Minn. pastor accused of hitting 12-year-old with two-by-four because child 'wanted to test God'

A Minneapolis pastor and his son were arrested for disciplining a 12-year-old with a two-by-four because the child “wanted to test God.”
Dong Wook Kim and his 19-year-old son Joo Seong Kim are accused of using the wooden plank and an electrical cord to repeatedly hit the youngster in the basement of the Good News Church for more than four days of punishment.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/pastor-accused-disciplining-12-year-old-two-by-four-article-1.2919213 

Leah Remini’s Series Could Be Scientology’s Church Abuse Scandal

Last week A&E aired not one, but two new episodes of its series exposing Scientology, “Scientology: The Aftermath.” Both shed light on the darkest elements of the group, which the series charges has terrorized and even caused the deaths of opponents and followers alike. What makes Scientology a cult instead of just an extreme religion? These two episodes explained the difference better than any of the previous episodes.

http://thefederalist.com/2016/12/27/leah-reminis-series-scientologys-church-abuse-scandal/ 

Pope Francis Involved? 24 Disabled Students in Argentina Sexually Abused By Priests – Charges Pending

The bodies and atrocities are piling up at the Vatican’s door. Yet another massive scandal is unfolding, and it’s one from Pope Francis’ backyard. Twenty-four disabled children were repeatedly sexually abused by priests at the Antonio Provolo Institute for deaf children.
The children told prosecutors, ‘two Catholic priests repeatedly raped them by an image of the Virgin Mary inside the small school chapel in remote northwestern Argentina.’

https://christiantruther.com/exposed/catholic-blasphemy/pope-francis-involved-24-disabled-students-in-argentina-sexually-abused-by-priests-charges-pending/ 

Ex-priest accused of sex assault dies

Barry M. Meehan, a former Roman Catholic priest who was facing trial for sexual assault, died on Dec. 8, according to an obituary printed Tuesday in The Providence Journal. Meehan died of myocardial infarction (a heart attack), according to the medical examiner's office.

Meehan, 67, was permanently removed from the priesthood in 2015. He had lived in West Warwick. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence had no comment Tuesday, said spokeswoman Carolyn E. Cronin.

http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20161227/ex-priest-accused-of-sex-assault-dies 

Two new lawsuits allege sexual abuse by priests

A former Archdiocese of Santa Fe priest who surfaced in Morocco this year is the focus of a lawsuit filed last week by a New Mexico man who alleges that he was sexually abused as a teenager by Arthur Perrault at the University of Albuquerque campus.
Another lawsuit filed against the archdiocese last week alleges that a former Las Vegas priest sexually abused seven San Miguel County residents when they were children in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

https://www.abqjournal.com/916034/two-new-lawsuits-allege-sexual-abuse-by-clergy.html 

Catholic anti-gay smear - Gay men are child molesters

Angelo Stagnaro bills himself as a professional magician. Stagnaro is principally a professional Catholic. In Wednesday's National Catholic Register, Stagnaro writes: “In Pursuit of Innocence.” It is a smear; a treatise on the supposed predatory predilection for young boys by gay men.
We can comfortably presume that the reason for the smear is that the Catholic Church does not approve of gay people. The Church and Stagnaro presuppose that gays are “objectively disordered” (per Catholic teaching). From there it is a short leap for Stagnaro to characterize gays as child molesting perverts.

http://www.slowlyboiledfrog.com/2016/12/catholic-anti-gay-smear-gay-men-are.html 

In Pursuit of Innocence Innocence attracts both good and evil.

Tim Curry's masterful performance as the Lord of Darkness in Ridley Scott's 1985 fantasy classic Legend is a must-see. Curry had always been a great actor but he did this one wearing 80 pounds of makeup and prostheses.
I don't recall anyone else's performance in that movie as well as I did his because of a single line.

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/astagnaro/in-pursuit-of-innocence 

Did the Vatican ban gay priests or not?

ince the publication of the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy’s “The Gift of the Priestly Vocation” a few weeks ago, most commentators have noted that the document reaffirms a 2005 ban on the ordination of gay men. Yet Fr. Louis Cameli, a priest in Chicago, wrote an article in L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, on Dec. 18 in which he says the Vatican document does not issue a blanket ban on gay men being ordained.

http://www.cathnewsusa.com/2016/12/vatican-ban-gay-priests-not/?newsletter=1

Catholic Churches in China Should Be Independent of Vatican, Official Says

A top Chinese official suggested that Catholic churches in China should be run independently of the Roman Catholic Church, the state news media reported on Friday, striking a nationalistic tone as the country negotiates a possible deal to improve relations with the Vatican.

At a meeting with bishops on Thursday in Beijing, Yu Zhengsheng, a senior Communist Party leader, endorsed the notion of a self-governed Chinese Catholic church, according to Xinhua, the state news agency. He said spiritual leaders should work to promote the “good virtue of patriotism” and “adhere to the principles of independence and self-management,” Xinhua reported.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/30/world/asia/china-catholic-vatican.html?emc=edit_tnt_20161230&nlid=63876270&tntemail0=y&_r=0 

Pope Francis adviser Cardinal George Pell concedes Catholic Church 'made enormous mistakes' with priest sex-abuse scandal

One of Pope Francis' top advisers acknowledged he had heard that an Australian Catholic school teacher who serially abused students might be involved in "pedophilia activity" in the 1970s, but said he had no idea how rampant clergy abuse was at the time, during an extraordinary public hearing of an Australian investigative commission just a few blocks from the Vatican.
Australian Cardinal George Pell, who testified via videolink from Rome to the Royal Commission in Sydney from Sunday night to early Monday morning, also conceded that the Catholic Church "has made enormous mistakes" in allowing thousands of children to be raped and molested by priests.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/cardinal-church-made-enormous-mistakes-abuse-scandal-article-1.2547352 

‘Silence,’ Scorsese’s masterpiece about Jesuit priests in Japan, is film we’ve been praying for

Silence" speaks loudly. It's a demand for religious tolerance. A cry against injustice. A rebuke to European arrogance. And a strikingly sung psalm to the power of faith — and doubt.
That's not surprising, coming from Martin Scorsese. At least it shouldn't be. Over his long career he made one controversial movie about Jesus, another mostly unseen one about the Dalai Lama.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/scorsese-silence-film-praying-movie-review-article-1.2905323 

Despite decades of scandals, America’s schools still hide actions of dangerous educator

