Posts Tagged clergy sexual abuse
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 …
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
- Connecticut priest sued for alleged sexual misconduct taken off parish duties at church, By Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant
- Hamden priest accused of sexually abusing women reassigned while facing lawsuit, officials say, By Peter Yankowski, CTInsider.com
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
- Priests in Bolivia ‘saints by day, demons by night’: alleged victim, By José Cárdenas, YahooNews.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
- Priest charged with sexual assault in Little Grand Rapids released from custody, 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
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 …
What the latest investigations into Catholic church sex abuse mean / The New York Times
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on June 6, 2023
About 20 state attorneys general have mounted investigations that have cataloged decades of abuse but yielded few criminal prosecutions.
By Ruth Graham, The New York Times
“The nearly 900-page report landed like a grenade when Josh Shapiro, then the attorney general of Pennsylvania, delivered it on a stage in Harrisburg, Pa., five years ago. It detailed widespread sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church throughout Pennsylvania, and a ‘sophisticated’ cover-up by senior church officials. Victims of abuse and their families, sometimes visibly weeping, joined Mr. Shapiro on the stage.
“More than 300 priests were found to have abused children, at least 1,000 of them, over the course of seven decades. The report reverberated at the highest levels of the church, with the Vatican expressing ‘shame and sorrow’ over the findings. And it reached the pews, too: A Gallup poll the next year found that more than one-third of Catholics in the United States were considering leaving the faith because of “recent news about sexual abuse of young people by priests.””More than 300 priests were found to have abused children, at least 1,000 of them, over the course of seven decades. The report reverberated at the highest levels of the church, with the Vatican expressing ‘shame and sorrow’ over the findings. And it reached the pews, too: A Gallup poll the next year found that more than one-third of Catholics in the United States were considering leaving the faith because of ‘recent news about sexual abuse of young people by priests.’
“In the years since the Pennsylvania report was published, 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 — Read more …
Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup, June 2, 2023
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on June 1, 2023
June 2, 2023
TOP STORIES
Sex abuse in Catholic Church: Over 1,900 minors abused in Illinois, state says
“More than 450 credibly accused child sex abusers have ministered in the Catholic Church in Illinois over almost seven decades, the office of the state’s attorney general, Kwame Raoul, said Tuesday (May 23) in an investigative report. That is more than four times the number that the church had publicly disclosed before 2018, when the state began its investigation. The 696-page report found that clergy members and lay religious brothers had abused at least 1,997 children since 1950 in the state’s six dioceses, including the prominent Archdiocese of Chicago.” By Ruth Graham, The New York Times
- Catholic clergy sexually abused Illinois kids far more often than church acknowledged, state finds and Illinois Catholic clergy abuse report could draw lawsuits, reforms but new charges unlikely, By Michael Tarm and Kathleen Foody, Associated Press
- Report on Catholic Clergy Child Sex Abuse in Illinois 2023, By Office of the Illinois Attorney General
- Illinois bishops welcome, but also wary of, AG’s abuse report, By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com
- Illinois Catholic clergy abuse report could draw lawsuits, reforms but new charges unlikely, By Kathleen Foody and Michael Tarm, Religion News Service
- Cardinal Cupich ‘disappointed’ Illinois AG did not forward new sex abuse cases to the archdiocese, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in America: The Jesuit Review
- Illinois clergy sex abuse report: how bishops protected accused priests, By Tyler Arnold, Catholic News Agency
Pope sends Vatican official to Bolivia as abuse allegations escalate
“Pope Francis has sent one of his top sex crimes investigators to Bolivia at a time when the Andean nation is being shaken by an escalating pedophilia scandal involving priests. Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, a leading member of the church’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, arrived in Bolivia on the same day as a former Jesuit seminarian landed in the country vowing to reveal more information about alleged cases of abuse.” By Carlos Valdez, Associated Press, in The Journal
Archdiocese of Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley is sued by three alleged sexual abuse victims who claim Arlington Catholic’s former vice principal assaulted them
“Archdiocese of Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley has been sued by three alleged sexual abuse victims who claim that Arlington Catholic High School’s former vice principal assaulted the teens last decade. Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who has represented clergy sexual abuse victims for decades, on Monday (May 22) said he filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of the three alleged childhood sexual abuse victims against O’Malley, Bishop Robert Deeley, and Bishop Peter Uglietto. The three victims allege that they were sexually abused by Steven Biagioni while he was vice principal and an administrator at Arlington Catholic.” By Rick Sobey, Boston Herald
- Lawsuit claims Cardinal O’Malley, Boston Archdiocese officials failed to stop school officials sexual abuse, By Damien Fisher, OSV News
- Cardinal O’Malley, other church leaders failed to prevent abuse of three former Arlington Catholic students, lawsuit claims, By John Hilliard, The Boston Globe
Catholic Church in California grapples with more than 3,000 lawsuits, alleging child sex abuse
“At least a third of the 12 Roman Catholic dioceses in California have either filed for bankruptcy or are contemplating doing so to deal with an influx of lawsuits filed by survivors of childhood sexual abuse after a state law opened a three-year window in which cases were exempted from age limits. More than 3,000 lawsuits have been filed against the Catholic Church in California under a 2019 state law that allowed alleged victims to sue up to the age of 40.” By Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
Illinois AG’s bombshell clergy abuse report not surprising
“Voice of the Faithful cannot pretend to be surprised, even as we are outraged, by the Illinois attorney general’s Catholic clergy abuse report released yesterday, May 23 … Voice of the Faithful cannot adequately describe the anguish Catholic clergy child abuse causes victims, survivors, and the entire Body of Christ, as personal testimonies of abuse in this and similar reports detail … We intend, however, to continue to speak this truth to power and to watch carefully how well the Church today follows its own child protection guidelines.” By Voice of the Faithful
Latest report on clergy sex abuse within Catholic Church gives ‘voice to survivors’
“The 11-year-old boy was an altar server at St. John Vianney in west suburban Northlake during the early 1960s, when a popular priest began inviting him out to dinner, drive-in movies and even sleepovers at the rectory. His parents were pleased. ‘Where could you be safer?’ they remarked at the time. The Rev. Thomas Francis Kelly offered the boy beer at the rectory and then, in the middle of the night, the child awakened to find the priest sexually assaulting him.” By Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, in Quad-City Times
Complete list of accused clergy in Belleville Diocese with new details from state report
“Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office recently released a 696-page report on child sex abuse by Catholic clergy, providing information on all six dioceses in the state. Below is a complete list of the 43 priests and deacons listed in the report with ‘substantiated’ allegations who served in the 28 counties in southern Illinois covered by the Catholic Diocese of Belleville.” By Belleville News-Democrat
FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION
What Catholics should know ahead of the Synod of Bishops
“On Oct. 4, the Synod of Bishops will convene in Rome, remaining in session until Oct. 29, almost four weeks. It will recess and then reconvene in October 2024. Catholics will take notice because of two factors. As part of a preliminary process, around the world many Catholics, not only bishops or clergy and including thousands of Americans, virtually in every parish, discussed Church policies, and even teachings, as preparation for the synod.” By Msgr. Owen F. Campion, Our Sunday Visitor
Sometimes a video is worth a thousand theological words
“There are a couple things the video captures that my poor prose only hinted at. One was the significance of the liturgical celebrations. After the Boston College event, I wrote: ‘The combination of time spent socializing with time for prayer together, and serious intellectual and pastoral discussions, is what has transformed these two events into an ecclesial gathering rather than the typical academic conference.’ That is true, but so inadequate.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
BISHOPS
The U.S. bishops are meeting in June. Synodality is not on the agenda
“In two weeks, the U.S. bishops’ conference will hold its spring plenary in Orlando, Florida. One never knows what to expect from these June meetings. Many bishops do not attend the spring meeting, and the schedule is much less intense than the schedule for the November plenary. Orlando has many distractions. I doubt some bishops would visit Disney World, but more than a few would be right at home on Space Mountain … Notice anything missing from the press release announcing next month’s meeting? There is not a single mention of the ongoing synod. Not one mention. The most consequential development in ecclesiology since the close of Vatican II, and no one who looked at the press release said to themselves: “Hey, wait a minute. What about synodality?” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
PRIESTS
Editorial: Catholic Church confronting collapse in number of priests
“There have been warnings before from the Catholic Church about the challenges associated with the decline in the number of priests but rarely has the alarm been sounded as clearly and as loudly as it has this week by Bishop Donal McKeown. In a pastoral letter to the Diocese of Down and Connor, Dr McKeown, who is its Apostolic Administrator alongside being Bishop of Derry, has candidly set out the scale of the looming crisis.” By The Irish Times Editorial Board
WOMEN’S VOICES
Glad you asked: can women preach in Catholic churches?
“Can women preach in churches? People may answer this question in different ways, depending on their denomination or faith tradition. Some Christian churches allow for women to be ordained. In others, women are barred from any kind of teaching or leadership position at all. Many women working in faith-based ministries have likely heard such statements as ‘it’s unBiblical for women to preach,’ ‘women should be silent in the churches,’ or ‘women are to be subservient to men, as the church is to Christ.’” By Editors at U.S. Catholic
FUTURE OF THE CHURCH
Stay, leave or convert: some Catholics at a crossroads about religion amid sexual abuse allegations against priests
“Many Catholics seem to be at a crossroads following the release of the report in Maryland and allegations of other such abuse across the country. People are leaving organized religion completely, converting, or continuing to observe only certain parts of their Catholic heritage. Others are sticking with it, choosing to blame the people, not the religion. This is happening as people are already generally moving away from organized religion.” By Jasmine Vaugfhn-Hall, The Baltimore Banner
CHURCH FINANCES
Latest Vatican financial scandal involves former monastery that housed Jews during WWII
“Purchased by the Vatican in 2021 as a dormitory for foreign nuns studying at Rome’s pontifical universities, the building now stands empty, a collateral victim of the latest financial scandal to hit the Holy See. Pope Francis has asked aides to get to the bottom of how at least $17 million, including money to refurbish the dorm, was transferred from the Vatican’s U.S.-based missionary fundraising coffers into an impact investing vehicle run by a priest, The Associated Press has learned. Two years later, the U.S. fundraiser says the money is gone, and the monastery is shuttered. Its renovation is tied up in bureaucratic red tape, while the nuns studying in Rome are still housed at a convent a 90-minute commute away.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in America: The Jesuit Review
VOICES
Commentary: I received restorative justice from the Catholic Church after surviving clergy abuse
“I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by clergy in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Bringing justice to abuse survivors is a main goal of the attorney general’s efforts, and I certainly agree with that. I hope to add to that conversation by introducing a key element of justice for survivors that I think is missing in the conversation. I am a beneficiary of my abuser’s name being listed on the website of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and there is justice and institutional accountability in that. I am also the beneficiary of restorative justice, which is the element that I feel is missing. Beyond the attorney general’s goal of justice and giving voice to survivors as an aid to healing from the painful trauma of childhood abuse, efforts at restorative justice have helped me, and many others like me, to live a fuller and more complete life.” By Michael Hoffman, Chicago Tribune, in The Brunswick News
Cupich’s lackluster response to alarming undercount of Catholic clergy sex abuse won’t cut it
“Now is a moment of reckoning for the state’s Roman Catholic dioceses — a time to come clean and shine a full light on child sexual abuse within the institution and, where still possible, bring the abusers and their enablers to justice. Cardinal Blase Cupich has an open door and the responsibility to do just that with this week’s release of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s nearly 700-page report that indicated how alarmingly widespread the problem has been in Illinois: The number of child sexual abusers within the church is four times higher than what the dioceses have previously reported.” By Chicago Sun Times Editorial Board
Church abuse failures put all ages at risk
When Susan and I started Catholics4Change in 2011, we were moms in our early 40’s and both had two children in Catholic school. Two Grand Jury Reports investigations of child sex abuse in the very Archdiocese where our children were educated, played sports, received their sacraments, were published for all to read. My children are only in their early 20’s and when they began their Catholic school education there were over 60 predator priests roaming free in the parishes. This is not an issue of the long ago past.” By Kathy Kane, Catholics4Change.com
