TOP STORIES

Multimillion-dollar maze: Vatican trial to test finance reforms
“The alleged mishandling of millions of dollars of church funds will bring several high-profile individuals to a makeshift Vatican courtroom(link is external) set up in a multifunction room of the Vatican Museums. The surprise announcement July 3 that Vatican prosecutors indicted 10 individuals and entities, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, former prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, on a slew of charges related to financial mismanagement and malfeasance was the latest twist in the seemingly unending saga of the Vatican’s controversial investment in a property in London’s Chelsea district.” By Catholic News Service in The Catholic Sun

Three years after the 2018 ‘summer of shame,’ what do American Catholics think about the sex abuse crisis?
“Nearly three years after a searing report issued by a Pennsylvania grand jury detailed the sexual abuse by clergy of thousands of children and the extensive cover-up by church leaders that followed, America asked the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University to survey Catholics nationwide about their understanding of the crisis, its emotional impact and how it has affected their faith(link is external).” By Mark M. Gray and Thomas P. Gaunt, America: The Jesuit Review

Connecticut diocese files for bankruptcy amid abuse claims
“A Roman Catholic diocese in Connecticut filed for federal bankruptcy protection on Thursday (Jul. 15) to resolve dozens of lawsuits alleging the abuse of teenage students(link is external) decades ago at the former Academy at Mount Saint John School, a residential treatment center for troubled youth in Deep River. Documents filed by the Diocese of Norwich, which oversaw the facility, indicate it has $50 million to $100 million in estimated liabilities owed to 50 to 99 creditors. To date, nearly 60 former residents of the school have sued the diocese and a former bishop for damages, exceeding the diocese’s current financial ability to pay, according a statement issued by the diocese.” By Susan Haigh, Associated Press

Synod theologian says laity must make decisions, not just implement them
“Looking ahead to a looming Synod of Bishops on the concept of ‘synodality,’ a lay Venezuelan theologian says the time has come for bishops to grasp one key point: Lay people aren’t just called to implement decisions in the Church made by others, but to make those decisions themselves(link is external). Layman Rafael Luciani, who divides his year between Venezuela and Boston, where he works at Boston College, is one of three Latin American theologians who were chosen as consultants for the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the matter of Synodality, to which he hopes to contribute ‘from a non-clerical vision.’” By Inés San Martín, Cruxnow.com

LatAm webinar says in anti-abuse fight, buck stops on the bishop’s desk
“Some 165 bishops from across Latin America are taking part this week in an on-line seminar on abuse prevention that includes top-level experts from both the region and Rome, based on the premise that although fighting abuse requires various forms of commitment and expertise, as far as the Catholic Church goes, the buck still stops on the bishop’s desk(link is external). ‘Following the crisis that became public in the Church with regard to abuse, in recent years much emphasis has been placed on the role and responsibility of bishops, not only for the correct treatment of cases that come to their attention, but also with regard to the prevention of these situations,’ said Argentine laywoman Maria Ines Franck, a bioethics and canon law expert who helped organize the seminar.” By Inés San Martín, Cruxnow.com

ACCOUNTABILITY

Justices deal blow to outdated claims of child sexual abuse
“Pennsylvania’s high court on Wednesday (Jul. 21) dealt a blow to victims of child sexual abuse(link is external), throwing out a lawsuit by a woman whose lower court victory had given hope to others with similarly outdated claims who’d sued following a landmark report that documented decades of child molestation within the Catholic church in Pennsylvania. The 5-2 decision ended plaintiff Renee Rice’s legal effort to recover damages from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown for allegedly covering up and facilitating sexual abuse she said had been inflicted on her by a priest in the late 1970s.” By Mark Scolforo, The Associated Press, in The Boston Globe

DOJ: ‘Uneven’ response from Catholic dioceses in statewide inquiry of clergy abuse
“The head of the Wisconsin Department of Justice says the state’s five Catholic dioceses are not all cooperating in a statewide inquiry into sexual abuse by clergy and other faith leaders(link is external). Attorney General Josh Kaul held a press conference Tuesday (Jul. 20) to provide an update on his office’s review of clergy and faith leader abuse. Kaul said they’ve received more than 100 reports of either sexual assault or how faith organizations have responded to abuse since launching the investigation in April.” By Hope Kirwan, Wisconsin Public Radio

NDAs Kept These Christians Silent. Now They’re Speaking Out Against Them.
“A growing number of ministers, missionaries, Christian workers, abuse victims, and victims’ advocates are publicly objecting to the non-disclosure agreements and confidentiality clauses used by major religious organizations(link is external). They say the legal tools that were designed to protect tech industry ‘trade secrets’ are widely misused to conceal abuse, preserve secrets, and protect powerful reputations without regard for the human cost.” By Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today

BISHOPS

Canadian Bishops convey commitment to healing and reconciliation
“The Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) released a statement on Friday (Jul. 16) noting its support to Bishops of Saskatchewan who have issued an ‘Appeal for Support of Healing and Reconciliation’ in favor of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada(link is external). The project aims to generate fundraising to promote healing and reconciliation. It also foresees cemeteries on the sites of former residential schools, as well as educational and cultural support. The goal of the campaign, according to the Bishops of Saskatchewan, is to ‘support Indian Residential School survivors and their communities, and to engage more deeply in our own ongoing commitment and response to the Truth and Reconciliation process.’” By Vatican News

• Calgary Catholic Diocese announces financial support plan for residential school survivors(link is external), By Carolyn Kury de Castillo, Global News
• The priest’s confession: What the Catholic bishops knew(link is external), By Radio Canada, Canadian Public Broadcast Service, and ‘I told him about my problems’: Priest’s confession of child abuse used to boost case against Catholic Church(link is external), By Scott Anderson, Lynette Fortune and Mark Kelley, Canadian Broadcasting Company (In light of Canada’s residential school issue, Focus is providing a link to these stories on clergy sexual abuse and cover-up in Canada that were reported in February 2020)

Abuse allegations against the late Bishop Sullivan deemed ‘credible’
“The Diocese of Lansing has deemed as credible two allegations of sexual abuse leveled against the late Bishop James Sullivan(link is external) (1929 – 2006). Bishop Sullivan was Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing from 1972 to 1985 before becoming Bishop of Fargo in North Dakota from 1985 to 2002. Both accusations stem from the mid-1960’s when then-Father Sullivan was living in residence at a parish in Lansing. Both victims were boys who were subject to sexual grooming and inappropriate contact by Sullivan.” By Diocese of Lansing Michigan

Buffalo Auxiliary Bishop Grosz accused of molesting child at confirmation
“Retired Auxiliary Bishop Edward M. Grosz, who for many years played a key role in the handling of sex abuse complaints against priests in the Buffalo Diocese, is accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy(link is external) after a confirmation service in 1990. A Genesee County man told The News on Monday (Jul. 12) that Grosz repeatedly groped him at a gathering in a church hall following the confirmation ceremony inside St. Brigid Church in Bergen. Grosz is the highest-ranking clergyman in the Buffalo Diocese to be accused of child sex abuse.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

