Edward Konat

Ordained:
Diocese: Diocese of Harrisburg

From Report I of the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

In August of 1987, Monsignor Hugh Overbaugh wrote a memorandum to Bishop William Keeler regarding Father Edward Konat.  Overbaugh received a phone call from the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah. The Diocese of Salt Lake advised that they heard Father Konat was working in the Diocese of Harrisburg.  While Konat was at the Diocese of Salt Lake, he was accused of pedophilia.  Konat had been accused at least four times of sexual advances towards young boys.  On one occasion, Konat conducted “scrotum” checks of minor boys.  His priestly faculties were withdrawn.

According to a memorandum by Overbaugh in August of 1987, Keeler requested Konat resign because Konat failed to disclose the allegations against Konat from the Diocese of Salt Lake. In November of 1987, the Diocese notified the Province of the Society of Jesus regarding Konat.

Diocesan documents provide the following information.  In June 1988, the Diocese of Miami contacted the Diocese of Harrisburg regarding Konat. Keeler noted that he received and contacted the references provided by Konat in 1987.  The references checked out positively. Overbaugh reported to the Diocese of Miami that Konat had not disclosed the events from Utah. Overbaugh advised Konat to disclose his past history to the Diocese of Miami.  Overbaugh advised that Keeler affirmed that Konat “worked well in the short amount of time he served in the Diocese of Harrisburg but could not condone the fact that Father Konat had deliberately withheld information concerning his time spent in Utah.”

Additional information regarding the widespread sexual abuse of children within the Catholic Dioceses of Pennsylvania and the systemic cover up by senior church officials is compiled in the Pennsylvania Diocese Victim’s Report published by the Pennsylvania Attorney General following a two-year grand jury investigation.  A complete copy of the Report is available on the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s website.