PENNSYLVANIA
York Daily Record
YDR invited Bishop Ronald W. Gainer to meet with our editorial board to discuss abuse cases. He declined.
After the York Daily Record published a story naming 15 priests with connections to the Harrisburg diocese who had been accused of sexual abuse of children, we invited Bishop Ronald W. Gainer to meet with our editorial board.
Some of the 15 names were a revelation because they had not been previously acknowledged publicly by the diocese.
We believe it’s important to get that information out there so victims of abuse can know they are not alone. In many cases, victims have only come forward after learning through published reports that their tormentors have been accused of harming others.
Those 15 names might have been a revelation to some, but we know there are other priests who have been accused who were not included on that list. That’s because in 2007 the church said publicly that 24 priests with connections to the diocese had been accused of sexual abuse either here or elsewhere.
We know 15 names. Who are the others? Since 2007, has the diocese become aware of even more? Is the number still 24 – or is it more?
We just don’t know.
The Harrisburg diocese acknowledged the accused clergymen that YDR had become aware of through other sources but declined to shed light on other cases.
We wanted the opportunity to discuss these issues with Bishop Gainer. Through a diocese spokesman, he declined our invitation. Instead, his spokesman provided a guest column addressing the issue of abuse.
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