Sept. 22, 2023

TOP STORIES

Vatican considers child sexual abuse allegations against a former Australian bishop
“The Vatican is considering the findings of a church investigation into ‘very serious and deeply distressing’ child sexual abuse allegations against a former Australian bishop, a church leader said on Tuesday (Sept. 19). Christopher Saunders, now 73, resigned in 2021 as bishop of Broome, an Outback diocese of northwest Australia larger than France but with a population of only 50,000, after police announced they had dropped a sex crime investigation. He had stood down a year earlier after media reported the allegations.” By Rod McGuirk, Associated Press, in The Seattle Times

• 7NEWS reveals exclusive findings of Varican investigation, By 7NEWS Australian
• Broome Catholic bishop Christopher Saunders faces allegations of ‘very serious’ sex abuse in Vatican report, By Vanessa Mills and Erin Parke, ABC Kimberley Australia

Research reveals over 1,000 cases of sexual abuse by Swiss Catholic Church clergy
“The latest study revealed over 1,000 cases of sexual abuse by Swiss Catholic Church clergy and other employees, with 74% of such abuses involving minors, the University of Zurich said on Tuesday (Sept. 12), describing the cases as the ‘tip of the iceberg.’ The University of Zurich conducted a study commissioned by the Swiss Bishops’ Conference that documented 1,002 cases of sexual abuse committed by Catholic clergy, church employees, and religious in Switzerland from 1950 to the present. The university said in a press statement that this is the first study that has allowed an independent research team to look into church archives for files on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church environment.” By Tino Kirez, Anadolu Agency, on AA.com

• Sweeping study finds 1,000 cases of sexual abuse in Catholic Church since mid-20^th century, By Jamey Keaten, Associated Press, in National Catholic reporter
• Swiss bishops pledge action after damning abuse report, By Jonathan Luxmoore, Our Sunday Visitor
• What next after Swiss Catholic Church sexual abuse revelations? By Simon Brady, SwissInfo.ch
• Vatican to investigate six Swiss Catholic bishops for possibly mishandling abuse claims, By Jamey Keaton and Kirsten Grieshaber, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter
• Probe ordered into Catholic Church sex abuse cover-ups in Switzerland, By Agence France Presse on TheLocal.ch

Editorial: Pope Francis, it’s time to release the women deacons report
“By all accounts, Pope Francis has had an eventful papacy. This first pope from the Americas has breathed new life into the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, refashioned the Vatican’s staid bureaucracy, and pushed the Catholic Church to focus on the needs of the environment and global peripheries. One especially interesting turn: Only 22 years after Pope John Paul II claimed the church had ‘no authority whatsoever’ to ordain women as priests, Francis in 2016 created a first-of-its-kind papal commission to study the history of the ordination of women as Catholic deacons. Even more, in 2020, after that commission had wrapped up its work, the pope created another.” By National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff

Synod 2023: What has Pope Francis said about synodality?
“The Synod on Synodality is set to launch the first of two assemblies on Oct. 4. The global meetings in Rome are the culmination of two years of preparation, and during that time, much has been said about synodality, including by the pope. In some of his more recent comments on synodality, Pope Francis said, ‘speaking of a ‘Synod on Synodality’ may seem something abstruse, self-referential, excessively technical, of little interest to the general public,’ but it is ‘something truly important for the Church.’” By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Catholic Church has ‘a lot to learn’ from others about accountability, warns theologian
“A leading theologian has said it is crucial for the Catholic Church to understand the need to learn from other organizations when it comes to accountability. Fr Eugene Duffy, lecturer in theology at Mary Immaculate College in the University of Limerick and All Hallows College, Dublin City University, said, ‘A Synodal Church Needs Accountability. “We need external organizations to offer an evaluation and scrutiny of our performances.’ He noted the role of the National Board for Safeguarding in the Irish Church which was completely independent of the hierarchy and monitors every diocese on a regular basis in regard to their compliance to best practice and standards. Another issue was the need for a reform of mindsets and attitudes, Fr Duffy noted.” By Sarah Mac Donald, The Tablet

