Dec. 1, 2023

TOP STORIES

‘Excuse me, Your Eminence, she has not finished speaking
“Without doubt, the best line to emanate from the synod on synodality is ‘Excuse me, Your Eminence, she has not finished speaking.’ That sums up the synod and the state of the Catholic Church’s attitude toward change. In October, hundreds of bishops, joined by lay men and women, priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers met for nearly a month in Rome for the synod on synodality. At its end, the synod released a synthesis report brimming with the hope and the promise that the church would be a more listening church. Some 54 women voted at the synod. Back home, women are still ignored.” By Phyllis Zagano, National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis intervenes in German Synodal Way, says it threatens Church unity
“Pope Francis has expressed deep reservations about the direction of the Catholic Church in Germany, warning that concrete steps currently being taken ‘threaten’ to undermine unity with the universal Church. The pope made his criticisms in a letter to four German Catholic laywomen that was published in the German newspaper Welt on Nov. 21. ‘There are indeed numerous steps being taken by significant segments of this local Church that threaten to steer it increasingly away from the universal Church’s common path,’ the pope wrote.” By Jonathan Liedl, Catholic News Agency

Pope Francis meets with French abuse victims
“Pope Francis met Tuesday (Nov. 28) with a group of clerical sexual abuse victims from the French diocese of Nantes, a public appointment Francis kept despite a lingering bacterial infection that is causing inflammation of the lungs that has caused him to curtail his schedule significantly over the past few days and cancel a trip to Dubai for the COP-28 climate change summit, Dec. 1-3. Tuesday’s encounter between the pope and sex abuse survivors took place in the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse where Francis has lived throughout his pontificate. It followed a round of meetings the victims had with officials at the headquarters of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM).” By Cruxnow.com staff

In the U.S., Black survivors are nearly invisible in the Catholic clergy sexual abuse crisis
“As Charles Richardson gradually lost his eyesight to complications from diabetes, certain childhood memories haunted him even more. The Catholic priest appeared vividly in his mind’s eye — the one who promised him a spot on a travel basketball team, took him out for burgers and helped him with homework. The one, Richardson alleges, who sexually assaulted him for more than a year. ‘I’ve been seeing him a lot lately,’ Richardson said during a recent interview, dabbing tears from behind dark glasses.” By Tiffany Stanley and Lea Skene, Associated Press

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

‘You’re only as sick as your secrets’: New Orleans clergy abuse bankruptcy is uniquely acrimonious

This is the first installment of a three-part series exploring how the archdiocese of New Orleans’s bankruptcy stands apart from other cases of its kind.

“The church is using legal tactics to prevent testimony from survivors and spur expensive inquiries into its critics … Many secondary schools, notably eastern college preps like Exeter Academy and Horace Mann in Manhattan, have weathered long-ago abuse cases. As Trahant’s school ties eroded, he took on a steadily increasing number of Catholic clergy abuse clients. He also lost his faith. Yet he never imagined the blowback that would come after the New Orleans archdiocese, facing many abuse lawsuits, sought federal bankruptcy protection in 2020.” By Jason Berry and Roman Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Peru’s Cardinal Barreto on what the Amazon synod and Latin America can teach the entire church
“Cardinal Pedro Barreto, 79, the archbishop of Huancayo in the Central Andes mountains of Peru, rejoiced when the synthesis document of the first session of the Synod on Synodality recognized the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon as ‘an example of synodality,’ that is of ‘a mode of being church that integrates communion, mission and participation.’ In an exclusive interview with America’s Vatican correspondent on Oct. 30, Cardinal Barreto revealed that he had given a brief intervention at the synod on the synodal process that has developed in the church of the Amazon region over the past 10 years.” By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review

Franciscan bishop implements Jesuit pope’s synodal vision in Australia
“As more than 200 delegates participating in the first-ever synod for the Australian Diocese of Parramatta filed out of their opening Mass, they were discreetly given flyers by those questioning both the meeting and the bishop who had called it. Since his installation as the head of the diocese in the western suburbs of Sydney in 2016, Bishop Vincent Long has ruffled more than a few feathers for his support of LGBTQ Catholics, his advocacy in support of the country’s recent referendum on Indigenous representation, and his own personal testimony of being a victim of clergy sexual abuse.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

At the synod in Rome: waiting to find out where to go
“The synod did not turn out exactly the way anyone expected. Thanks be to God. Due to some good luck in scheduling, I was in Rome for the conclusion of the first general assembly of the Synod on Synodality, at the end of October. We had just finished an America Media pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome, spending time reflecting on the spirituality of both St. Francis and St. Ignatius and how they have informed the ministry of Pope Francis.” By Sam Sawyer, S.J., America: The Jesuit Review

