Many called for the resignation of Bishop David Zubik in an emotional meeting Thursday night at St. Ferdinand Roman Catholic Church in Cranberry Township.

CRANBERRY TWP — Many called for the resignation of Bishop David Zubik in an emotional meeting Thursday night at St. Ferdinand Roman Catholic Church, where the bishop made his fourth and final stop in a series of listening sessions around the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Through tears, survivors of abuse, friends and family of those abused and parishioners throughout the area recounted their experiences with sexual abuse by clergy members and their reaction to the state grand jury report on sexual abuse and rape within the Catholic church.

The report, issued in August, listed 18 clergymen with a Butler County connection as having been accused of various sexual crimes at some point in their careers.

Ryan O'Connor stood up and recounted his abuse at the hands of both his baby sitter and his priest.

O'Connor said the experiences led to a life of substance abuse and despair for many years.

While he ultimately recovered from these addictions, O'Connor said the impact of the abuse on his life continues.

“I had to tell my 12-year-old daughter what I went through,” he said.

Attendees discussed the state of their faith and the impact these revelations have had on it. Many talked about the “privilege” of those in the clergy, insulating them from understanding how people have been affected. Others called for reforms to the priesthood, letting women be priests and letting priests marry.

While calls for Zubik to step down brought applause from those attending, some spoke in defense of the bishop.

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Bishop David Zubik