TOP STORIES

Catholic Archbishop to be tried for protecting pedophile priest has Alzheimer’s
“Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson was given a ‘working diagnosis’ of Alzheimer’s disease two weeks before he was due to face court for failing to report child sexual abuse allegations(link is external)(link is external) to police, the Newcastle Herald reports. The diagnosis was made only weeks after Archbishop Wilson had a fall requiring stitches to a head wound in an Adelaide emergency department, which led to a cardiologist’s appointment and emergency surgery last week to have a pacemaker fitted.”  By CathNews.com

Hartford Archdiocese given poor grade for financial transparency
“A watchdog group has rated the Archdiocese of Hartford as one of the worst in the country for how much financial information it posts online(link is external)(link is external) in a just-released nationwide study of the Catholic Church. The study, done by the international watchdog group Voice of the Faithful, said the archdiocese in Hartford did not do things that should be routine, like posting audited financial statements and information on the weekly collections that are a key source of church revenue.” By Ken Byron, Hartford Courant

Parish roundup: follow the money(link is external)(link is external), By Peter Feuerherd, National Catholic Reporter

VOTF study reveals wide disparity in online financial transparency of U.S. Roman Catholic dioceses, By Voice of the Faithful

Brooklyn diocese names eight priests who sexually abused children
“Over the past 25 years, a university professor named Jaime Lara built an illustrious career in the academic world of sacred art history … On Thursday (Nov. 8), the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn revealed that 25 years ago, Mr. Lara, then known as the Rev. James Lara, was laicized by the Vatican for sexually abusing children(link is external)(link is external).” By Sharon Otterman, The New York Times

Responding to sexual abuse will take years – and it should
“The flood of revelations about sexual harassment and assault(link is external)(link is external), whether in Washington or Hollywood, is unlikely to stop anytime soon. The walls of denial built up by position and self-protective ignorance have been breached. If the tragic revelations of the Catholic Church’s sex abuse crisis are any guide, the process of reckoning with problems that have been avoided for decades will itself take decades.” By Editorial Board at America: The Jesuit Review

Vatican beefs up oversight of diplomats after two sex probes
“Pope Francis has beefed up the Vatican’s oversight of its diplomatic corps after two recent cases of alleged sexual misconduct(link is external)(link is external) and other instances of its ambassadors going off-message from the pope. The Vatican said Tuesday (Nov. 21) that Francis had created a new section in the secretariat of state to coordinate the selection, training and service of its diplomats. It said the change will enable the head of the diplomatic office to make more frequent visits to embassies and better coordinate with the Vatican’s secretary of state, and its interior and foreign ministers.” By Associated Press in Daily Herald

ACCOUNTABILITY

Catholic Church priests raped children in Philadelphia, but the wrong people went to jail
“Ask (retired Philadelphia police detective Joe) Walsh about his stellar career, and he’ll tell you he was just doing his job. But there is something he’s especially proud of—in his 35 years on the force, Walsh believes he never locked up an innocent man or woman. Until, that is, his last case, when he was asked to investigate the alleged multiple rapes of a former altar boy(link is external) a grand jury dubbed “Billy Doe” to protect his identity.” By Ralph Cipriano, Newsweek

Catholic Church ‘particularly subject’ to temptation to cover up abuse
“The Catholic church is “particularly subject to the temptation to cover up abuse(link is external)” in order to protect its reputation, the national inquiry into child sex abuse has been told. On the opening day of a three week hearing on the English Benedictine Congregation as part of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), lawyers representing abuse victims said mandatory reporting of sexual misconduct must be introduced in the church to prevent abuses occurring.” By Rose Gamble, The Tablet
— Catholic clerical abuse topic of 2017 Lester Lecture,’ By Carina Julig, Colorado University Independent

Why do state laws put an expiration date on sex crimes?
“Statutes of limitations are laws designed to protect a person from being prosecuted for a crime after physical evidence has deteriorated, or become less reliable, over time. These time limits vary from crime to crime, and between states. That’s a big problem for victims of sexual violence(link is external) who may need years or even decades to fully process trauma and understand what happened to them, said Rebecca O’Connor, who directs public policy for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, also known as RAINN, which tracks sexual offense statutes of limitation by state.” By Laura Santhanam, WGBH, Public Broadcasting System

POPE FRANCIS

Pope Francis supporters should make themselves heard
“There’s a perception out there—especially in the English-speaking world—that the Catholic Church right now is a simmering cauldron of discontent(link is external). The most recent pot-stirrer is Capuchin Fr. Thomas Weinandy, former doctrinal chief of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ conference. He released to the press a letter he sent to Pope Francis, which faulted him for creating confusion, appointing errant bishops, and demeaning doctrine in general … Those who support Pope Francis’s leadership have tended to keep a fairly low profile by comparison.” By Rita Ferrone, Commonweal

