Dec. 15, 2023

TOP STORIES

Catholic school, Augustinians settle sex abuse lawsuit for $2M; activists file complaint against Chicagoland dioceses
“Anti-abuse activists lodged a Vatican complaint Thursday (Nov. 30) in response to a $2 million lawsuit settled by a New Lenox Catholic school and the Augustinian religious order, alleging that the ‘actions and inaction’ by Chicagoland Catholic leaders in handling the accused priest is endangering kids. Former Providence Catholic High School student Robert Krankvich filed a lawsuit in April 2018 alleging the school’s longtime principal and president, the Rev. Richard McGrath, repeatedly raped and abused him. Krankvich was between 13 and 15 when he was abused in the school’s gym and wrestling room in the mid-1990s, the lawsuit alleged.” By Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, on news.yahoo.com

‘The devil was in that building’: New Orleans church orphanages’ dark secrets: Survivors of institutions run by Catholic diocese recall litany of sexual abuse as bankruptcy process keeps documents hidden

This is the final installment of a three-part series exploring how the archdiocese of New Orleans’s bankruptcy stands apart from other cases of its kind. The first installment ran on Wednesday 29 November 2023, and the second installment ran on Friday 1 December.

“Call her Sheila. She doesn’t want her name used because of court testimony she has given as a state social worker which helped put men who abused their families in jail. She’s retired now, but still a rescuer by nature. On a recent afternoon she went back to Madonna Manor, the Catholic orphanage in a Spanish colonial revival building, now shuttered, several miles across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. ‘A reverent place,’ she sighed, ‘but it’s also a crime scene.’” By Jason Berry, The Guardian

Pope meets Council of Cardinals to discuss Church’s feminine dimension
“As the Pope announced on 30 November, during an audience with the International Theological Commission, the Council of Cardinals is focusing its reflections on the ‘feminine dimension of the Church.’ ‘The Church is woman,’ said Pope Francis on that occasion. ‘If we do not understand what woman is or what the theology of womanhood is, we will never understand what the Church is.’ He also described the ‘masculinizing’ of the Church as a ‘great sin,’ which has yet to be resolved. The Pope appealed to a distinction proposed by Jesuit theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, who described a ‘Petrine’ or ministerial principle, and a ‘Marian’ or mystical principle.” By Vatican News

• Pope, Council of Cardinals discussed the role of women in the church, By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

Diocese of Sacramento filing for bankruptcy in new year amid hundreds of sexual abuse allegations, lawsuits
“The Diocese of Sacramento announced Saturday (Dec.9) that it will file Chapter 11 bankruptcy next year following hundreds of sexual abuse allegations and lawsuits. ‘It is now clear to me that this is the only way available to me to resolve these claims as fairly as possible,”’ said Bishop Jaime Soto in a statement. ‘There are many victim-survivors awaiting compensation for the reprehensible sins committed against them.’” By Jeannie Nguyen, ABC-TV10 News

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

When can a pope fire a bishop?
“Pope Francis’ recent moves against two prominent conservative American churchmen, Cardinal Raymond Burke and Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland, raise questions about the authority of the pope to fire or remove a bishop. Both men have made clear their disagreement with Francis’ policies. Most recently, Burke said in a panel discussion in Rome as the Synod on Synodality got underway that the global gathering of bishops and laypeople at the Vatican risked ‘confusion, error and division’ among the faithful. In May, Strickland went so far as to accuse the pope in a tweet of ‘undermining the Deposit of Faith’ — the body of scripture and tradition that make up Catholic belief.” By Thomas Reese, Religion News Service, The Salt Lake Star Tribune

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Council to ask Pope to authorize studies on key synod topics
“The council of the Synod of Bishops will ask Pope Francis to authorize studies on the need to update canon law, revise the rules for priestly formation, deepen a theological reflection on the diaconate — including the possibility of ordaining women deacons — and consider revising a document that provides norms for the relationship of a bishop with members of religious orders in his diocese. “These are matters of great importance, some of which need to be considered at the level of the whole church and in collaboration with the dicasteries of the Roman Curia,” said a statement from the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

To understand Rome’s Synod of Bishops, look to Australia
“Greeting the crowds in St. Peter’s Square after being elected as the first pontiff from the Global South, the Argentine-born Pope Francis joked that it seemed the cardinals had gone ‘almost to the ends of the earth’ to find him. It appears the Vatican’s office for the Synod of Bishops opted for a similar approach when looking to shape Francis’ high stakes summit on the future of the Catholic Church. While less than 20% of Australia is Catholic, its church played an outsized role in shaping the global synod process.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

Essay raises important questions about Pope Francis’ synodal process
“Theologian John Cavadini, director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, penned an important article about the synthesis document that summed up the deliberations at the recently concluded Synod of Bishops in Rome. Unlike some of the recent commentaries I have seen, Cavadini’s raises important questions about the document and does so in a respectful and thoughtful way … Cavadini’s focus is on the ecclesiology of the document and, specifically, the way synodality constitutes an ongoing part of the reception of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council and its teaching, specifically in Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

POPE FRANCIS

Francis, Strickland & Burke: the pope’s response to U.S. Catholic conservatism
“The year-long break between the first and second assemblies of the Synod on Synodality began with Pope Francis disciplining two of his most outspoken critics. First, he removed Bishop Joseph Strickland as head of the Tyler, Texas, diocese; days later, he reportedly ousted Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke from his Vatican-subsidized apartment and took away the salary Burke was receiving as a retired cardinal. As a procedural matter, the Strickland decision was a straightforward instance of following the measures the Church provides—in this case, an apostolic visitation—concerning the right of the people of God to be governed by the pastor of the diocese, and for ensuring the respect for all those, including clergy, under a diocesan bishop’s jurisdiction.” By Massimo Faggioli. Commonweal

Pope asks theologians to help ‘de-masculinize’ the church
“Asking pardon for speaking plainly, Pope Francis told members of the International Theological Commission that ‘one of the great sins we have had is ‘masculinizing’ the church,’ which also can be seen by the fact that only five of the commission members are women. The pope, who appoints the 28 members of the commission, said the church needs to make more progress in balancing such bodies because ‘women have a capacity for theological reflection that is different from what we men have.’” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

CARDINALS

Cardinal Gregory discusses synodality, Latin Mass at the Catholic University of America
“At The Catholic University of America to discuss the need for a diverse and welcoming Church, Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory fielded a wide range of audience questions while also reflecting on his own faith journey from childhood. The Dec. 6 talk, ‘Celebrating Diversity,’ on the eve of the 40th anniversary of Cardinal Gregory’s ordination as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago, touted the work of the Archdiocese of Washington’s Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach and its Catholic Civil Dialogue Initiative.” By Kurt Jensen, Our Sunday Visitor

Ex-cardinal McCarrick’s sex assault case in Wisconsin appears to be dead
“A Wisconsin prosecutor has declined to challenge a doctor’s assessment that disgraced ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick is incompetent to stand trial, making it more likely the only remaining criminal charge against McCarrick will be dismissed. McCarrick, 93, was charged with sexual assault in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor, for allegedly fondling an 18-year-old family friend at a Wisconsin lake in the 1970s. If convicted, he would have faced up to nine months in prison and a $10,000 fine.” By Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post

