TULLYTOWN (PA)
Bucks County Courier Times
TULLYTOWN - Parishioners for Saturday Mass at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Tullytown found copies of the Philadelphia Archdiocese letter on priest sexual abuse stacked beside novena cards to the church's namesake saint.
St. Michael's Pastor, Monsignor Richard Powers, said nothing about the letter or the Philadelphia grand jury's report on priest sexual abuse until he was about to dismiss the congregation.
"All I can say to anyone whose family member was abused - for my part, I say, I'm sorry," Powers said, his voice choking up. "As a church community, I ask that you continue praying for each other."
Three priests that the grand jury report identified as "sexually abusive" served at St. Michael:
The Rev. Joseph F. Sabadish from May 1957 to June 1962. Sabadish died in 1999.
The Rev. James Henry from June 1989 to June 1993.
The Rev. Francis Trauger from June 1993 to December 2003. Trauger was removed from the ministry after admitting to sexually abusing boys prior to his assignment at St. Michael's.