With looming retirements, Francis can pick up the pace on naming U.S. bishops
“If personnel is policy, then a vote last month by the U.S. bishops to draft a controversial document on Communion that the Vatican had cautioned against reveals Pope Francis may have considerable work ahead of him in his efforts to get the American Catholic hierarchy to embrace his priorities(link is external) … Yet if Francis, who turned 84 in December and was hospitalized last week for the first major health scare of his papacy, is seeking to pick up the pace of episcopal appointments with bishops more aligned with his agenda, he does have a number of opportunities on the horizon. To date, three dioceses in the U.S. are currently vacant, another nine bishops have already passed the age of 75, when bishops are required to submit their resignation to the pope, and there are several other dioceses that will soon open.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

PRIESTS

Catholic priest who has spoken out about clergy abuse faces removal as Richmond Bishop with petition to the Vatican
“A Virginia priest could be removed from the priesthood. He continued to blog about the Catholic Church sex abuse scandals(link is external) even after the Catholic Diocese of Richmond Bishop ordered him to keep quiet. Father Mark White at first obeyed an order to stop blogging. However, he restarted the online conversation once COVID hit and in-person church services halted. That has now prompted Bishop Barry Knestout to take their battle to Pope Francis.” By Kerri O’Brien, ABC-TV8 News

WOMEN’S VOICES

Women believers changed the Roman Empire — now we must change the Roman Church
“On the feast day of the ‘apostle to the apostles,’ St. Mary of Magdala, I want to reflect on something I suspect this first witness to the Resurrection and foremost leader in the early Jesus movement might find puzzling. Namely, what is the big deal about recognizing women’s leadership in today’s Catholic faith communities?(link is external) We live in a very different cultural context than did Mary of Magdala and other early Christian women, but our own times are no less in need of Christ’s healing energy than the ones in which they lived. The Jesus movement spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire because of the initiative of female prophets, evangelists, missionaries, heads of house churches and widows, and financial support from Christian businesswomen such as Mary of Magdala and Joanna (Luke 8:1-3(link is external)) as well as Lydia (Acts 16:11-40(link is external)), Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2(link is external)), Olympias,(link is external) a fourth-century deacon (whose feast day is July 25) and others.” By Christine Schenk, National Catholic Reporter

VATICAN

Plans for next synod continue at Vatican
“The Vatican released the names of members of two commissions charged with assisting the leaders of the Synod of Bishops’ general secretariat in reviewing documents, drafting resources and developing best practices. According to the synod website, the theological commission and the methodology commission will include religious and lay experts from around the world(link is external). The theme chosen by the pope for the next synod is: ‘For a synodal church: communion, participation and mission.’” By CatholicPhilly.com

• Australians to help prepare 2023 synod(link is external), By CathNews.com

Prosecutor seeks sentences in Vatican youth seminary sex abuse trial
“A prosecutor on Thursday (Jul. 15) asked a Vatican court to sentence a man who is now a priest to six years in prison for alleged sexual abuse committed in a youth seminary in the Vatican(link is external) before he was ordained. Father Gabriele Martinelli, now 28, is accused of having forced a person known only as L.G. to have sex, mostly while they were both minors between 2007 and 2012. The alleged abuse took place in the Pius X Pre-Seminary, which houses altar boys who serve Mass in St. Peter’s, including for popes, and are thinking of becoming priests.” By Reuters on KFGO-AM 790 Radio News

CHURCH FINANCES

Vatican financial watchdog reports on its 2020 activities
“The Vatican’s financial watchdog agency said that in 2020 more financial transactions were flagged as suspicious by Vatican offices, but after investigation it did not have to suspend any transactions or freeze any accounts(link is external). The 2020 annual report of the Supervisory and Financial Information Authority, published July 15, said it received 89 suspicious activity reports, 85 of which came from the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly called the Vatican bank. In 2019, 64 suspicious activity reports were filed.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

Lessons from Pope Francis’ financial reform efforts
“Cleaning up the Vatican’s finances has been a long, complex and personally costly process for Pope Francis. Despite many obstacles, he has persevered, and that determination is starting to pay off. On July 3, the Vatican announced it would prosecute 10 individuals, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, for alleged financial crimes. This is an unprecedented moment and marks a potentially decisive chapter in Francis’ reform efforts(link is external) … Church sources have often told me that a root cause of the difficulties is an outdated system in which multi-million-dollar investments are overseen or managed by prelates who have not been financially trained.” By Christopher Lamb, Chicago Catholic

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

Authority in a wounded church: Leaders see ‘synodality’ as way forward
“Since his election in March 2013, Pope Francis has called for a true conversion within the Catholic Church(link is external), one in which all the baptized become ‘missionary disciples,’ where ordination — as a priest or bishop — means service and not power, and where anyone who is suffering finds a listening ear, a merciful heart and a helping hand. In many countries, hundreds or thousands of cases of clerical sexual abuse have made the need for conversion painfully obvious and have led to a reckoning with how power is viewed, exercised and protected within the church.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, on Cruxnow.com

• Melbourne Catholic Archbishop proposes big church restructure over ‘serious challenges(link is external),’ By Farrah Tomazin, The Age

The church in the West is in decline―and nationalism won’t save it
“I was 17 years old when I heard the Lord’s Prayer spoken in public for the first time. It was in November 1989 during the Velvet Revolution, which brought freedom to Communist Czechoslovakia. The crowd of almost 500,000 people chanted and cheered while the dissidents spoke. But when the Rev. Václav Malý started praying the Our Father, it grew quiet. After two generations of religious suppression and intense Communist indoctrination, few people could recite the prayer by heart(link is external). Many had never heard of it. But everyone understood it was a solemn moment.” By Kamila Valenta, America: The Jesuit Review

VOICES

Bankruptcy adds to sad legacy of Catholic Church scandal
“The past moral bankruptcy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich has led inevitably to its financial bankruptcy(link is external). Last week the diocese serving the Connecticut counties of New London, Middlesex, Windham and Tolland, as well as Fishers Island, N.Y., filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the federal Bankruptcy Code. Along with Catholic dioceses across the nation and the world, the Norwich Diocese shares a shameful legacy of placing the protection of the church’s reputation above protecting children, above acting lawfully, and above the Great Commandment to ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” By The Day Editorial Board

Time to put the ‘catholic’ back into the Catholic Church
“What does the reaction to Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis’ motu proprio restoring the restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass that existed before 2007, tell us about the necessity of the document? And what about the prospects for ecclesial unity that Francis cited as his rationale for taking this decision?(link is external) It is important to distinguish between those who simply found the antiquity of the old rite a comfort in a fast-changing world, or those for whom the traditional Latin Mass offered an aesthetic that served to mediate the divine, and those for whom the Tridentine liturgy was a kind of ideological statement displaying their opposition to the Second Vatican Council.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Editorial: How you see the sexual abuse crisis
“The Catholic Church still has a trust problem, as shown by the results of a comprehensive survey of U.S. Catholics commissioned by America Media and featured in this issue. (Look for more results in our September issue.) Seventy-six percent of respondents to the survey, conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate in May and June, said that the sexual abuse of minors by clergy has hurt the reputation of the church at least somewhat(link is external), and about one-third said they were ‘embarrassed’ to tell others that they were Catholic because of the crisis.” By Editors at America: The Jesuit Review