WOMEN’S VOICES

Pope Francis writes a letter to four German women – and surprises almost everyone
“It’s no secret that the German Catholic Church’s reform project, known as the ‘Synodal Path, is a thorn in Pope Francis’ side. He has criticized the process, which has brought forward ideas such as blessings for same-sex couples and the election of bishops, numerous times. But his latest comments on the project came as a surprise for just about everyone, except for four conservative German Catholic women … All of them are former members of the Synodal Path assemblies, who publicly announced their departure from the project last spring.” By Renardo Schlegelmilch, National Catholic Reporter

Exclusive: Synod felt ‘sorrow’ over church’s treatment of women, says Bishop Flores
“The bishops taking part in Pope Francis’ recent major Vatican summit on the future of the Catholic Church wanted to express ‘a certain amount of sorrow’ over how women have been treated by the global faith institution, said one of the American prelates who took part in the gathering … Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, said the delegates wanted to show recognition of ‘how the church has not, in her leadership or in the way it works … appreciated the sacrifice and [that] in so many parts of the world [what] continues to make the church viable is the work of women.’” By Joshua J. McElwee and Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

CHURCH FINANCES

Vatican trial, now ending, a remembrance of things we thought were past
“… All this comes to mind in light of an essay Melloni published Monday (Dec. 4), which echoes a point Magister first made last May: To wit, that a new fundamental law Pope Francis issued for the Vatican City State on May 13, 2023, contains an absolutely unprecedented claim about the pontiff’s temporal authority. The pope, the document asserts, is ‘called by virtue of the munus petrinum [Petrine ministry] to exercise sovereign powers over the Vatican City State.’” By John L. Allen, Jr., Cruxnow.com

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Sex abuse survivors rarely disclose until adulthood. Kentucky law should reflect that.
“Twenty years ago, my partners and I achieved a historic settlement against the Archdiocese of Louisville on behalf of 243 men and women sexually abused during their childhood. In the months following the April 2002 filing of that lawsuit, these brave survivors stood tall before the cameras and shared their stories to an audience who initially refused to accept that these horrors were true … Because the Archdiocese of Louisville settled but did not admit liability, our community was left to see if our justice system could prevent further horrific abuses of children.” By Willam F. McMurry, Courier Journal

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

Court documents reveal Father James Jackson said he was sexually abused as a child
“New court documents reveal that Traditional Latin Mass priest Father James Jackson, who pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge in June, told authorities he was sexually abused as a child. Additionally, a statement from his sister filed with the court said that Jackson engaged in a life of drugs, alcohol, and ‘sexual wildness’ as a young person. Jackson signed a plea agreement in June admitting to a single charge of receipt of child pornography, while prosecutors moved to dismiss a second count of possession of child pornography.” By Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency

• Catholic priest sentenced to federal prison on child pornography charge, By U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Rhode Island
• Ex-Providence priest sentenced to prison for ‘egregious’ crimes. What to know. By Katie Mulvaney, Providence Journal

CALIFORNIA

Bishop explains ‘difficult decision’ for Diocese of Sacramento to file for bankruptcy
“Amid hundreds of lawsuits accusing clergy of sexual abuse, the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento announced on Saturday (dec. it intends to file for bankruptcy. Bishop Jaime Soto said he believes it is the most transparent, fair and respectful way to address all the claims.” By Lysée Mitri, KCRA-TV3 News

ILLINOIS

Advocat4es for clergy sex abuse survivors want priest added to all Chicago-area dioceses’ predator clergy lists
“After being secretive for years, the Augustinian Catholic order has promised to publish early in 2024 a list of priests credibly accused of abuse. On Thursday (Nov. 30), an advocacy group called for the Rev. Richard J. McGrath, a priest accused of child sex abuse, to also be placed on predator priest lists kept by all Chicago-area dioceses where he worked. At a news conference outside the Hyde Park friary where McGrath once lived, clergy sex abuse survivor advocates demanded that his name also be added to the lists of the Chicago, Joliet and Rockford dioceses.” By David Struett, Chicago Sun-Times

He says a priest sexually abused him. When he told the diocese, he was traumatized again.
“The memories of what happened to him more than 60 years ago are somewhat hazy. But the shock, trauma and emotional scars are as clear today as they were then. He was 6 years old when he says he was sexually assaulted by a group of men that included Father Patrick Brennan, a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. The abuse decades ago has shaped the rest of his life in grueling ways. Isolation from other children, alcoholism, suicide attempts, marital problems and emotional trauma embedded in his psyche.” By J.J. Bullock, Peoria Journal Star

KENTUCKY

Sexual predator was associate pastor at my Catholic school and parish
“A Louisville Courier-Journal Op Ed piece ran the other day about how Kentucky law does not really allow victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests to file lawsuits because of statute of limitations requirements. Many of the victims do not report the abuse until well into the 40’s or older. I noticed in the opinion piece that the Louisville Archdiocese settled a lawsuit over this very subject back in 2003. The Archdiocese admitted no liability, but a list of sexual predators who had served in Kentucky was published. I was shocked to find out that I knew one of those sexual predators — Father John Elder.” By DailyKOS.com

LOUISIANA

‘He controlled my life’: New Orleans archdiocese ignored woman’s claims before priest’s abrupt dismissal
“A Louisiana Catholic priest’s sudden dismissal from the church where he had been a popular pastor for the last several years has set off a fresh scandal in the embattled New Orleans archdiocese, the second-oldest in the US. As they tell it, local church leaders rescinded Anthony Odiong’s invitation to serve as a cleric in the region due to unspecified ‘concerns … about [his] ministry prior’ to his arrival in the archdiocese – ‘and quite possibly during his time’ there. As a result, the New Orleans archbishop, Gregory Aymond, told Odiong’s bishop in Nigeria to recall him to his home diocese ‘as soon as possible to address these concerns,’ officials said in a statement.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

Trial date set for Lawrence Hecker, ex-New Orleans pries accused of raping teenager
“An Orleans Parish judge on Thursday (Dec. 8) set a March 25 trial date for Lawrence Hecker, the 92-year-old retired New Orleans priest accused of raping and kidnapping a teenager nearly 50 years ago. Hecker, who served in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, allegedly confessed in 1999 to church leaders that he had molested several teenagers over a span of 15 years, according to an investigation The Guardian published in June. The archdiocese allowed him to stay in the church.” By Jillian Kramer, Nola.com

Sex abuse lawsuit against Diocese of Lafayette goes to Louisiana Supreme Court
“The case of alleged sexual abuse against the Diocese of Lafayette and Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church will be heard by the Louisiana Supreme Court. The court announced it would take the case and ordered the District Court and the Court of Appeal to send up the records of the case, in a release Tuesday (Dec.5) … The lawsuit originally filed in 2018 alleges the Rev. Kenneth Morvant abused Doug Bienvenu and other altar boys by giving them alcohol and using the ‘Power of God’ to prey upon them. Bienvenu, the only plaintiff named in the suit, said he was nine years old when the alleged abuse started.’ By Scott Yoshonis, KLFY-TV10 News

• Priests on the move: tracking the alarming transfers of Louisiana predator priests, By Adam Horowitz, adamhorowitzlaw.com
• Louisiana Supreme Court will settle ‘lookback’ law with Acadiana clergy sex abuse cases, By KADN-TV15 News

MASSACHUSETTS

Will a new day dawn for adult victims of clergy abuse?
“Early this year, a retired phys ed teacher left her ranch house in Easthampton and drove down the interstate to tell her story of clergy abuse. It wasn’t Nancy A. Dunn’s first time before the Springfield Diocese’s review board, which meets in the red-brick Maguire Pastoral Center to hear allegations of clergy misconduct. But it was her last. The board later informed Dunn she needn’t have come back. Why? The diocese had already written her a six-figure check, she says she was told, to compensate her for a priest’s misconduct in the 1990s.” By Larry Parnass, MassLive.com

• Therapist sees ‘two betrayals’ in Springfield diocese’s response to client, By Larry Parnass, MassLive.com

NEW YORK.