Pope reaffirms conscience as heresy debate divides church
“Pope Francis on Saturday (Nov. 11) reaffirmed the ‘primacy’ of using one’s conscience to navigate tough moral questions(link is external) in his first comments since he was publicly accused of spreading heresy by emphasizing conscience over hard and fast Catholic rules. Francis issued a video message to a conference organized by Italian bishops on his controversial 2016 document on family life, ‘The Joy of Love.’ The document has badly divided the Catholic Church, with some commentators warning that it risked creating a schism given its opening to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
— More Catholic than the Pope?(link is external) By John Gehring, Commonweal

BISHOPS

USCCB Annual Fall Meeting
“Catholic bishops are meeting in Baltimore this week(link is external) (Nov. 13-15) for their annual fall meeting, where the agenda includes an address from Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the USCCB, updates from working groups on racism and immigration as well as elections for heads of various subcommittees. The bishops as a body have been vocal in recent months about a range of political and social issues, from tax reform to gun control, as well as internal church politics. Some of these issues are sure to come up during their meeting.” By America: The Jesuit Review

U.S. bishops, as a group, still resist Pope Francis’ pastoral impulse
“The most important takeaway from the U.S. bishops’ plenary meeting(link is external) this week in Baltimore is that they as a group remain determined to resist the pastoral impulse and approach to which Pope Francis is calling the church. Just as it took Pope John Paul II years to take the conference in a more conservative direction, it will take the bishops who champion Francis a few more years before they have the votes to take the conference in a new direction.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Head of U.S. bishops: we must resist the division caused by hot-button issues
“Resisting the division caused by hot-button church and political issues(link is external) must be a priority for U.S. bishops, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told the group Monday (Nov. 13) morning. ‘Ours is a diverse flock. People look, talk and even think differently from each other,’ Cardinal Daniel DiNardo said in Baltimore. ‘This is a fact that the forces of division will use all the more.’” By Michael O’Loughlin, America: The Jesuit Review
— Cardinal Parolin addresses U.S. bishops with call for ‘profound consensus,(link is external)’ By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
— Nuncio: bishops must focus on youth, evangelization, Jesus(link is external), By Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service, National Catholic Reporter
— Catholic bishops take on racism in society and the church(link is external), By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter
— USCCB Fall 2017 Feature Series(link is external), By National Catholic Reporter

At home and abroad: bishops’ conferences show collegiality, solidarity
“The role of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other bishops’ conferences around the world is ‘catholic’ — working together to promote the church’s mission(link is external), but also ‘to support peace building and human development throughout the world,’ said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. Cardinal Parolin responded to written questions from Catholic News Service Nov. 10, just before he was scheduled to travel to the United States. He was to preside and give the homily at a Mass Nov. 12 in Baltimore marking the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in The Pilot
— A better agenda?(link is external) By Rita Ferrone, Commonweal

7th Conference of the German Bishops’ Conference on Sexual Abuse
“With a call to continue to follow the issue of sexual abuse closely(link is external), the 7th conference of the German Bishops’ Conference on sexual abuse has come to an end today (Nov. 16). Under the theme “Irritated Systems – The Impact (Suspicion) of Sexual Abuse on Affected Systems and Possibilities of Qualified Assistance.” Bishops were invited by Bishop Dr. Stephan Ackermann, commissioner for questions of sexual abuse in the church and for questions of the protection of children and young people, about 90 Vicars General, personnel managers and the Abuse and Prevention Commissioner of the German dioceses and religious communities in Cologne have come together.” By Deutsche Bischofkonferenz

PRIESTS

Abuse by priests in not due to celibacy, says Vatican expert
“Celibacy cannot be blamed for clerical sex abuse(link is external) because the average perpetrator does not commit the crime for up to 20 years after entering the priesthood, according to a top Vatican expert. Professor Hans Zollner, a member of the Vatican’s Commission for the Protection of Minors, said ‘celibacy as such is not the problem’ because the average age of clerical paedophiles is 39. If were a problem, the age would be closer to that when priests take their vows, which is usually in their twenties.” By Sarah MacDonald, Irish Independent
— Pay ‘greatest attention’ to protection of minors in seminarian training(link is external), By Sarah Mac Donald, The Tablet

