Posts Tagged accountability

Vatican’s child protection commission invites public feedback on safeguarding principles / Catholic News Agency

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on August 2, 2023

‘The function of these principles,” the commission (Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors) said, “is to promote protection from abuse in the Church according to existing good practices in safeguarding, with a focus on assisting people impacted by abuse and the importance of dealing appropriately with instances of abuse.’

By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency

“The Vatican’s child protection commission is inviting the public to provide feedback on Church safeguarding principles for the creation of updated diocesan guidelines.

“Anyone can participate in an online survey, which is available in four languages, including English and Spanish.

“The responses will be used to formulate an updated Universal Guidelines Framework (UFG), the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors said last week.

“The final version of the UFG will be approved at the end of 2023 and distributed to Catholic dioceses and territories around the world with the request to update their current safeguarding guidelines according to the local culture.”

By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency — Read more …

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Joy and hope amid struggle at Women of the Church event / National Catholic Reporter

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Future of the Church, Synod of Bishops, Synod on Synodality, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful, Women, Women Deacons, Women in Catholic Church, Women in the Church on August 2, 2023

‘Because we’re living through it, we can fail to see how radical and exciting a time this is in the church,’ she (Kristin Colberg, associate professor of theology at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary) said.

By Heidi Schlumpf, National Catholic Reporter

“At the third Women of the Church conference for Catholic women leaders, a morning prayer service began with a reading of the Gospel account of Mary of Magdala witnessing the resurrected Jesus outside the tomb. Participants were then asked to call out a word from the scripture passage that spoke to them. The most frequently shared word was ‘weeping.

“Catholic women have much to weep about, and many at the conference expressed pain, frustration and hurt by experiences of sexism in the church. But the overall vibe at the three-day event was one of joy and hope — brought on not only by the opportunity to pray, network and celebrate together, but also by optimism about the church’s upcoming synod on synodality and what it might mean for women’s leadership in the church.

“Keynote speaker Kristin Colberg set the tone the first night of the conference with her presentation titled ‘Fruit and Seed: New Roles for Women in a Synodal Church.’

“‘What’s happening with women in the church is not just the beginning of something new, but it’s the realization of something that’s already happening,’ said Colberg, associate professor of theology at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary.”

By Heidi Schlumpf, National Catholic Reporter — Read more …

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

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

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

July 28, 2023

TOP STORIES

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

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

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

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

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

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

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

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

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

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

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

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

POPE FRANCIS

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

CARDINALS

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

PRIESTS

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

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

WOMEN RELIGIOUS

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

WOMEN’S VOICES

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

LAITY & THE CHURCH

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

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

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

CHURCH FINANCES

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

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

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

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

VOICES

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

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

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

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

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

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

ALABAMA

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

ARIZONA

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

COLORADO

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

INDIANA

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

LOUISIANA

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

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

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

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

MARYLAND

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

MINNESOTA

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

NEW YORK.

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

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

VIRGINIA

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

WASHINGTON

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

AFRICA

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

BOLIVIA

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

CANADA

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

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

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

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

FRANCE

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

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES

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

INDIA

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

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

JAMAICA

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

PERU

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

POLAND

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

SPAIN

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

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

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

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

July 14, 2023

TOP STORIES

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

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

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

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

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

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

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

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

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

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

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

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

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

POPE FRANCIS

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

CARDINALS

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

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

BISHOPS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRIESTS

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

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

WOMEN’S VOICES

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

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

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

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

CHURCH FINANCES

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

VOICES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

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

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

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

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

CALIFORNIA

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

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

COLORADO

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

ILLINOIS

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

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

KANSAS

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

LOUISIANA

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

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

MARYLAND

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

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

NEW MEXICO

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

RHODE ISLAND

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

ARGENTINA

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

BOLIVIA

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

CANADA

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

GERMANY

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

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND WALES

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

JAMAICA

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

SPAIN

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

, , , , , , , , ,

1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Embattled Tennessee bishop resigns after priest complaints, abuse-related lawsuits / Associated Press

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Pope Francis, Voice of the Faithful on June 29, 2023

(Bishop Richard) Stika’s departure, after 14 years as bishop of Knoxville, closes a turbulent chapter for the southern U.S. diocese that was marked by a remarkable revolt by some of its priests, who accused Stika of abusing his authority and protecting a seminarian accused of sexual misconduct.

By Travis Loller and Nicole Winfield

“The bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee, resigned under pressure Tuesday (Jun. 27) following allegations he mishandled sex abuse allegations and several of his priests complained about his leadership and behavior, sparking a Vatican investigation.

“Pope Francis accepted Bishop Richard Stika’s resignation, according to a one-line statement from the Vatican. At 65, Stika is still 10 years below the normal retirement age for bishops.

“The archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky, the Most Reverend Shelton Fabre, was named temporary administrator to run the diocese until a new bishop is installed.

“Stika’s departure, after 14 years as bishop of Knoxville, closes a turbulent chapter for the southern U.S. diocese that was marked by a remarkable revolt by some of its priests, who accused Stika of abusing his authority and protecting a seminarian accused of sexual misconduct. They appealed to the Vatican for “merciful relief” in 2021, citing their own mental health, sparking a Vatican investigation that led to Stika’s resignation.

“In media interviews, Stika strongly defended his actions and his leadership and said he worked to bring unity in the diocese.”In media interviews, Stika strongly defended his actions and his leadership and said he worked to bring unity in the diocese.”

