PENNSYLVANIA
Church Militant
by Bradley Eli, M.Div., MA.Th. • ChurchMilitant.com • April 4, 2016
Allegations of pedophila is enough to have priest’s faculties removed in Scranton diocese
SCRANTON, Pa. (ChurchMilitant.com) – The Diocese of Scranton is suspending a longtime priest immediately after allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor surfaced late Friday night.
A diocesan statement released Sunday confirmed that Rev. Martin M. Boylan is the accused priest.
According to the statement, the accuser, now an adult, was a minor when the alleged abuse occurred. The name of the accuser has not been released, nor was it made clear when the alleged abuse took place.
The diocese, as per the statement, noted, “In response to the allegation, the diocese of Scranton immediately notified the Wayne County District Attorney’s Office, the county where the abuse is reported to have taken place.” …
ChurchMilitant.com has been covering the Altoona-Johnstown scandal since it broke last month with the release of a 147-page grand jury report outlining how the diocesan hierarchy helped cover up the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by dozens of priests and religious leaders over a 40-year period.
David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a Chicago-based support group, said the recent arrest of three Franciscan friars in Altoona and the revelation of a massive cover-up could have been a catalyst for the Wayne County victim to come forward.
According to Clohessy, “The victim may have said, ‘Things are changing. If I come forward now, maybe someone will listen.'”
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