DENVER (CO)
Catholic News Agency
July 24, 2018
By Ed Condon
Erie, Pa. – Bishop Lawrence Persico of Erie has warned Catholics that the results of a Pennsylvania grand jury investigation into sexual abuse of minors will make for disturbing reading. The release of the 800-page report has been delayed by order of the state’s supreme court.
“It certainly is going to be sobering,” said Bishop Persico to news outlet Penn Live.
“The report is rather graphic, and it will be very detailed on what has occurred,” he added.
The report is the result of a two-year investigation by state authorities into the handling of clerical sexual abuse in the five Pennsylvania dioceses – Altoona-Johnstown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. The dioceses were served with wide ranging subpoenas and turned over decades’ worth of files concerning the handling of abuse allegations by Church authorities.
A former diocesan official in Pennsylvania, who was involved in developing responses to the subpoena, told CNA that complying with the court order took considerable time and effort.
“It covered everything we had, it was very broadly drawn. We handed over years’ and years’ worth of files.”
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