By Travis Loller and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press — Read more …

, , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup, June 16, 2023

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Focus news roundup, Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on June 15, 2023

June 16, 2023

TOP STORIES

Abuse survivors, their advocates cast doubt on leadership of Vatican commission
“Leading Catholic sexual abuse experts, survivors and survivor advocates are questioning the suitability of the priest who leads the Vatican’s clergy abuse commission, following an investigation that has raised significant questions about his record of financial transparency and accountability. Oblate Fr. Andrew Small ‘should be gone — voluntarily or forcefully,’ David Clohessy, longtime executive director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said in reaction to a May 31 Associated Press report.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis’ vision for the Church: Seeking a Church in service to the world
“On the evening of October 11, 1962, the night preceding the opening of the Second Vatican Council, a crowd of mostly young people gathered in Saint Peter’s Square, filled with energy, enthusiasm, and expectation for what was about to unfold. John XXIII came to the window from which popes customarily address the crowds at the Sunday Angelus and gave an impromptu fervorino, referred to simply as the ‘moonlight speech’ … John XXIII called for aggiornamento so that the worldwide Church could be refreshed and renewed for its mission in the world.” By Bishop John Stowe, OFM, Conv., Commonweal

Spanish Catholic bishops find evidence of 728 sexual abusers, 927 victims since 21945
“Spain’s Catholic bishops’ conference says it has found evidence of 728 sexual abusers within the church since 1945, through the testimony of 927 victims, in its first public report on the issue. The church said 83% of the victims and 99% of the abusers were male and that more than 60% of the offenders were dead. In a report presented Thursday (Jun. 1), more than 50% of offenders were said to be priests. The rest were other church officials. The church said that most cases occurred in the last century, 75% of them before 1990.” By Ciarán Giles, Associated Press

What the latest investigations into Catholic Church sex abuse mean
“In the years since the Pennsylvania report was published (2018), it has inspired some 20 other investigations into the Catholic Church by state attorneys general. Now the results of those investigations are rolling out, refocusing attention on the sprawling abuse scandal, and in some cases providing fresh details. The attorney general of Illinois, Kwame Raoul, released a report in May that found more than 450 credibly accused child sex abusers in the Catholic Church in Illinois since 1950. Almost 2,000 children under 18 were victims.” By Ruth Graham, The New York Times

We can have both: due process for accused priests and justice for sex abuse survivors
“The firestorm of accusations against priests of the sexual abuse of minors has created the suspicion, often fueled by the media, that any priest against whom allegations are made is guilty. The tremendous damage that has been perpetrated against the many victims in the sexual abuse crisis cannot be underestimated, nor can we underestimate what the church needs to do to make whole those who have been so horrendously hurt by members of the clergy. But it is important that safeguards for due process for those accused of abuse be honored, even as we work toward guaranteeing the safety of all members of the church.” By Kevin E. McKenna, America: The Jesuit Review

‘Significant increase’ in Catholic Church abuse allegations
“There was a ‘significant increase’ in the number of notifications of allegations of abuse reported to the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) in the past 12 months. In its latest annual report, the NBSCCCI said it is clear from the source of the allegations that many of these relate to alleged abuse in boarding schools run and managed by male and female religious orders. It is believed that the RTÉ documentary Blackrock Boys, which has resulted in a preliminary inquiry by the Government into the issue of sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders, has contributed to the rise in allegations.” By Ailbhe Conneely, RTE News

TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Jesuits expel prominent artist Marko Rupnik after allegations of abuse against adult women
“Pope Francis’ Jesuit religious order said Thursday (Jun. 14) it has expelled a prominent Slovenian priest from the congregation following allegations of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuses against adult women. A statement from the Jesuits said the Rev. Marko Ivan Rupnik was dismissed from the Jesuit order by decree on June 9 ‘due to stubborn refusal to observe the vow of obedience.’ Rupnik is one of the most celebrated religious artists in the Catholic Church, whose mosaics decorate churches and basilicas around the world, including at the Vatican.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in America: The Jesuit Review

Abuse: Traunstein Pope procedure: victim demands 350,000 euros
“Two weeks before the scheduled start of the civil trial in Traunstein about sexual abuse in the Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, the amount involved has become known for the first time. A victim of abuse demands a total of 350,000 euros from the Archdiocese and the heirs of the deceased Pope Benedict XVI … The plaintiff is demanding 300,000 euros from the archbishopric and 50,000 euros in compensation from the heirs of the pope emeritus who died on New Year’s Eve. According to a spokeswoman, the court put the value in dispute in the process at 362,000 euros a little higher. The Role of Pope Benedict.” By NewsInGermany.com

‘Red flags everywhere’: high court asks Catholic church why it didn’t investigate priest’s abuse 50 years ago
“The high court has pressed the Catholic church to explain why it didn’t have an adequate opportunity 50 years ago to investigate the extent of a priest’s abuse of children, given there were “red flags everywhere” about his crimes. The court on Thursday (Jun. 1) began hearing a key case about a legal tactic now routinely being employed by the church and other institutions to permanently shield themselves from abuse survivors’ civil claims for compensation.” By Christopher Knaus, The Guardian

Exactly 30 years before Illinois AG’s devastating sexual abuse report, a plan for prevention was implemented, then scrapped
“‘Way too damned little and way too damned late.’ That’s what one life-long Illinois Catholic woman I’ll call ‘Margaret’ told me last week when the state’s attorney general released a nearly 700-page report, based on a five-year investigation, that concluded at least 2,000 kids were sexually abused by 451 priests. But what has many both outside and inside the church so infuriated is the even-more-shocking charge being leveled by the attorney general that six Illinois bishops are refusing, even now, to post, on their diocesan websites, the names of some 149 clerics accused of sexually abusing children who are or have been in Illinois.” By ReligionDispatches.com

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Nothing really changed after Vatican II. But synodality may make a difference
“The Vatican documents of 1965 oozed theological life. They were clearly meant to dispense with the church of the Middle Ages, to bring the church into the modern world rooted in Scripture and the model of Jesus. But as the ocean liner that brought so many of the American Catholic hierarchy back from Rome disembarked, the New York press corps, snapping pictures and shouting questions, suffered one bishop after another shrugging their questions off. Nothing had really changed, it seemed. Nothing newsworthy, at least.” By Joan Chittister, National Catholic Reporter