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Bill inspired by sexual abuse allegations at Kanakuk Kamps dies in Missouri legislature
“A legislative push to extend the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil action failed this year — despite mounting evidence in Missouri and nationally that abuse can take years to come to light. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson, would have extended the amount of time survivors have to file civil action against a perpetrator from age 31 to age 41. But it stalled in the legislative process.” By Clara Bates, Missouri Independent
CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
A survivor of abuse by a Catholic priest in Chicago shares his experience
“NPR’s Scott Simon speaks to journalist Dan Ronan, who was sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest in Chicago. A recently released report details widespread misconduct by Illinois clergy. A report from the Illinois attorney general’s office released this week says 451 Catholic priests abused at least 1,997 children across the state between 1950 and 2019. Previously, just two Roman Catholic dioceses in Illinois had released lists of substantiated allegations of abuse, saying just 103 priests or religious brothers had abused children during those seven decades.” By Scott Simon, National Public Radio
‘The damage this does is chronic’: clergy sex abuse survivor shares story
“John Bellocchio tells a gut-wrenching story. Growing up in New Jersey, the Catholic Church played a major role in his community and family life. ‘The church was a central aspect, physically, as well as spiritually,’ he said. But everything changed, he alleges in court filings, when he was around 13 and volunteering as an altar server at a mass led by Father Theodore McCarrick. At the time, McCarrick was the Archbishop of Newark and a high-ranking figure in the church.” By Larry Potash and Andrew Schroedter, WGN9 News Chicago
ARKANSAS
White County man who says priest molested him files lawsuit against Diocese of Little Rock, two churches
“A White County man who says he was molested when he was a 10-year-old altar boy 42 years ago by a now-deceased Catholic priest filed suit Thursday against the Diocese of Little Rock and two churches where Richard Patrick Davis was pastor. A Pocahontas native, Davis died in May 2020 at age 83 after 57 years as a priest in Arkansas, serving past the traditional retirement age of 65.” By John Lynch, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- Man files lawsuit against Diocese of Little Rock and two churches over alleged sexual abuse by now-deceased Pocahontas priest, By KASU-FM News
ARKANSAS
Arkansas bishop to lead Mass focused on victims of child sexual abuse
“Catholics will gather at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock on Sunday (Apr. 30) to pray for survivors of child sexual abuse. Bishop Anthony Taylor will lead the Mass for Hope and Healing, which is held each April in Arkansas in conjunction with National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Little Rock diocese’s Safe Environment Office sponsors the event, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Deacon Matthew Glover, the diocese’s chancellor for canonical affairs, said Taylor has been involved with the Mass for Hope and Healing since its inception in 2017.” By Frank E. Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
CALIFORNIA
‘We need to fix it’: Bay area Catholics speak out about abuse scandal
“As a wave of new lawsuits reignites the Catholic church’s child sexual abuse scandal in California, NBC Bay Area sat down with a group of everyday Catholics to discuss a wide range of issues, including how the outpouring of accusations has impacted their faith. ‘You say you’re Catholic, and then you wonder what that person who’s looking back at you is thinking,’ parishioner Toni Wilkerson said about the ongoing scandal. While they didn’t agree on everything, one common theme emerged from the discussion: The desire for more transparency and dialogue from church leaders.” By Candice Nguyen, Michael Bott, Alex Bozovic and Michael Horn, NBC-TV Bay Area News
Judge must reconsider effort to block Catholic diocese libel suit, appellate court rules
“A trial court must reconsider its denial of a motion to block a libel suit stemming from an email allegedly containing a false insinuation that Diocese of Orange Bishop Kevin Vann used Orange Catholic Foundation funds to cover legal expenses for clergy accused of child sex abuse, a state appellate court has ruled. Suzanne Nunn, former interim executive director of the foundation, sent the email to 47 Catholic leaders throughout the country after Vann unilaterally terminated her and the organization’s board of directors in June 2020.” By Scott Schwebke, Orange County Register
COLORADO
Former Aspen priest won’t be charged
“The 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office will not prosecute a former St. Mary Catholic Church priest accused of sexually assaulting an altar boy multiple times over a four-year period, following an investigation that didn’t yield sufficient evidence to file criminal charges, the Aspen Police Department said Wednesday (Apr. 26). ‘The investigation was conducted with the assistance of the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On review with the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Aspen police closed the case as unfounded. No charges will be filed,’ an APD news release states.” By Rick Carroll, Aspen Daily News
DELAWARE
Ex-Delaware bishop named as Catholic official who covered up clergy sex abuse in Baltimore: Report
“Former Catholic Diocese of Wilmington Bishop W. Francis Malooly was one of several past high-ranking Archdiocese of Baltimore officials identified as those who helped cover up sexual abuse, according to a Baltimore Sun exclusive article published online late Thursday (May 4). Malooly — along with the Most Revs. Richard ‘Rick’ Woy, G. Michael Schleupner, J. Bruce Jarboe and George B. Moeller — helped abusive priests get away with their crimes, either concealing the extent of a priest’s misdeeds or striking deals with prosecutors to avoid a criminal charge, according to the Sun’s article.” By Esteban Parra, Delaware News Journal
FLORIDA
Another girl comes forward after teacher’s arrest for alleged child sex abuse at two schools in Miami
“A 29-year-old teacher — who was working at a Jewish private school when police officers arrested him for child sex crimes at a private Catholic school and a charter school — is facing more charges on Wednesday in Miami-Dade County. Eric Bernard Givens, also known as ‘Mr. G.,’ has been at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center since Friday (May 11) without bond. County jail and court records show that on Wednesday he was facing charges in cases involving three girls.” By Adrea Torres, Local 10 News Miami
ILLINOIS
What new information does report reveal about Belleville Diocese child-sex-abuse cases
“The public has been hearing about child sex abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Belleville since the early 1990s, when church officials acknowledged that some of its priests had been ‘credibly accused.’ A report released last week by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office is peeling back a few more layers. The report examines problems in all six Catholic dioceses in the state. The section on the Belleville Diocese contains disturbing narratives on six former clergy, describing sexual encounters between children and priests in graphic detail, as well as cover-ups by past church leaders.” By Teri Maddox, Belleville News-Democrat
Survivors of sex abuse by Catholic priests in Joliet diocese react to Illinois AG’s report
“The sharpest criticism in the Illinois attorney general’s report on sex abuse in the Catholic church in Illinois is for the diocese of Joliet and its handling of reported abuse cases under the late Bishop Joseph Imesch. The report details 69 cases of abuse there. David Rudofski and Eddie Burkel had never met before Tuesday, but both men are survivors of sexual abuse by different priests in the Joliet diocese. ‘As an adult I’ve learned how it affects you and how it just breaks you down,’ said Burkel.” By Sarah Schulte, ABC-TV7 Eyewitness News
Cardinal Cupich details streamlining process to handle sex abuse allegations in Catholic Church
“Cardinal Blase Cupich spoke with ABC7 Chicago exclusively Thursday (May 18) about how all six Illinois Catholic dioceses are now streamlining their process for handling allegations of sexual abuse by a member of the Catholic clergy. The hope is to give people a better understanding of how the Illinois Catholic dioceses handle allegations of sexual abuse of minors, but survivors have said church leaders need to do more. ‘We wanted to make sure that we followed the same kind of format and the ways that we communicate information,’ Cupich said.” By Cate Cauguiran, ABC-TV7 News
- Cupich urges Raoul’s office to provide more info on abusers, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, on CatholicCitizens.org
Attorney: Illinois diocese new sexual abuse procedures ‘50 years too late’
“Decades too late.’ That’s how one person describes the recent efforts from the six Illinois Catholic Dioceses to streamline their process for handling allegations of sexual abuse by a member of the clergy. These new procedures are meant to give people a better understanding of how the diocese will handle allegations of sexual abuse, but survivors and advocates say church leaders need to do more. Marc Pearlman is an attorney who represents survivors of sexual abuse in Illinois. He’s covered hundreds of cases; he says nearly 90% of those involve one of the six Illinois dioceses.” By Anthony Ferretti, WIFR-TV23 News
- Catholic dioceses of Illinois put in writing how it deals with sex abuse allegations, By Howard Packowitz, 25News Now Peoria
- Illinois Catholic dioceses publish a summary of their processes for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors against clerics, By Archdiocese of Chicago, Dioceses of Bellville, Peoria, Rockford, and Springfield
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria releases statement on Illinois AG’s sex abuse report, By Will Stevenson and Howard Packowitz
- Statement of Bishop Ronald A. Hicks on the Illinois attorney general’s report on Catholic clergy sexual abuse of minors, By Diocese of Joliet
Father James Flynn reinstated to ministry
“On April 18, Cardinal Cupich sent letters to parishes where Father James Flynn served informing of his reinstatement … ‘On April 15, the Independent Review Board of the Archdiocese of Chicago met to consider the results of its investigation and determined that there is not a reasonable cause to believe that Father Flynn sexually abused a minor. The Board recommended that the file be closed and Father Flynn be returned to ministry. Therefore, after considering their recommendations, I am restoring Father Flynn to ministry, effective immediately,’ the letter (from Cardinal Cupich) said.” By Chicago Catholic
IOWA
Former Dubuque priest accused of past sexual abuse of a minor
“A priest in Florida has been accused of sexual abuse of a minor while he was serving as priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque in the 1980′s. Father Leo Riley was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque in 1982. The alleged sexual abuse of a minor, reported earlier this month, is said to have happened between 1985 and 1986 while Riley was serving as associate pastor at the Church of Resurrection in Dubuque. He requested to move to the Diocese of Venice, Florida in 2002 to be closer to his parents and became a priest there in 2005.” By KCRG-TV9 News
KANSAS
Church has responsibility to invest in care of sex abuse victims
“This past Wednesday (Apr. 26), the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph observed a Day of Prayer in Atonement for Those Harmed by Sexual Abuse in the Church. All of our parishes were asked to offer Mass and other prayers for this intention. The sexual abuse scandal is one of the saddest chapters in the church’s history. The scandal involved representatives of the church, priests and bishops, violating their promises to God and the church by using innocent children or vulnerable adults for sexual pleasure.” By Archbishop Joseph Nauman, The Leaven, official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
KENTUCKY
U.S. Catholic cleric backed out of $1m settlement with sexual a use victim
“A US Roman Catholic cleric who admitted in criminal court to sexually abusing a child before his ordination backed out of a seven-figure settlement agreement with his victim after learning he would have to register as a sex offender, the Guardian has confirmed. The deacon in question – attorney Virgil Maxey “VM” Wheeler III – died earlier this year after writing a will expressing his desire to donate much of his money to prominent institutions, mostly in the Louisiana community in which he worked. His victim is now calling on the beneficiaries to reject those gifts from his abuser.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian
LOUISIANA
U.S. priest’s sentence offer for molesting child too lenient, says accuser in case
“A Louisiana man accusing a Roman Catholic priest of molesting him as a child has spoken out against what he says is an overly lenient sentence being offered to the defendant in exchange for a guilty plea. The accuser, 24, is pressing a criminal case against Patrick Wattigny, who worked as a chaplain at the alleged victim’s high school and was charged with abuse against him in 2013.” By Ramon Antoinio Vargas, The Guardian
MAINE
Counselor for Maine diocese disciplined for ethics violations
“A licensed social worker who works with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland was disciplined by a state regulatory board over her interactions with a woman who has accused a priest of taking advantage of her in a time of crisis. Carolyn Bloom, an independent clinician for the diocese, admitted to violating a national code of ethics for social workers and agreed to pay for and participate in a year-long supervision program.” By Emily Allen, Portland Press Herald
MARYLAND
Catholic abuse survivors face long road, tough memories and constitutional challenges as they prepare to sue the Baltimore Archdiocese
“It’s still about four months before victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the Baltimore Catholic Archdiocese will be able file civil suits against the church. However, the wheels are already in motion for what could be a monumental payout to survivors. Meanwhile, the Archdiocese is likely to drag out the suits by challenging the constitutionality of the cases and possibly bringing them to trial. A recent Maryland Attorney General’s Office report implicated 156 priests and church employees in abusing at least 600 children over the last 80 years, but experts in the field and legal analysts think it could actually be thousands of people who suffered at the hands of the Archdiocese.” By Scott Maucione, WYPR National Public Radio News
Archbishop Lori affirms support for transparency in addressing sexual abuse