Hundreds of CVA cases in limbo due to flaw in Child Victims Act
“A potential flaw in the legislation that created New York’s Child Victims Act has led to legal turmoil in hundreds of cases filed by alleged sexual abuse victims in the Court of Claims, where the state attorney general’s office has waged a fierce effort to have many of the lawsuits that were filed against New York agencies dismissed. A central focus of the state’s litigation strategy has been to assert that in the Court of Claims — where litigation targeting state-affiliated individuals or entities is adjudicated — the rules require a claimant to provide the date and location of when and where an incident is alleged to have taken place.” By Brendan J. Lyons, Albany Times Union

Rockville Centre Diocese offers ‘best, final proposal, for sexual abuse survivors
“The Diocese of Rockville Centre has made its ‘best and final proposal’ for victims of sexual abuse. The offer announced on Tuesday (Dec. 5) totals $200 million in compensation, Diocese spokesperson Sean Dolan said, adding that the amended plan is the ‘most efficient and most effective means to immediately begin compensating all eligible survivors.’” By Jerry Barmash, Rockville Centre Patch

New lawsuit shows church has work to do in protecting adults from clergy abuse
“Legal action filed against a New York state diocese shows the Catholic Church in the U.S. has significant work to do in safeguarding adults from clerical abuse. The Diocese of Rochester, New York, announced on its news website, the Catholic Courier, that it had been served Nov. 16 with a civil lawsuit involving an adult and Father Matthew Jones. The action alleges that the 41-year-old Father Jones, then pastor of All Saints Parish in Corning, New York had sexually abused male parishioner in his 20s who had sought pastoral counseling.” By Gina Christian, OSV News, on angelusnews.com

WASHINGTON, D.C.

‘Accept responsibility’: survivor behind lawsuit against Washington Archdiocese wants closure
“A Maryland man behind a class action lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Washington said the assault he endured as a child by a priest caused decades of substance abuse, shame and depression. ‘From age 15 until I was 40 … I used alcohol to cope with the pain, but all that did was turn me into an alcoholic,’ said the man identified in court filings under the pseudonym ‘Richard Roe.’ Roe is one of three men named in the filing, which asserts the archdiocese did little to prevent and protect them from abuse when they were children in the church.” By Tracee Wilkins, NBC-TV4 News

WISCONSIN

Milwaukee response to clergy complaint raises questions
“While Pope Francis has urged diocesan bishops to take more seriously the canonical discipline of clerics, the outgoing chairman of the U.S. bishops’ canonical affairs committee has not taken steps to address canonically reports of public cohabitation by a senior-ranking official in his archdiocese. A spokesperson for Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee told The Pillar that the archdiocese has ‘spoken with’ judicial vicar Fr. Mark Payne, who hired as a parish schoolteacher last year a layperson with whom he had maintained a public romantic relationship, and with whom he has shared a condo for decades.” By The Pillar

AUSTRALIA

Father David Lancini to appear in court on child sex abuse charges
“A Catholic priest with decades of service to church communities is facing allegations he abused a boy in historical sex crimes going back decades. Queensland Police allege Father David Lancini, a priest from Townsville in the state’s north, abused a boy under the age of 14 between 1969 and 1971. Fr Lancini now faces eight counts of indecent treatment of a boy under 14 and he will appear in Townsville Magistrates Court for the first time on December 5.” By Duncan Evans, news.com.au

‘It represents difficult stories’: survivors of clergy abuse ahead of George Pell’s funeral
“Victim-survivors of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy gathered outside St Mary’s Cathedral as the coffin of Cardinal George Pell returned to the Sydney church on Wednesday (Dec. 6) ahead of his funeral on Thursday. Since Monday, survivors and their supporters have been tying ribbons to the fence of the cathedral in memory of those victims who could not be there in person. Clergy abuse survivor Paul Auchettl has been leading a group tying ribbons to the church gates to represent the voices of those ‘who are gone, who are suffering, who have been harmed’ by child sexual abuse, he said.” By The Guardian on news.yahoo.com

BELGIUM

In Belgium, sexual abuse in Catholic Church sparks debate over state funding
“In Belgium, a recent documentary on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has caused shock and soul-searching, reigniting a debate about the way religion is funded in the country. Unlike in neighboring France, the Belgian state finances officially recognized religions, with representatives of the Catholic Church receiving the best pay. But the abuse scandal has seen many people demand a change in the rules. The justice ministry has asked the Church to remove members of the clergy guilty of sexual abuse from the list of those paid by the state, and a parliamentary inquiry is underway.” Our correspondent reports. By France24.com

Belgian priest seeking justice for sex abuse victims
“Since the broadcast of a shocking documentary about abuse in the Belgian Catholic Church awakened buried traumas, former priest Rik Deville has been overwhelmed by heart-breaking stories. One victim, an 86-year-old man, called Deville from his car where he had locked himself, in floods of tears. He finally told someone of the horrific abuse he suffered that even his nearest and dearest didn’t know. Deville devotes his life to providing support to victims of sexual abuse in the Church, carefully reading each victim’s story and taking their many phone calls.” By Matthieu Demeestere, Barron’s

CANADA

Avondale priest charged with sexual assault against an adult
“A Roman Catholic priest in Avondale has been charged with sexual assault against an adult. Thomas Offong, 49, was charged following an investigation by the RCMP in Holyrood, according to a press release issued by the police Friday (Dec. 1). He is scheduled to appear at provincial court in St. John’s on Feb. 6. Police provided no other information about Offong, the circumstances or the alleged victim, and told CBC News they wouldn’t comment further as the matter is now before the courts.” By Alex Kennedy, CBC News

P.E.I. priest sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation
“A retired Roman Catholic priest on P.E.I. has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of a teenage boy in the 1990s. Maurice Joseph Praught, 70, entered the plea in a Charlottetown courtroom Tuesday morning. He was arrested in 2022 following a joint investigation by Summerside police and the RCMP after the Diocese of Charlottetown reported the allegations. He was initially charged with six counts of sexual exploitation and four counts of sexual assault, but the remainder of those charges have been stayed or withdrawn.” By CBC News

