Sex abuse claims in the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's landmark August 2018 Grand Jury Report covered six Pennsylvania dioceses — Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Scranton — and documented over 300 accused clergy and more than 1,000 identified victims. The report did not cover the Archdiocese of Philadelphia or the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, which had separate prior investigations. Pennsylvania's civil SoL for childhood sexual abuse was reformed in 2019: survivors have until age 55, or 37 years from the date of majority (age 18), whichever is later, to file civil claims.

Pennsylvania has not enacted a full retroactive lookback window as of February 2026 due to a state constitutional amendment process requirement. The Pennsylvania Legislature passed a retroactive window bill, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that retroactive revival of time-barred claims requires a constitutional amendment, not a statute. That constitutional amendment was approved by voters in November 2023 and creates a two-year retroactive window for previously time-barred claims — that window is currently open and survivors should consult an attorney.

Multiple Pennsylvania dioceses have faced or are facing financial pressure from abuse claims. The Diocese of Harrisburg filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2020; its plan of reorganization was confirmed and a settlement trust established. The Diocese of Rockford (Illinois) and several other dioceses drew assets from Pennsylvania parishes. Pennsylvania cases are litigated in Courts of Common Pleas in the county of the abuse. Named defendants typically include the local diocese, the bishop (in his official capacity), and individual clergy.

Pennsylvania survivors can contact the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) at 1-888-772-7227, the Philadelphia Center for Survivors (associated with SNAP), and RAINN at 1-800-656-4673. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has a clergy abuse reporting line and publishes updates on the grand jury investigation fallout. CHILD USA tracks Pennsylvania's constitutional amendment process and the status of the retroactive window. Survivors who believe they were previously time-barred should consult an attorney given the limited window duration.