POPE FRANCIS

Acting to end abuse in the Church is ‘non-negotiable,’ pope says
“The Catholic Church and all its members must end silence about clerical sexual abuse and ensure cases are no longer covered up, Pope Francis said, adding it is ‘non-negotiable.’ Meeting Nov. 18 with Italian diocesan and regional representatives of safeguarding programs and listening centers, the pope said it also is essential to ‘pursue the ascertainment of the truth and the restoration of justice in the ecclesial community, including in those cases where certain behaviors are not considered crimes by the law of the state, but are under canon law.’” By Catholic News Service

CARDINALS

Pope Francis to remove Cardinal Burke’s Vatican apartment and salary, sources say
“Pope Francis has punished one of his highest-ranking critics, Cardinal Raymond Burke, by yanking his right to a subsidized Vatican apartment and salary in the second such radical action against a conservative American prelate this month, according to two people briefed on the measures. Francis told a meeting of the heads of Vatican offices last week that he was moving against Burke, because he was a source of ‘disunity’ in the church, said one of the participants at the Nov. 20 meeting.” By Associated Press in National Catholic Reporter

• Reports say Pope Francis is evicting U.S. cardinal from his vacation home, By Jason Horowitz and Ruth Graham, The New York Times

BISHOPS

U.S. bishops meeting shows united front on mission but no clear synod action plan
“For two days, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met in plenary assembly in Baltimore advancing key issues related to liturgy, living out the faith, including in the public square, and retooling the conference to better serve the church’s mission. However, the bishops’ Nov. 13-16 meeting, which took place nearly three weeks following the conclusion of the global Synod on Synodality, also concluded without a common game plan for how bishops could get consultative feedback from their local parishes with respect to the synod’s ‘halftime’ report before it reconvenes in 11 months.” By Peter Jesserer Smith, Detroit Catholic

• U.S. bishops’ meeting is a big snooze, By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Bishop Flores to U.S. bishops: the synod offers us ‘Catholic way’ to grapple with real-world problems
“Some might say that contentious questions are raised. I can say that many difficult issues were raised, but they were not discussed in a contentious way. This in itself is remarkable. At its most basic, the term synodality describes a properly ecclesial style that prioritizes regular conversational interactions among the people of God as decisions are made for the sake of the mission the Lord gave to the church. The ‘Conversation in the Spirit’ method utilized during our local gatherings and at the Synod of Bishops this last October is one effective way to promote this aim.” By Daniel E. Flores, America: The Jesuit Review

PRIESTS

A Catholic crisis: why priests in Ireland are fading into history and not being replaced
“In Ireland, where religion has played such a big place in its past, for better or for worse, fewer and fewer people are attending mass on Sunday, and even less are willing to commit themselves to the sanctified life of a priest. This, among other reasons, is leading these men of God to work well past retirement age while still trying to cover the work of churches all over the country. According to a survey conducted by the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) last year, 15% of priests are over 75 and still working, over 25% are aged between 60–75, and just 2.5% of serving Catholic priests in Ireland, meanwhile, are under 40.” By Rory Elliot Armstrong, Euro News

LAITY & THE CHURCH

Former president Mary McAleese criticizes Catholic bishops for ‘not listening’ to lay people
“Former president Mary McAleese has criticized the report published after the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican, saying many Catholic faithful are ‘disappointed and wounded.’ The retired professor of law is one of a number of academics and campaigners who have written to the Vatican criticizing Catholic bishops for ‘not listening,’ accusing them of a failure to ‘let go of their privileges’ and urging them to bring laity into the decision-making process.” By Sarah Mac Donald, Irish Independent

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Maryland Child Victims Act gets legal challenge from Washington, D.C., church
“The Archdiocese of Washington D.C. is using an arcane legal maneuver to challenge the constitutionality of the Maryland Child Victims Act. The tactic uses a 2017 law that may have granted some immunity to churches for sexual abuse cases after victims turned 38. If the court accepts the statute, it could cause issues for future lawsuits brought by survivors. The Washington Archdiocese is facing a class action suit in Prince George’s County claiming that three boys were abused by clergy and employees.” By Scott Maucione, WYPR National Public Radio

French commission wants to remove statute of limitations for sexual violence against children
“A French commission examining sexual violence against children called Friday (Nov. 17) for removing all time limits on the prosecution of people suspected of raping or sexually assaulting minors. The Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence against Children, which is known by its French acronym CIIVISE, also recommended defining sexual abuse of children as a separate offense under the law when it happens within families.” By Associated Press in News Advocate