Conservative critics of the synod and Francis are embarrassing themselves
“At chanceries and rectories across the land, The Synodal Process Is a Pandora’s Box: 100 Questions and Answers, is arriving with the obvious goal of seeking to undermine the synodal process Pope Francis has begun. I was surprised they did not stop at 95 and nail the text to the doors of St. Peter’s. My colleague Christopher White, NCR Vatican correspondent, explained the source of the volume on Monday. The book is published by Tradition, Family and Property, a reactionary group that started in Brazil in 1960, and distinguished itself for opposition to Vatican II and affinity for right-wing juntas.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Grand jury reports only scratch the surface
“These days I read with a newer lens as an abuse survivor, after finally recognizing/acknowledging the sexual, spiritual, and emotional abuse inflicted by a lay teacher at my Diocese of Allentown school, Msgr. Bornemann Memorial Central Catholic High School in Reading, PA. With the survivor lens in mind, my curiosity was piqued by Kevin Clarke’s article, ‘The Complicated Legacy of State investigations of the Catholic sex abuse crisis.’ I began reading with an open mind; after all, over the last three years, I have come to know numerous survivors whose stories were included in the PA Grand Jury Report (my high school and local parish were hubs for abusive clergy). Their stories laid bare the web of moral and ethical corruption in various Catholic dioceses in PA.” By Paige N. Eppenstein Anderson, on SnapNetwork.org

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Follow NCR for reports on Pope Francis’ momentous Synod of Bishops
“What is shaping up as possibly one of the most important gatherings in the long history of the Catholic Church is taking place in Rome Oct. 4-29, 2023. Pope Francis is hosting the first of two back-to-back assemblies of the Synod of Bishops to consider questions that have the potential to change the course of Catholicism. Among items on the agenda: the possibility of women serving the church in ordained ministry, how the church can better include LGBTQ Catholics and priestly celibacy. NCR is there in strength to report on this momentous event. Follow along with reports and analysis from Vatican correspondent Christopher White; news editor Joshua McElwee, who covered Francis’ papacy from 2014 to 2021; NCR senior correspondent Heidi Schlumpf; and Rhina Guidos, Latin America regional correspondent for Global Sisters Report.” By National Catholic Reporter

What is at stake at the looming synod in Rome?
“Just over the horizon, one of the most important events to take place in the Church since the Second Vatican Council will convene in Rome on Oct. 4 and conclude on Oct. 28. I am speaking of the much discussed Synod on Synodality, which appears to be the capstone event in the pontificate of Pope Francis. Pope Francis has acknowledged that for most average Catholics, the upcoming synod probably does not mean very much to them on a day-to-day, practical level … Nevertheless, he reiterated his conviction that the synod is ‘something truly important for the Church.’ I agree with that assessment. There is much at stake in the synod which I hope to outline briefly in what follows.” By Larry Chapp, Our Sunday Visitor

10 things to know about October’s Synod on Synodality in Rome
“The eyes of the Catholic world turn to Rome Oct. 4, as the worldwide Synod of Bishops convenes on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi to focus on ‘synodality’ and understanding what it means in terms of “communion, participation and mission” in the church. Here’s what it is, how we got here and what to expect.” By Maria Wiering, OSV News, in The Pilot

Is synodality just another word for collegiality
“In October, the Catholic Church is going to have an international meeting in Rome on the topic of synodality. This is an unfamiliar term to most Catholics, except those of Eastern traditions, whose bishops regularly come together in synods to govern the church. In the Western church, we call such meetings ‘councils,’ not synods. What then is synodality? My own unsophisticated understanding is that it is another word for ‘collegiality,’ a term that became popular after the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s … But synodality goes beyond collegiality as a practical vision for the church.” By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter

Cameroonian priest: African Synod delegates likely to resist pro-LGBTQ+ ideas
“A Cameroonian priest has suggested that African delegates to the Synod on Synodality assembly next month at the Vatican may be quite resistant to any efforts at being more inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. Writing in The Tablet last month, Fr. Ludovic Lado, S.J. reflected critically about how negatively the church in Africa has been receiving the synodal process, and specifically when it comes to questions of gender and sexuality.” By Robert Shine, NewWaysMinistry.org

Monday starter: UISG plans series of online conversations on synodality
“The first of a three-part series of conversations by the International Union of Superiors General, or UISG, on synodality and the upcoming October Synod Assembly will be held at 2 p.m. Central European time on Sept. 14. The conversation on ‘overview and opportunities’ will have a particular focus on the issue of communion, one of the topics being addressed by the upcoming synod.” By Chris Herlinger, Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter

‘You can count on us.’ Synod organizers attempt to dismiss fears ahead of fall meeting
“As Catholic bishops and lay people prepare to gather in Rome this October to begin discussions on the main challenges facing the church, tensions over the topics — and the stakes — of the summit have grown. Papal allies and organizers of the October 4-29 event — the ‘Synod on Synodality: Communion, Participation and Mission’ — are trying to defuse the tension and reassure faithful that the church has nothing to fear from the discussions even if they will take place behind closed doors.” By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service

