Archive for July, 2023

Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup, July 28, 2023

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Focus news roundup, Future of the Church, Pope Francis, Synod on Synodality, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on July 27, 2023

July 28, 2023

TOP STORIES

U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection releases annual report
“The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection has released the 2022 Annual Report – Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The report is based on the audit findings of StoneBridge Business Partners, a specialty consulting firm headquartered in Rochester, New York, which provides forensic, internal, and compliance audit services to leading organizations nationwide.” By USCCB Office of Public Affairs

‘I don’t know who is stopping this’: advocates urge Mass. AG to issue report on clergy sexual abuse
“Twenty years ago this month, the then-attorney general of Massachusetts, Thomas F. Reilly, issued a report on an investigation of child sexual abuse at the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. ‘The Office of the Attorney General initiated an extensive investigation, which involved prosecutors, State Police, civilian investigators, and the Grand Jury,’ the report read. ‘It is essential to create an official public record of what occurred so that this type of widespread abuse of children might never happen again here or elsewhere.’ In the two decades since, the state’s top prosecutor has not published a report on clergy abuse at the three other dioceses in Massachusetts — Springfield, Fall River or Worcester.” By Nancy Eve Cohen, New England Public Media

Roman Catholic diocese in northern New York announces bankruptcy filing amid sexual abuse lawsuits
“The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg in northern New York said Monday (Jul. 17) that it was filing for bankruptcy protection as it faces more than 100 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse. The diocese, like others in the state, is dealing with lawsuits dating to when New York temporarily suspended the statute of limitations to give victims of childhood abuse the ability to pursue even decades-old allegations against clergy members, teachers, Boy Scout leaders and others.” By Associated Press

Synod raises hope for long-sought recognition of women in the Catholic Church
“When Pope Francis called two years ago for a worldwide discussion among rank-and-file Catholics about the main challenges and issues facing the church, the question of women’s ministry and leadership echoed loudly in parishes and bishops’ assemblies. The question is resounding more loudly as the summit of bishops and lay Catholics known as the Synod on Synodality, scheduled for October, draws near. Participants and observers alike recognize that any conversation about reforming church hierarchy or promoting lay involvement, Francis’ twin goals for the synod, has to include honest exchanges about the role of women.” By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Portugal is starting the atoning process for clergy sex abuse. Here’s what other countries have done
“While the Catholic Church in the U.S., Australia and some other countries began coming to terms with their clergy sexual abuse legacies years ago and set up mechanisms to compensate victims, the hierarchy in Portugal has only recently offered an account and bungled its initial response to victims … Here’s a look at the countries that have articulated plans for providing financial reparations to victims beyond legal judgments or settlements.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, on abcnews.go.com

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

At the Catholic Church’s worldwide synod, the deacons are missing
“In addition to Pope Francis, among voters and non-voters alike there will be some 273 bishops, 67 priests, 37 non-ordained men and women religious, 70 other lay men and women, and one deacon, Belgian Deacon Geert de Cubber. You would not know from the list that de Cubber is, in fact, an ordained deacon. He is listed as ‘Mr.’ not ‘Rev. Mr.’ or ‘Dcn.,’ as is the general custom. There are a few other mistakes. San Diego Cardinal Robert McElroy’s name is spelled incorrectly. Two priests, the Rev. Eloy Bueno de la Fuente (Spain) and the Rev. Eamonn Conway (Ireland) are not noted as such. There may be a few other minor errors here and there. There may even be another deacon or two, but most probably not.” By Phyllis Zagano, Religion News Service

George Weigel is mistaken. Synodality gives life to the vision of Vatican II
“I was not surprised by George Weigel’s continuing criticism of Pope Francis and the coming Synod of Bishops (The Catholic Weekly, 9 July, 2023) … I have no special access to the mind of Pope Francis, but it has seemed clear for a long time that he is dedicated to implementing the full vision of the council. His emphasis on the importance of synodality in the life of the church will give effect to Vatican II’s teaching that through baptism all believers are called to holiness as members of one people “established by Christ as a communion of life, charity and truth” and “sent forth into the whole world as the light of the world and the salt of the earth” (LG 9).” By Gerald Gleeson, The Catholic Weekly

What the Synod should be about
“Back when the synod on synodality was only an item on Pope Francis’s to-do list, I wrote a column saying conservative Catholics like myself should get on board the pre-synodal bandwagon instead of standing on the sidelines making negative comments. Otherwise, I said, the synod on synodality could fall into liberal hands. With the first assembly of the synod fast approaching in October, that is still a matter of concern.” By Russell Shaw, Our Sunday Visitor

Cardinal Hollerich: ‘The Synod is not Vatican III’
“I sat down with Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich at the Jesuit Curia in Rome on the afternoon of June 30. The following article, based on that conversation, is the second part of that interview. The first part can be found here. In the second part of this interview, Cardinal Hollerich, the relator general of the synod of bishops that opens in the Vatican on Oct. 4, explains that the synod seeks to recover the synodality that existed in the earlier history of the church, but which had largely disappeared.” By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review

New cardinal says October’s synod is not about changing church teaching
“Days after his appointment by Pope Francis, OSV News spoke with Cardinal-designate Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., who shared his thoughts on his new role, the Synod on Synodality, and why both the synod and the National Eucharistic Revival are ‘just the beginning’ of a fresh encounter with Jesus Christ. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.” By Gina Christian, OSV News, in America: The Jesuit Review

POPE FRANCIS

Church sex abuse revelations are unwelcome distraction as Pope Francis visits scandal-hit Portugal
“Pope Francis will wade into the quagmire of Portugal’s reckoning with its legacy of clergy abuse and cover-up when he arrives in Lisbon next Wednesday (Aug. 2) to participate in World Youth Day, the international Catholic youth rally. While there is no mention of the scandal on the pontiff’s official agenda, he is expected to meet with victims during his visit. Francis will also visit the shrine at Fatima, a rural Portuguese town that is one of the Catholic Church’s most popular pilgrimage destinations.” By Barry Hatton, Associated Press, on abcnews.go.com

CARDINALS

Francis now has the cardinals he needs for the next conclave. Is it enough?
“Since he was elected in 2013, Pope Francis has been remaking the College of Cardinals in preparation for the next conclave that will elect his successor. He has made the college more international, less European, less curial, more pastoral and less ideological. Like every pope before him, Francis has been looking for men who reflect his priorities for the church.” By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter

PRIESTS

Jesuits make it official: artist-priest accused of abuse is expelled from the order
“A month after announcing the expulsion of the artist-priest Father Marko Ivan Rupnik, accused of sexually abusing several adult women, on the grounds of disobedience, Pope Francis’s own Jesuit order confirmed the decision Monday (Jul. 24). Father Johan Verschueren, the permanent delegate of the Society of Jesus for houses, works and inter-provincial Jesuits in Rome, who oversaw the order’s investigation into allegations against Rupnik, made the announcement in a July 24 letter.” By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com

Priests’ meeting put into practice living synodality in a polarized world
“It was a most welcome surprise to work with the Association of United States Catholic Priests recently. There has been such public resistance among a certain group of bishops and laity to Pope Francis’ vision and the reluctance to embrace the spirit of synodality, that to gather with close to 200 priests from around the country to explore unity through synodality was a needed shot in the arm. These men who continue to minister within the spirit of the Second Vatican Council take Francis’ vision seriously and have chosen contemplative dialogue as their process for when they gather in their annual assembly.” By Nancy Sylvester, Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter

