1 COMMITTEES MARK ROZZI, MEMBER 26TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT APPROPRIATIONS 111 IRVIS OFFICE BUILDING P.O. BOX 202126 HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 17 120-21 26 (7 17) CHILDREN & YOUTH, DEMOCRATIC SECRETARY 783-3250 COMMERCE FAX: (717\787-7517 GAMING OVERSIGHT HUMAN SEBVICES 4933 KUTZTOWN ROAD TEMPLE, PENNSYLVANIA 19560 (610) 921-8921 FAX: (610) 921-9369 flww fipryrwwtalivtx of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Hamisburg POLICY DELEGATIONS NORTHEAST DELEGATION SOUTHEAST DELEGATION August 3,2018 His Holiness, Pope Francis Domus Sanctae Marthae Piazza Santa Marta 00120 Vatican City Your Holiness, It is with profound respect for your office, and in gratitude for your care and concern for the vulnerable among us; yet also with deep concern that we come before you seeking an audience to discuss sexual abuse by clergy. We are victims and advocates. We are a state representative, a former prosecutor, and an inactive priest. Two of us testified before the 40th Pennsylvania lnvestigating Grand Jury; one of us conducted two grand juries in Philadelphia which investigated the magnitude of clergy sexual abuse there. We are God's people. Canon 212.2 suggests to us that you are willing to listen to our needs, especially given the spiritual damages caused by the criminal and deviant behavior of a growing number of priests. We humbly believe that we carry the knowledge, competence, and universal prestige referred to in Canon 212.3, and which is enshrined in the people we serve. With this is mind we come to you as allies, primarily seeking to help victims heal and thrive, which you no doubt know is a function of the Common Good. We recognize the preeminent role of the Church, which historically and presently is woven into the fabric of our society. Making the Church better makes humanity better. Yet a type of social evil sometimes arises, even out of communities of faith, which tears the fabric of society. Today in Pennsylvania and worldwide, we are living with the result of centuries of struggle within the Church to combat the scourge, and now the epidemic, of clergy sexual abuse. Acts of omission and commission by the Church have resulted in contemporary instances of complex tragedy. Victims of sexual abuse and their advocates would feel fortified should you agree to engage with us on the following issues: unsympathetic alliances between leaders of the Church and secular authorities, institutionalized cover-up of abuse, zero-tolerance for bishops who engage in cover-up, and obstruction of civil justice for victims by Church officials. Holy Father, this problem in Pennsylvania and multiple dioceses in the United States has risen to the crisis level now seen in Chile and Australia, and begs for your attention. We humbly suggest that meeting with us will give immediate and clear evidence of your solicitude for the most vulnerable members of the Church. For this reason we are seeking an audience or audiences with you very soon We stand ready, Francis, to help facilitate the reform of the church. Sincerely and respectfully, */ ey" Lynne M. Abraham, Esq X.*A ,t(",t-e ar James G. Faluszczak Rep. Mark Rozzi Lynne M. Abraham, Esquire Ms. Abraham, Esquire, is a Shareholder in Archer & Greiner's Philadelphia Law Office since 2010. She focuses her legal practice on Courhoom Litigation and a variety of other practice areas. Ms. Abraham joined Archer following a long and distinguished career in public service that began immediately after she graduated from Temple University Law School in 1965 ln 1976 she was elected a Judge in Philadelphia and served the people for the next l5 years as a trial judge. In 1991, Ms. Abraham was elected as Philadelphia's first District Attorney, (Prosecutor), the first woman to be so elected since 1850. Elected a total of five times by the voters of Philadelphia she served in that capacity for 19 years until January 5,2010. As leader of the largest prosecutors office in Pennsylvania and one of the largest in the nation, employing approximately 600 and handling more than 75,000 cases a year, Ms. Abraham forged a reputation as a tough and effective yet compassionate protector of public safety for more than 1.5 million citizens of the City and County of Philadelphia. Among her myriad accomplishments, Ms. Abraham was one of the first District Attorneys in the country to institute a thorough and comprehensive investigation of sexual abuse committed by Catholic Clergy in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. That investigation, lasting over 5 years, implicated at least two Cardinals and over 125 priests engaged in either sexual misconduct or sexual crimes against adolescents and youths of both genders in addition to the massive cover-up of these crimes by Archdiocesan Hierarchy. A comprehensive Report was issued , published and widely disseminated naming many of the priests engaged in these practices which has been cited around the Nation for its thoroughness and factual underpinnings. It has also been used as a template for similar