“Archbishop William E. Lori confirmed that no one who has been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor is currently in ministry in the archdiocese, and that he has confidence that all clergy and employees are committed to protecting children and enforcing the archdiocese’s child protection policies. In a May 11 exclusive interview with the Catholic Review, he expressed his support for some clergy in the Archdiocese of Baltimore who have been identified by a local media report as the officials whose names are redacted in the report of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office regarding clergy sexual abuse in the archdiocese.” By Christopher Gunty, Catholic Review
- Archdiocese of Baltimore pushes back on reports claiming abusive priests still working, By WBAL-TV11 News
Ex-pol, others allege sex-abuse horrors by Baltimore priests before historic suit
“A former Maryland state senator and two other men have detailed their harrowing accusations of childhood sex abuse by Baltimore-area priests to The Post — as their lawyers prepared Tuesday (May 9) to unveil a planned historic class-action lawsuit against the archdiocese. The expected legal action comes on the heels of a bombshell April report by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown that listed 156 priests suspected of abusing more than 600 children in the past eight decades — and a recent reversal on the statute of limitations that had prevented such lawsuits.” By Jesse O’Neill, New York Post
- Crump: abuse victims set to sue Baltimore Archdiocese, By Lea Skene, Associated Press, on ABCNews.com
Baltimore church sex abuse survivors call for resignation of archbishop, want redacted names disclosed
“Baltimore Catholic sex abuse survivors are calling for Archbishop William Lori to resign. This comes after local newspapers published the redacted names of church officials accused of abuse and cover-ups in the Baltimore Catholic Church. Survivors want the church to name the rest. The grand jury report identified 158 clergy accused of abusing more than 600 victims. But 15 names were redacted or kept out of the report.” By Paul Gessler, CBS-TV News Baltimore
- ‘They are still at large’: clergy abuse survivors call for suspensions, release of names after investigative articles, By Liz Bowie, Dylan Segelbaum, Jessica Calefati and Tim Prudente, The Baltimore Banner, on WYPOR.org, National Public Radio Baltimore
Attorney Ben Crump to file lawsuit on behalf of archdiocese sexual abuse survivors
“Nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump and renowned attorney Adam P. Slater are planning to file a lawsuit on behalf of Archdiocese sexual abuse survivors … Attorney Crump and Attorney Slater will also launch a petition calling for the passage of legislation that would remove the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse across the nation..” By Sinead Hawkins, FOX-TV25 News
- High-profile attorneys announce new lawsuit as survivors share stories of sex abuse in Baltimore Catholic church, By CBS-TV News Baltimore
Believe us: survivors express anger, hope following release of attorney general’s report
“Lovingly displayed in a windowsill of Elizabeth Ann Murphy’s home in Timonium is a rectangular ceramic sculpture depicting a sailboat tossed on a stormy, turquoise sea. God’s outstretched hands hover over the fragile vessel, a reminder of his constant presence. Standing near the painted ceramic are three other pieces of art: a figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a small wooden carving of Christ carrying his cross, and a little glass rooster – an ever-present symbol of betrayal. For Murphy, who experienced horrific sexual abuse for three years while a student at Catholic Community School in South Baltimore in the early 1970s, the artwork offers consolation. It’s also a reminder of suffering.” By George P. Matysek, Jr., Catholic Review
MASSACHUSETTS
Lawsuit accusing Catholic bishop of sexual abuse settled
“A lawsuit brought by a former altar boy who said he was raped as a child in the 1960s by a now-deceased Roman Catholic bishop in Massachusetts has been settled, the sides announced Friday (May 26). The plaintiff identified in court papers as John Doe alleged in the suit filed in February 2021 that not only was he abused by former Diocese of Springfield Bishop Christopher Weldon as well as two other clergy, but also that the church engaged in a yearslong coverup to protect the bishop’s reputation and legacy. The suit also said that even after abuse allegations against Weldon were found to be credible, diocesan officials as late as 2019 denied them.” By Mark Pratt, Associated Press, on Boston.com
Former altar boy’s lawsuit against former New Bedford priest alleging sexual abuse settled
“A civil lawsuit brought by a man alleging he was sexually abused by a former New Bedford priest when he was an altar boy over 30 years ago has been settled ‘in the low to mid six figures,’ according to the plaintiff’s attorney. Jason Medeiros was a former altar boy at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford and participated in a Catholic youth group. Both were supervised by Father Richard Degagne, according to a press release issued by Boston-based attorney Mitchell Garabedian.” By Frank Mulligan, South Coast Today
MICHIGAN
Vincent Delorenzo, an ex-priest in Michigan, pleads guilty to sexually assaulting 5-year-old after funeral
“A Michigan priest pleaded guilty this week to sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy after he had officiated a funeral service for a family member. Vincent Delorenzo, 84, formerly of Flint, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Delorenzo was a former priest with the Lansing Diocese. The assault happened in 1987.” By John Dodge, CBS News Chicago
MISSOURI
Former St. John Vianney school nurse charged with sex crimes against underage student
“A former nurse at St. John Vianney High School here has been charged with felony sex crimes after admitting to sexual contact with an underage student. Erin Foerstel, 43, of Kirkwood, faces charges of statutory sodomy in the second degree and sexual contact with a student younger than 17, the age of consent in Missouri. Foerstel confessed to police that she performed a sexual act on a student at Vianney last month while employed at the school as a nurse, Kirkwood detective Donald Douglas wrote in a probable cause statement.” By Nassim Benchaabane, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
MONTANA
Reinstatement of Fr. Kevin Christofferson
“My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: After contacting Butte Silver Bow Law Enforcement and following the completion of a third-party investigation and consultation with the Diocesan Review Board, I am reinstating Father Kevin Christofferson, a priest of the Diocese of Helena and pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Polson and Sacred Heart Parish in Ronan, to active ministry effective May 8, 2023. A report of sexual abuse against Fr. Christofferson, which was alleged to have occurred over twenty years ago, was not substantiated.” By Most Rev. Austin A. Vetter, Bishop of Helena
NEW MEXICO
Attorney: DA demands teen’s confidential records to prosecute sex abuse case
“A state district judge late last year rejected a consolidated plea prosecutors had offered a former school health aide accused of molesting four children after parents of two of his alleged victims spoke in opposition to the agreement. An attorney representing one of the accusers says in a new court filing the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office days later dismissed the charges related to his client — the most serious of those leveled against Robert Apodaca — and is making access to the teenager’s protected mental health records a condition for refiling them.” By Phaedra Haywood, Santa Fe New Mexican
NEW YORK.
I-Team: Diocese of Buffalo attempts to keep child sex-abuse documents secret, loses appeal
“Despite a settlement by the Diocese of Buffalo in the lawsuit brought on by New York’s attorney general and promises made by Bishop Michael W. Fisher, there is not a new era of transparency within the Catholic diocese.” By Sean Mickey, WKBW-TV7 News Buffalo
Jury awards $95M to man who accused Rochester-area priest of child abuse
“A jury Wednesday (May 10) awarded $95 million to a local man who alleged he was sexually abused in 1979 by a former Rochester-area priest who also has been accused by others of sexual assaults. The local man alleged that the former priest, Rev. Foster P. Rogers, sexually abused him in Rogers’ car in July 1979. The victim was then 15. Rogers now has limited income, according to letters he wrote the court, and the local man awarded the $95 million is unlikely to see even a tiny sliver of the award.” By Gary Craig, Democrat & Republican
OHIO
Ohio priest convicted of sexual abuse of minors
“Parish priest Michael Zacharias, 56, was convicted on five counts of sex trafficking by a federal jury in the Northern District of Ohio last Friday (May 12). Zacharias has been on administrative leave from the Diocese of Toledo since he was arrested on Aug. 18, 2020. His crimes, committed between 1999 to 2020, involved three victims, two of whom were still minors when Zacharias began abusing them. The former pastor now faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.” By Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Agency
- Former Mansfield priest on trial in federal court on five sex-trafficking counts, By Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal
- Catholic priest denies guilt from witness stand during his federal sex-trafficking trial, By Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal
- Jury convicts priest of sex trafficking three victims on northern Ohio, By U.S. Department of Justice Public Affairs
RHODE ISLAND
Priest removed from assignments in three RI communities – now giving Mass at notorious parish
“Diocese of Providence Priest Eric Silva — who has been removed from diocesan assignments at Catholic schools and parishes in Cranston, Barrington and Narragansett — now has a new home. Now, Silva is assigned to St. Joseph Church on Hope Street — the parish associated with one of the most infamous Catholic priests — Priest Norman Demers. Silva’s name does not appear on the St. Joseph website, or weekly handout, nor does he introduce himself when giving mass.” By GoLocalProv.com
WASHINGTON
Washington clergy still not required to report child abuse
“Just before Washington’s legislative session ended, in a last-ditch attempt to push through her bill mandating clergy to report child abuse, state Sen. Noel Frame proposed a compromise. The bill, which would have added clergy to the state’s list of mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect, ran into a sticking point. Catholic lobbyists — and a majority of state Senators — wanted to carve out an exemption for priests if they learned of abuse or neglect through a confession, which is viewed as sacred within the Catholic Church.” By Wilson Criscione, Crosscut.com
AFRICA
Ending child sexual abuse in Africa hamstrung by religion, poverty
“Ten years have gone by and Chido Mpira (now 19) has adamantly refused to join the family when they go for church gatherings every week. While the community never understood her, her immediate family did, however they had agreed that Chido’s demise was a secret that should be kept within the family. But Chido who has spent the last decade to herself has vowed she would rather die than attend church as she has been subjected to rape by her church minister at the tender age of nine. Her family refused to report him for fear of touching the ‘anointed’ one of God.” By Melody Chikono, NewsDay
AUSTRALIA
Survivor of former Townsville pedophile priest Neville Creen reveals toll the abuse took o her life
“As a child Megan was full of promise. She did well at high school. She was liked and people used to tell her she should be a comedian. She was vivacious, quick-witted and was a devoted teen athlete. This story contains content that readers may find distressing. But when the 59-year-old was five, a predator entered her life and his actions would eventually stamp out all that made her who she was — her sense of humor, her confidence and her pride. Former Catholic priest Neville Creen was jailed in the early 2000s for abusing 22 other children.” By Baz Ruddick, ABC News
Government removes redress scheme restrictions
“Access to the National Redress Scheme for institutional child sexual abuse will be expanded to prisoners and a wider range of former child migrants. The changes announced yesterday were part of the Albanese Government’s response to an independent review of the scheme. Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the Government was seeking to make the redress process as smooth as possible.” By CathNews.com
Church insurer facing challenges due to abuse claims
“Church leaders say they remain fully committed to engaging with survivors of abuse with justice and compassion, including in the payment of compensation, as changes at Catholic Church Insurance loom. Catholic Church Insurance is considering winding down its operations unless another substantial bailout is made by dioceses and religious orders and is discussing closing its new and renewal general insurance business amid a continuing surge in abuse claims, as well as the liability impacts of factors such as Australia’s erratic weather.” By CathNews.com
BOLIVIA
Bolivia’s Catholic Church says it was ‘deaf’ to sexual abuse victims
“Roman Catholic Church leaders in Bolivia said on Wednesday (May 24) the institution had been ‘deaf’ to sexual abuse in Church-run schools and said they were taking action after a series of accusations in recent weeks led to protests and a legal investigation. The accusations were sparked by the publication in Spanish newspaper El Pais in April of the diary of a late Jesuit priest, which contained multiple confessions of the sexual abuse of children in the schools he ran in Bolivia. It alleged Church officials knew about the abuse but did nothing.” By Monica Machicao and Brendan O’Boyle, Reuters
- Another deceased Jesuit priest accused of sex abuse in Bolivia as pedophilia scandal grows, By Paola Flores, Associated Press, on ABC-TV News
Bolivia to investigate late Spanish priest accused of abuse
“The top Bolivian prosecutor launched an investigation Monday (May 1) into a late Spanish priest who allegedly abused several minors in Bolivia dating back to the 1980s. The case of Jesuit priest Alfonso Pedrajas Moreno, who died in 2009, came to light over the weekend in a report by the Spanish newspaper El País. Attorney General Wilfredo Chávez said on Twitter that he was seeking information from the Spanish consulate on the case, and that he was asking the Catholic Church to comment.” By Associated Press
- Jesuit’s diary of sexual abuse prompts investigations in Bolivia, By Guy Hedgecoe, The Irish Times
- Bolivian bishops express pain over serial sexual abuse by Jesuit priest, By Julieta Villar, Catholic News Agency, in National Catholic Register
CANADA
Priest arrested in sexual assault of 8-year-old girl in Little Grand Rapids First Nation, RCMP say
“A Roman Catholic priest has been accused of sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl in Little Grand Rapids First Nation — and Manitoba RCMP say they’ve identified other possible victims. ‘We do not wish to traumatize or further traumatize the young victim by sharing her experience in such a public manner,’ Supt. Scott McMurchy, Manitoba acting criminal operations officer, said at a news conference on Tuesday (May 30). ‘However, we believe that other children may have been harmed in a similar way.’” By Caitlyn Gowriluk, CBC News
