December 16, 2022

TOP STORIES

Evidence suggests Pope John Paul II knew about abuse of minors decades before becoming pope
“A Dutch journalist based in Poland revealed evidence on Friday (Dec. 2) that Pope John Paul II was involved in covering up the abuse of minors while he was the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Krakow. The journalist, Ekke Overbeek, spent the last two years combing through archives in Poland, where he resides, and found several cases where the prominent Catholic Church figure knew about priests who abused children and helped them evade punishment, including transferring them to other parishes.” By NL Times

• Polish church seeks victims of deceased pedophile priest to offer support, By Notes from Poland

Vatican vendettas: Alleged witness manipulation jolts trial
“The text message to the Vatican monsignor offered forgiveness along with a threat: ‘I know everything about you … and I keep it all in my archives,’ it read. ‘I pardon you, Perlasca, but remember, you owe me a favor.’ The message was one of more than 100 newly revealed WhatsApp texts and other correspondence entered into evidence at the Vatican courthouse last week that have jolted a financial crimes trial involving the Holy See’s money-losing investment in a London property.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, on ABCNews.com

Head of Cologne abuse investigation commission resigns
“The state-appointed chairman of the commission to investigate abuse in the Archdiocese of Cologne has quit, saying he doubted the independence of the commission and wondered whether its main aim was to protect Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. The German Catholic news agency KNA reported Stephan Rixen has stepped down as head of the Independent Commission for the Investigation of Abuse in the Archdiocese of Cologne and has withdrawn from the body. Rixen told KNA Dec. 5 that his initial doubts about the independence and effectiveness of the committee had been confirmed.” By Catholic News Service on USCNews.com

Study of moral injury measures ‘added weight’ of clergy sexual abuse and its concealment
“A research team from Xavier University in Cincinnati has created a tool that measures the ‘moral injury’ caused by clergy sexual abuse and its concealment by officials in the Catholic Church. In a report on the pilot study, released Dec. 12, moral injury is described as persistent psychological and emotional distress, spiritual anguish, moral confusion, social isolation, and distrust for institutions. It results from a betrayal of trust or violation of deeply held moral values.” By Katie Collins Scott, National Catholic Reporter

‘We have not hidden anything’: Jesuit superior general interviewed n abuse allegations against Marko Rupnik
“Any case like this is very painful, [but]…. we have not hidden anything,’ says Arturo Sosa, S.J., the superior general of the Society of Jesus, in a short interview … This represents the first public comments of the superior general regarding the allegations against the Slovenian artist Marko Rupnik, S.J. Father Rupnik, whose mosaics decorate chapels in the Vatican, all over Europe, in the United States and Australia, has been barred from hearing confessions or offering spiritual direction after what the Jesuits described as complaints about his ministry. The Society of Jesus released a statement on Dec. 2 responding to the allegations of abuse against Father Rupnik and describing the restrictions on his ministry.” By Antonio Marujo, America: The Jesuit Review

• Jesuit priests demand transparency in abuse case against Vatican artist, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter
• Jesuits admit artist excommunicated before new abuse claims, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
• Closing of Jesuit abuse case left victims feeling betrayed, expert says, By Philip Pullella, Reuters
• Jesuit case underscores secrecy, leniency for abuse of women, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press

ACCOUNTABILITY

As Dallas Charter turns 20, abuse has become issue for much of society
“Twenty years ago, in 2002, the revelations of clergy sexual abuse and its cover-up in the Archdiocese of Boston were the metaphorical bombshell that fell on the Catholic Church in the United States. The U.S. bishops, when they met that June in Dallas, approved the ‘Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,’ a comprehensive set of procedures for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. Its one-strike-and-you’re-out policy did just that — permanently removing from public ministry those priests against whom abuse allegations were substantiated.” By Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Global church is seeing how pope’s vision of synodality involves everyone
“Canadian and U.S. Catholics will convene in a series of online meetings from mid-December through the end of January as part of the Pope Francis’ ongoing call to synodality in the church. The gatherings are part of the continental phase of the synodal process in advance of the first session of the Synod of Bishops on synodality scheduled next year for Oct. 4-29 at the Vatican. Pope Francis in October of this year announced a second session for October 2024, saying he did not want to rush the process of discerning how the Holy Spirit is calling the church to grow in synodality.” By Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service, in Chicago Catholic

