LOCK HAVEN -- It was a bombshell announcement from the state Attorney General's Office that for four decades the Catholic Diocese of Altoona/Johnstown covered up child sex abuse crimes committed by members of the clergy.
Five priests included in this grand jury investigation were assigned to two churches in Clinton County.
“Their souls were killed as children.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane delivered that bombshell report.
The Catholic Diocese of Altoona/Johnstown was involved in the widespread sexual abuse of hundreds of children at the hands of the clergy, stemming 40 years.
A grand jury's findings showed these two churches in Lock Haven, Immaculate Conception and Saint Agnes, were assigned five priests believed to be involved in the abuse.
“It's sad, it's sad to think the church could be involved in something that they already know should be happening,” said Susan Shipman of Lock Haven.
“I feel it tarnishes our Catholic faith and everything that Catholicism stands for,” said a parishioner in Lock Haven who did not want to give her name.
She grew up in Altoona, attending Catholic school there and knows some of the priests named in the investigation.
“I recognized several names absolutely and one of the bishops in particular who was the bishop while I was in school and attending catholic churches in the Altoona area, yes.”
Kane says at least 50 priests and religious leaders were involved in the abuse and coverup, dating back to the '60s.
The report shows the five priests assigned to the lock haven churches were assigned at different times from the early '60s through the late '70s.
The grand jury said no charges can be filed because the statute of limitations ran out and many of the accused are dead.
“In my opinion, there should be no statute of limitations when it comes to the abuse of a child, I don't care if it's been five years, 25 years.”