Winnipeg man who alleges two Catholic priests sexually abused him as a child sues Archdiocese of St. Boniface
“A man who alleges two Catholic priests sexually abused him as a child three decades ago is taking the Archdiocese of St. Boniface to court. The Winnipeg man, now 44, is suing the Archdiocese of St. Boniface, the archbishop of St. Boniface and the Red River Valley School Division. The man alleges the abuses happened in 1990 and 1991 when he was a student at St. Jean Baptiste Elementary, then a part of the Red River Valley School Division.” By Bryce Hoye, CBC News
‘We can heal together’: Guelph man overcomes childhood sexual abuse by founding Recovery Speaking initiative
“Though he says he feels like a ‘warrior’ now, at 71, 60 years ago Robert McCabe was just a sweet and quiet boy. A child, who, after being sexually assaulted by his Catholic priest in a motel room while travelling to Montreal, spent the night curled up in a chair crying ‘no, no, no.’ The Guelph man said sharing his memories has helped him to reconcile with them. He has finally forgiven himself and his abuser who is now deceased, after a life of coping using alcohol, and a quest for recovery and justice. He founded Recovery Speaking initiative in 2020 and runs a men’s support group held Thursdays online, because he said, ‘there is hope after dealing with sexual abuse and trauma.’ By Joy Sturthers, Guelph Mercury
Archdiocese of Toronto threatens sexual aabuse accuser in legal defense
“In 2019, (David) Cullen, 59, was reviewing test results with a team of doctors when one asked a pointed question: had he ever been sexually abused as a child? That’s when he says the memories came flooding back. ‘I had buried it. I had buried it so deeply and it caught me off guard. I started dealing with shame right away,’ he told the CBCs The Fifth Estate in his first interview since launching a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto.” By Timothy Sawa, CBC News
Child sex abuse lawsuits reveal alleged warnings about priest years earlier
“The Catholic church in Ottawa has quietly settled three child sexual abuse lawsuits involving notorious priest Dale Crampton, cancelling three separate jury trials that were scheduled to be heard in Ottawa this spring. Two of the three plaintiffs alleged they were not only assaulted by Crampton, who killed himself in 2010, but also by his superior, auxiliary bishop John Beahen, at Crampton’s cottage in West Carleton. Beahen died from a stroke in 1988.” By Kristy Nease, CBC News
FRANCE
French Church names another retired bishop suspected of abuse
“The French Church has identified one of the previously unnamed retired archbishops investigated for sexual abuse, a revelation delayed because civil prosecutors did not inform Church officials that they had closed the case without taking any action. After a prosecutor confirmed reporting by Famille Chrétienne, the archdioceses of Auch, Lyon and Toulouse issued a joint statement confirming that a nun had accused retired Auch Archbishop Maurice Gardès in 2020 of ‘moral and sexual harassment, spiritual abuse and sexual aggression.’” By Tom Heneghan, The Tablet
GERMANY
Abuse victims meet pope after Munich to Rome bike trek
“A group of victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church had an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday May 17), after reaching the goal of their bicycle challenge. The initiative — the stated aim of which is to be seen and heard — was organized by victims’ groups in the Munich and Freising archdiocese under the motto ‘We’re leaving! Church, are you with us?’ What did the journey entail? The group of nine abuse victims, along with their riding companions, traveled 715 kilometers (about 450 miles) in ten stages over as many successive days. To symbolize their emotional state, they also took along stones bearing words to reflect their thoughts and feelings.” By Deutche Welle
Zdk demands establishment of structures to deal with abuses in Catholic Church
“The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) believes that the process of coming to terms with the abuse scandal in the Church is far from complete. At the spring plenary meeting in Munich on Saturday, ZdK Vice-President Wolfgang Klose demanded, among other things, the establishment of structures to deal with cases in Catholic associations and organizations. In addition, it must be clarified how the ZdK can cooperate with the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) on the issue. Klose demanded that the committee accompany the reappraisal in the DBK and the Catholic dioceses in a critical manner.” By StarConnectMedia.com
HUNGARY
Hungary: clerical sex abuse victims hope for justice
“The handling of sex abuse cases in the Hungarian Catholic Church has got off to a very difficult start. One well-known priest has quit after revealing that he himself is a survivor of sexual abuse, while another victim was charged with harassment when he refused to stop searching for answers. Despite all this, neither man has lost his faith. Both, however, hope for change within the Church.” By Deustche Welle
INDIA
Indian Catholic priest gets bail in sexual abuse case
“A Catholic priest in a southern Indian state has been granted bail after he was remanded in custody for over a month for allegedly sexually abusing a teenage student and four other women. A local court in Nagercoil, in Tamil Nadu’s Kanniyakumari district, granted conditional bail to Father Benedict Anto, a member of Marthandam diocese of the eastern rite Syro-Malankara Church, on April 24. ‘The diocese suspended the priest soon after police acted against him,’ Father S Varghese, the vicar-general of the diocese, told UCA News on April 27.” By UCANews.com
POLAND
Journalistic investigation shows Polish Church under Communism was plagued by clerical sexual abuse
“The number of victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Poland between 1944 and 1990 may be close to 1,100, with the number of abusers close to 300. Those are, however, not the official findings of the church in Poland. On March 15, the bishops announced they will create a commission of experts to investigate past cases of abuse of minors by clergy in the country.” By Paulina Guzik, OSV News
Church was ‘naïve’ over child sex abuse, says Polish bishop after report indicates 1,000 victims
“One of Poland’s most senior bishops has apologized for neglect in how the country’s Catholic church dealt with child sex abuse by priests in the past, after a new report indicated over 1,000 victims during the communist period. Wojciech Polak – who is archbishop of Gniezno and primate of Poland – claimed that the church had ‘often been naive in dealing with these crimes.’ However, he also noted that the communist authorities exploited the issue to blackmail priests into collaborating.” By Notes from Poland
Poland’s Catholic church launches campaign on how to report sex abuse
“Poland’s Catholic church is providing every parish in the country with posters explaining how people can report cases of sex abuse as well as presenting the rights of victims and the types of support that are offered to them. The materials, part of a campaign launched by the Polish episcopate, are intended to present ‘in an accessible way’ the church’s system for ‘extending support and necessary help to victims.’ ‘We want to make people aware that anyone in need of support can use it,’ wrote Piotr Studnicki, the head of the episcopate’s office for the protection of children and youth.” By Notes from Poland
PORTUGAL
Courage conquers shame: Portuguese Church sex abuse survivors speak out
“A recent report estimates nearly 5,000 children have been abused by members of the Portuguese Catholic clergy. Survivors are now speaking out about their suffering. The Portuguese Church hierarchy gathered in Fatima on 20th April to ask for forgiveness for the sexual crimes committed against minors by Catholic clergy. A report published in February estimates that nearly 5,000 children have been abused since 1950. Euronews reporter Valérie Gauriat went to Portugal to meet those concerned.” By Valerie Gauriat, EuroNews
Portuguese bishops pledge reform on clerical sex abuse
“Portugal’s Catholic bishops have vowed to stick to a path of reform in the matter of clerical sexual abuse, two months after an independent commission published a 400-page report that detailed incidences of child abuse and estimated a minimum of 5000 cases over the past 70 years. During the bishops’ plenary meeting in Fátima, Bishop José Ornelas presided over a special Mass for abuse victims, saying, “There can be no condoning situations or attitudes that endanger the lives of innocent people…’” By Filipe Avillez, The Tablet
SPAIN
The Spanish priests accused of child abuse in the United States who fell off the radar
“Manuel Fernández is a Spanish priest who was ordained in 1959, ending up in New Jersey by 1979. But in 2002, he was accused of child abuse — which occurred in the 1980s — and was removed from his post. However, Fernández then returned to his diocese in the city of Ourense, in northwestern Spain. From there, he continued to be a priest, living quietly, without anyone in the community knowing about his past. The bishop’s office didn’t take any special measures, claiming that there was no record about his background on the other side of the ocean.” By Íñigo Domínguez and Andrea Garcia Baroja, El Pais
Catholic Church in California grapples with more than 3,000 lawsuits, alleging child sex abuse / Religion News Service
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Church Finances, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on May 30, 2023
Advocates have been stunned by the number of cases that surfaced during the window, which closed at the end of December.
By Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service
“At least a third of the 12 Roman Catholic dioceses in California have either filed for bankruptcy or are contemplating doing so to deal with an influx of lawsuits filed by survivors of childhood sexual abuse after a state law opened a three-year window in which cases were exempted from age limits.
“More than 3,000 lawsuits have been filed against the Catholic Church in California under a 2019 state law that allowed alleged victims to sue up to the age of 40.
“Advocates have been stunned by the number of cases that surfaced during the window, which closed at the end of December.
“So far, two dioceses have declared bankruptcy.”
By Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service — Read more …
Illinois AG’s bombshell clergy abuse report not surprising
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on May 24, 2023
We cannot pretend to be surprised, even as we are outraged, by the Illinois attorney general’s Catholic clergy abuse report released yesterday, May 23. The report concluded an investigation started in 2018 and found that 451 Catholic clergy had abused nearly 2,000 children since 1950. The investigation began on the heels of the 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report that found 300 clergy in that state had abused more than 1,000 children. Only last month, the Maryland attorney general released his report of an investigation of abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore: 156 clergy abused 600 children between 1940 and 2002.
These reports are only two of dozens of similar revelatory reports over the past three decades that have shown the Catholic Church allowed clergy to abuse children and then covered up their crimes.
Voice of the Faithful cannot adequately describe the anguish Catholic clergy child abuse causes victims, survivors, and the entire Body of Christ, as personal testimonies of abuse in this and similar reports detail.
We intend, however, to continue to speak this truth to power and to watch carefully how well the Church today follows its own child protection guidelines. Last year, VOTF published “2022 Report: Measuring Abuse Prevention and Safe Environment Programs as Reported Online in Diocesan Policies and Practice” and is now reviewing all U.S. dioceses for its 2023 report.
VOTF’s 2022 report was not overly laudatory of the Church’s child protection efforts. Its authors concluded, in part, “Results of this Review indicate the need to enhance diocesan child protection and safe environment measures. Actions by all are essential to keep children safe in our church communities. Clearly stated, publicly available, and comprehensive diocesan guidelines for safe environments provide measurable standards that can be modeled in parishes and are essential to prevent further child abuse.”
Here is how Illinois’ six dioceses scored out of a possible 100 points in VOTF’s 2022 child protection report:
- Peoria, 41.5
- Rockford, 63.5
- Belleville, 68
- Chicago, 71
- Springfield, 87
If you have not had the opportunity to read media reports about the Illinois attorney general’s report, here are a couple of links, and a link to the entire 696-page report itself:
- Sex abuse in Catholic Church: Over 1,900 minors abused in Illinois, state says, By The New York Times
- Catholic clergy sexually abused Illinois kids far more oftehn than church acknowledged, state finds, By The Associated Press
- Report on Catholic Clergy Child sex Abuse in Illinois 2023, By the Office of the Illinois Attorney General
Voice of the Faithful’s® mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church. VOTF’s goals are to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, to support priests of integrity, and to shape structural change within the Catholic Church. More information is at www.votf.org. Click here to donate to VOTF.
Sex abuse in the Catholic Church: over 1,900 minors abused in Illinois, state says / The New York Times
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on May 23, 2023
One case among many documented in the report involves Thomas Francis Kelly, a priest who abused more than 15 boys ranging in age from 11 to 17 in several parishes in the 1960s and 1970s. A victim contacted the attorney general’s investigators to describe being singled out by Father Kelly as an 11-year-old altar server.
By Ruth Graham, The New York Times
“More than 450 credibly accused child sex abusers have ministered in the Catholic Church in Illinois over almost seven decades, the office of the state’s attorney general, Kwame Raoul, said Tuesday in an investigative report. That is more than four times the number that the church had publicly disclosed before 2018, when the state began its investigation.
“The 696-page report found that clergy members and lay religious brothers had abused at least 1,997 children since 1950 in the state’s six dioceses, including the prominent Archdiocese of Chicago.
“The report adds 149 names to lists of child sex abusers whom the dioceses themselves had publicly identified before or during the investigation. That brings the total number of identified abusers to 451, the report says. The additional names were supplied by victims who came forward and shared their accounts with investigators, who then followed up on their accounts. Investigators also reviewed more than 100,000 pages of files held by the dioceses, and interviewed church leaders and their representatives.”