Vatican says investigating alleged abuser who became priest
“The Vatican said on Saturday (No. 18) it had opened an investigation into reports that a former teenage altar boy, who allegedly repeatedly forced a dormitory mate to have sex with him(link is external), went on to become a priest. The allegations concerning the St. Pius X Institute, known as a pre-seminary, were made in a recent book and in Italian television reports.” By Philip Pullella, Reuters, on Aol.com

MASS TRANSLATIONS

Seize the moment: authors say it’s time to roll back the 2010 missal
“Eminent Jesuit theologian Fr. Gerald O’Collins has appealed to every English-speaking episcopal conference in the church to seize the moment(link is external), dust off the 1998 English translation of the Roman Missal and substitute it for the contentious and clunky 2010 translation. In his new book, Lost in Translation: the English Language and the Catholic Mass, O’Collins, who is currently a research professor at the Jesuit Theological College in Australia, scrutinizes the church’s ‘liturgy wars’ and the Vatican’s ‘usurpation’ of the local bishops’ authority.” By Sarah Mac Donald, National Catholic Reporter
— A nail in the coffin of Liturgiam Authenticam(link is external), By Rita Ferrone on PrayTellBlog.com

WOMEN DEACONS

Orthodox move for women deacons called ‘revitalization’ not ‘innovation’
“Orthodox liturgical theologians are voicing support for the decision of Patriarch Theodoros II and the Greek Orthodox Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to reinstate the order of deaconesses(link is external). ‘We respectfully support the decision of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to restore the female diaconate, thus giving flesh to an idea that has been discussed and studied by pastors and theologians for decades,’ nine theologians from theology schools and seminaries of the United States and Greece said in a statement dated Oct. 31.” By James Dearie, National Catholic Reporter

WOMEN IN THE CHURCH

Women & the Church
“Writing from the Commonweal archives that investigates the women’s relationship to the church(link is external) through the centuries.” By The Editors, Commonweal

Catholic Church’s stance on women alienates people, archbishop says
“The low standing of women in the Catholic Church(link is external) is the most significant reason for the feeling of alienation towards it in Ireland today, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said. ‘Next would be the ongoing effect of the scandals of child sexual abuse,’ he said in an address on Thursday (Nov. 16).” By Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

Irish priests told: reform takes working with bishops, parishioners
“Priests who are campaigning for liberal reforms within the church need to work harder to bring parishioners on board and quit arguing with bishops(link is external), according to one of Ireland’s more progressive religious voices. Fr. Mark Patrick Hederman, a prominent author and former abbot of Benedictine Glenstal Abbey, urged a Nov. 7 gathering of priests to become part of what he described as Pope Francis’ ‘velvet revolution’ to change the church.” By Michael Kelly, National Catholic Reporter

Europe’s church creatively rethinks as numbers plummet
(Nov. 15, 2017) “What made the task (Catholic education) more daunting, (Patric) De Rond (Luxemburg’s head of religious teaching) told Vatican Radio, was the church’s recent reorganization, which had reduced Luxembourg’s existing 274 Catholic parishes to just 33(link is external). How could such a small pastoral network possibly meet the challenge? In reality, such problems have been facing the church all over Europe, as its local leaders seek to adapt structurally and pastorally to falling numbers and dwindling participation.” By Jonathan Luxmoore, National Catholic Reporter

VATICAN II

For Cardinal Parolin, Vatican II still benefits the Church
“The Second Vatican Council, rightly understood, continues to be a force for evangelization and renewal(link is external) in the Church, according to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of the Holy See. Cardinal Parolin, speaking Nov. 14 at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., reflected on the council’s global impact, its focus on the poor, its efforts to counter clericalism and empower the laity, and its efforts to re-emphasize collegiality among bishops.” By Catholic News Agency

VOICES

Was it better back then?
“On October 31 Catholics and Protestants marked with ecumenical spirit or with polemical tone the anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation. Just a few days later—November 4—came the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, one of the great saints of the counter-reformation, or ‘Catholic Reform,’ or ‘early modern Catholicism,’ depending on your preferred historical-theological interpretation of that very long period. He along with St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Philip Neri, and others were once associated with ‘the golden age’ of confessional Catholicism, but now that age does not seem so golden anymore(link is external). Some of the reactions against Pope Francis seem to be the expression of (or to express a new enchantment with) medieval Christendom.” By Massimo Faggioli, Commonweal