Theologians carry concerns to U.S. bishops in synod listening sessions
“The team leading the U.S. bishops’ participation in Pope Francis’ ongoing three-year synod process held two listening sessions with American Catholic theologians on May 25 and June 6, inviting members of the six major national theological societies to be in the virtual discussions. Several of the academics who took part in one of the unusual high-level encounters praised the bishops for creating a rare opportunity for relationship-building between U.S. prelates and theologians. But they also said they raised some concerns about the organization of the latest phase of the synod process, the virtual continental meetings for the U.S. and Canadian Catholic churches.” By Aleja Hertzler-McCain, National Catholic Reporter

The lesson of Synodality Lite
“People fretting over the pros and cons of synodality should seek enlightenment in the story of ‘shared responsibility’ half a century ago. History doesn’t literally repeat itself, but what happened then suggests why we need to move ahead carefully now while avoiding new mistakes. Shared responsibility — the Synodality Lite of the 1970s you might call it — was all the rage in the heady days right after Vatican Council II. Meetings were held and documents published promoting the idea, and preliminary steps were taken by setting up pastoral councils of clergy, religious, and laity in dioceses throughout the country.” By Russell Shaw, Angelus

POPE FRANCIS

Pope to meet clergy sexual abuse victims in Portugal
“Pope Francis plans to meet victims of clergy sexual abuse during his five-day visit to Portugal in August to coincide with World Youth Day, Lisbon assistant bishop Americo Aguiar said on Tuesday (May 6). Francis, who is 86, will travel to Portugal from Aug. 2-6 to attend the global gathering of young Catholics held for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will attend over 15 events, including a mass, a vigil, meetings with youngsters and politicians and a visit to the Fatima sanctuary.” By Catarina Demony, Reuters

CARDINALS

New testimony of alleged sex abuse victim revealed in Canadian court in defamation casae filed by Cardinal Ouellet against accuser
“On Jan. 16, lawyer Alain Arsenault received a letter that began with the words: ‘I hereby describe an assault I suffered one Sunday in 1992 in the sacristy of the Grand Séminaire de Montréal,’ Montreal’s major seminary. The alleged victim, who remains anonymous, explained that on that Sunday, she was ‘preparing the missal, lectionary and evangeliary’ … She described that the celebrant then stood behind her. His two hands on the table ‘on either side of me’ prevented her from freeing herself, and the priest rubbed his pelvis over her, she claimed. The priest, she alleged, was a 48-year-old Sulpician by the name of Father Marc Ouellet. Now a cardinal and a former archbishop of Quebec, he was at the time the superior of Montreal’s major seminary.” By OSV News in Our Sunday Visitor

Pope Francis has named two-thirds of cardinal eligible to elect his successor
“Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the retired archbishop of Naples, celebrated his 80th birthday June 2 and, consequently, became ineligible to enter a conclave to elect a new pope. The cardinal’s aging out left the College of Cardinals with 121 clerics under the age of 80 and eligible to vote. Of those 121 cardinals, 81 — 66.9% — were inducted into the college by Pope Francis. According to modifications to the norms governing the election of the bishop of Rome promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2013 and still in force, ‘a majority vote of two-thirds of the cardinal electors present is always necessary for the valid election of a Roman Pontiff.’” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

BISHOPS

Will the U.S. bishops discuss Catholic’s top priorities at their June meeting?
“The U.S. Catholic bishops are meeting in Orlando, Florida, next week (June 14-16) for three days of prayer and business. If you were asked by your local bishop what topics they should discuss, what would you suggest? Feel free to make suggestions in the comment section below. It’s likely that nothing you’d suggest is on the official agenda: The war in Ukraine, the treatment of transgender people, global warming, the culture wars over public education, economic inequality, political divisions and the rise of hate groups—the bishops have no plans to address the things foremost on the minds of Americans.” By Thomas Reese, Religion News Service, in America: The Jesuit Review

Editorial: Archbishop helped right embattled Catholic Church
“The right man at the right time. Santa Fe Archdiocese Archbishop Emeritus Michael J. Sheehan was certainly that. The retired archbishop’s death Saturday (Jun. 10) reminds us of one of the darkest chapters in the history of the Catholic Church, and how one man’s integrity and forthrightness helped restore faith in his archdiocese. Sheehan presided over the Santa Fe Archdiocese for 22 years, from 1993 to 2015.” By Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board

WOMEN RELIGIOUS

In Peru, Latin American religious address persecution, abuse, synod
“They called out the names of their friends, sometimes their predecessors, some of them martyred, some having lived long lives, others short, but all rooted in radical closeness to the Gospel. Fr. Jose Luis Loyola gently told them not to worry if tears came. But mostly tranquility filled the Mass that closed the 48th board meeting of the Confederation of Latin American and Caribbean Religious, or CLAR, in Lima, Peru … Women and men religious gathered June 2-5 to tackle some of the toughest issues facing Latin America and the Caribbean or ‘the night,’ as Sr. Liliana Franco, president of CLAR, called the social, ecclesial and other conditions affecting consecrated life in the region. To some, those conditions, such as religious persecution, abuse and dwindling vocations, look like a crisis, she said, but to those with religious convictions, they are opportunities of grace.” By Rhina Guidos, Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter

WOMEN’S VOICES

Indigenous women are doing the work of deacons. Is Pope Francis ready to recognize it?
“In early June, Pope Francis received three Indigenous women leaders from the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA), an innovative form of church governance in which the bishops of the Amazon share formal leadership with Indigenous lay women, women religious, lay men, priests and deacons. During the audience, the women invited the pope to consider the full and equal participation of women in the church, including through preaching in parish settings and ordination as deacons.” By Casey Stanton, America: The Jesuit Review

Don’t stop at synod: continue participating, says Catholic women’s leader
“The Catholic Church’s synodal process is an invitation to invest in the pastoral and professional formation of women in the church, said the newly elected president of a global network of Catholic women’s associations. In a weeklong general assembly that she called an ‘exercise in synodality,’ Mónica Santamarina was elected president general of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations, WUCWO, by 832 representatives of Catholic women’s organizations from 38 countries.” By Justin McLellan, Catholic News Service