By Ruth Graham, The New York Times — Read more …
Voice of the Faithful Focus News Roundup, May 19, 2023
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Focus news roundup, Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on May 18, 2023
May 19, 2023
TOP STORIES
For women, pope’s changes for upcoming Vatican summit open doors ‘that will be hard to shut’
“It’s been nearly 14 centuries since the monastery founded by St. Hild of Whitby, a prominent abbess in 7th century Anglo-Saxon England, hosted the Northumbrian kingdom’s assembly to discuss the date on which its Christian church would celebrate Easter. That assembly, or synod, would bring the kingdom’s church in line with the Catholic Church in Rome. ‘Scholars have long thought that Hild was a member of that synod,’ said Katie Bugyis, an associate professor and trained medievalist in the program of liberal studies at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.” By Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY
- Podcast: How women’s votes will transform the synod, By Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell, Inside the Vatican, America: The Jesuit Review
- U.S. Catholic women leaders praise pope for allowing laypeople votes in the synod, By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com
Philadelphia Archdiocese accused of transferring known abuser to Catholic college
“In 2013, then-Catholic priest and would-be artist Kevin Barry McGoldrick was transferred from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to the Diocese of Nashville, where he became chaplain of Aquinas College. In the lawsuit filed on April 18 in Philadelphia, it alleges that archdiocesan officials transferred the priest — and issued a letter of support on his behalf — knowing that he had a history of sexual abuse. The lawsuit accuses the archdiocese of enabling the priest’s abuse in 2017 of the lawsuit’s 27-year-old plaintiff, identified only as ‘Jane Doe.’” By Kathryn Post, Religion News Service, in National Catholic Reporter
Vatican to ask Stika for resignation
“The embattled Bishop Rick Stika will be asked by Vatican officials to resign as Bishop of Knoxville, after more than two years of scandal over the bishop’s leadership of his eastern Tennessee diocese. According to sources close to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, Pope Francis decided last month to request Stika’s resignation, after reviewing the results of a Vatican-ordered investigation into the bishop’s management. Stika is accused of protecting Wojciech Sobczuk, a seminarian accused multiple times of sexual assault … The bishop is also accused of mishandling other sexual misconduct allegations in the diocese and has been accused by his presbyterate of bullying and harassment.” By The Pillar
Judge must reconsider effort to block Catholic diocese libel suit, appellate court rules
“A trial court must reconsider its denial of a motion to block a libel suit stemming from an email allegedly containing a false insinuation that Diocese of Orange Bishop Kevin Vann used Orange Catholic Foundation funds to cover legal expenses for clergy accused of child sex abuse, a state appellate court has ruled. Suzanne Nunn, former interim executive director of the foundation, sent the email to 47 Catholic leaders throughout the country after Vann unilaterally terminated her and the organization’s board of directors in June 2020.” By Scott Schwebke, The Orange County Register
A ’toxic nucleus’ within the Church
“A little over three years ago, L’Arche International published its preliminary findings on allegations of sexual abuse and other transgressions against Thomas Philippe, OP, and Jean Vanier, the principal figures in the L’Arche movement. The organization noted at the time that ‘the stakes are high for L’Arche, following the death of its founder and revelations which mark a break in its history, there is a need to reread the past … An in-depth study is to be carried out to gain a better understanding of the personality and input of Jean Vanier and the relationship dynamics at work between the founder and those who knew him.’” By Michael W. Higgins, LaCroix International (email sign-in required to read entire article)
Cardinal O’Malley: Papal abuse commission shifting to ‘impact-focused’ direction
“The new projects and developments at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors represent ‘a major shift toward a more impact-focused direction,’ said its president, Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston. ‘The Holy Father has asked a lot from us, and we are all committed to making this work,’ the cardinal said, according to a press release from the commission May 8.” By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter
- Pope tells safeguarding body not to be discouraged by setbacks, By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com
- Protection Commission announces new strategies to safeguard against abuse, By Salvatore Cernuzio, Vatican News
- Pope Francis invites child protection group to have ‘a spirituality of reparation,’ By Hannah Brockhaus, ACI Africa
- Mary McAleese and Marie Collins call on Pope Francis to save Vatican child safeguarding group, By Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times
- Pope’s abuse commission meets amid turmoil, facing calls for greater transparency, By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
Editorial: Knoxville Catholics deserve an update on Vatican’s investigation of Bishop Stika
“There are relatively few positions in the country that have the job security of a Catholic bishop. In his diocese, as the church’s Code of Canon Law puts it, the bishop has ‘all ordinary, proper, and immediate power.’ No one there can contravene his orders or force his removal from office. Neither can the national conference of bishops, nor can any regional ecclesial entities … Catholic bishops report to the pope directly, and only he can choose to remove them. Given that organizational reality, one can understand the dilemma of a Catholic in the Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee. As NCR staff reporter Brian Fraga highlights in a thorough and wide-ranging investigation, many parishioners there are feeling demoralized and unsure what power they have to effect change in their diocese. They certainly deserve some answers.” By National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff
French Catholic Church to provide clergy with scannable IDs to battle sexual abuse
“Old sins cast long shadows. After centuries of secrecy, the French Bishop’s Conference has decided it will be more transparent by equipping priests, bishops and deacons with digital, scannable identification cards. No bigger than a bankcard, the IDs will certify whether or not its holder is fit to perform a sermon or has the right to hear confession. Essentially, the cards identify whether or not the Church member is facing a sexual abuse charge.” By Aude Mazoue, France 24
States weigh child abuse reporting vs. clergy’s duty of confidentiality
“From the time Washington state Sen. Noel Frame was 5-years-old until she was 10, she was sexually abused by a teenage cousin. The abuse only stopped when she told a teacher, who reported it to the authorities and to her parents. Now, Frame, 43, wants to require members of the clergy in Washington to notify authorities if they hear about abusive situations involving children, just like the teacher who helped her. Frame, a Democrat, wrote a bill to add clergy to the ranks of educators, counselors and doctors already designated as “mandatory reporters” in the state.” By Elaine S. Povich, special to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star
Newly published list shows Catholic sisters ran 74 Native American boarding schools
“A group of archivists, historians, concerned Catholics, and tribal members has published the first comprehensive list of Native American boarding schools in the United States run by Catholic entities. The Catholic Truth & Healing website lists 87 Catholic-run Native boarding schools before 1978 across 22 states. Seventy-four of those schools were run or staffed by Catholic women religious. Fifty-three different congregations of sisters were affiliated with the schools.” By Dan Stockton, National Catholic Reporter
Lingering Vatican investigation of Tennessee bishop leaves diocese demoralized
“Some priests in the Diocese of Knoxville have retired early or left active ministry. Others are considering leaving the priesthood. Groups of lay Catholics in the East Tennessee area say they are demoralized and frustrated. ‘We are just really a hot mess,’ said Susan Vance, a leader of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests in Tennessee. Vance and other local Catholics blame Bishop Richard Stika, who became the diocese’s third bishop in 2009, for the turmoil in their local church.” By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter
FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION
What the synod doc says about women, and what it could mean for the future of the church
“Proclaim the good news! The journey toward a synodal church is well underway, and it offers great hope for the people of God, especially for women. Pope Francis recently declared that 70 lay people and consecrated religious will have voting rights in the October 2023 synodal assembly, and 50 percent of those appointed will be women. For the first time in history, women will be included as voting members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops. This announcement is indeed good news for women in the Catholic Church, both echoing and furthering the signs of hope witnessed thus far in the synodal process.” By Carolyn Weir Herman, America: The Jesuit Review
Could you explain what the Synod on Synodality is to a 10-year-old? If not, we need to simplify some things.
“When I first heard about the Synod on Synodality, I had two reactions. First: What does that term mean? But then, thinking about the Synod on the Family and the Synod on the Amazon: Who cares what it means? Really interesting things happen when Pope Francis does synods. Let’s do this! But over the last 18 months, I’m surprised to find that it’s my confusion about the synodal process that has grown more than my enthusiasm for what is being discussed.” By Jim McDermott, America: The Jesuit Review
Francis’ synod reforms show voices of Catholic laity can no longer be ignored
“Pope Francis’ decision in late April to include lay persons as full participants with voting rights in the upcoming Synod of Bishops is a significant step towards making the synod a body that more adequately represents and embodies an act of discernment by the whole entire people of God. In exhorting the pastors of the local churches to embark upon a synodal process with the whole community of the baptized and listen to the voices of the marginalized, the pope has been seeking to reawaken the muscle memory of the ecclesial body.” By Catherine e. Clifford, National Catholic Reporter
Synodality is working: women getting a vote at the Vatican is the latest proof
“In his last interview shortly before he died in 2012, Cardinal Carlo Martini of Milan observed that ‘the church is 200 years out of date.’ Last week, the Vatican’s synod office announced that non-bishop participants at a synod, including lay women and men, will have voting rights for the first time. In this case, the church was only 10 years late. Many Catholics like myself who have followed the development of synodality under Pope Francis have been convinced that the decision to open synod voting to non-bishops was all but inevitable. I worked closely with the Holy See Press Office and the Synod Office on English language communications at thr ee different synods, first under Benedict in 2012, and then under Francis in 2014 and 2015. I witnessed the call for non-bishop voting get louder and louder as Francis encouraged wider consultation and fervant listening to the people of God.” By Sebastian Gomes, America: The Jesuit Review
POPE FRANCIS
Abuse victims share ‘wounded heart’ with Pope Francis after bike trek from Germany
“Pope Francis on Wednesday (May 17) met briefly with a group of abuse victims who undertook a bicycle pilgrimage from Germany to Rome this month to ask the pope to do everything in his power to heal and prevent abuses in the Catholic Church. The group, from the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, also delivered a letter to the Holy Father following his weekly general audience and presented him a gift: a sculpture of a heart by artist Michael Pendry.” By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency
Pope issues new ‘fundamental law’ for Vatican City State
“Pope Francis updated the ‘Fundamental Law of Vatican City State,’ opening the possibility that laypeople can be members of its governing commission and emphasizing that the independence of the city-state is essential for the mission of the Holy See. The previous version of the law was promulgated by St. John Paul II in 2000; his introduction to the text noted the independence of Vatican City State guaranteed ‘the freedom of the Apostolic See’ and assured ‘the real and visible independence of the Roman Pontiff in the exercise of his mission in the world.’ Pope Francis’ revision of the law incorporates the mission into the text of the law itself.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, AngelusNews.com
‘Sexual abusers deserve punishment, but also pastoral care’: Pope Francis
“Sexual abusers are disgusting ‘enemies’ who deserve to be condemned and punished – but also deserve Christian love and pastoral care because they too are children of God, Pope Francis said. Francis made his comments on April 29 in a private conversation with Jesuits while he was visiting Hungary. Francis is also a Jesuit and the comments were published on Tuesday (May 9) in the Italian Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica, as is customary after such meetings.” By Reuters on NDTV.com
BISHOPS
Texas Bishop Strickland accuses Pope Francis of undermining Catholic faith
“The controversial Catholic bishop of Tyler, Texas, announced May 12 on Twitter that he believes Pope Francis is ‘undermining the Deposit of Faith.’ Bishop Joseph Strickland, a vocal critic of Francis who in recent years has invited the pope to ‘fire’ him and endorsed videos attacking the current pontiff as a ‘diabolically disordered clown,’ said he acknowledges the validity of Francis’ election to the papacy, but exhorted: ‘Follow Jesus.’ Strickland questioned Francis’ fidelity to the Catholic faith in a tweet in which he sought to distance himself from statements made by a far-right Catholic podcaster who has questioned whether Francis is the real bishop of Rome.” By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter
Lingering Vatican investigation of Tennessee bishop leaves diocese demoralized
“Some priests in the Diocese of Knoxville have retired early or left active ministry. Others are considering leaving the priesthood. Groups of lay Catholics in the East Tennessee area say they are demoralized and frustrated. ‘We are just really a hot mess,’ said Susan Vance, a leader of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests in Tennessee. Vance and other local Catholics blame Bishop Richard Stika, who became the diocese’s third bishop in 2009, for the turmoil in their local church.” By Brian Fraga, National Catholic Reporter
Archbishop Prevost talks about choosing bishops for the church
“The U.S.-born archbishop tapped by Pope Francis to help him find new bishops said a good candidate is ‘a pastor, capable of being close to the members of the community, starting with the priests for whom the bishop is father and brother.’ He must be able ‘to live this closeness to all, without excluding anyone,’ said Archbishop Robert F. Prevost, 67, who took the helm at the Dicastery for Bishops in mid-April.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, on USCCB.org
- Vatican official in charge of choosing bishops says more lay people should be consulted, By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in America: The Jesuit Review
PRIESTS
Why the serious drop in priestly vocations in Europe’s largest diocese?
