Report: Timlin helped cover up rape, abortion
Among the reams of damning accusations against Pennsylvania clerics that Attorney General Josh Shapiro highlighted Tuesday, one incident involving a longtime Scranton bishop stood out.s-Lawrence | Times Leader
Among the reams of damning accusations against Pennsylvania clerics that Attorney General Josh Shapiro highlighted Tuesday, one incident involving a longtime Scranton bishop stood out.
In the 1980s, then-Bishop James C. Timlin helped cover up an allegation that a priest had raped a 17-year-old girl in Luzerne County and procured an abortion for her, according to the report.
During his Harrisburg press conference about the grand jury report detailing alleged abuse by more than 300 Pennsylvania Roman Catholic priests, including 59 in the Scranton Diocese, Shapiro read an excerpt from a letter Timlin wrote regarding the rape case.
“This is a very difficult time in your life and I realize how upset you are,” Shapiro quoted from Timlin’s letter. “I too share your grief.”
In the 1980s, then-Bishop James C. Timlin helped cover up an allegation that a priest had raped a 17-year-old girl in Luzerne County and procured an abortion for her, according to the report.
During his Harrisburg press conference about the grand jury report detailing alleged abuse by more than 300 Pennsylvania Roman Catholic priests, including 59 in the Scranton Diocese, Shapiro read an excerpt from a letter Timlin wrote regarding the rape case.
Among the reams of damning accusations against Pennsylvania clerics that Attorney General Josh Shapiro highlighted Tuesday, one incident involving a longtime Scranton bishop stood out.
In the 1980s, then-Bishop James C. Timlin helped cover up an allegation that a priest had raped a 17-year-old girl in Luzerne County and procured an abortion for her, according to the report.
During his Harrisburg press conference about the grand jury report detailing alleged abuse by more than 300 Pennsylvania Roman Catholic priests, including 59 in the Scranton Diocese, Shapiro read an excerpt from a letter Timlin wrote regarding the rape case.
“This is a very difficult time in your life and I realize how upset you are,” Shapiro quoted from Timlin’s letter. “I too share your grief.”
And then, the blow.
“Except the bishop didn’t write that letter to the girl,” Shapiro said. “The bishop wrote that letter to the priest.”
https://www.timesleader.com/news/715052/timlin-helped-cover-up-rape-abortion