BishopAccountability.org

'Predator priests': 50-plus Altoona-Johnstown Catholic leaders involved in widespread sexual abuse

By Christian Alexandersen
PennLive
March 1, 2016

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/03/predator_priests_the_diocese_o.html

On March 1, 2016, state Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced that a statewide investigating grand jury has determined that hundreds of children were sexually abused over a period of 40 years. At least 50 priests or religious leaders had been involved in sexual abuses, she said.
Photo by Mark Pynes

Allegations of rape, abuse and coverups have trickled out of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown for decades.

On Tuesday, state Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced that a statewide investigating grand jury has determined that hundreds of children were sexually abused over a period of 40 years. At least 50 priests or religious leaders had been involved in sexual abuses, she said.

Evidence and testimony gathered by the grand jury revealed a history of diocese superiors taking action to conceal the child abuse as part of an effort to protect the institution's image.

Bishop-Accountability.org collects news reports of priests and religious leaders that have been suspended from duty, named in a lawsuit or investigated on allegations of sexual abuse.

The nonprofit organization has a list of dozens of priests and religious leaders in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown that have been named in media reports as being accused of sexually abusing children.

Here are 28 priests named on the website against whom claims or successful lawsuits were filed, according to media reports. The inclusion of the priests in the list below does not necessarily mean they were found guilty of criminal charges. 

Here's a breakdown of those who has been accused and their alleged crimes, according to Bishop-Accountability.org:

David Arsenault

Arseneault served as pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Huntingdon since 2000. He was placed on leave in February over child-sex abuse allegations from more than 20 years ago.

Joseph J. Bender

An alleged victim came forward and accused Bender of molesting him beginning in 1963 when he was about 10 years old and lasting until 1965. In 2004, the diocese paid $3.7 million to settle claims by 21 people alleging abuse by 11 priests, including Bender

Charles Bodziak

Bodziak was placed on leave in January as the diocese re-examines an earlier allegation of sexual misconduct involving minors dating back more than 30 years.

John J. Boyle

In 2003, a Dover man alleged that he was molested by Boyle at St. Agnes' Church in Beaverdale between 1973 and 1975. In 2004, the diocese paid $3.7 million to settle claims by 21 people alleging abuse by 11 priests, including Boyle.

James F Bunn

Parents came forward in 2003 to say that they told then-Bishop James Hogan in 1982 that Bunn had molested their son in their home. Bishop Joseph Adamec said he learned of the concerns in 1988 and sent Bunn for evaluation.

The evaluation report stated that Bunn was not a pedophile and was not a threat to children. Allegations against Bunn came again in February 2001. Bunn spent time at a treatment center. He has not been in public ministry since May of 2002.

Andrew S. Campbell

Campbell, a Benedictine priest, was accused by a mother that her son was plied with drugs and alcohol and abused by priests while a teenager. The son later filed a lawsuit. Both lawsuits have been settled.

Thomas M. Carroll

According to a Tribune-Democrat article, Carroll allegedly abused boys and was sent to a psychiatrist, but remained a priest until he died in 1988.

Athanasius C. Cherry

A woman has sued the Altoona-Johnstown Catholic Diocese and the oldest Benedictine monastery in the nation, claiming that when her son was a teenager when he was plied with drugs and alcohol and abused by three priests. Cherry was among the priests accused.

The son later filed a lawsuit. Both lawsuits have been settled.

Martin A. Cingle

Cingle was suspended in 2015 as the diocese investigated allegations dating back to 2002 concerning sex abuse of a minor.

Denise E. Coleman

According to a Tribune-Democrat article, Coleman was accused of hypnotizing boys, removed their shoes and rubbed his genitals on their feet. He was told to get some "rest and recreation" and was transferred to St. Benedicts Church in Geistown. He was identified in court documents as a pedophile and was suspended in 1987.

In March 2004, Coleman requested and was granted a release from the church.

James B. Coveney

Coveney was placed on leave in February while the diocese "re-examines allegations of sexual misconduct involving young people." Coventry, who is 79, has been retired since 2011.

Alvin T. Downey

A woman sued the diocese claiming that when her son was a teenager he was plied with drugs and alcohol and abused by three priests. Downey was among the priests accused.

The son later filed a lawsuit. Both lawsuits have been settled.