Sexual Abuse by Clergy: The evil of and in the Church
“The alarming reports of sexual abuse by Catholic priests of minors and vulnerable adults(link is external) in most parts of the world is a shocking truth about the rot that exists within the religious institution. Sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults happens in most institutions in the world – religious or non-religious including families and is not a vile habit of some priests in the Catholic Churches alone.” By Savio Rodrigues, The Goa Chronicle

Bishops’ meetings won’t heal the U.S. church. We need a Fourth Plenary Council involving all Catholics.
“The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore concluded in December 1884. Among its results was the standardized catechism known to generations of Catholics as the Baltimore Catechism. This meeting was the last of 13 councils of different kinds that took place in Baltimore between 1829 and 1884. These 13 councils made the United States one of the most conciliar places in the Catholic Church during that time—rooted, in part, in the country’s own democratic experiment. Given all the challenges facing the Catholic Church in our country, we are far overdue for a moment in which the bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful of our country can discern together how to be the people of God in our time and place(link is external). It is time that we as a church” By Brian P. Flanagan, America” The Jesuit Review

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Colorado law allows sex abuse victims to collect restitution inn civil court from public and private institutions
“On Tuesday (Jul. 6), Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law Senate Bill 88, which allows victims of sexual abuse to file for restitution from public and private entities in civil court(link is external). The law adopted July 6 permits victims of abuse from 1960 to January 2022 retroactively to collect restitution from employers who knew about or who should have known about the abuse taking place, as long as claims are filed by January 2025.” By Autumn Jones, Catholic News Association, in National Catholic Register

An uncertain future for the Adult Survivors Act
“The Adult Survivors Act unanimously passed the New York State Senate during this year’s legislative session, but its future in the Assembly remains unclear(link is external). New York’s legislative session ended nearly one month ago, but not without criticism from advocacy groups. The Adult Survivors Act would create a one-year look back window for cases of adult sexual abuse. That’s similar to the Child Victims Act, legislation passed in 2019 targeted at victims of child sex abuse.” By Darrell Camp, WSKG-FM National Public Radio

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

A Widow’s Hunt for the Priest Who Preyed on Her Husband
“Instead of driving to Burlington for that meeting, Peter met his death by suicide(link is external) in the foaming, churning waters funneling through steep rock formations … Twenty-three years later, on the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, at 3:36 p.m., an email arrived from one Edward Mechmann with the heading, ‘Complaint against Fr. Malone.’ ‘I am the Safe Environment Coordinator for the Archdiocese of New York. As such, I oversee the child protection programs of the Archdiocese… First of all, on behalf of the Archdiocese, please permit me to express my deep regret and sorrow that your husband was abused by one of our priests.’” By Jenny Grosvenor, The Daily Beast

Anti-gay Catholic priest accused of having sex with men to ‘heal’ their homosexuality
“A French priest with a history of campaigning against gay rights faces a Catholic Church trial over allegations that he sexually assaulted men to ‘heal’ their homosexuality(link is external). Msgr. Tony Anatrella, a Vatican adviser and psychotherapist, will stand trial in church court after multiple allegations of abuse and inappropriate sexual relationships with his male clients. No details have yet been made public about when Anatrella will face trial, but the Paris Archdiocese previously reprimanded Anatrella in 2018 due to the allegations against him, preventing him from practicing therapy or hearing confession.” By Rhuaridh Mass, Metro Weekly

CALIFORNIA

Former student sues Providence High School in Burbank, alleges sexual abuse of minor by then track coach
“Providence High School, a private Catholic school in Burbank, was sued by a former student who alleges her track and field coach sexually molested her as a minor(link is external) in 2019, and then warned her not to tell anyone what he’d done. The lawsuit, brought Wednesday (Jul. 7) in Los Angeles Superior Court, identifies 27-year-old Mohamed Haddada as the former coach. The now 18-year-old plaintiff is listed only as Jane Doe.” By CBS-TV9 News Los Angeles

CONNECTICUT

Lawyer for sex abuse victims: Norwich Diocese bankruptcy filing could deny full compensation
“A bankruptcy filing by the Norwich Diocese to shield its finances as it faces lawsuits over scores of sexual abuse claims may deny full compensation to the victims(link is external), one of their lawyers said Friday (July 16). New London attorney Kelly E. Reardon, who represents six men who accused the church of sexual abuse decades ago, said insurance coverage is ‘fairly limited’ and may not result in full compensation.” By Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant

MASSACHUSETTS

Examining priest abuse after closure of Croteau case
“New details Monday (Jul. 12) night surrounding a defrocked priest who authorities said was responsible for the murder of altar boy Danny Croteau nearly 50 years ago. Western Mass News learned of new allegations against former priest Richard Lavigne(link is external), who died days before the Hampden DA could bring murder charges against him. Danny Croteau is one of those names that never left the heart of the western Mass. community.” By Audrey Russo and Amanda Callahan, FOX-TV6 News

MICHIGAN

Former U.P. Priest sentenced in Dickinson County
“Eight to 15 years in prison, that’s the sentence given to Gary Jacobs a former Upper Peninsula Priest, facing criminal sexual conduct charges(link is external). Jacobs appeared in Dickinson County court Tuesday (Ju;. 13) afternoon for sentencing. His attorney stated Jacobs wrestled with his sexuality as a gay man and alcohol abuse when he committed the criminal sexual conduct. In May, the 75-year-old Jacobs pleaded guilty to one count of second degree CSC in Dickinson County.” By Jerry Tudor, FOX-TV6 News

‘A wicked problem’: Advocacy center expands to deal with increase in child abuse allegations
“Child sexual abuse sometimes takes place under the blankets while a child sits with their abuser on the sofa, watching TV in a room full of people. ‘It’s a wicked problem that happens in the shadows,’ said Ginger Kadlec, executive director of the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, which recently added 2,200 square feet of space to deal with the rise in reports of sexual and physical abuse(link is external).” By Patti Brandt Burgess, Travers City Record Eagle

NEW MEXICO

Las Cruces diocese says abuse records disclosed voluntarily, despite New Mexico attorney general’s claims
“While New Mexico’s attorney general has taken credit for securing Catholic Church documents on sex abuse by clergy, saying they will be released to the public soon, a spokesperson for the Las Cruces diocese said it provided the documents voluntarily(link is external) out of a desire to address the “abhorrent crime” of sex abuse, not because of a search warrant or legal obligation.” By Kevin Jones, Catholic News Agency

NEW YORK.