Statement from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland on Thursday’s Maine law court proceeding
“The diocese’s opposition to the 2021 retroactive change in the statute of limitations law, and the appeal to the Law Court, in no way reflects a desire to minimize the devastating effects of past sexual abuse by Church representatives. Before the law was changed, there were already no limitations on any claims after 1988. The diocese is committed to thoroughly investigating any report of abuse brought forth and to providing extensive support services to those who come forward with any allegation of abuse. It is our belief that this law is unconstitutional and will significantly impact the diocese’s ability to serve the Catholic community of Maine, including those most vulnerable.” By Diocese of Portland

ARIZONA

Arizona judge rules church leaders are not responsible for reporting sexual abuse
“Should religious leaders be held responsible for disclosing to law enforcement knowledge that church members are committing acts of sexual abuse? On Friday (Nov. 17), Arizona Judge Timothy Dickerson answered no. Dickerson’s end-of-week ruling dismissed a high-profile child sexual abuse lawsuit against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the basis of the state’s clergy-penitent privilege. Clergy-penitent privilege is a legal privilege that protects information from being disclosed in criminal proceedings, such as in a deposition, if that information was obtained during a confidential conversation between clergy and penitent.” By Baptist News Global

LOUISIANA

Sex abuse survivors fear hundreds of claims filed could unravel
“Sex abuse survivors say they fear hundreds of claims filed could be at risk of unraveling. Although legislation was passed offering a window giving survivors more time to sue, they say the clock is ticking for the Louisiana Supreme Court to rule if the legislation is constitutional. ‘I was an altar boy,’ Mike B. said. ‘Deacon George Brignac abused me in many different ways in many different places, anywhere between 50 to 80 different instances. For years, I couldn’t walk into a church without having an anxiety attack.’” By Aubry Killion, WDSU-TV6 News

MASSACHUSETTS

Western Mass. actor depicts clergy abuse survivor who rejects church settlement – like he did
“A play that opens Thursday (Nov. 30) at CitySpace in Easthampton, Massachusetts, tells the story of a man who was abused by a priest when he was a boy. ‘Unreconciled’ is based on the experience of western Massachusetts actor and playwright Jay Sefton, who co-wrote it with another survivor, Mark Basquill. James Barry directs the play. Sefton and others said the priest allegedly abused boys who played the part of Jesus in school plays.” By New England Public Media

MICHIGAN

Here’s where the Michigan AG’s sweeping Catholic clergy sex abuse investigation stands
“The Michigan Attorney General’s office announced earlier this month that after five years since the investigation into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church began, the office has wrapped up all active cases against clergy members with many incidents dating back decades. A total of 11 Catholic priests were charged in the statewide investigation. Back in 2018, the Department of Attorney General executed search warrants for all of Michigan’s dioceses, reporting that they seized 220 boxes of documents and more than 3.5 million digital documents.” By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance, on gandernewsroom.com

NEW YORK.

A final wave of sex-abuse lawsuits as one-year window closes in New York
“In the year since a one-time window opened in New York State allowing people to file sex-abuse lawsuits even after the statute of limitations had expired, more than 3,000 civil suits have been filed. Before the deadline on Thanksgiving, a flurry of attention-grabbing suits were filed against politicians — like former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, the mayor of New York — and celebrities, like Sean Combs, the producer and music mogul, who had just settled a separate suit filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan accusing him of rape.” By Hurubie Meko, The New York Times

Cost to settle sex abuse claims will be ‘painful’ for diocesan community
“This is the first installment of a three-part series looking into the Diocese of Buffalo’s recent suggested contribution to settle hundreds of childhood sexual abuse cases, how some devout Catholics responded to the news, and what the future might look like once the bankruptcy case in completed … The Diocese of Buffalo sent shock waves through the Catholic community last month, when it suggested $100 million to settle hundreds of childhood sexual abuse cases. The suggested contribution, which is exclusive of any insurance proceeds, would ‘need to be funded by monetary contributions sourced from across our Catholic community, including from the Diocese, parishes, and other affiliated Catholic entities,’ the Diocese said in a brief announcement posted on its website.” By Daniel Telvock and Luke Moretti, WVIB-TV4

New lawsuits accuse nine priests, two religious brothers of sexual contact
“Lawsuits filed under New York State’s Adult Survivors Act allege sexual contact by nine Catholic priests and two religious brothers in Western New York.” By WKBW-TV7 News

7 News I-Team files brief in Buffalo Diocese sex abuse documents case
“The 7 News I-Team joined an amici curiae brief Tuesday (Nov. 14) in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo’s lawsuit against the State Attorney General’s Office. The brief was filed in support of the AG’s office determination to release 25,000 pages of documents subpoenaed during its investigation into the diocese’s handling of child sexual abuse. It was filed jointly with The Buffalo News and its reporter Jay Tokasz.” By Sean Mickey, WKBW-TV7 News

