Father Mark Rossetti
Diocese of Scranton
Ordained: 1985
Resigned: 1995
Laicized: 2007
Assigned to Archdiocese of New York: 1997-2002
Died: 2018
Assigned as follows:
- 1985-1987: St. John the Evangelist (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
- 1987: Ss. Peter and Paul (Plains, PA)
- 1987-1990: St. John the Evangelist (Pittston, PA)
- 1990-1991: Holy Name (Swoyersville, PA)
- 1991-1994: St. John the Evangelist (Pittston, PA)
- 1994-1995: St. Joseph (Friendsville, PA)
- 1997-2002: Assigned in Archdiocese of New York (Congers, NY: St. Paul)
- 2002-2006: Leave of Absence/ U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain
- 2006-2007: Unassigned/Leave of Absence
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Mark Rossetti:
Father Mark Rossetti was ordained a priest in 1985, who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Scranton. According to media reports, in 1995, the Diocese of Scranton was made aware of an incident involving Father Mark Rossetti and a 13 year old boy at St. Joseph's parish. According to the 2018 PA Grand Jury report, Rossetti was accused of hugging and French kissing the boy, and discussing with him how "far they should go." The incident was reported to police. Rossetti was removed from ministry and sent for a psychological examination. Three weeks later, the family signed a waiver of prosecution to end the police investigation.
In 1997, after Rossetti had been without assignment for two years, Bishop James Timlin wrote to Archbishop John O'Connor in New York, to request an assignment for Rossetti. Timlin provided his personal assurance that Rossetti was not a risk to parishioners in any way. Rossetti worked in the Archdiocese of New York from 1998 to 2002.
In 2018, he was first named publicly as accused in the PA Grand Jury Report, which noted that Rossetti returned to ministry in Scranton until he was laicized in 2007.
Rossetti died in 2018.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Scranton. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Scranton may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Pennsylvania and nationwide. We can help.
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