3 adults, including priest, sexually abused young Mount Loretto resident, suit alleges
“Three adults, including a priest, sexually abused him over the course of six years(link is external) when he lived at the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin at Mount Loretto three decades ago, a former resident alleges in an explosive lawsuit. His assailants also threatened the plaintiff, who was in his early teens, with physical violence if he revealed what they did to him, alleges a civil complaint against the New York Archdiocese.” By Frank Donnelly, SILive.com

Bankruptcy judge rejects jury-trial motion, insurance settlement
“The U.S. Bankruptcy Court July 9 denied a motion by the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors that would have allowed 21 sexual-abuse lawsuits against the Diocese of Rochester to proceed in state court(link is external). The motion was filed June 8 by attorneys representing the Committee, which was appointed by the Office of the United State Trustee and comprises several survivors of childhood sexual abuse who had filed claims against the diocese under New York state’s Child Victims Act. Also during the hearing, the court denied the diocese’s motion for approval of a $35 million settlement with several insurers involved in its bankruptcy case, which began in September 2019.” By Jennifer Burke, Catholic Courier

Retired priest placed on administrative leave following child abuse complaint
“The Diocese of Buffalo announced Friday (Jul. 9) that a retired priest who continues to assist in the ministry of St. Matthew’s parish in Buffalo has been placed on administrative leave in the wake of a child abuse complaint against him(link is external). A statement released by the diocese said it recently became aware of an action brought pursuant to the Child Victims Act by a woman who alleges she was abused as a child in the early 1980s by Monsignor Leo McCarthy, 88.” By Harold McNeil, The Buffalo News

NORTH CAROLINA

Former ministry leader at NC university sexually abused student for years, lawsuit says
“A former Catholic ministry leader at Western Carolina University in the North Carolina mountains sexually abused a student for years in the 1980s(link is external), according to a lawsuit the former student filed on Tuesday (Jul. 6) against his alleged abuser and the Charlotte Catholic Diocese. On Friday, the diocese issued a statement that it ‘has zero tolerance for child sexual abuse, and we continue to encourage anyone who has been the victim of abuse to seek help and report to authorities.’” By Joe Marusak, The Charlotte Observer

OHIO

Strongsville priest pleads guilty to sex trafficking, child pornography charges; diocese plans to ‘defrock’ him
“A Strongsville Catholic priest pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday (Jul. 16) to several charges, including sex trafficking of a minor and possession of child pornography(link is external). According to the Department of Justice, Rev. Robert D. ‘Bob’ McWilliams decided to plead guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count each of transportation of child pornography, receipt and distribution of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography.” By Dave ‘Dino’ DeNatale, Tyler Carey, Marisa Saenz, WYKC-TV3 News

Former Steubenville teacher sentenced for sex abuse of 15-year-old
“A former Steubenville Catholic Central High School teacher was sentenced after accepting a plea agreement to one count of sexual battery(link is external). Corissa A. McCalister, 22, of Steubenville was sentenced to two years of probation, community service and must register as a sex offender. McCalister originally pled not guilty. McCalister was the head cross country coach and assistant track coach at Steubenville Catholic Central High School, where she reportedly was driving a 15-year-old student home from a track meet at Edison High School when she made a stop at the Harrison County Fairgrounds in Cadiz and engaged in sex with the teen.” By John Lynch, WKBN-TV27 News

TEXAS

$10M lawsuit filed against Vatican, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston after priest accused of child sexual abuse
“A $10 million lawsuit has been filed against Holy See and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and its Cardinal, Daniel N. DiNardo, on behalf of the parents of a child they say was sexually abused by Rev. Phi Thanh Nguyen(link is external) in November 2018, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit states that Nguyen sexually abused the child when she was 10 years old while attending the Nazareth Academy in Victoria, Texas. The lawsuit names Holy See because ‘Nguyen would not have been able to ingratiate himself at Nazareth Academy,’ according to the lawsuit.” By Click2Houston.com

VERMONT

Former South Burlington priest accused of child sexual abuse
“A former South Burlington priest has been accused of sexually abusing a child(link is external) in the 1960s. The victim, who is remaining anonymous, is now in his 60s. He says Father Roger W. Carlin molested him when he was nine in 1966 and 1967 at St. John Vianney church in South Burlington. ‘He wants to try to heal, he wants to try to help other victims, and he wants to make the world a safer place for children,’ said Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney representing the alleged victim. Garabedian has represented thousands of other sex abuse cases and says coming forward can be cathartic for victims.” By Katherine Huntley, WCAX-TV3 News

VIRGINIA

Area Catholic diocese adds four priests to list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse
“The Richmond Catholic Diocese has added four names to its list of clergy who have credible, substantiated claims of sexual abuse involving a minor against them(link is external). Three of the priests — Robert Beattie, Leo Creamer and Patrick Quinn — are dead. The fourth, Joseph Slowik, hasn’t actively served in the ministry since 2006. They join the list, which was first made public in 2019, of 23 other priests with sexual abuse allegations in the diocese, which includes the Charlottesville area.” By Colbi Edmonds, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Former Christendom College professor arrested on charges of soliciting a child
“A longtime economics and political science professor at Christendom College in Virginia has been charged with solicitation of a minor younger than 16 years old and two counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. William R. Luckey, 72, who taught for about 30 years at the Catholic institution, which touts being one of only 15 colleges recommended by the conservative Cardinal Newman Society, was arrested on June 25 and released on a secured $50,000 bond on July 12.” By Jenn Morson, National Catholic Reporter

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin DOJ encourages survivors to report clergy and faith leader abuse
“Wisconsin’s attorney general is encouraging survivors of clergy or faith leader abuse to report it to the state’s Department of Justice(link is external). Attorney General Josh Kaul says the state’s victim services specialists can help survivors in a safe and confidential way. ‘We want to get to the bottom of this, both so we can connect survivors to services, but also so we can help get some measure of accountability,’ Kaul says. ‘Hopefully by working with the dioceses to update their lists of credibly accused priests as the facts dictate … we can work to prevent this from ever happening again.’” By Leah Rivard, News8000.com

More than 100 church-related abuse claims filed with DOJ
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice has received more than 100 reports of abuse by clergy and faith leaders across the state(link is external) since announcing a statewide investigation in April, the law enforcement agency said Tuesday (Jul. 13). The reports received by the agency to date include allegations of abuse and also relate to how churches and religious organizations responded to abuse, the justice department said.” By Associated Press

AUSTRALIA

Priest guilty of 25 sexual abuse charges
“A Catholic priest has been found guilty of numerous historical abuse charges including three counts of having homosexual sex with young boys(link is external). Anthony William Peter Caruana, 79, was convicted of 25 charges relating to 12 victims after jurors in his Sydney trial were deliberating for nearly 10 days. They will return to the NSW District Court on Wednesday to continue deciding on a majority verdict for the remaining two counts.’ By Australian Associated Press on YahooNews.com

EAST TIMOR

East Timor: Defrocked priest’s trial must be swift – NGO
“An East Timorese NGO has called for more respect and support for victims of sexual abuse in the country(link is external), calling for a speedy trial of a defrocked priest accused of sexually abusing several children over a period of years. ‘Sexual violations against women and girls are serious crimes, and everyone must unite to oppose these acts. Activists, journalists, the state, human rights institutions and our entire population need to act more purposefully to fight for the physical safety, privacy and freedom of women and girls,’ said La’o Hamutuk, a Timorese non-governmental organisation (NGO).” By Lusa, MacauBusiness.com

