Pennsylvania priest recommended for Disney World job after sexual abuse allegations, grand jury
It was common to see terms such as sick leave or health leave cross the pages of the recently released Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy abuse, often referencing times when a priest was absent from the ministry in relation to child sexual abuse.
Sometimes, thats where their stories stopped.
That terminology, "sick leave," was used three different times when documenting the employment and assignment history of the Rev. Edward George Ganster from the Catholic Diocese of Allentown.
However, his story didn't end there. He went somewhere else to the happiest place on earth" and stayed for quite a while.
Ganster worked at Walt Disney World for 18 years following his departure from the priesthood in 1990. At least least three victims had come forward with child sexual abuse allegations against him.
And the Diocese wrote him the reference letter that secured the job for him. When requesting the recommendation, they told him: I am quite sure that the Diocese will be able to give you a positive reference in regard to the work you did during your years of service here as a priest.
According to the grand jury report, a 13-year-old told his mother that Ganster had hurt him and got in bed with him during an overnight trip to the beach in 1977.
The mother immediately reported the abuse to the Monsignor of the parish, who said he would take care of the situation. She was told that Ganster would be removed from the parish and given some counseling, according to the report.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pennsylvania-priest-recommended-for-disney-world-job-after-sexual-abuse-allegations-grand-jury-report-says/ar-BBLXXnD?li=BBnb7Kz