The fact that the evil of child sex abuse has occurred in our Church causes all of us great sadness, for once again we come face-to-face with the horror that innocent children were the victims of egregious crimes committed against them. Many of those victimized as children continue, as survivors, to suffer from the harm they experienced. In my own name, and in the name of the Church of Harrisburg, I ask for forgiveness for the sinfulness of those who have committed these crimes and helped create an environment that tolerated or accepted this behavior.

As we willingly acknowledge our sinfulness, as we humbly seek the forgiveness of those who have been wronged, the healing will come to the entire Church when we renew our commitment each day to respond to the call to holiness we all share and to the mission of our Church entrusted to us by the Lord Jesus himself.

While we seek forgiveness in the name of our Church, we encourage survivors to come forward so that their healing may begin.



– Bishop Ronald Gainer