PENNSYLVANIA
Your Erie
May 09, 2018
Bishop Emeritus Donald Trautman, who was head of the Diocese in the dates recently put into question by Attorney General Josh Shapiro, has released a statement. The statement can be read in full below:
Statement from Bishop Emeritus Donald W. Trautman regarding David Poulson
First, I wish to express my prayerful support for all victims of sexual abuse. I abhor the evil of sexual abuse. Secondly, in relation to the arrest of David Poulson, I wish to emphasize there was no cover-up of sexual abuse. In 2010, I received a fourth-hand allegation about Poulson’s contact with a young adult man. There was no allegation of physical abuse or of contact with a minor. I contacted diocesan counsel. I then immediately tried to contact the young man. There was no response after many attempts of sending letters and telephoning. From the time of the complaint, until I retired, the diocese received no other complaints about David Poulson. Thirdly, I devoted a significant part of my tenure as bishop of the Diocese of Erie to the important issue of abuse within the church.
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