Posts Tagged sexual abuse scandal
New Vatican doctrinal chief admits mistakes in handling abuse allegations / AP in National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on July 11, 2023
(Archbishop Victor Manuel) Fernández said he had spoken to the pope about the criticism received about Lorenzo’s case and was told: “You explain reality as it was.”
By Almudena Calatrava and Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter
“Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández, chosen by Pope Francis to head the Vatican office that ensures doctrinal orthodoxy, conceded July 9 he made mistakes in handling a 2019 case of a priest accused of sexual abuse of minors.
“The case has drawn allegations by critics that Fernández tried to protect the priest, a charge that he has denied.
“‘Today I would certainly act very differently and certainly my performance was insufficient,’ he told The Associated Press during an interview after celebrating Mass in La Plata, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) south of Buenos Aires.
“Francis appointed Fernández on July 1 to head the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which guarantees doctrinal orthodoxy and one of whose areas involves handling sexual abuse allegations brought against clergy. He was also named a cardinal July 9 along with about two dozen religious.
By Almudena Calatrava and Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press, in National Catholic Reporter — Read more …
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 …
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 Focus News Roundup, Apr. 28, 2023
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Focus news roundup, Voice of the Faithful, VOTF Focus News Roundup on April 27, 2023
Apr. 28, 2023
TOP STORIES
For first time in history, Pope Francis gives women right to vote at synod
“For the first time in the history of the synod, Pope Francis has given women the right to vote and has also made a radical change to the membership of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality. At the synod, which opens in October, between 21 and 25 percent of the members with a right to vote will not be bishops. These members will include consecrated women and men as well as lay women and men. All those who are members of the synod will have a right to vote.” By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review
- Pope allows women to vote at upcoming bishops’ synod, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
- Pope will allow women to vote at meeting of bishops, By Elisabetta Povoledo, The New York Times
- Pope expands participation in synod to lay members, granting right to vote, By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter
Sex abuse in Baltimore Archdiocese highlights an institutional problem
“Back in 2001, the Boston Globe started an investigation that would reveal one of the largest sexual assault scandals by Catholic priests anywhere in the U.S. The investigation into the Boston Archdiocese was the inspiration for the 2015 Oscar-winning film ‘Spotlight,’ which was also the name of the Globe’s investigative report. And now, a new report on the Baltimore Archdiocese by Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown revealed 600 cases of child sex abuse over the past 60 years by 156 current or former Catholic clergy, seminarians, deacons, members of Catholic religious orders, teachers at Catholic schools and other employees.” By Elina Tarkazikis, Scripps News
North American synod document hits all the right notes
“The U.S. and Canadian bishops’ conferences released the ‘North American Final Document for the Continental Stage of the 2021-2024 Synod’ last week. It is remarkable both for what it says and for what it does not say, especially the absence of any conclusions or statements of finality. The awareness that synodality is a change in the way we function as a church, not a process with a particular end point, runs through the text, and that is its single most important contribution.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter
- North America synod document calls the church to welcome women, LGBT people and youth, By Michael J. O’Loughlin, America: The Jesuit Review
- North American synod report speaks of ‘generational project,’ By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com
Top anti-abuse expert sets record straight on resignation from Vatican body
“German Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, one of the church’s leading protagonists in the fight against clerical sexual abuse, has sought to clarify his reasons for stepping down from a Vatican safeguarding commission after nearly 10 years on the job. Speaking to journalists Monday (Apr. 17), Zollner denied that he was targeting anyone individually or that he resigned as part of an internal power struggle, but said he had ongoing concerns regarding how the commission operated that went unanswered, despite several attempts to engage his superiors on the issues.” By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com
