Fr. William A. Rosensteel

Per the PA Attorney General’s 3/1/2016 Grand Jury Report, Rosensteel was accused in 2006 of “almost constant” sexual abuse in the 1970s of boy, ages 9-15, at St. Patrick’s in Johnstown. Fr. Dennis Coleman and Rosensteel played sex comedy albums for the victim and other boys. The victim refused to join him and other men in a sauna at the seminary, so Rosensteel told the boy’s parents that he was bad and needed drugs. An older boy in a special Rosensteel group raped  the victim who said, “this is for Father.” In 2007 a man told the Diocese he and 8 other boys were abused by Rosensteel at St. Patrick’s. Boys slept in the rectory and went with Rosensteel on trips; all would sleep in their underwear, and one boy was chosen to sleep with the priest. Boys showered with him. The abuse included deep tongue kisses and fondling. The victim’s mother told Msgr. Finn in the mid-1990s of the abuse. Finn kept no record of it. After a 4th victim emerged in 2007, Rosensteel died by suicide. Bishop Adamec said after the death, he might have retired “with some type of ministry.”