Father Lawrence Stebler
Diocese of Pittsburgh
Ordained: 1963
Died: 1997
Assigned as follows:
- 5/20/1963 - 8/27/1967: St. Hilary (Washington, PA)
- 8/28/1967 - 11/30/1969: Our Lady of Fatima (Hopewell Township, PA)
- 12/1/1969 - 6/13/1988: St. Stephen (Hazelwood, PA)
- 6/14/1988 - 1/1/1996: St. Victor (Bairdford, PA)
- 1/1/1996 - 6/17/1996: Leave of Absence
- 6/17/1996 - 6/9/1997: St. Theresa of Avila (Perrysville, PA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Lawrence Stebler:
Father Lawrence Stebler was ordained a priest in 1963 who served in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. According to media reports, an adult male alleged that when he was approximately 8 to 9 years old, he was sexually abused by Father Stebler when he was assigned to St. Hilary in Washington, PA.
He explained that his family was very close with Stebler and that when the priest would visit their home, he would ask the boy's parents if he could tuck him into bed at night. The victim described that when Stebler would get to his room, he would lay the boy down on the bed. Stebler would then touch the victim's head, eyes, chest, belly, waist and then lower than that. When the victim questioned Stebler's action's, he told the boy to lay quietly and not say anything, saying his mom and dad said it was OK and that he was blessing the victim's organs.
He reported that this abuse occurred for 2 or 3 years. The victim also noted that he did in fact previously disclose the abuse to two priests "who basically told him not to discuss it further."
In a letter from February 2006, the victim's therapist wrote to the Diocese of Pittsburgh to document the "severity of the mental health issues that the victim is struggling with as a result of being sexually abused by a priest as a child in the Diocese of Pittsburgh."
Lawrence Stebler died in 1997 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
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 adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.