Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown added to lawsuit that seeks to expose predatory priests

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — More parents of children in the Roman Catholic Church and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy members are joining a lawsuit alleging dioceses in the state are not properly reporting child sexual abusers.

That now includes the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

The amended class-action lawsuit alleges diocese in the state, including the diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, have created a public nuisance by failing to report every allegation of child abuse.

As we reported last month -- the goal of the suit is to provide a mechanism to review church records, to make sure all allegations exist in the church’s files are accurate and have been sent to law enforcement.

Those are all standards under the state's mandatory reporting laws.

Last month, the judge in the case gave attorneys 30 days to find plaintiffs from diocese outside of Pittsburgh to be included.

The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has now been added, along with Greensburg, Harrisburg and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

"This is an opportunity for survivors and also for the first time parents to really come forward and say my voice should be heard, and their voice should be heard if their child is being put at risk because the diocese is aware of someone who poses a risk to children, and has not disclosed it to law enforcement and has not disclosed it to the school or the parish," said Tim Hale with NYE, Stirling, Hale and Miller LLP.

The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has a longstanding policy of not commenting on active litigation.

The attorneys for the plaintiffs say they are also looking for more survivors or parents to come forward.

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