Behind the synod opposition: far-right groups, political activists and Cardinal Burke
“Far-right Latin American groups with deep ties to traditionalist Catholics in the United States, and a long history of defying Vatican II reforms, are driving the opposition to next month’s closely watched Vatican summit on the future of the Catholic Church. Despite efforts to drum up resistance to Pope Francis’ Synod of Bishops, theologians have described their efforts as a ‘malignant force’ in the church, but with waning influence sustained by considerable financial backing.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

A modest proposal for synod punditry: first accusation of ‘heresy’ or ‘rigidity’ loses
“In just under a month’s time, the curtain will go up on the first of two keenly anticipated Synods of Bishops on Synodality, often styled as Pope Francis’s own miniature version of the Second Vatican Council. The event is destined to draw extensive media coverage, most of which likely will focus on a narrow canon of issues (women clergy, married priests, transgender rights, same-sex unions, and so on) and will play up tensions and conflicts … The concern is that in the media, the synod is going to come off as a sort of ‘brawl to settle it all,’ frustrating hopes for consensus.” By John L. Allen, Jr., Cruxnow.com

POPE FRANCIS

The Pope and the Americans: the U.S. episcopate is unparalleled in its resistance to Francis
“The Vatican and the U.S. Catholic Church have had a special relationship since the beginning of the political and religious experiment called ‘American Catholicism.’ But that relationship has become more complicated—and fraught—over the course of Francis’s papacy. This was demonstrated most recently in late August when remarks the pope made in Portugal during the World Youth Day gathering were published by the Jesuit-run and Vatican-vetted Civiltà Cattolica. ‘You have seen that in the United States the situation is not easy,’ he told a Jesuit who’d spent a sabbatical year in the U.S. ‘There is a very strong reactionary attitude. It is organized and shapes the way people belong, even emotionally. I would like to remind those people that indietrismo [being backward-looking] is useless and we need to understand that there is an appropriate evolution in the understanding of matters of faith and morals.’” By Massimo Faggioli, Commonweal

The Pope’s coming Vatican showdown with American conservatives
“Pope Francis’s ‘apostolic journey’ to Mongolia earlier this month had the unexpected consequence of bringing Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a singular and controversial French Jesuit scientist who died nearly seventy years ago, into the news cycle. As it turns out, Teilhard’s theology of cosmic spiritual progress is a useful way to understand the challenges that Francis is currently facing, as he and the Church prepare for a global synod next month in Rome. There, three hundred and sixty-three clerical and lay leaders representing two rival conceptions of the Church will encounter one another for several weeks of behind-closed-doors dialogue—a process that is meant to be amicable but may lead to open conflict prior to a second session next October.” By Paul Elie, The New Yorker

BISHOPS

Bishop Flores: Synod hopes to help Catholic Church listen more to lay people
“October’s general assembly in Rome for the Catholic Church’s Synod of Bishops on synodality aims to address human reality — not abstractions — in order to more effectively share Jesus Christ and his Gospel with others, said Bishop Daniel E. Flores, a U.S. member of the global assembly’s preparatory commission. ‘If we do this right … in our own local churches we can develop a style of listening and decision-making that involves more hearing from people ‘in the trenches,’ so to speak,’ he said, such as hearing from ‘people who are struggling and who are dealing with families that are in crisis, or families that are struggling, that are split, because of controversial realities that are affecting their lives.’” By Maria Wiering, OSV News

WOMEN’S VOICES

Synodal discernment and women in the diaconate
“The People of God have asked. The Synod may answer. What about women deacons? The Instrumentum Laboris states, ‘Most of the Continental Assemblies and the syntheses of several Episcopal Conferences call for the question of women’s inclusion in the diaconate to be considered. Is it possible to envisage this, and in what way?’ Persons and pressure groups on both sides of the issue are making their opinions known. But opinion is not fact, and lobbying is not discernment.” By Phyllis Zagano, The Tablet

The synod could change whether women can be ordained as deacons or priests. These women are hopeful.
“Advocates for women’s ordination — to the diaconate, the priesthood or both — say they are hopeful about the upcoming synod in Rome, despite some high-profile opposition to the possibility of expanded leadership opportunities for women in the church. While they would like to see concrete proposals that increase women’s participation, those who spoke to NCR said they are also excited about the process of synodality itself and believe the Oct. 4-29 series of meetings will surface fruitful conversation and dialogue.” By Heidi Schlumpf, National Catholic Reporter

Australian Catholic women echo global call for Church reform
“Although Australian Catholic women are frustrated about discrimination, abuse and patriarchy in the Church, a study has exposed a surprising generational divide. Source: Most older women – particularly those aged over 55 – were dissatisfied with the lack of options for leadership, the gendered language in the liturgy, and the ban on remarriage after divorce – but many of those aged 40 and below supported the status quo. The authors of the study – which surveyed 17,200 women from 104 countries, including 1769 from Australia – say the generational difference could be due to life experience, the influence of migration, or the fact young people grew up in a more conservative Church.” By CathNews.com