369 people come forward with abuse claims against Archdiocese of St. John’s in bankruptcy case
“The final tally is in — 369 people have come forward claiming they were abused physically or sexually by people under the watch of the Archdiocese of St. John’s, including the Christian Brothers at Mount Cashel. Archbishop Peter Hundt delivered the message to parishioners during Roman Catholic masses on Sunday, saying each of those claims are now being evaluated by an independent claims officer to ‘provide both a determination of liability and a value for each claim.’ It’s the latest update in the archdiocese’s insolvency proceedings, which began when the organization filed for creditor protection on Dec. 22, 2021.” By Ryan Cooke and Alex Kennedy, CBC News

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES

English priest sentenced after conviction for sexual abuse of a child
“Father Reginald Dunkling, a priest of the Diocese of Westminster in England, was sentenced Dec. 1 for a non-recent sexual abuse of a child. The Wood Green Crown Court imposed a 12-month community order, with additional requirements. The diocese said Dunkling, now 61, withdrew from ministry in May 2020, and since that time has had no role in public ministry. The church issued a statement saying that following his conviction, the priest does not, and will not, have any role in public ministry.” By Charles Collins, Cruxnow.com

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Former priest, 72, pleads guilty to raft of sex abuse charges against young boy as he appears in court
“A former priest has pleaded guilty to a raft of sex abuse charges against a young boy. Eamonn Crossan appeared at Donegal Circuit Court facing a total of 96 sex-related charges. The 72-year-old was due to stand trial before a judge and jury. However, just moments before a jury was due to be sworn in for his trial, Crossan’s legal team informed Judge John Aylmer there could be progress in the case. After a short adjournment, it was indicated that Crossan was pleading guilty to a total of nine sample charges ranging from indecent assault to sexual assault.” By Stephen Maguire, The Irish Sun

Aug. 25, 2023

TOP STORIES

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

Australian archbishop says married Indigenous priests ‘highly likely’
“The Archbishop of Brisbane, Australia, has called for the Vatican to authorize the ordination of married men to the priesthood for ministry among the country’s indigenous communities. Archbishop Mark Coleridge made the call in an interview published Saturday with the newspaper The Australian. The archbishop argued that married priests ordained from within indigenous communities are part of necessary reforms for the Church which must “look quite different” in the future in order to continue its mission.” By The Pillar

The complicated legacy of state investigations of the Catholic sex abuse crisis
“Philadelphia is a ‘very Catholic city,’ Barbara Daly will tell you … This very Catholic city has been hammered in recent years by stories of the abuse of children by Catholic priests recounted in a series of grand jury reports, which culminated in a statewide grand jury investigation and a report released by the attorney general of Pennsylvania in August 2018. These events returned national attention to the church’s abuse scandal and inspired a flurry of similar investigations across the country.” By Kevin Clarke, America: The Jesuit Review

Discerning leadership program aims to build a synodal church
“In Pope Francis ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ — a 2013 document considered to be the blueprint for his papacy — he called for the church’s mission to be ‘channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.’ A decade later, a newly established Jesuit initiative is training senior church leaders to put that goal into practice through a program aimed at strengthening the practical skills necessary for discernment and reform for a church that is more collaborative than hierarchical. Founded in 2019, the Discerning Leadership program combines Ignatian spirituality with pioneering methodologies for polarity management and fostering communal growth.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

Catholic church sex abuse victims and activists to call on Ohio attorney general for investigation
“For the second time in five years, a group of victims of sex abuse by Catholic clergy and their supporters is asking Ohio’s attorney general to investigate all six dioceses in the state. Local, national survivors and/or their parents who make up SNAP Network (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), Greater Cincinnati Voice of the Faithful and Ohioans for Child Protection are holding a news conference Wednesday morning. They will publicly ask Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to conduct a statewide investigation ‘of the history and scope of child sexual abuse, trafficking, child sex abuse enabling and cover-up in Ohio’s 6 Dioceses.’” By Jennifer Edwards Baker, FOX-TV19 News

• Child sex abuse survivor group release names of 49 accused Catholic clergy members, By Jonathan Walsh, News 5 Cleveland
• Child sexual abuse survivors release names, urge Ohio to investigate Catholic dioceses, By Morgan Trau and Jonathan Walsh, Ohio Capital Journal

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate settlements with abuse survivors
“The Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco (‘RCASF’) announced today (Aug.21) the filing of a voluntary petition for bankruptcy relief under chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The filing is necessary to manage and resolve the more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse brought against RCASF under California Assembly Bill 218, which allowed decades-old claims to be filed by December 31, 2022, that otherwise were time barred. Chapter 11 is a court-supervised process that allows each claim to be evaluated on its merits, provides transparency into the proceedings and into RCASF’s finances, and gives claimants a voice in the outcome.” By Archdiocese of San Francisco on Cision PRNewswire

• San Francisco Archdiocese declares bankruptcy amid hundreds of lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse, By Olga Rodriguez, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Ohio abuse survivors call on attorney general to investigate state’s Catholic dioceses
“Advocates for survivors of clergy sexual abuse said it’s time for Ohio’s top law enforcement official to investigate the state’s six Catholic dioceses. Members of Ohio chapters of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, Ohioans for Child Protection and the Greater Cincinnati Voice of the Faithful urged Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost in an Aug. 16 letter to follow the examples of abuse investigations that have occurred in other states in recent years. Daniel Frondorf of SNAP’s Cincinnati chapter told NCR that reports released after investigations in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Maryland included references to 49 priests who had lived, worked or had other ties to Ohio and had been accused of sexually abusing children.” By Dennis Sadowski, National Catholic Reporter

• Sex abuse victim advocates call on Ohio AG to investigate Ohio’s Catholic churches, By Madeline Fening, Cleveland Scene
• Abuse survivors call on Attorney General Dave Yost to investigate Ohio Catholic dioceses, By Peter Gill, Columbus Dispatch

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Retired Cardinal Burke claims synod causing ‘grave harm’ to Catholic Church
“The synod process underway around the world and at the Vatican is inflicting ‘evident and grave harm’ on the Catholic Church, retired U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke wrote in a letter published as the foreword to a book. ‘Synodality and its adjective, synodal, have become slogans behind which a revolution is at work to change radically the church’s self-understanding, in accord with a contemporary ideology which denies much of what the church has always taught and practiced,’ said the cardinal’s letter to José Antonio Ureta and Julio Loredo de Izcue, authors of ‘The Synodal Process Is a Pandora’s Box.’” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

New Malaysia cardinal cautions against fomenting division at synod
“Malaysia’s new cardinal, Sebastian Francis of Penang, has said the upcoming Synod of Bishops on Synodality ought to be an open process in which all issues are discussed without fear, and warned against using labels that cause division. Speaking to Crux, Francis said of the synod, ‘as long as we don’t get into labels, and we don’t get into trying to divide,’ things will be fine.” By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com

What do U.S. Latinos want from the synod? We asked three who will be there.
“Wyatt Olivas is a student at the University of Wyoming and a music intern at St. Paul’s Newman Center there. He is also one of 20 representatives from the United States who will be voting during the Synod on Synodality in Rome this October. America spoke with Mr. Olivas and other Latino Catholics from the United States who will be at the synod. Their participation is important: Recent polling data suggests that more than half of U.S. Catholics under 30 are Latino. Overall, Latinos make up more than 40 percent of Catholics in the United States.” By J.D. Long Garcia, America: The Jesuit Review