Synod on Synodality opportunity to ‘journey together in truth’: Catholic bishops in Chad
“The ongoing preparations for the Synod on Synodality offer an opportunity for the Catholic Church in Chad to ‘journey together in truth,’ Catholic Bishops in the North-Central African nation have said. In their Christmas 2022 Message shared with ACI Africa Monday, December 12, members of the Episcopal Conference of Chad (CET) say reflections on the theme, ‘For a synodal Church: communion, participation, mission,’ has been at the center of many meetings in ‘all the Dioceses of our Church Family of God which is in Chad during the pastoral year 2021-2022.’” By Jude Atemanke, ACIAfrica.org

Settle pastor sees connections between synodality, Vatican II
“At a recent Vatican press conference, Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich used the words of a U.S. priest to capture the essence of Pope Francis’ ongoing synod consultation with Catholics around the world: Reading over the reports and reflecting on them, I found myself thinking how blessed I am to be pastor of a parish that is full of people who love the Church so much that they embrace it, affirm it, celebrate it, and thank God for it, but at the same time are not at all afraid to criticize it, challenge it, question it, and express anger, disappointment, and frustration with it. … I think our parish can never be quite the same as a result, and I’m willing to bet that the same is true for the entire Church.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

Arkansas diocese presses ahead in effort to make church life more ‘synodal’
“While the U.S. Bishops as a whole gear up for the continental phase of the Synod on Synodality, the lone bishop of Arkansas is maintaining a diocesan focus as well, recently announcing his plan to continue the process at the local level. Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock on Dec. 1 published a ‘Post-Synod Response’ to the faithful, providing questions for synod discussions to continue while diocesan leaders meet to discuss how to implement recommendations from the local phase.” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com

Cardinal leading Catholic’s worldwide consultation wrestles with tradition and change
“Every summit of bishops called by Pope Francis has been ripe with expectations about the possible reforms — and novelties — that it might introduce in the over 2,000-year-old institution. The pope’s latest effort, the Synod on Synodality, now underway and continuing through the end of 2024, has already fomented ardent debate on some of the most controversial topics within the church, from female ordination to LGBTQ inclusion.” By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service

U.S. Catholics need to manage expectations about the synod
“The universal church is now shifting to the “continental phase” of the synodal process to which the Holy Father has called us, as ecclesial gatherings on every continent will reflect on the working document ‘Enlarge the Space of Your Tent,’ drafted in Frascati, Italy, and released on Oct. 27. The reactions to the report indicate that the leaders of the synodal process need to start thinking about how to manage expectations. The synodal process invites people to speak freely. In fact, no synodal process can really work without candor.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

POPE FRANCIS

Pope tightens oversight of Vatican-linked foundations
“Pope Francis on Tuesday (Dec. 7) tightened control and oversight over Vatican-based foundations and associations in his latest effort to impose international standards of accounting and governance on Vatican offices and affiliated entities. A new law aims to bring the Holy See into further compliance with recommendations from the Council of Europe’s Moneyval committee, which in April 2021 flagged as problematic the lack of an overarching law governing the creation and administration of foundations registered in Vatican City.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press

CARDINALS

Pope’s cardinal advisers discuss Church’s efforts to prevent abuse
“At Pope Francis’ meeting with his cardinal advisers this week, Cardinal Sean O’Malley reported on the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, now within the Roman Curia. The Holy See press office said on Dec. 7 that the pope met with his council of advisers for a two-day meeting at the current papal residence, the Casa Santa Marta. The members of the Council of Cardinals discussed the continental phase of the Synod on Synodality and the work of the most recent United Nations Climate Change Conference before listening to O’Malley’s briefing on the protection of minors.” By Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency

Top Vatican cardinal sues woman who accused him of sexual assault
“Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, head of the Vatican’s powerful Dicastery for Bishops, has filed a countersuit against a woman who accused him of sexual assault more than a decade ago, and has promised to donate any damages won to ‘the fight against sexual abuse of indigenous peoples in Canada.’ Ouellet is seeking $100,000 in damages for ‘injury to his reputation, honor and dignity,’ according to a copy of the lawsuit, which filed on Tuesday, Dec. 13, in Montréal Superior Court. The claim stems from the period from 2002 to 2010 when he served as the Archbishop of Quebec.” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com

