Reports of Alleged Abuse by Catholic Priests Rise Sharply
Since the report was published, more than 900 calls have poured into a hotline set up to report additional abuse allegations. An official with the attorney general’s office said some of those calls have drawn interest from prosecutors, adding that the grand jury always believed there was more abuse that hadn’t been documented.
Pope Francis has expressed “shame and sorrow” about the abuse detailed in the grand-jury report. A lawsuit was filed Monday against all the Catholic dioceses in the state, which plaintiffs hope will be certified as a class-action suit.
Mr. Patchcoski’s story stands as just one additional allegation of abuse. Father Pulicare isn’t named in the attorney general’s report or in a list of accused priests released by the Catholic Diocese of Scranton....