A historic resignation / Commonweal
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Pope Francis, Voice of the Faithful on April 21, 2021
“The disclosure that the pope had ‘asked for’ the bishop’s resignation, appearing in a statement from the Diocese of Crookston, marked a significant advance in the long effort to hold prelates accountable for concealing clergy sexual abuse.”
Commonweal
“When Msgr. Roger Grundhaus wanted to baptize his niece’s baby in the cathedral of a nearby diocese, there was the simple matter of getting a letter from his bishop affirming that he was a priest in good standing.
“Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner of Crookston in northwest Minnesota obliged the retired priest, a former vicar general of his diocese. ‘He is a person of good moral character and reputation,’ he wrote in 2012. ‘I am unaware of anything in his background which would render him unsuitable to work with minor children.’
“But contrary to that blanket statement, Hoeppner had already heard allegations directly from a diaconate candidate, Ron Vasek, that Grundhaus had molested him in the early 1970s. And so, attorney Jeff Anderson confronted the bishop with the letter during a deposition: ‘That’s a lie, isn’t it?’
“‘Counsel, can you rephrase in a non-argumentative way?’ the diocesan lawyer interjected, and there was no admission from the bishop in settling the lawsuit.
“This letter was part of a trail of evidence leading to the announcement that Pope Francis had asked for and received Hoeppner’s resignation as bishop, a first in the United States under the 2019 Vatican regulations designed to prevent cover-ups of clergy sexual abuse. The disclosure that the pope had ‘asked for’ the bishop’s resignation, appearing in a statement from the Diocese of Crookston, marked a significant advance in the long effort to hold prelates accountable for concealing clergy sexual abuse.”
By Paul Moses, Commonweal — Read more …
Voice of the Faithful publishes 2023 diocesan financial and governance transparency reports
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church Finances, church reform, financial transparency, Voice of the Faithful on December 19, 2023
December 19, 2023
Voice of the Faithful, a Catholic Lay Apostolate committed to promoting transparency in Church operations, has published its 2023 diocesan financial and governance transparency reports. This year marks the seventh year VOTF has reviewed all USCCB dioceses for their online financial transparency and the second year VOTF has studied their online governance transparency, as reflected by lay involvement in Diocesan Finance Councils. The overall results of both studies continue to be positive, report authors said, but much could be improved.
VOTF’s 2023 diocesan financial and governance transparency reviews of all 176 dioceses* comprising the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was conducted during the summer of 2023 by independent reviewers. The reports are “Measuring and Ranking Diocesan Online Financial Transparency: 2023 Report,” and “Lay Involvement in Church Governance Through the Diocesan Finance Council: 2023 Report.” These and all previous VOTF reports on diocesan online financial and governance transparency can be read by clicking here.
The 2023 financial transparency report showed that the number of dioceses posting current audited financial reports increased only incrementally from 115 last year to 116 this year. Posting current audited financial statements is the hallmark of diocesan financial transparency,” said Margaret Roylance, VOTF trustee and Finance Working Group chair.
The report also showed that a new high of 10 U.S. dioceses received a score of 100%, but despite this significant improvement in high-scoring dioceses, the overall average U.S. diocesan transparency score increased only 1%, from 70% in 2022 to 71% in 2023.
“The gradual increase in financial transparency scores over time,” the report said, “does not reflect gradual progress by each individual diocese, but rather significantly increased scores on the part of some dioceses and almost equal decreases in scores of others.” In 2023, the five dioceses losing the most points were responsible for a total loss of 158 points, which nearly erased the gain of 185 points by the five most improved dioceses.
Authors of both reports this year noted this phenomenon. Between 2022 and 2023, an increasing number of dioceses scored both within the passing range of 60%-100% and within the low performing range of 1%-20%.
“High transparency dioceses tend to increase their scores over time, reflecting a commitment to transparency,” The governance transparency report said. “Other dioceses make no progress or fall backward. It appears that the leadership of these lower scoring dioceses have decided that sharing financial or governance information with lay members of their dioceses is not a priority. The VOTF Governance review is a detailed examination of diocesan financial governance which is one aspect of diocesan financial transparency. It is, therefore, not surprising that similar trends may be observed in both studies,” the governance report said.
The ten highest scoring dioceses in VOTF’s financial transparency report, each of whom received the maximum score of 100%, are Bellville, Illinois; Charleston, South Carolina; Erie, Pittsburgh, Scranton and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas; Lexington, Kentucky; Orlando, Florida; and Rochester, New York. Also noteworthy among the next highest scoring dioceses was Youngstown, which not only scored 96% in 2023, but also gained 24 points over its 2022 score of 72%. As pointed out in previous transparency studies, size and financial resources do not appear to be key for achieving financial transparency.
The dioceses with the most improved scores from 2022 to 2023 are Helena, Montana, 30% to 70%; Spokane, Washington, 52% to 92%; Fairbanks, Alaska, 35% to 70%; Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, 57% to 92%; and Springfield, Massachusetts, 25% to 60%. All these dioceses posted audited financial statements this year for the first time since VOTF began these studies in 2017.
The lowest scoring diocese are Steubenville, Ohio, 22%; Reno, Nevada, 20%; Tulsa, Oklahoma, 20%; Shreveport, Louisiana, 19%; and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, 17%. None of these dioceses posted audited financial statements in 2023.
VOTF’s 2023 diocesan financial transparency report authors made the following recommendations:
- VOTF encourages Catholics whose dioceses do not post audited financial reports to communicate their concerns to parish and diocesan leadership, and if leadership says you must request the information, do so.
- VOTF encourages Catholics who cannot find any useful financial information on their diocesan websites, including information about the Diocesan Finance Council, to communicate their concerns to parish and diocesan leadership.
- VOTF encourages Catholics whose dioceses do post audited financial statements to use VOTF’s online guide, “What to Look for When Reviewing Diocesan Financial Statements.”
The objective for VOTF’s governance transparency review was to determine diocesan compliance with Canon Law relating to DFCs, based on information displayed on diocesan websites. VOTF is particularly interested in DFCs because of the importance of lay membership. Under Canon Law, DFC members have duties of “consent” and “consult.” DFC members also are to be “competent” in matters, for example, of finance, law and real estate. These are competencies that few members of the clergy possess, making lay membership vital.
Also, Canon 1277 requires consent from DFCs for bishops to pay “extraordinary” expenses. “I could easily argue that secret settlement payments to victims of clergy sexual abuse are ‘extraordinary’ and that, if bishops had obtained consent from their DFCs, the scandal of child sex abuse would have been discovered much sooner,” said Margaret Roylance, VOTF trustee and Finance Working Group chair.
This year, the governance transparency review saw a 60% increase in the number of dioceses receiving passing scores, 29 dioceses in 2023 compared to 18 in 2022, but the 2023 overall average score was 34% compared to 31% in 2022. “In our opinion,” the governance transparency report’s authors concluded, “evidence of compliance with Canon Law by the Diocesan Finance Councils remains disappointingly low,” even with the increase in the number of dioceses receiving passing scores.
For VOTF’s 2023 governance transparency review, the six top-scoring dioceses are Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, 100%; Lexington, Kentucky, 100%; Rochester, New York, 100%; Memphis, Tennessee, 95%; Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington, 95%; and Youngstown, Ohio, 95%. Among the lowest scoring dioceses are Shreveport, Louisiana, 0%; Lubbock, Texas, 5%; and 33 dioceses tied at 7%.
VOTF’s 2023 report authors emphasized again this year, as they have every year these reviews have been conducted, that, “if the Church had been transparent about payments made to silence victims of clergy sexual abuse, the horror of clergy sexual abuse, although not prevented, would have been reported, not covered up, abusers would have been called to account for their crimes and victims of serial abusers would have been protected.”
*The dioceses of Anchorage and Juneau merged in 2022, so the total number of dioceses in the USCCB went from 177 in 2022 to 176 in 2023.
Voice of the Faithful®: Voice of the Faithful’s® mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church. More information is at www.votf.org.
Pope Francis allows priests to bless same-sex relationships / The New York Times
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Future of the Church, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on December 18, 2023
A church official said the blessings amounted to ‘a real development’ that nevertheless did not amend ‘the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage.’
By Jason Horowitz, The New York Times
“Pope Francis has taken one of the most concrete steps in his efforts to make the Roman Catholic Church more welcoming to L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics by allowing priests to bless couples in same-sex relationships, the Vatican announced on Monday (Dec. 18).
“Priests have long blessed a wide variety of people, offering a prayer asking for God’s help and presence. But the Vatican has previously argued against blessing same-sex couples.
“The new rule was issued in a declaration by the church’s office on doctrine and introduced by its prefect, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, who said that the declaration did not amend ‘the traditional doctrine of the church about marriage,’ because it allowed no liturgical rite that could be confused with the sacrament of marriage.”
By Jason Horowitz, The New York Times — Read more …
A cardinal is convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in a major Vatican financial trial / Associated Pres
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, financial transparency, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on December 18, 2023
The trial focused on the Vatican secretariat of state’s 350 million euro investment in developing a former Harrod’s warehouse into luxury apartments. Prosecutors alleged Vatican monsignors and brokers fleeced the Holy See of tens of millions of euros in fees and commissions and then extorted the Holy See for 15 million euros to cede control of the building.
By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
“A Vatican tribunal on Saturday convicted a cardinal of embezzlement and sentenced him to 5½ years in prison in one of several verdicts handed down in a complicated financial trial that aired the city state’s dirty laundry and tested its justice system.
“Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the first cardinal ever prosecuted by the Vatican criminal court, was absolved of several other charges and his nine co-defendants received a mixed outcome of some guilty verdicts and many acquittals of the nearly 50 charges brought against them during a 2½ year trial.
“Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione, said he respected the sentence but would appeal.
“Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi said the outcome ‘showed we were correct.'”
By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press — Read more …
Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup, Dec. 15, 2023
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on December 14, 2023
Dec. 15, 2023
TOP STORIES
Catholic school, Augustinians settle sex abuse lawsuit for $2M; activists file complaint against Chicagoland dioceses
“Anti-abuse activists lodged a Vatican complaint Thursday (Nov. 30) in response to a $2 million lawsuit settled by a New Lenox Catholic school and the Augustinian religious order, alleging that the ‘actions and inaction’ by Chicagoland Catholic leaders in handling the accused priest is endangering kids. Former Providence Catholic High School student Robert Krankvich filed a lawsuit in April 2018 alleging the school’s longtime principal and president, the Rev. Richard McGrath, repeatedly raped and abused him. Krankvich was between 13 and 15 when he was abused in the school’s gym and wrestling room in the mid-1990s, the lawsuit alleged.” By Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, on news.yahoo.com
‘The devil was in that building’: New Orleans church orphanages’ dark secrets: Survivors of institutions run by Catholic diocese recall litany of sexual abuse as bankruptcy process keeps documents hidden
This is the final installment of a three-part series exploring how the archdiocese of New Orleans’s bankruptcy stands apart from other cases of its kind. The first installment ran on Wednesday 29 November 2023, and the second installment ran on Friday 1 December.