WOMEN RELIGIOUS

Sisters model women’s diaconal ministry in the Amazon
“Earlier this summer, I traveled to the Amazon region of Porto Velho, Brazil, with my colleague Casey Stanton. As co-directors of Discerning Deacons. We wanted to see firsthand how Catholic women like Pereira Manso are vital to the work of accompanying indigenous peoples who serve as the vulnerable protectors of God’s handiwork in the world’s largest rainforest … Pereira Manso was recently appointed as vice president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon, or CEAMA, which was created in 2020 following the Synod for the Amazon, for which Pereira Manso served as an auditor. CEAMA is the first of its kind to include women in a leadership position.” By Ellie Hidalgo, Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter

WOMEN’S VOICES

Joy and hope amid struggle at Women of the Church event
“At the third Women of the Church conference for Catholic women leaders, a morning prayer service began with a reading of the Gospel account of Mary of Magdala witnessing the resurrected Jesus outside the tomb. Participants were then asked to call out a word from the scripture passage that spoke to them. The most frequently shared word was ‘weeping.’ Catholic women have much to weep about, and many at the conference expressed pain, frustration and hurt by experiences of sexism in the church. But the overall vibe at the three-day event was one of joy and hope — brought on not only by the opportunity to pray, network and celebrate together, but also by optimism about the church’s upcoming synod on synodality and what it might mean for women’s leadership in the church.” By Heidi Schlumpf, National Catholic Reporter

LAITY & THE CHURCH

Bringing laity into Church decision-making process ‘a momentous thing’
“Renee Kohler-Ryan says that as a lay theologian and mother of five, she was struck by the significance of her inclusion in the upcoming Synod of Bishops. Professor Kohler-Ryan, national head of philosophy and theology from the University of Notre Dame Australia, was this month named as a non-bishop voting member of the Synod. She is one of 10 Oceania representatives who will join more than 360 cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and other lay men and women in having a vote at the Synod.” By CathNews.com

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

In Portugal for World Youth Day, pope will find a Catholic Church that ‘is losing influence’
“when Pope Francis arrives in Lisbon on Aug. 2 for the 42nd international trip of his papacy and his fourth World Youth Day — a major gathering of Catholic youth that takes place in various cities around the globe every few years — he will find a weakened Catholic Church experiencing the same difficulties it has in much of the developed world … While nearly 80% of Portuguese identify as Catholic, less than 20% attend  weekly Mass.” By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter

CHURCH FINANCES

U.S. bishops announce where millions of dollars in charitable donations are going
“The United States Catholic bishops announced Thursday (Jul. 20) where millions of dollars raised by American dioceses will go for charitable purposes around the world. The funds raised from parish collections, mail-in donations, and other initiatives were coordinated by the U.S. bishops’ National Collections Committee. Bishop James S. Wall of Gallup, New Mexico, chairman of the USCCB Committee on National Collections, said in a statement announcing the grants that ‘St. Paul wrote that when one Christian suffers, all Christians suffer — because we are all part of one Body of Christ.’” By Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency, in National Catholic Register

Vatican prosecutor accuses Cardinal Becciu of orchestrating failed investment
“The Vatican’s chief prosecuting attorney began his closing arguments outlining final charges against 10 defendants, including a cardinal, stemming from an investigation launched in 2019 by internal reports of suspicious financial activity. Now, Alessandro Diddi, the prosecutor, was set to present his case over the course of at least six hearings starting July 18, marking the final stage of a two-year-long Vatican trial investigating the mismanagement of Vatican funds.” By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, National Catholic Reporter

Omaha priest gets probation; gave homeless man $700k
“ An Omaha priest pled guilty last month to two misdemeanor charges of theft, almost two years after he was charged with stealing nearly $200,000 from an elderly priest. The priest was also accused of stealing thousands from a Nebraska parish where he was pastor. Fr. Michael Gutgsell, 74, pled in a Douglas County courtroom June 29 to two misdemeanor counts of theft, and was sentenced to two years of probation.” By The Pillar

Prosecutor cites risky investments as ‘grave’ violations, in closing of Vatican financial case
“The Vatican prosecutor insisted Tuesday (Jul. 18) that his indictments of 10 people, including a cardinal, for alleged financial crimes held up under two years of testimony, criticism and defense motions, as he began closing arguments in a trial that exposed the unseemly financial underbelly of the Holy See. Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi opened two weeks of hearings to summarize his case by accusing officials in the Vatican secretariat of state of committing ‘grave violations’ of internal norms and canon law when they decided in 2012 to start investing the pope’s money in ‘highly speculative’ investments, including in a 350 million euro (US $390 million) London real estate venture.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press

VOICES

The Eucharistic Revival is mission something: the blood of Christ
“There is much to hope for in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ project of local and national revitalization. It rightly emphasizes education, formation and devotion. Centering on the doctrine of transubstantiation, the bishops have called attention to eucharistic adoration and processions as a way of deepening our participation in the Mass. But to peruse their website and their proposed activities, one cannot help but notice something is missing. To put it simply, where is the blood?” By Terence Sweeney, America: The Jesuit Review

‘No Guilty Bystander’ celebrates Bishop Gumbleton’s radical legacy
“‘I can’t do this.’ It was a wail from the bowels of the Archdiocese of Detroit chancery office by a promising young priest, tasked with framing the agonies of failed marriages into bloodless canonese so that couples might please the powers in Rome to grant their annulment. It was a necessary penance and rite of passage for the clerically upward bound, chosen ones already by virtue of this assignment, some fantasizing about that oh-so-tall bishop’s miter that could someday be theirs — when it would be received, of course, ‘in all humility.’ For Fr. Thomas Gumbleton, it was 1960 and priests simply and unquestionably did what the archbishop bid them do.” By Paul Wilkes, National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis’ new Vatican doctrinal chief signals enormous change for Catholic Church
“Pope Francis’ naming of his long-time Argentine collaborator, Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández, as the new prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith marks the most consequential curial appointment of this 10-year-old pontificate. The appointment is noteworthy both for who was appointed and for the pope’s bold articulation of a new mandate for the notorious dicastery. Many supporters of Francis have been disappointed over the years by his reluctance to appoint figures to curial leadership more in keeping with his vision for the church. Often, he seemed too willing to allow outspoken curial critics of his papal ministry to remain in office. But now, the pope has appointed an enthusiastic supporter of his reformist program to lead one of the most powerful curial offices.” By Richard Gaillardetz, National Catholic Reporter

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

Church insurer’s insolvency battle amid abuse claims
“Catholic Church Insurance is planning to enter a scheme of arrangement amid uncertainty over the quantum of historical sexual abuse and other claims, and to avoid formal insolvency. CCI chair Joan Fitzpatrick has written to policy holders proposing a scheme of arrangement, which is a common procedure in global insurance markets amid uncertain future claims. Ms Fitzpatrick said that it was possible that further claims could emerge that could endanger CCI’s solvency, ‘resulting in significant impacts on policy holders.’” By CathNews.com

Abuse report from global Catholic group Focolare leaves many questions unanswered
“The Focolare movement, one of the largest lay organizations in the Catholic Church with members in countries across the world, published its first report on cases of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults within its ranks on March 31. The report, which was done internally and not by an independent firm, focuses on accounts of abuse received by the movement’s Commission for the Welfare and Safeguarding of Members from 2014 to 2022. The findings indicate that from 1969-2012, 66 members of the global movement were accused of abusing 42 minors (29 between the ages of 14 and 18, and 13 under the age of 14) and 17 vulnerable adults.” By Federica Tourn, National Catholic Reporter

ALABAMA

Mobile’s Catholic archdiocese asks district attorney to investigate now-defrocked priest
“A little more than two years ago, as the nation was reeling from the Covid pandemic, Mobile’s Archbishop Thomas Rodi welcomed a new priest to the Catholic church and especially to those parishioners at Corpus Christi Church. ‘As you lay on the floor in front of the altar,’ Archbishop Rodi would say, ‘know that the prayers of the people are washing over you, asking God to guide and strengthen you in your ordained ministry of word, worship and service.’” By WPMI-TV15 News

