Diocese of Greensburg Accused Priests

Disturbingly, many child sex abuse survivors are levying allegations against the Roman Catholic Church in recent years. The Diocese of Greensburg in Pennsylvania published its own list of Clergy with Credible and Substantiated Allegations Against Them on August 14, 2018. That’s the same day a Pennsylvania grand jury released its report detailing credible claims involving more than 300 “predator priests” and over 1,000 child sex abuse victims. The abuse accounted for in the report goes back as far as 1947 and involves six dioceses, including Greensburg.

Emil Payer, a priest convicted in 2014 of stealing almost $100,000 from the Church of the Seven Dolors, is also on the list of those credibly accused of child sex abuse. The Diocese gained knowledge of the allegations in 2018 by law enforcement officials, and an independent investigation determined the claims were credible. Accusations against Payer include the abuse of multiple minors and adults.

Another report published last year named Andrew Kawecki, formerly Father Kawecki in Fairchance, Fayette County. His victim was an 11-year-old altar boy, and the abuse continued for several years. The sexual abuse allegedly took place in an upstairs bedroom of the rectory at St. Cyril and Methodius Parish. Though removed from active ministry, Payer and Kawecki are still priests.

Last year, a lawsuit filed against the Diocese of Greensburg alleged that Father Joseph Sredzinski raped and sexually abused an 11-year-old boy from 1991 to 1997 while Sredzinski was a priest at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church. The lawsuit states the perpetrator also exposed the victim to pornography. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Sredzinski invited other priests to the church rectory so they could also rape the boy and participate in orgies.

The court documents noted that the bombshell August 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report also identified Sredzinski. The lawsuit accused the Diocese of Greensburg of knowing about the abuse but choosing to take no action whatsoever against Sredzinski to stop the abuse or prevent him from abusing other children. In other words, the Diocese failed to protect some of its most vulnerable members, leading to long-term, irreparable harm.

In late 2019, a lawsuit filed against the Diocese of Greensburg by a 56-year-old woman contained claims the woman suffered sexual abuse by the late Rev. George Pierce during the 1970s when she was just 10 or 11 until age 15. The suit also names Bishop Edward Malesic and his predecessor, Lawrence Brandt, for endangering the woman by covering up the threat that Father Pierce posed.

The abuse took place while Pierce was a priest at Holy Family Church in Seward from 1972 to 1985. The lawsuit claimed that Bishop William Connare knew about Pierce’s behavior as early as 1972. Pierce then admitted it in 1973, and Connare and the Diocese did nothing but settle with the victim, which included having her sign a confidentiality agreement prohibiting her from disclosing the crime.

In response to the deluge of child sex abuse cases that have come to light, the Diocese of Greensburg created the Survivors’ Compensation Program, part of the Comprehensive Reconciliation Initiative. In a release from the Diocese, the initiative is announced in part by the following: “The Diocese of Greensburg announced details of a Comprehensive Reconciliation Initiative to help survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The initiative includes a Survivors’ Compensation program, an opportunity for survivors to have a personal interaction with an objective program administrator, as well as counseling, spiritual guidance, and pastoral care for anyone impacted by clergy abuse in the Diocese of Greensburg.”

Affected individuals can find information concerning participation in this Survivors’ Compensation Program on the program’s About page.

Child sexual abuse survivors can also timely file a civil lawsuit for compensation for their injuries and suffering. Pennsylvania lawmakers extended the statute of limitations governing sexual abuse cases in 2019. Childhood sex abuse survivors can now file civil claims until their 55th birthday, while those abused between the ages of 18-24 can file a claim until they reach age 30.

State legislators are pushing for a look-back window similar to other states, including New York and California. This look-back window would allow all child sexual abuse survivors, no matter their current age or how long ago the abuse happened, to file a civil suit within two years of the date of the new law’s commencement. Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward halted the legislation in the state Senate, calling it unconstitutional. However, efforts to amend the state constitution are still underway, with citizens likely to see the end result in late 2022 or early 2023.

No matter how far in the past your abuse happened, please contact Herman Law today for a free consultation if you or someone you love suffered sexual abuse by anyone in the Diocese of Greensburg. We can evaluate your case and determine if you currently qualify for compensation to aid in your ongoing healing. We want to help you get the justice and closure you deserve.