“On the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the Archbishop of Milan, Mario Delpini, made international news with his own ‘annunciation’ that the priestly formation program in the Archdiocese was to undergo a major re-structuring. Before getting into the specifics of that ‘reform,’ let’s set the stage. Milan is the largest diocese in Europe (roughly 5 million Catholics) and has more priests than any other diocese in the world (more than 2,000 in total, half of whom are diocesan clergy) … So, with all that going for Milan, what’s the crisis? A serious drop in priestly vocations.” By Pater M.J. Stravinskas, The Catholic World Report
Priests, seminarians to gather for symposium on priesthood
“Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet has launched an international movement to revitalize the collaboration between ordained priests and the priesthood of the faithful. The movement was inspired by a symposium held in Rome in February 2022 and will now include a gathering for American theologians, priests, seminarians and laity that will be held May 16 at The Catholic University of America in Washington.” By Father Patrick Briscoe, OSV News, on CatholicCourier.com
Senior German priest resigns over handling of abuse claims
“A senior Roman Catholic priest in Germany has been removed from office after criticism of his handling of abuse allegations against a seminary director in the Diocese of Limburg, the German Catholic Church said Tuesday (Apr. 25). Vicar General Wolfgang Roesch had asked Limburg’s bishop to relieve him of his duties following the publication of a report about the case of the Rev. Christof May. The priest and seminary head was found dead in June 2022 after being questioned as part of a probe into allegations of inappropriate behavior.” By Associated Press
WOMEN’S VOICES
What convinced me that we need more women leading at the Vatican
“Ask me about almost anything related to the church or politics, and I will err on the side of traditionalism, conservatism…whatever you would like to call it. I have always been a rule follower: I liked wearing uniforms at my all-girls Catholic schools, and I get annoyed when the priest goes off-book saying some of the prayers during Mass. I even enjoy the Latin Mass, at least during the few times I have attended. So this realization, which I had soon after I started working at America, came as a surprise to me: The church needs (more) women in the hierarchy of the Vatican and its decision-making processes.” By Jill Rice, America: The Jesuit Review
When a female lens is added to the equation, something new can happen
“I have been struck by social media comments from several progressive Catholic women who criticized Pope Francis’ decision to extend voting privileges to laypeople, including women, at the 2021-24 synod on synodality. One European woman wrote she could not celebrate synod votes for women, even though many others were. As she sees it, the Vatican is only throwing a meager bone to Catholics eager for women’s equality in the church. In addition to the estimated 300 bishops who will attend October’s synod, Francis will select 70 non-bishop members from a list of 140 names submitted by seven international groupings of bishops. Francis has asked that 50% of these be women, and that candidates include young people.” By Christine Schenk, National Catholic Reporter
My daughters have hard questions about the church. Are women deacons the answer?
“Although I had attended Catholic school all my young life, I was never familiar with the concepts of synod, discernment and the diaconate. That was until last spring, when a friend invited me to her church for a Discerning Deacons event titled ‘Hope, Change and the Catholic Church.’ It was a cold Sunday evening, the Oscars were on, and I did not feel like driving across the city. But this is a friend who always shows up for me, so I went. Looking back on that evening, I believe it was the Holy Spirit who was nudging me to go.” By Katie Mulcahy, America: The Jesuit Review
‘Catholic Women Preach’ book offers hope for the future of the church
“Catholic Women Preach meets a sacred yearning to have and hear the voices of women in the church through the unique perspective of their own preaching. This book was born out of the good work of organizations like FutureChurch and Catholic Women Preach that answer a call to lift up the voices of women in the church — one of the primary themes emerging from the synod on synodality called forth by Pope Francis. The timing of this is not a coincidence.” By Patty Breen, National Catholic Culture
Pope Francis says women can now vote on a Vatican panel that was exclusively male
“Pope Francis says women will be allowed to vote on a Vatican panel that had been exclusively male. NPR’s Scott Simon asks Kate McElwee of the Women’s Ordination Conference about it. Pope Francis is inviting women to add their voices to the Synod of Bishops. That does not mean he is allowing women to be bishops or priests, but it is still a move that groups like the Women’s Ordination Conference have been calling for. Kate McElwee is the conference’s director, and she joins us now.” By Scott Simon, National Public Radio
FUTURE OF THE CHURCH
Survey: Mass attendance drops after Covid, but U.S. Catholics are hopeful for their church
“The share of Catholics going to Mass even a few times each year has fallen off significantly compared with the number before the Covid pandemic, but U.S. Catholics overall are largely optimistic about their church and its leaders, a new survey finds. In 2022, a near-majority of Hispanic Catholics, or 47 percent, reported attending religious services at least a few times each year, down from 65 percent in 2019. For white Catholics, the drop was even sharper, down to 45 percent in 2022 from 73 percent just three years earlier. Less than half of all Americans, 43 percent, said they attended services at least a few times each year, down from 54 percent in 2019.” By Michael J. O’Loughlin, America: The Jesuit Review
- New report: German Catholic Church faces major decline in membership, revenue, By Jonathan Luxmoore, OSV News, in America: The Jesuit Review
CHURCH FINANCES
San Diego Roman Catholic diocese will file for bankruptcy in November
“The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, under a siege of lawsuits from 438 people who say they were sexually abused by its clergy in past decades, said it plans to file for bankruptcy protection in November. Such a move, spelled out in court papers filed this week and in a hearing in San Diego Superior Court Thursday, would halt all lawsuits against the diocese until the bankruptcy is complete and a universal settlement of all the claims is reached through the bankruptcy process.” By Greg Moran, The San Diego Union-Tribune
Catholic fundraising exec went to jail over embezzling from health system affiliated with nuns, now raising money for religious order
“Michael Gerrity went to jail over $250,000 embezzled two decades ago from a hospital charity near Buffalo, New York, that he’d been running and that was affiliated with a group of Catholic nuns, according to prosecutors, who said he spent some of the money on vacations. Now, he’s working for a Catholic religious order, the Augustinians, as its chief fundraiser for the Chicago region.” By Robert, Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times
The Roman Catholic bishop of Oakland files for Chapter 11 to facilitate settlements with abuse survivors
“The Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland announced today the filing of a voluntary petition for bankruptcy relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The filing is necessary in light of the more than 330 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse brought against RCBO under a recent California statute that allowed decades-old claims otherwise time barred and expired to be filed … RCBO will continue to serve the 550,000 Catholics in the East Bay and carry out its many works of mercy through its parishes and pastoral centers.” By Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland
- Diocese of Oakland files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, By Rick Hurd, Daily News
Judge in archdiocese bankruptcy case recuses himself over donations scandal
“A federal judge overseeing a bankruptcy filing from the US’s second-oldest Roman Catholic archdiocese has recused himself from the case amid scrutiny of his donations to the church as well as his close professional relationship with an attorney representing archdiocesan affiliates in insurance disputes. Greg Guidry, who was appointed to the judicial bench at New Orleans’s federal courthouse by the Donald Trump White House in 2019, issued an order after 8pm on Friday (Apr. 29) recusing himself from a role handling appeals in a contentious bankruptcy involving nearly 500 clergy sexual abuse victims.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian
CELIBACY& MARRIED PRIESTS
In wake of the clerical pederasty scandal in Bolivia, bishop says he favors optional celibacy for priests
“Following the consternation in Bolivia following the revelation of serial sexual abuse of minors committed by a deceased Jesuit, the bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Pando and head of the Communication Commission of the Bolivian Bishops’ Conference, Eugenio Cóter, considered the possibility of optional celibacy for priests.” By Julieta Villar, ACI Prensa, on CatholicNewsAgency.com
Celibacy and the priesthood
“In a recent interview, Pope Francis addressed the question of celibacy and the priesthood in the Catholic Church. He said that it’s a discipline that he does not intend to re-examine: ‘I don’t feel ready to reconsider it yet, but obviously it’s a matter of discipline, which has nothing to do with dogma. Today it’s the case and tomorrow it may no longer be. Time may come when a pope, perhaps, will revisit it.’ That’s a common view: Priestly celibacy is a ‘discipline,’ or an ‘ecclesial law,’ and thus it is not a doctrine that must be preserved forever. It can be repealed.” By Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Cap, The Catholic Thing
VOICES
Opinion: Who will Catholics follow? Pope Francis or the right-wing U.S. bishops?
“It’s time to take a clear look at the far-right politics of U.S. Catholic bishops. They won a 50-year campaign to turn back legal abortion, but they will not rest, it seems, until the country becomes a Christian nationalist state, with their moral principles codified into law. The religious right has long been identified with white evangelical Christians, but the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, some 250 men, mostly white and past middle age, ranks among the nation’s most formidable reactionary forces. As a Catholic, I must protest.” By Mary Jo McConahay, Los Angeles Times, on Yahoo News
Editorial: Catholic Church cover-up continues; Baltimore Archdiocese still protecting those accused of wrongdoing
“The Baltimore Archdiocese insists it’s a changed institution. The rampant sexual abuse of children and accompanying cover-up within the Catholic Church dating back to the 1940s — revealed this spring in a lengthy attorney general’s report that redacted some of the names of the guilty — could not happen today, officials claim. ‘For decades, the Archdiocese has been firmly committed to holding suspected abusers accountable,’ an online response to the A.G. report promises. Yet three of five clergy members accused of previously helping to conceal the abuse of others, and whose names were unmasked this month by The Sun, remain active in parish ministries or Catholic governing boards today.” By Baltimore Sun Editorial Board in The Brunswick News
Other view: the clergy abuse scandal is huge, but one of many issues for us fallen-off Catholics
“At the funeral of a colleague who died young, the priest felt it important to warn the non-Catholics in attendance that they were forbidden to take Communion with the rest of us. The admonition was not gentle, it was crisp. And disgusting. How could a priest be so unwelcoming, officious and doctrinaire at a time when so many friends of the young woman had gathered to mourn her death? It was hard to imagine Jesus citing the house rules in opening remarks to those who had just lost a sister, daughter and companion.” By Dan Rodricks, The Baltimore Sun, in The Appeal Democrat
Editorial: Thank God – and women – for lay voters at the synod
“More than 100 years ago, after decades of lobbying, protest and activism by suffragists, women in the United States won the right to vote with the passage of the 19th amendment to the Constitution. Now — finally! — some women will have voting power at one of the most important assemblies in the Catholic Church. The upcoming Synod of Bishops, to be held in October 2023 and 2024 at the Vatican, will expand its voting members to include 70 nonbishop members, half of whom will be women, Pope Francis announced April 26.” By National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff
Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century marks 20 years
“On January 6, 2002, Professor of Theology Thomas Groome was among the millions of Catholics around the world to read the shocking results of a Boston Globe investigation that exposed a decades-long pattern of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, and efforts by the Archdiocese of Boston to cover it up. Not long after, Groome was one of about 25 people called into an emergency meeting by University President William P. Leahy, S.J., to discuss BC’s response to the unfolding crisis. Everyone in attendance was in agreement: Boston College could not stay silent. Instead, recalled Groome—now a professor in the School of Theology and Ministry—’We decided to face it head-on.’ The result was the Church in the 21st Century Center (C21), which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.” By Alix Hackette, Boston College Office of University Communications
Survivors want accountability and transparency. They waited long enough.
“As lawmakers return to Harrisburg this week, it is imperative that they prioritize passing window legislation that will allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to seek justice against perpetrators and the institutions that enabled them. As an attorney, I have received innumerable phone calls from adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The calls are all too familiar – they are reaching out because they finally have the strength to talk about what happened to them as a child, and they want to seek justice through the court system.” By Katie M. Shipp, Capital-Star Guest Contributor
What more can you do in the face of the Church’s sexual abuse crisis?
