First Female Victim of Clergy Sex Abuse Sues Pittsburgh Diocese

By Joe Destio
KDKA Radio
January 18, 2019

https://kdkaradio.radio.com/articles/first-female-victim-clergy-sex-abuse-sues-pittsburgh-diocese

The first female survivor of clergy sex abuse has sued the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese.

The plaintiff’s attorney George Kontos tells KDKA Radio's Joe DeStio the accused priest was a known offender.

“Not unlike a lot of the abuse that we have already filed complains for it involves a known predator priest in this instance a Father Paul Pindel who was at St. Genevieve church in Canonsburg in addition to various other places. We believe he was transferred about 12 times,” says Kontos

Pindel is named in the Pennsylvania grand jury report.

The lawsuit alleges the abuse occurred in 1982 when the plaintiff was 15-years-old and pregnant with her fiance’s child. Pindel allegedly told the victim he would personally council her.

Kontos says the victim told her parents about the abuse.

"They reported that to the church, but not unlike a lot of these situations, nothing happened, and in fact, this particular priest was moved around a dozen times or so."

The statute of limitations has passed, so Kontos says they have filed in civil court.

"Our claims, though, are against the diocese itself and against Bishops Wuerl and Zubik as the head of the diocese for perpetrating esentially a conspiracy to cover up what was happening and what was well-known."

Pindel died in 1991.