CHURCH FINANCES

Vatican Bank’s deputy director is removed from his position
“The Deputy Director General of the Institute for Religious Works (IOR), known as the Vatican Bank, was escorted outside the Vatican and removed from his position(link is external) on Monday (Nov. 27). Giulio Mattietti, was appointed in 2015 by the current General Director of the IOR, Gian Franco Mammì, and according to Italian news outlets was led outside the Vatican on Nov. 27. The Holy See press office confirmed the news of his removal to the media … The motivation behind the removal of Mattietti currently remains unknown.” By Claire Giangrave, Cruxnow.com

Catholic Church Down and Connor diocese has assets worth £140M
“A Catholic Church diocese in the north had an income last year of close to £25m – with almost half coming from donations such as offertory collections. Down and Connor diocese also had assets worth almost £140m including more than £20m of cash in the bank, but its expenditure reached nearly £29m. The finances are revealed in newly published records submitted to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. It is the first time a Catholic Church diocese has had its funds made public through the north’s charity regulator(link is external).” By Brendan Hughes, The Irish News

Catholic diocese surpasses $100 million endowment campaign
“The Buffalo Catholic Diocese has surpassed its goal of $100 million for its ‘Upon This Rock’ capital and endowment campaign(link is external). ‘The Diocese of Buffalo is blessed to report that we have raised over $107 million for these vitally important institutions,’ announced Bishop Richard Malone to a room full of supporters Monday (Nov. 20).” By Marian Hetherly, WBFO-FM, Buffalo’s National Public Radio Station

Okemos priest will stand trial in St. Martha’s embezzlement
“A long-time Okemos priest will stand trial on charges that he stole from his parish(link is external). The Rev. Jonathan Wehrle was bound over by District Judge Donald Allen Friday (Nov. 17) at the conclusion of a four-day preliminary examination. Wehrle will stand trial on six counts of embezzlement of $100,000 or more.” By Beth LeBlanc, Lansing State Journal

Former Onalaska church secretary gets four years in prison for theft of more than $800,000
“A former Onalaska church secretary who stole more than $800,000 from collection plates(link is external) during a nine-year period was sentenced Thursday in federal court to four years in prison and ordered to repay St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Barbara L. Snyder, 60, did not offer remorse or an explanation in court for the offense, which Onalaska Mayor Joe Chilsen, who is also a member of the church’s finance council, said was ‘probably the biggest tragedy.’” By Kevin Murphy for the La Crosse Tribune

Former Halsted Catholic priest David Clark cleared of £12K fraud charges
“A Catholic priest has been cleared of two counts of fraud(link is external). Father David Clark, formerly the parish priest at St Francis of Assisi Church, in Colchester Road, was accused of misappropriating funds during his time in charge between 2010 and 2014. But he was cleared by a jury of both counts when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court this week following a three-day trial.” By Robbie Bryson, Halsted Gazette

CLERGY CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Children at top Catholic schoos ‘still at risk of abuse’
“Pupils at Roman Catholic schools could still be at risk of sexual abuse(link is external) despite years of efforts to remove predators and improve child safeguarding, an inquiry heard yesterday. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has begun examining the prevalence of pedophilia among Benedictine monks and failures to protect young people.” By Josh White, The Daily Mail

Vatican investigating abuse at pre-seminary
“The Vatican announced it had launched a new investigation into reports about sexual abuse in a pre-seminary(link is external) for young adolescents run by the Diocese of Como, Italy, but located inside the Vatican. Greg Burke, Vatican spokesman, issued a statement Nov. 18 saying that beginning in 2013 when ‘some reports, anonymous and not,’ were made, staff of the St. Pius X Pre-Seminary and the bishop of Como both conducted investigations … However, ‘in consideration of new elements that recently emerged, a new investigation is underway to shed full light on what really happened,’ the statement said.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

Professor resigns after exposed as defrocked priest who abused kids
“A renowned professor of medieval art history has resigned from his post at Arizona State University after he was unmasked by the Catholic church as a former priest who was defrocked for sexually abusing children(link is external) 25 years ago. James Lara, who also went by the first name Jaime, served 19 years in the Catholic ministry in New York City before being ousted in 1992 for the abuse, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced on Thursday (Nov. 9).” By Nina Golgowski, Huffington Post
— Catholic Church waits 25 years to reveal pedophile past of Arizona professor(link is external), By david McAfee, Patheos.com

CALIFORNIA

Ex-Los Banos priest convicted of child porn possession for second time in two years
“An ex-priest of a Los Banos Catholic church pleaded no contest Tuesday (Nov. 28) of possessing child pornography(link is external) for the second time in two years. Robert Gamel, 67, pleaded no contest to possessing the same illegal images the led to his prior March 2016 conviction of possessing child pornography. He also formally admitted violating probation from his previous conviction.” By Vikaas Shanker, Los Banos Enterprise, in Merced Sun-Star