ARIZONA

Arizona Court of Appeals holds employer not liable for employee’s sexual abuse of a child
“In Doe v. Roman Catholic Church of Diocese of Phoenix, the Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of the Plaintiff’s direct and vicarious liability claims against St. Mark parish and the Diocese of Phoenix, based on sexual abuse committed by a priest that served at the parish. In dismissing the direct liability claims against the Diocese Defendants, the Court applied the traditional tort rules holding an employer can be independently liable for an employee/agent’s sexual misconduct but only if the employer did something negligent, knowing or having reason to know the employee/agent was a risk of harm to others.” By JDSupra.com

COLORADO

Colorado victims of childhood sex abuse, blocked by state Supreme Court, hold out hope for future chance at justice
“One afternoon last month, Miranda and Jennifer Wetzler answered a call from their attorney in shock: The Colorado Supreme Court had blocked the sisters’ chance to right a decades-old wrong after their alleged abuser had walked free more than 30 years earlier. ‘When I heard the news, I started crying and I just thought, ‘Not again,’’ Miranda Wetzler said … Colorado’s Child Sexual Abuse Accountability Act, which took effect Jan.1, 2022, provided a three-year window for adults who were sexually assaulted as children to bring forward lawsuits over abuse they allege happened between 1960 and 2022, even if the statute of limitations for criminal charges had long since expired.” By Lauren Penington, Denver Post

INDIANA

Sexual abuse allegation against late South Bend priest found credible
“ A South Bend priest who was killed in a hit-and-run crash last year allegedly sexually abused a minor during his time serving with the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. The diocese says it was recently made aware of an allegation that Father Jan Klimczyk engaged in sexual abuse of a minor. Officials say that allegation has been found credible. It was not specified when the alleged abuse took place, but the diocese says it received the allegation after Father Klimczyk’s death. As a result, Father Klimczyk has been placed on the diocese’s list of clergies credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.” By WNDU-TV16 News

LOUISIANA

Archdiocese’s lawyers make millions as hundreds of sex abuse survivors haven’t seen any money
“As hundreds of sexual abuse survivors keep waiting for years to see any money from a bankrupt New Orleans Archdiocese, new court filings show the church is paying $25 million to lawyers and consultants in federal bankruptcy court. That includes $13 million and counting to the church’s own bankruptcy lawyers and accountants, who have fought at every turn to justify the church’s need for protection from creditors and to keep details of clergy abuse from being released to the public.” By David Hammer, WWL-TV4 News

Former New Orleans priest gets 25 years on sexual assault charges
“A former Jesuit priest has pleaded guilty to sex crimes committed in and around New Orleans, in which he was charged with drugging and raping 17 adult male victims, many of whom were visiting the popular tourist area. Detectives also believe that there are more than 50 victims who remain unidentified. Stephen Sauer, who reportedly left the Jesuit order by his own request in 2020, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on July 7 in front of a Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, judge. He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and is barred from contacting 12 of the victims for life.” By Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency, in The Catholic World Report

Sentence for clergy about raises concerns among advocates and attorneys
“Advocates for survivors of clergy abuse and legal experts are questioning a five-year sentence handed down for a Northshore priest convicted of molesting juveniles. They argue that individuals convicted of other sexual offenses often receive much harsher penalties. In a courtroom filled with tension, a victim of former priest Patrick Wattigny’s sexual abuse recounted his decades-long ordeal, only for his attorneys to leave the courtroom feeling frustrated and angry.” By Rob Masson, FOX8 News

Behind the rare criminal conviction of a Catholic cleric in New Orleans
“For years, leaders at the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans – the second-oldest organization of its kind in the US – maintained that none of its recently serving clerics had been credibly found to have abused children. This was after the global church approved safety measures meant to root out predator priests and deacons about two decades ago. That belief was eventually shattered when the city’s archbishop, Gregory Aymond, received a complaint in February of 2020 that Patrick Wattigny was sending inappropriate text messages to at least one child at the local Catholic high school where he was chaplain.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

MARYLAND

Maryland AG looks to expand clergy investigation
“Maryland’s Attorney general is looking to beef up the investigation into sexual abuse by the catholic clergy. According to a report by the Baltimore Sun, the AG is looking to add four new positions for the ongoing investigation. He reportedly told the state’s Board of Public Works that his office has seen an increase in tips since releasing a report earlier this year.” By FOX-TV5 News

MINNESOTA

Lawsuit alleges incidents of sexual assault at the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Rochester Catholic Schools
“A lawsuit filed on Wednesday (Jul.19) claims a former Lourdes High School student was sexually assaulted multiple times by a former clergyman with the Diocese of Winona-Rochester nearly 50 years ago. According to court documents, the alleged abuse took place from 1972 to 1974, when the plaintiff was between the ages of 14-16 years old. The suit names Father Joseph Cashman as the alleged perpetrator, who was first ordained by the diocese in 1960 before having his ministerial privileges suspended in 1992 after he was accused of making sexual approaches to several children prior to 1986.” By KAAL-TV6 News

NEW YORK.

$50.75 million added to settlement for survivors of Diocese of Rochester clergy abuse
“Another $50.75 million was added to the total settlement reached by survivors in the Diocese of Rochester’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case Friday (Jul. 21). According to the law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates, the total settlement is now up to $126.35 million. That includes $55 million from the diocese and parishes, $20.6 million from insurers LMI and LMI Underwriters, $50 million from insurer Interstate, $750,000 from insurer First State, and the latest $50.75 million sum.” By James Battaglia, Nexstar Media Group, on mytwintiers.com

New York bankruptcy judge sets a deadline of roughly 100 days for diocese to reach deal with survivors
“Today (Jul. 18), U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn ordered the Diocese of Rockville Centre to file a reorganization plan by October 31, 2023. This gives the Diocese 105 days to reach a settlement with survivors. In a hearing this morning, Judge Glenn emphasized that the Diocese is operating on borrowed time and if the case cannot be resolved, survivors are entitled to their day in court. He also noted that in order for the parishes and other third-party entities controlled by the Diocese to get released from the case, their contributions need overwhelming support from the survivors.” By AndersonAdvocates.com

VIRGINIA

Former Catholic priest for Virginia accused of child sex abuse
“A retired Catholic priest who served at a number of parishes throughout Virginia has been accused of child sex abuse, according to the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. The allegations against Fr. Walter Lewis stem from an incident that occurred in the 1980s when he was serving as a pastor of St. Anne Catholic Church in Bristol. Lewis was ordained a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond in 1979. He served as pastor or parochial vicar at a number of parishes.” By Tannock Blair, WIRC-TV8 News

WASHINGTON

Archdiocese of Seattle settles two sexual abuse claims against clergy members
“The Archdiocese of Seattle announced final settlements for two separate claims related to allegations of sexual abuse by clergy members a few decades ago. The claims involved Brother D.P. Ryan who served at O’Dea High School in Seattle in 1986, and Father John Forrester, who was at St. Teresa Catholic School in the early to mid-1970s.” By FOX13 News Staff

AFRICA

Roman Catholic priest accused of sexual abuse remanded
“St Catherine Parish Court Judge Natalie Creary-Dixon has asked for documentation on the criminal history of Kenyan Roman Catholic priest Lawrence Muvengi, who is accused of the alleged sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl. The request was made today when the 39-year-old made his first court appearance. Muvengi, who is charged with rape, sexual grooming, having sexual intercourse with a person under 16, and abduction, was remanded to return to court on July 19.” By The Gleaner Media Company