OHIO

Ohio Catholic priest sentenced to life for sex trafficking boys, manipulating opioid addictions
“An Ohio priest was sentenced to life in prison Friday (Nov. 17) after he was convicted of grooming three boys and taking advantage of their opioid addictions to force them into commercial sex, according to the U.S. Justice Department. In May, a federal jury in Toledo found the Rev. Michael Zacharias, a Roman Catholic clergy member, guilty of five counts of sex trafficking in allegations that spanned 15 years, from July 2005 to August 2020. Prosecutors said he abused his role as a teacher and priest at a Toledo parish school to groom the three boys into adulthood, force them into sex and enable their addictions to pain medications and heroin later in life.” By Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today

• Ohio priest who sexually abused boys is sentenced to life in prison, By Eduardo Medina, The New York Times

TENNESSEE

Jury acquits Catholic priest in Tennessee who was charged with sexual battery
“A jury has found a Catholic priest in Tennessee not guilty of sexual battery against a woman who was a church member. Jurors handed down the verdict late last week in the case against Father Antony Punnackal, who was suspended from his role as pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gatlinburg after being indicted in January 2022 on two counts of sexual battery. The charges centered on allegations from February 2020 regarding Punnackal’s actions toward the parishioner. A lawsuit by the woman remains active.” By Associated Press

CANADA

Edward English, notorious Mountr Cashel abuser, arrested by Vancouver police
“Edward English, who was once sentenced to 10 years in prison for abusing boys at the Mount Cashel Orphanage in St. John’s, has been arrested once again. CBC News has learned English was arrested Wednesday (Nov. 22) at his home outside Moncton, N.B., by members of the Vancouver Police Department. English was arrested in connection with allegations of sexual abuse involving two students at Vancouver College — a Catholic boys’ private school — in the 1980s, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. English was not in custody when reached by CBC News on Thursday morning.” By Ryan Cooke, CBC News

Cergy sex abuse survivor Irene Deschenes co-founds new group to help victims
“A London, Ont., woman who is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by a Roman Catholic priest is now heading a new organization aimed at delivering speedier justice for victims. This month, Irene Deschenes helped found Outrage Canada, a national non-religious advocacy group with a mandate to hold the church accountable for sexual abuse by the clergy. The group proposes the federal government set up a national reporting center to gather and investigate reports of clergy abuse. Deschenes said the current system re-victimizes people who file abuse allegations with the church.” By CBC News

COLOMBIA

International warrant issued for arrest of Mexican priest: ‘after he abused me, he would get up to pray like nothing had happened’
“The more time passed, the harder it became temper the deep sorrow gnawing at his soul. For almost twenty years, José Leonardo Araujo Araque had kept silent about the sexual abuse he suffered as a child. At times, he could hardly put his own thoughts straight — he felt like a hook was stuck in his throat.” By Diana López Zuleta, El Pais

FRANCE

A French bishop is accused of attempted rape in latest scandal to hit Catholic Church in France
“AFrench bishop has been given a preliminary charge of attempting to rape an adult man a decade ago, the Paris prosecutor’s office said Nov. 20. It is the latest of a growing number of accusations of sexual abuse by clergy in France. The Bishops’ Conference of France said the accused bishop, Georges Colomb, contests the charge and deserves the presumption of innocence. He has asked the Vatican to step aside from his duties as bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes in western France to prepare his defense.” By Associated Press in National Catholic Reporter

SPAIN

How a Spanish newspaper tackled the taboo of Church abuse
“Five years ago, Soledad Gallego-Diaz challenged Spain’s last great taboo: sexual abuse inside the Roman Catholic Church. The newly appointed editor of the left-leaning daily El Pais launched an investigation into allegations of abuse by clergy and lay people against children. Unlike in the United States, Ireland and France, the Spanish Church had not sought to address this issue. Echoing The Boston Globe’s 2002 investigation of child abuse in the Catholic Church, El Pais’ probe sought justice for survivors of abuse.” By Graham Keeley, VOANews.com

Nov. 3, 2023

TOP STORIES

Pope’s major Vatican summit ends without action on women deacons, mention of LGBTQ Catholics
“Pope Francis’ high-stakes summit on the future of the Catholic Church concluded on Oct. 28 by postponing action on the possibility of ordaining women as deacons and failing to acknowledge deep tensions that surfaced in a month of debates over how the global institution should care for its LGBTQ members. A 41-page report, approved and published that evening, called for the results of earlier papal and theological commissions on women deacons to be presented for further consideration at the next assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held in October 2024.” By Christopher White and Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter

