Monsignor Daniel Martin
Diocese of Erie
Ordination: 1943
Elevated to Monsignor: 1984
Retired: 1986
Death: 2006
Assigned as follows:
- 1943 – 1945: Sacred Heart (Sharon, PA)
- 1945 – 1962: Erie Cathedral Preparatory High School (Erie, PA)
- 1950 – 1962: Chaplain, Mercyhurst College (Erie, PA)
- 1962 – 1970: St. Boniface, (Kersey, PA)
- 1962 – 1970: Elk Co. Christian High School (St. Mary’s, PA)
- 1970 – 1974: St. Joseph (Oil City, PA)
- 1974 – 1986: St. George (Erie, PA)
- 1987: Chaplain, Mercyhurst College for Religious Women (Erie, PA)
- 2003: Blessed Sacrament, in Residence
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Msgr. Daniel Martin:
Msgr. Daniel Martin was ordained a priest in 1943, who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Erie. According to media reports, in 2018, his name was included on the Diocese of Erie list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse. He was also named publicly as accused in the 2018 PA Grand Jury report.
Monsignor Daniel Martin has been the subject of two credible sexual assault allegations. A Grand Jury review of Diocese of Erie files found almost no documented information about the abuse. However, victim testimony supplied what the church did not. The first victim, who is now priest of Erie, testified before a Grand Jury about his experience.
THE CASE OF VICTIM 1:
Victim 1 testified that Martin was his pastor and role model throughout his youth due to the dysfunctional nature of his family and isolation he felt from friends. Between the years of 1988-1990, the church became his surrogate family. Victim 1 turned to Martin during times of emotional unrest and vulnerability where Martin abused the victim’s trust and sexually fondled him. The abuse occurred when the victim was 16 to 19-years-old. According to the victim, Martin abused him three times at St. George, eight times at Mt. Calvary and five times at Mercyhurst College.
Victim 1 claimed Martin was friends with many known pedophile priests such as Father Gary Ketcham, who invited young boys to racquetball where Ketcham would make the boys shower with him. For more information on Ketcham, click here.
Martin also befriended Father Robert Hannon who retired early from the cloth due to sexual misconduct and relocated to Hawaii. For more information Hannon, click here.
According to the victim, sexual abuse experiences openly discussed with spiritual advisors in the seminary. After the victim reported his abuse to the Chancery, Martin was immediately assigned to Mercyhurst College with a restricted ministry to only work alongside Catholic nuns.
THE CASE OF VICTIM 2:
In 1995, another seminarian filed a civil suit against Martin, Bishop Trautman, Father Salvatore Luzzi, Father Leon Muroski and Father Thomas Kelley. Victim 2 claimed to have been harassed and sexually assaulted by the men listed in the suit and eventually settled for $34,500. The former student of St. Mark’s Seminary described the school as a “culture of sexuality” among the priests. Victim 2 reported seminary priests had a “fierce competition” among themselves in regards to sexually preying upon youths with absentee fathers or poor relationships with a said parental figure.
According to the victim, Spiritual Advisors often engaged students of the Seminary in sexual misconduct. Victim 2 claimed that a spiritual counselor, Father Gene Humenay, knew of the abuse, was upset upon learning of the sexual behavior of his fellow priests, but did nothing to stop it. Humenay did not appear before the grand jury to answer the allegations.
Victim 2 named Bishop Trautman in his suit as an enabler, not an abuser. The victim believed the Diocese knew the priests were sexually abusing seminarians but did nothing about it. Victim 2 demanded every individual involved with the misconduct within the Diocese of Erie to be removed from clergy and receive professional counseling. In the Grand Jury review, no files specified Martin was sent to therapy. However, in 1995, a letter from the Diocese of Erie to Victim 2 stated Martin was seen at St. Luke’s Institute, a notorious treatment center for priests accused of sexual misconduct.
The Grand Jury acquired a 1994 confidential memorandum titled RE: Daniel Martin. The message between Bishop Trautman, Victim 2 and Daniel Martin recorded Trautman’s confrontation with Martin on the grounds of the sexual allegations. Martin offered to donate $3,500 to victim 2 to receive proper therapy. Trautman forwarded the check to the victim.
Monsignor Daniel Martin passed away in 2006 as a priest in good standing with the church.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Erie. 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 Erie may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so please do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.