“Call her Sheila. She doesn’t want her name used because of court testimony she has given as a state social worker which helped put men who abused their families in jail. She’s retired now, but still a rescuer by nature. On a recent afternoon she went back to Madonna Manor, the Catholic orphanage in a Spanish colonial revival building, now shuttered, several miles across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. ‘A reverent place,’ she sighed, ‘but it’s also a crime scene.’” By Jason Berry, The Guardian
Pope meets Council of Cardinals to discuss Church’s feminine dimension
“As the Pope announced on 30 November, during an audience with the International Theological Commission, the Council of Cardinals is focusing its reflections on the ‘feminine dimension of the Church.’ ‘The Church is woman,’ said Pope Francis on that occasion. ‘If we do not understand what woman is or what the theology of womanhood is, we will never understand what the Church is.’ He also described the ‘masculinizing’ of the Church as a ‘great sin,’ which has yet to be resolved. The Pope appealed to a distinction proposed by Jesuit theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, who described a ‘Petrine’ or ministerial principle, and a ‘Marian’ or mystical principle.” By Vatican News
- Pope, Council of Cardinals discussed the role of women in the church, By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter
Diocese of Sacramento filing for bankruptcy in new year amid hundreds of sexual abuse allegations, lawsuits
“The Diocese of Sacramento announced Saturday (Dec.9) that it will file Chapter 11 bankruptcy next year following hundreds of sexual abuse allegations and lawsuits. ‘It is now clear to me that this is the only way available to me to resolve these claims as fairly as possible,”’ said Bishop Jaime Soto in a statement. ‘There are many victim-survivors awaiting compensation for the reprehensible sins committed against them.’” By Jeannie Nguyen, ABC-TV10 News
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
When can a pope fire a bishop?
“Pope Francis’ recent moves against two prominent conservative American churchmen, Cardinal Raymond Burke and Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland, raise questions about the authority of the pope to fire or remove a bishop. Both men have made clear their disagreement with Francis’ policies. Most recently, Burke said in a panel discussion in Rome as the Synod on Synodality got underway that the global gathering of bishops and laypeople at the Vatican risked ‘confusion, error and division’ among the faithful. In May, Strickland went so far as to accuse the pope in a tweet of ‘undermining the Deposit of Faith’ — the body of scripture and tradition that make up Catholic belief.” By Thomas Reese, Religion News Service, The Salt Lake Star Tribune
FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION
Council to ask Pope to authorize studies on key synod topics
“The council of the Synod of Bishops will ask Pope Francis to authorize studies on the need to update canon law, revise the rules for priestly formation, deepen a theological reflection on the diaconate — including the possibility of ordaining women deacons — and consider revising a document that provides norms for the relationship of a bishop with members of religious orders in his diocese. “These are matters of great importance, some of which need to be considered at the level of the whole church and in collaboration with the dicasteries of the Roman Curia,” said a statement from the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
To understand Rome’s Synod of Bishops, look to Australia
“Greeting the crowds in St. Peter’s Square after being elected as the first pontiff from the Global South, the Argentine-born Pope Francis joked that it seemed the cardinals had gone ‘almost to the ends of the earth’ to find him. It appears the Vatican’s office for the Synod of Bishops opted for a similar approach when looking to shape Francis’ high stakes summit on the future of the Catholic Church. While less than 20% of Australia is Catholic, its church played an outsized role in shaping the global synod process.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter
Essay raises important questions about Pope Francis’ synodal process
“Theologian John Cavadini, director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, penned an important article about the synthesis document that summed up the deliberations at the recently concluded Synod of Bishops in Rome. Unlike some of the recent commentaries I have seen, Cavadini’s raises important questions about the document and does so in a respectful and thoughtful way … Cavadini’s focus is on the ecclesiology of the document and, specifically, the way synodality constitutes an ongoing part of the reception of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council and its teaching, specifically in Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
POPE FRANCIS
Francis, Strickland & Burke: the pope’s response to U.S. Catholic conservatism
“The year-long break between the first and second assemblies of the Synod on Synodality began with Pope Francis disciplining two of his most outspoken critics. First, he removed Bishop Joseph Strickland as head of the Tyler, Texas, diocese; days later, he reportedly ousted Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke from his Vatican-subsidized apartment and took away the salary Burke was receiving as a retired cardinal. As a procedural matter, the Strickland decision was a straightforward instance of following the measures the Church provides—in this case, an apostolic visitation—concerning the right of the people of God to be governed by the pastor of the diocese, and for ensuring the respect for all those, including clergy, under a diocesan bishop’s jurisdiction.” By Massimo Faggioli. Commonweal
Pope asks theologians to help ‘de-masculinize’ the church
“Asking pardon for speaking plainly, Pope Francis told members of the International Theological Commission that ‘one of the great sins we have had is ‘masculinizing’ the church,’ which also can be seen by the fact that only five of the commission members are women. The pope, who appoints the 28 members of the commission, said the church needs to make more progress in balancing such bodies because ‘women have a capacity for theological reflection that is different from what we men have.’” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter
CARDINALS
Cardinal Gregory discusses synodality, Latin Mass at the Catholic University of America
“At The Catholic University of America to discuss the need for a diverse and welcoming Church, Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory fielded a wide range of audience questions while also reflecting on his own faith journey from childhood. The Dec. 6 talk, ‘Celebrating Diversity,’ on the eve of the 40th anniversary of Cardinal Gregory’s ordination as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago, touted the work of the Archdiocese of Washington’s Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach and its Catholic Civil Dialogue Initiative.” By Kurt Jensen, Our Sunday Visitor
Ex-cardinal McCarrick’s sex assault case in Wisconsin appears to be dead
“A Wisconsin prosecutor has declined to challenge a doctor’s assessment that disgraced ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick is incompetent to stand trial, making it more likely the only remaining criminal charge against McCarrick will be dismissed. McCarrick, 93, was charged with sexual assault in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor, for allegedly fondling an 18-year-old family friend at a Wisconsin lake in the 1970s. If convicted, he would have faced up to nine months in prison and a $10,000 fine.” By Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post
WOMEN’S VOICES
Pope Francis writes a letter to four German women – and surprises almost everyone
“It’s no secret that the German Catholic Church’s reform project, known as the ‘Synodal Path, is a thorn in Pope Francis’ side. He has criticized the process, which has brought forward ideas such as blessings for same-sex couples and the election of bishops, numerous times. But his latest comments on the project came as a surprise for just about everyone, except for four conservative German Catholic women … All of them are former members of the Synodal Path assemblies, who publicly announced their departure from the project last spring.” By Renardo Schlegelmilch, National Catholic Reporter
Exclusive: Synod felt ‘sorrow’ over church’s treatment of women, says Bishop Flores
“The bishops taking part in Pope Francis’ recent major Vatican summit on the future of the Catholic Church wanted to express ‘a certain amount of sorrow’ over how women have been treated by the global faith institution, said one of the American prelates who took part in the gathering … Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, said the delegates wanted to show recognition of ‘how the church has not, in her leadership or in the way it works … appreciated the sacrifice and [that] in so many parts of the world [what] continues to make the church viable is the work of women.’” By Joshua J. McElwee and Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter
CHURCH FINANCES
Vatican trial, now ending, a remembrance of things we thought were past
“… All this comes to mind in light of an essay Melloni published Monday (Dec. 4), which echoes a point Magister first made last May: To wit, that a new fundamental law Pope Francis issued for the Vatican City State on May 13, 2023, contains an absolutely unprecedented claim about the pontiff’s temporal authority. The pope, the document asserts, is ‘called by virtue of the munus petrinum [Petrine ministry] to exercise sovereign powers over the Vatican City State.’” By John L. Allen, Jr., Cruxnow.com
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Sex abuse survivors rarely disclose until adulthood. Kentucky law should reflect that.
“Twenty years ago, my partners and I achieved a historic settlement against the Archdiocese of Louisville on behalf of 243 men and women sexually abused during their childhood. In the months following the April 2002 filing of that lawsuit, these brave survivors stood tall before the cameras and shared their stories to an audience who initially refused to accept that these horrors were true … Because the Archdiocese of Louisville settled but did not admit liability, our community was left to see if our justice system could prevent further horrific abuses of children.” By Willam F. McMurry, Courier Journal
CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
Court documents reveal Father James Jackson said he was sexually abused as a child
“New court documents reveal that Traditional Latin Mass priest Father James Jackson, who pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge in June, told authorities he was sexually abused as a child. Additionally, a statement from his sister filed with the court said that Jackson engaged in a life of drugs, alcohol, and ‘sexual wildness’ as a young person. Jackson signed a plea agreement in June admitting to a single charge of receipt of child pornography, while prosecutors moved to dismiss a second count of possession of child pornography.” By Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency
- Catholic priest sentenced to federal prison on child pornography charge, By U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Rhode Island
- Ex-Providence priest sentenced to prison for ‘egregious’ crimes. What to know. By Katie Mulvaney, Providence Journal
CALIFORNIA
Bishop explains ‘difficult decision’ for Diocese of Sacramento to file for bankruptcy
“Amid hundreds of lawsuits accusing clergy of sexual abuse, the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento announced on Saturday (dec. it intends to file for bankruptcy. Bishop Jaime Soto said he believes it is the most transparent, fair and respectful way to address all the claims.” By Lysée Mitri, KCRA-TV3 News
ILLINOIS
Advocat4es for clergy sex abuse survivors want priest added to all Chicago-area dioceses’ predator clergy lists
“After being secretive for years, the Augustinian Catholic order has promised to publish early in 2024 a list of priests credibly accused of abuse. On Thursday (Nov. 30), an advocacy group called for the Rev. Richard J. McGrath, a priest accused of child sex abuse, to also be placed on predator priest lists kept by all Chicago-area dioceses where he worked. At a news conference outside the Hyde Park friary where McGrath once lived, clergy sex abuse survivor advocates demanded that his name also be added to the lists of the Chicago, Joliet and Rockford dioceses.” By David Struett, Chicago Sun-Times
He says a priest sexually abused him. When he told the diocese, he was traumatized again.
“The memories of what happened to him more than 60 years ago are somewhat hazy. But the shock, trauma and emotional scars are as clear today as they were then. He was 6 years old when he says he was sexually assaulted by a group of men that included Father Patrick Brennan, a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. The abuse decades ago has shaped the rest of his life in grueling ways. Isolation from other children, alcoholism, suicide attempts, marital problems and emotional trauma embedded in his psyche.” By J.J. Bullock, Peoria Journal Star
KENTUCKY
Sexual predator was associate pastor at my Catholic school and parish
“A Louisville Courier-Journal Op Ed piece ran the other day about how Kentucky law does not really allow victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests to file lawsuits because of statute of limitations requirements. Many of the victims do not report the abuse until well into the 40’s or older. I noticed in the opinion piece that the Louisville Archdiocese settled a lawsuit over this very subject back in 2003. The Archdiocese admitted no liability, but a list of sexual predators who had served in Kentucky was published. I was shocked to find out that I knew one of those sexual predators — Father John Elder.” By DailyKOS.com
LOUISIANA
‘He controlled my life’: New Orleans archdiocese ignored woman’s claims before priest’s abrupt dismissal
“A Louisiana Catholic priest’s sudden dismissal from the church where he had been a popular pastor for the last several years has set off a fresh scandal in the embattled New Orleans archdiocese, the second-oldest in the US. As they tell it, local church leaders rescinded Anthony Odiong’s invitation to serve as a cleric in the region due to unspecified ‘concerns … about [his] ministry prior’ to his arrival in the archdiocese – ‘and quite possibly during his time’ there. As a result, the New Orleans archbishop, Gregory Aymond, told Odiong’s bishop in Nigeria to recall him to his home diocese ‘as soon as possible to address these concerns,’ officials said in a statement.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian
Trial date set for Lawrence Hecker, ex-New Orleans pries accused of raping teenager
“An Orleans Parish judge on Thursday (Dec. 8) set a March 25 trial date for Lawrence Hecker, the 92-year-old retired New Orleans priest accused of raping and kidnapping a teenager nearly 50 years ago. Hecker, who served in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, allegedly confessed in 1999 to church leaders that he had molested several teenagers over a span of 15 years, according to an investigation The Guardian published in June. The archdiocese allowed him to stay in the church.” By Jillian Kramer, Nola.com
Sex abuse lawsuit against Diocese of Lafayette goes to Louisiana Supreme Court
“The case of alleged sexual abuse against the Diocese of Lafayette and Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church will be heard by the Louisiana Supreme Court. The court announced it would take the case and ordered the District Court and the Court of Appeal to send up the records of the case, in a release Tuesday (Dec.5) … The lawsuit originally filed in 2018 alleges the Rev. Kenneth Morvant abused Doug Bienvenu and other altar boys by giving them alcohol and using the ‘Power of God’ to prey upon them. Bienvenu, the only plaintiff named in the suit, said he was nine years old when the alleged abuse started.’ By Scott Yoshonis, KLFY-TV10 News
- Priests on the move: tracking the alarming transfers of Louisiana predator priests, By Adam Horowitz, adamhorowitzlaw.com
- Louisiana Supreme Court will settle ‘lookback’ law with Acadiana clergy sex abuse cases, By KADN-TV15 News
MASSACHUSETTS
Will a new day dawn for adult victims of clergy abuse?