FLORIDA

Revered South Bay monsignor accused of covering up sex abuse
“By most accounts the Irish-born (Monsignor Michael) Lenihan was a revered spiritual leader. Now, an attorney handling a child sex abuse case against former St. Lawrence priest Chris Cunningham claims Lenihan knew the priest was accused of sexual assault(link is external) before Cunningham arrived at the Redondo Beach parish in 1998. The lawyer also said he has a witness prepared to testify that Lenihan was notified about the incident involving a child at St. Lawrence school before Cunningham was transferred to another parish in 2001 where he allegedly continued to molest young boys.” By David Rosenfeld, The Beach Reporter

ILLINOIS

Ruling delayed on custody conditions for ex-priest Daniel McCormack
“A former Chicago priest convicted of molesting children(link is external) will have to wait a little longer to see if he will be locked down indefinitely at a state facility for sex offenders. The fate of Daniel McCormack was to be decided Monday (Nov. 27). But Friday (Nov. 24) evening, the office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said a decision has been delayed, though Monday’s hearing will go on. At that hearing, a new date for ruling on McCormack’s fate will be set.” By Andy Grimm, Chicago Sun Times

KANSAS

Kansas priest removed from parish after hiking trip with children
“A Kansas priest who took a hiking trip with children and no other adults has been removed from the pulpit, although no abuse has been alleged(link is external). The Wichita Eagle reported that the Diocese of Wichita described what happened in a letter to parishioners Thursday (Nov. 9). It said the priest was removed from ministry at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Conway Springs after an Oct. 9 hiking trip. Conway Springs is about 25 miles northwest of Wichita.” By Associated Press in The Topeka Capital-Journal

KENTUCKY

Terminally ill Catholic priest released from prison
“A Kentucky priest convicted of sexual abuse(link is external) has been released early from prison due to a terminal illness. James Schook was granted early medical parole and released from prison on Tuesday (Nov. 14). Department of Corrections spokeswoman Lisa Lamb says Schook will be supervised by a parole officer. In order to receive that type of release, Lamb says, an inmate ‘must have a medical diagnosis of being within a year or less of death.’” By Associated Press in U.S. News & World Report

MAINE

Ex-priest who was fired from cheverus and went to prison faces new sex charges in Maine
“A former Jesuit priest who taught and coached at Cheverus High School for nearly two decades before being fired in 1998 is scheduled to be arraigned in Portland on charges he sexually assaulted a minor(link is external) in Freeport nearly 20 years ago. A grand jury indictment dated Nov. 9 and obtained by the Press Herald on Tuesday (Nov.28) identifies the priest as 80-year-old James Francis Talbot of Dittmer, Missouri.” By Dennis Hoey, Portland Press Herald

Former Massachusetts priest reindicted on Maine sex abuse charges
“The York County grand jury has reindicted a former priest from Massachusetts who is accused of repeatedly sexually abusing two boys(link is external) he brought to Maine in the 1980s. Ronald Paquin now faces 31 counts of sexual abuse in York County. He was originally indicted in February on 29 counts of sexual abuse for acts he allegedly committed in the mid- to late 1980s when he brought the boys to Maine for ‘short-term stays,’ Kennebunk Police Chief Craig Sanford said at the time Paquin was charged.” By Edward Murphy, Portland Press Herald
— Defrocked priest now faces 31 counts of sex abuse in Maine(link is external), By Associated Press in U.S. News & World Report
— Defrocked priest pleads not guilty to 31 charges of sex abuse,(link is external) By CBS News WGME-TV

MICHIGAN

Priest who molested students at Jackson Lumen Christi loses case in Court of Appeals
“A former priest who says prosecutors waited too long to charge him with sexual abuse(link is external)has lost his case at the Michigan appeals court. James Rapp was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison for molesting students at Lumen Christi High School in Jackson in the 1980s. He was in prison in Oklahoma for similar crimes when he was charged in Michigan in 2015. The appeals court says any statute of limitations was suspended when Rapp was locked up in Oklahoma. The 3-0 opinion was released Wednesday (Nov. 15).” By Associated Press on WILX.com

MINNESOTA

Retired priest removed from clerical state
“Richard Jeub, a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis since 1966, has been dispensed from the clerical state(link is external), according to a Nov. 29 statement from the archdiocese. Jeub, 77, retired in 2002, but he has been prohibited from ministry since that year, following a credible accusation of sexual abuse of a minor.” By Maria, Wiering, The Catholic Spirit