• For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission Final Document, On USCCB.org
• Synod Report: A Church that involves everyone and is close to world’s wounds, By Vatican News
• Striving for consensus, Synod ends by soft-pedaling contested issues, By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com
• Synod synthesis shows agreement, divergences, including on ‘synodality,’ By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in The Pilot
• Synod publishes final report and votes: calls for more discussion on synodality, women deacons and more, By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in America: The Jesuit Review
• Exclusive: Cardinals Cupich, McElroy say ‘impossible to go back’ to synods without lay votes, By Joshua J. McElwee and Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter
• Synod is a milestone in the reception of Vatican II, By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
• Pope Francis closes synod with ‘dream’ of a church with open doors, By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter
• Vatican deems bigger church role for women ‘urgent,’ but postpones major issues, By Jason Horowitz and Elisabetta Povoledo, The New York Times

Spain’s report on Catholic Church sex abuse estimates victims could number in hundreds of thousands
“Spain’s first official probe of sex abuse by clergy members or other people connected to the Catholic Church in the country included a survey that indicated that the number of victims could run into hundreds of thousands. The survey was part of a damning report by the office of Spain’s ombudsman, or ‘defensor del pueblo,’ following an 18-month independent investigation of 487 cases involving alleged victims who spoke with the ombudsman’s team.” By Ciarán Giles, Associated Press

High court decision opens way for claims on abuse
“The court yesterday (Nov. 1) overturned a permanent stay that had been granted by the NSW Court of Appeal. That stay had effectively stalled the efforts of a woman – referred to in the judgment as GLJ – to sue the Catholic Church over abuse she said she suffered at the hands of a priest who had since died. Institutions had previously successfully argued that claims should be permanently stayed because the deaths of the alleged perpetrators meant they could no longer be questioned about the alleged abuse. Three of the five High Court judges who heard the case found the reasoning of the lower court was wrong. Victim advocates say the Church and other institutions have used permanent stays to kill off cases and compel other claimants into financial settlements that would be lower than would other be the case.” By CathNews.com

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Catholic Church loses landmark case over tactics that shield it from Australian abuse claims
“The Catholic church has lost a landmark case over its controversial use of the deaths of pedophile priests to thwart survivors’ attempts at justice. The high court on Wednesday (Nov. 1) delivered a significant blow to the church’s use of permanent stays in historical abuse matters, where it has sought to argue that delay, the death of perpetrators, and the loss of records render it unable to receive a fair trial … The tactic is causing profound harm to an already vulnerable group.” By Christopher Knaus, The Guardian

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Synodality works: a report from Rome
“In the early decades of the twenty-first century, historians will say, the Catholic Church sought a new way of operating that would allow it to travel into a new era. The clerical, centralist, hierarchical, authoritarian model, barely distinguishable these days from a corporation, was built to survive and even thrive in modernity. But it is no longer feasible in an era when modernity itself has collapsed. How, then, to reconfigure the Church’s inner culture to enable all to participate in its mission and to let the Spirit lead, as Jesus promised? By Austen Ivereigh, Commonweal

In world’s largest Catholic country, relatively little interest in synod process
“While fallout from Pope Francis’s Oct. 4-29 Synod of Bishops on Synodality continues to fuel Catholic debate in the West, arousing disappointment in some quarters and cautious optimism in others, most churchgoers in Brazil, the world’s largest Catholic nation, frankly don’t seem to have paid much attention to the whole synodal exercise. In the opinion of many analysts here, the unique realities of Brazilian culture, and of the Church in the world’s largest Catholic nation, may combine to make the synod seem less relevant to their situation.” By Eduardo Campos Lima, Cruxnow.com

Synod on Synodality report is disappointing but not surprising
“For Pope Francis, the first session of the Synod on Synodality was never about resolving the controversial issues facing the church. Even so, there were those who hoped for forward motion on married priests, women deacons and LGBTQ issues. They will be disappointed by the final report issued by the synod on Oct. 28. For Francis it was not about the hot-button topics. It was always about the synodal process, which he hoped would overcome divisions in the church and recommit us to the mission of Jesus — of proclaiming the gospel of the Father’s love and compassion for all of humanity and the earth.” By Thomas Reese, Religion News Service

In Vatican’s summit’s closing document, agreement that synodality is church’s future
“What many will take away about the Synod on Synodality, the monthlong summit on the future of the church, is that the 450 Catholic clergy and lay faithful called to the meeting skirted the key agenda items of women’s ordination, marriage for priests and acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics. On Saturday (Oct.28), after the synod released a tepid summary of its work, the Women’s Ordination Conference pronounced itself ‘dismayed’ by the failure of the synod to allow women to become priests. ‘A ‘listening church’ that fails to be transformed by the fundamental exclusion of women and LGBTQ+ people fails to model the Gospel itself,’ a statement read.” By Clare Giangravé, Religion News Service