- Jesuit abuse expert Hans Zollner explains decision to resigns from Vatican safeguarding commission, By Justin McLellan., Catholic News Service, in America: The Jesuit Review
- Abuse expert hopes pontifical commission will be a refuge for survivors, By Justin McLellan, Detroit Catholic
- Jesuit who resigned from pope’s abuse commission says victims disheartened by group, By Justin McLellan, National Catholic Reporter
Washington State House passes bill requiring clergy to violate the seal of confession
“After the Washington State House failed to pass an amendment to a bill that would require clergy to violate the seal of confession, Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane reminded legislators that throughout history ‘all’ such attempts by ‘kings, queens, dictators, potentates, and legislators’ have failed, and that even if it passed, clergy wouldn’t capitulate … The bill then went to the Washington House for a vote. However, the House added an amendment to the Senate version that removed the clergy-penitent exemption. That version of the bill passed the House on April 11. The vote was 75-20.” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
Judge stays on Catholic bankruptcy despite church donations
“A federal judge refused Friday (Apr. 21) to recuse himself from the New Orleans Roman Catholic bankruptcy after an Associated Press report that he donated tens of thousands of dollars to archdiocese charities and consistently ruled in favor of the church in the contentious case involving nearly 500 clergy sex abuse victims. U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry told attorneys in the high-profile case that a panel of federal judges he asked to review the possible conflict determined no “reasonable person” would question his impartiality despite his contributions and longstanding ties to the archdiocese.” By Jim Mustian, Associated Press
Letters to the editor about the confessional seal
“A Milwaukee priest has been urging state legislators to repeal the clergy-penitent privilege in mandatory reporting laws that exempt Catholic priests from notifying authorities of any sexual abuse they hear about in the confessional. Following are NCR readers responding to our reporting. The letters have been edited for length and clarity …” By National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff
FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION
Synod organizers say process should lead to greater local control in Catholic Church
“Organizers of Pope Francis’ ongoing consultation with Catholics around the world said that, following recent discussion assemblies on each continent, there is a growing consensus that the process for the ongoing Synod of Bishops should result in the Vatican giving more deference to local church authorities. ‘There is, in fact, more than one way of being the church,’ said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth, Australia, who said that a significant feature of synodality is the understanding that unity does not call for uniformity within the Catholic Church.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter
Continental stage of Synod officially concludes
“The continental stage of the Synod on synodality, which began on October 28, concluded with a Vatican press conference. Officially called ‘For a synodal church: communion, participation, and mission,’ the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops began in October 2021 with a diocesan phase, followed by an episcopal conference/Eastern church phase and the continental phase. The universal phase will culminate in two synodal meetings in Rome, in October 2023 and October 2024.” By Catholic World News
- Synod Continental Stage: ‘most innovative aspect of synodal process,’ By Vatican News
Synod organizers: There is ‘more than one way of being the church’
“Catholics gathered at the continental level say the Catholic Church must be united, not uniform, and embrace its many forms of expression throughout the world, said members of the synod preparatory commission after a weeklong meeting at the Vatican. ‘I think one of the most important things we have experienced during these ecclesial, continental assemblies, is that there is in fact more than one way of being the church,’ said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth, a member of the commission and president of the Australian bishops’ conference.” By Justin McLellan, Catholic News Service, in America: The Jesuit Review
Pope Francis: ‘The synodal path is not a collection of opinions’
“Pope Francis addressed the Union of Major Superiors of Italy, an organization dedicated to promoting a broader understanding of women’s religious life. They are celebrating the 70th chapter of their General Assembly, entitled ‘On the Synodal Journey, Women Witnesses of the Risen Christ.’ In the meeting, the Pope reflected on how the synodal path should be carried out. ‘The synodal path is not a parliament; the synodal path is not a collection of opinions,’ Pope Francis said.” By Diocesan News, Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
Church in Oceania notes ‘tensions’ between developed, developing countries in Synod document