School officials in East Texas didn’t want Kip McFarlin around their students. For years, he had crossed the line in conversations with teenage girls, using sexually suggestive language and even telling one student he’d date her if he were younger.
By 2005, administrators at Orangefield Independent School District, about a two-hour drive from Houston, had investigated complaints by six different students. When it came time to deal with the Orangefield High School football coach, administrators didn’t fire McFarlin or report him to police. They didn’t even notify Texas education officials who had the power to take away his teaching license.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/12/22/teachers-who-sexually-abuse-students-still-find-classroom-jobs/95346790/ 

NSPCC encourages children to speak out about abuse with visit to Cowley school

CHILDREN were encouraged to talk about their problems and worries in a workshop designed to teach them about the signs and dangers of abuse.
The NSPCC visited St Francis Church of England Primary School in Cowley to talk to year five and year six pupils about types of abuse and what to do if they spotted it, or became a victim.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/14976723.NSPCC_encourages_children_to_speak_out_about_abuse/ 

ANSWERING THE POPE’S CALL TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN

It has been almost two years since the founding Director of CatholicCare Wollongong, Ms Kathleen McCormack AM, was appointed by Pope Francis to the 17-member Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM), to advise the Pope on the protection of children and vulnerable adults in the Church.

Kath recently sat down with Journey Catholic Radio for an in-depth interview upon her return from the PCPM’s September 2016 Plenary in Rome. You can listen to the full interview at www.jcr.org.au 

 

http://ccpblog.unigre.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Wollongong-Diocese-Journey-2016.pdf 

Church responds to 13th lawsuit

n a statement released by the Archdiocese of Agana, church officials responded to the newest allegation of child sexual abuse filed in Guam's court.
"The Archdiocese of Agana acknowledges a new allegation of sexual abuse and lawsuit filed by Mr. James Bascon," the statement read. "We extend our prayers to Mr. Bascon and his family."

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/church-responds-to-th-lawsuit/article_0e5d6732-c764-11e6-8007-67fb0aadc35c.html 

We Will Win The Ultimate War': Hundreds Seek Compensation From Catholic Church For Alleged Children's Home Abuse

A lawyer representing 249 men who are seeking compensation for alleged sexual abuse at a Catholic children's home has vowed to continue with a multi-million pound compensation claim despite a judge dismissing three out of the four first test cases.
Judgement in a fifth case will be given next month, after the high court in Leeds awarded one of the claimants £14,000 in compensation and ruled against three other men.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/we.will.win.the.ultimate.war.hundreds.compensation.from.catholic.church.for.alleged.childrens.home.abuse/103228.htm 

Catholic children's home lawsuit 'will go on' after judge dismisses cases

A lawyer for 249 men seeking compensation for alleged sexual abuse at a Catholic children’s home has vowed to continue with one of the largest compensation claims against the church despite a judge dismissing three of the first test cases.
The high court in Leeds awarded one of the claimants £14,000 in compensation and ruled against three other men. Judgment in a fifth case will be given next month.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/21/catholic-childrens-home-lawsuit-judge-dismisses-cases-st-williams 

In-care abuse inquiry will follow the evidence, vows John Swinney

Scotland's inquiry into the historic abuse of children in care will be able to follow the evidence and look at the wider system, John Swinney has said.
The Deputy First Minister gave the assurance to MSPs on Holyrood's Education Committee, having previously ruled out expanding the remit of the probe.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14980187.In_care_abuse_inquiry_will_follow_the_evidence__vows_John_Swinney/?ref=rss 

Charity abuse inquiry for Ampleforth Abbey and Ampleforth College

An inquiry is to be held into how a leading Roman Catholic school deals with allegations of sexual abuse and safeguarding issues.

The Charity Commission said the inquiry will investigate charities which administer Ampleforth Abbey and Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire. The regulator said it followed "recent media reports" of alleged sexual abuse linked to the college.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-38300600 

Judgement due on school abuse compensation claims

A judgement is expected today into compensation claims by five men who were abused as young boys at a school in East Yorkshire.  It's one of the largest compensation claims against the Catholic Church with more than 200 men saying they were abused at the approved school in Market Weighton in the 1970s and 80s.

Two staff members were jailed earlier this year. The former principal James Carragher - who's now 75 - was jailed for nine years. Anthony McCallen, 69, and the former chaplain was jailed for 15 years. The judge told them their crimes had blighted the lives of their victims.

http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2016-12-21/judgment-due-on-school-abuse-compensation-claims/

Toxic beliefs hijack the minds of children From Chronic Childhood Trauma to TraumaTheory Chapter 9

John was born to Albert and Kathleen Brown of The Parade Yea 3717 on 27th December, 1948. The 5th child in a family of 11 children.
John was born the same year his mother's father was killed in a road accident. Kath had had a very strong relationship with her father and had often travelled with him to various venues where he had spoken with enthusiasm on a wide range of topics that included The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Which was signed only a few weeks prior to John's birth), discussion on evolution and her father's championing of many of Wallace's views. John recalls his mother laughing at some aspect that often prompted her father to make a statement along the lines of 'Charlie D may well be right but Wallace is correct when he says ...'. His discussions with his mother on these topics remain today some of his most treasured memories of the uniqueness of his experience of his mother and those of her family who came before her.  John tells his own story from here onwards

 http://www.traumainreligion.com/about0.php

Shefford Catholic orphanage abuse: Victim writes book

A former resident of a Catholic orphanage who waived his right to anonymity to urge others to contact the police over abuse at the home has written a book about his experiences.

Tony Walsh, 65, was sent to St Francis Boys Home in Shefford, Bedfordshire, in the 1950s. He says he was sexually abused by Father John Ryan, who died in 2008. His book Is Sadness Forever? charts his experiences at the home which he says was "horrendous".

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-23557612 

Former Uniting Church minister, 83, walks free after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy - because the judge believed he had lived an 'exemplary life'

Shame on the judge... he will be judge by God... and he will not be able to get away... with this crime of raping innocent children... it will not mater what religion they are... for hurting god's children... and causing the children to full from grace... they will have to answer to god... for that alone... Ann

=============================

A former Queensland Uniting Church minister who sexually abused a 12-year-old boy five decades ago will walk free after a judge noted he lived an 'exemplary life'.