Father James Martin: what happened at the Synod on Synodality
“‘We preach the gospel of friendships that reach across boundaries,’ said Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., during the retreat he led for members of the Synod of Bishops outside of Rome, a few days before our deliberations began. This image informed and illuminated my experience of the XVIth General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which concluded this weekend (Oct. 29): So the foundation of all we shall do in this synod should be the friendships we create. It does not look like much. It will not make headlines in the media. ‘They came all that way to Rome to make friends. What a waste!’ But it is by friendship that we will make the transition from ‘I’ to ‘We.’” By James Martin, S.J., America: The Jesuit Review

Cardinal Cupich on the synod, women deacons, giving bishops job reviews and why ‘LGBTQ’ was left out of the final doc
“Following the closing Mass of the first session of the Synod on Synodality in Rome this October, Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, spoke with America’s Vatican correspondent about his experience of the meeting and the synod’s synthesis document, published Oct. 29. Gerard O’Connell: What is your overall take on the synthesis document? Cardinal Cupich: The document is not as important as the experience that we had. I think the document tries to convey that experience. And it does a good job. But my hope would be that we are able to take that experience back home and share it with our people because that really is what the synod is about. It’s a new way of being church …” By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review

From the outside looking in: a look at the first session of the Synod on Synodality
“The year is 431. The Council of Ephesus, a gathering of bishops representing all of Christendom, is convened in order to reach a consensus on Church teaching, including a heated debate on whether the Virgin Mary should be designated Theotokos, ‘God-bearer’ or ‘Mother of God’ or Christokos, ‘Christ-bearer.’ The disagreements were split between two camps: Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who argued that Mary should be called Christokos, and Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, who advocated for the ‘Mother of God’ title.” By Junno Arocho Esteves, Our Sunday Visitor

POPE FRANCIS

Pope: Theology must interpret the Gospel for today’s world
“A Church that is ‘synodal, missionary, and ‘goes forth’’ needs a theology that ‘goes forth,’ too. That’s the thought behind Pope Francis’ new Motu Proprio Ad theologiam promovendam, dated 1 November 2023, which updates the statutes of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. Established canonically by Clement XI on 23 April 1718, with the brief Inscrutabili, the Academy aimed ‘to place theology at the service of the Church and the world.’ It has evolved over the years into a ‘group of scholars called to investigate and deepen theological themes of particular relevance.’” By Tiziana Campisi, Vatican News

Survivors, advocates voice skepticism over Pope’s about-face in Rupnik case
“In the wake of a surprise announcement Friday (Oct. 27) that Pope Francis has waived a statute of limitations in Church law to permit prosecution of Slovenian priest-artist and accused sexual abuser Father Marko Rupnik, survivors and advocacy groups are raising questions about why it took this long to act, and insisting that symbolic gestures aren’t enough. Victims ‘need justice, not talk,’ said Irish abuse survivor Marie Collins, a former member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors who resigned in protest in 2017.” By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com

CARDINALS

Peru cardinal open to women deacons, wants ‘swift justice’ on abuse
“Following the close of last month’s Synod of Bishops, a leading Latin American cardinal has signaled openness in some cases to ordaining women deacons and also called for swift justice in sexual abuse cases, including the potential dissolution of a lay community in his own country currently under Vatican investigation. Cardinal Pedro Barreto made the comments in an Oct. 30 exclusive interview with Crux, prior to leaving for Rome’s Fiumicino airport to return to Peru following the close of the synod.” By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com

Cardinal Dolan: In defense of culture warriors
“The sobering reading from Ezekiel in the Liturgy of the Word from Sunday, Sept. 11, 2023, is still echoing in my head. You may recall it: The Lord is reminding the prophet that he, Ezekiel, is a ‘watchman,’ whose task includes warning God’s people, including telling them they will die if they do not change their ways in accord with the Lord’s commands. It is hard to dodge that call as anything but a challenge to be a ‘culture warrior.’ I might prefer ‘critic’ rather than ‘warrior,’ but the call is to speak for the Lord in sternly calling the people to fidelity. If not, the consequences are death, for both the prophet and the hearer. Rather somber!” By Timothy Michael Dolan, America: The Jesuit Review

BISHOPS

Two decades later, Catholic bishops still breaking their most important promise
“At one end of the spectrum, generally speaking, there’s SafeSport … At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) … In between are most US Catholic bishops. As a general rule, bishops whose dioceses are in states where victims have some legal rights have posted names of child molesting clerics on their websites. But for the most part, prelates whose dioceses are in states where victims have FEW legal rights are still not providing the names of predatory clergy, sometimes even clerics who have admitted guilt or been convicted in court.” By Adam Horwitz, AdamHorowitzLaw.com