CHILD PROTECTION

U.S. bishops urge greater online protection for children
“Multiple leaders among the U.S. Catholic bishops came together earlier this week to encourage lawmakers to explore protections for children online, and now the bishops are encouraging Catholics nationwide to do the same. On June 9, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sent out an action alert for Catholics to ask their member of Congress to address the online child exploitation, which they argue ‘threatens the safety and well-being of our young people and destroys families and communities.’” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com

CHURCH FINANCES

After two years, Vatican financial trial closes preliminary stage
“The Vatican’s ‘trial of the century,’ in which 10 defendants, including a cardinal, face charges of fraud and corruption in a shady real estate deal, has already seen a century’s worth of testimony alleging blackmail, scandalous liaisons and secretly taped conversations with Pope Francis. The trial itself, however, has only just begun.” On Tuesday (Jun. 12), a hearing ended the preliminary stage of the trial, which has been going on since July of 2021.” By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service

Vatican bank reports significant profit adopting Catholic ethics
“Describing itself as the only financial entity aimed at adhering to Catholic ethics instead of achieving the highest possible profit, the Vatican bank, officially called the Institute for Religious Works or IOR, made 29.6 million euros in profit in 2022, according to its budget published on Tuesday (June 6). In its 11th annual budget report, the Vatican’s financial institution presented a positive statement of its operations, crediting interest margins, investments and digitalization. The 2022 profits represent a hopeful rebound from its 2021 report, when the Vatican bank reported a profit of 18.1 million euros, a decline compared with previous years.” By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service

VOICES

Clergy sex abuse is the fault of the institution, not the religion
“I therefore want to offer a revised interpretation of the determinants of sexual abuse by suggesting that we change our analytic lens to focus more on the modern corporate institution, and its prevailing culture, as a major source of abuse. That is, it is not the substance of the institution (e.g., religion) but rather its style of operation that fosters inequity and abuse. This milieu provides a hiding place for in-house abusers who bank on getting their sins sheltered under the corporate umbrella of institutions more concerned about reputation than reparation.” By Arthur McCaffrey, America: The Jesuit Review

Op-Ed: Who are the main sexual abusers of Indigenous women and children
“The arrest of Fr. Arul Savari, a 48-year-old priest accused of sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl at a Roman Catholic church on the Little Grand Rapids Indian Reserve 265 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg on May 27 has provoked a local demand that the church leave the community. The child was alone with the priest, who was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, sexual exploitation of a young person, luring a child and forcible confinement on May 30.” By Hymie Rubenstein, TNCNews.com

The disturbing truth: Illinois bishops still hiding child-molesting clergy
“Though I’m no longer a believer, in the wake of yet another jaw-dropping Catholic scandal, two Bible passages have coursed through my mind recently. The first verse is John 8:32: ‘Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ Illinois’ six bishops are no doubt familiar with it. Like many profound bits of wisdom, it’s short and sweet, with absolutely no qualifiers, exceptions or excuses. Why then do these well-educated prelates apparently think the actual wording is ‘Some of the truth shall set you free, but you get to determine how much and when and how to reveal it?’” By David Clohessy, Religion Unplugged

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Delayed justice: three states remove all time limits on child sex abuse lawsuits
“Ann Allen loved going to church and the after-school social group led by a dynamic priest back in the 1960s. The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with him. Allen said when it was her turn, she was sexually assaulted, at age 7, in the recesses of St. Peter’s Catholic Church. ‘I don’t remember how I got out of that cellar and I don’t think I ever will. But I remember it like it’s yesterday. I remember the smells. The sounds. I remember what he said, and what he did,’ she said.” By David Sharp, Associated Press

Michigan lawmakers renew effort to give sex abuse victims more time to sue
“Michigan lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday (Jun. 6) that would give victims of sexual abuse more time to sue for damages as the state again looks to overhaul laws following multiple sexual abuse scandals. The legislation, which appeared before a committee Tuesday afternoon, would expand the civil statute of limitations for sex abuse victims from age 28 to 52. If enacted, victims would also have a two-year window to sue retroactively, regardless of the time limit.” By Joey Cappelletti, Associated Press

Partisan stalemate keeps child sexual assault lawsuit window from advancing in Pennsylvania
“Child sexual abuse survivors pressed Pennsylvania lawmakers Monday (Jun. 5) to move ahead with opening a two-year window for them to file otherwise outdated lawsuits over their claims, but a partisan fight in the Legislature kept the proposal bottled up with no resolution in sight. Amid the stalemate, survivors renewed calls for the Legislature to pass either version of the measure — one that would give voters final say on the window in the form of a constitutional amendment, the other legislation that would also need Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s signature.” By Associated Press

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

20 years after Bishop O’Brien’s sex abuse cover-up and deadly hit-and-run, have Catholics in Phoenix healed?
“In the summer of 2003, Bishop Thomas J. O’Brien of the Diocese of Phoenix admitted to transferring priests accused of sexual abuse to other parishes. The parish communities that received these priests did not know about the accusations, and in many cases, the bishop transferred priests to poor, Latino parishes … On June 14, Bishop O’Brien climbed into his Buick after celebrating a Saturday Vigil Mass. On his way home, his car struck 43-year-old Jim L. Reed, who was jaywalking … Have we healed from this tragic sequence of events? As a Catholic in the Phoenix diocese, I’ve been reflecting on that question a lot this month, 20 years after Bishop O’Brien admitted to the cover-up.” By J.D. Long-Garcia, America: The Jesuit Review

Events in Bolivia and Brazil may signal a turning point for the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse crisis in Latin America
“Demonstrations in Bolivia in recent weeks have been directed at a seemingly unusual target: the Catholic Church. More than three-fourths of the people in this Andean nation are Catholic, and Catholicism remained the religion of the state until 2009. Protests erupted, however, after the publication of diary entries from a deceased Spanish Jesuit priest, which detailed his sexual abuse of dozens of boys while teaching in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba during the 1970s and 1980s. Meanwhile, in neighboring Brazil, a new book by two award-winning journalists has made the magnitude of the clerical sexual abuse crisis more visible.” By Matthew Casey-Pariseault, The Conversation