All aboard: World Youth Day pilgrims know about the synod, share its concerns
“The staff of the synod secretariat went to World Youth Day in Lisbon prepared to explain ‘synodality’ to young Catholics, but they found the pilgrims from around the world already knew about the synod assembly planned for October and about many of the issues proposed for discussion. ‘Being in contact with the young people was amazing, really amazing,’ said Thierry Bonaventura, the synod communication manager. ‘Most of them knew about the synod, were ready to listen to more about it’ and were eager to share their hopes and concerns.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Agency

• Synodality played a leading role at World Youth Day. Can we keep it going in our church? By José Maria Brito, America: The Jesuit Review

World Your Day recap: foreshadowing the synod on synodality
“World Youth Day wrapped up Sunday, Aug. 6, having gathered 1.5 million young people from around the world. On this special summer episode of ‘Inside the Vatican,’ America editors Ricardo da Silva, S.J. and Gerard O’Connell recap the event. First up on the show, Gerry and Ricardo give a sense of what World Youth Day was like on the ground—a sea of young people, thrilled and excited, but in the same measure silent and reverent at moments of prayer. Pope Francis, they explain, was ‘in top form,’ energized by the crowd, often putting aside his written speeches in favor of interacting with the young people gathered there.” By Colleen Dulle, Inside the Vatican, America: The Jesuit Review

What I learned from listening to non-practicing Catholics ahead of the Synod
“The Vatican named 363 voting members for October’s Synod on Synodality a few weeks ago, including Archbishop Etienne of Seattle at the personal invitation of the pope. Since this synod was announced in 2021, I have worked with the Seattle chancery as a synod volunteer and responded to the call for dialogue by personally talking with 100 people who were baptized and are now non-practicing. Having found that the archdiocese took my findings seriously, I was heartened by the Vatican’s announcement.” By Sarah-Marie Chan, America: The Jesuit Review

POPE FRANCIS

When it comes to church reform, Pope Francis isn’t afraid to ruffle a few feathers
“Tensions have been bubbling recently in the Catholic Diocese of Rome, as Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the vicar who supervises the see’s day-to-day operations, has clashed with Rome’s bishop — Catholicism’s worldwide leader, Pope Francis … Vatican insiders have begun to study the way Francis is handling the disagreements in his own backyard for insight into how the pontiff addresses reform worldwide.” By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

PRIESTS

Priest pleads guilty to federal child sex exploitation charges
“A Catholic priest pleaded guilty this week to charges of child sex exploitation related to the transport of a minor from South Carolina to Florida several years ago. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina said in a press release Thursday (Aug. 10) that 68-year-old Jamie Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias had entered a guilty plea on charges of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.” By Daniel Payne, Catholic News Agency

WOMEN’S VOICES

The other form of abuse in the Catholic Church
“When we hear the term “abuse” in relation to the Catholic Church, we immediately think of crimes of a sexual nature committed against children by the clergy. But there is another form of abuse taking place in the Church and it’s just as real. It’s called emotional abuse and is most evident in the attitude of the Church hierarchy towards women. It is characterized by such things as patronizing language, silencing of voices, refusal to engage and failure to empower. It can be subtle and may even go unnoticed. That’s because it is structural in nature, camouflaged within the rules and guidelines of the institution.” By John Crothers on JohnMenadue.com

CHILD PROTECTION

Nine-year leaders’ ability, compassion puts archdiocese on sold footing after clergy abuse crisis
“Fair. Disciplined. Thorough. Compassionate. Experienced. Credible. Co-workers, victims-survivors and other observers use those words as they describe Tim O’Malley, 67, who as director of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment helped lead the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis out of a crisis stemming from clergy sexual abuse.” By Joe Ruff, The Catholic Spirit

CHURCH FINANCES

Two former Catholic churches in Warwick sell for $2.6 million
“Two former Catholic churches that went on the market in Warwick earlier this year recently sold for a total of $2.6 million, according to MG Commercial Real Estate, which represented the seller. The former Saint Catherine’s Cathedral church property, located at 3248 Post Road, was bought from the Roman Catholic Church for $1 million by Bluth LLC, a Warwick-based residential developer, according to the quitclaim deed, a public record of the transaction. Bluth, managed by Matthew Tonning and Robert Tonning Jr., plans to convert the former church building into apartments, said MG Commercial Real Estate, in its announcement of the sale.” By Marc Larocque

Vatican investment office reports $35 million profit for 2022
“The Vatican investment office made 32.27 million euros (about $35.2 million) in profit in 2022 and contributed the entire amount to the Vatican’s operating budget, said Bishop Nunzio Galantino, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See. The profit was close to 6 million euros less than what the investments earned in 2021, the bishop said in the annual report of the administration, which is known by its Italian acronym, APSA, and controls most of the Vatican’s portfolio, including real estate.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Agency, in National Catholic Reporter

How much money has the Catholic Church paid in settlements
“How Much Money Has the Catholic Church Paid in Settlements? The Catholic Church, one of the oldest and wealthiest religious institutions in the world, has faced numerous allegations of sexual abuse by clergy members over the years. These cases have resulted in significant financial settlements being paid out to victims and their families. While it is challenging to determine an exact total, estimates suggest that the Catholic Church has paid billions of dollars in settlements.” By Investor Times in Money

CELIBACY& MARRIED PRIESTS

Celibacy is a gift that ‘fulfills’ priests
“It might ‘go against the grain’ outside the Church, but Professor Renee Kohler-Ryan insists there is a strong case for Catholic priests to stay celibate. As national head of the School of Philosophy and Theology at Notre Dame University Australia, she teaches young men who aspire to a life in the priesthood with all the worldly sacrifices that entails. Yet there’s another side rarely brought out: what they gain in the process. ‘Spiritually speaking, they’re really married to the Church,’ Professor Kohler-Ryan said.” By CathNews.com

Australian archbishop: allow married priests for indigenous peoples
“Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane has suggested that aboriginal tribes should be exempt from the requirement of priestly celibacy, because there is ‘no way you’re going to recruit a celibate clergy in those cultures.’ The archbishop said that this suggestion could be introduced at the October meeting of the Synod on Synodality. Bishop Charles Gauci of Darwin agreed: ‘With Aboriginal people, we need to be respectful of culture. Pope Francis has said that he is open in certain situations to ordaining married men; that is not off the agenda.’” By CatholicCulture.org

• Brisbane archbishop backs married Indigenous men to be allowed pathway to priesthood, By The Catholic Leader

Celibacy is a historical ill which the Catholic Church must immediately withdraw
“The church around the world today is witnessing a sharp reduction in the number of celibate priests and nuns. This also draw from a growing realization that the universal requirement to celibacy within the church was forced upon the clergy in the year 1123 and then again in 1139. Historically, there is no explicit commandment in the New Testament of the Holy Bible which states that the disciples of Jesus Christ must live a life of celibacy. Stances positioned in defense of celibacy by the theologians is merely a superficial interpretation refined with dogmas of asceticism and layered with eschatological theology.” By Dr. Edmond Fernandes, The Times of India