Surprise split among Catholic women over sex, divorce and patriarchy
“Although Australian Catholic women are frustrated about discrimination, abuse and patriarchy in the church, a study has exposed a surprising generational divide: older women are hungry for reform, but younger devotees have little interest in relaxing rules on sex, contraception and the priesthood. Most older women – particularly those aged over 55 – were dissatisfied with the lack of options for leadership, the gendered language in the liturgy, and the ban on remarriage after divorce – but many of those aged 40 and below supported the status quo.” By Jordan Baker, The Sydney Morning Herald

LAITY & THE CHURCH

Developing the voice of the laity
“The synodal listening sessions opened the door to   hearing the voice of the laity in a new way, as parishes across the world were asked to share their stories, hopes, and disappointments about living within the Catholic Church in order to guide where it goes next. Yet, according to the 2023 U.S. National Synthesis Report, dioceses entered the process with ‘a combination of excitement, confusion, and skepticism.’ In fact, ‘several dioceses noted some apprehension and even opposition as they began their synodal listening’—due, in part, to a feeling the process would be futile.” By Kayla August, Commonweal

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

The Catholic diaspora: independent communities as the church’s ‘research lab’ (Part 1)
“Martha Ligas learned about the Community of St. Peter in Cleveland six months before she ventured into a worship service. She hesitated because she did not want to step over an invisible line that she had straddled for so long, one foot in and one foot out of the Roman Catholic Church. For this young but lifelong Catholic, a product of Catholic schooling from elementary through Loyola University Chicago and an advanced degree in ministry at Boston College, leaving the institutional structure was a difficult decision. ‘Catholic is just how I see the world,’ she said. ‘I knew nothing else than Catholic.’ The Community of St. Peter is an independent community, not affiliated with the Cleveland Diocese, that self-describes as Catholic, eucharistic, and ‘preserving and renewing a living tradition.’” By Tom Roberts, National Catholic Reporter

• Demographic forces beyond hierarchical control are changing U.S. church (Part 2), By Tom Roberts

VOICES

Marginalized by Rome: no room in ‘enlarged tent’ for traditionalist Catholics
“We live in the midst of a ‘synodal renewal of the Church.’ This Church ‘listens’ and ‘accompanies’ God’s people, especially those on the ‘margins.’ Starting in October of 2023, representatives of the Catholic Church begin meeting in Rome for the First Session of the Synod of Synodality. Here, the Church takes the information gleaned from the various ‘listen sessions’ and begins to identify new ways to ‘accompany’ its people, again, especially those on the ‘margins.’ Well, not all marginalized. Some, like the infinitesimally small number of Traditionalists who prefer the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), get a deaf ear from the Vatican and the Synod of Synodality.” By Dennis Knapp, Patheos

The Church’s costly failures in handling clergy abuse
“Its cover-up is causing many good people to lose faith and trust in the institutional Church. The shocking truth about clerical sexual abuse of minors and women religious was revealed in research by Missio Aachen released in 2020. The pressures on women religious never to complain are immense. They are told by priests that suffering in silence is a great virtue. Complaining of abuse invites retaliation and even expulsion from their congregation, the research reveals. These are secret crimes now being exposed around the world to the shame and embarrassment of the members of the institutional Church.” By Father Shay Cullen, UCANews.com

Opening the door for more victims to sue over sexual abuse
“Criminal sexual assault charges against Theodore McCarrick were dismissed last month after a Massachusetts judge ruled that the 93-year-old defrocked cardinal was incompetent to stand trial. But Mitchell Garabedian, the lawyer who represented the plaintiff in that case, is still pursuing civil lawsuits related to McCarrick filed in New York and New Jersey. He is able to do so because those states lifted statute of limitation restrictions on such cases for a set window of time … A bill filed by (Massachusetts) state Senator Joan Lovely of Salem would do that by entirely eliminating the statute of limitations on civil child sexual abuse cases. But to make that happen, lawmakers must overlook the objections of the Catholic Church, which opposes the measure.” By The Boston Globe Editorial Board

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Maine AG defends law eliminating statute of limitations on child sex abuse claims
“Maine’s attorney general pushed back Monday (Sept. 18) against a constitutional challenge by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, saying a 2021 law that removed the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse is not only constitutional but necessary to give victims time to ‘come to terms with the harm they have suffered.’ In filings to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Friday, Attorney General Aaron Frey defended the law against objections from the diocese, which has argued that the law is unconstitutional because it creates new liability and exposes defendants to ‘tens of millions of dollars’ in potential claims.” By Emily Allen, Portland Press Herald

