Catholic Bishop Meets with AG Amid Looming Grand Jury Report on Clergy Sex Abuse

By Christine Vendel
PennLive
May 16, 2018

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/05/erie_bishop_meets_with_attorne.html

Catholic Diocese of Erie Bishop Lawrence Persico on Friday explained what had led him to release the names of priests and laypeople credibly accused of inappropriate sexual conduct. Persico said he is confident his diocese has no child predators on staff. (Greg Wohlford/Erie Times-News via AP)

The Erie Catholic Bishop met with the state's attorney general Wednesday as the diocese braces for the pending release of a grand jury report on clergy sex abuse that is likely to be unflattering.

Bishop Lawrence Perisco said he and Josh Shapiro met in Erie and "discussed in detail" the diocese' efforts to implement a revised policy to protect children, Perisco's testimony before the grand jury and the looming report.

The grand jury that had been studying how six dioceses, including Erie, handled reports of sexual abuse reportedly finished its term April 30, according to goerie.com. That indicates that the report could be released any day.

Perisco said in a news release Wednesday night that he has "chosen to forgo any legal challenges to the grand jury process and its work. I realize that the grand jury report will contain information that will be difficult for all of us to hear, but in order for us to focus on the future, we have to have a solid knowledge of the past."

Last month, Perisco broke ranks with other dioceses by releasing a full list of priests and laypeople who had been credibly accused of sexually molesting children over the years. In explaining the bold move, Perisco said he wanted to be transparent and he thought it would help victims heal.

In supporting the grand jury report, Perisco said it would provide a "voice for the victims. We must listen to that voice and learn from it as we move forward."

Shapiro applauded Perisco's cooperation and transparency.

"The Diocese has accepted responsibility by acknowledging this abhorrent abuse, expressing sorrow and regret, and announcing steps to prevent these horrors from happening again," Shapiro said. "Bishop Persico has also not sought to block these matters from seeing public light, or attempted to keep victims' voices from finally being heard. I commend his actions."

This latest investigation comes several years after the release of finding of two other grand jury reports in Pennsylvania: that out of the state's largest diocese, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and the other out of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.

The Diocese of Erie has about 220,000 parishioners and represents the largest diocese in the state with regards to physical size.

Persico acknowledged last month that in almost all cases, victims in his diocese have little recourse given that the statute of limitations has expired for most of them.

Of the names recently released, 21 are deceased and 13 have been removed from ministry.

Contact: cvendel@pennlive.com