“Early this year, a retired phys ed teacher left her ranch house in Easthampton and drove down the interstate to tell her story of clergy abuse. It wasn’t Nancy A. Dunn’s first time before the Springfield Diocese’s review board, which meets in the red-brick Maguire Pastoral Center to hear allegations of clergy misconduct. But it was her last. The board later informed Dunn she needn’t have come back. Why? The diocese had already written her a six-figure check, she says she was told, to compensate her for a priest’s misconduct in the 1990s.” By Larry Parnass, MassLive.com
- Therapist sees ‘two betrayals’ in Springfield diocese’s response to client, By Larry Parnass, MassLive.com
NEW YORK.
Hundreds of CVA cases in limbo due to flaw in Child Victims Act
“A potential flaw in the legislation that created New York’s Child Victims Act has led to legal turmoil in hundreds of cases filed by alleged sexual abuse victims in the Court of Claims, where the state attorney general’s office has waged a fierce effort to have many of the lawsuits that were filed against New York agencies dismissed. A central focus of the state’s litigation strategy has been to assert that in the Court of Claims — where litigation targeting state-affiliated individuals or entities is adjudicated — the rules require a claimant to provide the date and location of when and where an incident is alleged to have taken place.” By Brendan J. Lyons, Albany Times Union
Rockville Centre Diocese offers ‘best, final proposal, for sexual abuse survivors
“The Diocese of Rockville Centre has made its ‘best and final proposal’ for victims of sexual abuse. The offer announced on Tuesday (Dec. 5) totals $200 million in compensation, Diocese spokesperson Sean Dolan said, adding that the amended plan is the ‘most efficient and most effective means to immediately begin compensating all eligible survivors.’” By Jerry Barmash, Rockville Centre Patch
New lawsuit shows church has work to do in protecting adults from clergy abuse
“Legal action filed against a New York state diocese shows the Catholic Church in the U.S. has significant work to do in safeguarding adults from clerical abuse. The Diocese of Rochester, New York, announced on its news website, the Catholic Courier, that it had been served Nov. 16 with a civil lawsuit involving an adult and Father Matthew Jones. The action alleges that the 41-year-old Father Jones, then pastor of All Saints Parish in Corning, New York had sexually abused male parishioner in his 20s who had sought pastoral counseling.” By Gina Christian, OSV News, on angelusnews.com
WASHINGTON, D.C.
‘Accept responsibility’: survivor behind lawsuit against Washington Archdiocese wants closure
“A Maryland man behind a class action lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Washington said the assault he endured as a child by a priest caused decades of substance abuse, shame and depression. ‘From age 15 until I was 40 … I used alcohol to cope with the pain, but all that did was turn me into an alcoholic,’ said the man identified in court filings under the pseudonym ‘Richard Roe.’ Roe is one of three men named in the filing, which asserts the archdiocese did little to prevent and protect them from abuse when they were children in the church.” By Tracee Wilkins, NBC-TV4 News
WISCONSIN
Milwaukee response to clergy complaint raises questions
“While Pope Francis has urged diocesan bishops to take more seriously the canonical discipline of clerics, the outgoing chairman of the U.S. bishops’ canonical affairs committee has not taken steps to address canonically reports of public cohabitation by a senior-ranking official in his archdiocese. A spokesperson for Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee told The Pillar that the archdiocese has ‘spoken with’ judicial vicar Fr. Mark Payne, who hired as a parish schoolteacher last year a layperson with whom he had maintained a public romantic relationship, and with whom he has shared a condo for decades.” By The Pillar
AUSTRALIA
Father David Lancini to appear in court on child sex abuse charges
“A Catholic priest with decades of service to church communities is facing allegations he abused a boy in historical sex crimes going back decades. Queensland Police allege Father David Lancini, a priest from Townsville in the state’s north, abused a boy under the age of 14 between 1969 and 1971. Fr Lancini now faces eight counts of indecent treatment of a boy under 14 and he will appear in Townsville Magistrates Court for the first time on December 5.” By Duncan Evans, news.com.au
‘It represents difficult stories’: survivors of clergy abuse ahead of George Pell’s funeral
“Victim-survivors of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy gathered outside St Mary’s Cathedral as the coffin of Cardinal George Pell returned to the Sydney church on Wednesday (Dec. 6) ahead of his funeral on Thursday. Since Monday, survivors and their supporters have been tying ribbons to the fence of the cathedral in memory of those victims who could not be there in person. Clergy abuse survivor Paul Auchettl has been leading a group tying ribbons to the church gates to represent the voices of those ‘who are gone, who are suffering, who have been harmed’ by child sexual abuse, he said.” By The Guardian on news.yahoo.com
BELGIUM
In Belgium, sexual abuse in Catholic Church sparks debate over state funding
“In Belgium, a recent documentary on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has caused shock and soul-searching, reigniting a debate about the way religion is funded in the country. Unlike in neighboring France, the Belgian state finances officially recognized religions, with representatives of the Catholic Church receiving the best pay. But the abuse scandal has seen many people demand a change in the rules. The justice ministry has asked the Church to remove members of the clergy guilty of sexual abuse from the list of those paid by the state, and a parliamentary inquiry is underway.” Our correspondent reports. By France24.com
Belgian priest seeking justice for sex abuse victims
“Since the broadcast of a shocking documentary about abuse in the Belgian Catholic Church awakened buried traumas, former priest Rik Deville has been overwhelmed by heart-breaking stories. One victim, an 86-year-old man, called Deville from his car where he had locked himself, in floods of tears. He finally told someone of the horrific abuse he suffered that even his nearest and dearest didn’t know. Deville devotes his life to providing support to victims of sexual abuse in the Church, carefully reading each victim’s story and taking their many phone calls.” By Matthieu Demeestere, Barron’s
CANADA
Avondale priest charged with sexual assault against an adult
“A Roman Catholic priest in Avondale has been charged with sexual assault against an adult. Thomas Offong, 49, was charged following an investigation by the RCMP in Holyrood, according to a press release issued by the police Friday (Dec. 1). He is scheduled to appear at provincial court in St. John’s on Feb. 6. Police provided no other information about Offong, the circumstances or the alleged victim, and told CBC News they wouldn’t comment further as the matter is now before the courts.” By Alex Kennedy, CBC News
P.E.I. priest sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation
“A retired Roman Catholic priest on P.E.I. has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of a teenage boy in the 1990s. Maurice Joseph Praught, 70, entered the plea in a Charlottetown courtroom Tuesday morning. He was arrested in 2022 following a joint investigation by Summerside police and the RCMP after the Diocese of Charlottetown reported the allegations. He was initially charged with six counts of sexual exploitation and four counts of sexual assault, but the remainder of those charges have been stayed or withdrawn.” By CBC News
369 people come forward with abuse claims against Archdiocese of St. John’s in bankruptcy case
“The final tally is in — 369 people have come forward claiming they were abused physically or sexually by people under the watch of the Archdiocese of St. John’s, including the Christian Brothers at Mount Cashel. Archbishop Peter Hundt delivered the message to parishioners during Roman Catholic masses on Sunday, saying each of those claims are now being evaluated by an independent claims officer to ‘provide both a determination of liability and a value for each claim.’ It’s the latest update in the archdiocese’s insolvency proceedings, which began when the organization filed for creditor protection on Dec. 22, 2021.” By Ryan Cooke and Alex Kennedy, CBC News
GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES
English priest sentenced after conviction for sexual abuse of a child
“Father Reginald Dunkling, a priest of the Diocese of Westminster in England, was sentenced Dec. 1 for a non-recent sexual abuse of a child. The Wood Green Crown Court imposed a 12-month community order, with additional requirements. The diocese said Dunkling, now 61, withdrew from ministry in May 2020, and since that time has had no role in public ministry. The church issued a statement saying that following his conviction, the priest does not, and will not, have any role in public ministry.” By Charles Collins, Cruxnow.com
IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND
Former priest, 72, pleads guilty to raft of sex abuse charges against young boy as he appears in court
“A former priest has pleaded guilty to a raft of sex abuse charges against a young boy. Eamonn Crossan appeared at Donegal Circuit Court facing a total of 96 sex-related charges. The 72-year-old was due to stand trial before a judge and jury. However, just moments before a jury was due to be sworn in for his trial, Crossan’s legal team informed Judge John Aylmer there could be progress in the case. After a short adjournment, it was indicated that Crossan was pleading guilty to a total of nine sample charges ranging from indecent assault to sexual assault.” By Stephen Maguire, The Irish Sun
Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Focus news roundup, Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on November 29, 2023
Dec. 1, 2023
TOP STORIES
‘Excuse me, Your Eminence, she has not finished speaking
“Without doubt, the best line to emanate from the synod on synodality is ‘Excuse me, Your Eminence, she has not finished speaking.’ That sums up the synod and the state of the Catholic Church’s attitude toward change. In October, hundreds of bishops, joined by lay men and women, priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers met for nearly a month in Rome for the synod on synodality. At its end, the synod released a synthesis report brimming with the hope and the promise that the church would be a more listening church. Some 54 women voted at the synod. Back home, women are still ignored.” By Phyllis Zagano, National Catholic Reporter
Pope Francis intervenes in German Synodal Way, says it threatens Church unity
“Pope Francis has expressed deep reservations about the direction of the Catholic Church in Germany, warning that concrete steps currently being taken ‘threaten’ to undermine unity with the universal Church. The pope made his criticisms in a letter to four German Catholic laywomen that was published in the German newspaper Welt on Nov. 21. ‘There are indeed numerous steps being taken by significant segments of this local Church that threaten to steer it increasingly away from the universal Church’s common path,’ the pope wrote.” By Jonathan Liedl, Catholic News Agency
Pope Francis meets with French abuse victims
“Pope Francis met Tuesday (Nov. 28) with a group of clerical sexual abuse victims from the French diocese of Nantes, a public appointment Francis kept despite a lingering bacterial infection that is causing inflammation of the lungs that has caused him to curtail his schedule significantly over the past few days and cancel a trip to Dubai for the COP-28 climate change summit, Dec. 1-3. Tuesday’s encounter between the pope and sex abuse survivors took place in the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse where Francis has lived throughout his pontificate. It followed a round of meetings the victims had with officials at the headquarters of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM).” By Cruxnow.com staff
In the U.S., Black survivors are nearly invisible in the Catholic clergy sexual abuse crisis
“As Charles Richardson gradually lost his eyesight to complications from diabetes, certain childhood memories haunted him even more. The Catholic priest appeared vividly in his mind’s eye — the one who promised him a spot on a travel basketball team, took him out for burgers and helped him with homework. The one, Richardson alleges, who sexually assaulted him for more than a year. ‘I’ve been seeing him a lot lately,’ Richardson said during a recent interview, dabbing tears from behind dark glasses.” By Tiffany Stanley and Lea Skene, Associated Press
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
‘You’re only as sick as your secrets’: New Orleans clergy abuse bankruptcy is uniquely acrimonious
This is the first installment of a three-part series exploring how the archdiocese of New Orleans’s bankruptcy stands apart from other cases of its kind.