Pope, Council of Cardinals meet, discuss synod, safeguarding and COP27
“Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals met in-person at the Vatican Dec. 5-6, discussing the continental phase of the synod process, safeguarding and the U.N. climate change summit, the Vatican press office said. Also, ‘the meeting was an opportunity for a mutual exchange of updates on some current affairs in different key geographical areas and for an overall assessment of the council’s progress in recent years,’ the Vatican said in a written communique Dec. 7.” By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

BISHOPS

French bishops set up national church court, recommended by abuse report
“France’s Catholic bishops have set up what they believe to be the world’s first major national church court, replacing a previous network of local tribunals, although sexual abuse cases involving children will still be referred to the Vatican. ‘As a community of believers, the church has developed a comprehensive legal system, which includes the right to sanction behavior by members’ who undermine ‘the church’s spiritual and human values,’ the bishops’ conference said in a statement.” By Catholic News Service in Detroit Catholic

WOMEN’S VOICES

Are we protagonists yet?
“Whenever I read a Vatican statement on the role of women, I conduct a thought experiment. I imagine that I know nothing whatsoever about the Roman Catholic Church or its faithful. If this document were my only source of information, I ask from behind my ecclesial veil of ignorance, what basic conclusions might I draw about women in the Church? I’ve done this mental exercise with dozens of texts over the years, and one conclusion surfaces over and over: women are all exactly the same. It’s a rather astounding conclusion to draw about a tradition populated all the way down by women who lived and died in wild and unique ways … Yet there is little in Church teaching on women that does not appear to proceed from a fundamental illusion that women—the billions of us—constitute some sort of monolithic, quasi-theoretical body with an articulable essence, singular vocation, and narrow set of essentialized gifts.”. By Susan Bigelow Reynolds, Commonweal

CHURCH REFORM

Crisis of confidence over cardinal shakes Cologne Catholics
“An unprecedented crisis of confidence is shaking a historic center of Catholicism in Germany — the Archdiocese of Cologne. Catholic believers have protested their deeply divisive archbishop, and are leaving in droves over allegations that he may have covered up clergy sexual abuse reports. While Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki’s personal fate is in the hands of Pope Francis, the drama has reverberations nationwide, given that the Cologne archdiocese has more Catholics than any other in Germany — about 1.8 million. Its double-domed cathedral is an iconic tourist attraction and one of the oldest, most important pilgrimage sites of Northern Europe.” By Associated Press on Cruxnow.com

CHURCH FINANCES

Paglia used charity funds to renovate apartment
“Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia diverted hundreds of thousands of euros allocated to support missionary and charitable works while he served as president of the Pontifical Council for the Family. Paglia used much of the money to finance building projects in Rome, including the renovation of his personal apartment, The Pillar has learned. According to multiple independent sources with knowledge of the events, Archbishop Paglia confirmed in a 2015 memo to Holy See financial officials that hundreds of thousands of euros had been paid to an Italian construction contractor instead of going to missionary and charitable projects to support poor families and orphans.” By The Pillar

For second consecutive year, Diocese of Scranton receives top score in independent financial transparency review
“For the second consecutive year, a lay organization of faithful Catholics has named the Diocese of Scranton as being one of the most financially transparent dioceses in the United States. For six years, Voice of the Faithful has reviewed all U.S. Catholic dioceses’ online financial transparency. The group’s 2022 report identifies the Diocese of Scranton as one of only five dioceses to receive an overall score of 100% in regards to transparency. This year’s other top-scoring dioceses include Charleston, Lexington, Orlando and Rochester. The Diocese of Scranton also received an overall score of 100% for financial transparency in 2021.” By Diocese of Scranton

Rockville Centre Diocese one of the least transparent: Report
“A Catholic advocacy group’s rankings place the Rockville Centre Diocese among the least transparent in the nation. According to the 2022 report by Voice of the Faithful, the Rockville Centre Diocese is tied for 166th among the 177 in the country for transparency with regard to financial issues, Newsday reports. ‘They’re doing very poorly. And even more concerning to me is they’re going down,’ Margaret Roylance, VP of Massachusetts-based Voice of the Faithful, told Newsday.’ By Jerry Barmash, Rockville Centre Patch

Which Catholic diocese has best financial transparency in Southern California
“The true wealth of the Roman Catholic Church is impossible to calculate, many have said. Vast land holdings, exquisite art collections, more than a billion members and … the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Here on the home front, though, things can be broken down into simpler pieces. There are 177 dioceses in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, including 12 in California, and — in the wake of the priest sex abuse scandal — a mighty push to lay their finances bare. California’s dozen dioceses span the gamut from among the very best in the nation when it comes to financial transparency to among the worst, according to a new report by Voice of the Faithful, a national coalition of everyday Catholics seeking structural change in the Church.” By Teri Sforza, Los Angeles Daily News