Barry Dangerfield, 83, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court today to five counts of indecently treating a child under 14 and six counts of indecent practices between males. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4057262/Former-Uniting-Church-minister-walks-free-pleaded-guilty-sexual-assault-12-year-old-boy.html

Anglican Diocese of Brandon sued over allegations of sexual assault by priest

A Winnipeg man is suing a diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada after allegations of sexual assault and abuse were bought forward decades after they were said to have occurred. 
In a statement of claim filed in Brandon Court of Queen's Bench, the man says he still suffers severe physical and emotional pain, alcohol and substance abuse, PTSD and other effects following incidents he says occurred both in a church in The Pas, Man. and at the priest's residence on church property in the town, approximately 500 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brandon-diocese-lawsuit-1.3909300 

Ampleforth Abbey & College to be included in sex abuse inquiry

A TOP independent school in North Yorkshire is to be included in one of three public hearings carried out in the national child sexual abuse inquiry.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSE) has published an internal review, setting out how it intends to proceed with its inquiry under its latest chair Professor Alexis Jay, who took over the role this summer.

http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/NEWS/14979693.Ampleforth_Abbey___College_to_be_included_in_sex_abuse_inquiry/ 

Postulator for Blessed Oscar Romero, two other El Salvador priests laicized for child sex abuse

The Vatican has laicized a close collaborator of the late Salvadorian Archbishop Oscar Romero and two other priests of the Archdiocese of San Salvador for crimes of sexual abuse, L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's semi-official newspaper, reported this week.

One of the three priests suspended since 2015 is Jesus Delgado, 78, who was accused of abusing a girl for years. Delgado was Romero’s former secretary and a close collaborator who went on to serve as the vicar general of the Archdiocese of San Salvador. He later became biographer and co-postulator of Romero’s case for beatification.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/postulator-for-blessed-oscar-romero-two-other-el-salvador-priests-laicized 

Former NSW priest charged with historical child sex offences

A former Anglican priest has been charged with alleged sexual assaults on two boys in the NSW Hunter region in the 1970s.
The 79-year-old man from Ballarat was issued a court attendance notice for 20 offences, including assault with intent to commit buggery, five counts of buggery and 14 counts of indecent assault on a male.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/24/12/44/former-nsw-priest-charged-with-historical-child-sex-offences

Priests at Argentinian school for deaf youngsters 'would choose their victims to sexually abuse knowing other children would not hear them scream'

A child sex abuse scandal is unfolding at a school in Argentina where tormentors would allegedly chose their victims knowing the other children wouldn't hear the screams as they were deaf.

Two Roman Catholic priests are accused of repeatedly raping pupils at the Antonio Provolo Institute for hearing impaired children in Mendoza province.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4060750/Argentina-probes-sex-abuse-deaf-school-Vatican-knew.html 

46 claims filed in 2 months to priest abuse victims program

It took 30 years for a former student to be ready to report he'd been sexually abused by a respected Roman Catholic priest on high school trips. But it didn't take long to realize the priest wouldn't be held accountable in court.
Though the church said investigators found the allegations credible, the accuser couldn't sue or press criminal charges, mainly because of the passage of time.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/national/46-claims-filed-in-2-months-to-priest-abuse-victims-program/472947150 

Calvary

Alchemy is easy. Just take one McDonagh and add a Gleeson. It worked for In Bruges and it triumphs again in this story of a rural priest warned by an anonymous parishioner that in one week he must die. Writer-director John Michael McDonagh conjures a place of sin and an act of pointless vengeance: the slaying of a good man to pay for the deeds of a bad one.

http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-calvary-2013/?utm_content=buffer72130&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebookbfi&utm_campaign=buffer 

The Pope’s Christmas Dream, The Curia’s Nightmare

The most human pope in recent memory slips out of the Vatican’s golden cage for a few moments, then lambasts the cardinals of the Curia who think they run the place.
Oh the woe of being Pope Francis. On one hand, he clearly longs for the simple things in life, like shoe shopping. So much so that during the mad Roman pre-Christmas shopping rush, he left the protected grounds of Vatican City to visit a local pharmacy and pick up a new version of his famously simple orthopedic shoes. He blessed a cashier’s crucifix, signed a charge slip for the shoes, and went back through the hallowed gates to what some might be call his gilded cage.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/12/24/the-pope-s-christmas-dream-the-curia-s-nightmare.html 

Rapist pastor protected by Ohio's damage cap

Raped by her pastor during a counseling session near Columbus, Ohio, a 15-year-old girl and her family sued him and the church for retaining him, despite two previous claims he’d committed sexual misconduct with teenage girls.
A jury awarded them $3.5 million, to compensate for her trauma. But it was reduced to only $250,000 in damages under an Ohio law that limits recoveries to that amount for pain and suffering and other so-called non-economic damages.

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2016/12/24/rapist-pastor-protected-ohios-damage-cap/95793004/ 

Compensation bids rejected in 3 test cases

THREE alleged victims of sex abuse at a Catholic children’s homes have been unsuccessful in their bid for compensation.
Only one out of four ‘test’ cases was awarded £14,000 in damages at Leeds High Court after a ruling was made by a judge presiding over compensation claims for former pupils at St William’s, in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire.

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/News/14983313.Compensation_bids_rejected_in_3_test_cases/ 

Alleged victims of pedophile priests say Pope Francis was made aware in 2014

The clerical sex abuse scandal unfolding at an institute for hearing impaired children in Argentina is now touching Pope Francis himself, after alleged victims of Rev. Nicola Corradi said they wrote a letter to the pontiff in 2014 warning him that the purported pedophile had been reassigned to the South American country.
Corradi, 82, and another priest, 55-year-old Horacio Corbacho, were arrested last month along with three employees for the alleged abuse of at least 24 deaf children who attended the Antonio Provolo Institute, in the city of Mendoza.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/12/23/alleged-victims-pedophile-priests-say-pope-francis-was-made-aware-in-2014.html

A story of a priest accused of abuse, friendship and a long search for justice

Piita Irniq holds a photograph in Ottawa on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016, taken in 1984 of himself and Marius Tungilik while seal hunting 25 miles outside Rankin Inlet. Irniq has been trying to get justice for his friend Tungilik for years, after he was abused by a priest in a residential school and later committed suicide.
Piita Irniq, one of a generation of Inuit leaders who took his people from igloos to iPhones, has seen and accomplished much, but one loose end haunts him.

http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2016/12/22/a-story-of-a-priest-accused-of-abuse-friendship-and-a-long-search-for-justice.html 

Urgent review' of child sex abuse inquiry after complaint By India Pollock & Jenny Johnson

An "urgent review" has been carried out by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse into its service in Wales following a complaint by a victim.