“As the Catholic Church continues is synodal process ahead of the Synod of Bishops meeting in October, the Church in Oceania acknowledged ‘tensions’ in a region includes both developed and developing countries … Among the ‘tensions’ identified in the document were different attitudes toward those with diverse experiences of sexuality and gender in the region; the roles of women in the Church; and views about the possibility of change in Church teaching.” By Charles Collins, Cruxnow.com
Synodality is ‘radically inclusive,’ says Vatican committee member Sr. Filo Hirota
“When Pope Francis met in March with members of a newly formed commission tasked with organizing the upcoming synod meetings in Rome, he seemed a bit surprised to see women when he entered the room. Mercedarian Sr. Shizue ‘Filo’ Hirota said Francis exclaimed, ‘Donne!’ — Italian for ‘Women!’ — upon seeing her and another official from the Vatican’s synod office. ‘He was happy, but he sounded like he hadn’t expected to see us,’ Hirota told Global Sisters Report in an April 4 interview.” By Christopher White, Global Sisters Report, National Catholic Reporter
Committee begins writing Synod on Synodality working document behind closed doors
“A committee of 22 people this week kicked off the writing process for the Synod on Synodality’s working document that will be the blueprint for discussions during the meeting of bishops in October. According to a statement from the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops on April 12, a ‘group of experts from five continents’ is meeting at the Vatican until April 19 ‘with the aim of starting the reflection that will lead at a later stage to the drafting of the Instrumentum Laboris, the working document for the first session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.” By Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency
North American Catholics identify harm of polarization, bishop says
“In their discussions about the life of the church and ‘synodality,’ or walking together, Catholics in United States and Canada noted the negative impact ‘polarization’ is having on the church, said Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas. ‘Politics gets mixed into it, and it’s not that politics doesn’t have a place in the way the church thinks about things,’ he said, but the situation seems to have gotten to where Catholics ‘immediately sort of categorize people.’” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter
North American synod focuses on abuse scandals, inclusivity, and a ‘missionary’ church
“The need to rebuild trust in the wake of abuse scandals, the need to be inclusive and welcoming while faithful to Church teaching, and the need to approach the synodal process as ‘a missionary movement’ were on the minds of American and Canadian Catholics who participated in the North American phase of the Catholic Church’s synodal process.” By Kevin Jones, Catholic News Agency
POPE FRANCIS
Pope outlines vision for lay ministry; Vatican to publish document on those who have remarried outside the Church
“In an April 22 address to the second plenary assembly of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, Pope Francis outlined his vision of lay ministry in the Church. In his apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia (Praedicate Evangelium, 2022), Pope Francis established that curial dicasteries should hold plenary sessions, typically every two years, that involve all of their members (Article 26). The theme of the Dicastery’s second plenary assembly, held from April 20 to 22, was ‘Laity and Ministry in a Synodal Church,’ with special reference to Praedicate Evangelium, Article 133, which involves the institution of new ministries.” By CatholicCultur.org
Pope’s panel against minor abuse to train bishops
“The Vatican said Friday (Apr. 21) its anti-sexual abuse commission would work more closely with its evangelization branch in order to better protect minors, including training bishops from dioceses far from Rome. Pope Francis set up the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in 2014 to fight clerical sex abuse, which will now collaborate with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, according to the three-year agreement. The commission has come under fire recently after its most influential member, Hans Zollner, quit in March, accusing the body of urgent problems related to compliance, accountability and transparency.” By Agence France Presse on UCANews.com
CARDINALS
Ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick charged with sex abuse in Wisconsin
“The defrocked Roman Catholic cardinal who became the face of the church’s clergy sex abuse crisis has been charged in Wisconsin with sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man more than 45 years ago, court records show. A criminal complaint filed Friday alleges that Theodore McCarrick, who was removed from the priesthood in 2019 after a Vatican investigation found he had sexually molested adults and children, fondled a man in 1977 while staying at a cabin on Geneva Lake in southeastern Wisconsin.” By Harm Venhuizen, Associated Press, in America: The Jesuit Review