“The church is using legal tactics to prevent testimony from survivors and spur expensive inquiries into its critics … Many secondary schools, notably eastern college preps like Exeter Academy and Horace Mann in Manhattan, have weathered long-ago abuse cases. As Trahant’s school ties eroded, he took on a steadily increasing number of Catholic clergy abuse clients. He also lost his faith. Yet he never imagined the blowback that would come after the New Orleans archdiocese, facing many abuse lawsuits, sought federal bankruptcy protection in 2020.” By Jason Berry and Roman Antonio Vargas, The Guardian
FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION
Peru’s Cardinal Barreto on what the Amazon synod and Latin America can teach the entire church
“Cardinal Pedro Barreto, 79, the archbishop of Huancayo in the Central Andes mountains of Peru, rejoiced when the synthesis document of the first session of the Synod on Synodality recognized the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon as ‘an example of synodality,’ that is of ‘a mode of being church that integrates communion, mission and participation.’ In an exclusive interview with America’s Vatican correspondent on Oct. 30, Cardinal Barreto revealed that he had given a brief intervention at the synod on the synodal process that has developed in the church of the Amazon region over the past 10 years.” By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review
Franciscan bishop implements Jesuit pope’s synodal vision in Australia
“As more than 200 delegates participating in the first-ever synod for the Australian Diocese of Parramatta filed out of their opening Mass, they were discreetly given flyers by those questioning both the meeting and the bishop who had called it. Since his installation as the head of the diocese in the western suburbs of Sydney in 2016, Bishop Vincent Long has ruffled more than a few feathers for his support of LGBTQ Catholics, his advocacy in support of the country’s recent referendum on Indigenous representation, and his own personal testimony of being a victim of clergy sexual abuse.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter
At the synod in Rome: waiting to find out where to go
“The synod did not turn out exactly the way anyone expected. Thanks be to God. Due to some good luck in scheduling, I was in Rome for the conclusion of the first general assembly of the Synod on Synodality, at the end of October. We had just finished an America Media pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome, spending time reflecting on the spirituality of both St. Francis and St. Ignatius and how they have informed the ministry of Pope Francis.” By Sam Sawyer, S.J., America: The Jesuit Review
POPE FRANCIS
Acting to end abuse in the Church is ‘non-negotiable,’ pope says
“The Catholic Church and all its members must end silence about clerical sexual abuse and ensure cases are no longer covered up, Pope Francis said, adding it is ‘non-negotiable.’ Meeting Nov. 18 with Italian diocesan and regional representatives of safeguarding programs and listening centers, the pope said it also is essential to ‘pursue the ascertainment of the truth and the restoration of justice in the ecclesial community, including in those cases where certain behaviors are not considered crimes by the law of the state, but are under canon law.’” By Catholic News Service
CARDINALS
Pope Francis to remove Cardinal Burke’s Vatican apartment and salary, sources say
“Pope Francis has punished one of his highest-ranking critics, Cardinal Raymond Burke, by yanking his right to a subsidized Vatican apartment and salary in the second such radical action against a conservative American prelate this month, according to two people briefed on the measures. Francis told a meeting of the heads of Vatican offices last week that he was moving against Burke, because he was a source of ‘disunity’ in the church, said one of the participants at the Nov. 20 meeting.” By Associated Press in National Catholic Reporter
- Reports say Pope Francis is evicting U.S. cardinal from his vacation home, By Jason Horowitz and Ruth Graham, The New York Times
BISHOPS
U.S. bishops meeting shows united front on mission but no clear synod action plan
“For two days, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met in plenary assembly in Baltimore advancing key issues related to liturgy, living out the faith, including in the public square, and retooling the conference to better serve the church’s mission. However, the bishops’ Nov. 13-16 meeting, which took place nearly three weeks following the conclusion of the global Synod on Synodality, also concluded without a common game plan for how bishops could get consultative feedback from their local parishes with respect to the synod’s ‘halftime’ report before it reconvenes in 11 months.” By Peter Jesserer Smith, Detroit Catholic
- U.S. bishops’ meeting is a big snooze, By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
Bishop Flores to U.S. bishops: the synod offers us ‘Catholic way’ to grapple with real-world problems
“Some might say that contentious questions are raised. I can say that many difficult issues were raised, but they were not discussed in a contentious way. This in itself is remarkable. At its most basic, the term synodality describes a properly ecclesial style that prioritizes regular conversational interactions among the people of God as decisions are made for the sake of the mission the Lord gave to the church. The ‘Conversation in the Spirit’ method utilized during our local gatherings and at the Synod of Bishops this last October is one effective way to promote this aim.” By Daniel E. Flores, America: The Jesuit Review
PRIESTS
A Catholic crisis: why priests in Ireland are fading into history and not being replaced
“In Ireland, where religion has played such a big place in its past, for better or for worse, fewer and fewer people are attending mass on Sunday, and even less are willing to commit themselves to the sanctified life of a priest. This, among other reasons, is leading these men of God to work well past retirement age while still trying to cover the work of churches all over the country. According to a survey conducted by the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) last year, 15% of priests are over 75 and still working, over 25% are aged between 60–75, and just 2.5% of serving Catholic priests in Ireland, meanwhile, are under 40.” By Rory Elliot Armstrong, Euro News
LAITY & THE CHURCH
Former president Mary McAleese criticizes Catholic bishops for ‘not listening’ to lay people
“Former president Mary McAleese has criticized the report published after the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican, saying many Catholic faithful are ‘disappointed and wounded.’ The retired professor of law is one of a number of academics and campaigners who have written to the Vatican criticizing Catholic bishops for ‘not listening,’ accusing them of a failure to ‘let go of their privileges’ and urging them to bring laity into the decision-making process.” By Sarah Mac Donald, Irish Independent
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Maryland Child Victims Act gets legal challenge from Washington, D.C., church
“The Archdiocese of Washington D.C. is using an arcane legal maneuver to challenge the constitutionality of the Maryland Child Victims Act. The tactic uses a 2017 law that may have granted some immunity to churches for sexual abuse cases after victims turned 38. If the court accepts the statute, it could cause issues for future lawsuits brought by survivors. The Washington Archdiocese is facing a class action suit in Prince George’s County claiming that three boys were abused by clergy and employees.” By Scott Maucione, WYPR National Public Radio
French commission wants to remove statute of limitations for sexual violence against children
“A French commission examining sexual violence against children called Friday (Nov. 17) for removing all time limits on the prosecution of people suspected of raping or sexually assaulting minors. The Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence against Children, which is known by its French acronym CIIVISE, also recommended defining sexual abuse of children as a separate offense under the law when it happens within families.” By Associated Press in News Advocate
Statement from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland on Thursday’s Maine law court proceeding
“The diocese’s opposition to the 2021 retroactive change in the statute of limitations law, and the appeal to the Law Court, in no way reflects a desire to minimize the devastating effects of past sexual abuse by Church representatives. Before the law was changed, there were already no limitations on any claims after 1988. The diocese is committed to thoroughly investigating any report of abuse brought forth and to providing extensive support services to those who come forward with any allegation of abuse. It is our belief that this law is unconstitutional and will significantly impact the diocese’s ability to serve the Catholic community of Maine, including those most vulnerable.” By Diocese of Portland
ARIZONA
Arizona judge rules church leaders are not responsible for reporting sexual abuse
“Should religious leaders be held responsible for disclosing to law enforcement knowledge that church members are committing acts of sexual abuse? On Friday (Nov. 17), Arizona Judge Timothy Dickerson answered no. Dickerson’s end-of-week ruling dismissed a high-profile child sexual abuse lawsuit against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the basis of the state’s clergy-penitent privilege. Clergy-penitent privilege is a legal privilege that protects information from being disclosed in criminal proceedings, such as in a deposition, if that information was obtained during a confidential conversation between clergy and penitent.” By Baptist News Global
LOUISIANA
Sex abuse survivors fear hundreds of claims filed could unravel
“Sex abuse survivors say they fear hundreds of claims filed could be at risk of unraveling. Although legislation was passed offering a window giving survivors more time to sue, they say the clock is ticking for the Louisiana Supreme Court to rule if the legislation is constitutional. ‘I was an altar boy,’ Mike B. said. ‘Deacon George Brignac abused me in many different ways in many different places, anywhere between 50 to 80 different instances. For years, I couldn’t walk into a church without having an anxiety attack.’” By Aubry Killion, WDSU-TV6 News
MASSACHUSETTS
Western Mass. actor depicts clergy abuse survivor who rejects church settlement – like he did
“A play that opens Thursday (Nov. 30) at CitySpace in Easthampton, Massachusetts, tells the story of a man who was abused by a priest when he was a boy. ‘Unreconciled’ is based on the experience of western Massachusetts actor and playwright Jay Sefton, who co-wrote it with another survivor, Mark Basquill. James Barry directs the play. Sefton and others said the priest allegedly abused boys who played the part of Jesus in school plays.” By New England Public Media
MICHIGAN
Here’s where the Michigan AG’s sweeping Catholic clergy sex abuse investigation stands
“The Michigan Attorney General’s office announced earlier this month that after five years since the investigation into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church began, the office has wrapped up all active cases against clergy members with many incidents dating back decades. A total of 11 Catholic priests were charged in the statewide investigation. Back in 2018, the Department of Attorney General executed search warrants for all of Michigan’s dioceses, reporting that they seized 220 boxes of documents and more than 3.5 million digital documents.” By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance, on gandernewsroom.com
NEW YORK.
