All PA Dioceses Under Investigation for Homosexual Child Abuse

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (ChurchMilitant.com) - The investigation of homosexual child abuse in Pennsylvania, and its cover-up by bishops, is now extending to all eight Catholic dioceses in the state.

The Reading Eagle, a Pennsylvania news agency, is reporting the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General will be releasing a report following an investigation of all eight Catholic dioceses in the State.

Mark Rozzi, a clerical sexual abuse survivor and state representative, comments, "This report is going to be one of the most damning grand jury reports."

In March 2016, a report was released outlining horrific homosexual abuse stretching back over 40 years by more than 50 priests in the diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

Church Militant reported that Bp. James Hogan and Bp. Joseph Adamec, Hogan's predecessor, both "took actions that further endangered children as they placed their desire to avoid public scandal over the well-being of innocent children" by returning priests to ministry "with full knowledge they were child predators."

It further notes the cover-ups were "aided and abetted by police and judges, who wanted the diocese to handle its problems internally." Monsignor Philip Saylor, in an interview with Daniel Dye, Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney General, commented that judges, police chiefs and sheriffs would simply inform the chancery they needed to get the abuses "under control".

By September 2016, the attorney general's office extended the investigation to the dioceses of Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton.

Speaking of the investigation in the diocese of Harrisburg, Rozzi notes, "After reading the Altoona-Johnstown report, I thought it couldn't get much worse ... but from hearing stories from victims about their abuse in Allentown, it's going to make the Altoona-Johnstown report look mild." He adds, "I think you are really going to see some horrific stories of abuse that you didn't see in Altoona." As of yet, there has been no grand jury report released for the diocese of Harrisburg.

Rozzi authored and is promoting Pennsylvania House Bill 1947. He is working to extend the statute of limitations, regarding the prosecution of clerical-homosexual abuse.

After the Altoona-Johnstown report was made public, Bp. Mark Bartchak, the current bishop, removed Hogan and Adamec's pictures and public honors for two abuser priests were revoked.

The attorney general's office has noted that all the Catholic dioceses are cooperating fully with ongoing investigations but will not confirm when it will release grand jury reports on the other dioceses.

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