Two years on, Hebda speaks about work done, work left to o in archdiocese
“On a recent Sunday morning in Lakeville, parishioners at All Saints Catholic Church celebrated the church’s 140th anniversary with a special guest: Archbishop Bernard Hebda. At the event, Hebda charmed the congregation with his self-effacing humor. ‘It was pretty obvious I was going to have to adjust the microphone after the deacon,’ Hebda said, making fun of his shorter, rounder frame. Hebda visits a new Church nearly every Sunday as part of his mission to reform the archdiocese. The Harvard-educated Hebda was chosen by the Vatican and installed as archbishop in 2016. He was tasked with healing wounds caused by the priest sex abuse scandal(link is external) that forced the archdiocese into bankruptcy.” By KSTP-TV

Duluth diocese insurer puts up $9M for clergy abuse settlements
“An insurer for the bankrupt Diocese of Duluth has agreed to provide $9 million that could help compensate clergy sexual abuse victims(link is external). But other insurers and the diocese have yet to agree on what money they may provide to more than 100 victims. Josh Peck, one of the attorneys representing abuse survivors, said it’s good to see the deal with an insurer but a resolution of the bankruptcy is not imminent.” By Martin Moylan, Minnesota Public Radio

MISSOURI

SNAP apologizes to accused priest as part of settlement
“A support group for victims of clergy abuse has apologized to a Roman Catholic priest(link is external) who sued after child molestation charges against him were dropped and jurors in a separate lawsuit concerning the allegations sided with the China-born priest. The Archdiocese of St. Louis on Monday (Nov. 27) disclosed the apology from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.” By Associated Press on FOX News

Former priest accused of sex abuse in 1970s
“There are new reports of sex abuse inside the Catholic Church(link is external). An accuser says reverend Dennis Zacheis sexually abused him while Zacheis was an associate pastor at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in Oakville from 1975 to 1979. The Archdiocese says Zacheis has been retired since 2010 because of financial irregularities while he was a pastor at Saint Anthony’s in Sullivan.” By KSDK-TV
— Archdiocese of St. Louis reports sexual abuse allegation against retired priest(link is external), By Blythe Bernhard, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
— Man sues Roman Catholic priest over childhood sexual assault allegations(link is external), By Lhalie Castillo, Madison-St. Cloud Record

NEBRASKA

Priest who asked students about porn reassigned, will lead Mass on Sunday
“The young Catholic priest who was moved out of a parish(link is external) for his questions of seventh- and eighth-graders during confession has been reassigned under the guidance of a veteran pastor. The Rev. Nicholas Mishek will lead the 9 a.m. Mass Sunday at St. Frances Cabrini Church south of downtown. Out of the public eye, he has lived at the rectory there for at least a month, said the Rev. Damian Zuerlein, pastor. ‘He is young and inexperienced,’ Zuerlein said, ‘and is trying to learn from this and move forward.’” By Michael Kelly, Omaha World-Herald

NEW MEXICO

Shattered Faith Part II: The wide circle of silence
“Editor’s Note: This story is the second in a series called ‘Shattered Faith,’ in which KOB 4 Investigates examines the cases of three former Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe whose alleged widespread abuse of children(link is external) decades ago not only went undealt with, but has contributed to what many mental health professionals call a mental health crisis for New Mexico. The first story in this series, ‘A dangerous shuffle game,’ can be found here.(link is external) Read on for the second part of ‘Shattered Faith.’  By Chris Ramirez, KOB-TV

NEW YORK

Conflicting views on Long Island diocese’s compensation plan
“The three men grew up on Long Island in devout Catholic families. They attended Catholic schools and were befriended by parish priests they say were revered by their parents and often were dinner guests in their homes. The decades have passed: Today they are 42, 51 and 62. But when they were boys, those priests allegedly sexually abused them(link is external), putting their lives in turmoil and devastating family members who found out only years later.” By Bart Jones, Newsday

Manhattan priest still on the job despite allegations of sexual abuse from two former altar boys
“A Manhattan parish priest remains on the job despite allegations from two former altar boys that he sexually abused the pair(link is external), an attorney charged Thursday (Nov. 9). The Rev. Lawrence Quinn targeted the boys in two separate incidents while in a Bronx parish, Our Lady of Mercy, where he spent nearly two decades, according to lawyer Patrick Noaker.” By Aaron Showalter, Laura Dimon and Larry McShane, New York Daily News

RHODE ISLAND

Priest accused of sex abuse now Newport psychologist
“Rev. Christopher Cunningham, facing two civil lawsuits, practices at Seaside Psychological Services on Bellevue Avenue. He was licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health in 2013, after working briefly in Pennsylvania. A Roman Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing children(link is external) in churches in Southern California in the 1990s and early 2000s is now working as a licensed psychologist in Newport.” By Jacqueline Tempera, Providence Journal

