Supreme Court Unredacts Portions of Richard M. Lelonis’ Grand Jury Report

On December 16, 2019 an unredacted portion of Richard M. Lelonis’ Grand Jury Report was released. Lelonis had initiated litigation prior to the 2018 release of the Grand Jury Report, in which he petitioned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to protect the privacy of his medical records. The Diocese of Pittsburgh was not party to this litigation. On November 20, 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that Lelonis’ name could be un-redacted in the Grand Jury Report, while maintaining that information from his private medical records would be left redacted.

Richard M. Lelonis, deceased October 20, 2019, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1971 and served in a variety of parish ministries, chaplaincies and administrative positions. The unredacted portion of the Grand Jury Report releases information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse that first arose against Lelonis in 1995. Lelonis’ section of the report was initially redacted as a result of litigation over privacy rights regarding mental health records. The Supreme Court has upheld Lelonis’ right to privacy regarding those records, which will remain redacted. All other information has been unredacted.

When the allegation against Lelonis was brought forth to the diocese in 1995, the diocese required that Lelonis go to a residential evaluation and treatment facility, as was common practice at the time.  St. Luke Institute recommended that Lelonis could be returned to active pastoral work. The Diocese’s response was more stringent, only allowing Lelonis to work in a limited clerical setting with the added restriction that he have no contact with children or adolescents.  In 2002, Lelonis asked that this matter be evaluated by the Independent Review Board. At the same time, the accuser also contacted the diocese seeking compensation.            

As a result, the matter was brought before the Independent Review Board, who made the recommendation that Lelonis continue in restricted ministry. Then-Bishop Wuerl accepted this recommendation and from 2002 until new allegations surfaced in 2018, Lelonis remained in restricted office ministry without contact with minors.  
           
The Diocese of Pittsburgh is fully committed to providing and maintaining a safe environment for our faith community. Decisions made by the diocese regarding a priest’s suitability for ministry are made based on the evidence available and following processes that seek to both protect victims and respect the accused’s right to defend themselves.
           
Our experience over the past two decades, including input from mental health and law enforcement professionals, victims-survivors and their families, and other first responders, has increased our understanding of how to respond to victims-survivors and the factors to be taken into account in evaluating suitability for ministry.
           
“This is another opportunity for us to remember that the path to healing and restoring trust is through truth and reconciliation. With awareness that, as Pope Francis has reminded us, the abuse of power has damaged trust in the Church and in Church leadership, I renew the commitment made in my pastoral letter, The Church Healing, to comfort the victims, and protect the young and vulnerable. I pray for God to continue to send us His light and love so that the Church of Pittsburgh may truly be a Church Healing,” said Bishop David Zubik.