ALTOONA (PA)
Tribune Democrat
July 6, 2019
By Dave Sutor
Donald Dusza, Tony Stopka, Frank Wyland, Shari Stopka and Sam Piccioni grew up together, attended Bishop Carroll High School together, traveled together and shared life’s joys and sorrows together.
And now, the longtime friends are standing together as one of them faces a serious, life-changing, potentially damning accusation.
Dusza was pastor of Prince of Peace parish in Northern Cambria until late last month, when Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Bishop Mark Bartchak placed him on leave from public ministry. An allegation of sexual abuse – reportedly to have taken place in the 1980s – had been made against the 63-year-old Twin Rocks native.
The Stopkas and Wyland met at Piccioni’s house in Ebensburg to talk about the allegation they say is incompatible with the person they have known for decades.
“Over 50 years, we retained a friendship,” Tony Stopka said. “That’s a friendship that’s lasted through going to separate colleges, either staying local or leaving the area for significant times.
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