Sisters sue Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, say church should have protected them from predatory priest

By Anne Shannon
WGAL News 8
December 3, 2019

https://bit.ly/2YcrGW8

A Susquehanna Valley family is suing the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.

The Fortney sisters, Patty and Lara, say the church should have done more to protect them from a predator priest.

"Today is a momentous day for our family because we can finally move forward in our pursuit for justice," Patty Fortney said.

Fortney and her family made an announcement Tuesday about the filing of a civil lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Newark and the Harrisburg diocese.

The lawsuit outlines the abuse the Fortney sisters say they faced decades ago in Pennsylvania and New Jersey at the hands of priest Augustine Giella. The Fortneys claim the church was aware Giella was a predatory priest and didn't protect them.

"We want to know how a known predator priest like Giella landed on our Pennsylvania doorstep from New Jersey," Fortney said.

Attorneys filed the suit in New Jersey, which just expanded its statute of limitations.

"It is because of people like them (the Fortneys) who have the strength to speak out about child sexual abuse, who have the strength to identify their accuser publicly and have the strength to hold institutions accountable that we can hopefully prevent child sexual abuse in the future," attorney Ben Andreozzi said.

The Harrisburg diocese released a statement that says, in part, "Our attorneys have not received or reviewed this complaint and it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time."