CONNELLSVILLE — Police say a masked man attacked a priest by hitting him with a hard object at his parish.

Connellsville police said Father Joseph Bonafed, 48, was attacked in or near the rectory at Immaculate Conception Church where he is pastor.

Jerry Zufelt, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, said church officials are saddened by the attack. He said Father Bonafed needed stitches after he was hit, but the priest has returned to work and is doing "as well as can be expected."

Police and church officials are not offering a motive for the attack and said nobody has been arrested.

The masked attacker was reportedly dressed in black when he attacked the priest the evening of March 3. The attack was first publicized Monday.

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Democrats chose former congressional aide Mark Critz as the nominee for a special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by John Murtha, who died Feb. 8.Party officials cited Critz's victory in a nonbinding straw poll by local party members over the weekend. Democratic party chairman T.J. Rooney said the party looks forward to a "spirited and exciting" race but Critz would be "a phenomenal candidate."Critz of Johnstown won 46 of the 83 votes cast at a meeting Saturday in Delmont. He was a longtime aide of Murtha's and had been endorsed by the late congressman's widow. Former state treasurer and auditor general Barbara Hafer received 22 votes and Cambria County controller Ed Cernic took 14.

HARRISBURG — Mayors of small and medium-sized Pennsylvania cities say the Legislature must allow them to raise new tax revenue to prevent more of them from falling into financial crisis.More than two dozen mayors appeared Monday in the Capitol to push lawmakers to take action on bills that would help the cities get new revenue from sales taxes and reimbursements for tax-exempt properties.Reading Mayor Tom McMahon said lawmakers need to acknowledge the crisis before crucial services in entire regions are in jeopardy.The mayors say they aren't looking for a bailout, but need the tools to help themselves.