After six years, Voice of the Faithful review shows come bishops clearly committed to financial transparency
“Voice of the Faithful diocesan financial transparency report for 2022 is the organization’s sixth such annual review, and the report shows some bishops are clearly committed to financial transparency. Others, not so much. This year, the overall average U.S. diocesan transparency score increased from 69% in 2021 to 70% in 2022. The number of dioceses posting current audited financial reports increased from 113 last year to 115 this year. The number posting a current list of Diocesan Finance Council members increased significantly from 84 to 95. All five top-scoring dioceses this year received a score of 100%.” By Voice of the Faithful in Digital Journal

California diocese to join growing list of U.S. Catholic bankruptcies
“Soon into the new year, the Diocese of Santa Rosa, California, will join a growing list of U.S. Catholic dioceses to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it faces a wave of sexual abuse lawsuits. Bishop Robert Vasa of Santa Rosa announced in a Dec. 2 statement that the diocese’s attorneys will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy sometime between Dec. 31 and March 1, 2023, saying the decision was ‘the inevitable result of an insurmountable number of claims.’ The diocese is facing more than 130 claims dating from 1962, when the diocese was established, through the present day, with the majority of the cases being from the 1970’s and 1980’s, Vasa said.” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com

• Bishops blasted for hiding assets the same way they hide offenders, By Jeff Anderson & Associates PA

Michigan priest charged with stealing $830,000 from retired clergy
“A Catholic priest is accused of stealing more than $800,000 from three retired priests in the Lansing, Michigan, diocese. Father David Rosenberg was arraigned Thursday (Dec. 1) on embezzlement charges and other crimes in Clinton County, north of Lansing, the attorney general’s office said. Rosenberg, 70, was director of the St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt for six years until he retired from active ministry in 2021.” By Associated Press on Cruxnow.com

VOICES

From lived history to living legacy: Vatican II at sixty
“On the sixtieth anniversary of Vatican II, we stand at an inflection point in the history of the council’s reception. Francis, the first pope since the council who was not himself a participant in it, has shown us what it means to treasure Vatican II not as lived history but as a living legacy, and this has become our challenge. Can we do this too? What O’Malley observed—the role of Pope Francis in changing the narrative about Vatican II—comes at a moment in history when the last of the fathers of Vatican II are passing away. To put it bluntly, the gifts of the council will either flourish in new hands or pass away along with them.” By Rita Ferrone, Commonweal

‘Cords of human kindness’: an introduction to small Christian Communitie
“This past June, Today’s American Catholic convened a listening session in response to the ‘Synod on Synodality.’ A key point of our discernment was that people are longing for a deeper sense of community in their experience of faith. We discussed small Christian communities (SCCs) as a promising way to foster relationships and help participants be more proactive in learning about and living the gospel.” By Today’s American Catholic

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Kansas lawmaker plans to reintroduce bill removing childhood sexual abuse lawsuit limits
“Lawmakers may expand the rights of child sex abuse victims in the upcoming legislative session, renewing efforts to pass legislation that would require clergy reporting and remove time limits for lawsuit cases involving child abuse. Current state law sets a statute of limitations on filing for damages from childhood sexual abuses. Lawsuits have to be filed within three years of the survivor turning 18 or within three years of discovering an injury or illness caused by the abuse. Many have condemned the rule as unfair and fundamentally misguided.” By Rachel Mipro, Kansas Reflector

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

Catholic collective narcissism linked to acceptance of myths about child sexual abuse
“A new study has uncovered a link between high levels of Catholic collective narcissism and acceptance of myths about child sexual abuse. The findings, which were published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, could help inform efforts to combat prejudice against underaged victims of sexual abuse. ‘Even though sexual relations between priests and minors have taken place inside the Catholic Church for centuries, the Catholic hierarchy was not always prone to fight against pedophilia in an official way,’ said study author Marta Marchlewska, an associate professor and the head of the Political Cognition Lab at the Polish Academy of Sciences.” By Eric W. Dolan, PsyPost.org

