Pittsburgh Diocese places another priest on leave after accusations of child abuse
Bishop David Zubik placed a 73year-old priest on administrative leave Sept. 12 pending investigation of two allegations of sexual abuse of minors, the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh said Monday.
The diocese said in a news release that two people had spoken to diocesan officials in early September about alleged incidents involving the Rev. Richard M. Lelonis. One incident allegedly occurred in the early 1970s, and the second is alleged to have occurred about 1980.
The allegations subsequently were reported to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office, the diocese said. Father Lelonis, who has denied the allegations, according to the diocese, was removed from the diocesan tribunal, which he had served full time since 1995.
His suspension is at least the fifth the diocese has announced
since the release in August of a statewide grand jury report on accusations of sexual abuse by priests over several decades.
In late August, the diocese said the Rev. John Bauer, 71, of Greene County, was placed on leave based on an accusation that he committed sexual abuse in the early 1980s.
And it said two retired priests, the Rev. Bernard Costello, 81, who had been in residence at St. John Vianney Manor, and the Rev. Hugh Lang, 87, who was assigned to St. Anne Catholic Church in Castle Shannon, also were placed on leave.
In October, the diocese said it had placed the Rev. Joseph Reschick, 67, on administrative leave following an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor in the mid-1980s. He had been serving at St. Rosalia Parish in Greenfield. Bishop Zubik said that allegation had been reported to law enforcement and was being investigated.
According to the diocese, clergy on administrative leave “may not engage in public ministry, dress as priests or otherwise present themselves as priests in good standing,” in accordance with church policies in place to protect children.
The diocese, in its announcement Monday, said its policy is to issue a public statement and to notify all affected parishes by letter after allegations are received. Concerning why the accusation against Father Lelonis was not publicized for about two months, the diocese said, “these allegations were not disclosed to the public due to court-imposed confidentiality in pending litigation.”
A spokeswoman said the diocese would have no futher comment beyond what the news release.
The announcement came after Pittsburgh Post-Gazette news partner KDKATV reported that as of Monday, Father Lelonis had not been listed on the diocesan website as having a credible allegation against him, despite the incidents reported in September of alleged sexual abuse.
The television station also reported that Father Lelonis was one of several dozen priests who had successfully had their names redacted from the grand jury report.
Judy Jones, regional director of SNAP — the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests — said in a news release Monday night that “hopefully anyone who may have knowledge or may have been harmed by Father Richard Lelonis will find the courage to come forward and contact law enforcement, no matter how long ago it happened.
“The church officials are not the proper officials to be investigating child sex crimes,” she said. “Bishop Zubik should have reported this priest to law enforcement a long time ago.”