Response to sex abuse cases
In early 2016, a grand jury called by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro began investigating sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in six Pennsylvania dioceses, including the Diocese of Greensburg. [6] [7]
In 2017, Persico settled a lawsuit brought against the diocese by a former employee. The plaintiff had previously complained to the diocese about Reverend Daniel Kresinski, saying he repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances using obscene gestures. She said that the diocese refused to address complaints and forced her to resign in October 2013. [8] Persico initially told the victim that "he did not want her to contact the press with her complaint and asked her to sign a nondisclosure agreement," which she initially declined to sign. [8] [9]
In April 2018, the diocese published a list of 34 priests and 17 laypeople who had been "credibly accused" of sexually abusing children. [10] [11] By July 2018, the list had grown to include 64 names. [12] [13] The Pennsylvania grand jury report was published on August 14, 2018. After its release, Persico said that it should have also included the names of accused laypeople who worked for the diocese. [13] Regarding Persico's response to the investigation, Shapiro remarked,
"Bishop Persico’s response to this crisis gives me hope. He was the only (bishop) to testify to the grand jury. He wanted to do the right thing. He did." [7]
Regarding the case of Reverend David Poulson, "Shapiro said the diocese knew since at least May 2010 of Poulson’s sexual predator tendencies – but did nothing to report him to authorities until September 2016, in response to a subpoena from the grand jury." [14] Persico was installed as bishop of Erie in 2012. In response, Persico said that "Poulson's name was not raised" during this four year span. [15] Jim VanSickle, one of Poulson's accusers, said in an interview:
“I do believe Bishop Trautman and Bishop Persico knew. Father Poulson came forward in 2010 and said he becomes aroused around adolescent boys and he had a problem.” [16]
Regarding the case of Reverend Sredzinski, page 510 of the grand jury report reads:
"On April 12, 2002, a phone call was received by Father Lawrence Persico from a witness ("Witness #1"), the contents of which were provided to Statnick. Witness #1 claimed that Sredzinski abused a relative of hers in Brownsville, PA in 1985 and that Sredzinski should be looked into further. There was nothing otherwise noted in the file regarding this phone call, including whether there was any follow-up by the Diocese." [17]
Page 509 of the grand jury report reads:
"According to notes in Sredzinski's Diocesan file, on April 9, 2007, the mother of a classmates of Victim #1 placed a telephone call to Persico and informed him that her son had told her that when he was in 7th or 8th grade, Sredzinski abused Victim #1. It was her understanding that Victim #1's parents tried to report the incident to Statnick when Victim #1 was in 7th or 8th grade, but that nothing was ever done about it. She also indicated that Sredzinski took Victim #1 and her son overnight to Seven Springs when they were young. Persico's response was that because Victim #1 was 28 years old at the time of the mother's call, Victim #1 needed to report any abuse by Sredzinski himself." [17]
James Faluszczak claims that he attempted to report Reverend Daniel J. Martin for sexual abuse, first to Trautman and then to Persico. Faluszczak said that he spoke with Persico on several occasions from October 2013 to February 2016. He presented his own allegations of abuse by Martin along with allegations from other individuals. Faluszczak said of those conversations:
"He certainly treated me as if it was nothing. He didn't take it seriously. When I told him that Father Martin molested me 15 times, he couldn't even bring himself to say that he was sorry that that happened to me." [18]