California Assembly member Dawn Addis bill to address childhood sexual assault clears legislature heads to governor
“Legislation by Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) that will end California’s arbitrary civil statute of limitations for minors who have experienced sexual abuse was approved by the State Assembly on a bipartisan basis on Tuesday. The bill – Assembly Bill 452 – now goes to the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom for his consideration.” By Sierra Sun Times

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

Alleged victims of influential Vatican artist left ‘speechless’ after new Rome diocese report
“Women who say they were abused by a once-prominent Jesuit artist said Sept. 19 they had been revictimized by his superiors, saying Pope Francis’ recent gestures and an apparent effort to exonerate him publicly showed church pledges of ‘zero tolerance’ were just a ‘publicity stunt.’ In an open letter published on an Italian survivor advocate site, the women lashed out at a declaration from the Vicariate of Rome, which Francis nominally heads as Bishop of Rome and recently tightened his grip over. The Vicariate reported Sept. 18 that it had uncovered ‘seriously anomalous procedures’ used in the Vatican investigation into Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter

Catholic clergy abuse survivors of color endure compounded trauma
“As Kevin Johnson recalled an encounter with an abusive priest, the image of George Floyd on the ground, a knee to his neck, came to mind. Decades earlier Johnson, too, gasped for air during moments of terror. He was 16 then, a Black teen daydreaming in a church-run community pool, when a white, Josephite-order priest who’d befriended him years prior allegedly molested him underwater. ‘He dragged me under, where there was no oxygen, wrestled and assaulted me,’ Johnson told NCR. ‘I would eventually be allowed to return to the surface and breathe. It was not a knee to the neck but a hand down the front of the trunks.’” By Kate Collins Scott, National Catholic Reporter

With Catholic Church foot-dragging comes the chance to evade justice
“After a judge declared him incompetent to stand trial on charges that he sexually assaulted a 16-year-old boy in Wellesley in the 1970s, the Zoom image of Theodore McCarrick showed an old man with a blank face, hunched over a table in a room at the assisted living facility in Missouri that is now his home. Yet when the remote session ended, one could still imagine the defrocked and disgraced cardinal smiling in triumph — just like any other aging gangster who beat the system. The charges against McCarrick, 93, were dismissed last week after two medical experts found he suffered from dementia. That makes him a living symbol of the cost of the decades-long coverup of clergy sexual abuse by the Roman Catholic Church.” By Joan Vennochi, The Boston Globe

CALIFORNIA

Long Beach-based priest charged with possessing more than 600 images of child pornography
“A Long Beach-based priest on Thursday was charged in Ventura County with possession of child pornography, prosecutors said. Rodolfo Martinez-Guevara, 38, was arrested Wednesday (Sept.13) in Long Beach, according to the Ventura County district attorney’s office. He is accused of possessing ‘over 600 images of child sexual abuse material, including images and videos of prepubescent minors under the age of 12.’ ‘As a priest, the defendant is in a position of tremendous power, authority and trust. The alleged crimes deeply violate that trust and involve a disturbing number of sexual images of young boys,’ District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a statement.” By Sid Garcia, ABC-TV7 News

LOUISIANA

Louisiana grand jury charges 91-year-old disgraced priest with sexual assault of teenage boy in 1975
“A state grand jury has charged a now-91-year-old disgraced priest with sexually assaulting a teenage boy in 1975, an extraordinary prosecution that could shed new light on what Roman Catholic Church leaders knew about a child sex abuse crisis that persisted for decades and claimed hundreds of victims. The priest, Lawrence Hecker, has been at the center of state and federal investigations of clergy sex abuse and a deepening scandal over why church leaders failed to report his admissions to law enforcement even as they permitted him to work around children until he quietly left the ministry in 2002.” By Jim Mustain, Associated Press

• Louisiana grand jury indicts retired priest on sex abuse charges, By Ruth Graham, The New York Times
• Why it took 48 years to charge a Catholic priest with rape, By David Hammer, WWL-Tv4 News
• Retired priest pleads not guilty to raping child in New Orleans in late 70s, By David Hammer, WWL-TV4 News, in The Guardian

New Orleans archbishop: local Catholic institutions must help with cost of clergy abuse claims
“Contradicting promises he made when his archdiocese declared bankruptcy in May 2020, New Orleans’s archbishop, Gregory Aymond, told the area’s Catholic churches, schools and other ministries that they will now have to share some of the costs of resolving hundreds of clergy abuse claims. Aymond’s notice came in a letter on Friday (Sept. 7), at the end of a particularly bad news week for his organization. One day earlier, a grand jury in New Orleans indicted the retired archdiocesan priest Lawrence Hecker on charges of aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature and theft.” By Maya Yang and David Hammer, WWL-TV4 News, in The Guardian

