A Pennsylvania grand jury’s report alleging decades of horrific child sexual abuse by Catholic priests is casting new light on the state’s statute of limitation law – which the grand jury and state officials says is stopping them from filing criminal charges. The law also means few, if any, of the 1,000 people who say they suffered abuse at the hands of 300 Roman Catholic priests will be able to sue for civil damages. “We ask the Pennsylvania legislature to stop shielding child sexual predators behind the criminal statute of limitations,” the grand jury said in its report. In response to the shocking allegations, state Rep.