A final wave of sex-abuse lawsuits as one-year window closes in New York
“In the year since a one-time window opened in New York State allowing people to file sex-abuse lawsuits even after the statute of limitations had expired, more than 3,000 civil suits have been filed. Before the deadline on Thanksgiving, a flurry of attention-grabbing suits were filed against politicians — like former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, the mayor of New York — and celebrities, like Sean Combs, the producer and music mogul, who had just settled a separate suit filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan accusing him of rape.” By Hurubie Meko, The New York Times
Cost to settle sex abuse claims will be ‘painful’ for diocesan community
“This is the first installment of a three-part series looking into the Diocese of Buffalo’s recent suggested contribution to settle hundreds of childhood sexual abuse cases, how some devout Catholics responded to the news, and what the future might look like once the bankruptcy case in completed … The Diocese of Buffalo sent shock waves through the Catholic community last month, when it suggested $100 million to settle hundreds of childhood sexual abuse cases. The suggested contribution, which is exclusive of any insurance proceeds, would ‘need to be funded by monetary contributions sourced from across our Catholic community, including from the Diocese, parishes, and other affiliated Catholic entities,’ the Diocese said in a brief announcement posted on its website.” By Daniel Telvock and Luke Moretti, WVIB-TV4
New lawsuits accuse nine priests, two religious brothers of sexual contact
“Lawsuits filed under New York State’s Adult Survivors Act allege sexual contact by nine Catholic priests and two religious brothers in Western New York.” By WKBW-TV7 News
7 News I-Team files brief in Buffalo Diocese sex abuse documents case
“The 7 News I-Team joined an amici curiae brief Tuesday (Nov. 14) in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo’s lawsuit against the State Attorney General’s Office. The brief was filed in support of the AG’s office determination to release 25,000 pages of documents subpoenaed during its investigation into the diocese’s handling of child sexual abuse. It was filed jointly with The Buffalo News and its reporter Jay Tokasz.” By Sean Mickey, WKBW-TV7 News
OHIO
Ohio Catholic priest sentenced to life for sex trafficking boys, manipulating opioid addictions
“An Ohio priest was sentenced to life in prison Friday (Nov. 17) after he was convicted of grooming three boys and taking advantage of their opioid addictions to force them into commercial sex, according to the U.S. Justice Department. In May, a federal jury in Toledo found the Rev. Michael Zacharias, a Roman Catholic clergy member, guilty of five counts of sex trafficking in allegations that spanned 15 years, from July 2005 to August 2020. Prosecutors said he abused his role as a teacher and priest at a Toledo parish school to groom the three boys into adulthood, force them into sex and enable their addictions to pain medications and heroin later in life.” By Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today
- Ohio priest who sexually abused boys is sentenced to life in prison, By Eduardo Medina, The New York Times
TENNESSEE
Jury acquits Catholic priest in Tennessee who was charged with sexual battery
“A jury has found a Catholic priest in Tennessee not guilty of sexual battery against a woman who was a church member. Jurors handed down the verdict late last week in the case against Father Antony Punnackal, who was suspended from his role as pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gatlinburg after being indicted in January 2022 on two counts of sexual battery. The charges centered on allegations from February 2020 regarding Punnackal’s actions toward the parishioner. A lawsuit by the woman remains active.” By Associated Press
CANADA
Edward English, notorious Mountr Cashel abuser, arrested by Vancouver police
“Edward English, who was once sentenced to 10 years in prison for abusing boys at the Mount Cashel Orphanage in St. John’s, has been arrested once again. CBC News has learned English was arrested Wednesday (Nov. 22) at his home outside Moncton, N.B., by members of the Vancouver Police Department. English was arrested in connection with allegations of sexual abuse involving two students at Vancouver College — a Catholic boys’ private school — in the 1980s, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. English was not in custody when reached by CBC News on Thursday morning.” By Ryan Cooke, CBC News
Cergy sex abuse survivor Irene Deschenes co-founds new group to help victims
“A London, Ont., woman who is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by a Roman Catholic priest is now heading a new organization aimed at delivering speedier justice for victims. This month, Irene Deschenes helped found Outrage Canada, a national non-religious advocacy group with a mandate to hold the church accountable for sexual abuse by the clergy. The group proposes the federal government set up a national reporting center to gather and investigate reports of clergy abuse. Deschenes said the current system re-victimizes people who file abuse allegations with the church.” By CBC News
COLOMBIA
International warrant issued for arrest of Mexican priest: ‘after he abused me, he would get up to pray like nothing had happened’
“The more time passed, the harder it became temper the deep sorrow gnawing at his soul. For almost twenty years, José Leonardo Araujo Araque had kept silent about the sexual abuse he suffered as a child. At times, he could hardly put his own thoughts straight — he felt like a hook was stuck in his throat.” By Diana López Zuleta, El Pais
FRANCE
A French bishop is accused of attempted rape in latest scandal to hit Catholic Church in France
“AFrench bishop has been given a preliminary charge of attempting to rape an adult man a decade ago, the Paris prosecutor’s office said Nov. 20. It is the latest of a growing number of accusations of sexual abuse by clergy in France. The Bishops’ Conference of France said the accused bishop, Georges Colomb, contests the charge and deserves the presumption of innocence. He has asked the Vatican to step aside from his duties as bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes in western France to prepare his defense.” By Associated Press in National Catholic Reporter
SPAIN
How a Spanish newspaper tackled the taboo of Church abuse
“Five years ago, Soledad Gallego-Diaz challenged Spain’s last great taboo: sexual abuse inside the Roman Catholic Church. The newly appointed editor of the left-leaning daily El Pais launched an investigation into allegations of abuse by clergy and lay people against children. Unlike in the United States, Ireland and France, the Spanish Church had not sought to address this issue. Echoing The Boston Globe’s 2002 investigation of child abuse in the Catholic Church, El Pais’ probe sought justice for survivors of abuse.” By Graham Keeley, VOANews.com
Changing of the guard at Voice of the Faithful
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Voice of the Faithful on November 29, 2023
November 29, 2023
A changing of the guard is occurring at Voice of the Faithful, a Catholic Lay Apostolate committed to raising lay voices in Church governance, as Mary Pat Fox steps down as president and chair of the board of trustees and Bradley A. Pritts steps up. As past president, Mary Pat remains an ex officio member of the board of trustees.
When the board asked Mary Pat to become president again in 2017, the request also came at a crucial time, as she was stepping into the position upon the tragic death of Mark Mullaney. Under Mark’s leadership, VOTF initiated its Finance Working Group, which has produced seven annual reports ranking diocesan financial transparency; its Broken Vessels™ Healing Circles program, which supports survivors and others affected by clergy abuse; and its partnership with the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, which has led to studies of celibacy and women’s roles in the Church.
During Mary Pat’s second term, VOTF has enjoyed much progress in its work renewing the Church. “Her sharp eye for detail and deep understanding of our mission and goals has contributed directly to many of our efforts, especially our vigorous support of synodality,” VOTF trustee Margaret Roylance said. “As she led us into our twentieth year in 2022, the importance of her contributions in achieving that milestone was plainly evident.”
Brad has been an active member of St. Mary’s Student Parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a Jesuit-operated parish with a special ministry to University of Michigan students and faculty. At St. Mary’s, he has served on the Parish Pastoral Council and as chair of the Family Education leadership team, as well as being a long-term music ministry volunteer.
He is a founding board member of Vineyard Village, a startup nonprofit seeking to create employment and training opportunities for the formerly incarcerated and the recovery community. Brad also has been a board member of the Saline Area Players community theater group and Orchard Hills/Maplewood Homeowners Association and an adult leader for the local Boy Scouts of America.
A self-employed management consultant, Brad specializes in quality and engineering management. He has been active in the automotive industry for more than 40 years, serving companies as large as GM and Ford, as well as many small and medium-sized auto parts suppliers. He said he particularly enjoyed the opportunity to visit China frequently on business. While in China he was a guest member of the English-speaking choir at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Ningbo and supported their efforts to publish an English language hymnal.
Now in a “phased retirement,” Brad said he looks forward to having ample time to lead Voice of the Faithful into the future.
Voice of the Faithful® is a Catholic Lay Apostolate whose mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Holy Spirit, through which the faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church. More information is available at VOTF’s website https://www.votf.org.
‘Excuse me, Your Eminence, she has not finished speaking’ / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clericalism, Synod of Bishops, Synod on Synodality, Voice of the Faithful, Women in Catholic Church on November 21, 2023
The synod recognized the church’s global infection with narcissistic clericalism. It said fine things about women in leadership and the care of other marginalized people. Yet the synod remains a secret in many places. Its good words don’t reach the people in the pews.
By Phyllis Zagano, National Catholic Reporter
“Without doubt, the best line to emanate from the synod on synodality is ‘Excuse me, Your Eminence, she has not finished speaking.’
“That sums up the synod and the state of the Catholic Church’s attitude toward change.
“In October, hundreds of bishops, joined by lay men and women, priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers met for nearly a month in Rome for the synod on synodality. At its end, the synod released a synthesis report brimming with the hope and the promise that the church would be a more listening church.
“Some 54 women voted at the synod. Back home, women are still ignored.
“Why?
“It is not because women quote the Second Vatican Council at parish council meetings. It is because too many bishops and pastors ignore parish councils.
“It is not because women of the world do not write to their pastors and bishops. It is because without large checks, their letters are ignored.”
By Phyllis Zagano, National Catholic Reporter — Read more …
Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup, Nov. 17, 2023
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on November 16, 2023
Nov. 17, 2023
TOP STORIES
Texas bishop loudly critical of the pope is removed
“Pope Francis fired on Saturday (Nov.11) a bishop in Texas who was one of his loudest American critics within the Catholic Church, a highly rare dismissal that appeared to reflect the growing rift between the Vatican and a more conservative wing of the church. The Vatican did not cite a reason for the dismissal of the bishop, Joseph Strickland, saying in a statement only that the pope ‘relieved’ Bishop Strickland from the governance of his diocese in Tyler, Texas.” By Ruth Graham and Jason Horowitz, The New York Times
- Pope Francis axes firebrand Texas Bishop Strickland, darling of right-wing Twitter, By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter
- Bishop Strickland removed from diocese after accusing pope of backing ‘attack on the sacred,’ By OSV News
- Vatican removes Texas bishop critical of Pope Francis’ reforms, By Jason DeRose, National Public Radio
- Strickland’s removal hangs over the U.S. bishops’ fall meeting, as it should, By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
Religious superiors from around the world meeting in Rome to prevent abuse
“The Unions of Superiors and Superiors General (UISG-USG) have organized an in-person workshop taking place in Rome from Nov. 6–10 with the aim of ‘creating a culture of protection within religious congregations.’ A total of 132 representatives of the 90 male and female religious congregations are participating in the event and are members of the Union of Superiors General and the International Union of Superiors General.” By Andrés Henriquez, Catholic News Agency
A good start for the Synod … but still too much of the ‘rabbi, father, teacher’
“In this past Sunday’s (Nov. 5) Gospel, Jesus addresses the people and his disciples: ‘You must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi…. You must call no one on earth your father … Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers…’ Do not be guided by those like the scribes and Pharisees: ‘All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels … As scripture scholar Brendan Byrne writes in his book Lifting the Burden: ‘Scarcely any injunction of the Lord has been so ignored as this ruling out of titles and, by extension, accoutrements of dress and ceremonial.’” By Frank Brennan, Commonweal
- Archbishop Broglio and Cardinal Pierre offer competing visions of synodality at bishops’ meeting, By Michael J. O’Loughlin, America: The Jesuit Review
- Vatican ambassador urges U.S. bishops to embrace synod on synodality, By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter
The biased spotlight on sex abuse in Catholic Church
“In the realm of sexual crimes, a stark contrast exists in the level of media attention and public awareness when the perpetrators wear different hats, specifically, the robes of the Catholic Church versus the more secular attire of public school teachers or individuals from diverse spiritual beliefs. When allegations of sexual misconduct arise within the Catholic Church, the media responds with a resounding uproar that reverberates globally. Cases involving Catholic priests make headlines, sparking international outrage, and prompting discussions about accountability and reform.” By UCANews.com
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
GOP legislator blocks bill requiring clergy to report child sex abuse
“An Arizona Republican is refusing to require clergy to report confessions of child abuse despite a horrific case involving the Mormon Church. A Bisbee father of six admitted to his bishop during a counseling session that he was raping his then-5-year-old daughter, but court records show that Bishop John Herrod, and then his replacement Bishop Robert “Kim” Mauzy, were advised by attorney Merrill Nelson not to alert anyone outside the church — and the man then started raping his 6-week-old daughter, reported the Arizona Republic.” By Travis Gettys, RawStory.com