FRANCE

Anti-LGBTQ+ Priest Accused of Sexual Abuse to Cure Homosexuality
“A French Catholic priest, Tony Anatrella, who once served as a Vatican adviser regarding sexuality, is facing a church trial over alleged sexual relationships with his male clients(link is external). The priest, 80, has a history of supporting anti-LGBTQ+ rights initiatives including authoring an article that supported a ban on queer people serving in the priesthood, according to Queerty. The website also reported that he claimed gay men raised violent children.” By Alex Cooper, The Advocate

PHILIPPINES

Legislators must end Philippines’ child sex shame
“The greatest shame of the Philippines is the fact that it is legal under the 1930 Penal Code for a 50-year-old man to have sex with a pre-pubescent 12-year-old child(link is external) and get away with it if the man can convince a court that the child ‘gave consent.’ Soon that will change and justice will be done for thousands of child victims. At present many children, under pressure from parents and abusers, are forced to stay silent when sexually abused or to say to government officials or in court that ‘He is my boyfriend,’ or that ‘I loved him.” By Shay Cullen, Manila, UCANews.com

TOP STORIES

Vatican indicts 10, including a cardinal, in London deal
“A Vatican judge on Saturday (Jul. 3) indicted 10 people, including a once-powerful cardinal, on charges including embezzlement, abuse of office, extortion and fraud(link is external) in connection with the Secretariat of State’s 350 million-euro investment in a London real estate venture. The president of the Vatican’s criminal tribunal, Giuseppe Pignatone, set July 27 as the trial date, though lawyers for some defendants questioned how they could prepare for trial so soon given they hadn’t yet formally received the indictment.” By Nicole Winfield Associated Press

• Historic Vatican indictments raise as many questions as they answer(link is external), By John L. Allen, Jr., Cruxnow.com
• Indictments for Vatican financial crimes a sign of progress(link is external), By Thomas Reese, Religion News Service

The German synodal way explained
“Some Catholics in the United States are deeply concerned about the German church’s ‘synodal way.’ A quick YouTube search returns titles like, ‘What is going on in Germany!?!?!’ ‘English Bishop WARNS Vatican ‘Stop German Bishops, We’re Heading to Schism!’ and ‘Vatican in Crisis Management Mode Over Catholic Bishops in Germany.’ Is any of this true? Not really(link is external). For this week’s special episode of America’s ‘Inside the Vatican’ podcast, I spoke with four German Catholics who understand the synodal way well: A bishop involved in the synod’s forum on power, a theologian involved in the forum on women’s roles, one of the synodal way’s spiritual guides, and a critic of the process.” By Colleen Dulle, America: The Jesuit Review

• German bishop discusses the country’s synodal process with the pope(link is external), By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in America: The Jesuit Review

Review board chair urges bishops to focus on healing for abuse survivors
“Although major steps have been taken to help achieve healing and reconciliation with survivors of clergy sexual abuse, much work remains ahead for the U.S. Catholic Church(link is external), the chairwoman of the National Review Board told the spring assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Citing the progress that has occurred since 2002 when the abuse scandal exploded, Suzanne Healy said in a prerecorded address to the bishops that the church’s outreach efforts must continue to evolve as the needs of survivors are better understood. ‘We must focus on the areas of healing and reconciliation, accountability, transparency and ongoing education for all involved in child and youth protection,’ said Healy, who has chaired the NRB since June 2020.” By Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service

Polish church reports recent clergy abuse of 368 children
“In its latest report on the sexual abuse of minors, Poland’s Catholic Church says 292 clergymen allegedly abused 368 boys and girls from 2018 through 2020. The report, released June 28, comes at a time when the Vatican is investigating reports of abuse and of a lack of reaction by church leaders in Poland(link is external), a predominantly Catholic nation where the clergy enjoy special esteem. The Vatican recently punished a few Polish bishops and archbishops for negligence and barred them from church and lay ceremonies. The Holy See is also investigating reports of negligence by retired Krakow archbishop, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who before that served as personal secretary to the late pope, St. John Paul II.” By Monika Scislowska, The Associated Press

• Vatican probes alleged abuse negligence by Polish cardinal(link is external), By Associated Press on ABCNews.go.com

French priest, former Vatican adviser, to face church trial on abuse claims
“A prominent French priest and psychotherapist who was once an influential Vatican adviser on matters regarding human sexuality is going to face trial in a church court over accusations of inappropriate sexual relationships with male clients(link is external), the Paris Archdiocese has confirmed. The charges against Msgr. Tony Anatrella have not been announced.” By Elisabeth Auvillain, National Catholic Reporter

ACCOUNTABILITY

New law forces priests to report child abuse
“A new Queensland law requires priests to report to police any information about child sexual offences heard during confession(link is external). According to the law, all adults will have a legal duty to report to police sexual offending against children, unless they have a reasonable excuse for not doing so. The law came into force on Monday (Jul.5). It passed through the state’s Parliament with support from both major parties last September, despite the Church defending the seal of confession. In a formal submission to a parliamentary inquiry, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge explained that stripping Catholics of the seal of confession made priests ‘less a servant of God than an agent of the state.’” By CathNews.com

Why criminal charges for deaths at residential schools would be unprecedented — and enormously complex
“Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme said he is treating the site of 751 unmarked graves at the former Marieval Indian Residential School ‘like a crime scene.’ Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Chief Bobby Cameron said the deaths of children at the school was ‘a crime against humanity.’ And yet, after the second discovery in less than a month of hundreds of previously unknown burials at former residential schools, there is no indication that criminal charges of any kind will be laid in connection to those deaths(link is external).” By Nick Boisvert, CBC News

• Calls for transparency, access to records grow as more residential school graves found(link is external), By CTV Network

Catholics must know how Peter’s Pence is spent, Vatican official says
“The head of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy said he hopes efforts at financial transparency and reform will foster Catholics’ trust ahead of the annual Peter’s Pence collection(link is external). In an interview with Vatican News June 25, Jesuit Father Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, said Catholics ‘have the right to know how we spend the money given to us.’ ‘Sometimes contradictions arise from a lack of knowledge, which, in turn, comes from a lack of transparency,’ Guerrero said.” By Junno Arocho Esteves, Cruxnow.com

POPE FRANCIS

Pope agrees to meet with Indigenous groups from Canada about schools
“Pope Francis will meet with Indigenous leaders later this year to discuss coming to Canada to apologize for the church’s role in operating schools(link is external) that abused and forcibly assimilated generations of Indigenous children, a step toward resolving the grievances of survivors and Indigenous communities, the head of Canada’s largest Indigenous organization said on Wednesday (Jun. 30).” By Ian Austen and Vjosa Isai, the New York Times

• Menominee tribal members say ancestors’ stories and unmarked graves on reservation detail past residential school abuse(link is external), By Jeff Alexander, WBAY-TV2 News

