A Catholic crisis
For much of the summer of 2018, I was involved in a group of Post-Gazette reporters, photographers and editors preparing for the release of a massive grand jury report on sexual abuse and cover-up in six of Pennsylvania's Catholic dioceses. In the weeks leading up to the Aug. 14 release, I pulled photos of past bishops and of previously accused priests from the Post-Gazette's archive, preparing hundreds of photos that might be relevant to the report.
Two of the five Fortney sisters, who were sexually abused as children, embrace during a press conference held by Attorney General Josh Shapiro for the release of a grand jury report investigating sexual abuse in six of Pennsylvania’s Catholic dioceses, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in the state Capitol building in Harrisburg. The sisters asked only to be identified by their last name. (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)
A visual narrative of the report’s release
The day of the release, the P-G had photographers in Harrisburg, Erie and Pittsburgh. As reporters filed dozens of stories I updated our website photos from our photographers in the field, wires and archives.
The week after the release I compiled this gallery to take a visual look at the report and the P-G's coverage.
David Zubik, bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, speaks to the media about the grand jury report, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in Downtown. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
The Rev. John Bauer, left, gives communion to longtime parishioner Karen Dunham of Masontown, right, during Mass, Sunday, August 19, 2018, at St. Hugh Catholic Church in Carmichaels. Parishioners like Dunham say they will continue to stand firmly behind Bauer, who was accused of sexual abuse in the report. (Jessie Wardarski/Post-Gazette)
The Post-Gazette posted more than a dozen stories on the day of the release, with dozens more in the following days. On the day of the release I ensured each story had a lead visual that helped inform and tell the story.
I produced an Instagram story and other social media posts as news broke.