The victim, who wanted to remain anonymous, has criticised the "poor level of support" he received from the truth project - the arm of the inquiry for victims to share their experiences.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-38406488 

The 16-year-old Suing the US Government

This Inspiring Young Man is Making a Stand For Our Planet. A small child stood up on stage at a rally and started speaking passionately about the environment. The six-year-old told the crowd: “I shouldn’t be standing up here. It should be the adults that are protecting the planet. But they’re not, so I’m up here.”

Fast forward to a decade later and the same Colorado boy, now a young teen, has launched an astounding lawsuit, where he is holding the US administration accountable for a reckless lack of action over climate change.

http://upliftconnect.com/16-year-old-suing-us-government/ 

Goot, Lamm and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry - the struggles continue

’ve been holding on to something for a week. Something that took me several days to digest. I then took another few days to try to sooth the anger, and remove as much emotion as I can out of any public response. A week later, and several therapy sessions later, the anger has not dissipated in any way – in fact, it has increased – so the emotion is still raw. I apologise in advance. But selfishly, it may assist me in moving beyond this matter. And hopefully it is of some benefit to others.

http://www.mannywaks.com/blog/goot-lamm-and-the-executive-council-of-australian-jewry-the-struggles-continue 

'Sly' Anglesey Jehovah’s Witness preacher jailed for sex with a child

Daniel Arthington, 46, of Llanddaniel, Anglesey, pleaded guilty at Caernarfon Crown Court and was sent to prison for two years and eight months.  A Jehovah’s Witness preacher and elder has been jailed for having sexual activity with a girl of 14.
Family man Daniel Arthington, 46, of Llanddaniel, Anglesey, pleaded guilty at Caernarfon Crown Court and was sent to prison for two years and eight months.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/sly-anglesey-jehovahs-witness-preacher-12361109 

Coming to Newark Archdiocese: A Different Kind of Cardinal

For about a year, the guys at the gym just called him Joe. He lifted weights in the early mornings wearing a skull-printed do-rag. He worked out on the elliptical, wiping it down when he was done.

Then one day Shaun Yeary, a salesman at a landscape supply company, asked him in the locker room what he did for a living. “I used to be a priest,” Joe recalled telling him. “And now,” he said, his voice growing quieter so as not to scare anyone in earshot, “I’m the archbishop of Indianapolis.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/nyregion/cardinal-joseph-w-tobin-archdiocese-newark.html?_r=2 

Prosecutor: Pastor may have tried to destroy fingerprints

pastor who has been on the run for nearly two years after he was convicted of sexual assault charges in New Jersey may have tried to obliterate his own fingerprints, a prosecutor said.
Gregorio Martinez’s 10 fingers were bloodied and bandaged when he was detained in Honduras in August, Assistant Prosecutor Linda Claude-Oben revealed in court Friday.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/23/fugitive-former-pastor-brought-back-to-nj-for-sent/ 

Inquiry Information Line opening times over Christmas

The Inquiry Information Line will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 24th and 25th of December.  It will reopen on Boxing Day 26th December from 9am to 8pm and will be open again on Bank Holiday Tuesday, 27th December, from 9am to 8pm.  The number is 0800 917 1000
The Information Line provides the public, in particular victims and survivors, a means to engage with the Inquiry, by accessing details and updates about our work.  It also provides information for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to enable them to share their experiences with us via the Truth Project.

 

https://www.iicsa.org.uk/news/inquiry-information-line-opening-times-over-christmas 

FBI: Gymnastics Doctor Abused Girls As Young As 6

The criminal trial against Dr. Larry Nassar brought more bad news for the U.S. gymnastics community on Dec. 21, when an FBI agent testified that authorities found video of the physician sexually abusing young girls.
The videos, which were seized when law enforcement executed a search warrant on Nassar's home, were found on hard drives the doctor had allegedly tried to hide from agents by throwing them in the trash before they began their search, according to the Lansing State Journal.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/fbi-ex-gymnastics-team-doctor-had-37k-child-porn-images 

Persecutors of Cardinal George Pell wilfully ignore the history

Cardinal George Pell has become the victim of a modern-day witch hunt. As a social conservative, Pell has a number of opponents within the Catholic Church. But his main attackers are presenters and journalists employed by the ABC, Fairfax Media, The Guardian Australia and Sky News. Such outlets rarely, if ever, allow an alternative voice to be heard.

Yet, on all the available evidence, Pell was among the first Catholic bishops in the world to address the issue of child sexual abuse by clergy. He was appointed archbishop of Melbourne in July 1996 and announced the creation of the Melbourne Response (to deal with child sexual abuse) the following October. The remaining Catholic archbishops and bishops in Australia set up the Towards Healing process, which began in March 1997.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/gerard-henderson/persecutors-of-cardinal-george-pell-wilfully-ignore-the-history/news-story/c398accfda5d8b5241517c42a3561584 

Research finds that children in residential care feel unsafe

The Royal Commission has released a new research report exploring children and young people’s views about their safety in residential care. Most of the children and young people who participated in the research described feeling unsafe in residential care due to bullying, harassment and the threat of sexual assault.
In Australia, residential care is considered to be a placement of last resort for children and young people requiring out-of-home care and is used in circumstances where other types of out-of-home care are unsuccessful or unavailable. In 2015 there were 2394 children in residential care in Australia.

https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2016-12/research-finds-that-children-in-residential-care-f 

Sexual abuse 'always known to be evil,' lawyer tells Mount Cashel lawsuit judge

The Mount Cashel lawsuit is not about money -- it's to finally see local church officials held responsible for horrific abuse at the orphanage, a plaintiff said Wednesday as the case neared an end.

"I would really like to see that the church will be proven derelict in their duty to looking after youngsters," said the man, now in his 70s, who can't be identified under a court order. "How can you hurt a child?" he asked. "I'll stay until I see that they have been brought to task."