PRIESTS

Father James Martin: What happened at the Synod on Synodality
“‘We preach the gospel of friendships that reach across boundaries,’ said Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., during the retreat he led for members of the Synod of Bishops outside of Rome, a few days before our deliberations began. This image informed and illuminated my experience of the XVIth General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which concluded this weekend: So the foundation of all we shall do in this synod should be the friendships we create. It does not look like much. It will not make headlines in the media. ‘They came all that way to Rome to make friends. What a waste!’ But it is by friendship that we will make the transition from ‘I’ to ‘We.’” By James Martin, S.J., America: The Jesuit Review

RELIGIOUS

‘Process is key’: sisters respond to document from synod’s first session
“The first Vatican session for the synod on synodality, Pope Francis’ multiyear summit on the future of the Catholic Church, was both fruitful and profound, women religious say, but it also had missed opportunities … For the first time since the establishment of the church’s Synod of Bishops in 1965, about 50 women were granted voting rights by the pope at the assembly … ‘I won’t use the term success, but it has been fruitful. It’s a new state in the experience of synodality — there was a lot of grace, it was a time of joy,’ said Xavière Missionary Sr. Nathalie Becquart, an undersecretary of the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops office, which made her not only a voting participant but a member of the synod itself.” By Dan Stockman, National Catholic Reporter

WOMEN’S VOICES

Pope’s meeting on church future says it’s ‘urgent’ to guarantee governance roles for women
“Pope Francis’ big gathering of Catholic bishops and laypeople said Saturday (Oct. 28) it’s ‘urgent’ to guarantee fuller participation of women in church governance and called for research on allowing women to be deacons to be released within a year. After a month of closed-door debate, Francis’ meeting on the future of the Catholic Church ended with the approval of a 42-page text on a host of issues that will now be considered at a second session next year.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in The Seattle Times

LAITY & THE CHURCH

‘We will continue to be heard’: progressive Catholics react to synod report
“The 41-page synthesis report for the Synod of Bishops on Synodality disappointed several progressive Catholics and others who advocate for the Catholic Church to rethink its approach to issues such as the clergy sex abuse crisis, LGBTQ ministry, women’s roles in the church and the possibility of ordaining women to the diaconate. But while some of those Catholics said they were dismayed or angered at what the report glossed over or omitted, others said the document is just the latest milestone in a multiyear process that will continue with another Vatican assembly in October 2024 and a post-synodal apostolic exhortation sometime after that.” By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter

CLERICALISM

Pope Francis reminds us – again – to reject clericalism
“While coverage of the conclusion of the first in-person part of the church’s synod on synodality is understandably garnering a lot of attention, especially as journalists and commentators begin to unpack the final synthesis document, I don’t want to lose sight of a notable intervention (the term for a ‘short speech’ at the synod) that Pope Francis delivered on Wednesday (Oct. 25) of last week, days before the close of this year’s session. In his remarks, the pope began by describing the church as ‘the faithful people of God, holy and sinful, a people convoked and called with the power of the beatitudes and of Matthew 25.’ This clear and simple, yet beautiful, statement follows from the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, which reminds all the faithful that the church is first and foremost the ‘people of God.’” By Daniel P. Horan, National Catholic Reporter

CELIBACY& MARRIED PRIESTS

Priests must be like fathers and not spinsters, says Pope on celibacy
“Pope Francis has said that a change in the Catholic Church’s rule on celibacy will not solve difficulties in the Church because the deeper problem is of priests behaving like spinsters instead of fathers. The Pontiff made his comment in a new wide-ranging interview, in which he confirmed plans to visit to Dubai for a UN climate summit in early December. The Holy Father also addressed current global conflicts, and weighed in on several hot-button issues touched on during last month’s Synod of Bishops on Synodality, including women’s ordination and priestly celibacy.” By Catholic Herald

VOICES

The synod meeting in Rome is done. What now?
“What now? The first session of the two-year synod in Rome has finished its work and published a final document. It offers ideas to guide the church in the next 11 months before the second session gathers in Rome next autumn. What does the task look like for the church here in the United States? The final document has some very specific proposals, and the section on formation especially has some clues about how to proceed.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

ILLINOIS

Retired priest, Father William Killeen, removed from ministry pending investigation of a 40-year-old allegation
“Today (Oct. 28), Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, notified eight parishes that he had asked Fr. William Killeen to step aside pending investigation of an allegation of child sexual abuse received this week. Father Killeen denies the allegation. The abuse is alleged to have occurred approximately 40 years ago at St. Patricia Parish in Hickory Hills.” By Archdiocese of Chicago

