Stunning report of Catholic Church abuse: Pa. priests molested more than 1000 kids

[Ted Newgent 4,896]

Stunning report of Catholic Church abuse: Pa. priests molested more than 1000 kids

 

Robert Mizic, 47, said his life was taken away as an altar boy 35 years ago, when he was abused by his parish priest at a Catholic Church in suburban Philadelphia.

He is one of the many accusers in a sweeping scandal encircling the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania.

Hundreds of priests were said to have molested more than 1,000 children — and possibly many more — since the 1940s, and senior church officials, including a man who is now the archbishop of Washington, D.C., allegedly covered up the abuse, according to a grand jury report released Tuesday.

The “real number” of abused children might be in the thousands since some secret church records were lost, and victims were afraid to come forward, the grand jury said.

“We are sick over all the crimes that will go unpunished and uncompensated,” the grand jury said.

The grand jury accused Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh’s bishop. Wuerl responded in part: “I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report.”

Varied Forms of Abuse

Most of the Pennsylvania victims were boys, but girls were abused, too, the report said.

The abuse ranged from groping and masturbation to anal, oral and vaginal rape. One boy was forced to say confession to the priest who sexually abused him. A 9-year-old boy was forced to perform oral sex and then had his mouth washed out with holy water. Another boy was made to pose naked as if being crucified and then was photographed by a group of priests who Attorney General Josh Shapiro said produced and shared child pornography on church grounds.

Mizic called himself a survivor. “It’s a horrible way of living. I had my puberty stolen from me, my life stolen,” he told KDKA-TV.

The report put the number of abusive clergy at more than 300. In nearly all of the cases, the statute of limitations has run out, meaning that criminal charges cannot be filed. More than 100 of the priests are dead, and many others are retired or have been dismissed from the priesthood or put on leave.

“Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing. They hid it all,” Shapiro said at a news conference in Harrisburg.

At the conference, a film was played featuring the accusers. “Who would have believed me?” 83-year-old Robert Corby said in the film, as Philly.com reported. “A priest, in 1948 or ‘47, would abuse you?”

Church Leaders Allegedly Took Steps to Cover Up the Abuse

Shapiro said the investigation confirmed a “systematic cover-up by senior church officials in Pennsylvania and at the Vatican.” The report itself provided scant detail about the Vatican’s role beyond describing a series of confidential reports that bishops made to the Vatican about abusive priests.

The alleged conspiracy of silence extended beyond church grounds. The grand jury said it found cases in which police or prosecutors learned of clergy sex abuse allegations but did not investigate out of deference to church officials.

Mizic added, “That’s the true travesty to know that they knew, and they knew and moved these priests to endanger other children is deplorable.”

The grand jury concluded that a succession of Catholic bishops and other diocesan leaders tried to shield the church from bad publicity and financial liability. They failed to report accused clergy to police and sent abusive priests to so-called “treatment facilities,” which “laundered” the priests and “permitted hundreds of known offenders to return to ministry,” the report said.

“This is the murder of a soul,” James Faluszczak, a former priest who said he was abused by a priest as a child in the Diocese of Erie, told Philly.com. “There is no statute of limitations on the crime of murder.”

The grand jury probe was the most extensive investigation of Catholic clergy abuse by any state. Its findings echoed many earlier church investigations around the country, describing widespread sexual abuse and church officials’ concealment of it. U.S. bishops have acknowledged that more than 17,000 people nationwide have reported being molested by priests and others in the church.

Accusations in Dioceses that Minister to More Than Half the State’s 3.2 Million Catholics

The Pennsylvania grand jury, convened by the state attorney general’s office in 2016, heard from dozens of witnesses and reviewed more than a half-million pages of internal documents from the Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton dioceses.

The grand jury scrutinized abuse allegations in dioceses that minister to more than half the state’s 3.2 million Catholics.

The Pittsburgh diocese said a few priests are still in ministry because the diocese determined allegations against them were unsubstantiated.

Tim Lennon, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, urged Pennsylvania lawmakers to lift civil and criminal statutes of limitations for child sex crimes, and to provide victims who no longer meet the age requirements in state law with a new window to file civil lawsuits.

Some current and former clergy named in the report went to court to prevent its release, arguing it violated their constitutional rights. The state Supreme Court said the public had a right to see it, but ruled the names of priests and others who objected to the findings would be blacked out pending a September hearing on their claims.

Twenty of the grand jurors said Tuesday they objected to “any attempts to censor, alter, redact or amend” the report.

Several dioceses decided to strip the accused of their anonymity and released the names of clergy members who were accused of sexual misconduct.

Authorities evaluated each suspect and were able to charge just two, including a priest who has since pleaded guilty. Shapiro said the investigation is ongoing.