Abuse claims and outrage mount as Jesuit order and church in Bolivia undergo a tectonic shake
“Revelations of rampant sexual abuse by deceased Jesuit Fr. Alfonso Pedrajas have prompted dozens of people in Bolivia to come forward with similar accusations of atrocities in the South American country, where the Catholic Church confronts a reckoning over the criminal acts of pedophile priests. An investigation by Bolivian newspaper Página Siete found more than 170 victims of clerical sexual abuse being raised since early May, when the Spanish newspaper El País published its exposé into Pedrajas — a Spanish Jesuit who kept a record of his abuse of children by writing a diary.” By David Agren, OSV News, in National Catholic Reporter

Media push for release of records over U.S. priest accused of abusing children
“Two national US media organizations and Louisiana state prosecutors have joined efforts to secure the public release of sealed information that would provide a more complete account of a retired Roman Catholic priest in New Orleans who has been previously accused of molesting several children. In papers filed late Wednesday at New Orleans’s federal courthouse, the Guardian and the Associated Press contend that there is a legitimate public interest in the contents of the documents dealing with Lawrence Hecker despite archdiocesan claims that the information could be disparaging to the organization.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian

Church, civil laws must hold priests accountable for child abuse
“What will likely never happen in the Philippines is an independent investigation to uncover the extent of clerical child abuse. It is that terrible time again for devout Catholics and Christians everywhere when the evil of clerical child sex abuse is revealed once again on the international stage. An investigative report on clerical child abuse released May 23 by the US Attorney General named six Catholic dioceses in Illinois and declared that clerical child abuse is as rife today as in the past.” By Fr. Shay Cullen, UCSNews.com

A closer look at the Illinois clergy abuse report shows Cardinal George deserves better
“The report shows that, since 1950, hundreds of priests abused nearly two thousand children … At the same time, it is necessary for the complete truth to be told, not necessarily the convenient one. For the past seven years, I have been immersed in the life of Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I., archbishop of Chicago from 1997 until six months before his 2015 death. In the course of my research in writing his first biography that was published earlier this year, I found one of his greatest regrets to have been the discovery that laicized priest and notorious abuser Daniel McCormack had abused children on his watch.” By Michael R. Heinlein, Our Sunday Visitor

CALIFORNIA

California has investigated Catholic priest sex abuse for years. Victims want answers on what they found
“After Pennsylvania authorities issued a bombshell report in 2018 detailing widespread sexual abuse of children and coverup in the Roman Catholic church, California’s attorney general invited victims here to share their stories. The next year, the state subpoenaed half of California’s Roman Catholic dioceses. What California authorities have learned since remains a mystery. And for victims of long-ago abuse seeking justice in the courts while the state’s dioceses increasingly seek bankruptcy protection, the silence is a growing aggravation — especially as other states, notably Illinois and Maryland, recently issued their own reports, revealing a devastating past of abuse by hundreds of clergy of thousands of children.” By John Woolfolk, The Mercury News

COLORADO

Archbishop Aquila restores exonerated priest back into ministry
“The Archdiocese of Denver’s internal investigation against Father Michael O’Brien finds no evidence of wrongdoing, and after receiving a recommendation from the Archdiocesan Review Board, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila is restoring Fr. O’Brien back into ministry, effective immediately. The Aspen Police Department and the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office exonerated Fr. O’Brien in April of this year. Aspen Police put over 500 hours into this case to find the truth; speaking to over 80 witnesses and 26 law enforcement agencies.” By Archdiocese of Denver

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut priest accused of sexual assault
“A priest that served in Waterbury, Torrington and Hamden in the last five years is now the center of a sexual assault lawsuit. ‘When we see a priest or anybody working for the diocese transferred quickly over a short period of time that’s concerning and that’s a red flag for us,’ said Mike McDonnell with the Survivor’s Network of Those Abused by Priests. ‘Out of sight, out of mind. Let the dust settle.’ Reverend Mauricio Galvis joined Saint John Paul Roman Catholic Church in Torrington in 2019.” By Brittany Schaefer, WTNH-TV8 News

FLORIDA

Deacon at north Miami Catholic school arrested, accused of molesting students
“A deacon and teacher at a Catholic school in North Miami was arrested after he was accused of molesting two students, police said. Deacon Carlos Humberto Ramirez, 51, was arrested Wednesday (Jun. 7) on two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child, an arrest report said. Ramirez, of Miami Gardens, had worked as a teacher and deacon at Holy Family Catholic School on Northeast 12th Avenue in North Miami.” By Amanda Plasencia and brian Hamacher, NBC-TV6 News Miami

ILLINOIS

Benedictines’ world leader calls on Chicago-area monks tied to Benet, Marmion high schools to full report clergy sex abuse
“ The Benedictine monastery that founded Benet Academy in Lisle and the one that runs Marmion Academy in Aurora should publish complete lists of their clerics who have been deemed to have been credibly accused of child sex offenses, the top official of the Catholic religious order worldwide is urging. ‘I would certainly encourage they be honest about those types of things,”” the Rev. Gregory Polan, leader of the confederation of Benedictine groups around the world, told the Chicago Sun-Times.” By Robert Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times

Group says some clergy credibly accused of sex abuse in Illinois live without supervision
“Advocates, attorneys, and several survivors of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of clergy members are calling for action and increased transparency by the Catholic church. ‘The real impact this has is, you have to look at life through a whole different lens. It’s not a fun one,’ said Mike, a survivor who said he was sexually abused by a pastor of his parish in Berwyn decades ago when he was only 11. He believes what isn’t talked about enough when it comes to sexual assault, is the way it impacts how a survivor sees the world.” By Courtney Spinelli, WGN-TV9 News

Joliet Diocese priest sex abuse survivors say list of abusers is not complete
“At the Joliet Diocese Wednesday (May 31), fallout from the release of last week’s damning 700-page report on the Catholic Church continued as members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, spoke out against what they believe is a continued lack of transparency. ‘The Joliet bishop continues to protect predators for the same reason that most of his brother bishops continue to protect predators and that is because he can get by with it,” said David Clohessy of SNAP. The report, issued by Attorney General Kwame Raoul, identified 69 ‘credibly accused’ Joliet area priests or brothers, eight more than what the diocese lists on its website. But could there be even more?” By Michelle Gallardo, WLS-TV7 News