- Defrocked Catholic cardinal faces second sex assault charge, By Ruth Graham, The New York Times
- Alleged victim of Theodore McCarrick says ex-cardinal abused him for years, By Kevin J. Jones, Catholic New Agency
- Josh Kaul on the clergy and faith leader abuse initiative, By Frederica Freyberg, PBS Wisconsin
BISHOPS
Beleaguered Strasbourg archbishop quits amid complaints
“Beleaguered Strasbourg archbishop Luc Ravel has handed in his resignation on 20 April, another French Church leader accused of not smelling enough like his sheep. ‘Peace being the supreme good,’ he wrote to Pope Francis, ‘I present my resignation to the Holy Father, for whom I pray every day.’ It has not been peaceful in Strasbourg. Ravel, 65, has been criticized as isolated and authoritarian, more interested in his standing in Paris than his pastors and flock in Alsace.” By Tom Heneghan, The Tablet
PRIESTS
Washington bishop: Priests would rather go to jail than break seal of confession
“As Washington state lawmakers debate legislation that would end legal protections for the seal of confession, Spokane Bishop Thomas A. Daly has assured his diocese that priests would opt for a jail sentence before they would break the seal. ‘I want to assure you that your shepherds, bishop and priests, are committed to keeping the seal of confession — even to the point of going to jail,’ Daly wrote in a letter to Catholics in the Diocese of Spokane, which covers eastern Washington.” By Tyler Arnold, Catholic News Agency
WOMEN’S VOICES
Catholic Church ‘robbed’ of richness of women deacons
“The Catholic Church has been ‘robbed’ of the richness of women in the diaconate, according to a senior academic and author. Dr Phyllis Zagano, adjunct professor of religion at Hofstra University, said, ‘There is not now and never has been any doctrinal finding that women cannot be restored to the diaconate.’ In her reflection on women and ministerial service in the Church at a Loyola Institute’s symposium: ‘A Servant Church on the Synodal Way,’ she said, ‘Women can receive the sacrament of order as deacons, just as they did for hundreds of years in the early Church.’” By Sarah Mac Donald, The Tablet
CHILD PROTECTION
Holy See: curial departments sign new agreement on child protection
“Cardinal Seán O’Malley and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle met together on Friday, 21 April, in the offices of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Commission and the Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches. The new agreement helps the two Vatican departments work together in service of the particular Churches in the area of prevention of the abuse of the most fragile and follows from Pope Francis’ reform of the Roman Curia with the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium.” By Vatican News
20 years protecting youths
“When the diocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Young People (OPCYP) was established 20 years ago in the wake of the church’s clergy sexual abuse crisis, the goal was to educate the laity and the clergy that child abuse occurs, teach how to detect the warning signs and most importantly, instruct how to protect children in the church’s care … As we observe Child Abuse Prevention month this April, we reflect on the significant strides the diocese has made since it established the office.” By Deacon Robert M. Silva, The Arlington Catholic Herald
- Voice of the Faithful 2022 Report: Measuring Abuse Prevention and Safe Environment Programs as Reported Online in diocesan Policies and Practices, By Voice of the Faithful Protection of Children Working Group
Abuse & Neglect blog – extension to Roman Catholic Church law in connection with sexual abuse
“Pope Francis recently announced an amendment to the 2019 Church law on clerical sexual abuse and increased its scope to include Catholic lay leaders of Vatican-approved religious organizations. Lay leaders are people other than clergy members who are on the professional rosters of the church. The Vatican first set out its position on clerical sexual abuse in the Apostolic letter, Vos estis lux mundi in 2019, which was due to remain in force for an initial four-year period.” By Sharon Moohan, Lexology.com
CHURCH FINANCES
Tribunal finds retired priest guilty of ‘abuse of ecclesiastical power’
“The Diocese of Jefferson City said a retired priest was guilty of ‘abuse of ecclesiastical power.’
A press release from the diocese said a tribunal of three priests from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois heard the case against Father Ignazio Medina. They found him guilty of financial misconduct while he was the pastor of St. Stanislaus Parish in Wardsville … When he left, he is accused of closing down the account, leaving a $300,000 discrepancy.” By Jennifer Weiser, KRCG-TV13 News
VOICES
The Dalai Lama ‘Incident’: How not to respond to a troubling sexual situation with a child
“Last week, millions of believers and nonbelievers across the globe were shocked when a video went viral showing the Dalai Lama asking a boy to suck his tongue. It’s been described as a ‘playful’ exchange. We’re not so sure. The more appropriate word might well be ‘creepy.’