BOLIVIA

Sex abuse scandal in Bolivia: who had the Jesuit priest’s diary, and when?
“The personal diary of the Jesuit priest Alfonso ‘Pica’ Pedrajas, who died in 2009, has been at the center of a sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the Society of Jesus in Bolivia in recent months. The document, which refers to at least 85 incidents of sexual abuse of minors and involves other priests and superiors, is already in the hands of the Bolivian authorities, but the route the diary has taken in the investigations leaves unanswered questions.” By Julieta Villar, ACI Prensa Staff, on CatholicNewsAgency.com

CANADA

Catholic priest in Peterborough, Ont., charged with sexual assault, interference with a minor
“A Catholic priest working in Peterborough, Ont., faces charges of sexual offences involving a youth following an investigation by police. According to the Peterborough Police Service, the investigation led to the arrest of a man on Wednesday (Jul. 26). Neil Pereira, 33, of Peterborough, was charged with sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference.” By Greg Davis, Global News

Residential school survivors still waiting for next steps a year after papal visit
“When Piita Irniq picked up his handmade wooden drum to perform for Pope Francis last year in Iqaluit, he was reclaiming an Inuit tradition that the Roman Catholic Church tried to erase through its residential schools. ‘I wanted him to know that this is what you cut off as part of colonialism,’ Irniq said. ‘You thought it was a witchcraft. You thought it was a pagan religion when, in fact, drum dancing has always been a celebration of life.’ One year later, Irniq and many other residential school survivors are still waiting for the Roman Catholic Church to outline the next steps it wants to take in repairing its relationships with Indigenous Peoples.” By Olivia Stefanovich, CBC News

Judge signs off on Montreal archdiocese sex abuse class-action settlement
“A Quebec Superior Court judge has signed off on a sex abuse class-action settlement involving the Montreal archdiocese. The agreement, announced earlier this year, includes a minimum $14.8 million in compensation for victims of sexual abuse committed by diocesan priests and lay employees of the archdiocese since 1940. The lead plaintiff in the class action was a victim of Brian Boucher, a since-defrocked priest who was convicted of sexually abusing two boys under his supervision and sentenced in 2019 to eight years in prison.” By The Canadian Press Staff on GlobalNews.com

Military priest accused of sexual abuse in B.C. case
“A B.C. man is alleging he was sexually abused in Victoria by an unnamed priest under the supervision of Canadian Catholic military officials and the Diocese of Victoria. The allegations come in Kevin Shawn Palmer’s July 7 notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. It names as defendants the Bishop of Victoria and the Roman Catholic Military Ordinariate of Canada. The claim said the bishop was responsible for governance of Chapel Our Lady Star of the Sea premises and who had access to children there.” By Jeremy Hainsworth, Alaska Highway News

FRANCE

Bulk of French bishops attend Vatican abuse training
“Almost three-quarters of France’s active bishops have attended special Vatican sessions on recognizing and reporting sexual abuse of minors, prompted by the shocking 2021 report on abuse in the French Church. The bishops travelled to Rome in three groups – in February, May and July — for two days of discussions with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Bishops on their responsibility when confronted with clerical abuse of minors.” By Tom Heneghan, The Tablet

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES

Sex abuse survivors rage as inquiry judge pockets £2m while vitims awarded £10k
“Survivors of child sexual abuse have slammed the huge sums being earned by professionals involved in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. A Daily Record investigation has revealed Lady Smith – the judge who has chaired the inquiry for seven years – was paid the same amount as some survivors receive in compensation for a lifetime of suffering for just two weeks of work. Figures obtained from the Scottish Government show she has received just short of £2million in salary and pension contributions so far.” By Marcello Mega, Daily Record

INDIA

Clergy abuse ‘swept under the carpet’ in Indian Church
“On June 1, the Vatican accepted the resignation of Indian Bishop Franco Mulakkal, almost five years after police arrested him on charges of raping a nun. The Vatican ‘requested’ his resignation, said a statement from the apostolic nunciature in India, adding that this action should not be seen as a ‘disciplinary measure imposed upon’ the bishop. The Mulakkal case has once again revived the demand for speedy and transparent action into allegations of clerical abuse in India as delays can lead to embarrassment for Christians, who make up 2.3 percent in the Hindu majority nation of 1.4 billion people.” By UCANews.com

Indian Catholic priest held for sexually abusing minor girl
“A Catholic priest serving as the principal of a diocese-run college in a southern Indian state has been remanded in judicial custody for allegedly abusing a minor girl. Police arrested Father Francis Fernandes, principal of Sacred Heart College under Shimoga diocese in Karnataka, on July 20 following a complaint from a girl, reported to be below 18 years of age. Local media reports said the priest has been charged under provisions of the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act and the Scheduled Caste (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.” By UCANews.com

JAMAICA

$800,000 bail for priest accused of sexually assaulting 12-year-old girl
“The Kenyan Roman Catholic priest accused of assaulting a 12-year-old girl was granted $800,000 bail in the St Catherine Parish Court in Spanish Town on Wednesday (Jul.20). Lawrence Muvengi is to return to court on September 27. He was given bail with up to two sureties and was also ordered to surrender his travel documents. The priest is to report to the Matilda’s Corner Police Station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is not to be seen in the parish of St Catherine, except for court. The court is alleging that Muvengi sexually assaulted the child on the church premises.” By Jamaica Observer

PERU

Vatican’s top abuse investigators to probe scandal-plagued lay group in Peru
“Next week the Vatican’s top two investigators will arrive in Peru to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), a scandal-ridden lay group whose founder has been sanctioned for various abuses, including the sexual abuse of minors. According to sources with knowledge of the visit, Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Spanish Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu will begin their work on Tuesday, July 25, speaking with both victims and the leadership and top members of the SCV.” By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com

POLAND

Polish Catholic order to compensate former care home resident over physical and emotional abuse
“A Catholic religious order in Poland has been ordered to pay 500,000 zloty (€113,000) in compensation to a 31-year-old man for physical and emotional abuse – including rape – he suffered as a child in a religious-run residential care home. Taking the case was a 31-year-old man identified only as Paweł who sought one million zloty (€226,000) in compensation and a monthly pension to cover the cost of lifelong medical treatment. He was just 18 months old when he was handed over to the Special Care Centre in the town of Zabrze, 100km northwest of Krakow in southern Poland, run by the Sisters of Mercy of St Borromeo.” By Derek Scally, The Irish Times

SPAIN

Clerical sex abuses crisis: Spanish priests hit with sanctions
“The Diocese of Mallorca in Spain has sentenced Father Julià Cifre Vandrell to three years of not celebrating Mass ‘in any place other than at his home’ and to leading ‘a secluded life of retirement, prayer, and penance.’ The priest was also ordered to ‘write a letter to the victim apologizing for all the pain he has caused’ and refrain for life ‘from coming into contact with the victim or her relatives.’ The penalty was imposed ‘once the criminal administrative canonical procedure against the priest was completed,’ according to a statement from the diocese.” By Nicolás de Cárdenas, Catholic News Agency, in The Catholic World Report

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Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup, July 14, 2023

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Focus news roundup, Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on July 13, 2023

July 14, 2023

TOP STORIES

To reach and keep young Catholics, the church must recognize women’s leadership / Opinion
“Women play a vital role in passing on the faith to the next generation. But when 99% of Catholic churches will have a male preacher this Sunday in a world where 50% of the Catholic population are women, it’s time for our daughters and granddaughters — and sons and grandsons — to see us naming out loud a problem we’ve endured quietly in our hearts. What seemed normalized to my devout Catholic Cuban grandmothers and became uncomfortable for my mother and has become unacceptable for me, is now unbearable for my nieces and many of our daughters. This will have untold consequences for the future of Catholic ministries.” By Ellie Hildagdo, Miami Herald

