PITTSBURGH, PA − August 14, 2018 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. released the following statement regarding the release of the Grand Jury report on abuse in the Catholic Church:
I applaud Attorney General Josh Shapiro for his committed work in creating this grand jury report and ensuring its release. The public has a right to know about alleged abuse in the Catholic Church. Across the state, the Church has been a centerpiece of the community and in so many cases, it has violated the trust we put in it to protect our children and serve as the standard of good morals. As a parent and as a Catholic, I am extremely disappointed at what has been alleged in this report. It has shone a light on disturbing practices of the Church, which must cause this alleged criminal behavior and its coverup to stop. Moving forward, we should all support the victims through the long and difficult healing process.