In education circles, an incident like this is often called a teachable moment. But the real lessons to be learned from this video could be titled ‘How NOT to respond to possible child sexual abuse’ or ‘How NOT to respond to a troubling sexual situation with a child.’” By David Clohessy, Religion Unplugged
What will it take to bring Catholic child abusers to justice in Maryland? A prosecutor with guts.
“There are worse things than legions of sadistic sexual predators abusing Maryland’s children: like legions of sadistic sexual predators abusing Maryland’s children and getting away with it. A recent report from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office unveiled decades of rampant sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy and others affiliated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore. But many of the perpetrators can likely sleep easy believing that no one will prosecute them, because they beat the clock and concealed their crimes well enough to avoid detection earlier, when it would have been less challenging to bring them to trial.” By Kurt W. Wolfgang, The Baltimore Sun
Vatican commission for the protection of minors is all about spin
“At times it is difficult to believe anything other than that Rome is being willfully stupid when it comes to its dealings with clerical child-sex abuse. This repeated failure, inevitably, prompts recall of Einstein’s much-quoted definition of stupidity, even insanity — doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. That’s how it may look, but Rome’s serial “mishaps” in this area are neither stupid nor insane. They are about protecting itself above all while obscuring that reality through spin.” By Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times
Research: child sex abuse in not more common among priests
“I’ll admit that I once suspected that there was something uniquely and inherently debased about Catholic clerics—a bias that only hardened as the avalanche of priestly pedophilia scandals crashed in wave after horrifying wave across the planet during the past few decades. But solely scapegoating priests is demonstrably unwarranted. Research indicates that priests, monks, and laymen are not uniquely guilty in this regard, and that male clergy from every denomination of every religion—all men in general, in fact—have a relatively equal average propensity for these destructive impulses.” By Rick Snedeker, OnlySky.media
No immunity from secular law: synodal reflection
“We are all aware of the child abuse scandal in the Church. Under instructions from Rome, priests who had been involved in child abuse were not referred to secular criminal authorities. I myself came across such a case. After I had spoken to a group of Catholic women campaigning for the ordination of women, one person, whom I shall call Dawn, approached me. We became good friends. We stayed in touch. On one occasion she told me her experience as a child.” By UCANews.com
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Gov. Kelly signs bill giving Kansas child sex abuse survivors more time to file lawsuits
“Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill Monday (Apr. 17) giving survivors of child sexual abuse more time to file lawsuits in a victory for victims and their advocates, who spent years demanding they have their day in court. The new law will allow police to pursue criminal cases indefinitely and give survivors until they turn 31 to file a lawsuit, as well as three years after a criminal conviction. The Democratic governor signed the measure after the Republican-controlled Legislature unanimously approved it earlier this month.” By Jonathan Shorman and Jenna Barackman, The Kansas City Star
- Deadline for filing child sex abuse lawsuits in Kansas extended to age 31, and criminal statute of limitations removed, By Irvin Jackson, AboutLawsuits.com
CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
False sex abuse claims against priests – while rare – can hurt real victims and innocent clergy, experts say
“The sexual abuse supposedly occurred in 2003 at St. Agatha Catholic Church on the city’s West Side. Accuser ‘John Doe’ claimed in court documents that as a young boy he had been sexually assaulted multiple times during the after-school SAFE program by Daniel McCormack, a defrocked Chicago priest who pleaded guilty in 2007 to sexually abusing five children while serving at St. Agatha’s parish.” By Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune
Two years into Wisconsin’s faith leader investigation, McCarrick is charged, survivors can still report
“Last week former cardinal Theodore McCarrick was charged in Wisconsin with fourth-degree sexual assault. The criminal charge was based on a report made by McCarrick’s victim, now in his 60s, who revealed that when he was 19, McCarrick fondled him during a 1977 trip to Lake Geneva, near Wisconsin’s border with Illinois. This charge coincides with the second anniversary of the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s ongoing statewide investigation of sexual abuse by religious leaders in the Catholic Church and other faith communities, launched by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul in April 2021.” By Erin O’Donnell, Editor, Awake Blog
