Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Bishop Mark Bartchak will preside over a prayer service Thursday night at Our Lady of Victory on Westerly Parkway for victims of child sexual abuse.
A statewide grand jury reported in March that at least 50 priests or religious leaders in the Altoona-Johnstown diocese sexually abused hundreds of children over a period of 40 years. The 147-page report also details a history of superiors in the diocese — including Bartchak’s predecessors — taking action to conceal the child abuse. Bartchak was not accused of wrongdoing and Attorney General Kathleen Kane commended him for actions he had taken since becoming bishop.
‘I invite all of the faithful, especially those who have been harmed by someone in the Church, to join me at these prayer services,” Bartchak said. ‘I hope the time spent in community with others before the Blessed Sacrament will be a source of comfort, healing, and peace for all those affected by abuse.”
The grand jury report named several priests who had served at Our Lady of Victory. Two were accused of having abused minors while assigned to the parish. Rev. Martin Cingle was alleged to have fondled a teenage boy who had been an altar boy in 1979. Rev. Robert Kelly was accused of having sexually abused a 12-to-13-year-old boy between 1975-77.
The OLV prayer service is the third this week for Bartchak, who also led services at St. Andrew in Johnstown on Monday and Altoona’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesday.
Described in a news release as ‘prayer services for healing,’ the service will include evening prayer and a homily and the sacrament of reconciliation will be available.
The diocese is continuing to urge anyone with information about suspected abuse to call the attorney general’s dedicated hotline at (888) 538-8541. Support is available through diocese Children and Youth Protection Advocacy Office at (814) 944-9388.
