Assignment Record – Rev. Robert J. Kelly

Summary of Case: Robert J. Kelly was ordained for the Altoona-Johnstown PA diocese in 1974. He assisted at parishes in State College, Johnstown, Geistown, Altoona, Bellwood, and Gallitzen, and was pastor in Lockhaven and Philipsburg. He spent several years at the North American College in Rome and, for a short time, was a prison chaplain. In 1993 a man reported to the diocese that Kelly sexually abused him from ages 12 to 14 during 1975-77, when Kelly was assigned to Our Lady of Victory in State College. Kelly's accuser said the priest offered him alcohol, and that the abuse occurred at the parish, on drives to the mountains, and at a movie theater. Kelly was quietly sent by Bishop Adamec to treatment then given another parish assignment. He was also sent to a Charleston SC convent as chaplain in around 1993-94. Per the PA Attorney General's March 2016 Grand Jury Report, Kelly also attempted sexual advances on a 14-year-old boy in 1978. The Grand Jury called "horrifying" the fact that Adamec returned Kelly to parish ministry. By 1994 Kelly was the diocese's Director of the Society for the Propogation of the Faith and Holy Childhood Association and in 1999 he was named pastor of SS Peter and Paul in Philipsburg; he remained in both positions until his removal in February 2015 by Bishop Bartchak during a review of previous allegations.

Ordained: 1974

1974

State College

• In 1993 a man told the diocese Kelly sexually abused him when he was ages 12-14 during 1975-77. He said the abuse occurred at Our Lady of Victory, in a movie theater, and near a fire tower in the mountains.

• In 1978 Kelly reportedly attempted sexual advances on a 14-year-old boy.

2/3, 2/4, 4/4

In residence 1979-1980

Our Lady of Victory had a school with 274-209 students.

Kelly denied the allegations. The man filed a civil suit in 2003; the diocese said of the 1993 complaint, "several professional evaluations failed to substantiate concern."

1986

Hogan was succeeded by Joseph Victor Adamec (1987-2011).

1993

Charleston bishop was David Bernard Thompson (1990-1999).

1994

Altoona-Johnstown diocese

1999

Mark Leonard Bartchak replaced Adamec as Altoona-Johnstown bishop (2011-).

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1975-2014)

• Serbin Letter to D.A., September 25, 2002
• Sex Suit Hits Diocese, By Sandra K. Reabuck, The Tribune-Democrat [Altoona PA], February 7, 2003
• New Church Shocker, The Tribune-Democrat [Pennsylvania], Downloaded February 23, 2003
• Local Clergy Implicated in Abuse Scandal, By Lara Brenckle, Centre Daily Times, February 25, 2003
• Men Allege Diocesan Officials Concealed Abuse, By Mike Joseph, Centre Daily Times , March 5, 2003
• 2 More Priests Accused of Molesting, Altoona-Johnstown Diocese Targeted, By Tom Gibb, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
March 5, 2003
• Priest Suits Pile up, The Tribune-Democrat [Altoona PA], Downloaded March 6, 2003
• Bishop Adamec Releases Statement Names 13 Individuals Accused of Sexual Misconduct, By G. Kerry Webster, Daily Herald, March 10, 2003
• No Cover-up Was Involved, Adamec Says, By Susan Evans, The Tribune-democrat, March 11, 2003
• Abuse Scandal to Cost Diocese $3.7 Million, By Jennifer C. Yates, The Associated Press, carried in Centre Daily Times [Pennsylvania], Downloaded May 28, 2004
• Bishop suspends priest while he reviews case, By Ryan Brown, Altoona Mirror, February 28, 2015
• Grand jury: Hundreds of children sexually abused by priests in Altoona-Johnstown diocese, Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, March 1, 2016
• PA Attorney General's Grand Jury Report, March 1, 2016
• PA GJ FBI Timeline, March 1 2016
• Grand jury report raises questions about relations between Altoona-Johnstown Diocese and law enforcement, By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , March 6, 2016
• Cambria County judge among senior officials who ignored reports of sex abuse in Altoona diocese, By Ivey Dejesus
PennLive, March 8, 2016

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Kelly's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on March 22, 2016.