Elwood F. Figurelle

Figurelle pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the Internet and was sentenced to 15 to 21 months in federal prison in 2004

Joseph Gaborek

Gaborek was charged with corruption of a minor, indecent assault and selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor. He was accused of molesting a 14-year-old boy after plying him with alcohol and pornographic movies.

Charges were not filed from the incident, on the condition that Gaborek seek professional help. Gaborek was permanently suspended and was dismissed from the priesthood by Pope John Paul II in 2004.

Bernard V. Grattan

According to a Tribune-Democrat article, Grattan, a former hospital chaplain in Johnstown, was accused in 2003 of molesting a boy at St. Patrick's Church in Newry, Blair County. The case was settled.

Leonard Inman

Inman was named as one of 9 "predator priests" known to the diocese per lawsuits filed by five individuals against two other priests in 2003. Inman died in 2001.

Robert J. Kelly

A former altar boy claimed he was sexually abused from 1975 to 1977 by Kelly, who at the time was a priest at Our Lady of Victory Church in State College. The lawsuit was settled.

George D. Koharchik

Koharchik was removed from St Catherine of Siena in 2012 and placed on leave after allegations of sexual misconduct with minors in the late 1970s came to light.

Thomas M. Lemmon

Lemmon, an ordained deacon and religion teacher at Bishop McCort High School, had been suspended by the diocese when he fled to Canada in 2003 with a 15 year old female student. As police neared his family's property, Lemmon fell/jumped to his death from a fourth floor balcony.

Anthony B. Little

Little was suspended and ordered him to have no contact with children in 2013 because of a child-sex allegation dating to the 1990s which is being investigated by the district attorney.

Francis E. Luddy

Two brothers filed separate civil suits in the 1980s alleging Luddy, their godfather, abused them as early as 1978. In 2004, the diocese paid $3.7 million to settle claims by 21 people alleging abuse by 11 priests, including Luddy.

Thomas K. Mabon

In 2003, a Philadelphia man alleged he was molested by Mabon while serving as an altar boy at St. Mary's Church in Hollidaysburg from 1988 to 1990.

The victim said the alleged abuse took place in the priest's changing room and sacristy, where holy objects are kept, and Mabon told him that the abuse "would serve as penance for his confession." the lawsuit said.

In 2004, the diocese paid $3.7 million to settle claims by 21 people alleging abuse by 11 priests, including Mabon.

Joseph D. Maurizio

A criminal complaint alleges Maurizio gave boys candy and money so he could molest them — including performing a sex act on a 14-year-old in a chapel — or watch the boys have sex. It happened during missions trips to Honduras with his self-run charity in 2009 and prior years, according to the complaint.

Maurizio has been placed on leave from the Somerset County church he also pastored.

Francis McCaa

In 2003, five men who were altar boys claimed they were abused by two priests on church property, including McCaa. Four men alleged that McCaa fondled them while they were altar boys at Holy Name between 1975 and 1985.

In 2004, the diocese paid $3.7 million to settle claims by 21 people alleging abuse by 11 priests, including McCaa.

Martin D. McCamley

McCamley, a State College priest, was placed on administrative leave in 2003 while the diocese investigated molestation accusations dating to his service three decades ago at Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown and St. Patrick Church.

In 2004, the diocese paid $3.7 million to settle claims by 21 people alleging abuse by 11 priests, including McCamley.

William Rosensteel

Rosensteel killed himself in 2007 on the eve of an announcement that sex abuse allegations against him would be referred to law enforcement. The 64-year-old priest jumped from the McNally Bridge on Route 219 in Richland Township, according to a Tribune-Democrat article.

He was facing sex abuse allegations dating to 1972.

James F. Skupien

A 2003 lawsuit alleged sexual abuse by Skupien, a Catholic high school principal who has since died. The case was settled in 2004.

Joseph J. Strittmatter

A woman claimed in a 2003 civil lawsuit that Strittmatter sexually abused her for as many as four years until she was about 12 years old. At the time, Strittmatter, who is the victim's uncle, was a priest at St. John the Baptist Church in Acosta, Somerset County.

In 2004, the diocese paid $3.7 million to settle claims by 21 people alleging abuse by 11 priests, including McCamley.

Contact: calexandersen@pennlive.com




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