LANCASTER COUNTY (PA)
Lancaster Online

October 14, 2018

The LNP Editorial Board

THE ISSUE

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted Sept. 25 to send to the Senate an amended bill that would provide a two-year retroactive window during which victims of past child sexual abuse could seek justice in civil court. It also would end the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse, and give future victims until age 50 to press civil claims. The House approved Senate Bill 261 by a vote of 173-21. The legislation was passed in the wake of a grand jury report released in August that found that 301 “predator priests” in six Pennsylvania Roman Catholic dioceses had sexually abused more than 1,000 children over seven decades. This week, the state Senate will consider Senate Bill 261.

Pope Francis accepted the resignation Friday of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who came under repeated fire in…