope Shenouda were both aware of the priest's actions but did not reprimand him. Bishop David, the bishop of this diocese, was aware of the priest's actions, but never reported Fhim to authorities. According to a leaked internal church document, a church priest reported that when Bishop David met with a victim and talked about her experience, the bishop mocked and minimized her experience and completely disregarded the accusation.[3]

In response to the Allegations, on July 22, 2020, the diocese announced that it would be working on a plan to stop sexual abuse. Further, they stated " If anyone is aware of any suspected incident of sexual abuse of a minor by any such person, we urge you to immediately report to law enforcement and also to your Regional Vicar..." They further stated that they will put in all efforts to curb such conduct.[9]

The diocese has also implemented a new reporting method through a third party reporting system "integritycounts.ca," a Canadian reporting website.[9] This decision has been criticized as a means of avoiding lawsuits against the diocese and maintaining deniability since the third party organization is based outside of the United States. In New York, Law dictates that reporting of any incidence must be made to police within 48 hours following initial report of a minor,[10] this however does not apply to third parties outside of the state/ country who are informed concerning misconduct.

Priest Antonios Baky, the Papal Secretary of the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of Northern California and the Western U.S. (ANCW), who was assigned to St. Mary and St. John Coptic Orthodox Church in Pleasanton, CA was put on administrative leave on October 20, 2020 following accusations of misconducts on the Archdiocese's Sexual Misconduct and Physical Abuse and Neglect Policy. Following a request for the notice to be removed from the website by the Baky's lawyers, the request was accepted within 24 hours by Bishop David and the order was removed from the website on the same day.[11] The notice was returned once more following backlash.[12]

On November 19, 2020, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), where they disagreed with the handling of sexual abuse within the Coptic Church, calling on Bishop David and Pope Tawadros to be transparent with their flock. Further they addressed the church's approach to the allegations against Priest Antonios Baky saying "The Church investigation should only be conducted by someone outside of Fr. Baky’s diocese, and that the priest should be removed from ministry pending the outcome."[13]

• Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Hamden
• St. Peter and St. Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church, Stamford
• St. Mary and St. Moses the strong Coptic Orthodox Church, Waterford

• St. Pishoy and St Karas Coptic Orthodox Church, Brewer, Maine

• St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Natick
• St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Marshfield
• St. Paul and St. John Chrysostom Coptic Orthodox Church, Boston
• The Holy Family Coptic Orthodox Church, Attleboro
• St. Philopateer and St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, Wayland
• St. Mary and St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church, Fall River
• St. Mary and St. Tomas Coptic Orthodox Church, Gardner
• St. Shenouda and St. Karas Coptic Orthodox Church, Milford
• St. Mary and Pope Kyrillos VI Coptic Orthodox Church (El-Karma), Charlton

• St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashua

• Archangel Michael and St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Great Kills (Staten Island)
• St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church, Woodbury (Long Island)
• St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Astoria (Queens)
• St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Brooklyn
• St. Helena and St. Anasimone Coptic Orthodox Church, Flushing (Queens)
• St. Mary and St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Manhattan
• St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, West Henrietta
• St. Mary and St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church, Ridgewood (Queens)
• St. Mary and St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church, White Plains
• St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Albany
• St. Mary and St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, Syracuse
• St. Mary and St. Moses the Black Coptic Orthodox Church, North Tonawanda
• Virgin Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Tottenville (Staten Island)
• Virgin Mary and St. Pachomious Coptic Orthodox Church, Stony Point
• Saint Mina and Pope Kyrillos VI Cathedral, Chestnut Ridge
• Saint Mary Christian Center Todt Hill, Staten Island
• Holy Apostles Coptic Orthodox Church, Bronx

• St. Mary and St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Hope
• St. Mary and St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Cranston

• St. Mary and Archangel Raphael Coptic Orthodox Church, Burlington

Coptic Orthodox communities and missions are congregations of Copts who gather for religious services but do not have a sufficient number of people to support a full parish.

• Coptic Community, Waterbury
• Coptic Community, Waterford

St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Mission, Rochester

The diocese has formally established a Monastery in The Boston Region, under the name of Virgin Mary & Pope Kyrillos VI in Charlton, Massachusetts. This is the first monastery to be established in the Diocese, and the third in North America. It is also the first monastery in the Coptic Orthodox Church to be named after Saint Pope Kyrillos VI.