MARYLAND

Catholics condemn Archdiocese of Baltimore for bankruptcy response to sexual abuse lawsuits
“It is with disgust, but not surprise, that I read about the Baltimore archdiocese’s plan to consider bankruptcy as a response to their history of child sexual abuse (‘Archbishop concedes the Baltimore archdiocese is considering bankruptcy; survivors say they’d oppose the move,’ Sept. 5). I would like to particularly respond to two points in Archbishop William Lori’s email to Baltimore archdiocese Catholics …” Reader Commentary in The Baltimore Sun

MASSACHUSETTS

Advocates condemn Mass. judge’s dismissal of Catholic sexual abuse case
“Last week, a Massachusetts judge dismissed the criminal charges of sexual abuse against Theodore McCarrick, a priest who was once one of the most powerful men in the Catholic Church in America. A former cardinal and bishop, McCarrick had been charged with sexually assaulting a teenager nearly 50 years ago. The victim alleges the abuse lasted for about two decades. McCarrick, now 93, reportedly suffers from dementia, and Judge Paul McCallum of the Dedham District Court deemed him incompetent to stand trial.” By Kana Ruhalter and Arun Rath, WGBH Boston National Public Radio

NEW YORK.

Recently ordained New York priest arrested over charges of sexual abuse of minor
“A Catholic priest ordained just over four years ago for the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, has been charged with several counts of child sexual abuse and removed from ministry. Fr. Nathan W. Brooks, 36, faces four misdemeanor counts of third-degree sex abuse, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child for incidents that took place between 2019-2021. According to a news release issued by the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, the complaint was filed Aug. 22, and Brooks was arrested Aug. 31.” By Gina Christian, OSV News, in National Catholic Reporter

Despite substantiated claim, retired Buffalo priest won’t be charged for abusing minor in the ‘80s
“The Diocese of Buffalo’s Independent Review Board conducted an investigation into a retired priest and found the allegation he abused a minor is true. However, The Rev. Joseph Vatter will not be facing any criminal charges. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn says the alleged abuse happened back in the early 1980s. However, he says the statute of limitations in this incident was only three years, so no charges can be filed.” By Danielle Church, WGRZ-TV2 News

Maryvale district paid $8.4 million to settle child sex abuse claims from 1970s
“Cheektowaga Maryvale Union Free School District paid $8.4 million to settle five Child Victims Act lawsuits alleging sexual abuse of students in the 1970s by a music teacher. The district agreed to separate confidential settlements with the five plaintiffs over the past year, according to legal documents released to The Buffalo News in response to a Freedom of Information Law request. The largest settlement, for $3.5 million, went to a 60-year-old Lockport man identified in court papers as AB 504 Doe, who alleged being repeatedly molested by Stanley K. Bratt, a music teacher at Maryvale East Elementary School from 1968 to 1980.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

AFRICA

Shun ‘culture of silence’: Kenyan Catholic nun on safeguarding in South Sudanese dioceses
“The people of God in South Sudan are being cautioned against the ‘culture of silence’ in the face of abuses against children and vulnerable adults. In an interview with ACI Africa, Sr. Jacinta Ondeng spoke about the training on safeguarding that she had been facilitating under the auspices of Solidarity with South Sudan (SSS), an initiative of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Union of Superiors General (USG), established in response to a request from the members of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC).” By Kerbino Kuel Deng, AciAfrica.org

AUSTRALIA

The Australian portion of a Vatican-ordered investigation into former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders has been completed
“Extracts from the 200-page report prepared by the Vatican’s investigators detail how they identified 67 Aboriginal boys and men who they said may have been subjected to delictual acts or grooming behaviors by the bishop. The Vatican investigation found Bishop Saunders was a ‘predator’ who sexually assaulted four Aboriginal men and boys and groomed dozens more. The investigation under the Vatican’s Vos Estis Lux Mundi papal inquiry powers also found Bishop Saunders spent thousands of dollars of Church money each month on cash payments, mobile phones, alcohol and cigarettes for ‘vulnerable’ Aboriginal men and boys.” By Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

• WA police want Vatican report on Bishop Saunders, By CathNews.com

Roman Catholic Archbishop Tim Costelloe fronts WA parliamentary inquiry into institutional child sexual abuse
“The difficulties survivors of child sexual abuse face when attempting to pursue justice is a reality of complexities of the church, the Catholic Archbishop of Perth says. Timothy Costelloe made the statements while testifying before the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee’s inquiry into the options available to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in Western Australia who are seeking justice.” By Briana Shepherd and Keane Bourke, ABC News Australia

