Current Bishop Lawrence Persico reacts to Former Bishop Donald W. Trautman's remarks in Baltimore

YourErie.com
November 16, 2018

https://bit.ly/2OQOPHk

Over the last week the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops convened in Baltimore. Among them was former Erie Bishop Donald W. Trautman.

As Bishops exchanged ideas about ending child abuse, Trautman questioned reports like the one released by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and the media. 

"We should not be so Naive as to accept every government report every attorney general report as being totally accurate or honest and I wouldn't cite the Philadelphia Inquirer or Boston Globe as sources of confident information," said Trautman. 

The Pennsylvania Attorney General August grand jury report on clergy abuse found that Trautman failed to remove an abusive priest. Current bishop Lawrence Persico has publicly been supportive of survivors and victims of sexual abuse. He was in the room when Trautman made his comments.

"People have to understand who the Bishop of Erie is Bishop Trautman has retired he doesn't represent the Diocese so what he's doing is giving his opinion," said Persico. 

Survivor of priest sexual abuse Jim Vansickle was upset after he read Trautman's Remarks. "David Poulson being my predator admitted to him that he had sexual interests in young boys and Trautman put him back in his Parish," said Vansickle.