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/sexual-abuse-always-known-to-be-evil-lawyer-tells-mount-cashel-lawsuit-judge-1.3202924 

Catholic church seeks files related to sex abuse law

The Archdiocese of Agana, which faces 13 lawsuits in connection with alleged child sexual abuse, has asked the Legislature for background information about the recent law that lifted the statute of limitations and made it possible to sue the church.
Among other things, church legal counsel John Terlaje on Dec. 12 asked Sen. Frank Aguon Jr. for all documents analyzing the constitutionality or legality of Bill 326-33, as well as all opinions of the Legislature's attorney, regarding the bill. Terlaje submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to Aguon, who on Tuesday raised concerns about the request.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/12/14/catholic-church-seeks-files-related-sex-abuse-law/95414278/ 

Bill Cosby: 35 alleged victims of US comedian unite on cover of New York magazine

Thirty-five women who allege they were sexually assaulted by United States comedian Bill Cosby have united on a magazine cover to tell startlingly similar stories of abuse.

They include models, waitresses, Playboy bunnies and women who used to work in show business. One says he raped her while she was grief stricken over the recent death of her six-year-old son.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-28/bill-cosby-35-alleged-victims-speak-out-new-york-magazine/6652410 

Why it’s so hard for a priest to leave

One of the most important aspects of this blog, is that women are giving a wonderful insight about falling in love with a priest. They are showing a new kind of theology, one that speaks from the heart. One that starts from real experience.
On the other hand, we feel responsible to provide the missing link….how the priest thinks, behaves and decides. What makes a priest decide to stay?

https://maltesemarriedcatholicpriest.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/why-its-so-hard-for-a-priest-to-leave/ 

Oscar Romero's Aide Guilty Of Child Sex Abuse, Vatican Inquiry Concludes

Three Catholic priests from San Salvador have been removed from the priesthood after being found guilty of sexual abuse.
The Archbishop of San Salvador, José Luis Escobar, confirmed that the well-known clergy Jesús Delgado, Francisco Gálvez  and Antonio Molina have been laicised, "totally and definitively" losing all priestly functions, La Prensa reports.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/oscar.romeros.aide.guilty.of.child.sex.abuse.vatican.inquiry.concludes/103145.htm 

Is Pope Francis campaigning for married priests?

Just weeks after the conclusion of the Year of Mercy, life for gay seminarians and priests in the Catholic church took a turn toward the merciless.

As was widely reported last week, Pope Francis approved a document called “The Gift of the Priestly Vocation,” which bans gay men from seminaries and ordination.

http://www.cathnewsusa.com/2016/12/jamie-manson-pope-francis-campaigning-married-priests/?newsletter=1 

Child abuse: Documenting Australia's shame

In Australia, a boy of 10 is raped by an Anglican clergyman, who cuts his victim with a small knife and smears blood over his back in a twisted ritual to symbolise the suffering of Christ.

This happened in the 1960s in Cessnock, a former mining town in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, but only now has this and other decades-old stories of sexual violence and degradation been heard, catalogued and, crucially for many victims, believed.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-38301488?post_id=10204672433356106_10208374139456445#_=_ 

Lawsuit: Ex-priest still draws stipend despite admitting he abused boys

A lawsuit alleges that the Archdiocese of Agana still sends regular retirement payments to former Guam priest Louis Brouillard, who is accused in seven of the 13 clergy sex abuse lawsuits filed so far against the archdiocese and current and former Catholic priests on Guam.

Brouillard has publicly admitted to sexually abusing at least 20 boys while he was on Guam, from the late 1940s to 1981. Brouillard was ordained as a priest at the Archdiocese of Agana in 1948.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/12/19/lawsuit-ex-priest-still-draws-stipend-despite-admitting-he-abused-boys/95630780/ 

Concerns over delay to extradition of Roman Catholic monk accused of abuse

The Crown Office has been criticised over its handling of the extradition of a former Catholic monk at the centre of a child sex abuse scandal.

Father Denis "Chrysostom" Alexander was one of several monks accused of abusing boys at the former Fort Augustus Abbey boarding school in the Highlands. BBC Scotland confronted the former monk in Australia during a 2013 documentary.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-38381263?post_id=10204672433356106_10208380519495942#_=_ 

Assignment Record– Rev. Donald Stavinoha, O.M.I.

Summary of Case: Donald Stavinoha was ordained for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1970. He served mostly in parishes in the dioceses of Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Galveston-Houston TX. In the late 1970s-early 1980s he was assigned to San Pedro Huamelula in Oaxaca, Mexico, in the Tehuantepec diocese.

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/Stavinoha_Donald_L_OMI.html 

Nearly 50 Sex Abuse Claims Filed in NY Archdiocese

Forty-six people have registered claims of sex abuse in the archdiocese of New York through a newly developed victims' compensation program.
The compensation program was established by Cdl. Timothy Dolan in early October, who said, "I wish I would have done this quite a while ago. I just finally thought: Darn it, let's do it. I'm tired of putting it off."

http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/46-sex-abuse-victims-file-claims-in-ny-archdiocese 

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry Announces Preliminary Hearing

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has today (14 December) announced that its preliminary hearing will take place on 31 January 2017 at Parliament House in Edinburgh.
At the preliminary hearing, Inquiry Chair Lady Smith will explain the Inquiry’s approach to its work and will provide an update on the Inquiry’s current investigations. She will set out the Inquiry’s key procedures including how people and interested parties may participate in the Inquiry and the different ways in which the Inquiry is gathering evidence. Information will also be shared about the proactive communications campaign to drive public awareness of and engagement with the Inquiry.

https://www.childabuseinquiry.scot/news-and-updates/scottish-child-abuse-inquiry-announces-preliminary-hearing/ 

249 crimes linked to child sexual exploitation under investigation in district

POLICE are currently investigating 249 crimes across the district that have links to child sexual exploitation.
The latest figures from West Yorkshire Police show that these crimes involve 222 victims, and that 284 suspects have been identified. Police say that some of the ongoing investigations are into historic cases of child sex abuse.

http://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/14968126.249_crimes_linked_to_child_sexual_exploitation_under_investigation_in_district/ 

About my life and my abuse by the Catholic paedophile priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale

For those who don't know my story here it is. Paul Levey.   WARNING THIS MAY BE TRIGGERING!