BISHOPS

Sex abuse claims against late Fargo bishop dating to ’60s found credible
“The Diocese of Fargo said July 2 it has added the late Bishop James S. Sullivan, sixth bishop of Fargo, to its list of clergy with credible accusations of sexual misconduct with a minor(link is external). The diocese said it took this action after it was informed by the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan, that an investigation of accusations of sexual misconduct with a minor from decades ago made against the late bishop were deemed credible. Sullivan was ordained as a priest for the Lansing Diocese in 1955.” By Catholic News Service in National Catholic Reporter

• Investigation confirms former Fargo bishop abused 2 children; middle school renamed(link is external), By April Baumgarten, Duluth News Tribune

N.J. Catholic diocese sells archbishop’s controversial ‘luxury’ retirement house for $910K
“A sprawling retirement house used by former Newark Archbishop John J. Myers — that drew protests from some parishioners for being too lavish for a Catholic priest(link is external) — has been sold, church officials said. The Hunterdon County residential house, which included two elevators, indoor and outdoor pools and a three-story addition, sold last month for $910,000 to an undisclosed buyer, the Archdiocese of Newark said in a statement.” By Kelly Heyboer, NJ.com

US bishops’ latest display of desperation has roots in years of dysfunction
“The recent vote by this country’s Catholic bishops, the equivalent of a corporate tantrum, was cringe-inducing but should not have been a surprise. The move to produce a document designed to render a severe and public judgment of President Joe Biden was engineered by men who, ensconced in a culture capable of stunning depravity and cover-up, have been searching for any means to reestablish their authority(link is external). The vote by three-quarters of the bishops was the latest in a series of tawdry displays of desperation cloaked in the language of piety and gestures of moral superiority. The irony is as subtle as a Wile E. Coyote anvil. Their cause even further off target. The subsequent protestations — that any new document will not be a political statement — is a transparent reaction to public outcry. The damage has been done.” By Tom Roberts, National Catholic Reporter

U.S. bishops respond to Interior Department investigation of Native American boarding schools
“Responding to the announcement of a Department of Interior initiative that will look at the history of Native American boarding schools and seek to identify the possible grave sites of a still-unknown number of Indigenous children(link is external), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, through its spokesperson Chieko Noguchi, issued a cautious statement on June 28, noting that the conference would ‘look for ways to be of assistance’ to the Interior Department’s investigation: ‘We are deeply saddened by the information coming out of two former residential boarding school sites in Canada,’ Ms. Noguchi said. ‘We cannot even begin to imagine the deep sorrow these discoveries are causing in Native communities across North America.’” By Kevin Clarke, America: The Jesuit Review

Bishop’s ‘heartfelt’ apology over Catholic college abuse
“Men who were sexually abused as boys at a training school for Roman Catholic priests have welcomed a bishop’s ‘momentous’ apology(link is external). The group were pupils at St Peter Claver College in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, when they were molested in the 1960s and 70s. At a meeting with the men, the Bishop of Leeds said their abusers were people they should have been able to trust. One victim said the apology marked a changing attitude from the church.” By BBC News

PRIESTS

Vermont Catholic priest numbers plummet to historic lows
“Vermont Catholic Bishop Christopher Coyne stepped onto the altar of St. Joseph Cathedral in Burlington this month to announce what, at first glance, appeared to be good news. ‘We have arrived at a place where things can return to normal,’ he said. Coyne was speaking of the state lifting Covid-19 restrictions, allowing Vermont’s largest religious denomination to reopen its 68 parishes at full pre-pandemic capacity. But he was saying so at an annual clergy ordination that, as in too many past years, was welcoming just one new priest(link is external).” By Kevin O’Connor, VTDigger.com

Grace abounds at Association of US Catholic Priests’ meeting
“When giving a talk, it is necessary to scan the audience every few minutes, to make sure you are not losing them. But every time I scanned this audience, once I assured myself they were still very attentive, different thoughts entered my mind(link is external). How many dying souls had been comforted in their last hours by the men in this room? How many children had received their first Communion from these hands? How many grieving families had been comforted at a funeral presided over by one of these priests? How many sermons had stirred an individual to a moment of personal growth or conversion, or stirred an entire congregation?” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

RELIGIOUS WOMEN

No surprise: Nuns are taking the lead in putting ‘Laudato Si’’ into action
“In December 2019, students from the Notre Dame Preparatory School in Baltimore joined members of the Atlantic-Midwest Province of the School Sisters of Notre Dame at a grocery store for a giveaway of reusable bags. The reusable bags were handmade by Sisters Virginia Brien and Clara Beall, aged 94 and 85. Other sisters, many long retired, attached information about plastic pollution and climate change. It was one of the many ways that the School Sisters of Notre Dame exemplify what it means to promote ‘the dignity of life and the care of all creation(link is external),’ as their directional statement ‘Love Gives Everything’ exhorts.” By Kathleen Bonnette, America: The Jesuit Review

CHURCH REFORM

Momentum for Catholic Church reform builds in Australia
“As Australian Catholics prepare for an historic plenary council assembly in October, a leading churchman says there’s ‘unprecedented momentum for deep reform(link is external).’ The Bishop of Parramatta, Vincent Long, a Vietnamese-born former boat refugee and a survivor of clergy sexual abuse, has called for the elimination of clericalism and for more women to be given roles in church governance and decision-making.” By Mark Bowling, The Tablet

CHURCH FINANCES

Catholics must know how Peter’s Pence is spent, Vatican official says
“The head of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy said he hopes efforts at financial transparency and reform will foster Catholics’ trust ahead of the annual Peter’s Pence collection(link is external). In an interview with Vatican News June 25, Jesuit Father Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, said Catholics ‘have the right to know how we spend the money given to us.’ ‘Sometimes contradictions arise from a lack of knowledge, which, in turn, comes from a lack of transparency,’ Father Guerrero said.” By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

CLERICALISM

How do you recognize clericalism?
“In November of 2019, the Report on Clerical Sexual Abuse made 31 recommendations for preventing and investigating sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Vancouver. In particular, recommendation #25 called for ‘…the immediate establishment of a leadership team comprised of lay, religious and clergy to prayerfully explore the development of an Archdiocese-wide plan’ to combat ‘the inherent evil of clericalism(link is external)’ within both the laity and clergy of the Archdiocese.” By Archdiocese of Vancouver Clericalism Committee on BCCatholic.ca (The BC Catholic)

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

Buffalo Diocese considers merging parishes to share resources, priests
“After filing for bankruptcy amid growing clergy sex abuse claims, the Buffalo Diocese is working on a ‘Road to Renewal.’ Catholic Church Deacon, Paul Snyder, said he wants churchgoers to have an input on the renewal(link is external). ‘What I have seen so far is in this Road to Renewal is its telling people in the pews what they need to do,’ Snyder said. ‘I find that very surprising because it was never the people in the pews causing these problems.’ This plan comes as church attendance continues to decline.” By Lilia Wood, WKBW-TV7 News