- An Arizona child is raped. The clergy stays silent. Then comes the truly shocking part, By Laurie Roberts, Arizona Republic, on AZCentral.com
FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION
Australia’s Archbishop Costelloe: Cardinal Newman’s ‘development of doctrine’ is key to understanding the Synod
“‘I don’t think we experienced the inversion of the pyramid model of the church at the synod; rather we experienced a different model altogether of the church,’ the Australian archbishop Timothy Costelloe, S.D.B., one of the president delegates of the synod, told America’s Vatican correspondent in this exclusive interview in Rome on Oct. 30 … In this interview, which has been edited for clarity and length, he described ‘being a synodal church’ as ‘an experience’ that ‘we have to live in order to understand it.’’ By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review
The synodal journey continues, but course corrections are needed
“The first assembly of the Synod on Synodality in October left us with some important certainties as well as a few uncertainties. One of the certainties is that synodality is not an experiment (even if the form of the recent assembly is somewhat experimental). Indeed, synodality is a long-forgotten way for the Church to gather, listen, and make decisions in the service of the Gospel. It is a moment of ressourcement in the tradition of the Church—a reconnection with an important and very real part of its past.” By Massimo Faggioli, Commonweal
Synodal surprises: the rise of Catholic Africa / a sign of things to come
“As stated, in a previous article in July, ‘regardless of how the Synod of Synodality turns out, disappointment is the only certain outcome for all involved.’ And considering the responses from those hoping for significant change within the Church, the above statement appears prophetic, or at least partially so. Of all the contingents involved, one seemed to exert an uncommonly strong influence over the final document released by Synod of Synodality (SoS). This group, with its strong commitment to Catholic orthodoxy and orthopraxy, represents the future of the global Catholic Church. This group also stands in direct opposition to the pro-sexual liberation/identity political crowd in Western Europe and their allies within the Church.” By Dennis Knapp, Patheos
Fifteen hidden gems in the Synod on Synodality report
“At the Synod on Synodality, the Western media focused on a limited number of hot-button issues — women’s ordination, married priests and blessing of gay couples. But hidden in the synod participants’ 40-page synthesis are some surprising gems that could lead to significant reform in the church. The first is a new stress on lay involvement. Compared with other Christian churches, the Catholic Church is very hierarchical. This synod, especially the conversations at roundtables, was structured so that lay voices, including women and young people, were heard and respected.” By Thomas Reese, Religion News Service
‘This is the Church we are called to dream’ – Synod analysis
“The document released at the conclusion of the first of the two-part climax to the Synod process points toward a profound shake-up of the Church. Its proposals include an expanded role for women in ministry, making lay involvement in decision-making mandatory, an overhaul of the seminary system, and a revision of the Church’s Code of Canon Law. On women deacons, the Synod agreed that this issue needs more discernment and asked that the findings of previous papal commissions on the issue be presented to the concluding assembly in October 2024.” By Christopher Lamb, The Tablet
Synod on Synodality report is disappointing but not surprising
“For Pope Francis, the first session of the synod on synodality was never about resolving the controversial issues facing the church. Even so, there were those who hoped for forward motion on married priests, women deacons and LGBTQ issues. They will be disappointed by the final report issued by the synod on Oct. 28. For Francis, it was not about the hot-button topics. It was always about the synodal process, which he hoped would overcome divisions in the church and recommit us to the mission of Jesus — of proclaiming the Gospel of the Father’s love and compassion for all of humanity and the Earth.” By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter
Synodality, hierarchy, and the clericalizing of the laity
“Leveling hierarchical distinctions in the Church without removing them entirely has emerged as a principal objective of Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality. That is perhaps the chief conclusion to be drawn from the first session of the Synod, which took place October 4-29 at the Vatican … Advance speculation had focused on whether the Synod would address hot-button issues like ordaining women and giving blessings to same-sex couples. But although these topics were discussed—though no consensus was reached—the Synod’s more immediate goal was the less dramatic, but in the long run arguably more significant, objective of cutting back on clergy-only hierarchy.” By Russell Shaw, The Catholic World Report
10 top takeaways from the synthesis report and why they matter
“The Synod on Synodality’s first session at the Vatican has concluded, with its results wrapped up in a 41-page ‘half-time report’ for the entire church to digest, reflect on and give feedback ahead of the synod’s final session in Rome next October. The report, a synthesis of the Oct. 4-29 meeting, is fundamentally an instrument for discernment, and it is designed to elicit further reflection and response from the whole church. The synod’s next session in Rome will have the task of making decisions about what concrete proposals to present before the pope. Ultimately, the pope will decide what to implement coming out of the Synod on Synodality.” By Peter Jesserer Smith, The Catholic Review
POPE FRANCIS
Pope Francis’ approach to theology continues reception of Vatican II
“Pope Francis recently issued a short apostolic letter motu proprio titled ‘Ad Theologiam Promovendam.’ The text introduces new statutes for the Pontifical Academy of Theology and, in so doing, captures some of the essential reforms Francis has initiated. In a sense, this document achieves at the theoretical level what the Holy Father said in a more specific form in his recent responses to some dubia submitted by five intransigent cardinals … The pope’s intention is clear: Theology, like doctrine, must serve the church’s primary goal, the salvation of souls. To achieve this, it must be engaged in the world it seeks to evangelize, and not just engaged intellectually.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
Pope calls for ‘contextual theology’ that responds to modern questions
“Calling for a major push toward developing a ‘fundamentally contextual theology, capable of reading and interpreting the Gospel in the conditions in which men and women live each day,’ Pope Francis has approved new statutes for the Pontifical Theological Academy … In an apostolic letter issued ‘motu proprio,’ on his own initiative, Nov. 1, Pope Francis said that in a ‘synodal, missionary and outgoing church,’ theologians must also dialogue with other sciences and with members of other religions and that helping Catholics have a deeper understanding of the faith will be possible only if theology grapples with their questions and concerns.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, on CatholicChicago,com
Pope Francis talks Synod on Synodality and homosexuality in new interview
“Pope Francis answered two questions about the Synod on Synodality, including on the topic of homosexuality, in an interview with Italian state television RAI on Wednesday (Nov. 1). Asked about the synod assembly’s discussion of homosexuality, Pope Francis said: ‘When I say ‘everyone, everyone, everyone,’ [I’m speaking about] people. The Church receives people. Everyone. And it does not ask how you are. Then, inside, everyone grows, but from a Christian belonging.’” By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency
CARDINALS
Cardinal Pierre on why U.S. bishops are struggling to connect with Pope Francis
“Cardinal Christophe Pierre has been apostolic nuncio to the United States since 2016 and, at Pope Francis’ request, he will continue in this role for the foreseeable future, he told America’s Vatican correspondent in an exclusive interview in Rome in early October. The newly created cardinal described Francis as ‘a man of vision’ and ‘a man of prayer’ and as the one ‘chosen by the Holy Spirit’ to lead the church at this moment in history. He also spoke about his experience as nuncio in the United States. Cardinal Pierre said he was ‘shocked’ to learn that many U.S. Catholic bishops did not know that synodality had developed in South America in the last few decades and are still struggling to understand what it is.” By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review
BISHOPS
https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-unity-baltimore-meeting-bb937e3e22f2034c20184954cc9df5d6 “Catholic leaders called for peace in a war-torn world and unity amid strife within their own clerical ranks on Tuesday (Nov. 14), as U.S. bishops gathered in Baltimore for their annual fall meeting. The meeting came soon after two actions by Pope Francis that illustrated the divisive challenges facing the Catholic Church – removing one of his harshest conservative critics from his role as bishop of Tyler, Texas, and releasing a document conveying a more welcoming stance to transgender people than the official positions of the U.S. bishops.” By Tiffany Stanley and Peter Smith, Associated Press
- The U.S. bishops’ elections were a mixed bag for ‘Team Francis,’ Michael Sean Winters, By National Catholic Reporter
Vatican ambassador urges U.S. bishops to embrace synod on synodality
“The Vatican’s ambassador to the U.S. urged the nation’s Catholic bishops on Nov. 14 to step out of their ‘comfort zones’ and embrace the open-ended discussions at Pope Francis’ Synod of Bishops as the way forward for the global church. In a 20-minute opening address to the bishops’ annual fall assembly here, Cardinal Christophe Pierre told the prelates that Francis’ vision of a synodal church where all members listen to one another is ‘essential to evangelization.’” By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter
Bishops open fall assembly with prayer, reflection, Mass for peace
“Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, led his brother bishops in prayer for wisdom as they began their fall plenary assembly in Baltimore Nov. 13 with a Mass for peace. The archbishop was the homilist for the Mass at the historic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the first Catholic cathedral in the United States. The Mass followed a morning of prayer, reflection and confession.” By OSV News
Synod expected to be major discussion item at U.S. bishops’ fall meeting
“A little more than two weeks after Pope Francis wrapped up the first of his two major Rome summits on the future of the Catholic Church, the U.S. bishops will meet for their fall assembly in Baltimore Nov. 13-16 and are expected to discuss the four-week event. The American prelates will have a packed agenda for their gathering, which also includes a vote to implement a new framework for Indigenous ministry, reauthorizing their anti-racism committee, and likely approval of parish bulletin inserts about Catholics’ responsibilities in political life, for use ahead of the 2024 presidential election.” By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter
Podcast: Does the Synod threaten bishops’ authority
“The Synod on Synodality has major implications on the Catholic church’s structures and its hierarchical nature. One of the synod’s goals is to implement the vision of the church laid out at the Second Vatican Council, and to ask what structural changes might be necessary to make that vision a reality, and how the formation of people at every level of the church needs urgent review. Ecclesiologist and theologian Catherine Clifford, a professor at the University of Ottawa, was a full, voting member of the Synod on Synodality, representing North America. She joined host Colleen Dulle in Rome near the end of the synod to explain what happened and what is coming over the next 11 months.” By Colleen Dulle, Inside the Vatican, America: The Jesuit Review
- Interview: if the synod is done right, it will strengthen bishops’ authority, By Colleen Dulle, America: The Jesuit Review
PRIESTS
Notre Dame program aims to help priests, seminarians minister to abuse victims
“A new offering from the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life aims to help seminaries and dioceses strengthen formation programs, particularly in pastoral ministry to victim-survivors of sexual abuse. ‘Fully Equipped for Every Good Work: A Proposal of Twelve Core Competencies in Ministering to Survivors of Sexual Abuse for Seminary,’ outlines twelve competencies for seminaries to adopt for seminarians to demonstrate before they’re ordained.” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com
Major survey finds ‘conservative’ and ‘orthodox’ priests on the rise
“The new analysis of a study that claims to be the largest national survey of Catholic priests conducted in more than 50 years has found, among other things, that priests describing themselves as ‘progressive’ are practically going ‘extinct’ among U.S. seminary graduates, with the vast majority of young ordinands describing themselves as conservative and orthodox.” By Jonah McKeown, Catholic News Agency
- New analysis shows younger U.S. priests are more theologically conservative, By Gina Christian, Our Sunday Visitor
The joys and sufferings of a priest, and how laypeople can help
“As a psychologist, I primarily work with priests, and I am constantly fascinated by how different their lives are yet how normal their struggles are. The research available on clergy mental health is quite mixed. Some research suggests priests’ mental health is in a state of crisis, while others state they are psychologically thriving. Research from Msgr. Stephen Rossetti suggests priests are happy in general but experience high stress, and their rates of mental health problems are probably like the general population.” By Jim Langley, Denver Catholic
RELIGIOUS
How has the synodal process affected Catholic sisters?
“The Synod of Bishops on synodality just completed the first of two major assemblies. The synodal process has the potential to impact the entire church, including women religious. For the final question to this panel, Global Sisters Report asked: How has the synodal process affected you, your parish, or your community? What hopes do you have for the synod? Responses have been edited for clarity. We will debut a new crop of panelists later this month.” By Life Panelists, Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter
- Religious share how synodality shapes their decisions, common life – and can help the wider church, By Kimberley Heatherington, Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter
‘Process is key’: sisters respond to document from synod’s first session
“The first Vatican session for the synod on synodality, Pope Francis’ multiyear summit on the future of the Catholic Church, was both fruitful and profound, women religious say, but it also had missed opportunities … ‘I won’t use the term success, but it has been fruitful. It’s a new state in the experience of synodality — there was a lot of grace, it was a time of joy,’ said Xavière Missionary Sr. Nathalie Becquart, an undersecretary of the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops office, which made her not only a voting participant but a member of the synod itself.” By Dan Stockman, National Catholic Reporter
WOMEN’S VOICES
Women played an unprecedented role at the Pope’s synod. Will it make any difference?
