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Diocese of Harrisburg’s statement to comments made by former priest Herbert Shank that aired on FOX43

HARRISBURG — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg issued a statement Friday in response to a story that ran earlier this week on FOX43. On Wednesday, ...
Diocese of Harrisburg

HARRISBURG — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg issued a statement Friday in response to a story that ran earlier this week on FOX43.

On Wednesday, FOX43 aired a story by Jack Eble with a survivor who said he was abused by a priest when he was 12 years old — the alleged abuse continued for a year and a half.

The accused, former priest Herbert Shank, spoke to FOX43 at his home.

Read the Diocese’s statement to Shank’s comments below:

“As we disclosed in our list earlier this week, Herbert Shank, who was removed from ministry in 1994, was the subject of multiple accusations of child sexual abuse. We watched his recent interview with shock and great sadness as he attempted to rationalize clearly inappropriate behavior with children. We have a zero-tolerance policy as it relates to child sexual abuse. Anyone who is accused of this type of behavior is immediately referred to law enforcement and removed from active duties, employment or volunteering.

“We want to apologize to this particular survivor for the abuse he has suffered. We apologize to all who have endured the pain and suffering of abuse, but also to the people of our Diocese and the public whose faith and trust in our Church has been tested.”

Watch: Survivor opens up about priest abuse as a child, accused priest responds

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