Adults remain vulnerable to clergy abuse, experts say
“The Catholic Church in the U.S. has made progress over the past two decades in confronting sexual abuse against minors within the church but has only begun to address the vulnerability of adults to sexual abuse by clergy, religious and lay leaders, experts told OSV News. ‘We’ve accomplished a tremendous amount in the area of (creating) safe environments,’ said Suzanne Healy, chairwoman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Review Board, a lay-led group that advises the bishops on preventing sexual abuse of minors.” By Gina Christian, OSV News, on UCANews.com
Legionaries of Christ present annual report on sexual abuse of minors by priests
“The Legionaries of Christ have published for the third consecutive year the ‘Annual Report: Truth, Justice, and Healing,’ which gives an account of the commitments made regarding victims of abuse by the congregation and the creation of safe spaces. According to data provided by the Legionaries of Christ, over the years 1941–2022 at least 27 priests sexually abused minors, which represents 1.9% of their priests.” By Nicolás de Cárdenas, ACI Prensa, on CatholicNewsAgency.com
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 (Apr. 20) 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
ARIZONA
Arizona court upholds clergy privilege in child abuse case
“The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can refuse to answer questions or turn over documents under a state law that exempts religious officials from having to report child sex abuse if they learn of the crime during a confessional setting. The ruling was issued April 7 but not released to the public until Tuesday (Apr. 18). A lawsuit filed by child sex abuse victims accuses the church, widely known as the Mormon church, two of its bishops, and other church members of conspiracy and negligence in not reporting church member Paul Adams for abusing his older daughter as early as 2010. This negligence, the lawsuit argues, allowed Adams to continue abusing the girl for as many as seven years, a time in which he also abused the girl’s infant sister.” By Michael Rezendes and Jason Dearen, Associated Press, on ReligionNewsService.com
CALIFORNIA
Child predator with Santa Monica connection arrested in Oregon
“A former employee of St. Monica’s Catholic church has been arrested in Oregon as part of a sting operation targeting child predators. Sean Baba, 29, was one of six individuals identified and arrested by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office last week. According to the Sheriff’s Office, investigators used multiple dating applications, social media sites, and other online platforms to pose as underage boys and girls.” By Matthew Hall, Santa Monica Daily Press
MAINE
Four Penobscot tribe members sue Maine clergymen in decades-old sex abuse cases
“Four Native Americans who say they were abused by three Roman Catholic priests on their reservation in Maine are the latest to bring lawsuits since the state fully lifted the statute of limitations for child sex crimes. The Penobscot Nation members contend the abuse started when they were 7 to 16 years old at St. Ann Parish on Indian Island, just north of Bangor. The oldest abuse dates to 1972, while the most recent happened in 1987, according to the lawsuits.” By Associated Press on FOXNews.com
Bangor woman shares story of abuse from former Catholic priest
“A Bangor woman wants to warn others of the abuse she endured from former Catholic priest Anthony Cipolle, who was a Reverend at St. John’s in Bangor from 2017 until 2020. Melissa Kearns, who shared her story with the Portland Press Herald, claims Cipolle sexually, emotionally and psychologically abused her in 2018. The Press Herald says it reviewed numerous texts and emails between Cipolle and Kearns that support her claims.” By WPOR-FM News
- The priest broke his vows, she says. She’s breaking the silence, By Emily Allen Portland Press Herald
MARYLAND
Baltimore Archdiocese ‘uniquely positioned’ to name accused sexual abusers in redacted report, Maryland AG says
“The Maryland Attorney General’s Office clarified in a pointed statement Friday (Apr. 14) that the Archdiocese of Baltimore could legally and independently identify accused abusers in the state’s redacted report on historic child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese. The office last week released the 456-page investigation that details clergy, teachers, seminarians and deacons within the Archdiocese who allegedly assaulted more than 600 children going back to the 1940s. The report was released with dozens of court-ordered redactions, including the names of 10 ‘credibly accused’ abusers.” By Rohan Mattu, CBS-TV News Baltimore