investigations across the country. In addition to her public service, Ms. Abraham has been involved in Charitable and Philanthropic endeavors for over 50 years and she is the Co-Founder of a school helping over 500 children each year who prematurely left school to get back to achieving an accredited education, and another College program to provide a free college education to underserved communities in Pennsylvania. Ms. Abraham also formerly served as Executive Director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority; and as a Legislative Consultant for Philadelphia City Council. She has also been a lecturer at such Universities as Villanova University, Temple University Law School, and other institutes of higher education. resume James. G. Faluszczak, M.Div, MSED Buffalo, New York USA BasKqrqund Born: May 9, 1969 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Baptized Parents: Stephen W. and Barbara C. (Flaherty) Faluszczak, natives of New York State Raised in Erie, Pennsylvania; from 1971-1994 Ordained to the Priesthood on April 26, 1996 in Erie, Pennsylvania Edu.c_atisn St. George Elementary School, 1975-1983; Erie McDowell High School, 1983-1987; Erie Gannon University, 1987-1991 ; Erie St. Mark Minor Seminary, 1989-1991; Erie Christthe King Seminary, M.Div., 1991-1995; Buffalo, NewYork Duquesne University, MSED, 2005; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Abuse From the ages of sixteen to nineteen years, my childhood pastor, Msgr. Daniel J. Martin of St. George Church in the Diocese of Erie, sexually abused me in three different residences. St. George Church, Mt. Calvary Church and in the chaplain's residence above the chapel of Mercyhurst College. When I was molested at Mt. Calvary and Mercyhurst, a childhood friend, who is presently a priest in Erie, was also abused, but now denies this. Four additional victims of Msgr. Martin have come forward in recent months. When I entered the seminary at Christ the King Seminary in Buffalo, New York, I was honest with formation faculty about my sexual orientation. ln 1994, a fellow seminarian shared his orientation with me and I encouraged him to speak with Rev. Joseph Gatto, who was our Formation Director. This seminarian, who is also a priest in Erie, confided that he discussed his sexual orientation with Rev. Gatto, who subsequently engaged in a sexual relationship with him My friend viewed their sexual activity as consensual. Rev. Joseph Gatto is presently the Rector of Christ the King Seminary in Buffalo. I shared the circumstances of my abuse with Bishop Donald Trautman, then Bishop of Erie, in 2010 and with Bishop Lawrence Persico in 2Q14. Neither sought to investigate my claims, and it has recently become public that my abuser was restricted from ministry at the time of my abuse. I also reported Rev. Gatto's abuse and misconduct with Bishop Persico of Erie in 2014 and with Bishop Malone of Buffalo by letter on April 15, 2018. To date, Rev. Joseph Gatto remains Rector of Christ the King Seminary. I swore to the truth of these allegations, and others, on October 18,2016 before the Pennsylvania 40th Statewide lnvestigating Grand Jury. Departqre from Active Ministrv After continued struggles with complex trauma, and coping by using alcohol and other substances, I was granted a Leave of Absence by Bishop Persico and have not returned. STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARK LUCIO ROZZI State Representative Mark Rozzi was elected to office in November 2012 and is a lifelong resident of the 126th legislative district In Berks County, PA. Rep. Roui is the face of statutes of limitation reform in His passionate advocacy for survivors of child sexual abuse is wellsrecognized among stakeholders and survivors. As a 13 year--old victim of rape at the hands of Fr. Edward Graff (Allentown Diocese), his experience motivated him to run for his legislative seat in order to make a difference in Harrisburg. He routinely receives letters, calls and e-mails from survivors seeking advice to help them navigate through their pain. Rep, Rozzi has introduced legislation which will eliminate the criminal and civil statutes of limitation for childhood sexual assault claims and allow for a revival ciwl window. This bill is based on the recommendations of the three Philadelphia Archdiocese grand juries and the Altoona/Johnstown Diocese grand jury recommendations, Mark Rozzi is the son of Lucia Rozzi (deceased), horn in Ascoli Piceno, Italy and Grazia Lisa Rozzi, born in Venetico Marina, Sicily. Thev immigrated to the United States in 1947 and worked in the mushroom farms before starting a window and door construction business (Rom Brothers, Inc.) in Reading, Mark attended Holy Guardian Angel School [1977-1985) and Central Catholic High School (198571986). Mark switched to Muhlenberg High School, in Reading, (1986-1989) where he was a member of the Political Science Club and Model United Nations. Rozzi received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Kutltuwn University in 1996 with a concentration in preslaw and constitutional law.