N.J. priests arrested in Canadian sex case.

NEWARK, New Jersey (CNN) -- Two New Jersey priests, including the former head of the Seton Hall Prep school, were arrested last week in Montreal, Canada, on charges of soliciting sex with minors, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark said.

The July 18 arrests resulted from a police sting operation targeting a prostitution ring that employed boys as young as 14. Canadian police said most of the clientele were Americans.

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The two priests are the Rev. William Giblin, 70, the former Seton Hall Prep headmaster and retired pastor of St. Joseph's Church in East Orange, and the Rev. Eugene Heydricks, 60, who most recently headed St. John Nepoceme Chuch in Guttenberg.

"We are saddened and appalled," archdiocese spokesman Jim Goodness said.

"Both men removed themselves from the ministry," he said. "They would have been removed automatically had they not taken the action upon themselves."

Goodness said the archdiocese would follow its policies for dealing with incidents of sexual misconduct by priests. These policies include removing the priests from ministry while an investigation is under way, cooperating with law enforcement and permanent removal of the priests if the allegations prove to be true.

Canadian police said two Canadian men who were ringleaders of the prostitution operation also were arrested.

Eight people were arrested, and those taken into custody were charged on July 19. Announcement of the arrests was not made public until July 23.