ERIE (PA)
Erie News Now
June 21, 2019
A man who has spoken out about alleged clergy abuse to Erie News Now in the past called for transparency and action against former Erie Bishop Donald Trautman, who is accused of not doing enough to stop the abuse, during a news conference in Buffalo late Friday morning.
James Faluszcazk, a former priest who said he was sexually abused by a priest, claims Trautman is being protected by the church and has not faced any sanctions or investigations against him.
He told Erie News Now that Bishop Persico has the authority to take action within his own Diocese and withdraw Trautman’s faculties.
During a news conference in western New York on Tuesday, attorneys announced Trautman will be sued by a man who says he was the victim of abuse by a priest.
James Bottlinger, 50, said as a high school student, he was abused by Father Michael Freeman in the 1980s, and Donald Trautman saw him in the priest’s private quarters.
He said Trautman, who was chancellor of the Buffalo Diocese at the time, knew what was going on, and the church knew of victims before him and did not stop the abuse.
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