VOICES

The court’s pause: a necessary change for victims

Presently 34 Catholic organizations, Boy Scouts of America, and USA Gymnastics have raced to the loving arms of the federal bankruptcy courts to seek protection for their abysmal and repeated failures to protect innocent children from a great risk of harm. In the case of the epidemic of child sexual abuse, we can see the mass migration to the federal bankruptcy courts … Defendants file for bankruptcy under the guise of insolvency (which, by the way, is not required in Chapter 11). Victims’ legal claims are stayed. There is little discovery. Blanket protective orders are issued, concealing sexual predators and crimes against children. The public is kept in the dark. Victims have little voice and receive pennies on the dollar.” By Kathryn Robb, Executive Director of CHILDUSAdvocacy, on Verdict.justia.com

When a Catholic diocese goes bankrupt, does it help or hurt sex abuse survivors?
“Catholic dioceses throughout the United States, including several in New York and California, are considering or already taking steps toward declaring bankruptcy, partly in response to a flood of sexual abuse lawsuits filed after states adopted laws that eliminate or pause statutes of limitations … Lawyers and advocates for survivors say that dioceses seeking bankruptcy protections use the process to shield church assets from individuals who were harmed by the church, by, for example, moving around funds or real estate holdings. Some bankruptcy experts, however, say the process allows for a thorough process that can ultimately lead to a more just outcome for those who were harmed.” By Michael J. O’Loughlin and Christopher Parker, America: The Jesuit Review

Catholic church predators must be held accountable
“Though it is mind-boggling anyone would still have to ask, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests filed a letter last week to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, asking the state to hold accountable those in the Catholic church who have been accused of being predators. The letter is a formal request by the organization for a statewide investigation into the history and scope of child sexual abuse it says is being covered up by the state’s Catholic diocese, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal.” By The Marietta Times Editorial Board

If the synod isn’t a parliament, voting should be dropped
“When the participants for the synod were announced recently, they were identified as voting or nonvoting, based on whether they will be part of the group that votes on the final document at the end of the process in October 2024. So, it appears that voting will be a part of the synod process and perhaps — even as many people anticipate the synod — an important one. But be aware of what voting suggests. It almost inevitably means moving into a default mode of a parliamentary-like process. Different points of view will be represented and then debated and voted upon. Not everyone will get their way, but in democratic fashion the majority will hold sway.” By Louis J. Cameli, America: The Jesuit Review

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Louisiana court upholds ‘lookback window’ in win for Catholic abuse victims
“A Louisiana state appeals court has upheld the constitutionality of a law temporarily suspending filing deadlines for people seeking damages over long-ago sexual abuse claims, handing a victory to survivors and a setback to the Roman Catholic diocese opposing them in the case. The ruling, from a panel of judges with Louisiana’s third circuit court of appeal in Lake Charles, is the first to uphold a 2021 law in the state which opened a three-year window for victims of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits for damages regardless of whether the deadline to do so had otherwise lapsed.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

Lifting the lid on Catholic clergy abuse: Boston Globe former editor
“Martin Baron was editor of the Boston Globe and its award-winning Spotlight investigative team, which tenaciously uncovered widespread sexual abuse by priests, hushed up by the church paying private settlements to claimants … The day before Baron started work at the Globe, the paper ran a piece by Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Eileen McNamara, he tells Nine to Noon. ‘It talked about a case of a priest who had been accused of abusing 80 kids. And at the end of the column, she said the truth may never be known because the documents that might reveal it, were under a confidentiality order, they were secret, they weren’t being disclosed to the public.’” By Radio New Zealand

ALABAMA

Former Alabama priest Alex Crow ‘groomed’ multiple young girls, may face charges, sheriff says
“Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said authorities believe a defrocked Catholic priest ‘groomed another couple of young girls’ in addition to the 18-year-old woman who accompanied him to Europe. Burch, speaking on Fox Nation’s ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace,’ said Alex Crow had a previous association with a female who was ‘best friends’ with the woman who left with him. He also said there could be felony warrants against Cros ‘this week.’” By William Thornton, AL.com

ARIZONA

Arizona appeals court revives negligence case against Phoenix diocese
“Four years ago, Arizona lawmakers opened a temporary window for child sex abuse victims over age 30 to sue for damages. Now, the state Court of Appeals has revived a case against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix brought by an anonymous plaintiff who was 11 years old in 1979. The reversal on appeal may open the door for the plaintiff’s lawyers to scour church records for information on when clergy learned that former priest Joseph Henn was a danger to children. Henn pleaded guilty to sex crimes in 2021 after local prosecutors extradited him from Italy.” By Matthew Casey, FronterasDesk.org

• Appeals court says Phoenix Diocese can’t duck sex abuse lawsuit, By Jerod MacDonald-Evoy, AZMirror.com

CALIFORNIA

Sexual misconduct lawsuit hits SF Catholic high school, multiple victims lodge allegations
“On the heels of the local SF Catholic Archdiocese declaring bankruptcy over sex-abuse lawsuits, one prestigious prep school affiliated with the archdiocese is facing a lawsuit alleging that a teacher kissed and groped multiple students. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco just declared bankruptcy Monday (Aug. 21), and made no secret of the fact they did this for financial protection from the 500-plus child sex abuse lawsuits they are facing. And there are 90 private Catholic schools under the jurisdiction of the archdiocese.” By SFirst.com

Last chance ahead for clergy abuse survivors to file claims against Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese
“Survivors of clergy abuse involving the Santa Rosa Roman Catholic Diocese have one final chance this fall to come forward to seek a settlement from the church. A federal bankruptcy judge has set an Oct. 20 deadline for all claims against the embattled diocese — both from those who have lodged lawsuits against the church already and from those who have yet to take legal action but don’t want to miss a shot at taking part in a settlement.” By Mary Callahan, The Press Democrat

Court records reveal names of active East Bay priests accused of abuse
“A Catholic priest in Rodeo remains the active head of a church and parochial school while he faces accusations of molesting a child parishioner decades ago, KQED has learned. A lawsuit filed in Alameda County in September alleges ongoing abuse in the mid-1980s, including that the priest secluded the unnamed plaintiff in an office and groped his genitals underneath his clothing when he was a parishioner at St. Raymond Catholic Church in Dublin. The plaintiff was around 6 and 7 years old at the time.” By Alex Hall, KQED.org

LOUISIANA

Priest admits sexual abuse of teens to WWL-TV
“For the first time ever, one of the New Orleans Catholic church’s most notorious clergy abusers has publicly admitted that he sexually molested or harassed several teenagers during his career, describing himself as remorseful yet unsure if he’s deserving of any criminal consequences. Lawrence Hecker gave the rare admission when reporters for WWL-TV and the British newspaper the Guardian asked him to discuss a statement he gave to New Orleans church leaders in 1999. In the statement, he acknowledged committing ‘overtly sexual acts’ with at least three underage boys in the late 1960s and 1970s and revealed his close relationships with four others stretching into the 1980s.” By David Hammer, WWL-TV4 News, and Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

Abuse survivors revive calls for Aymond to resign; church says he won’t
“A small group of survivors of child sex abuse by Catholic clergy protested outside a special Mass this week, calling on Archbishop Aymond to resign over his handling of the clergy abuse crisis. Three survivors stood outside the gates of St. Angela Merici on Wednesday (Aug. 16), holding ‘Aymond Must Go’ signs as the archbishop entered for Mass on the first day of a three-day Mission to the Holy Spirit. The archdiocese issued this statement about the 73-year-old Aymond: ‘Archbishop Aymond has no intention of resigning or retiring until the age of 75 when it is canonically required of him to submit his retirement letter …’” By David Hammer, WWL-TV4 News

