Archive for June, 2015
Charges against Catholic archdiocese illustrate need for accountability / Voice of the Faithful
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on June 8, 2015
Criminal charges against the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, archdiocese for mishandling sexual abuse complaints once again has civil authorities forcing accountability on the Church.
Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful has long emphasized the need to hold bishops accountable for such actions. We are saddened that, once again, civil authorities have been required to do what Church hierarchy refuses to do.
Despite more than a decade of clearly defined standards for reporting abuse and avoiding coverups, too many bishops continue to delay or avoid reporting clerical crimes, and too many chancery officials join in such failures or silence those who would report them. The Church will never move forward from this scandal until such practices cease.
We hope that the Minnesota prosecutor’s action might further encourage Pope Francis to follow through on his promises of accountability and to help prevent future abuse.
Minnesota archdiocese is charged in abuse scandal / The New York Times
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on June 6, 2015
Prosecutors in Minnesota filed criminal charges Friday (June 5) against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, accusing church leaders of mishandling repeated complaints of sexual misconduct against a priest and failing to follow through on pledges to protect children and root out pedophile clergymen.
“The charges and accompanying civil petition, announced by the Ramsey County prosecutor, John J. Choi, stem from accusations by three male victims who say that from 2008 to 2010, when they were underage, a local priest, Curtis Wehmeyer, gave them alcohol and drugs before sexually assaulting them.
“The criminal case amounts to a sweeping condemnation of the archdiocese and how its leaders have handled the abuse allegations — even after reforms were put in place by church leaders to increase accountability — and the charges are among the most severe actions taken by US authorities against a Catholic diocese.”
By Mitch Smith, The New York Times, in The Boston Globe — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Pope Francis swift to accept resignation of the Primate of Belgium / Catholic Herald
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Pope Francis, Voice of the Faithful on June 4, 2015
Pope Francis swiftly accepted the resignation of Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and Primate of Belgium.
“As required by canon law, Archbishop Léonard submitted his letter of resignation on May 6 upon reaching the age of 75. The Belgian archdiocese announced on Monday (June 1) that the Pope had accepted it, despite Archbishop Léonard only being in the position since 2010.
“A Belgian court recently ruled that Archbishop Léonard was guilty of misconduct in failing to take action in a sex abuse case, which dated back to when he was Bishop of Namur, from 1991 to 2010. The court ordered him to pay €10,000 to a former Catholic seminarian, Joel Devillet, who was sexually abused as a choirboy in Aubange by a Catholic abbot, Fr Gilbert Hubermont.”
By Catholic Herald — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Europe’s fractious Catholics set out their views in synod questionnaire / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Future of the Church, Synod of Bishops, Synod on the Family, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on June 2, 2015
Like their counterparts around the world, Europe’s bishops’ conferences are supposed to have been engaged in a listening process for next October’s Synod of Bishops on the family.
“And while little has been divulged officially so far about the views collected from Catholic respondents, it’s been possible to glean some measure of the strong feelings being expressed.
“When the Vatican sent out the final report of the synod’s October 2014 Extraordinary Assembly, it asked bishops to conduct an ‘in-depth examination’ and seek out ‘practical solutions’ to the ‘innumerable challenges’ identified at the synod sessions.
“It circulated 46 questions, as part of the lineamenta, or preparatory documents, about family ministry and how the church could best tackle issues such as homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, contraception, and cohabitation …
“Europe’s fractious and divided church looks set to play a key role when the synod convenes in October.”
By Jonathan Luxmoore, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Pell seeks legal advice after Vatican official slams ‘mockery’ of abuse victims / The Guardian
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on June 1, 2015
George Pell has threatened legal action after a member of the Vatican’s commission for the protection of children accused him of ‘making a mockery’ of child sexual abuse victims.
“Peter Saunders, himself a victim of child sexual abuse, said Pell, Australia’s most senior Catholic cardinal, had an “almost sociopathic” disregard for victims of child sexual abuse through his repeated denial of any knowledge of abuse within the church.
‘But a statement issued on Pell’s behalf on Monday said: ‘The false and misleading claims made against His Eminence are outrageous. The cardinal is left no alternative but to consult with his legal advisers.’”
By Melissa Davey, The Guardian — Click here to read the rest of this story. Also, “Pope Francis’ finance chief promises to appear at Australian child abuse inquiry,” by Bonnie Malkin, The Telegraph
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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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