Letter to Bishop Goes Unanswered

We Are Central
May 16, 2016

http://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/letter-to-bishop-goes-unanswered

Hollidaysburg, Blair County

New allegations have been brought against the Altoona-Johnstown Catholic diocese.

These allegations come from alleged victims, who have identified their abusers as priests and a sister still currently working within the diocese.

George Foster is the Altoona businessman and Catholic who has heard from victims, police and attorneys after he first wrote an editorial in a local paper in 2002, writing that abusers in the church should be thrown out. They've continued to contact him over the years. He provided the Attorney General's office with names of dozens of victims and abusers, which lead to a grand jury investigation this past March.

Now he says he has more names of alleged abusers.

Last week, Foster sent a letter with those names to Bishop Mark Bartchak.

A copy of that letter dated May 11th was sent to members of the media Monday morning.

Foster says these new allegations came after dozens of alleged abuse victims called him. Foster says he has shared this information with the Attorney General's office. The allegations range from inappropriate searches of chat rooms known for homosexual behavior, to sexual incidents involving a priest and a victim. In this case, the victim allegedly went to confession and expressed thoughts of sexual confusion. It's alleged the priest had sexual relations with the victim following this sacrament of confession.

Foster says several priests named in the letter are "higher ups" in the diocese.

Monday he called for 5 active priests and a sister to be removed from their current posts and investigated. Foster claims these religious men and woman all have credible charges of misconduct brought up.

"I'm talking with other Catholics that are meeting with the Bishop and saying - the level of frustration is identical to previous years. Nothing is being done, " says Foster.

Foster adds, "Publish the names of the priests that are now being questioned - and there's a list of them, and I believe when the diocese gets their files back from the AG - they'll be a huge list of them... This healing service is happening and we haven't changed anything. That's what people want. They don't want money, to be paid off; they want this problem fixed."

We reached the Attorney General's office who says that they have received more than 300 hundred calls pertaining to alleged abuse in the diocese. They were not specific in the recently named priests and sister.

Tony DeGol, Diocesan spokesman told WTAJ News Monday afternoon, Bishop Bartchak will not be issuing any statement or grant any interviews regarding this.

WTAJ News won't release their names unless they are charged.