AUSTRALIA

Former Catholic priest accused of child sex offenses
“The victims of an alleged pedophile priest(link is external) who was extradited to Sydney from New Zealand, are disappointed he has been granted bail but say they are looking forward to the case finally proceeding through the courts. Former Catholic priest James Joseph Cunneen is accused of sex offenses against seven teenage boys from a Marist Brothers school in Sydney’s west in the late 1980s.” By Mazoe Ford, ABC News Australia

Cardinal George Pell’s legal team requests documents
“Lawyers defending Cardinal George Pell on historical sexual offenses(link is external) have requested documents from ABC journalist Louise Milligan and Melbourne University Press relating to a book about the senior Catholic published last year. The book written by Milligan called ‘Cardinal: the Rise and Fall of George Pell’ was voluntarily removed from Victorian bookstores after Cardinal Pell was charged in July.” By Karen Percy, ABC News Australia

CANADA

Quebec Catholic boarding school priest suspended following sexual assault allegations
“A 57-year-old man has applied for a class action lawsuit against Collège Servite in Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec and the religious Servite community, alleging sexual abuse(link is external) that he suffered at the hands of history teacher Father Jacques Desgrandchamps. In response, the priest accused has been suspended.” By Prashant Bhawalkar on MTLBlog.com

Canadian Catholic Church may be riven to bankruptcy by sex abuse lawsuits, says priest
“The Catholic Church in Canada could be driven to bankruptcy because of the numerous ongoing sex abuse lawsuits(link is external) against priests which could easily cost millions of dollars, according to a local archbishop. Speaking to CBC News in an interview, Moncton’s Archbishop Valéry Vienneau said their diocese previously had money ‘but doesn’t anymore.’” By Lorraine Caballero, Christian Daily

‘A long and tortuous road’: Catholic brother’s guilty plea brings relief for victim, but not closure
“After waiting seven years for the moment to come(link is external), he was anxious the night before. He kept his phone close and waited for the prosecutor’s call: surely, as had already happened so many times, there would be another delay. But the call never came. So the next morning, he woke early and left for the Montreal courthouse.” By Jesse Feith, Montreal Gazette

56 lawsuits against Catholic Church that allege sexual abuse are before N.B. courts
“Almost every month for a year, lawsuits have been filed against the Catholic Church in New Brunswick by alleged victims seeking compensation for sexual abuse by priests(link is external). Many of the priests are dead, but that hasn’t stopped the lawsuits in Moncton, Bathurst and Edmundston from piling up. CBC News has found at least 56 lawsuits are still before the courts, despite an extensive conciliation process a few years ago.”  By Gabrielle Fahmy, Canadian Broadcasting Company
— Lawyer representing sex abuse victims of New Brunswick Catholic priests believes hundreds more complainants will emerge(link is external), By Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press, in The Star

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND & WALES

St. Albans priest posthumously accused of abuse by two victims
“Father Thomas Heley came to the Parish of Saints Alban & Stephens in St Albans in 1977, and stayed there until his death in 1986, during which time it was alleged he abused young boys(link is external). One victim said: “I have been seriously affected by the childhood sexual abuse I experienced. ‘It’s had a crippling impact on my ability to sustain relationships, as I feel I cannot trust people or let people get too close.’” By Frank Whieldon, The Herts Advertiser

Priest fled UK out of ‘cowardice’ after sexual assault charges
“Laurence Soper, 74, is charged with 19 counts of sexual assault against boys(link is external) at St Benedict’s School in Ealing, where he taught. Mr Soper was returned to the UK in May 2016 from after a five-year police hunt in Kosovo, the Old Bailey heard. Ten former pupils have made allegations dating back to the 1970s and 80s.” By BBC News

Catholic priest jailed for sex abuse granted right to appeal
“Michael Higginbottom, 74, from Newcastle, was found guilty of a series of sex assaults(link is external) when he worked as a teacher at St Joseph’s College, in Upholland, Lancashire, in the 1970s. He was jailed for 17 years in April. His lawyers told the Court of Appeal his convictions were unsafe due to an error in the trial judge’s ruling on what evidence went before the jury.” By BBC News
— Catholic priest jailed for sex abuse granted right to appeal(link is external), By BBCNews