Prominent Jesuit priest and artist disciplined after abuse allegations
“The Roman Catholic Jesuit order said it disciplined a prominent priest and artist who reportedly sexually and psychologically abused nuns in his native Slovenia three decades ago. The Jesuits issued a statement about Father Marko Ivan Rupnik following Italian media reports last week that several nuns had accused him of abuse in the early 1990s when he was their spiritual director at a convent in Slovenia.” By Philip Pullella, Reuters

• Prominent Jesuit artist restricted from ministry after allegations of sexually abusing women religious, By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
• Jesuit priests demand transparency in Vatican’s artist case, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, on ABCNews.go.com

Baltimore judge seals case as court weighs release of Catholic church sex abuse report
“Legal arguments will continue behind closed doors about whether a Baltimore judge should release a 456-page investigation into child sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Baltimore Circuit Judge Anthony Vittoria ordered the case sealed on Friday (Dec.2). His order means all hearings will be closed to the public and all legal motions will be confidential.” By Tim Prudente, The Baltimore Banner

New map illustrates Catholic sexual abuse in Indian country
“Nearly half of all Jesuit priests and brothers credibly accused of sexual abuse against children or vulnerable adults in a ten-state region in the western United States over the past 70 years worked in Indian Country. That’s what’s depicted by Desolate Country: Mapping Catholic Sex Abuse in Native America, an interactive map that plots the years and locations of 99 priests and 13 brothers of the Jesuits West Province. Of them, 47 of the men with credible allegations of abuse against them spent time working at Native missions.” By Jenna Kunze, NativeNewsOnline.net

CALIFORNIA

New allegations of sexual abuse against a Servite High School priest surface in court
“Three former Servite High School students allege they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by a priest, according to three new lawsuits filed in court, the latest in a series of allegations against a pastor who also acted as a teacher and swim coach at the prestigious school. A total of eight former students have filed lawsuits against the private school in Anaheim and Father Kevin Fitzpatrick, who, according to the attorney for several of the plaintiffs, worked to gain the trust of young boys at the school and “commanded” a room that was being used to isolate and sexually abuse them.” By The Bharat Express News

Was a beloved Bay Area priest also a pedophile? Survivor hopes lawsuit will spark change
“On a chilly November morning, Derek Lewis sat on a bench in front of a haunted little white building, remembering. The 34-year-old Hayward man’s psychologist says it’s good to come to this quiet spot in Contra Costa County to confront the past. The structure used to house the office and living area of the head priest at the church that was once next door. Inside the building, as well as inside the church, Lewis said, the priest sexually abused him repeatedly over two years starting when Lewis was about 8 years old, inflicting trauma that set his young life on a tortuous path.” By Joshua Sharpe, San Francisco Chronicle

• ‘No place was safe’; advocates demand names of abusive priests from Diocese of Oakland, By Betty Yu CBS-TV News

Bishop of Santa Rosa Diocese says ‘perfect justice’ not possible in clergy abuse cases, urges harmony, forgiveness
“‘Perfect justice’ is not possible ‘in this world,’ Bishop Robert F. Vasa told parishioners Sunday (Dec. 4), in the wake of the Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese’s announcement last week that it will seek bankruptcy protection in anticipation of hundreds of new and potential clergy abuse lawsuits. ‘We recognize in this penitential season that perfect justice is still elusive — that we are not capable of achieving it in this lifetime,’ he said during a sermon at the Cathedral of St. Eugene in Santa Rosa.” By Madison Smalstig, The Press Democrat

14 Northern California clergy, religious linked for first time to Catholic sex abuse scandal
“As a deadline nears for new lawsuits in sexual abuse cases, 66 Catholic clergy and religious accused of sexual abuse have been identified in 116 lawsuits filed in Northern California. Of those, 14 have been publicly identified for the first time. These new accusations have come to light under under a 2019 California law that extended the statute of limitations for abuse cases. Assembly Bill 218 provided for a three-year window that began on Jan. 1 in 2020. The deadline to file new lawsuits is Dec. 31.” By Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service

• Legal window closes this month for survivors of clergy child sex abuse, By Beth Farnsworth, KEYT-TV News

ILLINOIS

Chicago priest Michael Pfleger reinstated following latest accusation of sexual abuse against him
“Father Michael Pfleger, the senior pastor of the St. Sabina Parish in Chicago, has been reinstated after an independent review board found ‘no reason’ to keep him away following the latest accusation of sexual abuse against him. Pfleger posted a picture of the letter from the archbishop of Chicago to the community on Facebook on Saturday (Dec. 10), with the caption, ‘Like MJ said. ‘I’M BACK.’’ Pfleger was previously asked to step aside in October after another allegation of sex abuse against him surfaced. His latest accuser was a man in his late 40s who filed a claim with the Archdiocese of Chicago, Eugene K. Hollander, an attorney for the accuser, told CNN affiliate WLS.” By Michelle Watson, CNN