- Statement from Attorney General Anthony Brown regarding public statements by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, By MarylandAttorneyGeneral.gov
Survivors call for criminal investigation into Catholic church sex abuse
“Catholic church sex abuse survivors are calling on prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into the Baltimore Archdiocese. ‘My abuser was known about in 1966. I could’ve been saved had they done the right thing then. Surely they can do the right thing now,’ said Teresa Lancaster. Since the release of this report detailing the horrific and repeated abuse of more than 600 child victims allegedly at the hands of 156 abusers within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, survivor Teresa Lancaster is demanding more.” By FOX-TV News Baltimore
MICHIGAN
Former Flint-area priest pleads guilty in criminal sexual conduct case
“Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today (Apr. 25) announced that Vincent Delorenzo, 84, formerly of Flint, Michigan pled guilty to one count of attempted criminal sexual conduct in the first degree. Delorenzo, a former priest with the Lansing Diocese, was among the first five priests charged by Nessel in late May 2019. He is pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy following a service he officiated for the boy’s deceased family member in 1987. In exchange for his guilty plea today, the remaining charges will be dismissed. These charges related to the sexual assault of a child from 1995-2000, while he was a student at Holy Redeemer School and Church in Burton, Michigan.” By Michigan Department of Attorney General
PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia Archdiocese accused of transferring known abuse 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 Tuesday (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
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia accused of covering up former singing priest’s alleged sexual abuse, By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post
- Philadelphia Archdiocese faces civil suit claiming then-priest preyed on adult woman at Nashville Catholic college, By Gina Christian, OSV News
- U.S archdiocese faces civil suit over clergy abuse coverup, By Gina Christian, OSV News, on UCANews.com
RHODE ISLAND
Lack of jurisdiction sinks Roman Catholic parish sex abuse suit
“The abusive actions of an out-of-state Catholic priest during a business trip do not create personal jurisdiction over his Rhode Island parish under New York law, a federal appeals court has ruled. Philip Edwardo alleges he was a victim of the late Father Philip Magaldi’s sexual abuse from approximately 1977 to 1984 … Edwardo, then a minor, sued the Roman Catholic parish St. Anthony’s, where Magaldi worked, and others, at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in 2021. The case was dismissed last year.” By Ufonobong Umanah, Bloomberg News
VERMONT
It’s time to release the names of nuns who abuse Vermont Children
“Now that Lent and Easter are over, Vermont Catholic Bishop Christopher Coyne needs to begin a new mission. In August 2019, Coyne released an incomplete list of Vermont clergy credibly accused of child abuse. Curiously, the Diocese of Burlington has never released a list of nuns who were credibly accused of abuse. As a survivor of St. Joseph’s Orphanage, I know that abusive nuns existed. Nuns participated in physical, sexual and emotional abuse of orphanage children. This is well documented, including in a report by former Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan.” By Maura Labelle, VTDigger.com
WASHINGTON
Washington bill takes away confession exception in abuse reporting
“A bill that would require clergy to report child abuse or neglect in Washington was advanced by the state’s House, prompting concern from some Catholics who are seeking a clergy-penitent exemption to protect the seal of the confessional. Catholics in the state have expressed concern the House’s version of the bill could force priests to violate the civil law in order to uphold church law regarding the seal of confession. The bill passed the House on April 11 in a 75-20 vote.” By Kate Scanlon, OSV News, on UCSNews.com
WISCONSIN
Dept. of Justice: Attorney General Kaul releases update in advance of two-year anniversary of clergy and faith leader abuse initiative
“As Wisconsin approaches the two-year anniversary of the launch of the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Clergy and Faith Leader Abuse Initiative, Attorney General Kaul is releasing additional information, including statements from several survivors who have reached out to DOJ, and highlighting progress being made through the initiative. ‘Survivors of abuse by trusted leaders deserve to be respected and supported,’ said Attorney General Kaul.” By WisPolitics.com
CANADA
Quebec court approves sex abuse settlement against Catholic order
