The Diocese of Eire has removed Monsignor Charles Kaza from St. Tobias Parish in Brockway, PA while an investigation is made into allegations that he sexually abused a minor at St. John The Baptist Parish in Erie in the 1980s. As of the time I was writing this on 19 May 2019, it is five days since the story broke in Erie News Now and Msgr Kaza is still listed as Pastor. There is no announcement available on the church website to indicate that there was a potential predator priest at the church and active with local parochial schools.
One of St. Tobias’s notable parishioners is none other than Senator Joseph B. Scarnati, III. Senator Scarnati is the current President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate and the man who refused to bring a bill to the floor of the Senate that would have allowed survivors of childhood sexual assault a window of opportunity to bring a civil action against the perpetrators of those crimes and the institutions that protected those perpetrators. He refused to bring the bill to a vote during the last session of the Senate when it seemed that a growing wave of support would tip the scales in favor of establishing a two-year window.
The Diocese of Erie press release from 18 May is as follows (give it a minute to load): Monsignor Kaza removed from active ministry pending investigation
I hope that Amy Scarnati is talking about this development with her children to determine if they have been potential victims of the monsignor. The crisis is impacting so close to home, and yet this Senator lacks the spine to allow legislation to go to the floor of the Pennsylvania Senate for an up or down vote., I hope the Church, the Insurance lobby and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference are paying you handsomely. Perhaps they do so with 30 pieces of silver. Senator, if that reference is lost on you, you might ask your pastor (the one in seclusion) to get you up to speed on the Gospel of Matthew. I believe you both need a little reading and reflecting.
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