• Chicago priest Michael Pfleger cleared of abuse charges, reinstated to St. Sabina, By Bob Smietana, Religion News Service

INDIANA

Op/Ed: Priest convicted of pedophilia avoids prison. Will there be clerical consequences?
“U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has apparently prioritized their anti-LGBT stance rather than addressing their pedophile priest scandal. Here’s a recent example of how this plays out: Father David Marcotte was suspended from his ministry as an Archdiocese of Indianapolis Catholic priest in February 2019, due to allegations of sexual abuse of a minor in 2016. In October 2019, Marcotte was arrested and charged with three felony counts: child solicitation (Level 5 felony), vicarious sexual gratification (Level 5 felony), and dissemination of matter harmful to minors (Level 6 felony).” By Lynn Starkey, IndyStar.com

LOUISIANA

Suspended New Orleans deacon pleads guilty to molesting preteen boy
“The clerical molestation scandal that for decades has engulfed the Roman Catholic church in New Orleans took another turn on Tuesday (Dec. 6), when a suspended deacon pleaded guilty to charges that he sexually abused a preteen boy two decades earlier, before the defendant’s ordination as a clergy member. Virgil Maxey “VM” Wheeler III, 64, pleaded guilty to four charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile filed against him in state court in Jefferson parish, which neighbors New Orleans.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

Ex-seminarian accuses new Orleans archbishop of harassment in decades-long dispute
“A former student at a New Orleans college that trains Catholic priests has claimed he was racially and sexually harassed there – including by the city’s current archbishop – as he parries counter-allegations that he is merely trying to extort money and a green card from church officials. Over two decades, the dispute has drawn attention from Catholic officials at the highest levels in the US and worldwide. But it was not publicly known until it surfaced as part of a chapter 11 bankruptcy case the New Orleans archdiocese opened amid a wave of lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by clerics across generations.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, New Orleans, in The Guardian

MAINE

Lawsuits mounting against the Catholic Diocese of Portland
“Cases are mounting against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, which oversaw priests who are accused of sexually abusing children decades ago. Lawsuits filed by a former parishioner at St. Joseph Church in Portland, and two brothers who served as altar boys at St. Hyacinth Church in Westbrook, allege the Diocese failed to keep children safe from clergy members who were known abusers.” By Viven Leigh, News Center Maine

• Three former altar boys allege priest sexually abuse them in the 1960s, By Robbie Feinberg, Maine Public Radio
• 11 abuse suits filed since change in statute of limitations, By Associated Press

Maine woman alleges she was abused by a Roman Catholic priest nearly 60 years ago
“A Cumberland County woman has filed a civil complaint against the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland, alleging she was sexually abused by a priest that the Diocese knew was a predator, and who was reassigned to another parish. At a Portland news conference Thursday (Dec. 1), Ann Allen told reporters that she was 7 years old in 1964, when Father Lawrence Sabatino abused her in the basement of St. Peter’s Church.” By Carol Bousquet, Main Public Radio

MARYLAND

Sexual abuse survivors demand courts release Catholic church investigation
“Survivors of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church are demanding the courts release a 456-page report detailing the history of allegations against priests and resulting coverup in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the fruits of a nearly four-year state investigation. The survivors and their attorneys announced at a news conference Wednesday they filed a request with the Baltimore Circuit Court in an attempt to bring the confidential report to the public. ‘Only when this is out and in the open can healing really begin,’ their attorney Robert Jenner said.” By Julie Scharper, The Baltimore Sun, on National Public Radio

• Catholic priests sexual abuse case; victim advocates join battle to make report public, By Ken Duffy, WBAL Newsradio

‘Keepers’ survivors expand arguments on why Maryland AG report into Catholic clergy sexual abuse should be public
“Women featured in ‘The Keepers,’ a 2017 Netflix documentary series about clergy sexual abuse at a Baltimore-area Catholic girls school in the 1960s and ‘70s, expanded on their request Friday (Dec. 2) for the full public release of a report examining sexual misconduct by clergy throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Teresa Lancaster and Jean Wehner, who were victimized during their time at Archbishop Keough High School, filed their initial motion Wednesday after learning from a Baltimore Sun story that Baltimore’s Roman Catholic archdiocese is helping pay legal fees for a group of people named in the report who are asking a judge to make secret the court proceedings around its release.” By Union-Bulletin