State Attorney General Calls the Cover-Up ‘Child Sexual Abuse’

Church officials “routinely and purposefully described the abuse as horseplay and wrestling” and simply “inappropriate conduct,” Shapiro said.

“It was none of those things. It was child sexual abuse, including rape,” he said.

Former Pittsburgh Bishop Responds

The grand jury accused Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh’s bishop. Wuerl, who led the Pittsburgh diocese from 1988 to 2006, disputed the allegations.

“While I understand this report may be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse,” he said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ACCUSED OF ABUSE OR OF COVERING IT UP IN PENNSYLVANIA

More than 300 clergymen were named in the grand jury report. The names of 24 of them were redacted at their request. All of the others are listed below by diocese.

DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN

Reverend Thomas J. Bender

Monsignor Thomas J. Benestad

Reverend Robert G. Cofenas

Monsignor Thomas J. Benestad

Reverend Robert G. Cofenas

Reverend David Connell

Reverend Timothy Johnson

Jim Gross

Reverend James Gaffney

Reverend Joseph Galko

Reverend Edward George Ganster , died 2014

Reverend Francis T. Gillespie

Richard J. Guiliani

Reverend Joseph D. Hulko

Monsignor William E. Jones, V. F., died 2004

Reverend Michael S. Lawrence

Reverend Joseph H. Kean

Reverend Thomas J. Kerestus, died 2014

Reverend Francis Joseph McNelis, died 2005

Reverend Gabriel Patil

Reverend Henry Paul, died 1982

Reverend Paul G. Puza

Reverend Dennis A. Rigney

Reverend Joseph A. Rock

Reverend Gerald Royer, died 2003

Reverend Charles J. Ruffenach, died 1980

Reverend J. Pascal Sabas, died 1996

Reverend William J. Shields, died 2000

Reverend Stephen F. Shigo, died 1991

Reverend David A. Soderlund

Very Reverend Henry E. Strassner, V.F., died 2009

Reverend Bruno M. Tucci

Reverend A. Gregory Uhrig

Reverend Andrew Aloysius Ulincy

Reverend Ronald Yarrosh

Reverend Joseph A. Zmijewski, D.D., died 1968

DIOCESE OF ERIE

Reverend Joseph A. Zmijewski, D.D.

Reverend Michael G. Barlet

Father Donald C. Bolton, C.S.S.R.