Catholic church school pupils could still be at risk of abuse, inquiry told
“Children at Roman Catholic church schools could still be ‘at risk’ of sexual abuse(link is external)despite years of efforts to root out predators, an inquiry has heard. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is examining the prevalence of pedophilia in the English Benedictine Congregation and failures in protecting young people.” By Times & Star

GUAM

Former Guam resident files $10 million clergy sex abuse suit
“A former Guam resident now living in North Carolina said he quit the Boy Scouts of America in the 1970s after he could no longer handle the pain, humiliation and embarrassment that Father Louis Brouillard inflicted on him(link is external), according to a lawsuit filed Thursday (Nov. 29) in federal court.” By Haidee Eugenio, Pacific Daily News

Are sex abuse claims against clergy beyond statute of limitations?
“Is it too little too late? Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood will have to decide if a 2016 law that lifted the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases(link is external) covers all expired claims. The issue comes as defense for Archbishop Anthony Apuron motions for dismissal. At stake: the nearly 150 clergy sexual abuse lawsuits filed to date, both in the local and federal courts.” By Krystal Paco, KUAM-TV

Man says priest, who was family friend, abused him at home
“A 58-year-old man has accused former Guam priest Antonio Cruz, who died more than 30 years ago, of sexually abusing him(link is external) in 1974, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday (Nov. 14) in the U.S. District Court of Guam. The lawsuit, filed by a man identified only by the initials “L.J.G.” states Cruz was close friends with the man’s parents and visited the family weekly. It is the 143rd lawsuit filed in federal or local court, accusing a clergy member or other person associated with the Catholic Church on Guam of sexual abuse.” By Steve Limtiaco, Pacific Daily News

Sex abuse victims say priest forced boys to undress and take turns sitting on his lap
“The latest sex abuse lawsuit filed(link is external) against the Archdiocese of Agana describes some of the routine practices of the alleged pedophiles against the victims. The latest lawsuit comes from B.F. who names two individuals, Father Louis Brouillard and Boy Scout Leader Edward Pereira. B.F. says that he was not a member of the Boy Scouts or officially an altar server but often participated in their events and outings.” By Janela Carrera, Pacific News First

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Priests given wallet-size help cards for handling abuse claims
“The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has issued a portable information card to assist priests faced with abuse allegations(link is external). It was claimed at its annual meeting in Athlone last week (Nov. 13) that guidelines prepared for the handling of such cases by the church’s own child protection watchdog, its National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC), were not being followed by bishops and religious superiors.” By Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times
— Irish priests advised on how to deal with being accused of sexual abuse(link is external), By Nick Bramhill, Irish Central

ITALY

Catholic officials warn ex-seminarians over sex claims
“Catholic officials in Italy have threatened former altar boys of the pope with criminal defamation charges(link is external) for having publicly accused an older seminarian of sexual misconduct when they lived together at the youth seminary inside the Vatican gardens. Church lawyers in the diocese of Como have also warned an Italian investigative news program against broadcasting the boys’ claims and have purportedly pressed a church official to recant his suggestion of a cover-up. The response is indicative of how the allegations of gay sex among altar boys inside the Vatican walls have touched a raw nerve in the Vatican and the Italian church.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, on ABCNews.go.com

NEW GUINEA

Alotau police on priest sex allegations
“Twenty-nine victims of the alleged sexual harassment(link is external) by a Catholic priest at a secondary school in Milne Bay have had their cases formally investigated and completed by police. Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector George Bayagau confirmed that among the 29 victims are five teachers. He has also instructed the officers from police sexual violence unit handling the case to speed up the process. ‘We have done case by case reports from all 29 victims and are ready to call the suspect,’ he said.” By Papua New Guinea Post-Courier

NEW ZEALAND

Catholic priest, 58, extradited from New Zealand to face charges of sexually assaulting seven boys and young men
“A former Catholic priest has been extradited from New Zealand after being accused of sexually assaulting seven boys and young men(link is external) aged between 14 and 20. New Zealand police arrested a 58-year-old man at his home in Hamilton, on the nation’s North Island, in July. Investigators travelled to New Zealand on Wednesday to take custody of the man and return him to Australia.” By Kate Darvall, The Daily Mail, Australia

PHILIPPINES

Philippines to extradite priest accused of molesting U.S. boys
“The Philippine government is preparing to extradite to the United States a recently arrested Filipino Catholic priest who faces charges of sexually molesting two boys(link is external) in North Dakota churches in the 1990s, an official said Wednesday (Nov. 22). Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras said Fernando Laude Sayasaya was arrested over the weekend by police in Calamba city in Laguna province south of Manila and will be flown back to the U.S., which sought his extradition under a treaty.” By Associated Press on FOV-TV