Allentown Diocese part of Pa. grand jury probe into child sex abuse, report says

By Sarah Cassi
Lehigh Valley Live
September 16, 2016

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/allentown_harrisburg_catholic.html

Pennsylvania Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, says he testified to a state grand jury investigating sex abuse claims in the Allentown and Harrisburg Catholic dioceses. Photo by Ivey DeJesus

The Diocese of Allentown has been named in a statewide grand jury investigation into child sex abuse claims.

The Allentown and Harrisburg dioceses are part of the investigation, said state Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Democrat from the Reading area.

Rozzi, of Muhlenberg Township in Berks Counthy, confirmed he testified last month before the grand jury convened in Pittsburgh. Rozzi has previously revealed he was abused by an Allentown Diocese priest in 1984 when he was 13.

While grand jury proceedings are conducted in secret, grand jury witnesses can discuss their testimony and Rozzi said he was eager to provide it.

"We have a possibility to really put this puzzle together and to learn from it, to use the information to protect children in the future," Rozzi said.

Rozzi said he has directed more than 24 victims of clergy sex abuse to the attorney general's office, including a victim who contacted him after news broke Thursday night of the investigation into the Allentown and Harrisburg dioceses.

Some of those victims have already testified as part of the grand jury investigation, Rozzi said.

Diocese of Allentown spokesman Matt Kerr would not confirm the diocese's involvement in the grand jury or say if the diocese was subpoenaed. He issued a statement in the wake of Rozzi's revelations.

"The Diocese of Allentown is committed to the protection and safety of children and young people," Kerr said. "To this end, it is the policy of the Diocese of Allentown to cooperate with law enforcement.

"We have zero tolerance for offenders and report allegations of abuse to the appropriate authorities. We pray for all victims of abuse, and continue to educate thousands of children and adults in the Diocese on how to spot and report abuse to the proper authorities."

The Diocese of Allentown covers five counties, including Northampton, Lehigh and Berks, and ministers to about 265,000 Catholics.

Joe Aponick, spokesman for the Diocese of Harrisburg, confirmed that diocese was subpoenaed as part of a state grand jury, but declined to say when it received the notice.

The attorney general's office is seeking records from the diocese and "we are cooperating fully," Aponick said Friday.

"We encourage reports of abuse to the State Childline at 1-800-932-0313 and also to our toll-free victim assistance number 1-800-626-1608. We offer assistance in healing no matter when the abuse happened," the diocese said in a prepared statement. "If you have knowledge of anyone, anywhere who was hurt by a priest, employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Harrisburg, please report the abuse immediately to the proper authorities and to our victim assistance hotline. We will support their healing no matter how long ago the abuse took place."

Rozzi urged victims of sex abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy to either contact his office, or the office of the state attorney general to help with the investigation.

In May, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office released a grand jury report detailing sexual abuse in a separate diocese, the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.

The report alleges two Roman Catholic bishops in the diocese helped cover up the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by more than 50 priests or religious leaders over 40 years.

No criminal charges were filed in the case because some abusers have died, the statute of limitations has expired and, in some cases, victims are too traumatized to testify, then-Attorney General Kathleen Kane said.

Rozzi said the allegations in the Allentown and Harrisburg investigation will make the Altoona-Johnstown report "look mild."

"The Allentown Diocese, I believe, is going to be a lot worse," Rozzi said.

Word of the new grand jury comes the week a monsignor in the Diocese of Allentown, John Mraz, was removed from ministry and charged with child pornography possession. Mraz, 66, was pastor of St. Ann's Church in Emmaus.