Reverend Robert F. Bower

Reverend Dennis Chludzinski

Father Donald Cooper, died 2011

Father Michael Robert Freeman

Reverend Gregory P. Furjanic

Father Herbert G. Gloekler, died 1985

Father Robert E. Hannon, died 2006

Monsignor James P. Hopkins

Father Barry M. Hudock

Reverend Joseph W. Jerge, died 2006

Father Stephen E. Jeselnick

Reverend Thomas C. Kelley, died 2005

Father Gary L. Ketcham

Father Thaddeus Kondzielski

Father Gerard Krebs

Father Jerry (John) Kucan

Monsignor Louis Lorei

Father Salvatore P. Luzzi

Father Richard D. Lynch, died 2000

Monsignor Daniel Martin, 2006

Reverend Leon T. Muroski

Brother Edmundus Murphy

Reverend John L. Murray

Father Giles L. Nealen, O.S.B.. died 1996

Father Jan Olowin

Father Andrew Pawlaczyk, died 1982

Reverend John A. Piatkowski, died 1970

Father David L. Poulson - CHARGED

Father John Philip Schanz, died 2010

Reverend Samuel B. Slocum

Monsignor Thomas Snyderwine

Seminarian John Tome

Father Patrick Vallimont

DIOCESE OF GREENSBURG

Father Dennis Dellamalva, died 1994

Father Gregory Flohr

Father Charles B. Guth

Father Francis Lesniak

Father Henry J. Marcinek

Father Fabian G. Oris, died 2007

Father George R. Pierce, died 2009

Father Gregory F. Premoshis

Father Thomas W. Rogersm, died 2005

Father Leonard Sanesi, died 1992

Father Roger A. Sinclair

Father Joseph L. Sredzinski, died 2015

Father John T. Sweeney - CHARGED

Reverend Joseph A. Tamilowski, died 1994

Father Roger J. Trott, died 2017

DIOCESE OF HARRISBURG

Reverend Francis J. Allen

Reverend John G. Allen

Reverend Francis A. Bach

Reverend Jesus Barajas

Reverend Richard J. Barry

Reverend James Beeman, died 2016

Reverend John Bostwick

Reverend Donald Cramer

Reverend Walter Emala, died 2008

Reverend Paul R. Fisher

Deacon Donald “Tim” Hackman

Reverend T. Ronald Haney, died 2012

Reverend John Herber

Philip Hower

Reverend Kevin Kayda

Reverend Edward Konat

Reverend George Koychick

Reverend Thomas Kujovsky, died 2015

Reverend Thomas Lawler, died 1987

Reverend Robert Logue

Reverend David H. Luck

Reverend Monsignor Robert Maher, died 1990

Reverend Daniel Mahoney, died 2007

Reverend Guy Marsico

Reverend John M. McDevitt, died 1999

Reverend Anthony McGinley, died 2006

Reverend James McLucas

Reverend Ibarra Mercado

Reverend Charles Procopio, died 1997

Reverend Guido Miguel Quiroz Reyes, OFM, died 2006

Deacon James Rush, died 2016

Bryan Schlager

Reverend Herbert Shank

Reverend Patrick Shannon

Reverend Timothy Sperber

Reverend Carl J. Steffen, died 2015

Reverend Frederick Vaughn, died 1992

Reverend Salvatore V. Zangari, died 2004

DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH

Reverend James R. Adams, died 2011

Reverend James L. Armstrong, died 2012

Reverend John M. Bauer

Reverend John E. Brueckner, died 1960

Reverend Leo Burchianti, died 2013

Reverend Robert Castelucci

Reverend Mauro James Cautela, died 2005

Reverend Charles J. Chatt

Reverend Anthony J. Cipolla, died 2016

Reverend John P. Connor

Reverend John David Crowley, died 2006

Reverend Richard Deakin

Reverend Ferdinand B. Demsher, died 1983

Reverend Myles Eric Diskin

Father Richard J. Dorsch

Reverend David F. Dzermejko

Reverend John P. Fitzgerald

Reverend Joseph M. Ganter

Reverend John A. Genizer

Reverend Charles R. Ginder, died 1984

Reverend James G. Graham, died 2015

Brother William Hildebrand

Reverend John S. Hoehl

Reverend James Hopkins

Reverend John J. Huber, died 1998

Reverend Edward G. Huff

Monsignor Edward Joyce, died 1969

Reverend Marvin Justi, died 2009

Reverend Bernard J. Kaczmarczyk

Reverend Joseph D. Karabin

Brother John Keegan

Reverend Henry Krawczyk

Reverend Edward L. Kryston

Reverend Anujit Kumar

Reverend George Kurutz , died 1977

Reverend Fidelis Lazar

Reverend Albert Leonard

Reverend Casimir F. Lewandowski, died 1978

Reverend John P. Maloney, died 2007

Brother Julius May

Reverend Dominic McGee

Reverend Donald W. McIlvane, died 2014

Reverend Thomas McKenna

Reverend Albert McMahon

Reverend John H. McMahon, died 1993

Brother Frank Meder

Reverend Arthur R. Merrell

Reverend Joseph Mueller, died 2010

Reverend Lawrence O’Connell, died 1986

Reverend Thomas M. O’Donnell

Reverend William P. O’Malley, III, died 2008

Reverend George Parme, died 2002

Reverend Paul E. Pindel, died 1991

Reverend Francis Pucci, died 2002

Reverend John W. Rebel, died 2013

Reverend Raymond R. Rhoden,died 2006

Reverend Carl Roemele

Reverend Michael C. Romero, died 2000

Reverend Oswald E. Romero, died 1997

Reverend David Scharf

Reverend Richard Scherer,died 2007

Monsignor Raymond T. Schultz, died 1999

Reverend Francis Siler, died 2015

Reverend Rudolph M. Silvers

Reverend Edward P. Smith, died 1956

Reverend James E. Somma, M.Ed., died 2004

Reverend Bartley A. Sorensen

Reverend Robert E. Spangenberg, C.S.Sp., died 2006

Reverend Paul G. Spisak

Reverend Lawrence F. Stebler, died 1997

Reverend Richard Gerard Terdine

Reverend Charles Thomas, died 1967

Reverend John William Wellinger, died 2011

Reverend Joseph S. Wichmanowski, 1977

Reverend George A. Wilt

Reverend Robert G. Wolk

Reverend William B. Yockey

Reverend Theodore P. Zabowski

DIOCESE OF SCRANTON

Reverend Philip A. Altavilla

Reverend Girard F. Angelo, died in 2009

Reverend Mark G. Balczeniuk

Reverend Joseph P. Bonner, died 2007

Reverend Martin M. Boylan

Reverend Robert J. Brague, died 1997

Reverend Francis T. Brennan, died 1974

Reverend Joseph Bucolo

Monsignor Gerald J. Burns, died 1999

Reverend Anthony P. Conmy

Monsignor J. Peter Crynes

Reverend Raymond L. Deviney

Reverend Donald J. Dorsey, died 2007

Reverend John M. Duggan

Reverend John J. Dzurko, died 1991

Reverend James F. Farry, died 1990

Reverend James F. Fedor

Reverend Ralph N. Ferraldo, died 1997

Reverend Angelus Ferrara

Reverend Austin E. Flanagan

Reverend Joseph D. Flannery, died 2005

Reverend Martin J. Fleming, died 1950

Reverend Robert J. Gibson, died 2012

Monsignor Joseph G. Gilgallon, died 1991

Reverend Joseph A. Griffin, died 1988

Reverend P. Lawrence Homer, died 2015

Reverend Mark A. Honart

Reverend Joseph F. Houston

Reverend Francis G. Kulig

Reverend Albert M. Libertore, Jr.