• Retired priest William Killeen being investigated for alleged sex abuse at Hickory Hills church, By ABC-TV7 News

MASSACHUSETTS

Former North Attleboro altar boy receives settlement after disclosing abuse by Father Porter
“A former altar boy at St. Mary’s Church in the 1960s has reached a financial settlement with the Diocese of Fall River for sexual abuse he suffered form now notorious Catholic priest James Porter. The 72-year-old man, who now lives on the North Shore of Boston, recently reached a financial package in the ‘mid-five figures,’ Boston lawyer Mitchell Garabedian said during a press conference Wednesday (Nov. 1).” By David Linton, The Sun Chronicle

MICHIGAN

Decades-old sex assault claims may soon see their day in Michigan courts
“Survivors of decades-old sexual assaults may soon get a two-year period to bring civil cases against their alleged abuser while also seeing the actionable window for bringing a claim expanded under moves made by House lawmakers Tuesday (Oct. 31). Members of the House Criminal Justice Committee voted along party lines to advance legislation – HB 4482 through HB 4487, referred to as the “Justice for Survivors” package – which seeks to primarily allow victims of childhood sexual abuse the ability to bring forward their claims long after the act has occurred.” By Jordyn Hermani, MLive.com

MINNESOTA

Former southern Minnesota priest convicted of sexually assaulting adult male
“A former Catholic priest was convicted Thursday (Oct. 26) of sexually assaulting a man in Winona County in December 2020. Ubaldo Roque Huerta, 51, was found guilty after a three-day trial on fifth-degree criminal sexual assault charges for performing sexual acts on a victim without their consent. Huerta is expected to be sentenced in January.” By Trey Mewes, Star Tribune

OHIO

Former St. John’s teacher added to list of priests with ‘established allegations’ of abuse
“A priest who taught at St. John’s High School in the 1990s and early 2000s has been added to the list of Jesuits with ‘established allegations’ of sexual abuse of a minor, according to a letter from the school. St. John’s officials said Father Francis E. Canfield, who died in May, was accused by a former student who said the abuse happened during the 1999-2000 school year.” By WTOL-TV11 News

• Former SJJ faculty member accused of sexual abuse in 1999-2000, By WTVG-TV13 News

SOUTH DAKOTA

Rapid City billboard calls attention to pedophiles among Catholic clergy
“Speaking of Catholic priests, an eager reader notes that someone in Rapid City has been advertising his desire to see the Catholic Church held to greater account for sexual abuse committed by clergy …” By Cory Allen Heidelberger, Dakota Free Press

AUSTRALIA

Woman can sue church for abuse in ‘monumental’ ruling
“Institutional child abuse survivors will have a better chance of securing compensation after a woman alleging historical abuse by a Catholic priest won the right to sue. Three out of five judges in the nation’s top court on Wednesday ruled to overturn a NSW appeal court’s decision to permanently stay the woman’s case, which sought damages for personal injury due to the alleged sexual abuse. The decision is expected to have a wider impact on institutional abuse cases across Australia.” By Jack Gramenz and Peter Bodkin, Yahoo News

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Man’s abuse of boys at school in Kilkenny and Offaly continues to cast shadow over many lives
“Nearly 25 years since the Portarlington pedophile Donal Dunne was jailed for offenses against young boys, his deeds continue to cast a shadow over many lives. He had a 45-year teaching career and left the Christian Brothers in 1957, his abuse of boys having spanned both his time in the order and subsequently. He began his teaching career in Dublin in 1940 at Scoil Mhuire in Dublin’s Marino and he held posts in a total of ten schools before retiring from the Sacred Heart School in Tullamore. At the age of 78, he received a two-year prison sentence at Tullamore Circuit Court in 1999.” By KilkennyPeople.ie

SPAIN

Spain ombudsman report on Catholic Church reveals more than 1 in 200 faced sexual abuse
“A report released by Spanish Ombudsman Ángel Gabilondo on Friday (Oct. 27) found that priests within the Catholic Church have abused more than 1 in every 200 Spaniards. The report was presented to the Spanish Parliament on Friday and aimed to ensure that the perpetrators are held responsible and accountable for their actions. The ombudsman also sought to create greater awareness about the issue of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.” By Amora Evans, Jurist.org

• President of Spanish Episcopal Conference rejects report on pedophilia: ‘the figures extrapolated by some media outlets are lies,’ By Julio Núñez and Íñigo Domínguez, El Pais
• Survey finds up to 440,000 people in Spain may have suffered sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, By Antonio Paniagua, SurInEnglish.com
• Spanish Church sex abuse affected 200,000 children, By Panay News
• Spain’s Catholic Church apologizes for sexual abuse, disputes scale of problem, By Reuters