New Orleans archdiocese failed to monitor priests accused of sexual abuse
“After the US’s second-oldest Roman Catholic archdiocese filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020, attorneys for people claiming sexual abuse at the hands of the organization’s clergymen reviewed thousands of records outlining how the church managed the careers of priests and deacons faced with substantial allegations. Glaringly missing from those documents is any plan by which the archdiocese of New Orleans could reliably protect children from contact with clerics who had been suspended from public ministry following molestation allegations – but who for years stayed in close proximity to and were financially supported by the church.” By Ramon Antonia Vargas, The Guardian

• 300 New Orleans priests were reported for sexual abuse – only 25% are on the archdiocese credibly accused list, By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian
• New Orleans archbishop overruled panel that found credible clergy abuse, report says, By Gordon Russell and Joseph Cranney, NOLA.com
• New Orleans Archdiocese clergy abuse much greater than we’ve been told, attorney memo alleges, By David Hammer, WWL-TV4 News
• New Orleans Archdiocese pushes back on newspaper’s allegations, By Gina Christian, Our Sunday Visitor

MAINE

Six more people sue Maine Catholic diocese over child sex abuse allegations
“Six more people have sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, alleging that seven clergy abused them at sites around the state between 1954 and 1988 when they were from about 4 to 14 years old. Glen Witham, one of the people who filed suit Monday (Aug. 14) in Cumberland County Superior Court, was 14 years old when claims that the Rev. John E. Harris abused him. Witham lived at the Rumford Boys Home across the street from the St. Athanasius and St. John Parish in Rumford, and the abuse allegedly began in 1984 and lasted until 1987.” By Valerie Royzman, Bangor Daily News

MARYLAND

Maryland officials to reveal more names from April child sex abuse report on Archdiocese of Baltimore
“A redacted report that detailed child sexual abuse claims within the Archdiocese of Baltimore will be re-released in September following a recent court order to remove most of its redactions, according to an official statement from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.” By Winston Rogers, ABC-TV7 News

• Most redactions to be lifted from report on Baltimore clergy sex abuse, per court order, By FOX-25TV News
• Court rules that names in Baltimore abuse report should be revealed, By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com

Judge orders most Catholic Church names made public in Maryland AG report, calls for ‘more transparency, not less
“A Baltimore judge has ordered the release of most of the redacted names in the attorney general’s report on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s history of child sexual abuse, according to court records unsealed Tuesday (Aug. 22). The order allows for the release Sept. 26 of 43 of 46 blacked-out names, including those of five high-ranking church officials who contributed to the cover-up, and nine of 10 alleged abusers. The people to be named will have an opportunity to appeal the order before the attorney general’s office would publish a version of the report with far fewer redactions than its initial version, which came out in April.” By Lee O. Sanderlin, The Baltimore Sun, in The Brunswick News

‘Who’s gonna believe an 11-year-old kid?’: WTOP anchor speaks out on being sexually abused by Catholic priest
“A nightmare has haunted WTOP anchor Dan Ronan for decades. The recurring dream has plagued him for most of his life. ‘I’m being chased out of the parking lot,’ 63-year-old Ronan told WTOP’s DMV Download podcast. ‘I’m being chased through that parking lot on a dark evening. And he’s chasing me and he’s … screaming at me. And before he would catch me, I would wake up sweating and crying and shaking.’ In 1971, Ronan was sexually assaulted in Chicago, Illinois, by Father Thomas Gannon — a respected priest and professor who went on to teach sociology at Georgetown University between 1983 and 1986. Ronan was in the sixth grade at the time and didn’t tell a soul about the assault for nearly 50 years.” By Luke Garrett, WTOP-FM News

MINNESOTA

New clergy sex abuse lawsuits
“New court filings name the Diocese of Winona-Rochester as a defendant, as well as schools and parishes in Rochester, Winona and Mankato. They stem from a $28 million settlement reached between the Diocese, the victims and insurance companies in 2021 … According to the lawsuits, the alleged victims were between 10-16 years old at the time of the abuse, which happened between 1968 and 1974 at churches and schools including St. Mary’s in Winona, the Church of Holy Trinity in Rollingstone, Lourdes High School in Rochester and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Mankato.” By Rachel Mantos, KAAL-TV6 News

NEW YORK.

Waite: Hubbard can’t separate himself from abuse diocese enabled
“A celebratory profile of Bishop Emeritus Howard Hubbard on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany’s website concludes by noting that Hubbard’s 37 years as bishop made him the longest serving bishop in the history of the diocese. But now, Hubbard wants to sever formal ties to the Catholic Church … But in March the Vatican denied that laicization request until seven civil lawsuits against Hubbard alleging sexual misconduct have been resolved, according to Hubbard’s statement.” By Andrew Waite, The Daily Gazette

OHIO

Advocates ask Yost to investigate Ohio’s Catholic dioceses
“A group of concerned parents, Catholics and advocates for child sexual abuse survivors are asking Attorney General Dave Yost to initiate a statewide investigation into the history of scope of sexual abuse within Ohio’s six Catholic dioceses. The groups, which include parents from Ohioans for Child Protection, Greater Cincinnati Voice of the Faithful, Concerned Catholics of Cincinnati and the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, take inspiration from recent investigations into sexual abuse within the Catholic church completed by attorneys general in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Maryland.” By Mackenzi Klemann, LimaOhio.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Archdiocese of Philadelphia settles child sex abuse case against a deceased priest for $3.5 million
“The Archdiocese of Philadelphia will pay $3.5 million to settle a civil case alleging a now-deceased priest sexually assaulted a teenage boy nearly two decades ago, and church officials knew of similar reports about the priest dating back to the 1970s, attorneys for the victim announced Wednesday (Aug. 9). The plaintiff was a 14-year-old student in religious classes at St. Katherine of Siena Parish in Wayne when the sexual assault occurred in 2006, his attorneys said. They said Monsignor John Close assaulted the boy after hearing his confession. The plaintiff, now 30, reported the episode in 2018. Many survivors of child sexual abuse do not report the abuse until years later.” By Brooke Schultz, Associated Press, on ABCNews.go.com

SOUTH CAROLINA

Former South Carolina admits to sexual misconduct with 11-year-old he took on beach vacation
“A former Catholic priest has admitted to acts of sexual misconduct with a child he met through his pastoral duties. Jamie Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias, 68, plead guilty to a federal charge that he transported a minor intending to engage in criminal sexual activity. Court evidence shows the man known as ‘Father Gonzalez’ lavished gifts and attention on an 11-year-old boy before taking him on a beach vacation to Florida in November 2020, according to a news release. He then attempted to sexually assault the child, behaved in other sexually inappropriate ways and showed him pornography, FBI officials said.” By Associated Press, on WLTX-TV19 News

TEXAS

San Antonio Archdiocese removes two priests over allegations of child sex abuse
“The Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas, has removed two of its incardinated priests from ministry after receiving substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse. Father Alejandro Ortega of St. Monica Catholic Church in Converse and Father Jesus Eduardo “Lalo” Martinez-Solis of St. Joseph-Honey Creek Church in Spring Branch were both accused of sexually abusing minors. The allegations were referred to law enforcement, the archdiocese said. Both men had their faculties removed and are prohibited from identifying themselves as priests. They are forbidden from wearing clerical clothing and using clerical titles.” By Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency

• Catholic priest from Converse removed from duties due to sexual abuse allegations, By Cody King, KSAT-TV12 News
• Priest removed from St. Monica’s parish over allegations of sexual misconduct with minor, By NBC-TV4 News

WASHINGTON, D.C.