Reverend John A. Madaj, died 1998

Reverend James M. McAuliffe, died 1989

Reverend Joseph F. Meighan

Reverend Russell E. Motsay

Reverend James F. Nolan, died 1957

Reverend W. Jeffrey Paulish

Reverend John A. Pender, died 2009

Reverend Mark T. Rossetti

Reverend Edward J. Shoback

Reverend Thomas P. Shoback

Reverend John J. Tamalis

Reverend Virgil B. Thetherow

Reverend Robert M. Timchak

Reverend Lawrence P. Weniger, died 1972

Reverend Joseph B. Wilson

SOCIETY OF ST JOHN

Reverend Christopher R. Clay

Reverend Eric S. Ensey

Reverend Carlos Urrutigoity

Reverend Benedict J. Van der Putten

 

h p://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/14/stunning-findings-on-report-catholic-church-abuse-pa-priests-molested-more-than-1000-children.html
h p://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6060525/Pennsylvania-report-details-300-priests-sexually-molested-1-000-children-70-years.html

 

about time they completely shut down the catholic church

[sussex 5,776]

The priests seem to be giving the Muslims a run for there money ..the whole fcuking lot want slotting .

[waltjnr 5,958]

1 minute ago, sussex said:

The priests seem to be giving the Muslims a run for there money ..the whole fcuking lot want slotting .

their giving British 1970's tv/radio celebs a run for their money let alone mussies ! 

[sussex 5,776]

Just now, waltjnr said:

their giving British 1970's tv/radio celebs a run for their money let alone mussies ! 

Walt to be fair mate the celebs are fairly new players to the game , they had a good run but they have had there day , the mussies and the clergy have been at it since someone dreamed up religion as a way to control the masses ..

[mackem 23,675]

The movie spotlight highlights the pedo-priest phenomenon,watch it if you get the chance.The president of the Philippines was molested by a priest as a child,this may account for the spate of priest shootings earlier this year,religion in any form is a way of people control,basic common sense tenets thou shalt not steal...commit adultery......covet your neighbours missus etc are basic social rules not biblical teachings,to this should be added thou shalt not fondle innocent choir boys.

 

[foxdropper 17,092]

Hang on a  minute...i heard that choir  sing and they needed f***ing. 

[Mister Gain 1,759]

I was an altar boy for about a year when I was 10, and the priest didn't try it on at all. I can only conclude that I must have been a very ugly child...

[tatsblisters 7,915]

If I was a catholic or a muslim out of disgust I would f**k religion off in an heartbeat thank feck I am an atheist and believe in non of the shit.

[South hams hunter 8,814]

It's all a disgrace, you'd think shit like this all the time would be enough to ban religion

 

You've just got to speak to a priest and you can see they're all f***ing weirdos

[KES2 171]

The catholic church has a long history of illegal manipulative behaviour, from the early 900 ad and charging to see 'holy' relics, to concealing paedophiles today. Its not just controlling the people but lining pockets of the church and adding status to those in powerful positions to allow them further abuses. Relgeon has helped no-one who could not otherwise have helped themselves.

 

[Welsh_red 4,302]

Religion again 

[Kerny92 1,246]

 

[scothunter 12,609]

And yet it continues any other organisations like the cubs/scouts/boys brigade etc there would have been a public enquiry and ultimately shut down.

But we are dealing with a very powerful wealthy corrupt organisation.

Those figures posted are shocking but remember this. That's only the ones made public. They have literally paid out hundreds of millions in hush money that were never reported. 

 

[gaz 284]

The ones that are doing it is only half the problem the real problem is the cover-ups that save this vermin from facing any kind of justice.....which if was up to me would be a double tap tae the back of the head or a length of rope,too much of this shit in the world with no proper and fit consequences to put off these heinous c**ts from even thinking about it!

[peterhunter86 8,627]

8 minutes ago, gaz said:

The ones that are doing it is only half the problem the real problem is the cover-ups that save this vermin from facing any kind of justice.....which if was up to me would be a double tap tae the back of the head or a length of rope,too much of this shit in the world with no proper and fit consequences to put off these heinous c**ts from even thinking about it!

There was a story the paper last week about how the pope excepted the resignation of some bishop who covered up abuse,ffs why wasn't he sacked and sent to prison their all a bunch of scummy animals