Bishop, Catholics pray for sex abuse victims

By Sean Sauro
Altoona Mirror
May 18, 2016

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/636806/Bishop--Catholics-pray-for-sex-abuse-victims.html?nav=742

More than an hour before a prayer service began Tuesday inside the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, a crowd of people gathered outside holding signs, which displayed different messages.

"Protect the children," read one.

"No more apologies. We want justice," read another.

The Tuesday evening service was one of three set up by the Altoona-Johnstown Catholic Diocese to pray for victims of sexual abuse.

The services came a few months after a grand jury report was released by the state Attorney General's Office in early March.

The report detailed the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by at least 50 priests or religious leaders during a 40-year period, as well as an alleged decadeslong cover-up by diocesan leaders.

Among those outside the Cathedral was Robert Mizic, who said he traveled an hour and a half to be there.

Mizic said he was molested in his youth, and he wants to help others in similar situations.

"I want to let them know it's not their shame to bear," he said. "I think it needs to be yelled from the rooftops."

Mizic said he believes the diocese has not done enough to help the abuse victims.

"They've apologized lots of times, but they don't back it up with any action," he said. "The church is not really looking at us as friends because we bring a lot of heat down on them."

Frances Samber of the Pittsburgh area held a sign depicting a picture of her brother, Michael Unglo.

"My brother was a victim," she said, explaining he was molested by a religious leader who faced no legal consequences for his actions. "My brother committed suicide."

She said she'd like to see a change in the statute of limitations, which prohibits many offending priests from being prosecuted.

"These leaders hide behind the laws that they are lobbying for," Samber said.

Like Samber, Michele Gonsman of Duncansville said she'd like to see the statute changed. In fact, she's rallied at the state's capital to encourage the change.

"I was abused by a neighbor when I was a young teenager," she said, adding the statute of limitations had expired by the time she was ready to talk about the abuse.

"We are very peaceful. We don't want to impede on anybody's faith," Gonsman continued. "I want people to know what we are doing is fighting for all victims."

A large sign with numerous photographs of children was hard to miss on the sidewalk along 13th Avenue in front of the Cathedral. Rosalind Merritts, who was carrying it, said they were the faces of abuse victims.

"My goal is to just make a real connection," she said, hoping passersby would take notice. "I don't want this story to go cold. I'm outraged that this could happen to children."

Others like Donna Claar, a mother of an abused child, were not carrying signs, but were in attendance to pray.

"All of this needs to be brought to the surface," she said, explaining she feels the abused appreciate the support. "A lot of people support my son."

Claar said both she and her son have been able to keep their faith.

When the time came for the prayer service to begin, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak opened by saying: "To the victims of sexual abuse by our clergy, I apologize in the name of the church. To the families ... I state our sorrow for the trespasses against your loved ones."

Throughout the service, which was attended by dozens of parishioners, mercy and apologies remained an ongoing theme, with songs and readings reflecting that message.

"We pray for the victims and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy. We pray for healing. We acknowledge the pain of what has been stolen and broken. Sinfulness has caused great suffering," Bartchak said during the service.

He elaborated during a longer reflection, in which he told the story of a time he was asked to speak at a funeral for young people killed in a car crash. Bartchak said a mourner asked him, "What could you possibly say at a time like this?"

"As we gather this evening for this prayer, I am well aware that there are a lot of people hurting and have been hurting because children and young people have been sexually abused by clergy members as well as by others. ... I know those words of Jesus are hard to accept for people whose faith has been shattered, for people who are angry, for people who are emotionally and spiritually disoriented," Bartchak said.

Eventually, the services fell into a period of silence reserved for prayer, as well as for those in attendance to make confessions and to receive the anointing of the sick. Bartchak remained kneeling for the 20-minute duration.

"On behalf of the church, I apologize for the pain, the heartache, the burden, the suffering that has occurred," he said.

The last of the three prayer services is to be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Victory Parish in State College.