Synod document sets stage for wide-ranging debate on women, Catholic ministries and structures
“When prelates and lay delegates gather in October for the Synod of Bishops, they will be asked to directly confront a number of pressing questions — including the possibility of women deacons, access to the priesthood for married men, the integration of LGBTQ+ Catholics, and penance for sexual abuse and the abuse of power, conscience and money — in consideration of how the Catholic Church might transform and expand its structures to become more welcoming to all its members. In a much anticipated document released June 20, the Vatican’s synod office set the stage for a wide-ranging discussion for the first session of a high-stakes meeting that is attempting to respond with ‘missionary urgency’ to the challenges of church life in the modern world.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

Assembly of U.S. Catholic priests discusses calls for women’s ordination
“Her (Cecilia González-Andrieu) son’s experience can serve as a reminder of the need to truly see ‘la realidad’ — the reality of life — of marginalized people, and women especially, as the Catholic Church continues its three-year journey exploring Pope Francis’ invitation to synodality, she said. Synodality, González-Andrieu explained, is meant to highlight the rich diversity of the voices and talents of the people of God. Her talk turned to the word ‘difference’ and how through the diversity of people and cultures and animal and plant life ‘God’s creation loves difference.’” By Dennis Sadowski, National Catholic Reporter

German police search church properties in probe of Cologne archbishop over perjury allegations
“German police and prosecutors searched Catholic Church properties on Tuesday (Jun. 27) in connection with a probe of the archbishop of Cologne in western Germany over perjury allegations, authorities said. The searches included the vicar general’s office and the premises of an IT company that provides email services to the archdiocese headed by Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki … The cardinal is under investigation on suspicion of having falsely testified to court about when he became aware of reports of clergy sexual abuse in the archdiocese.” By Kirsten Grieshaber, Associated Press

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

New Vatican doctrinal chief admits mistakes in handling abuse allegations against priest
“Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández, chosen by Pope Francis to head the Vatican office that ensures doctrinal orthodoxy, conceded July 9 he made mistakes in handling a 2019 case of a priest accused of sexual abuse of minors. The case has drawn allegations by critics that Fernández tried to protect the priest, a charge that he has denied. ‘Today I would certainly act very differently and certainly my performance was insufficient,’ he told The Associated Press during an interview after celebrating Mass in La Plata, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) south of Buenos Aires.” By Almudena Calatrave and Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter

Bankruptcy judge questions Buffalo Diocese spending asa legal fees soar to $12.5 million
“Legal and professional fees paid by the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo have ballooned to $12.5 million, prompting the federal judge overseeing the diocese’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case to remark that he was puzzled over how the diocese was able to afford such costs. ‘The question is, ‘Where is the money coming from for these legal fees?’ Chief Judge Carl L. Bucki of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York asked the diocese’s lawyers at a recent hearing. ‘I’m just having trouble discerning how an entity can be profitable after paying over $12 million in legal fees, an entity of this size.’” By Jay Tokacz, The Buffalo News

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Synod on Synodality: Read the full list of delegates
“The Vatican has published the names of those participating in the upcoming Synod on Synodality assembly in October, including laypeople who will be full voting delegates at a Catholic Church synod for the first time … In total, 363 people will be able to vote in the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, according to statistics released by the Holy See Press Office on July 7. Among them, 54 of the voting delegates are women.” By Catholic News Agency

Synod 2023 – Reversing Vatican II
What evangelical purpose will be served by more “listening” to what the IL suggests will be identical contestations at Synod-2023? How does any of this bring the light of Christ to the nations? The Synodal Assembly in October will have to rescue the Synod from its Working Document. This was done in 2014, 2015, and 2018. It can and should be done again, in fidelity to the spirit and letter of Vatican II.” By The Catholic World Report

A ‘listening Church’ – but Synod organizers aren’t listening
“In several recent essays about the Synod on Synodality, I have made the argument that the Synod organizers are asking the wrong questions. Is anyone paying attention? If this really is a Synod on Synodality (as Pope Francis and his preparatory team insist it is) then the main topic of discussion should be how the Church should address difficult questions—since a synod is a meeting convened for that purpose. Then, with the procedural issues subject clarified, a future Synod could take up the specific controversies that trouble the Church today. But the preparations for this Synod have leapt over the question of how to answer questions, instead inviting all Catholics—and non-Catholics, for that matter—to raise the questions they want answered.” By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture

Synod on Synodality: your questions answered
“The Vatican released a new document on June 20 outlining key questions for the upcoming 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, more commonly known as the Synod on Synodality. Here is what you need to know …” By Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency

Synod document asks how to increase unity, participation, mission outreach
“In a Church that ‘bears the signs of serious crises of mistrust and lack of credibility,’ members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be asked to find ways to build community, encourage the contribution of every baptized person and strengthen the Church’s primary mission of sharing the Gospel, said the working document for the October gathering. ‘A synodal Church is founded on the recognition of a common dignity deriving from baptism, which makes all who receive it sons and daughters of God, members of the family of God, and therefore brothers and sisters in Christ, inhabited by the one Spirit and sent to fulfill a common mission,’ said the document, which was released at the Vatican June 20.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in Our Sunday Visitor

POPE FRANCIS

Pope Francis appoints men and women to build a synodal church
“Lately, Pope Francis has been busy appointing men and women who support his vision of a synodal church to positions where it matters. This is evident in his recent appointments to the college of cardinals, the synod, to the Roman Curia and to archdioceses. These appointments are important because, as every management consultant will tell you, ‘personnel is policy.’ An organization can have wonderful policies, but if the people responsible for implementing them are not on board, those policies will fail.” By Thomas Reese, Religion News Service

CARDINALS

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including Vatican’s ambassador to U.S.
“Pope Francis on July 9 named 21 new cardinals, including the Vatican’s ambassador to the U.S., Archbishop Christophe Pierre; American-born Archbishop Robert Prevost, who oversees the appointments of Catholic bishops worldwide; and the new head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office, Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández … Of the 21 new cardinals, 18 are under the age of 80 and would be eligible to vote in a papal conclave. As of Sept. 30, with the new additions, the total number of eligible cardinal electors will be 137.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

State health examiner agrees that McCarrick is unfit to stand trial
“Former cardinal Theodore McCarrick is not competent to stand trial on criminal sexual abuse charges in Massachusetts, a mental health expert hired by the state said after examining the disgraced ex-prelate. The update in the case could lead to the dismissal of the first criminal charges against McCarrick, 92, following several accusations of sexual abuse of minors and seminarians, which led to his removal from the clerical state in 2019. Criminal sexual assault charges filed against McCarrick in Wisconsin in April are still pending, as are a number of civil lawsuits.” By Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency

BISHOPS

Forced resignations of Catholic bishops, justice by teardrop
“Countries with better performing systems of justice and more independent media, such as Canada, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and France provide a better context for victims to achieve a measure of relief, a measure of justice. It has been a long process. Major changes in key principles of civil law have happened in such countries. We have witnessed the reports coming from Grand Juries in Pennsylvania and reports from the General Attorney in Illinois, and other jurisdictions in the United States.” By Rodolfo Soriano-Nüñez, LosAngelesPress.org

Judge dismisses Texas monastery’s lawsuit against Fort Worth bishop
“A Texas judge has dismissed a Carmelite monastery’s civil lawsuit against Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson. Without comment, Tarrant County District Court Judge Don Cosby, sitting in Fort Worth, issued a ruling June 30 granting the Fort Worth Diocese’s motion to dismiss the monastery’s complaint, which accused Olson of theft, defamation, and abuse of power.” By Shannon Mullen, Catholic News Agency

Bishop accountability group voices concerns about Archbishop Fernández appointment
“A bishop accountability group that tracks sexual abuse in the Catholic Church released a statement July 1 voicing serious concerns about Pope Francis’ new appointment of Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández to head the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The group keeps an online database of sexual abuse by clergy on its website, BishopAccountability.org. In its statement, written by co-director Anne Barrett Doyle, the group called Fernández’s appointment ‘a baffling and troubling choice’ for a position that ‘will have immense power, especially when it comes to judging and punishing priests who abuse children.’” By Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Agency

Two U.S. bishops were recently subject to Vatican visitations. What do these interventions mean?