In the early 80's my family was introduced to Gerald Francis Ridsdale, he was a Catholic priest from the Ballarat Diocese, he was studying at The National Pastoral Institute (Catholic study institute). A nun introduced him to my family.
I was going to St Bedes school Mentone Melbourne. We went on a camping trip to White Cliffs NSW with him and some of his family (Nephews who later I found out he was abusing as well and his brother) and some other adults. This was around 1980. The abuse (sexual and mental) started in the shower block at the local caravan park. This went on for two weeks. We then returned to Melbourne.

http://www.traumainreligion.com/paul_levey0.php 

Independent inquiry into child sexual abuse 'will not be scaled back'

The chair of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse has rejected calls for it to be scrapped or scaled back, saying its scope is "a virtue".

Prof Alexis Jay said the broad nature of the inquiry would allow it to recommend "fundamental changes". None of its 13 separate investigations will be dropped, a report said, but it may stop short of examining whether the late peer Lord Janner abused children.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38344435 

Lawyers for Msgr. Lynn seek dismissal of retrial for prosecutorial misconduct

Lawyers for Msgr. William J. Lynn - the Philadelphia archdiocesan official who served 33 months in prison before winning a new trial for his role in the Catholic Church sex-abuse scandal - have asked a judge to dismiss the case because of prosecutorial misconduct.
In a motion this week, defense attorney Thomas A. Bergstrom contended that prosecutors withheld evidence that might have cleared Lynn in his first trial in 2012.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20161217_Lawyers_for_Msgr__Lynn_seek_dismissal_of_retrial_for_prosecutorial_misconduct.html 

Are all Social Workers Wounded Healers?

Whenever I talk about some of the universal issues faced by Social Workers, such as high burnout rates or compassion fatigue, there are many who will question why people keep working if the job is taking so much out of them.
“Move to work in a different area of Social Work” “Get a non-statutory position”  “Stop moaning and give up if you can’t handle the work”
The advice comes thick and fast from people who think that it’s as easy as just giving up and walking away from your job when things get tough. Of course, those of us out there doing this job or training to be Social Workers know it’s not so simple as that.

http://socialworktutor.com/wounded-healers/ 

Archdiocese of Agaña enters a new, troubling era

With Apuron's canonical trial underway and a slew of civil lawsuits filed in Guam, the Catholic Church confronts new crises here and at the Vatican.

With the Archdiocese of Agaña facing 13 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse – and the real potential for additional suits to follow – the Catholic Church is preparing for what could be a drawn out and highly publicized exposure of alleged abuses and cover ups, as well as court ordered payouts possibly adding up to millions of dollars.

http://www.postguam.com/sunday_post/archdiocese-of-aga-a-enters-a-new-troubling-era/article_d342841a-c331-11e6-80dd-1f532736eb91.html 

Government interviewing paedophiles as inquiry of child sex abuse rendered as insulting

Decision to interview the paedophiles has been marked as insulting by the child sex abuse victims.

The recent inquiry regarding child sex abuse has been engulfed by yet another round of controversy, which has appalled the victims and enraged their families as well.
This chaotic situation started when Professor Alexis Jay, the chairman of the inquiry board revealed her review, in which she disclosed the factors contributing to the slow progress of the investigation. But for now, that is not the only thing that has bothered the victims. Interviewing the paedophiles for an in-depth research:

http://uk.blastingnews.com/opinion/2016/12/government-interviewing-paedophiles-as-inquiry-of-child-sex-abuse-rendered-as-insulting-001334865.html 

“It will never end for me’

The last days of the Mount Cashel civil trial weren’t the only ones when the sordid details of abuse were rehashed and the effects on lives debated, but they have been powerful torment for the one John Doe who has most frequently attended court.

“I thought a couple times of leaving the courtroom. I was getting aggravated,” Doe said Friday outside court of the previous day’s developments — the beginning of the church’s closing arguments on why it should not be held liable

http://www.thetelegram.com/news/local/2016/12/16/_it-will-never-end-for-me.html

Sex abuse victim questions Seattle archdiocese transparency

A woman who won a $950,000 judgment against the Seattle archdiocese last month for negligence related to her 1983 rape by a janitor at a Seattle Catholic grade school, has issued a public rebuke of how the settlement was portrayed to parishioners.
Referred to as "A.W." to protect her identity, the woman was a 10-year-old fifth grader at the time of the attack at St. John the Evangelist School.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/sex-abuse-victim-questions-seattle-archdiocese-transparency 

Watchdog opens inquiry into Ampleforth sex abuse

Britain’s leading Roman Catholic school is to be investigated by the charities watchdog over its handling of sex-abuse allegations, it was announced yesterday.
The Charity Commission’s inquiry into Ampleforth Abbey and its educational trust, which runs Ampleforth College, was launched after The Times revealed the school’s past cover-up of a potential scandal when 11 boys alleged inappropriate conduct by a teacher.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/watchdog-opens-inquiry-into-ampleforth-sex-abuse-dnhfl9q00 

Arrests after historic child sex abuse allegations at some Lincolnshire churches

Arrests have been made following a number of allegations of historic sexual abuse of children at some of Lincolnshire's churches.
Lincolnshire Police has confirmed a number of people have been bailed pending further enquiries as part of an investigation called Operation Redstone.

http://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/arrests-after-historic-child-sex-abuse-allegations-at-some-lincolnshire-churches/story-29979971-detail/story.html

Prosecutors ask judge to allow Cosby's accusers to testify

Bill Cosby used his fame to gain the trust of women before knocking them out with pills and drinks so he could sexually assault them, prosecutors argued Tuesday as they sought to persuade a judge to allow 13 of his accusers to testify in his upcoming sexual assault trial.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele told a judge he wants the accusers' testimony to show Cosby had a lengthy history of drugging and molesting young women.

http://www.wbrc.com/story/34036281/cosby-quips-to-security-dont-tase-me-bro-before-court# 

Shouting match hits Cosby’s sexual abuse trial

A judge admonished lawyers on both sides of Bill Cosby’s sexual assault case Tuesday after a courtroom shouting match.
The quarrel was over the defense team’s practice of publicizing the names of the women accusing the comedian of sexual assault.

http://www.nan.ng/news/shouting-match-hits-cosbys-sexual-abuse-trial/ 

A Sydney priest is jailed for at least five years for child-sex crimes

Father Robert James Hickman became a Catholic priest in Sydney in the 1970s. As well as working in parishes, he was also a chaplain for Sydney's deaf community. In Sydney's Parramatta District Court on 9 December 2016, Hickman (now aged 71) was jailed for a minimum of five years for child-sex offences.
Hickman faced 22 charges of various offences. Some of the offences were officially called "indecent assault" of a female under 16 years and some were officially called "sexual assault (category 3)" and "sexual assault (category 4)" of a female under 16 years.