“Quebec’s Court of Appeal has approved a $28-million settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed against the Clerics of Saint-Viateur of Canada by sexual-assault victims. A deal was reached in January 2022, but last July Quebec Superior Court Justice Thomas M. Davis said the $8 million in legal fees was excessive. The judge said that despite the fact the lawyers for the 375 sexual-assault victims did ‘remarkable work,’ he wanted a new agreement with more reasonable fees.” By The Canadian Press
Priest sexual abuse alleged in northern B.C. diocese lawsuit
“A northern B.C. woman is suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince George with allegations she was sexually abused as a child by a priest. The B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim, filed on April 19, alleges Father Emile Jungbluth sexually assaulted the child between 1971 and 1977. The court documents name The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Prince Rupert, also known as the Diocese of Prince George, as the defendant. The plaintiff’s lawyer, Seth Wheeldon, said a court anonymization order is being sought for her name.” By Jeremy Hainsworth, Prince George Citizen
Saskatoon priest charged with sexual assailt of 13-year-old girl, church says
“The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon has confirmed one of its priests has been charged in connection to an alleged sexual assault of a 13 year-old-girl. The priest, Janko Kolosnjaji, has been placed on administrative leave, according to the church’s archivist Marusia Kobrynsky. Kolosnjaji has been removed from active duty pending completion of the legal proceeding involving the assault allegation, which dates back to March 11, according to an Thursday (Apr. 20) post on the church’s website.” By Will McLernon, CBC News
FRANCE
A judicial investigation opened against the priest suspected of sexual assault
“And now justice. Suspended from his charge last week due to suspicions of sexual assault, which earned him a canonical investigation, the parish priest of Saint-Germain de Pantin (Seine-Saint-Denis) is also the subject of a criminal investigation, indicated this Monday, April 17, the Paris prosecutor’s office, confirming information from The cross. On Sunday, the diocese of Paris announced that the parish priest of Saint-Germain de Pantin had been suspended from his charge, under the influence of a canonical investigation, for accusations of sexual assault on young adult women between 1993 and 2002.” By NewsInFrance.com
GERMANY
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.” By Associate Press
Report finds Freiburg’s ex-archbishop covered up sex abuse
“A report on the past handling of sexual abuse cases in one of Germany’s larger Catholic archdioceses, Freiburg, found that the city’s former archbishop did almost everything in his power to conceal perpetrators over a period of roughly 30 years in total. The independent report, one of several comparable outside investigations commissioned by Catholic Churches in Germany of late, was critical of Robert Zollitsch’s handling of abuse in the church both as archbishop and during his 20 preceding years as a close associate of his predecessor, Alexander Saier.” By Deustche Welle
More than 250 Catholic priests suspected of abuse in Germany
“In the Archdiocese of Freiburg in the southwestern German state of Baden-Wurtemberg, more people have been affected by sexual violence by clergy than was previously officially known. It is now assumed that there are more than 540 victims, said the chairman of a reappraisal commission, Magnus Striet on Tuesday (Apr. 18) during a live press conference in Freiburg. In addition, there are more than 250 accused clerics, according to the study.” By Timo Kirez, Anadolu Ajansi
INDONESIA
Catholic teacher in Indonesia held for abusing students
“A lay Catholic religion teacher in Indonesia with an alleged habit of watching porn videos has been accused of sexually abusing seven elementary school students. The 26-year-old teacher, only identified as Charles, was arrested by police in Ende Regency on Flores Island in Christian majority East Nusa Tenggara province on April 17. He reportedly teaches at Jopu II Catholic Elementary School in Wolowaru Subdistrict.” By UCANews.com
PHILIPPINES
The pursuit of justice for victim/survivors of child abuse
“Much has changed in the Philippine judiciary in the past 20 years. Prosecutors and judges in the family courts are now armed with 37 laws that mandate that they protect children and bring their abusers to swift and strict justice. Many prosecutors and judges are doing just that in Luzon. It is a big change in a changing era for the judiciary. Finally, the judiciary is acting more swiftly and more determined to bring healing through justice for the child victims.” By Fr. Shay Cullen, The Manila Times
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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