“So, what is an apostolic visitation, and why is the process so secretive? An apostolic visitation is when one or more representatives travel to a diocese, religious congregation or ceremony to investigate it on behalf of the Vatican. As America’s veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell explained for a forthcoming episode of the ‘Inside the Vatican’ podcast, ‘The decision to have an apostolic visitation is a signal of something very serious in a given diocese … It means there’s something really problematic in the diocese.’” By Colleen Dulle, America: The Jesuit Review

Minnesota auxiliary bishop who resigned over handling of abuse cases to return as vicar
“Bishop Lee A. Piché, who eight years ago resigned from the office of auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis amid charges that the archdiocese had ignored warning signs of a priest abusing minors, will return to service in the archdiocese as the archbishop’s representative to retired priests beginning July 1. In his time away, Piché, 65, ‘has embraced a life of prayer and penance for the intention of victims of abuse in the archdiocese, and for efforts to bring healing into the lives of those who have been impacted in any way by clergy abuse,’ the archdiocese said in a statement June 22 announcing the assignment.” By Joe Ruff, OSV News, in National Catholic Reporter

Knoxville prelate acknowledges controversies as factor in early resignation
“After the Vatican announced Tuesday (Jun. 28) that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Richard Stika of Knoxville, Tennessee, Stika attributed his early departure to years of life-threatening health scares, and, in part, to the physical and emotional weight of controversies surrounding his leadership. Stika, 65, had his resignation accepted by Pope Francis on June 27 about nine years before his 75th birthday.” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com

The U.S. Catholic bishops’ spring meeting, or Clericalism 101
“The optics of the latest meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Orlando this past week tell the story. It is not about us. OK, it is a conference of bishops. And of course, Catholicism does not ordain women as bishops, or as anything else for that matter. But the view from the pews is of men talking about men.” By Phyllis Zagano, Religion News Service

PRIESTS

We researched ‘just one Jesuit’ credibly accused of sex abuse. Here’s what we learned.
“Two years ago our research team of one theologian, one criminologist and one historian set out to assess the impact of just one credibly accused Jesuit on the social fabric of a Catholic city like Omaha. We focused our study on Kenney, who earned the moniker “the Monkey Priest” by carrying around a monkey hand puppet he called Buford. But in focusing on just one Jesuit in one place, we learned that clergy sexual abuse is never about just one person, place or phenomenon. And the harms take many forms, with some taking years — or, as in Ryan’s experience, even decades — to surface.” By Julia Feder, Heather Fryer and Rebecca Murray, National Catholic Reporter

‘No discussion’ – Priests respond to USCCB address on priesthood
“Priests reported that they are less likely to seek personal support from their bishop than they are from any other source, and said they believe bishops regard priests as ‘liabilities’ and ‘expendable.’ One of the most eye-catching findings of the report was the significant gap in perception between bishops and their priests on how supportive the bishops are of their clergy: 90 percent of bishop respondents told researchers they would respond ‘very well’ to a priest who came to them with personal struggles. But only 36 percent of priests agreed.” By The Pillar

WOMEN’S VOICES

The Vatican’s synod document is good. But how long must women wait?
“Yet despite the pages of expansive language on the dignity of women, the question of opening ordained ministries to women is reduced to ‘envisaging’ the inclusion of women in the diaconate. While many of us don’t require much imagination to envisage such a thing — for certainly women serving in diaconal roles is a reality around the world, officially recognized or not — I found this a reductive proposal. Can we not also envisage women’s inclusion in the priesthood?” By Kate McElwee, National Catholic Reporter

A high-profile French nun is inspiriting hope for Catholic women. But can she really bring change?
“In her years running Catholic youth programs in France, Sr. Nathalie Becquart often invoked her own experience as a seasoned sailor in urging young people to weather the storms of their lives. ‘There’s nothing stronger than seeing the sunrise after a storm, the flat calm of the sea,’ she says. That lesson is especially applicable to Becquart herself as she charts the global church through an unprecedented — and at times, tempestuous — period of reform as one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

More than half a million left Germany’s Catholic Church last year as abuse scandal swirls
“More than half a million people formally left the Catholic Church in Germany last year, significantly higher than the previous record as the church wrestles with a long-running scandal over abuse by clergy and with calls for far-reaching reform. The German Bishops’ Conference said Wednesday (Jun, 28) that 522,821 left the church last year, up from 359,338 in 2021, the previous record … The departures left the number of Catholic Church members in Germany at nearly 20.94 million, just under a quarter of the population.” By Geir Moulson, Associated Press

CHURCH FINANCES

Ex-priest stole more than $100K from Granby church to buy power tools, video games
“Tomasz J. Gorny, 43, of Amherst, will be arraigned on a charge of larceny over $1,200 on Friday, June 16, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office said. Gorny served as a priest of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Granby until the Diocese of Springfield began an internal audit after leaders noticed some accounting irregularities, authorities said. They turned over their findings to Granby detectives, who opened an investigation into him.” By Josh Lanier, Hampshire Franklin Daily Voice

VOICES

What haunts child abuse victims? The memory, study finds
“For generations, our society has vacillated about how best to heal people who experienced terrible things in childhood. Should these memories be unearthed, allowing their destructive power to dissipate? Should they be gently molded into something less painful? Or should they be left untouched? Researchers from King’s College London and the City University of New York examined this conundrum by conducting an unusual experiment.” By Ellen Barry, The New York Times

We remain hopeful about the synod process
“When the Vatican released the working document for the synod on synodality on June 20, many Catholics, including those calling for church reform, expressed hope that the next steps toward the October 2023 and 2024 gatherings will continue a process of dialogue, openness and potential for change. We agree: The 60-page document, called the instrumentum laboris, includes several positive signs that the three-year synodal process may be the beginning of a significant shift in the church. At the very least, it looks like it will not be a “done deal,” as were gatherings of bishops under previous popes.” By National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff

Prebuttals to the synod have begun, and they don’t persuade
“The prebuttals have begun. With last month’s release of the instrumentum laboris, or working document, for the October synod in Rome, and the announcement of synod members this morning (Jul. 7), most people with whom I speak are enthusiastic about the synodal process. But those who thought the long reign of John Paul II had settled all issues within the church, and settled them for all time, those people are anxious. They are now trying to throw whatever sand into the mechanisms, hurl allegations of hidden agendas and generally aim to make sure that the synodal process is stillborn.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Is the Catholic Church evading justice?
“(Joey) Piscitelli is now an advocate for other victims, having won $600,000 in compensation from a 2006 jury trial against the Diocese of Oakland — which last month declared bankruptcy, after receiving more than 330 legal claims of sexual abuse. It’s part of a growing trend in the Catholic Church of the United States, which Piscitelli and other campaigners believe is an attempt by the church to skirt its responsibilities — but the reality is not as clear-cut as it may seem.” By Elle Hardy, Yahoo.com News

Cardinal Serah: No synod can invent a ‘female priesthood’
“Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, stressed that ‘the priesthood is unique’ and warned that ‘no council, no synod’ can ‘invent a female priesthood.’ In his conference on the priesthood, entitled ‘Joyful Servants of the Gospel’ given July 3 at the Conciliar Seminary in Mexico City, the cardinal assured that no one ‘has the power to transform this divine gift to adapt it and reduce its transcendent value to the cultural and environmental field.’” By Ana Paula Morales, Catholic News Agency

