Diocese of Greensburg responds to grand jury report on sexual abuse
The Diocese of Greensburg released a list of 21 clergy with “credible and substantiated allegations” against them after a Pennsylvania grand jury report was made public Tuesday.
“Some of these names may be familiar to you; others may not,” a statement from the diocese said. “This is an evolving list of those who, based on prior credible and substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse submitted to the diocese, should not be permitted to work with or around children, young people or vulnerable adults. As such, this list may (and likely will) need to be altered or amended over the passage of time.”
A full list is available on the diocese website . It includes clergy members who are now deceased or who have been removed from ministry and who are accused of abusing minors between the 1960s and 1990s.
The list is the result of two reviews of the diocese — one conducted by a retired Westmoreland County judge and another performed by counsel for the diocese, Kleinbard LLC, the diocese said.
“Neither of the independent file reviews revealed any credible and substantiated allegations of prior sexual misconduct by a priest currently serving in the Diocese of Greensburg,” the statement said.
A homily by Bishop Edward C. Malesic addressing the grand jury report will be played at all masses conducted this weekend at the diocese’s 78 parishes throughout Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland counties.
“Each diocese must answer for itself, but I answer for Greensburg,” Malesic said in the homily, which is available on the diocese website. “Personally, I am ashamed by what some of our priests did in the past. At the same time, I am proud of those priests that remain faithful, and remain true to their calling.”
Malesic also defended the Catholic church.
“The grand jury report describes the church of 30, 50, even more than 70 years ago,” Malesic said. “It falls far short of describing the church we love and support. It does not paint an accurate picture of the church in which we pray and find comfort today.”
Jamie Martines is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jamie at 724-850-2867, jmartines@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Jamie_Martines.