“A large part of what God has asked of me as a priest is to accompany hurting people, and particularly hurting Catholics. And much of my life as a priest has been spent dealing with the fallout of an institutional Church that became a haven for sexual predators, and whose shepherds cultivated a decades-long culture of denial, unfathomable inaction, and cover-up. If the Church today finds itself in a perilously unstable condition – the doctrinal tribalism of the self-consciously Catholic, the gradual attrition of ‘none’ – the leaning nominal Catholics, the lack of vocations, the financial bankruptcy of dioceses, and so on—the Church’s crisis of clergy sexual abuse has largely contributed to our current sorry state.” By Thomas Berg, Church Life Journal, Notre Dame
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Ads spike interest in lawsuits over clergy sex abuse after new law takes effect
“Attorneys are blitzing TV and radio airwaves and billboards with ads promising to help child sex abuse survivors sue their abuser or the institution that employed them. The interest is prompted by the April release of the Maryland attorney general’s report on clergy child sex abuse at the Archdiocese of Baltimore and a new state law that eliminated the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit.” By David Collins, WBAL-TV11 News
Lawmakers to propose nine bills to increase statute of limitations on sexual assault cases
“‘Our statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct is among the narrowest in the entire country,’ state Rep. Julie Brixie, D-Meridian Township, said. ‘We’re the only state that restricted access to justice based on the occupation of the abuser rather than the crime that occurred.’ Brixie is proposing new legislation that would raise the age minors are able to come forward from age 28 — where it stands today — to age 52. It was raised from 24 to 28 back in 2018.” By Brett Kast and David Kalman, WXYZ-TV7 News
CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
‘What did the pope know?’: Poles divided over John Paul II abuse cover-up claims
“With under six months to go before a parliamentary election that is expected to be closely fought, a surprise figure has entered the Polish political field, despite the fact he died in 2005: Pope John Paul II. The legacy of John Paul II, who was born Karol Wojtyła and was archbishop of Kraków before becoming pope in 1978, is under scrutiny after a recent book and television documentary accused him of covering up for pedophile priests before he became pontiff.” By Shaun Walker and Katarzyna Piasecka, The Guardian
- Sanitizing John Paul II: Poland’s memory offensive on sex abuse, By Piotr H. Kosicki, Commonweal
Luis Torres’ naïve faith inspired him to help fellow abuse survivors
“My fellow survivor of clergy abuse, Luis Torres, first appeared in my well-ordered life one steamy summer evening. He arrived from his home on Staten Island, New York, in an old minivan with a bike strapped to a rack on the back. Where most people would have been thwarted, as was my intent, by the lack of a doorbell or knock, Luis was unfazed. He was like that with survivors. He simply didn’t see barriers. He was all heart and responded to all hearts, especially to broken hearts. Perhaps it was his substantial suffering that won him, on the spiritual plane, a license for entry. At least, that was what I experienced that first evening on my porch.” By Teresa Pitt Green, National Catholic Reporter
Children of Abuse: celibacy and sex scandals in the Catholic Church
“Omerta, the mafia code of silence, had, for centuries, wrapped the Roman Catholic Church in a cocoon of purity and kept a tight lid over the secret lives of the clergy. From time to time, there were whispers of wrongdoing by a local parish priest, or even occasionally of a bishop, but these were snuffed out quickly and the church succeeded in keeping scandals at bay for a long time. However, by the beginning of the 21st century, the veil was finally torn aside and stories of sexual abuse by these men of God, burst into the open.” By Seema Guha, Outlook India
ARKANSAS
White County man who says priest molested him files lawsuit against Diocese of Little Rock, two churches
“A White County man who says he was molested when he was a 10-year-old altar boy 42 years ago by a now-deceased Catholic priest filed suit Thursday against the Diocese of Little Rock and two churches where Richard Patrick Davis was pastor. A Pocahontas native, Davis died in May 2020 at age 83 after 57 years as a priest in Arkansas, serving past the traditional retirement age of 65.” By John Lynch, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- Man files lawsuit against Diocese of Little Rock and two churches over alleged sexual abuse by now-deceased Pocahontas priest, By KASU-FM News
Arkansas bishop to lead Mass focused on victims of child sexual abuse
“Catholics will gather at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock on Sunday (Apr. 30) to pray for survivors of child sexual abuse. Bishop Anthony Taylor will lead the Mass for Hope and Healing, which is held each April in Arkansas in conjunction with National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Little Rock diocese’s Safe Environment Office sponsors the event, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Deacon Matthew Glover, the diocese’s chancellor for canonical affairs, said Taylor has been involved with the Mass for Hope and Healing since its inception in 2017.” By Frank E. Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
CALIFORNIA
Judge must reconsider effort to block Catholic diocese libel suit, appellate court rules
“A trial court must reconsider its denial of a motion to block a libel suit stemming from an email allegedly containing a false insinuation that Diocese of Orange Bishop Kevin Vann used Orange Catholic Foundation funds to cover legal expenses for clergy accused of child sex abuse, a state appellate court has ruled. Suzanne Nunn, former interim executive director of the foundation, sent the email to 47 Catholic leaders throughout the country after Vann unilaterally terminated her and the organization’s board of directors in June 2020.” By Scott Schwebke, Orange County Register
COLORADO
Former Aspen priest won’t be charged
“The 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office will not prosecute a former St. Mary Catholic Church priest accused of sexually assaulting an altar boy multiple times over a four-year period, following an investigation that didn’t yield sufficient evidence to file criminal charges, the Aspen Police Department said Wednesday (Apr. 26). ‘The investigation was conducted with the assistance of the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On review with the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Aspen police closed the case as unfounded. No charges will be filed,’ an APD news release states.” By Rick Carroll, Aspen Daily News
DELAWARE
Ex-Delaware bishop named as Catholic official who covered up clergy sex abuse in Baltimore: Report
“Former Catholic Diocese of Wilmington Bishop W. Francis Malooly was one of several past high-ranking Archdiocese of Baltimore officials identified as those who helped cover up sexual abuse, according to a Baltimore Sun exclusive article published online late Thursday (May 4). Malooly — along with the Most Revs. Richard ‘Rick’ Woy, G. Michael Schleupner, J. Bruce Jarboe and George B. Moeller — helped abusive priests get away with their crimes, either concealing the extent of a priest’s misdeeds or striking deals with prosecutors to avoid a criminal charge, according to the Sun’s article.” By Esteban Parra, Delaware News Journal
FLORIDA
Another girl comes forward after teacher’s arrest for alleged child sex abuse at two schools in Miami
“A 29-year-old teacher — who was working at a Jewish private school when police officers arrested him for child sex crimes at a private Catholic school and a charter school — is facing more charges on Wednesday in Miami-Dade County. Eric Bernard Givens, also known as ‘Mr. G.,’ has been at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center since Friday (May 11) without bond. County jail and court records show that on Wednesday he was facing charges in cases involving three girls.” By Adrea Torres, Local 10 News Miami
ILLINOIS
Father James Flynn reinstated to ministry
“On April 18, Cardinal Cupich sent letters to parishes where Father James Flynn served informing of his reinstatement … ‘On April 15, the Independent Review Board of the Archdiocese of Chicago met to consider the results of its investigation and determined that there is not a reasonable cause to believe that Father Flynn sexually abused a minor. The Board recommended that the file be closed and Father Flynn be returned to ministry. Therefore, after considering their recommendations, I am restoring Father Flynn to ministry, effective immediately,’ the letter (from Cardinal Cupich) said.” By Chicago Catholic
KANSAS
Church has responsibility to invest in care of sex abuse victims
“This past Wednesday (Apr. 26), the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph observed a Day of Prayer in Atonement for Those Harmed by Sexual Abuse in the Church. All of our parishes were asked to offer Mass and other prayers for this intention. The sexual abuse scandal is one of the saddest chapters in the church’s history. The scandal involved representatives of the church, priests and bishops, violating their promises to God and the church by using innocent children or vulnerable adults for sexual pleasure.” By Archbishop Joseph Nauman, The Leaven, official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
KENTUCKY
U.S. Catholic cleric backed out of $1m settlement with sexual a use victim
“A US Roman Catholic cleric who admitted in criminal court to sexually abusing a child before his ordination backed out of a seven-figure settlement agreement with his victim after learning he would have to register as a sex offender, the Guardian has confirmed. The deacon in question – attorney Virgil Maxey “VM” Wheeler III – died earlier this year after writing a will expressing his desire to donate much of his money to prominent institutions, mostly in the Louisiana community in which he worked. His victim is now calling on the beneficiaries to reject those gifts from his abuser.” By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Guardian
MAINE
Counselor for Maine diocese disciplined for ethics violations
“A licensed social worker who works with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland was disciplined by a state regulatory board over her interactions with a woman who has accused a priest of taking advantage of her in a time of crisis. Carolyn Bloom, an independent clinician for the diocese, admitted to violating a national code of ethics for social workers and agreed to pay for and participate in a year-long supervision program.” By Emily Allen, Portland Press Herald
MARYLAND
Archbishop Lori affirms support for transparency in addressing sexual abuse
“Archbishop William E. Lori confirmed that no one who has been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor is currently in ministry in the archdiocese, and that he has confidence that all clergy and employees are committed to protecting children and enforcing the archdiocese’s child protection policies. In a May 11 exclusive interview with the Catholic Review, he expressed his support for some clergy in the Archdiocese of Baltimore who have been identified by a local media report as the officials whose names are redacted in the report of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office regarding clergy sexual abuse in the archdiocese.” By Christopher Gunty, Catholic Review
- Archdiocese of Baltimore pushes back on reports claiming abusive priests still working, By WBAL-TV11 News
Ex-pol, others allege sex-abuse horrors by Baltimore priests before historic suit
“A former Maryland state senator and two other men have detailed their harrowing accusations of childhood sex abuse by Baltimore-area priests to The Post — as their lawyers prepared Tuesday (May 9) to unveil a planned historic class-action lawsuit against the archdiocese. The expected legal action comes on the heels of a bombshell April report by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown that listed 156 priests suspected of abusing more than 600 children in the past eight decades — and a recent reversal on the statute of limitations that had prevented such lawsuits.” By Jesse O’Neill, New York Post
- Crump: abuse victims set to sue Baltimore Archdiocese, By Lea Skene, Associated Press, on ABCNews.com
Baltimore church sex abuse survivors call for resignation of archbishop, want redacted names disclosed
“Baltimore Catholic sex abuse survivors are calling for Archbishop William Lori to resign. This comes after local newspapers published the redacted names of church officials accused of abuse and cover-ups in the Baltimore Catholic Church. Survivors want the church to name the rest. The grand jury report identified 158 clergy accused of abusing more than 600 victims. But 15 names were redacted or kept out of the report.” By Paul Gessler, CBS-TV News Baltimore
- ‘They are still at large’: clergy abuse survivors call for suspensions, release of names after investigative articles, By Liz Bowie, Dylan Segelbaum, Jessica Calefati and Tim Prudente, The Baltimore Banner, on WYPOR.org, National Public Radio Baltimore
Attorney Ben Crump to file lawsuit on behalf of archdiocese sexual abuse survivors
“Nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump and renowned attorney Adam P. Slater are planning to file a lawsuit on behalf of Archdiocese sexual abuse survivors … Attorney Crump and Attorney Slater will also launch a petition calling for the passage of legislation that would remove the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse across the nation..” By Sinead Hawkins, FOX-TV25 News
- High-profile attorneys announce new lawsuit as survivors share stories of sex abuse in Baltimore Catholic church, By CBS-TV News Baltimore
Believe us: survivors express anger, hope following release of attorney general’s report
“Lovingly displayed in a windowsill of Elizabeth Ann Murphy’s home in Timonium is a rectangular ceramic sculpture depicting a sailboat tossed on a stormy, turquoise sea. God’s outstretched hands hover over the fragile vessel, a reminder of his constant presence. Standing near the painted ceramic are three other pieces of art: a figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a small wooden carving of Christ carrying his cross, and a little glass rooster – an ever-present symbol of betrayal. For Murphy, who experienced horrific sexual abuse for three years while a student at Catholic Community School in South Baltimore in the early 1970s, the artwork offers consolation. It’s also a reminder of suffering.” By George P. Matysek, Jr., Catholic Review
MASSACHUSETTS
Former altar boy’s lawsuit against former New Bedford priest alleging sexual abuse settled
“A civil lawsuit brought by a man alleging he was sexually abused by a former New Bedford priest when he was an altar boy over 30 years ago has been settled ‘in the low to mid six figures,’ according to the plaintiff’s attorney. Jason Medeiros was a former altar boy at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford and participated in a Catholic youth group. Both were supervised by Father Richard Degagne, according to a press release issued by Boston-based attorney Mitchell Garabedian.” By Frank Mulligan, South Coast Today
MICHIGAN
Vincent Delorenzo, an ex-priest in Michigan, pleads guilty to sexually assaulting 5-year-old after funeral
“A Michigan priest pleaded guilty this week to sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy after he had officiated a funeral service for a family member. Vincent Delorenzo, 84, formerly of Flint, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Delorenzo was a former priest with the Lansing Diocese. The assault happened in 1987.” By John Dodge, CBS News Chicago
MISSOURI
Former St. John Vianney school nurse charged with sex crimes against underage student
“A former nurse at St. John Vianney High School here has been charged with felony sex crimes after admitting to sexual contact with an underage student. Erin Foerstel, 43, of Kirkwood, faces charges of statutory sodomy in the second degree and sexual contact with a student younger than 17, the age of consent in Missouri. Foerstel confessed to police that she performed a sexual act on a student at Vianney last month while employed at the school as a nurse, Kirkwood detective Donald Douglas wrote in a probable cause statement.” By Nassim Benchaabane, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
MONTANA
Reinstatement of Fr. Kevin Christofferson
“My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: After contacting Butte Silver Bow Law Enforcement and following the completion of a third-party investigation and consultation with the Diocesan Review Board, I am reinstating Father Kevin Christofferson, a priest of the Diocese of Helena and pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Polson and Sacred Heart Parish in Ronan, to active ministry effective May 8, 2023. A report of sexual abuse against Fr. Christofferson, which was alleged to have occurred over twenty years ago, was not substantiated.” By Most Rev. Austin A. Vetter, Bishop of Helena
NEW MEXICO
Attorney: DA demands teen’s confidential records to prosecute sex abuse case
“A state district judge late last year rejected a consolidated plea prosecutors had offered a former school health aide accused of molesting four children after parents of two of his alleged victims spoke in opposition to the agreement. An attorney representing one of the accusers says in a new court filing the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office days later dismissed the charges related to his client — the most serious of those leveled against Robert Apodaca — and is making access to the teenager’s protected mental health records a condition for refiling them.” By Phaedra Haywood, Santa Fe New Mexican
NEW YORK.