The U.S. deserves some legacy bishop appointments, too
“It is time for this pattern of legacy episcopal appointments to come to the United States. Earlier this year, my colleague Brian Fraga and I both wrote about the large number of dioceses and archdioceses in which the incumbent hits the mandatory retirement age of 75 in the next couple years. Pope Francis needs to view them all as a chessboard, in which the next generation of episcopal leaders are vaulted into the most important sees.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Is the eucharistic revival an exercise in cheap grace?
“I will admit to a certain reluctance in writing a column that could be interpreted as criticizing the spiritual practices and devotion of others. The Eucharist is — and has always been — an important source of nourishment for me. Yet I have serious misgivings about the amount of corporate time, money and energy that our U.S. bishops are devoting to their three-year National Eucharistic Revival, now entering its second year … While there may be positive devotional outcomes for Catholics who participate in the revival, I can’t help but worry that our bishops are inviting us to a massive exercise in cheap grace.” By Christine Schenk, National Catholic Reporter

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

New Kansas law helps child sex abuse survivors – but it has two crucial omissions
“On June 25, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ceremonially signed S.B. 2127, a bill intended to advance the cause of justice for victims of child sex abuse. This legislation received unanimous support in both chambers thanks to the tireless advocacy of survivors. As a state representative and attorney who has represented survivors of child sex abuse and human trafficking for over a decade, I was one of the legislators who pushed for the bill’s passage. But while it was certainly a step in the right direction, there is more to do to protect our kids from sex abuse and provide justice to those who survive.” By Bob Lewis, The Wichita Eagle

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

Catholics want justice for abuse victims and more LGBTQ inclusion, Vatican says
“The Vatican on Tuesday (Jun. 20) released the results of a two-year canvassing of churches around the world that showed that rank-and-file Catholics want more rights for women in the clergy, justice for victims of widespread sexual abuse within the church and acceptance for previously shunned groups, including divorced and remarried and LGBTQ+ parishioners—but it’s unclear how the Vatican will act on the findings.” By Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes

Vatican’s secretary of state: clerical abuse not linked to homosexuality
“The Vatican’s secretary of state has dismissed the claim that clergy sexual abuse is linked to homosexuality, labeling it a ‘serious and scientifically untenable association.’ ‘Homosexual orientation cannot be considered as either cause or aspect typical of the abuser, even more so when it is decoupled from the general arrangement of the person,’ wrote Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The cardinal’s remarks were published as the preface to a new book, Il dolore della Chiesa di fronte agli abusi (‘The Pain of the Church in the Face of Abuse’), a volume that includes contributions from a number of Catholic theologians, psychologists and other experts on clergy sexual abuse.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

CALIFORNIA

Two active East Bay priests accused in recent child sex abuse suits
“At least two priests actively serving Catholic parishes in the East Bay are among hundreds of Bay Area clergy being accused of abusing children in a flood of recent lawsuits. On a legal call with its bankruptcy creditors last week, the Diocese revealed two of its accused priests are still in ministry, according to a plaintiff’s attorney and a former Oakland priest who were on the call. One of the active priests now facing abuse allegations is Fr. George Mockel, the current pastor of Santa Maria parish in Orinda, which NBC Bay Area has confirmed through a review of state court records.” By Candice Nguyen, Michael Bott and Michael Horn, NBC-TV Bay Area News

Oakland Catholic diocese files motion to keep names of accused child sex abusers secret
“The Catholic Diocese of Oakland is trying to keep the names of priests who abused children a secret. They filed that motion in a federal bankruptcy court as the diocese faces hundreds of new lawsuits. A state law gave survivors of sexual abuse by clergy until this past Dec. 31 to file lawsuits, no matter how long ago it happened. So many new claims came in, it drove the diocese to bankruptcy. The attorney for the Catholic Diocese of Oakland first raised the issue at a hearing earlier this month … Then, she filed a motion to keep the names and contact information of priests and other diocese staff who may have committed child sexual abuse confidential, “to avoid the risk of identity theft and harassment.” By Dan Noyes, ABC-TV7 News

COLORADO

Colorado priest cleared of criminal charges, reinstated into church service
“Following the conclusion of a police investigation into an allegations of child sexual abuse, the Archdiocese of Denver has closed its own internal review of the claims made against Rev. Michael O’Brien and found them ‘baseless’ and ‘false.’ O’Brien was accused in September 2021 of sexual assault. He was immediately placed on administrative leave by the Archdiocese. Now exonerated by the police and the church, O’Brien will return to St. Anthony of Padua in Julesburg and St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Crook as the Pastor on July 1st. O’Brien had been with those churches only a short time before he was placed on leave.” By Logan Smith, CBS News

ILLINOIS

Former priest gets seven years for sexual abuse of boy at Evanston hotel
“A former Catholic priest has been sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to molesting a boy more than two decades ago at an Evanston hotel. Kenneth Lewis, 62, entered the plea Thursday (Jun. 29) to felony aggravated sexual abuse in a deal with Cook County prosecutors that saw other charges dropped, including predatory criminal sexual assault, court records show. Lewis was immediately sentenced by Cook County Judge Anjana Hansen and will be required to register as a sex offender for life after his release.” By Matthew, Hendrickson, Chicago Sun Times

Father John Clemens reinstated after investigation into sex abuse claim: Cardinal Blasé Cupich
“A priest has been reinstated following an accusation that he sexually abused a minor decades ago. Father John Clemens is cleared to return to ministry. Cardinal Blase Cupich sent letters on Tuesday (Jun. 20) to Our Lady of Hope Mission parishioners in Rosemont and Mary Seat of Wisdom parishioners in Park Ridge. The Archdiocese Independent Review Board determined that there is no reasonable cause to believe that Clemens abused a minor in an accusation dating back nearly 50 years.” By ABC-TV7 News

KANSAS

‘Evil snake’: Mike Foreman’s quest for justice after sexual assault by Kansas Catholic priest
“Mike Foreman is not a Catholic. This is a sentiment he has echoed repeatedly through his years of campaigning for justice for sexual assault victims, and the phrase is also the name of his website, through which he tries to broadcast his own story of abuse and coverup by the Catholic Church in Kansas. In an interview for the Kansas Reflector podcast, Foreman said he was haunted by a lack of true reparations from the church.” By Rachel Mipro, Kansas Reflector

LOUISIANA

Ex-priest sentenced to 25 years for drugging and molesting men he met in New Orleans tourist area
“A former Catholic priest in Louisiana has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to drugging and molesting 17 men he met in a popular tourist area in New Orleans, a prosecutor said. WVUE-TV reported that Stephen Sauer, 61, targeted people in the city’s French Quarter who appeared drunk, lost or in need of help, according to Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul D. Connick Jr.” By The Associated Press on ABCNews.go.com

A New Orleans priest confessed to abusing children. He returned to work and was never charged.
“Three days after the Feast of All Saints in 1999, Lawrence Hecker confessed to his superiors at the archdiocese of New Orleans that he had either sexually molested or otherwise shared a bed with multiple teenagers whom he met through his work as a Roman Catholic priest. The roughly 15-year period, beginning in the mid-1960s, during which the admitted conduct unfolded ‘was a time of great change in the world and in the church, and I succumbed to its zeitgeist,’ Hecker said in a two-page statement which he gave to local church authorities serving a region with about a half-million Catholics.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