“Last month, some four hundred and fifty Catholic leaders from around the world—cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests and nuns, professors and students, laymen and women—came together in Rome for four weeks of structured conversations. It was one phase of an effort that began with national surveys of Catholics, in 2021, and will conclude in Rome next fall. The whole thing is known as the Synod on Synodality, after a Greek term for coming together. Pope Francis, who called for the synod, opened and closed the proceedings with Masses at St. Peter’s’s Basilica and, on many days, joined the conversations, which were held in the Vatican audience hall.” By Paul Elie, The New Yorker
A Tribute to the Women of the Synod
“For the first time in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, women participated as co-equals with their ordained brothers and voted at the Synod. This is a moment that will forever change the Church as it opens itself to the richness of women’s faith, courage, and love. May their work and memory live on!” By FutureChurch
Synodality is impossible without women’s voices and vote
“On April 6, I had the privilege of joining a group of 70 people for a private audience with Pope Francis in Rome. This delegation was organized jointly by Catholic Extension and St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. This delegation comprised cardinals, lay people, Hispanic women religious serving in impoverished dioceses in the United States, as well as people invited by the Catholic Extension team. On the same day as the private audience with the pope, hours later, the Vatican released the groundbreaking news. Pope Francis declared that women and laypeople would be allowed to participate with voice and vote during the Synod of Bishops in October, signifying a momentous change.” By María Elena Méndez Ochoa, Global Sister Report, National Catholic Reporter
CHILD PROTECTION
Independent audit finds diocese in full compliance with child protection guidelines
“For the 21st consecutive year, independent auditors have found the Diocese of Allentown in full compliance with national guidelines designed to protect children from abuse. The Charter for Protection of Children and Young People was adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002. Among other things, it calls for annual audits to ensure that dioceses are meeting its strict requirements. Auditors from StoneBridge Business Partners of Rochester, New York, recently completed their inspection of the Diocese’s actions, procedures, policies, and records.” By Diocese of Allentown on ad-today.com
FUTURE OF THE CHURCH
What African theologians will mean to the future of the Catholic Church
“In August 2014, I had the opportunity while working as an editor at Orbis Books to attend the second of three annual conferences in Nairobi, Kenya of the Theological Colloquium on Church, Religion and Society in Africa. After the first of those conferences, A. E. Orobator—one of the event’s organizers—noted in America that among those participating in the conference, ‘the majority received their doctorates in theology less than five years ago. This means that a new generation of African theologians has emerged, primed to receive the mantle from the more seasoned generation of theologians who negotiated the transition from a colonial church to a truly African church, but ready to steer this church in a new and exciting direction.’” By James T. Keane, America: The Jesuit Review
CHURCH FINANCES
Catholic dioceses are declaring bankruptcy. Abuse survivors say it’s a ‘way to silence’ them
“In Oakland, California, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Christ the Light is difficult to miss. Towering over Lake Merritt in the heart of the city, its modernist glass dome reflects the East Bay sun in all directions. The building, which was completed in 2008 and financed by the Roman Catholic diocese of Oakland, cost $175m. But that price tag confounds Joseph Piscitelli. In the 1970s, Piscitelli attended a Catholic high school in nearby Richmond, where, from the age of 14, he experienced repeated sexual abuse at the hands of his vice-principal, an ordained priest. For decades, Piscitelli experienced nightmares and panic attacks. Friends who had also been abused turned to drugs and alcohol, and several took their own lives.” By Robin Buller, The Guardian
Baltimore’s Archbishop Lori: bankruptcy was the only way to compensate abuse victims and continue our ministries
“In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed me archbishop of Baltimore, the oldest diocese in the United States. I consider it an honor and a privilege to have been entrusted with the spiritual care of the faithful of what is known as the birthplace of Catholicism in the United States … On Sept. 29, (2023), I announced the historic decision to seek Chapter 11 reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code … But in the end, the decision was easy because it was the only clear path that will allow the archdiocese to both equitably compensate victims (though no compensation can fully undo their pain) and continue its ministries, as is my canonical responsibility to ensure.” By William E. Lori, America: The Jesuit Review
Financial investigation taking place in Catholic Diocese of Youngstown parishes
“The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown announced in a press release Sunday (Nov. 12) that there is an ongoing review of financial irregularities at two Youngstown Diocese parishes: Saint Joseph Parish in Alliance and Divine Mercy Parish in Massillon. The release states the investigation began in December when concerns were uncovered at Saint Joseph Parish related to the time that Father Maciej ‘Matthew’ Mankowski was pastor from 2011 to 2021 but then expanded to Divine Mercy Parish, where Father Mankowski was then the pastor.” By Laurel Stone, WKBN-TV27 News
CELIBACY& MARRIED PRIESTS
Priests must be like fathers and not spinsters, say Pope on celibacy
“Pope Francis has said that a change in the Catholic Church’s rule on celibacy will not solve difficulties in the Church because the deeper problem is of priests behaving like spinsters instead of fathers … He reminded Italian journalist Gian Marco Chiocci, director of Italy’s TG1 television channel, that celibacy is a discipline rather than a doctrine and can therefore be changed.” By The Catholic Herald
VOICES
The Catholic synod offers little hope for real change in the Church
“The Roman Catholic Church made history this year by allowing women to vote in a synod for the first time in 2,000 years. This ‘victory’ was dubious, as the voting was on a consensus document that did not advance anything and even managed to backburner several important issues, like LGBTIQ+ inclusion, that figured in the reports leading up to the meeting. At a conference of progressive Catholics held in Rome at the same time, former president of Ireland Mary McAleese observed: ‘Equality is a right, not a favor. The women attending the Synod on Synodality are there as a favor, not as a right.’’ By Mary E. Hunt, WomensMediaCenter.com
‘Why do I stay?’ A young Catholic feminist on a church plagued by scandal
“My first thought: ‘Why do I, a young woman and a feminist, stay in a church mired in scandal?’ Two days later, on Oct. 27, the Vatican admitted that there were “serious problems in the handling of the Fr. Marko Rupnik case” and lifted the statute of limitations on his alleged abuses to allow a review process to take place. That is all well and good—I pray that justice is done—but it does not change the fact that Father Rupnik’s case is an all-too-familiar instance of the ugliest kind of clericalism.” By Delaney Coyne, America: The Jesuit Review
Can the entire church be run like a religious order? Should it?
“The Synod on Synodality has worked its way through the questions set for it to consider by the people of God. The responses by participants to the consultations initiated by Pope Francis two years ago are now being read and studied. Now might be an opportune time to consider what unasked questions may be raised by how our conception of synodality is developing. One theme that has been emerging is the extent to which the synod looked toward the church’s great religious institutes such as the Jesuits, Benedictines, Franciscans and Dominicans as models of what synodality within the universal church may look like.” By Scott Smith, America: The Jesuit Review
Father James Martin: the good (and bad) spirits I experienced at the Synod
“My experience of the synod was far more than the thrill of sitting with church leaders from around the world. It was also a spiritual journey, some of which I’d like to share—without breaking confidence. I’ve already written about what happened exteriorly, but I thought I might share what it was like from an interior point of view and how I experienced the ‘good spirits’ and the ‘evil spirits,’ to use some Jesuit terminology (or ‘counterspirits,’ a phrase I heard last month) at work. I offer this … to bring you into the spirit of the month. So here are eight words that I feel best evoke the spiritual movements that I felt during the Synod of Bishops.” By James Martin, S.J., America: The Jesuit Review
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Maine’s Catholic church, victims of child sex abuse argue law’s constitutionality before state’s Supreme Court
“But they weren’t there for a jury trial. Instead, they watched as seven Maine Supreme Judicial Court justices questioned their lawyers about a 2021 state law that scrapped the statute of limitations for civil claims of childhood sexual abuse and allowed them to file dozens of lawsuits against the church leaders and the institution itself. ‘I don’t think I’ve seen this many people in the courtroom before for Law Court arguments,’ Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill said at one point.’ By Emily Allen, Portland Press Herald
CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
Abuse charges against U.S. ecclesial movement leader deemed credible
“An ecclesial movement has just admitted its former U.S. leader has been credibly accused of sexual and psychological abuse against young adults and minors over more than two decades. Christopher Bacich, who headed up Communion and Liberation in the U.S. from March 2007 until August 2013, was the “sole perpetrator” of abuse against “multiple victims,” according to an Oct. 31 statement issued by Father Michael Carvill, the movement’s current head, and Steve Brown, president of the New York-based Human Adventure Corporation, a nonprofit that coordinates the movement’s activities in the U.S.” By Gina Christian, OSV News, on UCANews.com
ARIZONA
Legislator wants to change the right of confession to allow priests to disclose child abuse by parishioners
“A first-term Democratic lawmaker wants to enact an exception to state laws that allow clergy to refuse to disclose what was told to them in confession or similar confidential communication. But Rep. Stacey Travers of Phoenix has so far run into a procedural wall. Rep. Quang Nguyen, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, where her bill was assigned earlier this year, refused to even give it a hearing. And the Prescott Republican told Capitol Media Services that he’s not prepared to allow the bill to proceed in 2024, even if it deals only with cases of child abuse and neglect.” By Howard Fischer, White Mountain Independent
CALIFORNIA
Bay area priests accused of child molestation remain in active ministry
“A San Mateo priest accused of molestation in a lawsuit is one of two accused clergy who remain in active ministry with the Archdiocese of San Francisco as the church faces renewed questions over how it responds to sexual abuse allegations. The lawsuit, filed in Alameda County in November 2022, alleges Father Linh Tien Nguyen sexually abused a former altar boy and student of St. Pius Catholic Church and School in Redwood City between approximately 2005 and 2008.” By Alex Hall, KQED.org National Public Radio
Calaveras DA’s decision to drop charges against Catholic priest under review by attorney general
“The Office of the California Attorney General said Monday (Nov. 6) night that it will review the Calaveras County district attorney’s decision to dismiss sexual assault charges against a Catholic priest. In a letter sent to CBS Sacramento, Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said the victim’s mother requested an official review after District Attorney Barbara Yook dropped all charges against Father Michael Kelly. The move came after the victim Kelly allegedly abused died in 2016. Bonta’s office will now review that decision. Kelly was held liable for sex abuse in a separate civil trial back in 2012 when he was with the Stockton diocese. Kelly has since moved to Ireland.” By Richard Ramos, CBS-TV13 News
FLORIDA
Florida Supreme Court won’t hear South Florida priest abuse case
“The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday (Nov. 2) rejected a request by the Archdiocese of Miami to take up a dispute involving allegations that a priest sexually abused a child. Justices, as is common, did not explain their reasons for declining to hear the case. The archdiocese wanted justices to review a decision by the 3rd District Court of Appeal that allowed the alleged victim to pursue a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress against the archdiocese.” By CBS-TV News Miami
MARYLAND
Catholic archdiocese bankruptcy process moves forward as injunction pausing claims remains in place
“The Archdiocese of Baltimore will need to disclose more of its ‘third party’ assets like schools and parishes during its bankruptcy case. The Archdiocese filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September ahead of a new law that went into effect in October. The Child Victims Act eliminated the statute of limitations in child sexual abuse claims. ‘They need to be accountable for their lies,’ abuse survivor Teresa Lancaster said outside court Monday (Nov. 6). ‘It’s the church that made this happen that enabled the rapists to continue. The church, the property of the church, needs to be responsible.’” By Paul Gessler, CBS-TV News Baltimore
Clergy abuse victims ask Baltimore bankruptcy judge to reconsider ban on lawsuits against Catholic parishes, schools
“A committee representing clergy abuse survivors is asking a federal bankruptcy judge to reconsider her order barring lawsuits against Catholic schools and parishes as part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Parishes and schools are technically not assets of the archdiocese, despite Archbishop William E. Lori having control over whether they can be bought or sold, but were granted protection from lawsuits because the archdiocese insures them. In early October, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michelle Harner issued an interim injunction on lawsuits against entities covered by archdiocesan insurance policies (known as covered parties). Harner determined those policies are assets of the corporation that makes up the archdiocese, meaning any lawsuit would inevitably draw down on insurance monies in order to pay legal fees and settlements.” By Lee O. Sanderlin, Baltimore Sun, in The Frederick News-Post
St. Benedict Catholic Church will no longer hold Mass due to ‘limited number of clergy’
“A southwest Baltimore church will no longer hold Mass after nearly a century of worship. While St. Benedict Catholic Church is in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, it’s run by the Order of the Benedictines, which is said to be unable to find a new priest due to a ‘limited number of clergy.’ The decision comes as its longtime leader is under investigation for alleged sexual assault of a minor. Father Paschal Morlino, who served as St. Benedict’s priest for decades, was removed last month after news of a secret settlement surfaced involving allegations of inappropriate behavior.” By Tommie Clark, WBAL-TV11 News
- Archdiocese of Baltimore statement on limited ministries at St. Benedict, By Child & Youth Protection, Archdiocese of Baltimore
- Maryland church closes doors after pastor admits to paying ‘hush money’ to settle harassment allegations, By Associated Press on FoxNews.com
MASSACHUSETTS
Diocese adds new credible findings against late, defrocked priest Richard Lavigne
“The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield this week (Nov. 6) acknowledged new credible findings against the late Richard Lavigne, a convicted sex offender and former Shelburne Falls priest believed to have killed a 13-year-old altar boy in 1972. The diocese issued a statement on Oct. 31 to announce an update on Lavigne, as well as on the late Stigmatine priest Joseph E. Flood and the late Rev. J. Victor Carrier.” By Domenic Poli, Greenfield Recorder
MICHIGAN
Former Michigan priest sentenced to year in jail after pleading guilty to sexually abusing altar boy
“A former Michigan priest has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to sexually abusing an altar boy more than three decades ago. A Washtenaw County judge sentenced Timothy Crowley, who must also serve five years of probation, on Wednesday (Nov.8). Crowley, 74, pleaded guilty in August to two felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct under a plea agreement that dismissed two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.” By Associated Press
MISSOURI
Archdiocese of St. Louis abuse victim speaks out after settling with church for $1M
“It was 1993, and Jonathan Dean was 10 years old when his world was no longer fulfilled by the things that make childhood carefree. He was a fourth grader at the Ascension Catholic Church in Chesterfield when he said he suffered sexual abuse at the hands of now ex-priest Gary Paul Wolken. Now an attorney based out of Chicago, Dean, 41, decided to speak out and unveil his identity that was concealed in 2018 as “John Doe,” when he first sued Wolten and the Archdiocese of St. Louis.” By Lacretia Wimbley, St. Louis Public Radio, National Public Radio
NEW YORK.