http://www.brokenrites.org.au/drupal/node/359 

Indian residential school hearing resuming with fight over costs immunity

Two survivors of a notorious Indian residential school want the courts to ensure they aren't forced to foot the government's legal bills if they lose a complex case involving hidden police documents and a dispute over compensation for the abuse they say they suffered.
The government, however, was set to argue at a hearing on Wednesday that the request for a no-costs guarantee should be rejected out of hand.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/residential-school-hearing-costs-immunity-1.3895079 

Abuse claimants head back to court as Mount Cashel orphanage lawsuit winds down

Men who claim church officials ignored reports of horrific abuse at the Mount Cashel orphanage in Newfoundland are expected back in court Wednesday.
Their civil lawsuit will return to provincial Supreme Court as they argue the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John's should compensate them for incidents dating back to the 1940s.

http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2016/12/13/abuse-claimants-head-back-to-court-as-mount-cashel-orphanage-lawsuit-winds-down.html 

DA: Teen victim of Episcopal priest

A 75-year-old former Episcopal priest in Rhode Island was arrested and charged yesterday with assaulting a 15-year-old prep school student he took on trips to Boston more than 40 years ago, Suffolk prosecutors said.
Howard “Howdy” White was an associate chaplain at St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., in 1973 when prosecutors say he took one of his academic advisees on two overnight trips to Boston and assaulted him. He faces five counts of assault and battery from the two trips.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_coverage/2016/12/da_teen_victim_of_episcopal_priest 

Institute of the Incarnate Word founder guilty of sexual misconduct

San Rafael, Argentina, Dec 13, 2016 / 05:28 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Father Carlos Miguel Buela, founder of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, has been found guilty by the Vatican of sexual improprieties with adults, the community's home diocese announced on Monday.
The accusations against Fr. Buela “regarded actions in sexual matters which harmed religious and seminarians of the Institute,” a spokesman of the Diocese of San Rafael announced Dec. 12.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/institute-of-the-incarnate-word-founder-guilty-of-sexual-misconduct-47786/ 

Catholic church seeks files related to sex abuse law

The Archdiocese of Agana, which faces 13 lawsuits in connection with alleged child sexual abuse, has asked the Legislature for background information about the recent law that lifted the statute of limitations and made it possible to sue the church.
Among other things, church legal counsel John Terlaje on Dec. 12 asked Sen. Frank Aguon Jr. for all documents analyzing the constitutionality or legality of Bill 326-33, as well as all opinions of the Legislature's attorney, regarding the bill. Terlaje submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to Aguon, who on Tuesday raised concerns about the request.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/12/14/catholic-church-seeks-files-related-sex-abuse-law/95414278/ 

Police: Jefferson man abused three teenage boys

A Schoharie County man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly sexually abusing several teenage boys, according to a media release from state police.
Jonathan M. Luce, 51, of Jefferson, engaged in sexual acts with three teenage boys at his residence over the past five years, according to troopers. They believe Luce had contact with the victims from his participation as a parishioner at a Schoharie County religious organization, which was not disclosed.

http://www.thedailystar.com/news/local_news/police-three-teen-boys-sexually-abused-by-jefferson-man/article_a02053e5-c5df-5782-915b-32bbbe523f7d.html 

Danish church shut down after allegations of sexual abuse

Jutland police confirm receiving reports of misconduct by priest.  A free church in Jutland has been closed after several children and young people said at a meeting that they had been abused by a priest.
The attacks are alleged to have taken place from 2006 to 2011. “We are in shock,” the church leader told Metroxpress. “It is difficult to understand that so much has been going on that we were not aware of.”

http://cphpost.dk/news/danish-church-shut-down-after-allegations-of-sexual-abuse.html 

At The D.A.'s Office, It's About To Hit The Fan.

Seth Williams should bring an umbrella to work.

Why? Because our corrupt district attorney, already under investigation by the FBI, the IRS and a grand jury, is about to see his proudest achievement as a prosecutor get splattered by what's about to hit the fan.

 

http://www.bigtrial.net/2016/12/at-das-office-shit-is-about-to-hit-fan.html 

Stopping Predators Straight talk, honest, trust: tools for proving childhood sexual abuse

I am many things. I am a wife and a mother. I am a writer and an advocate. But there is one thing that shaped the adult I have become more than anything else: I am a survivor of child sexual abuse.
A teacher at my well-known Orange County Catholic high school sexually molested me for two years when I was a young teen. He left me pregnant and with a sexually transmitted disease.

http://www.ocfamily.com/articles/one-869-advocate-shaped.html 

Former Anglican Priest charged with sexually assaulting a young girl

A former Anglican priest has been charged with alleged sexual offences against a 10-year-old girl from more than 15 years ago.
Police allege the 64-year-old man from Preston Beach sexually assaulted the young girl from August 2010 to November 2011 when he was an Anglican Priest at a church in Secret Harbour.

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/former-anglican-priest-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-a-young-girl-20161212-gt9qsx.html 

Anglican priest from Secret Harbour church charged with child sex abuse

An Anglican priest from Preston Beach south of Perth has been charged with child sex offences after allegedly abusing a young girl during a 16-month period.

The priest, 64, has been accused of sexually assaulting the girl between August 2010 and November 2011 while working at a church in Secret Harbour, north of Mandurah.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-13/preston-beach-anglican-priest-charged-with-sexually-abusing-girl/8114876 

Vatican investigated priest

A Roman Catholic priest recently charged in a child pornography case in Wayne County had been vetted by the Vatican 13 years ago on accusations he molested a 16-year-old boy in New Jersey, the Archdiocese of Newark confirmed Tuesday.
The Rev. Kevin Gugliotta, 54, currently in the Wayne County prison on $1 million bail on 40 counts of possessing and disseminating child pornography at his Lehigh Township vacation home, was suspended from ministry in New Jersey in 2003 after the accusations were made he had molested the boy.