CANADA

Deadline looming for abuse survivors to apply for compensation from N.L. archdiocese
“Survivors of abuse at the hands of Mount Cashel’s Christian Brothers and Roman Catholic clergy in the St. John’s Archdiocese have until the end of the month to apply for compensation. And that court-imposed deadline has prompted an influx of new claimants to reach out to lawyers like Geoff Budden, who has spent the last three decades pursuing justice for abuse victims. Budden said at least two dozen people have come forward in recent months; people who say they’ve lived with trauma for decades, and never told their story — until now.” By Terry Roberts, CBC Canada

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This activist is bringing the message of ‘zero tolerance’ for clergy abuse to the doorstep of the Vatican
“For Gemma Hickey, their trip to Italy this week is a mission to demand that Pope Francis sign a proposed zero tolerance law for clergy abuse. ‘Shuffling predator priests around from place to place is unacceptable,’ said Hickey, who founded the Pathways Foundation that addresses the gaps in service for individuals who have experienced abuse within religious institutions. Hickey, along with 10 other clergy abuse survivors and allies, is engaging in a pilgrimage to Rome. They will carry an eight-foot wooden cross and walk 120 kilometres from Montefiascone to Italy’s capital, finishing in St. Peter’s Square during the Pope’s noon blessing on Sept.27.” By William Ping, CBC News Canada

B.C man alleges sex abuse by military priest
“A Surrey man has filed a lawsuit against the federal Catholic military authorities and the government and the Roman Catholic Church in Calgary, alleging sexual abuse by a priest of officer rank. ‘The plaintiff is now 73 years old,’ said the B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim filed Sept. 7 by lawyer Sandra Kovacs on behalf of her client, known only as R.C. in the claim.” By Jeremy Hainsworth, Alaska Highway News

CHILE

In Chile, justice eludes victims of Catholic clergy sex abuse years after the crisis exploded
“Soon after she learned what happened, Helmut Kramer’s mother grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the priest out of photographs from her son’s baptism. ‘She kept the photos after that,’ said Kramer, who was sexually abused at age 12 in a Jesuit school in Antofagasta, a city in northern Chile. ‘My mom is still Catholic, but she never attended Mass again. She says that she will never set foot in a church, and she does not trust the pope or any priest,’ the 53-year-old Chilean said.” By María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press, on ABCNews.go.com

Over 30 women with ties to Legion of Christ support claim by alleged victim of gang rape in Chile
“A group of 32 former Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, lay women who dedicate their lives fully to Christ through their membership in an international Catholic federation that also includes the Legion of Christ, published an open letter on September 5 supporting a Chilean women who alleges being gang-raped by Legion of Christ priests in Santiago (Chile) between 2008 and 2010. ‘We experienced an environment where abuse of power and conscience was prevalent, and where the described sexual assaults in the lawsuit could have taken place,’ stated the signatories of the civil lawsuit filed last June.” By Antonia Laborde, El Pais International

GERMANY

Catholic Church investigates claims against late cardinal
“The German Dioceses of Essen and Paderborn have separately announced an investigation into sexual abuse allegations brought against Cardinal Franz Hengsbach (1910-1991) in 2011 and 2022. Hengsbach is accused of having sexually assaulted three individuals, at least two of whom were young women, one a minor, throughout his career. The first of these alleges that he abused a 16-year-old girl in 1954 while he was an auxiliary bishop in the city of Paderborn. The alleged victim originally came forth with the accusations in 2011, 10 years after Hengsbach’s death.” By Deuschte Welle

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES

Personal injury sheriff allows proof in case detailing sexual abuse in Catholic care home in 1973
“Pursuer GD sought solatium damages for abuse she said occurred over three weeks in the summer of 1973, when she was aged 11 … Together with her three sisters and two brothers, the pursuer was a resident at the defender’s care home, Nazareth House, for three weeks in July and August of 1973. She averred that, during this time, she was sexually abused by a male priest in the shower, with the knowledge of the Sisters that looked after their group. It was further averred that the Sisters, particularly a Sister Y, had physically assaulted her, often for seemingly no reason.” By Mitchell Skilling, Scottish Legal News

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Kenneally abuse one of most serious cases of pedophilia in Ireland
“The garda in charge of investigations into convicted child abuser Bill Kenneally has agreed with the chair of an inquiry into the abuse that it was one of the most serious cases of pedophilia discovered in Ireland. Chair Mr. Justice Michael White, a retired High Court judge, said the children who came into contact with Kenneally were at risk and defenseless.” By Orla O’Donnell, RTE.ie

