PENNSYLVANIA
York Daily Record
[with video]
Brandie Kessler, bkessler@ydr.com October 1, 2016
The Harrisburg diocese, which in the summer had responded to York Daily Record requests for information on specific priests accused of child sexual abuse, now says it will no longer answer questions about the diocese’s clergy abuse history.
“Because of the secret and confidential nature of grand jury investigations, the Diocese can’t discuss any specifics about the investigation except to say that the Diocese is cooperating fully with the Office of Attorney General,” Matt Haverstick, the attorney representing the Harrisburg diocese, said in an email.
The Harrisburg diocese had answered some questions regarding allegations of clergy abuse against priests who had at some point worked in the diocese. In August, the York Daily Record published the names of 15 priests who had worked in the diocese at some time and who had, at some time in their careers, been accused of child sexual abuse.
About three weeks later, the Daily Record reported that three more priests with ties to the Harrisburg diocese had been accused of sexual abuse of children at some time in their career. One allegation was new, the diocese said, and it was investigating whether it was credible. An update wasn’t available Thursday because of Haverstick’s statement that the diocese can’t discuss specifics of cases.
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