Bishop warns that grand jury report on priest sex abuse is graphic, sobering

By Ivey Dejesus
PennLive
July 23, 2018

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/07/catholic_bishop_warns_that_gra.html

Erie Catholic Bishop Lawrence T. Persico, who like other bishops in Pennsylvania has read a grand jury report into child sex crimes in the Catholic Church, warns that the report will name former bishops.

As Catholic officials and the faithful across Pennsylvania await the release of a comprehensive statewide investigation report into clergy sex abuse, arguably the state's most outspoken Catholic bishop reiterated a warning as to the severity of those findings.

"It certainly is going to be sobering," said Bishop Lawrence Persico, the head of the Erie Diocese. "The report is rather graphic, and it will be very detailed on what has occurred."

During a phone interview with PennLive this weekend from his diocese, Persico broached broad and specific issues regarding the 18-month-long investigation by the state Office of Attorney General. The grand jury report remains under a court seal amid challenges filed by at least two dozen priests and other individuals named in the report but not charged.

"I think in looking historically at it you may see bishops named who probably in view of the way we do things now as compared to 20 or 30 years ago, it would not be considered acceptable that type of action," he said.

Norman A. Krumenacker III, the Cambria County judge who supervised the grand jury investigation, last week issued an opinion asserting that the report did not violate the rights of those named and that it was now up to the Supreme Court to lift the stay order so that Shapiro can publicly release the report.

Persico, who like the other five bishops whose dioceses were investigated in the probe has read the full report, has consistently provided the most access to the media during the grand jury investigation process. The findings, which exceed 800 pages, are widely expected to expose decades-old abuse of children at the hands of priests in the dioceses of Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Scranton, Erie and Greensburg.

The nearly two-year long report was wrapped up earlier this year and Attorney General Josh Shapiro had planned on releasing the findings in late June. Amid petitions from individuals named in the report that the report, as written, violates their constitutional rights, the high court issued a stay order, halting its release. The stay remains in place.

In the recent court petitions all names of petitioners have been redacted. In some cases, initials are noted. 

The court last week received the latest response to challenges from Shapiro, but as of Monday afternoon had not released the attorney general's response to the court.

Persico on Saturday said he did not know the individuals who have petitioned the high court seeking to be allowed to revise the report and hold additional hearings in their defense.

"I know I did not," Persico said. "I've been calling from the very beginning that the grand jury report be released so it can be a voice for the victims. I'm not sure who all is behind this."

Persico has distinguished himself among the five other bishops whose dioceses were investigated in releasing to the public not only the names of priests but lay people who have been credibly accused of child sex crimes or failing to stop those crimes. Persico is widely considered the first bishop in the United States to do that.

Persico last week amended a list of credibly accused predators in the Erie Diocese, adding five names to its public list and placing a priest on administrative leave. Persico earlier this year ordered the resignation of David Poulson, a priest at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Cambridge Springs. Poulson was identified by investigators as an alleged predator. Shapiro's office arrested Poulson in May; he was charged with multiple child sex crimes. 

Last week, Persico placed the Rev. William A. Rice, a retired priest living in Fryburg, on administrative leave over allegations of sexual harassment  involving children and adults.

Persico, whose public list of credibly accused predators stands at 62, turned the matter on Rice over to law enforcement. He said he has never transferred a priest whom he knew was an abuser.

Persico widely touted the programs and services in place across his diocese to work with victims of clergy sex abuse. He said he has received expressions of gratitude from victims for having made public the names of accused priests and lay people.

"No longer do they feel a darkness," the bishop said. "It's an opportunity for them to feel validated. To tell you the truth ever since we started publishing names I'm really surprised at how that has been helpful to victims. I'm a firm believer in that because of what I experience in just speaking to victims."

Erie's public list of credibly accused individuals includes current and former priests, priests who have died and 18 laypeople.