The list of 51 Peoria Catholic diocese clergy named in 2023 report on child sex abuse
“A yearslong investigation into child sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in Illinois has found at least 1,997 children in the state’s six dioceses were sexually abused between 1950 and 2019. The Peoria Catholic Diocese, which covers 26 counties spanning from Rock Island in northwest Illinois to Vermillion County on the Indiana border, was part of that investigation. Attorney General Kwame Raoul on May 23, 2023, released a comprehensive report, which included 51 clergy members in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria.” By Dena Muellerleile, Peoria Journal Star

INDIANA

Archdiocese: former Dubuque priest faces additional allegation of sexual abuse
“Archdiocese of Dubuque officials said today (Jun. 15) that they have received another allegation of past sexual abuse by a former Dubuque priest. The new accusation of past abuse of a minor against the Rev. Leo Riley, who served in the archdiocese from 1982 to 2002, was reported to archdiocesan personnel on May 23, a press release states. That was the same day the archdiocese reported that Riley had been accused of sexually abusing a minor in the 1980s.” By Elizabeth Kelsey, Telegraph Herald

LOUISIANA

Priest accused of sexual abuse offered plea deal in St. Tammany Parish courtroom
“A priest who has worked for schools and churches across the metro New Orleans area returned Monday (June 12) to a St. Tammany Parish courtroom, where a plea deal was offered. Father Patrick Wattigny could face up to 20 years in prison but would likely get less for pleading guilty. It has been three years since Wattigny was arrested and charged with molestation of a juvenile, after a teen boy came forward and claimed the longtime Catholic priest had abused him multiple times when he was 15 years old. Talks between the district attorney’s office, the victim’s family and the priest’s attorney have been lengthy.” By Rob Mason, FOX-TV8 News

NOLA district attorney joins effort to unseal secret archdiocese records for criminal investigation
“Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams is urging a federal court to unseal sworn testimony by the Rev. Lawrence Hecker, as well as records held in secret by the New Orleans Archdiocese about Hecker, saying his office needs them to bring potential criminal charges against the accused child molester. ‘The continued sealing of the documents in this case serves as a major impediment to a proper investigation,’ Williams wrote in a motion filed Tuesday (Jun. 6).” By David Hammer, WWL-TV4 News

MICHIGAN

Former Flint-area priest sentenced for 1987 sexual assault of five-year-old
“Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today (Jun. 14) announced that Vincent Delorenzo, 84, formerly of Flint, was sentenced to 365 days in jail and five years’ probation on one count of attempted criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, to which he pled guilty in April. In addition to his jail time and probation, Delorenzo is also mandated to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life, is ordered to engage in sex offender counseling, and may have no contact with his victims or any minor. Five victims of Delorenzo’s sexual abuse gave impact statements today in court.” By Michigan Department of Attorney General

MISSOURI

Archdiocese of St. Louis settles sex abuse lawsuit for $1 million, one of the largest ever here
“The Archdiocese of St. Louis has agreed to pay roughly $1 million to a man who alleged he was sexually abused as a boy by a priest at Ascension Catholic Church in Chesterfield in the 1990s, an attorney for the plaintiff said. The settlement appears to be the second largest amount the archdiocese is known to have paid one single victim in a sexual abuse claim. Both settlements resulted from lawsuits alleging abuse by the same former priest, Gary P. Wolken, one of the first St. Louis-area clergy to plead guilty to sexual abuse since the crisis shook the Roman Catholic Church two decades ago.” By Nassim Benchaabane, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Sex abuse survivors dreaded priest’s return to Kansas City. They weren’t told he never arrived.
“Survivors were outraged last fall when they learned that a retired Wyoming bishop and former Kansas City priest facing numerous sexual abuse allegations would be moving back to the Kansas City area. And now, The Star has learned, Bishop Joseph Hart did not move back to the metro area after all — bringing more outrage to the survivors who were never informed of the change. ‘I don’t even know what to say,’ said Michael Sandridge, a victim of another credibly accused priest in the Kansas City area. ‘I feel deceived. They should have at least let people know. It’s called transparency.’” By Judy L. Thomas, The Kansas City Star

‘That’s when he raped me’: survivors of clergy abuse in Missouri screen documentary
“When Joe Eldred was a child, he was sexually abused by three Catholic priests while attending Nativity of Mary Catholic Church and the accompanying elementary school in Independence, Missouri. Eldred told his story in “Procession,” a documentary directed by Robert Greene that tells the story of six men who were abused by priests in the Catholic church. The documentary starts in Kansas City, Missouri, where much of the abuse occurred, and follows the survivors as they face their trauma and work to heal together.” By Sam Bailey, Missouri Independent

NEW YORK.

Priest convicted of raping boys claims innocence, stays in prison
“A former priest accused of systematically raping and sexually abusing boys at multiple parishes throughout the Albany diocese was recently denied parole and will remain in a Massachusetts prison, where he is serving a sentence of up to 25 years for raping two altar boys. Public records indicate that Gary Mercure, 75, was again rejected for parole last month, in part, because he continues to claim he is innocent. He was sentenced in February 2011 after being convicted of raping two boys that he drove from New York into Massachusetts during skiing trips. Mercure stands accused of raping many more boys, but New York’s statute of limitations has prevented his prosecution here.” By Brendan J.Lyons, Albany Times-Union

Buffalo Diocese seeks updated value of 37 properties as it looks to settle abuse claims
“More than three dozen Buffalo Diocese properties could soon be appraised for current values that ultimately may factor heavily into a settlement with sexual abuse claimants in the diocese’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Lawyers for the diocese are asking a federal judge to approve a request to hire KLW Appraisal Group to come up with valuations for 37 properties spread across six counties. The properties vary from 15 acres of vacant land in the Town of Hamburg near the Erie County Fairgrounds to a historically significant four-story office building in the heart of Buffalo’s medical corridor.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