MASSACHUSETTS

Bishop McManus: Sex abuse allegations against priest are credible
“The Rev. Alan J. Martineau, most recently of parishes in Warren, will remain on administrative leave after an investigation sought by the Diocese of Worcester deemed an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to be credible. Martineau has been on leave since January; the diocese announced the results of its investigation Monday (Dec. 12), with Bishop Robert J. McManus ruling on the case.” By Mike Elfland, Telegram & Gazette

NEW JERSEY

Camden Diocese, clergy sex abuse survivors nearing settlement
“South Jersey’s Catholic diocese is one step closer to compensating survivors who were sexually abused by some of the diocese’s priests. In April, the Diocese of Camden agreed to pay $87.5 million to settle claims for victims of clergy sexual abuse. Officials from the diocese appeared before Judge Jerrold N. Poslusny, Jr. in New Jersey District Bankruptcy Court for 14 days of testimony to approve the settlement.” By Antoinette Lee, KYW-AM/103.9-FM Radio News

NEW YORK.

Will AG’s settlement change how Buffalo Diocese handles allegations? Some are skeptical.
“A negotiated settlement to end the state attorney general’s 2020 lawsuit against the Buffalo Diocese yielded a 30-page court order and additional embarrassing news coverage of the diocese’s handling of child sex abuse allegations. What the settlement didn’t do, according to some advocates for child sex abuse victims and child abuse prevention experts, was require the diocese to substantially change the way it operates.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

VIRGINIA

Former Catholic Priest extradited to Virginia on child sex abuse charges
“A former priest at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, Va., was convicted today (Dec. 12) in Loudoun County Circuit Court for sexually abusing a minor during the summer of 1985 when the former priest was 29 years old, according to a release from the Office of Attorney General Jason Miyares, Scott Asalone.”” By WUSA-TV9 News on YouTube

• Former Virginia priest convicted of 1985 sex assault on teen, By The Associated Press in The Franklin News-Post

WISCONSIN

Group calls on Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to escalate clergy sex abuse investigation
“A Madison-based secular group is calling on Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to escalate a statewide review of clergy sex abuse that launched last year. The request follows the release of names of nearly two dozen clergy by the Catholic Diocese of Superior, which it says have had credible claims of sexually abusing minors made against them. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for separation of church and state, sent a Dec. 1 letter to Kaul asking him to increase resources for the investigation after the release of names.” By Daniells Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio

• Madison Diocese brother charged with felonies for alleged sexual abuse of 17-year-old girl, By Chris Rickert, Wisconsin State Journal

Abusive priest list published, four in area named as ‘credibly accused’
“Last week the Diocese of Superior released a list of 23 priests who have been ‘credibly accused’ of raping or sexually abusing children. Four priests in the Pierce and St. Croix county area were included on the list. The four priests are Ryan Erickson of Hudson, Joseph Higgins of River Falls, Donald Dummer of River Falls and James Kraker of Hammond. All have been removed from ministry. Three have died.” By Sam Fristed, River Falls Journal

• Catholic Diocese of Superior releases abusive clergy list – sexual abuse of a minor, By Tina L. Scott, Merrill Foto News

AUSTRALIA

New national safeguarding standards include adults at risk
“Australian Catholic Safeguarding Ltd has today (Dec. 7) launched the second edition of the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, covering adults at risk as well as children. ACSL has worked with the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Catholic Religious Australia and the Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons to develop the NCSS Edition 2. The release of NCSS Edition 2 comes just one week before the five-year anniversary of the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse’s final report.” By CathNews.com

CANADA

New Priest named in latest clerical abuse report
“The Archdiocese of Vancouver has issued its semi-annual update on clerical sexual abuse, releasing the name of a priest who was the subject of sexual abuse allegation received in 2008. The latest report of the Implementation Working Group, the archdiocesan committee responsible for implementing the approved recommendations received from the 2019 Case Review Committee, was released Tuesday (Dec. 13) and said an accusation of sexual abuse had been received in April 2008 against Father Georges Chevrier, OMI, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Coquitlam from 1971 to 1977.” By The B.C. Catholic

