The Grand Jury has released a report involving six of the eight Pennsylvania diocese that has over 800 pages detailing 301 child sex abusers in the Catholic Church community and over 1000 child victims, over 10% of which have committed suicide.
“Pennsylvanians can finally learn the extent of sexual abuse in these dioceses. For the first time, we can all begin to understand the systematic cover up by church leaders that followed. The abuse scarred every diocese. The cover up was sophisticated. The church protected the institution at all costs,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.
It turns out 90/301 named predators are from the Pittsburgh Diocese, making this area by far the most prevalent for child sex crimes in PA. What makes matters worse is of the named predators, only three have actually been convicted of any crimes. These three include: Father Robert Wolk of St. Thomas More in Bethel Park; Father Richard Zula of Saints Mary and Ann in Marianna, Washington County, and Father Richard Dorsch, convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy in North Park.
The report shows that 90% of the sex acts committed were before 1990. Despite attempted reform starting in the mid-90s with Donald Wuerl’s refusal to the Vatican to reassign a pedophilic priest named Anthony Cipolla, child sex abuse continues with Catholic Church representatives and cover ups by bishops and other leaders have been consistent.
One heinous crime that was covered up involved a targeted young boy by a group of priests who planned the crime over time, priming him for the incident. Priests would actually give young men golden cross necklaces to wear to let other priests know they were the targets. One boy was forced into a room, stripped down, and made to pose naked on a cross. Photographs were then taken and distributed on church grounds between church leaders.
This is only one example of thousands of indescribably disturbing acts occurring since 1947. Another priest by the name of Fr. Raymond Lukac raped and impregnated a 17-year-old girl, forged a pastor’s signature to create a marriage document, then divorced her after the baby was born. Instead of being revealed to the public, he was reassigned to a different state where a bishop helped cover up the crime and hide him away.
“The magnitude of the crimes and subsequent cover up is truly unimaginable. The leadership of the Catholic Church engaged in an international criminal conspiracy in which they lied to protect child rapists and molesters. Rather than act to protect children, the Church did the unthinkable and inexcusable–they protected the rapists. The Church knew that some of the victims committed suicide and that all of the victims were living a life of emotional torment, yet they stayed silent and did absolutely nothing to help these children or stop the predator priests from abusing others.” – Jason Matzus of Matzus Law, LLC
Matzus Law, LLC Attorneys Fight For PA Victims of Sexual Abuse
If you or someone you love has been the victim of a sexual predator or abuser, you do not have to stay silent. Many people have chosen to fight an internal battle instead of getting justice and these victims of predator priests no longer can sue to the statute of limitations placed on such crimes. Attorneys at Matzus Law, LLC will handle your case with professionalism, compassion, and over 20 years of experience. We can help you get compensation and peace of mind. Call the Matzus Law Office of Pittsburgh today at (412) 206-5300 or contact us online using our simple contact form.