Victims React to Court Ruling Blocking Release of Report into Clergy Sex Abuse

Erie News Now
June 21, 2018

http://www.erienewsnow.com/story/38480191/victims-react-to-court-ruling-blocking-release-of-report-into-clergy-sex-abuse

Abuse victims today reacting to yesterday's court ruling delaying the release of that grand jury report into clergy sex abuse.

The panel investigated Erie and five other Catholic Dioceses around the state.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro launched the investigating in 2016 and had planned to make the results public next week.

The court ruling blocked that release.

Victims today told us they are confident Shapiro will keep fighting to make the massive report public.

And they think ultimately the public will learn about the abuse they suffered.

But in the meantime, the decision has been difficult to accept.

James Faluszczak, who said he was abused by a priest when he was a teenager in Erie said, "They are causing more anxiety, and more trauma. They are re-victimizing the victims by holding it up."

Jim VanSickle, who said he was abused by a priest when he was a student in Bradford said, "So there is a huge letdown. I can imagine other people would have outrage and strong feelings toward the church in this situation."

It is not yet clear who asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to block the release of the report.

Catholic bishops in all six dioceses said they favored the release of the report.