MARYLAND

Archdiocese of Baltimore adds 42 accused individuals to child sex abuse list
“The Archdiocese of Baltimore on June 30 added 42 names to its list of individuals accused of child sexual abuse. The addition of the names to the “List of Priests and Brothers Accused of Child Sexual Abuse,” first published in 2002, comes following Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown’s April report on child sexual abuse in the archdiocese dating back to the 1940s … The 42 names that were added to the archdiocese’s list consist of 39 individuals who were included in the attorney general’s report; the three other individuals added weren’t named in the report.” By Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency, The Catholic World Report

Survivors give horrific accounts of ‘parade[ of sexual abuse at Catholic high school
“Four survivors shared their stories more than 50 years after they were brutally, physically and sexually assaulted by priests at an all-girls high school in Baltimore.” By CNN

NEW MEXICO

Former Santa Fe priest makes plea in sexual abuse case
“A former Santa Fe priest is accused of sexually abusing a minor. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Daniel Balizan was arraigned in front of a federal judge this morning. He’s accused of sexually abusing a minor from 2012 to 2022 while he was a priest of the Santa Maria de La Paz Catholic Church in Santa Fe.” By Laila Freeman, KRQE-TV13 News

RHODE ISLAND

RI Supreme Court rules I favor of diocese, says they are not perpetrators of abuse
“The Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled Friday (Jun. 30) that a state law that extended time limits for filing suit against priests who molested children does not also change the time limits for filing suit against church higher-ups who supervised the offending priests. The high court upheld a ruling by a Superior Court judge who had dismissed three lawsuits against officials of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence brought by people who said they were abused by priests when they were children.” By Paul Edward Parker, The Providence Journal

ARGENTINA

Argentine bishop named to Vatican office rejects criticism of his handling of abuse allegations
“An Argentine bishop named by Pope Francis to lead a powerful Vatican office that ensures doctrinal orthodoxy on Monday (Jul. 3 rejected accusations that he refused to believe victims of sexual abuse by a priest, saying he took actions when the allegations resurfaced in 2019. Monsignor Victor Manuel Fernández, archbishop of La Plata, Argentina, was appointed to head the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, whose mandate includes handling sex abuse allegations lodged against clergy.” By Almudena Calatrava, Associated Press

BOLIVIA

35 Catholic priests to be investigated over sex abuse allegations in Bolivia
“Bolivian prosecutors are investigating 35 members of the Catholic Church after more than a dozen victims accused them of sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday (Jun. 27). The statement comes as the country is reeling from confessions of abuse that were found in the personal diary of a Spanish priest who died in Bolivia in 2009 after decades of service there. ‘At present, 35 people are accused and under investigation,’ Daniela Caceres, a department head at the Bolivian attorney general’s office, told a press conference. ‘We have 17 people, identified victims, but out of respect and as a precaution for the protection of the victims, we are not going to give specific details,’ she added.” By NDTV.com World News

CANADA

Two class-action lawsuits alleging sexual assault against Quebec priests move forward
“A pair of class-action lawsuits against two Roman Catholic organizations in Quebec involving sexual assaults alleged to have occurred over the past 80 years can move forward. The Superior Court in Montreal on Friday (Jun. 16) authorized the two lawsuits, which name the dioceses of Joliette and Longueuil as defendants. A total of 41 people have joined the suits, which accuse over a dozen priests of sexual assaults dating back to the 1940s until the present, according to the firm behind the lawsuits, Arsenault Dufresne Wee (ADW).” By Keila DePape, CTV News Montreal

GERMANY

Pope firs Catholic pastor for abuse
“A Catholic minister sentenced to 12 years in prison for multiple abuses has been released from the clergy. At the request of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, Pope Francis imposed this maximum penalty under canon law, as announced by the Archdiocese of Cologne. As a result, the former clergyman will lose all rights and privileges associated with priestly ordination forever. According to the Archdiocese, he is no longer allowed to administer the sacraments, to be pastoral or to exercise the priestly ministry in any way.” By David Sadler, Globe Echo

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES

Catholic priest tried to play the victim in court … but is convicted of sexually abusing teenage boy at sleepover in his presbytery 30 years ago
“A priest who escaped justice for three decades is facing jail after being convicted of abusing a theatre star, 17, who idolized him during a sleepover in his presbytery. Father Reginald Dunkling, 63, struck after inviting the teenager to stay overnight at Our Lady of Muswell in north London in the early nineties. Dunkling – known as Father Reg – was so trusted he had already been allowed to take the boy to Tenerife with another male friend.” By Dan Sales, Daily Mail

JAMAICA

Catholic church confirms priest arrested for alleged sexual abuse
“The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston has confirmed that a priest was detained by the police on July 5 following an allegation of sexual abuse. It says it will be cooperating fully with the relevant authorities on the matter. ‘Acknowledging the implications and seriousness of this case, the Archbishop immediately removed the priest from all active pastoral ministry in the diocese,’ it said in a media release on Monday (Jul. 10) evening.” By The Gleaner

SPAIN

The Spanish priest who sexually abused children in Senegal for 25 years: ‘When he saw children, he couldn’t resist’
“The victims express the same initial astonishment at what they experienced and, later, the same shame about denouncing the abuse, especially in a society like Senegal’s, where homosexuality is a taboo subject. ‘The problem is that we have all grown up, most of us have wives and children, it is difficult to talk about this now, we are ashamed. We only understood what was happening when we grew up,’ says Phillipe.” By José Naranjo, El Pais

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New Vatican doctrinal chief admits mistakes in handling abuse allegations / AP in National Catholic Reporter

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on July 11, 2023

(Archbishop Victor Manuel) Fernández said he had spoken to the pope about the criticism received about Lorenzo’s case and was told: “You explain reality as it was.”

By Almudena Calatrava and Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter

“Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández, chosen by Pope Francis to head the Vatican office that ensures doctrinal orthodoxy, conceded July 9 he made mistakes in handling a 2019 case of a priest accused of sexual abuse of minors.

“The case has drawn allegations by critics that Fernández tried to protect the priest, a charge that he has denied.

“‘Today I would certainly act very differently and certainly my performance was insufficient,’ he told The Associated Press during an interview after celebrating Mass in La Plata, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) south of Buenos Aires.

“Francis appointed Fernández on July 1 to head the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which guarantees doctrinal orthodoxy and one of whose areas involves handling sexual abuse allegations brought against clergy. He was also named a cardinal July 9 along with about two dozen religious.

By Almudena Calatrava and Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter — Read more …

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Pope Francis’ picks for the Synod are in — and suggest this will be a Vatican meeting like no other / America: The Jesuit Review

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, church reform, Future of the Church, Pope Francis, Synod of Bishops, Synod on Synodality, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on July 10, 2023

Pope Francis has insisted since its initiation that the synod is meant to be a spiritual event, not a parlimentary-style gathering. To emphasize this, he has decided that the synod will be preceded by a major ecumenical pray service …

By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review

“The Synod on Synodality is officially the 16th ordinary assembly of the synod of bishops, but it promises to be radically different from any of its predecessors. Having reported on all the synods since 1985, I have come to believe that this synod—articulated in two sessions—could well be the most transformative event in the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council.

“Today (July 7), the Vatican published the list of synod participants. What does it tell us about Pope Francis’ goals for the synod? First, Pope Francis has sought to ensure a balance in the membership of those who will participate with a vote in the plenary assembly, which will be held in the Vatican in two nearly months-long sessions in October 2023 and October 2024.

“Pope Francis wanted to ensure that different views are truly represented in this synod, not only in terms of theological, cultural and geographical perspectives but also with regard to age, gender and different roles exercised in the church. He wanted to promote harmony and unity and avoid polarization in the synod, as one risks if the synod is approached as a parliament, and to ensure it is a truly spiritual event in the history of the church in the 21st century.”

By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review — Read more …

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