Erie, Pa., Jul 24, 2018 / 11:30 am
Bishop Lawrence Persico of Erie has warned Catholics that the results of a Pennsylvania grand jury investigation into sexual abuse of minors will make for disturbing reading. The release of the 800-page report has been delayed by order of the state's supreme court.
"It certainly is going to be sobering," said Bishop Persico to news outlet Penn Live.
"The report is rather graphic, and it will be very detailed on what has occurred," he added.
The report is the result of a two-year investigation by state authorities into the handling of clerical sexual abuse in six Pennsylvania dioceses – Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Harrisburg, Scranton, and Greensburg. The dioceses were served with wide ranging subpoenas and turned over decades' worth of files concerning the handling of abuse allegations by Church authorities.