Priests in Harrisburg diocese deliver message from bishop about grand jury probe

By Teresa Bonner
PennLive
April 8, 2018

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/04/harrisburg_diocese_priests_del.html

A statement from Bishop Ronald Gainer, of the Diocese of Harrisburg, addressing speculation about a grand jury investigation is being read by priests at masses in the diocese.

The bishop of The Diocese of Harrisburg is addressing reports of a grand jury investigation into possible child sexual abuse by clergy through a statement being read by priests at masses in the diocese this weekend.

In the statement, Bishop Ronald W. Gainer says that news media are speculating on when the results of the investigation will be revealed. He said protecting the secrecy of the grand jury is paramount, and assured parishioners that as soon as he is able to make any information public, he will do so. 

State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, who testified before the grand jury, and other sources say the investigation of six diocese across Pennsylvania is nearing its end. Harrisburg is one of the diocese under investigation.  

Another is the Diocese of Erie, whose bishop on Friday announced it was updating its policy on the protection of children and making public a list of 51 clergy and lay people against whom there are credible allegations of misconduct. That misconduct, he said, ranged from use of child pornography to sexual assault.

 When asked if the Harrisburg diocese would do the same, diocesan officials told PennLive this week that they had intended to release a list of accused priests in September 2016, when word of the grand jury investigation first leaked out, but they were waved off by the attorney general's office.

"The Office of Attorney General instructed us not to at that time, so as not to interfere in their ongoing investigation," Joseph Aponick, the Harrisburg Diocese spokesman said in a statement.

In light of the Erie diocese's actions, Aponick said the Harrisburg diocese would "revisit" the issue with the attorney general's office.

Aponick declined to say how many priests were on the list that they were prepared to divulge in 2016 or any further information on the subject.

Officials with the attorney general's office declined to comment specifically about Harrisburg's statement.