After 50 years, a victim of clergy sex abuse speaks out
“The scourge of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church has been well documented. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is now renewing calls that the Archdiocese of Washington release the names of known, hidden abusers. It’s a message Dan Ronan — a survivor of child sex abuse at the hands of a priest — echoes. On the show, Ronan tells his story of how Father Thomas Gannon sexually abused him as an 11-year-old boy in Chicago. He also talks about why Gannon wasn’t punished for this alleged assault and later became a respected professor at Georgetown University. Ronan walks us through this trauma and shares how he ultimately found peace 50 years later.” By WTOP.com News

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin DOJ asks for sealed documents from Milwaukee archdiocese sex abuse investigation
“Wisconsin’s Department of Justice is asking to see sealed records from the Milwaukee branch of the Catholic Church as part of the attorney general’s investigation into sexual abuse by faith leaders. Those records were shielded from public view after the Milwaukee Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2011. In 2015, that bankruptcy case resulted in a $21 million settlement between the archdiocese and hundreds of sexual abuse survivors.” By Sarah Lehr, Wisconsin Public Radio

AUSTRALIA

Alleged Catholic priest abuse victim prevented from seeking justice in court
“Christopher Moran has been waiting a lifetime to have his day in court. When he was nine his father suddenly died and he went to stay on an Aboriginal mission in northern New South Wales. The Taungurung man alleges it was during this vulnerable time that he was sexually abused by Catholic priest David Perrett while on a camping trip to Georges Creek in 1976.” By Erin Somerville, ABC News Australia

Catholic church uses death of pedophile priest in bid to stop survivor suing NSW diocese, court hears
“The Catholic church is seeking to use using the death of a ‘prolific pedophile’ priest to permanently prevent a dying Indigenous man from seeking justice for alleged abuse suffered on camping trips in rural New South Wales. Two survivors are suing the church’s Armidale diocese for the alleged abuse by notorious priest David Joseph Perrett during camping trips from an Aboriginal mission in the mid-1970s.” By Christopher Knaus, The Guardian

Pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale sentenced to eighth hail term over historic abuse
“One of Australia’s most notorious pedophiles, Gerald Ridsdale, has been sentenced for the eighth time over historical sex offences. This morning’s sentencing over the 192nd charge faced by Ridsdale related to the former priest’s 72nd known victim-survivor. In June this year the 89-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault of a minor in the 1980s.” By ABC News, Australia

• Australian ex-priest has prison sentence extended to 40 years for molesting 72^nd child victim, By Associated Press

BELIZE

Former Catholic priest admits to sexual misconduct with 11-year-old
“Fоrmеr Саthоlіс рrіеѕt Јаmіе Аdоlfо Gоnzаlеz-Fаrіаѕ,68, hаѕ аdmіttеd thаt hе еngаgеd іn асtѕ оf ѕехuаl mіѕсоnduсt wіth аn 11-уеаr-оld сhіld thаt hе mеt thrоugh hіѕ раѕtоrаl dutіеѕ. Ассоrdіng tо thе Аѕѕосіаtеd Рrеѕѕ, thіѕ wееk, Fаrіаѕ рlеd guіltу tо а fеdеrаl сhаrgе thаt hе trаnѕроrtеd а mіnоr іntеndіng tо еngаgе іn сrіmіnаl ѕехuаl асtіvіtу. Rероrtѕ ѕhоw thаt thе рrіеѕt gаvе gіftѕ tо thе сhіld bеfоrе tаkіng hіm оn а bеасh vасаtіоn tо Flоrіdа іn Nоvеmbеr 2020. Тhе рrіеѕt thеn аttеmрtеd tо ѕехuаllу аѕѕаult thе сhіld аnd bеhаvеd іn оthеr ѕехuаllу іnаррrорrіаtе wауѕ аnd ѕhоwеd hіm роrnоgrарhу.” By Zolla Palma Gonzalez on BreakingBelizeNews.com

BOLIVIA

Jesuit provincial in Bolivia says he would not have entered order if he know about abuse
“In the wake of the sexual abuse of minors scandal that broke out in April involving various members of the Society of Jesus in Bolivia, the country’s provincial superior, Father Bernardo Mercado, said that not even if he ‘were crazy’ would he have entered the Jesuit order if he had known the real situation involving those members accused of pederasty. The priest was interviewed recently by the special commission for the investigation of crimes of sexual abuse taking place in ecclesial environments recently created by the Bolivian Chamber of Senators, ATB Digital media reported.” By Julieta Villar, Catholic News Agency, in The Catholic World Report

CANADA

Kelowna man files $6.9M lawsuit over alleged sexual abuse by priest
“A Kelowna, B.C., man has filed a $6.9-million lawsuit against an Edmonton Catholic school and the religious order that runs it claiming he was sexually abused by a priest beginning when he was 12 years old. ‘For 38 years, my memories of the abuse remained hidden deep, within my subconscious: leaking poison into every decision I ever made in life. I never trusted anyone, not even family,’ the 52-year-old Stephen Gregory Bounds said.” By Jeremy Hainsworth, VancouverIsAwesome.com

Ottawa Catholic school teacher charged with sexual assault
“A teacher at St. Francis Xavier High School in Ottawa’s south end is facing sexual assault charges following allegations involving one of her high school students, according to police. Ottawa police say an investigation was launched in July into alleged incidents involving a teacher and a student between March and May 2023. On Thursday (Aug. 10), police charged Shannon Marie Quinn, 40, of Ottawa with five counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation. Police say she is also known as Shannon Greffe.” By Josh Pringle, CTV News Ottawa

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Victim of pedophile priest Malachy Finnegan receives £400,000 settlement
“A 51-year-old Co Down man who was abused by the notorious pedophile priest Malachy Finnegan has received a settlement of £400,000, lawyers have said. Finnegan is alleged to have sexually abused children in the Catholic diocese of Dromore across four decades before his death in 2002. KRW Law, acting on behalf of the victim who wished to remain anonymous, said he had been abused over a three-year period in the mid 1980s when he was a student at St Colman’s College in Newry.” By Gráinne Ni Aodha, PA, BelfastLive.co.uk

PHILIPPINES

Christian faith helps combat clerical child abuse
“The power of real Christian faith in a person is that it motivates the believer in Jesus of Nazareth and his words to take action to help the downtrodden, to protect, empower, strengthen and enlighten the weak, stand with sexually abused children, support them and work for justice. That faith, empowered by the belief that goodness, the love of justice, service to the poor, and care for the needy, will overcome and defeat evil and wrongdoing, and will bring healing and justice to the victims of sexual abuse.” By Fr. Shay Cullen, CathNews.com