PENNSYLVANIA
National Catholic Reporter
Brian Roewe | Mar. 3, 2016
Following the release of a scathing grand jury report Tuesday, the bishop of Altoona-Johnstown, Pa., pledged to publish a list of credibly accused priests as part of “a significant commitment to transparency, past and future.”
Bishop Mark Bartchak made the announcement Thursday afternoon at a press conference, where he began by offering “my heartfelt and sincere apology” to victims of clergy sexual abuse, in addition to their families, the people and priests of the diocese, and the public.
The press conference was prompted by a statewide grand jury report released Tuesday by Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane. The report found hundreds of children were sexually abused by at least 50 priests and religious leaders in the south-central Pennsylvania diocese over decades, with the earliest referenced incident occurring in 1940.
Despite the litany of allegations, Kane said the cases could not face charges because many of the accused are dead, some of the alleged victims are reluctant to testify and statutes of limitations have expired. She stressed the investigation, which began in April 2014, is ongoing. The grand jury recommended the state statute of limitations for sexual offenses against minors be dropped, as well as a window opened for the filing of civil charges. It also recommended victims report accusations directly to law enforcement.
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