Final sentencing in former Hyde Park, N.Y., pastor’s sex abuse trial includes prison time
“After months of waiting for the resolution of the sex abuse case of Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie pastor Father James Garisto, the final sentencing was held Monday, November 6th. Hudson Valley community members and parishioners have been awaiting Garisto’s sentencing after his plea of ‘No Contest’ back in June of this year. Garisto served the St. Peter’s Parish community from 1998 to 2014.” By WRRV-FM News
AUSTRALIA
Victim of pedophile priest Vincent Kiss vindicated by potential record payout from Catholic Church
“An abuse survivor who will potentially receive one of Australia’s largest-ever compensation payouts from the Catholic Church says it is a ‘mind-blowing’ victory he hopes will give other survivors a ‘sense of hope.’ The civil case verdict in Victoria’s Supreme Court last Friday (Nov.10) related to child sex abuse committed by convicted pedophile priest Vincent Kiss in the 1960s and 70s.” By Conor Burke, ABC News, Riverina, Australia
Permanent Stay of Historical Child Sexual Abuse Proceedings: GLJ v Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore
“Civil trials can be complex and challenging, especially when key witnesses or evidence are unavailable due to the passage of time. However, upholding the principle of a fair trial is paramount in the legal system. By majority, the High Court of Australia recently allowed an appeal, overturning a decision in the NSW Court of Appeal to permanently stay proceedings arising out of a claim for historical child sexual abuse.” By ClydeCo.com
Lawyers for witnesses of alleged historical sex abuse at Port Hedland Catholic school
“A Catholic primary school in WA’s north has become the target of a historical child sexual abuse investigation, with allegations two clergymen assaulted a student at the school more than 30 years ago. Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has made a public appeal calling for witnesses who attended St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School and parish in Port Hedland in the 1980s and 1990s.” By Jane Murphy, ABC News Australia
BRAZIL
Brazilian bishop resigns at 62; accused of sexually harassing priests, seminarians
“Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Valdir Mamede of Catanduva, Brazil. The Brazilian newspaper Diário da Região reported that the 62-year-old prelate resigned after an investigation into allegations that he sexually harassed priests and seminarians. The investigation, the newspaper reported, was conducted by the metropolitan archbishop, Archbishop Moacir Silva of Ribeirão Preto. Police have not conducted an inquiry, according to the newspaper.” By CatholicCulture.org
CANADA
New national organization to hold the Roman Catholic church of Canada accountable for sex crimes
“Outrage Canada is a newly formed group of outraged Canadians committed to holding leaders of the Roman Catholic church publicly accountable for sexual abuse crimes past and present. Sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic church of Canada is well documented with a growing number of civil and criminal cases surfacing each year. Given the response to date however, Outrage Canada believes that the Roman Catholic church is more concerned with avoiding scandal and protecting their reputation than ending sexual abuse and finding justice for victims.” By Outrage Canada on finance.yahoo.com
GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES
Cardinal Nichols praises new National Tribunal for managing clerical sex abuse cases
“President of the England and Wales Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said Saturday (Noc. 4) was a ‘most significant day in the life of the Church in England and Wales, and indeed for the Church more widely’ due to the creation a new National Tribunal to apply the church’s criminal law. Nichols called the new tribunal ‘a focus of practical love and service,’ saying it was established to ensure that the ‘rights and obligations of all the Christian faithful are upheld, robustly and impartially, and that justice and equality prevail.’ While not its only purpose, the tribunal becomes the primary forum in the country for managing cases of clerical sexual abuse under the church’s own legal system, based on the Code of Canon Law.” By Catholic Herald
PORTUGAL
Church punishes priest who denounced 12 suspected pedophile colleagues
“The priest who denounced 12 cases of colleagues whom he suspected of having sexually abused children – some of them still priests today – has been punished by Portugal’s Catholic Church … At a point where this scandal within the Roman Catholic Church was finally being addressed by various countries, Nazaré also gave interviews to Expresso and RTP (at the time, his identity was kept secret). Among Nazaré’s list of names was that of a priest who for various years has been placed at the Sanctuary of Fátima but who was accused by the parents of a teenager who committed suicide in 1997 of having abused their son.” By Natsha Donn, Portugal Resident
SLOVENIA
Slovenian bishops distance themselves from incardination of Rupnik
“Both the alleged victims of Slovene Fr Marko Ivan Rupnik and the bishops of his native Slovenia have spoken out about the disgraced artist’s welcome into a new diocese. In the wake of Pope Francis’s decision on Friday (Nov. 3) to waive the statute of limitations in canon law, five of Fr Rupnik’s presumed victims signed and released a brief statement that was shared in Italian media, saying they were ‘very surprised’ by the announcement. They voiced hope that ‘this is a suitable step towards seeing the truth fully known,’ and said they are awaiting ‘further developments.’” By The Catholic Herald
SWITZERLAND
The report on abuse in the Catholic Church in Switzerland
“On the morning of September 10, 2023, the following news appeared on the website of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference: ‘Canonical Investigations into Suspected Concealment of Sexual Abuse by Members of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference.’ This news was a prelude to the publication, two days later, of the Report on the Pilot Project for the History of Sexual Abuse in the Context of the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland since the Mid-20th Century. What consequences will result from these investigations and when these investigations will be continued cannot yet be predicted.” By Hans Zollner, S.J., La Civiltá Cattolica
- What next after Swiss report on sexual abuse in the Church? By Clémentine Méténier, JusticeInfo.net
The synodal journey continues, but course corrections are needed
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Future of the Church, Synod of Bishops, Synod on Synodality, Voice of the Faithful on November 13, 2023
This Synod doesn’t just differ institutionally. It’s also expressive of a concept of synodality that differs from earlier phases (especially in the post-1985 communio ecclesiology), when synodality was seen as a dimension of the life of local churches and the relations among them.
By Massimo Faggioli, Commonweal
“The first assembly of the Synod on Synodality in October left us with some important certainties as well as a few uncertainties. One of the certainties is that synodality is not an experiment (even if the form of the recent assembly is somewhat experimental). Indeed, synodality is a long-forgotten way for the Church to gather, listen, and make decisions in the service of the Gospel. It is a moment of ressourcement in the tradition of the Church—a reconnection with an important and very real part of its past.
“Another certainty is that this assembly differed fundamentally from the twenty-nine that the Bishops’ Synod have celebrated since 1967, after the creation of the new institution by Paul VI during the last session of Vatican II in September 1965. Not just because it’s part of the long ‘synodal process’ begun in 2021 and set to conclude with the second assembly in October 2024; it’s different as well because of the position the Synod occupies among the turning points in Catholic history in the last two centuries.
“In the nineteenth century, Vatican I (1869–1870) pushed back against liberal modernity and declared papal primacy and infallibility. In the twentieth century, Vatican II (1962–1965) balanced the ‘new’ papacy with episcopal collegiality, and did so in plainly parliamentary fashion: with debates (theological disputationes both in aula and in the commissions) leading to majorities and minorities and eventually converging on a quasi-unanimity in the votes on the final documents. The current synod is not like Vatican I or Vatican II; for one thing, it doesn’t have the same authority. But it’s the closest thing to those councils, and it is expressive of the global dimension of the Church with all its diversity and contrasts—the real challenge of the twenty-first century. Though bishops and superiors of religious orders were represented, so were other members of the Church; thus, global Catholicism supplemented the papal primacy of the nineteenth century and episcopal collegiality of the twentieth with ecclesial synodality. Instead of using the method of disputatio, it adopted “spiritual conversation” as a way to grasp the consensus fidelium. But whoever makes the decision on some of the issues at hand—the Synod or the pope—there will never be a 100 percent consensus. There will be a majority and a minority, as when Vatican II decided to reject anti-Semitism and to restore the permanent diaconate.”
By Massimo Faggioli, Commonweal — Read more …
15 hidden gems in the Synod report that could lead to major church reforms / America: The Jesuit Review
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Future of the Church, Synod on Synodality, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on November 9, 2023
You will not find these gems written about in the media, but if we let the media tell us what to see in the synod, we might miss important opportunities for church reform.
By Thomas Reese, America: The Jesuit Review
“At the Synod on Synodality, the Western media focused on a limited number of hot-button issues — women’s ordination, married priests and blessing of gay couples. But hidden in the synod participants’ 40-page synthesis are some surprising gems that could lead to significant reform in the church.
“The first is a new stress on lay involvement. Compared with other Christian churches, the Catholic Church is very hierarchical. This synod, especially the conversations at roundtables, was structured so that lay voices, including women and young people, were heard and respected. ‘Synod path called by the Holy Father is to involve all the baptized,’ the report notes. ‘We ardently desire this to happen and want to commit ourselves to making it possible.’
“Secondly, the synod promotes ‘Conversation in the Spirit.’ The term refers to a practice that ‘enables authentic listening in order to discern what the Spirit is saying to the Churches,’ the report explains, adding that ‘‘conversation’ expresses more than mere dialogue: it interweaves thought and feeling, creating a shared vital space.'”
By Thomas Reese, America: The Jesuit Review — Read more …
Thomas J. Reese, S.J., is a senior analyst for Religion News Service. Previously he was a columnist at The National Catholic Reporter (2015-17) and an associate editor (1978-85) and editor in chief (1998-2005) of America.
Voice of the Faithful
A lay movement for governance reform in the Roman Catholic Church, responding to the clergy sexual abuse scandal and supporting survivors.
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