PENNSYLVANIA

New York priest accused of repeatedly molesting minor in Fishtown pleads no contest to some charges, others dropped
“A Staten Island priest pleaded no contest to corruption of a minor and indecent assault on Friday (Jun. 9) after prosecutors said he sexually abused an underaged boy in Fishtown during the mid-2000s. The Rev. James Garisto, 74, faced several related charges after his arrest last year, but those charges were dropped, according to a spokesperson for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.” By Jesse Bunch, The Philadelphia Inquirer

RHODE ISLAND

After raid found 1000s of images, former R.I. priest pleads guilty to child pornography
“A former Providence Catholic priest pleaded guilty Thursday (Jun. 8) to a federal child pornography charge, days before his case was slated to head to trial. James W. Jackson, 68, a former pastor at St. Mary’s Church, admitted to a felony count of receiving child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith. In exchange, Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams agreed to dismiss a charge of possessing child pornography. His trial had been set to start June 20.” By Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal

VIRGINIA

Abuse survivor shares her story after Catholic priests with Richmond tis were named in abuse investigation
“An abuse survivor is speaking out after several priests with ties to Richmond were named in an abuse investigation by the Maryland Attorney General … The four priests named in the investigation include Fathers John Bostwick, Francis Bourbon, Charles Jeffries Burton and Henry (John) O’Toole, all of whom served in the Richmond area at some point. 8News spoke with abuse survivor, Becky Iani, who said she was abused by Father William Reinecke between the ages of 8 and 12 years old.” By Rolynn Wilson, WRIC-TV8 News

Deceased priest found credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor by Richmond Diocese
“The Catholic Diocese of Arlington has been advised that an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against Msgr. Edward P. Browne was determined to be credible by the Diocese of Richmond’s Review Board.  Msgr. Browne died in August 2002; the allegation, which involved an incident that took place prior to the establishment of the Diocese of Arlington in 1974, was reported posthumously.” By Catholic Diocese of Arlington

Loudon County priest convicted of sex crime
“Scott Asalone, a former priest of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church was sentenced to eight years in prison for carnal knowledge of a 14 -year-old child. In addition to the prison sentence, Asalone is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and have no contact with the victim. The incident occurred in 1985 when Asalone was 29 and the victim was 14. According to court documents, ‘Asalone was removed from public duties in 1993 and dismissed from the Order of Capuchin Friars in 2007.’” By Kaitlyn Dillin, WDBJ-TV7 News

AUSTRALIA

Catholic Church fails to overturn $1.9m payout to victim of pedophile priest
“The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne has been dealt a blow in the Court of Appeal, which refused the church’s bid to overturn a $1.9 million damages payout to a victim of pedophile priest Desmond Gannon. The former altar boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is the first and only victim of clerical abuse to take their case against the archdiocese to trial and receive damages. However, the archdiocese’s legal team had argued the general damages awarded by Supreme Court judge Andrew Keogh in July last year were ‘manifestly excessive’ and sought to have them reduced.” By Cameron Houston, The Age

Australian abuse survivors fight to stop Catholic church’s ‘new type of cruelty’
“Survivors are lobbying to change the law to prevent institutions unfairly using legal stays to stop them taking cases to trial — Steven thought he had nothing left for the Catholic church to take. The vile abuse he suffered as a 10-year-old at a Marist Brothers school in Coogee in Sydney’s east in 1973 had already stripped his future from him … Now Steven says he’s lucky not to be living on the streets, kept from homelessness by a spare bed at his parents’ house in the inner west of Sydney.” By Christopher Knaus, The Guardian

BRAZIL

First study of clerical abuse in Brazil calls know cases ‘tip of the iceberg’
“An unprecedented new compendium of child abuse cases in the Brazilian Catholic Church has found that 108 members of the clergy victimized 148 children and teenagers since 2000. The authors, however, claim those totals are only the tip of the iceberg, and that many other cases are still to come to light. Sixty of the clerics identified in the study have been convicted of sex crimes and sentenced to prison terms, while dozens are still waiting for trial.” By Eduardo Campos Lima, Cruxnow.com

CANADA

Oblates announce own investigation into Father Rivoire
“A Catholic missionary group has retained a retired Quebec Superior Court judge to lead an independent review of the sexual abuse allegations against one of its priests, Rev. Johannes Rivoire, who served in Nunavut decades ago. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI Lacombe Canada (part of a worldwide congregation of Oblate priests) and the Oblates of the Province of France announced the appointment Monday (Jun.12).” By Nunatsiaq News

Settlements end $100M clergy abuse lawsuit against Sault diocese
“A proposed class-action lawsuit launched by sexual abuse survivors on Manitoulin Island has been discontinued after 29 victims reached individual settlements. The $100-million claim was filed against the Jesuit Fathers of Upper Canada, also known as the English Canada Province, as well as the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie, the estate of father George Epoch and the estate of Brother O’Meare.” By Jenny Lamothe, SooToday.com

Defrocked Canadian priest arrested on further sexual assault charges
“A defrocked Canadian priest and convicted sex offender is facing eight new criminal charges for past sexual assaults he allegedly committed while living in northern Canada, authorities said Wednesday (Jun 7). Iqaluit Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Eric Dejaeger, 76, was arrested on a Canada-wide warrant in Kingston, Ontario, where he was living. Police said he will be transported to Iqaluit, Nunavut, to appear on the charges before the Nunavut Court of Justice.” By The Associated Press on ABCNews.go.com

Little Grand Rapids wants Roman Catholic Church to leave amid sexual assault allegations, chief says
“The chief of a remote First Nation in eastern Manitoba says community members want the Roman Catholic church to leave in the wake of disturbing allegations a priest who works there sexually assaulted one child, and potentially several others as well. Chief Oliver Owen of Little Grand Rapids First Nation told CBC that’s the sentiment he heard during a regularly scheduled band meeting Tuesday (May 30).” By Josh Crabb, CBC News