Buffalo Diocese eyes grouping parishes to share priests, schools as it emerges from scandal
“The numbers tell a stark story about the extent of decline within the Buffalo Diocese over the past decade or so. Average weekend Mass attendance fell by 41% – from 158,300 people in 2011 to 93,134 people in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Enrollment in Catholic elementary and high schools dipped from 16,716 students to 12,643 students during the same time. And 62 fewer priests were working in the diocese in 2019, compared to 2011 … As they try to restore the diocese’s battered reputation and finances, Bishop Michael W. Fisher and other church leaders are also asking Western New York Catholics to re-imagine the traditional parish structure(link is external) that has marked the practice of the faith since their births into it.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

Bishops’ conference walks back mixed messaging on Communion and Catholic politicians
“Following a virtual meeting of the U.S. Catholic bishops, at which a majority of the country’s hierarchy voted to advance a divisive document on the Eucharist, the U.S. bishops’ conference is seeking to clear up its own mixed messaging and is insisting the eventual document will no longer target Catholic politicians(link is external). A June 21 document published by the bishops’ conference states ‘there will be no national policy on withholding Communion from politicians’ and notes that the timing of the document is related to ‘declining belief and understanding of the Eucharist among the Catholic faithful,’ which has been of concern ‘for some time.’ The new messaging from the bishops’ conference, however, has now undergone some revisions from their original proposal.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

VOICES

Catholic Church has misplaced moral priorities
“Talk about lousy timing. The biggest religion story in Iowa last week was a jaw-dropper. Attorney general Tom Miller announced he has concluded a three-year investigation of sexual abuse allegations against priests in the four Roman Catholic dioceses(link is external) in our state. Miller’s staff examined church records, some dating to the 1930s, that involved about 100 priests. His office also received and looked into 50 allegations against 36 priests, many of whom were the subject of earlier complaints.” By Randy Evans, nwestiowa.com

The USCCB’s misguided effort to punish President Biden
“‘As a convert, I never expected much of the bishops,’ Dorothy Day wrote in a 1968 letter. ‘In all history, popes and bishops and abbots seem to have been blind and power-loving and greedy(link is external). I never expected leadership from them.’ Many Catholics, and not only converts, would agree with Day’s jaundiced view of bishops—and June’s meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reminded us why that’s the case. President Joe Biden’s worthiness to receive Communion dominated coverage of the proceedings, a predictably divisive outcome that underscored the bishops’ political obtuseness and pastoral failings.” By The Commonweal Editorial Board

Editorial: The Catholic Church must come clean – completely – about what it did to native Americans
“Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has helped all Canadians and First Nations communities grapple with the sorrowful realities of their nation’s colonial past, particularly the gruesome legacy of its residential schools for Indigenous children. Those schools, many administered by Catholic religious orders and intended to be engines of assimilation, became centers of despair and brutality(link is external). The recent discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at two schools, and the likelihood that thousands more will be found at other residential school sites, have added to the anguish. But at least in Canada, a foundation for healing is being laid by the government-sponsored truth and reconciliation commission.” By America: The Jesuit Review Editorial Board

Janet Petersen: Give survivors of sexual abuse a chance to pursue justice, no matter their birthday
“Attorney General Tom Miller recently released the findings of his investigation into child sex abuse in the Catholic Church, which represents just a small fraction of sexual abuse cases in Iowa … Despite Iowa’s new law eliminating the criminal statute of limitations for child sex abuse, these Roman Catholic priests who drugged and raped Iowa children and the dioceses that covered up the crime are immune from criminal prosecution in every case(link is external).” By Janet Petersen, Guest Columnist, The Des Moines Register

Editorial: Don’t put your faith if the bishops’ conference
“At their June meeting, 168 U.S. bishops voted to move forward with a document on the Eucharist, an idea that came out of a working group concerned with President Joe Biden’s political positions on abortion. Although subsequent messaging from the conference has indicated the document will not address denying Communion to politicians, it was clear from the discussion at the meeting that such exclusion motivated many bishops. They proceeded with this divisive project despite repeated warnings(link is external) (including from the Vatican) that it would lead to further politicization and polarization — concerns confirmed within hours of the release of the vote total, when a group of Democratic Catholic politicians responded with a letter of their own, lambasting the ‘weaponization of the Eucharist’ … What a mess.” By National Catholic Reporter Editorial Board

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

AG’s Office releases report on clergy abuse
“The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has completed a review of clergy abuse in Iowa(link is external). The office examined records involving about 70 Catholic priests and looked into 50 complaints of sexual abuse and misconduct reported to the attorney general. ‘Sexual abuse took place over decades. The complaints, the victims, the duration of the abuse were overwhelming,’ a report by the AG’s Office concluded. ‘Our hearts go out to the victims of these acts. The consequences are severe and lifelong.’ The report concludes that while the Catholic Church in Iowa had a long, painful history of abuse by priests and a cover-up by officials, the Dioceses have enacted many reforms over the last two decades. The Dioceses have become more responsive to victims of clergy abuse and each now reports all accusations to law enforcement authorities.” By Iowa Attorney General’s Office

COLORADO

Colorado survivors of childhood sexual abuse can sue institutions that hid or ignored it
“Individuals who were abused as children in Colorado can sue the institutions that hid abuse or did nothing to stop it(link is external) starting in January. Gov. Jared Polis signed SB21-088 into law Tuesday (Jul.6), giving survivors another avenue to pursue claims against government entities, schools and private institutions that have youth programs like the Boy Scouts or the Catholic Church. The law caps how much victims can get from the lawsuits — up to $1 million from private entities and up to $387,000 from governmental entities.” By Saja Hindi, The Denver Post

IOWA

Former St. Mary’s priest names in attorney general’s abuse report
“A former Storm Lake priest and Fonda man affiliated with the Catholic church have been accused of sexually abusing young boys(link is external) decades ago, according to an Iowa Attorney General’s report that commended the Sioux City Diocese for keeping an active list of ‘credibly accused’ priests and clergy members. The attorney general’s report released last week said Everett Apt of St. Mary’s Parish and an unidentified ‘non-clergy member who was involved in a Catholic organization’ in Fonda were among its list of 31 alleged abusers.” By tom Cullen, The Storm Lake Times

Attorney General: Iowa report finds ‘overwhelming’ sex abuse by Catholic clergy
“Citing ‘overwhelming’ incidents of abuse and ‘extensive’ cover-up that spanned decades, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller issued a report Wednesday (Jun. 23) detailing 50 complaints his office received about allegations of sexual impropriety by Catholic clergy, non-clergy or spiritual leaders(link is external) — including 17 victims who had not previously come forward to report abuse to authorities. The report concluded the Catholic Church in Iowa has had a ‘long, painful history of abuse by priests and a cover-up by officials’ but has taken steps recently to implement reforms and respond to victims.” By Rod Boshart, Special to the Globe Gazette, in Blue Mountain Eagle

LOUISIANA

Diocese of Lafayette puts deacon on leave pending sex abuse investigation
“The Diocese of Lafayette has received an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by Deacon Shawn Jude Gautreaux(link is external), according to a news release. Following an initial inquiry, the Diocese has placed Gautreaux on administrative leave pending a further determination in the matter. The allegation received, according to the release, relates to a period of time many years before he was ordained a deacon. Further, the Diocese has reported the allegation to law enforcement authorities in St. Martin Parish.” By The Daily Advertiser

