Mr. Bryan Schlager

Diocese of Harrisburg

Assigned as Follows:

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary (Wynnewood, PA)
St. Ignatius (Sinking Springs, PA)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Mr. Bryan Schlager:

In August of 2009, Bryan Schlager was seminarian for the Diocese of Harrisburg. In December of 2010, he withdrew from the seminary and was no longer studying to be a priest for the diocese.

According to the Diocesan memorandum, in February of 2011, a 15-year-old boy reported to Father Sawicki that he had received inappropriate communications from Bryan Schlager during a private Facebook chat. According to the boy, Schlager asked him about masturbation and pornography. After being confronted by the diocese about the exchange with the boy, Bryan Schlager "voluntarily withdrew." from all activities on a diocese and parish level.

The Diocese of Harrisburg requested Schlager be removed from the substitute teacher list at Lancaster High School. He did however retain his Youth Protection credentials, which is apparently a Diocesan program.

An official investigation was conducted in 2008 by the Diocese of Harrisburg for the inappropriate communications from Schlager prior to entering the seminary program. The diocese produced a report of the investigation. During this investigation, another minor complained about receiving inappropriate communications from Schlager in November of 2010.

Bryan Schlager withdrew from the seminary program completely in December of 2010, after he had more inappropriate sexual conversations with other seminarians.

According to the diocese, another minor received inappropriate communications from Schlager in 2011. In 2012, Schlager was working as the organist at St. Ignatius in Sinking Springs, and was removed from the position because he had befriended a family with small children. He passed an inappropriate note to a young boy who was in the family. The pastor of St. Ignatius did not disclose the contents of the note to the Chancellor Carol Houghton.

In March 2014, Bryan Schlager was observed volunteering at a faith-based retreat. The Diocese of Harriburg removed his Youth Protection credentials.

His name has been included on the Diocese of Harrisburg's 2018 list of credibly accused priests/clergy members, and the PA Grand Jury Report as of August 14th, 2018.

In February 2020, the Diocese of Harrisburg filed for bankruptcy protection. As part of its bankruptcy, the Diocese of Harrisburg will be reviewing and paying claims for anyone sexually abused by diocesan priests and lay employees. This will likely include claims filed on behalf of anyone whose case may be beyond the statute of limitations. Ahead of the grand jury report, the Diocese of Harrisburg released the names of 71 priests, seminarians and laypersons accused of sexually abusing children since 1941. This was from the updated list that the diocese released in August of 2018. After the report was released, the total was over 301 identified and accused priests in Pennsylvania alone.

According to the proceedings, Bryan Schlager is still living. His current whereabouts and his exact status in the church is unknown.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg and throughout Pennsylvania. The Diocese of Harrisburg filed for federal bankruptcy protection in February 2020. Anyone sexually abused by a priest or employee of the Diocese of Harrisburg may be entitled to file a claim against the Diocese in these bankruptcy proceedings, but very strict filing deadlines apply. Most victims of abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg will never be able to take action against the Diocese of Harrisburg if they miss this bankruptcy filing deadline, so it is important that you contact us immediately to discuss your potential case.

Mr. Bryan Schlager – Diocese of Harrisburg