PHILIPPINES

Vatican dismisses Filipino priest for alleged child abuse
“Pope Francis has dismissed Filipino Catholic priest Pio Cultura Aclon for sexual abuse involving minors, announced the Diocese of Borongan where the priest is based. Aclon is ‘no longer a cleric and cannot exercise priestly ministry in the Church,’ Borongan diocese said in a circular on Sept. 17. ‘The laicization process of the priest underwent due process, and Aclon was given the opportunity to defend himself against the allegations of his alleged victims,’ diocesan chancellor Father James B. Abella told UCA News.” By UCSNews.com

SWITZERLAND

Swiss abbot says he is target in sexual abuse investigation
“A high-ranking Catholic cleric indicated on Wednesday (Sept. 13) that he was being investigated by the Conference of Swiss Bishops in connection with allegations of sexual abuse and their cover-up. Jean Scarcella has withdrawn from his role as father-abbot of Saint-Maurice until the end of the investigation. ‘The investigation also concerns an accusation that was made against me,’ Scarcella wrote in a press release. He indicated that he took the decision to suspend his office in agreement with the Abbey Council and the President of the Conference of Swiss Bishops (CES) to guarantee the independence of the investigation.” By SwissInfo.ch

THAILAND

French missionary priests suspected of child sexual assault in Thailand
“According to France 24 news agency, two members of the Paris-based Foreign Mission Society of Paris, a part of the Catholic Church’s mission, were involved in sexual abuse against former students at a boarding school in Thailand. One of these two missionaries has passed away, and the other, whose name is not mentioned in the report, continues to serve within the Foreign Mission Society of Paris. This report marks the fourth case of sexual abuse by Christian missionaries in the past two months, raising concerns about the safety of children in religious institutions.” By Fidel Rahmati, The Khaama Press News Agency

• Paris’ Catholic Foreign Missions Society under fire over alleged sexual abuse, By Karina Chabour and Julie Dungelhoff, Fance 24
• “A Deafening Silence,” By France 24

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

• Instrumentum Laboris, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission,” First Session, XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 2023
• Vatican releases Synod document calling for discussion of women, LGBT Catholic, church authority and more, By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review
• Synod document asks how to increase unity, participation, mission outreach, By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
• Vatican document highlights need for concrete steps for women, ‘radical inclusion’ of LGBTQ+, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
• The most important takeaway from the synod (so far) is something you’ve never heard of, By Colleen Dulle, America: The Jesuit Review

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

• Pope appoints hundreds to attend Synod of Bishops on Synodality, By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in Chicago Catholic
• List of synod participants reflects nod to balance, but also tensions, By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com
• Pope Francis’ picks for the synod are in – and suggest this will be a Vatican meeting like no other, By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review
• Every American going to the Synod on Synodality: full list and analysis, By Michael O’Loughlin, America: The Jesuit Review
• Pope invites top U.S. allies – Cupich, McElroy, Fr. James Martin among others – to synod, By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

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 on Synodality document outlines questions for October assembly, By Courtney Mares, Hannah Brockhaus and Shannon Mullen, Catholic News Agency
• ‘Instrumentum laboris’ calls for welcoming Church that embraces diversity, By Vatican News

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

• Pope Francis will create 21 new cardinals on Sept. 30, including U.S. nuncio, By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review
• Brief biographies of 21 future cardinals, By Vatican News

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

• The rise and fall of Knoxville Bishop Richard Stika, By Andrew Schwartz, Chattanooga Times Free Press

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

• New Vatican doctrine czar says he’s ‘not qualified’ to handle abuse cases, By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com

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

• Embattled Tennessee bishop resigns after priest complaints, abuse-related lawsuits, By Travis Loller and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
• Pope Francis accepts resignation of Knoxville’s embattled Bishop Stika, By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

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

• U.S bishops’ spring assembly highlights leadership’s mediocrity, By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
• Recap of USCCB spring plenary meeting in Orlando, By USCCB

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

• USCCB debate on priest formation plan was part of broader pushback, 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

• Germany: Catholic Church loses half a million members, By Deutsche Welle

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

• The Eucharist is the body of Christ, not the body of Jesus. What we call it matters. By Kevin W. Irwin, America: The Jesuit Review

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

• Church hands over ‘voluminous documents’ about accused U.S. ex-priest, By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian
• Judge refuses to recuse herself from New Orleans clergy abuse case, 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

• Former New Mexico priest charged with sexual coercion of minor in text messages, By Associated Press in The Journal

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

• Police in Jamaica charge Catholic priest fromKenya with abduction and sexual assault, By Associated Press

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

• A Catalan priest from the Piarist order sexuall abused children in Senegal for years, By Julio Collado, El Nacional.cat