MAINE

Maine priest placed on leave following sexual abuse allegation
“A Roman Catholic priest serving several midcoast churches but who has worked throughout Maine is on temporary administrative leave while the diocese investigates a decades-old abuse allegation(link is external), officials said Monday (Jul. 5). According to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, the Rev. Robert Vaillancourt has been accused of sexually abusing an underage girl in the 1980s. He has been placed on administrative leave while the diocese’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducts an internal investigation, consistent with the diocese’s protocol for such allegations.” By Kevin Miller, Portland Press Herald

MASSACHUSETTS

Trial date set for Catholic priest charged with rape
“A trial date has been tentatively scheduled for the Catholic priest who was charged with rape in a local case(link is external). Mark Hession is scheduled to go to trial Oct. 5, according to a pretrial hearing Monday (Jul. 12) in Barnstable Superior Court. He faces two charges of rape, one charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and one charge of intimidating a witness. Hession, a 63-year-old Fairhaven resident, on Jan. 11 pleaded not guilty to the charges.” By Jessica Hill, Cape Cod Times

MICHIGAN

Ex-Catholic priest in Oakland County faces more sex abuse charges
“A former priest in Oakland County charged with sexually assaulting a minor decades ago now faces two more cases(link is external), the Michigan Attorney General’s office announced Monday (Jun. 28). The three cases against Gary Berthiaume stem from allegations in the 1970s involving victims who were between 13 and 15 at the time, investigators said in a statement. Berthiaume, 80, was then a priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wyandotte and later Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington, according to the release.” By Mark Hicks, The Detroit News

MINNESOTA

Northwest Minnesota priest cleared of child sex abuse; deacon now faces similar allegations
“Just days after a priest in the Crookston Catholic Diocese was cleared of sexually abusing a minor, leadership announced a deacon who oversaw youth camps is under investigation for similar accusations(link is external). Deacon Aaron Kaiser has been placed on administrative leave pending the probe into allegations of child sex abuse, according to a news release issued June 11. He has been removed from ministry.” By April Baumgarten, Brainerd Dispatch

NEW YORK.

Buffalo priest placed on leave following abuse allegations in new lawsuits
“A retired Buffalo priest who is accused of child sex abuse in two recent Child Victims Act lawsuits has been put on administrative leave(link is external). Bishop Michael W. Fisher suspended Monsignor James G. Kelly from active ministry Wednesday (Jun. 30) after an unnamed plaintiff said in court papers that Kelly molested him from 1980 to 1982. The plaintiff was an 8-to 10-year-old student of the Diocesan Educational Center and attended church at St. Nicholas and St. Benedict the Moor at the time of the alleged abuse. The school and both parishes are now defunct.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

OHIO

Cleveland-Area Catholic Priest Intends To Plead Guilty To Child Sex Charges
“A Cleveland-area Roman Catholic priest intends to plead guilty to federal charges involving the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography(link is external), according to his attorney. Attorney Robert Dixon filed a motion Thursday saying Robert McWilliams will plead guilty to charges contained in an indictment without a plea agreement. Dixon declined to comment on Friday (Jul. 2). McWilliams was accused by prosecutors in an indictment filed last July of posing online as a female to persuade boys to send him sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves and threatening to tell their parents if they did not send more images.” By KDKA-TV2 News

PENNSYLVANIA

Father Robert Cedolia, Catholic priest, charged with sexual assault
“A former priest-administrator at several Roman Catholic parishes in Allegheny County has been charged with twice sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy(link is external) who was preparing for his first Holy Communion, police said. The Rev. Robert J. Cedolia, 70, was charged with aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors and related offenses for alleged sexual assaults that occurred in the spring of 1998 in the sacristy of Our Lady of Joy in Plum and two weeks later in a restroom at the back of the sanctuary, according to a criminal complaint filed by Allegheny County police detectives.” By Kris B. Mamula, Pittsburg Post-Gazette

SOUTH CAROLINA

Catholic church fires employee, allegation of sexual misconduct involving minor
“The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston has fired an employee over a 2016 allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor(link is external). The allegation was reported to Charleston Police Department on June 18, reports show. The employee was identified by the Diocese but his position was not noted. The Post and Courier is not naming the accused. ‘(The employee) was terminated after officials with the Diocese of Charleston learned of an allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor,’ Maria Aselage, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Charleston, wrote.” By Olivia Diaz, The Post and Courier

CANADA

Disgraced Bishop Hubert O’Connor again accused of sexual assault
“A dead former B.C. Roman Catholic bishop convicted in 1997 of rape and indecent assault against residential school students has again been named in new allegations of sexual assault(link is external). The now-dead Bishop Hubert O’Connor is one of three priests named in the lawsuit. In 1997, O’Connor was convicted of rape and indecent assault of female students at schools. He was later acquitted of indecent assault in a 1999 appeal and a new trial was ordered for the rape charge but the Crown decided not to pursue the case after O’Connor apologized.” By Jeremy Hainsworth, Pique News Magazine

5 more priests named in latest archdiocese sexual abuse report
“The latest progress report from the committee studying clerical sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Vancouver names five more clergymen(link is external) involved in abuse settlements, lawsuits, or other cases. The previously unpublished names are Father Roland Joncas, Brother Edward Patrick English, Father Frederick Robert Neilsen, Father Duncan George Goguillot, and Father William Crawford Mendenhall.” By Agnieszka Ruck, The B.C. Catholic

B.C. man sues Vancouver archdiocese over abuse claimed at Catholic summer camp
“Vernon Mulvahill says he has lived with an anger at his core since he was seven or eight years old. In the decades since, the Chilliwack truck driver’s rage has expressed itself through violence, heavy drinking and restlessness. Mulvahill says he is tired of feeling ashamed for a wrong that was done to him as a child. He is suing the Roman Catholic bishop of Vancouver and the archdiocese over sexual assault he claims happened at a summer camp(link is external) in the late 70s.” By Jason Proctor, CBC News

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Former priest jailed for repeated indecent assault of a boy in 1970s
“Former priest Tony Walsh has been jailed for two years for repeatedly indecently assaulting a child(link is external) 45 years ago. Walsh (67) was a trainee priest when he sexually abused the child victim on six occasions inside a church in the 1970s. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Walsh has 39 previous convictions, 34 of which are for previous offences of indecent assault.” By Brion Hoban, The Irish Times

POLAND

Polish Catholic Church Facing Wave of Sex Abuse Allegations
“The Catholic Church in Poland is facing a wave of allegations of sexual abuse, church authorities said on Monday (Jun. 28), as they laid out statistics on the extent of abuse amid an investigation into alleged cover-ups by a senior clergyman. Seen by many as a core element of Poland’s national identity, the Catholic Church is a powerful force in public life. However, it has been rocked by a series of pedophilia scandals that have contributed to the erosion of its authority, especially among younger Poles.” By Reuters in U.S. News & World Report