Priests and church leaders sexually abused hundreds of children in Altoona Diocese: AG office - By Ivey DeJesus
Hundreds of children were sexually abused over a period of at least four decades by priests or religious leaders in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, a statewide investigating grand jury has concluded.
The findings by the grand jury, released Tuesday by the office of state Attorney General Kathleen Kane, detail widespread abuse involving at least 50 priests or religious leaders. The findings reveal a troubling history of diocesan superiors concealing the child abuse as part of an effort to protect the church's image.
The 147-page report details — at times graphically — accounts of sexual abuse of children at the hands of priests and church leaders. The late Monsignor Francis B. McCaa, the report notes, was "a monster" who groped and fondled the genitals of at least 15 boys, many of them altar boys. McCaa was assigned to Holy Name Church in Ebensburg for more than 20 years.
At least one of his victims committed suicide, the investigation found.
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| The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office on Monday released a report finding widespread clergy sexual abuse in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. In this file photo from 2003, Brian Gergely, 33, right, and Kevin Hoover, 30, show old photographs of themselves during a news conference in Altoona. They said the pictures were taken during the time they allege a Roman Catholic priest sexually abused them while they were altar boys. The men, along with three others, were suing the Altoona-Johnstown diocese, Bishop Joseph Adamec, and former Bishop Joseph Hogan, claiming the church should have known about the abuse and was negligent. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) (KEITH SRAKOCIC/Associated Press) |
Hundreds of children were sexually abused over a period of at least four decades by priests or religious leaders in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, a statewide investigating grand jury has concluded.
The findings by the grand jury, released Tuesday by the office of state Attorney General Kathleen Kane, detail widespread abuse involving at least 50 priests or religious leaders. The findings reveal a troubling history of diocesan superiors concealing the child abuse as part of an effort to protect the church's image.
The 147-page report details — at times graphically — accounts of sexual abuse of children at the hands of priests and church leaders. The late Monsignor Francis B. McCaa, the report notes, was "a monster" who groped and fondled the genitals of at least 15 boys, many of them altar boys. McCaa was assigned to Holy Name Church in Ebensburg for more than 20 years.
At least one of his victims committed suicide, the investigation found.
The grand jury found the case of Joseph Gaborek, 70, to be "particularly heinous example of the Diocese exercising authority and influence to cover up the sexual abuse of a child at the hands of a Diocesan priest."
Gaborek, who was assigned to St. Michael's Church in West Salisbury and St. Mary's Church in Pocahontas in the early 1980s, sexually violated a boy after recruiting him to work at the parishes, according to the report. - Pls. CLICK HERE to continue reading..
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Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown's disturbing history of sexual abuse - By Christian Alexandersen
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| The legacy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown will be built on countless stories of child sexual abuse, broken trust and millions of dollars paid for the unforgivable sins of religious leaders. (Shutterstock) |
The results of a state grand jury investigation released Tuesday found that hundreds of children were sexually abused and raped by diocese priests and religious leaders over the past 40 years. The widespread acts of abuse were perpetrated by more than 50 priests and religious leaders.
"The heinous crimes these children endured are absolutely unconscionable," said Pa. Attorney General Kathleen Kane on Tuesday in Blair County.
"These predators desecrated a sacred trust and preyed upon their victims in the very places where they should have felt most safe."
Lawsuits costs the diocese millions
Allegations of abuse by priests, and a cover up by diocesan officials, have long been known. - PLS Click HERE to continue reading...
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| "As many as 100,000 U.S. children may have been the victims of clerical sex abuse, insurance experts said in a paper presented at a Vatican conference in 2012. Some 4,300 members of the Catholic clergy were accused of sexual assault, of which at least 300 have been convicted, according to Bishop Accountability, a private group that has tracked the scandal." - http://www.businessinsider.com/r-as-pope-visit-nears-us-sex-victims-say-church-remains-obstacle-to-justice-2015-9 |
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