Mark Bartchak

Mark Leonard Bartchak (born January 1, 1955) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church serving as bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown in Pennsylvania since 2011.

Early life and education
Mark Bartchak was born on January 1, 1955, in Cleveland, Ohio, the fifth of eight children and the son of Leonard Bartchak and Rosemary (nee: Beck) Bartchak-Shay. He attended Catholic elementary and secondary schools, graduating in 1973 from Bradford Central Christian High School in Bradford, Pennsylvania.

After graduating from high school, Bartchak decided to become a priest. He entered St. Mark Seminary in Erie, Pennsylvania, and started his studies at Gannon University, also in Erie. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Gannon in 1977. Bartchak continued his preparation for the priest hood at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York, receiving a Master of Arts degree in theology in 1981.

Bartchak was ordained as a transitional deacon at Christ the King Seminary on September 22, 1980, and was assigned to serve at St. Joseph Parish in Warren, Pennsylvania.

Ordination and ministry
Bartchak was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Erie on May 15, 1981, by Bishop Michael J. Murphy at St. Peter Cathedral in Erie. The diocese assigned Bartchak as temporary parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish. In August 1981, he was named parochial vicar at St. Francis Parish in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. During this period also served as assistant principal and theology teacher at St. Francis High School in Clearfield and as part-time chaplain at the Clearfield Hospital.

Bartchak was then transferred to St. Leo Magnus Parish in Ridgway, Pennsylvania, to serve as the temporary parish administrator, later becoming parochial vicar there. He also visited patients at the Elk County General Hospital in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, and inmates at the Elk County Prison in Ridgway.

In 1982, Bartchak was appointed as part-time defender of the bond for the diocese and in 1986 he was assigned full-time to the diocesan tribunal. Bartchak then attended the Catholic University of America School of Canon Law in Washington, D.C., where he received a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1989. During his time in Washington, Bartchak assisted as a confessor at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

In August 1991, Bartchak was assigned to reside at St. Stanislaus Parish in Erie and provide weekend pastoral assistance. He received a Doctor of Canon Law degree from Catholic University in 1992. That same year, Bartchak was appointed by Bishop Donald Trautman as judicial vicar and director of the Office of Conciliation & Arbitration of the diocese. In 2000, Pope John Paul II named Bartchak as chaplain to his holiness. In addition to these duties, Bartchak was named vicar for canonical affairs in 2004. Bartchak also served as an ex-officio member of the presbyteral council, the administrative cabinet and various diocesan committees. He served on the planning committee for the establishment of the permanent diaconate formation program for the diocese.

In 2004, Bartchak was appointed to the administrative board and the executive committee of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. In 2007 he was appointed as a consultant for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance.

Handling of sexual abuse in Erie Diocese
A grand jury report published by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro on August 14, 2018, criticized Bartchak for his investigation of Reverend William Presley, a priest in the Diocese of Erie. The Vatican had assigned Bartchak, a member of the diocesan tribunal in 2005, to investigate allegations of sexual abuse against minors by Presley. As part of his investigation, Bartchak re-interviewed one male accuser who had sent accusations to the diocese in 1982, 1987 and 2002.

On August 25, 2005, Bartchak sent a secret memo about Presley to Bishop Trautman. Parts of the memo read "I was not surprised to learn from other witnesses from the Elk County area that there are likely to be other victims" and that "it is likely that there may be others who were also of the age for the offenses to be considered delicts, but to what end is it necessary to follow every lead?" Trautman decided that it was "not likely that they will lead to information concerning delicts involving minors under 16 years of age," Bartchak wrote.

Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown
On January 14, 2011, Bartchak was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as bishop of Altoona-Johnstown; Bartchak was consecrated bishop by Cardinal Justin Rigali on April 19, 2011. In December 2018, Bartchak said that the diocese had to date paid $21.5 million in settlements to victims of sexual abuse by its clergy. He stated:"I apologize to all who have suffered from sexual abuse, especially perpetrated by some members of the clergy. I apologize to your families and loved ones. I apologize to all who feel shock, disgust, anger, confusion, disappointment, and betrayal."Pope Francis named Bartchak a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura on June 21, 2021.