FRANCE

SSPX priest sentenced to 20 years for abuse
“A priest of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) has been sentenced by a French court to 20 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of 27 minors – 16 boys and 11 girls between 12 and 15 years old at the time. Some of Fr Pierre de Maillard’s victims were from the same family, sometimes abused in their parents’ homes, the jury trial in La Roche sur Yon, capital of the Vendée department of western France, was told. The sentence is one of the most severe penalties for clerical sex abuse handed down in France.” By Tom Heneghan, The Tablet

GERMANY

German court orders Cologne archdiocese to pay clergy abuse victim over $300,000
“A court on Tuesday (Jun. 13) ordered a German diocese to pay 300,000 euros ($323,000) in compensation to a former altar boy who was repeatedly abused by a Catholic priest in the 1970s, a ruling that a victims’ association said was the first of its kind in Germany. The state court in Cologne ruled in a case in which the plaintiff, a man now aged 62 who was raped and otherwise abused more than 300 times by a now-deceased priest, had sought 750,000 euros from the Cologne archdiocese, German news agency dpa reported. The archdiocese decided against invoking the statute of limitations in the case.” By Associated Press

INDIA

The great Indian Catholic Church sex scandal: priests sexually expoiting nuns and Hindu women
“Oswald Gracias, the cardinal-archbishop of Bombay and a close advisor to Pope Francis, has been presented with graphic images of Indian Catholic priests in explicit poses with nuns and teachers, which were reportedly obtained by senior Indian priests. Lay leaders from the Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) obtained these explicit pictures and presented them to Gracias on 14 April 2023. They threatened to release the photographs to the international media if the priests involved were not removed from their positions.” By TheCommuneMag.com

SPAIN

Church in Spain collects almost 1,000 complaints of sexual abuse since 1945
“The Catholic Church in Spain on June 1 presented the report ‘To shed light,’ which tallies 927 complaints of alleged sexual abuse of minors under 18 years of age or vulnerable people that occurred from 1945 to 2022. The report does not include situations involving the abuse of conscience and power or committed against adults. The report was ‘prepared from the testimonies that have been collected in the offices [of the protection of minors and abuse prevention], without assuming or proving innocence or guilt.’” By Nicolás de Cárdenas, Catholic News Agency

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Abuse survivors, their advocates cast doubt on leadership of Vatican commission / National Catholic Reporter

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, financial transparency, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on June 13, 2023

When the British-born (Fr. Andrew) Small was appointed to serve as acting secretary of the Vatican’s abuse commission in June 2021, he arrived in Rome with little experience in child protection, but a background in fundraising and advising the U.S. bishops on foreign policy.

By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

“Leading Catholic sexual abuse experts, survivors and survivor advocates are questioning the suitability of the priest who leads the Vatican’s clergy abuse commission, following an investigation that has raised significant questions about his record of financial transparency and accountability.

Oblate Fr. Andrew Small ‘should be gone — voluntarily or forcefully,’ David Clohessy, longtime executive director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said in reaction to a May 31 Associated Press report.

“The Associated Press investigation revealed that under Small’s leadership as former U.S. director of the Pontifical Mission Societies at least $17 million was transferred from the Vatican’s U.S.-based missionary fundraising entity into an impact investing operation created by Small. The priest continues to run the investment organization while also serving as the No. 2 official at the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.”

By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter — Read more …

, , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Nothing really changed after Vatican II. But synodality may make a difference / National Catholic Reporter

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, church reform, Future of the Church, Synod of Bishops, Synod on Synodality, Voice of the Faithful on June 12, 2023

The bishops from around the world who attended Vatican II voted yes for all of its documents, but once back on home soil, many simply ignored them … Clearly, synodality means that we must listen to one another, to the entire church, in all parts of the world for a Scripture-based following of Jesus rather than to the rules of a canonical institution … honoring the human cry for human support in every corner of the globe.

By Joan Chittister, National Catholic Reporter

“The word synodality has been around a year or so now and people are still asking what it really means — for them, of course. The last time the church said it was going to make changes was in 1965. Fifty-eight years ago. In the meantime, all the changes to be seen were basically meaningless ones. Not because change was forbidden. On the contrary.

“The Vatican documents of 1965 oozed theological life. They were clearly meant to dispense with the church of the Middle Ages, to bring the church into the modern world rooted in Scripture and the model of Jesus. 

“But as the ocean liner that brought so many of the American Catholic hierarchy back from Rome disembarked, the New York press corps, snapping pictures and shouting questions, suffered one bishop after another shrugging their questions off. Nothing had really changed, it seemed. Nothing newsworthy, at least.

“In essence, the assumption was correct. Whatever changes the people had wanted from the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council were, it seemed, formless, silent, lost in the bustle of a busy church frozen in a medieval mind. Instead, after 400 years without a council of reform, the kinds of changes the people had expected from this council lay yet in Rome, drying in wet ink there and largely ignored here.”

By Joan Chittister, National Catholic Reporter — Read more …

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment

Delayed justice: three states remove all time limits on child sex abuse lawsuits / Associate Press

Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on June 12, 2023

More survivors are pursuing cases as states increasingly consider repealing time limits for child sex crime lawsuits. Vermont was the first state to remove the limits in 2019, followed by Maine in 2021 and Maryland this year. Michigan, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are poised to take action before their legislative sessions end.

By David Sharp, Associated Press

“Ann Allen loved going to church and the after-school social group led by a dynamic priest back in the 1960s.

“The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with him. Allen said when it was her turn, she was sexually assaulted, at age 7, in the recesses of St. Peter’s Catholic Church.”The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with him. Allen said when it was her turn, she was sexually assaulted, at age 7, in the recesses of St. Peter’s Catholic Church.

“‘I don’t remember how I got out of that cellar and I don’t think I ever will. But I remember it like it’s yesterday. I remember the smells. The sounds. I remember what he said, and what he did,’ she said.

“Allen, 64, is one of more than two dozen people who have sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, over the past year, seeking delayed justice since lawmakers allowed lawsuits for abuse that happened long ago and can’t be pursued in criminal courts either because of time limits or evidence diminishing over time.”

By David Sharp, Associated Press — Read more …

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a comment