B.C. woman settles lawsuit over alleged childhood sexual abuse by Catholic priest during confession
“A Vancouver Island woman who says she was sexually abused as a child by a former Nazi turned Catholic priest has settled her lawsuit against the church. Father Gerhard Hartmann repeatedly sexually assaulted and fondled the victim over a period of three years at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in Nanaimo, B.C., beginning in 1976, when she was just 10 years old, according to the notice of claim.” By Bethany Lindsay, CBC News

Officials at Archdiocese of Montreal meddled in abuse investigations, ombudsman says
“The lawyer appointed to help make the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal more transparent in the way it handles allegations of abuse against clergy says her job is being undermined by those inside the church. In a report made public Monday and obtained in advance by CBC News, Marie Christine Kirouack, the church ombudsman, said she discovered a high-ranking clergy member was leaking information about abuse complaints, and in some cases, actively discouraging complainants from contacting her.” By Leah Hendry, CBC News

Two Quebec bishops named in abuse lawsuit
“Two Quebec bishops, one deceased and one living, have been named in a sexual abuse class action against the Archdiocese of Quebec. Bishops Clement Fecteau (1933-2017) and Jean-Pierre Blais, who is Bishop of Baie-Comeau, are among the accused whose names were released by the law firm Arsenault Dufresne Wee Avocats. Fecteau is accused of abusing a 13-year-old victim in 1987 at the Séminaire de Quebec. He was appointed auxiliary bishop for the Quebec archdiocese in 1989 and would in 1996 be appointed Bishop of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere.” By Catholic Register

GERMANY

German bishop must face Vatican investigation, abuse council demands
“An advisory body of sexual abuse survivors on Monday (Dec. 12) called for canonical procedures against the vice president of the German Bishops’ Conference. Bishop Franz-Josef Bode should be charged under canon law for his handling of abuse cases, the advisory council said in a statement sent to media Dec. 12, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner. The advisory body represents those affected by sexual abuse for the metropolitan archdiocese of Hamburg and the dioceses of Hildesheim and Osnabrück.” By A.C. Wimmer, Catholic News Agency

Cologne clerical abuse case opens door to compensation landslide
“Germany’s Catholic church may face a wave of clerical abuse compensation claims after the Cologne archdiocese dropped its statute of limitations defense in a closely-watched court case. On Tuesday Cologne district court began hearing the case of a man who has sued the archdiocese for €805,000 in damages. Mr Georg Menne says he was sexually abused at least 320 times during the 1970s by a Catholic priest, Erich Jansen. Until his death in 2020 the priest remained active in parish work despite being reported to archdiocese authorities at least twice – in 1980 and 2010.” By Derek Scally, The Irish Times

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND, AND WALES

Abused siblings told they can sue Sisters of Nazareth Catholic order
“Two siblings who were abused at a children’s home have been told they can now sue a Catholic order. The pair – known as ‘B and W’ – raised historic abuse claims against the Sisters of Nazareth over incidents in Lasswade, Midlothian, in the 1970s. Both legal bids were originally thrown out in January after Sisters of Nazareth claimed it could not get a fair trial due to the passage of time. But three appeal judges on Friday (Dec. 2) ruled the cases should not have been dismissed and granted the siblings permission to continue with their claim for six-figure compensation.” By Kevin Scott, News.STV.tv

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Over 300 abuse allegations to day against Spiritan priests
“More than 300 people have made abuse allegations against at least 78 Spiritan priests, a spokesman for the religious congregation has said. He also said the latter figure may increase slightly when all recent contacts have been fully processed. Some people making allegations have done so directly to the Spiritans, while others may have gone to the gardaí, “and we know that a number have gone initially to the independent expert on Restorative Justice, Mr Tim Chapman”, the spokesman said.” By Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times

Jesuits unlikely to be prosecuted over sexual abuse of Limerick students
“Gardi are unlikely to prosecute any members of the Jesuits over the religious order’s handling of historic allegations of child sexual abuse by one of its priests Fr Joseph Marmion. Garda sources said that enquires into allegations against Marmion of abusing pupils at Belvedere College, Clongowes Wood College and the former Crescent College in Limerick City have also run cold because Marmion died in 2000 at the age of 75. In 1977 a number of pupils at Belvedere, where Marmion taught from 1969 to1978, made disclosures to senior Jesuits of sexual abuse by Marmion.” By David Raleigh, Limerick Post