Jury awards $95M to man who accused Rochester-area priest of child abuse
“A jury Wednesday (May 10) awarded $95 million to a local man who alleged he was sexually abused in 1979 by a former Rochester-area priest who also has been accused by others of sexual assaults. The local man alleged that the former priest, Rev. Foster P. Rogers, sexually abused him in Rogers’ car in July 1979. The victim was then 15. Rogers now has limited income, according to letters he wrote the court, and the local man awarded the $95 million is unlikely to see even a tiny sliver of the award.” By Gary Craig, Democrat & Republican
OHIO
Ohio priest convicted of sexual abuse of minors
“Parish priest Michael Zacharias, 56, was convicted on five counts of sex trafficking by a federal jury in the Northern District of Ohio last Friday (May 12). Zacharias has been on administrative leave from the Diocese of Toledo since he was arrested on Aug. 18, 2020. His crimes, committed between 1999 to 2020, involved three victims, two of whom were still minors when Zacharias began abusing them. The former pastor now faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.” By Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Agency
- Former Mansfield priest on trial in federal court on five sex-trafficking counts, By Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal
- Catholic priest denies guilt from witness stand during his federal sex-trafficking trial, By Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal
- Jury convicts priest of sex trafficking three victims on northern Ohio, By U.S. Department of Justice Public Affairs
RHODE ISLAND
Priest removed from assignments in three RI communities – now giving Mass at notorious parish
“Diocese of Providence Priest Eric Silva — who has been removed from diocesan assignments at Catholic schools and parishes in Cranston, Barrington and Narragansett — now has a new home. Now, Silva is assigned to St. Joseph Church on Hope Street — the parish associated with one of the most infamous Catholic priests — Priest Norman Demers. Silva’s name does not appear on the St. Joseph website, or weekly handout, nor does he introduce himself when giving mass.” By GoLocalProv.com
AFRICA
Ending child sexual abuse in Africa hamstrung by religion, poverty
“Ten years have gone by and Chido Mpira (now 19) has adamantly refused to join the family when they go for church gatherings every week. While the community never understood her, her immediate family did, however they had agreed that Chido’s demise was a secret that should be kept within the family. But Chido who has spent the last decade to herself has vowed she would rather die than attend church as she has been subjected to rape by her church minister at the tender age of nine. Her family refused to report him for fear of touching the ‘anointed’ one of God.” By Melody Chikono, NewsDay
AUSTRALIA
Government removes redress scheme restrictions
“Access to the National Redress Scheme for institutional child sexual abuse will be expanded to prisoners and a wider range of former child migrants. The changes announced yesterday were part of the Albanese Government’s response to an independent review of the scheme. Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the Government was seeking to make the redress process as smooth as possible.” By CathNews.com
Church insurer facing challenges due to abuse claims
“Church leaders say they remain fully committed to engaging with survivors of abuse with justice and compassion, including in the payment of compensation, as changes at Catholic Church Insurance loom. Catholic Church Insurance is considering winding down its operations unless another substantial bailout is made by dioceses and religious orders and is discussing closing its new and renewal general insurance business amid a continuing surge in abuse claims, as well as the liability impacts of factors such as Australia’s erratic weather.” By CathNews.com
BOLIVIA
Bolivia to investigate late Spanish priest accused of abuse
“The top Bolivian prosecutor launched an investigation Monday (May 1) into a late Spanish priest who allegedly abused several minors in Bolivia dating back to the 1980s. The case of Jesuit priest Alfonso Pedrajas Moreno, who died in 2009, came to light over the weekend in a report by the Spanish newspaper El País. Attorney General Wilfredo Chávez said on Twitter that he was seeking information from the Spanish consulate on the case, and that he was asking the Catholic Church to comment.” By Associated Press
- Jesuit’s diary of sexual abuse prompts investigations in Bolivia, By Guy Hedgecoe, The Irish Times
- Bolivian bishops express pain over serial sexual abuse by Jesuit priest, By Julieta Villar, Catholic News Agency, in National Catholic Register
CANADA
‘We can heal together’: Guelph man overcomes childhood sexual abuse by founding Recovery Speaking initiative
“Though he says he feels like a ‘warrior’ now, at 71, 60 years ago Robert McCabe was just a sweet and quiet boy. A child, who, after being sexually assaulted by his Catholic priest in a motel room while travelling to Montreal, spent the night curled up in a chair crying ‘no, no, no.’ The Guelph man said sharing his memories has helped him to reconcile with them. He has finally forgiven himself and his abuser who is now deceased, after a life of coping using alcohol, and a quest for recovery and justice. He founded Recovery Speaking initiative in 2020 and runs a men’s support group held Thursdays online, because he said, ‘there is hope after dealing with sexual abuse and trauma.’ By Joy Sturthers, Guelph Mercury
Archdiocese of Toronto threatens sexual aabuse accuser in legal defense
“In 2019, (David) Cullen, 59, was reviewing test results with a team of doctors when one asked a pointed question: had he ever been sexually abused as a child? That’s when he says the memories came flooding back. ‘I had buried it. I had buried it so deeply and it caught me off guard. I started dealing with shame right away,’ he told the CBCs The Fifth Estate in his first interview since launching a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto.” By Timothy Sawa, CBC News
Child sex abuse lawsuits reveal alleged warnings about priest years earlier
“The Catholic church in Ottawa has quietly settled three child sexual abuse lawsuits involving notorious priest Dale Crampton, cancelling three separate jury trials that were scheduled to be heard in Ottawa this spring. Two of the three plaintiffs alleged they were not only assaulted by Crampton, who killed himself in 2010, but also by his superior, auxiliary bishop John Beahen, at Crampton’s cottage in West Carleton. Beahen died from a stroke in 1988.” By Kristy Nease, CBC News
FRANCE
French Church names another retired bishop suspected of abuse
“The French Church has identified one of the previously unnamed retired archbishops investigated for sexual abuse, a revelation delayed because civil prosecutors did not inform Church officials that they had closed the case without taking any action. After a prosecutor confirmed reporting by Famille Chrétienne, the archdioceses of Auch, Lyon and Toulouse issued a joint statement confirming that a nun had accused retired Auch Archbishop Maurice Gardès in 2020 of ‘moral and sexual harassment, spiritual abuse and sexual aggression.’” By Tom Heneghan, The Tablet
GERMANY
Abuse victims meet pope after Munich to Rome bike trek
“A group of victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church had an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday May 17), after reaching the goal of their bicycle challenge. The initiative — the stated aim of which is to be seen and heard — was organized by victims’ groups in the Munich and Freising archdiocese under the motto ‘We’re leaving! Church, are you with us?’ What did the journey entail? The group of nine abuse victims, along with their riding companions, traveled 715 kilometers (about 450 miles) in ten stages over as many successive days. To symbolize their emotional state, they also took along stones bearing words to reflect their thoughts and feelings.” By Deutche Welle
Zdk demands establishment of structures to deal with abuses in Catholic Church
“The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) believes that the process of coming to terms with the abuse scandal in the Church is far from complete. At the spring plenary meeting in Munich on Saturday, ZdK Vice-President Wolfgang Klose demanded, among other things, the establishment of structures to deal with cases in Catholic associations and organizations. In addition, it must be clarified how the ZdK can cooperate with the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) on the issue. Klose demanded that the committee accompany the reappraisal in the DBK and the Catholic dioceses in a critical manner.” By StarConnectMedia.com
HUNGARY
Hungary: clerical sex abuse victims hope for justice
“The handling of sex abuse cases in the Hungarian Catholic Church has got off to a very difficult start. One well-known priest has quit after revealing that he himself is a survivor of sexual abuse, while another victim was charged with harassment when he refused to stop searching for answers. Despite all this, neither man has lost his faith. Both, however, hope for change within the Church.” By Deustche Welle
INDIA
Indian Catholic priest gets bail in sexual abuse case
“A Catholic priest in a southern Indian state has been granted bail after he was remanded in custody for over a month for allegedly sexually abusing a teenage student and four other women. A local court in Nagercoil, in Tamil Nadu’s Kanniyakumari district, granted conditional bail to Father Benedict Anto, a member of Marthandam diocese of the eastern rite Syro-Malankara Church, on April 24. ‘The diocese suspended the priest soon after police acted against him,’ Father S Varghese, the vicar-general of the diocese, told UCA News on April 27.” By UCANews.com
POLAND
Poland’s Catholic church launches campaign on how to report sex abuse
“Poland’s Catholic church is providing every parish in the country with posters explaining how people can report cases of sex abuse as well as presenting the rights of victims and the types of support that are offered to them. The materials, part of a campaign launched by the Polish episcopate, are intended to present ‘in an accessible way’ the church’s system for ‘extending support and necessary help to victims.’ ‘We want to make people aware that anyone in need of support can use it,’ wrote Piotr Studnicki, the head of the episcopate’s office for the protection of children and youth.” By Notes from Poland
PORTUGAL
Courage conquers shame: Portuguese Church sex abuse survivors speak out
“A recent report estimates nearly 5,000 children have been abused by members of the Portuguese Catholic clergy. Survivors are now speaking out about their suffering. The Portuguese Church hierarchy gathered in Fatima on 20th April to ask for forgiveness for the sexual crimes committed against minors by Catholic clergy. A report published in February estimates that nearly 5,000 children have been abused since 1950. Euronews reporter Valérie Gauriat went to Portugal to meet those concerned.” By Valerie Gauriat, EuroNews
Portuguese bishops pledge reform on clerical sex abuse
“Portugal’s Catholic bishops have vowed to stick to a path of reform in the matter of clerical sexual abuse, two months after an independent commission published a 400-page report that detailed incidences of child abuse and estimated a minimum of 5000 cases over the past 70 years. During the bishops’ plenary meeting in Fátima, Bishop José Ornelas presided over a special Mass for abuse victims, saying, “There can be no condoning situations or attitudes that endanger the lives of innocent people…’” By Filipe Avillez, The Tablet
Cardinal O’Malley: Papal abuse commission shifting to ‘impact-focused direction / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on May 9, 2023
Among its new tasks, it said, were how to respond promptly to Francis’ request ‘to animate the church to combat the evils of online child abuse’ and commissioning an in-depth study on ‘the theme of vulnerability in its various forms so as to equip church entities with robust measures to combat this emerging area of abuse.’
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter
“The new projects and developments at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors represent ‘a major shift toward a more impact-focused direction,’ said its president, Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston.
“‘The Holy Father has asked a lot from us, and we are all committed to making this work,’ the cardinal said, according to a press release from the commission May 8.
“‘We have sought the necessary resources to respond adequately, and we are confident in the plan we have laid out and the people we have working with us,’ he said in the statement, which was issued at the end of the commission’s plenary assembly in Rome May 3-6.
“‘At times, this new direction has been both steep and fast for all of us reflecting the urgency of the challenges. This accelerated pace over the last six months has caused growing pains as we have attempted to respond to both short- and longer-term needs,’ the cardinal’s statement said.
“During the plenary, he said, ‘we developed key adjustments to our working methodology so as to clarify our different roles and to create a sense of common ownership of our mandate and of our collective responsibility for its implementation.'”
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter — Read more …
Voice of the Faithful
A lay movement for governance reform in the Roman Catholic Church, responding to the clergy sexual abuse scandal and supporting survivors.
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