Father Bartley Sorensen
Diocese of Pittsburgh
Ordained: 1976
Assigned as follows:
- 11/1/1976 – 6/29/1981: St. Ferdinand (Cranberry, PA)
- 6/30/1981 – 6/28/1983: St. Colman (Turtle Creek, PA)
- 6/29/1983 – 1/31/1985: St. James (Sewickley, PA)
- 2/1/1985 – 6/11/1990: St. Valentine (Bethal Park, PA)
- 6/11/1990 – 6/1/1992: Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Natrona Heights, PA)
- 6/1/1992 – 9/1/1995: Mater Dolorosa (Chicora, PA)
- 9/1/1995 – 9/10/1999: St. Joseph (Chicora, PA)
- 9/1/1995 – 9/10/1999: Mater Dolorosa (Chicora, PA)
- 9/10/1999 – 1/27/2003: St. Victor (Bairdford, PA)
- 2/9/2004 – 2/4/2011: West Penn Hospital (Pittsburgh, PA)
- 2/4/2011 – 11/14/2011: St. Ann (Pittsburgh, PA)
- 11/14/2011 – 12/9/2011: St. John Fisher (Pittsburgh, PA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Bartley Sorensen:
Father Bartley Sorensen was ordained a priest in 1976 who served in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. According to media reports, in December 2011, a woman went to the residence of in order to speak with him. Upon entering his office, she observed him looking at child pornography on his computer. She believed that the child was older than five years of age, but no more than 10 years of age. When she questioned him about it, he acknowledged it. The woman left and immediately reported the incident to the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
By special mandate, the Bishop placed Sorensen on administrative leave and all his faculties were revoked. The Diocese then immediately contacted the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. Sorensen was arrested that same day.
A search of Sorensen’s residence revealed over 5,000 images of child pornography on his computer, as well as on CDs, DVDs, and various print books. The information was then turned over to the United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania who prosecuted the crime federally.
On May 23, 2012, Sorensen entered a guilty plea and was incarcerated immediately. On January 2, 2013, he was sentenced to 97 months of incarceration, followed by five years of supervised release. Additionally, he is required to permanently register as a convicted sex offender and pay a fine of $25,000.
Sorensen is still incarcerated and it is unknown at which prison he currently resides.
He was first named publicly as accused in a priest profile in the 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. 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 Pittsburgh may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.