PENNSYLVANIA
Herald-Standard

By Mike Tony mtony@heraldstandard.com

Local priests in the Greensburg and Pittsburgh Catholic Dioceses were shocked by Tuesday’s grand jury presentment outlining child sexual abuse in the neighboring Altoona-Johnstown Diocese spanning some 60 years.

“As Bishop (David) Zubik (of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese) said, this is a devastating time for the church, and we’re definitely sorry for the hurt that’s been caused,” said the Rev. Pierre Falkenhan, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Parish in Donora.

The Rev. Bill Berkey, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Western Fayette County, said his parishioners in Masontown and New Salem will be reassured that the parish has done all necessary child protective clearances of church clergy, staff and volunteers. Clergy and volunteers in the Diocese of Greensburg, which includes parishes throughout Fayette, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties, are required to have criminal background checks and child abuse clearances.

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