http://www.wayneindependent.com/news/20161209/vatican-investigated-priest 

PA--Altoona bishop must un-do harm caused by predecessor, SNAP says

Altoona’s Catholic bishop must take strong steps now to “un-do” the harm caused when his predecessor deceitfully and quietly sent a serial predator priest across state lines. We suggest that he use newspaper and radio ads to aggressively seek out and help other victims of the child molesting cleric.
Long secret, just-released church records show that then-Bishop James Hogan gave a “glowing recommendation” as he sent a Msgr. Francis McCaa - who authorities call a “monster” who may have “molested hundreds” – to West Virginia where he worked for years among especially vulnerable families.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/pa_altoona_bishop_must_un_do_harm_caused_by_predecessor_snap_says 

Church responds to latest allegations

The Archdiocese of Agana released a statement yesterday in response to the latest allegations of child sexual abuse, apologizing for allegations of abuse made against clergy who served on Guam over the past several decades.
The latest suit, filed Dec. 7, came from Robert Aguon Perez, a 45-year-old Los Angeles resident, and named former Guam priest Rev. David Anderson. The suit alleges that Anderson sexually abused Perez when he was a child serving as an altar boy at the St. Jude parish in Sinajana and a student of Father Duenas Memorial School between the years 1982 and 1986. According to Post files, Perez would have been between the ages of 11 and 15 when the alleged abuse took place.

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/church-responds-to-latest-allegations/article_718151be-c063-11e6-8a74-17a1f4d34f91.html 

Danish priest charged with new cases of child sex abuse

A 46-year-old priest from Tømmerup near Kalundborg in west Zealand, who has been in custody since June facing charges that he sexually abused an underage girl, has now been accused of doing the same to four boys.
According to the West Zealand Police, the priest is currently being investigated on 11 charges of sexual abuse relating to four boys and one girl aged 12-17. The charges include sexual intercourse, attempted sexual intercourse and indecent exposure.

http://cphpost.dk/news/danish-priest-charged-with-new-cases-of-child-sex-abuse.html 

Police probe 249 crimes in Bradford district with links to child sexual exploitation

POLICE are currently investigating 249 crimes across the Bradford district that have links to child sexual exploitation.
The latest figures from West Yorkshire Police show that these crimes involve 222 victims, and that 284 suspects have been identified.  Police say that some of the ongoing investigations are into historic cases of child sex abuse.

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/NEWS/14961916.Police_probe_249_crimes_in_Bradford_district_with_links_to_child_sexual_exploitation/ 

Quebec ex-cop charged with rape was residential school survivor

A former police officer charged with rape after a massive investigation into abuse of indigenous women by law enforcement officials in Quebec is a residential-school survivor who says he was sexually assaulted by a priest, the Star has learned.

Jean-Luc Vollant, a 65-year-old Innu man, is a former officer with a native police force who was charged last month after a probe of nearly 40 allegations from indigenous people who say they had been mistreated by police. 

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/12/10/quebec-ex-cop-charged-with-rape-was-residential-school-survivor.html 

Senators: Number of clergy sex abuse accusers shocking, unfortunate

The author of the bill that has paved the way for 12 former altar boys, so far, to sue for alleged rape or sexual abuse they went through in the hands of priests decades ago, said the sheer numbers come as a shock but not necessarily a surprise.
Sen. Frank Blas Jr., R-Barrigada, said Thursday that providing a venue for individuals to seek justice and closure and preventing others from laying a hand on children today is worth the criticism he got in introducing Bill 326-33, to allow victims of child sex abuse to sue their abusers and the institutions with which they are associated, at any time. Gov. Eddie Calvo signed the bill into law on Sept. 23.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/12/10/senators-growing-number-alleged-clergy-sex-abuse-victims-shocking-unfortunate/95130412/ 

The Long Term Effects Of Bullying

You know how jokes are often funny because they are based in an ugly truth? I had a new realization of that phenomena while watching Bill Maher's new stand-up comedy special "The Decider" on HBO the other night. Bill was talking about various recent sexual abuse scandals and was comparing the complaints made against Michael Jackson to complaints made against various Catholic priests with the aim of suggesting that what Michael allegedly did to his victims was gentle compared to the treatment received by victims of the priests. Seemingly out of nowhere, he started talking about a time when he was a child and was rather viciously beaten up during an incident of playground bullying. As part of his punchline, he commented that he would have gladly subjected himself to the worst abuse Michael has been accused of perpetrating rather than having to endure that single beating.

https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/the-long-term-effects-of-bullying/ 

Marina Hyde: Sexual abuse in football a story ignored for too long

In the course of his heartbreaking account of the abuse he suffered at the hands of a paedophile football coach, former Tottenham and Liverpool player Paul Stewart mentioned that he had watched Spotlight, the film about the Boston Globe’s investigation of institutionalised sexual abuse with the city’s Catholic Church.

As Stewart put it, the revelations in that case started relatively small, but the airing of them caused survivor accounts to snowball. That way, he judged, “the enormity of it became clear”.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/marina-hyde-sexual-abuse-in-football-a-story-ignored-for-too-long-1.2889606 

Everything about this relationship was risky’

A woman, who claims she was sexually abused by a chaplain when she was a secondary school student, yesterday alleged in the High Court the priest performed oral sex on her in the school oratory.
The 28-year-old woman said that, after the sexual activity, the two of them got ready for a sixth-year graduation Mass. She said she was in fifth year at the school in the South-East at the time and was wearing her school uniform.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/everything-about-this-relationship-was-risky-434629.html 

Woman's family pushes for more investigation into Sanibel priest

The Lee County Sheriff's Office is dropping their investigation into Father Christoper Senk after the State Attorney's Office announced they would not be pursuing charges.
The two-year long investigation was halted when the sheriff's office attempted to get an arrest warrant for Senk to charge him with exploiting parishioner Marion McIntyre.

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/34019592/investigation-into-sanibel-priest-dropped 

R.I. school embroiled in sex abuse scandal names a new headmaster

The Rhode Island prep school embroiled in a sexual abuse scandal for the past year has named the former principal of Acton-Boxborough High School as its new headmaster, the school announced Friday.
St. George’s School has hired Alexandra “Alixe” Callen as its 12th headmaster and the first female to lead the 120-year-old institution. She is currently the head of upper school at Lakeside School in Seattle, Wash., and was principal in Acton from 2008 to 2013.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/09/school-embroiled-sex-abuse-scandal-names-new-headmaster/AuZ56Cl3bTWrXZhEs5kaUL/story.html 

The unmasking of a monster: Report exposes how church abuse case was handled by Cambria County legal system

Editor’s note: Some material in this story is of a sexual nature and may be offensive to some readers.

Msgr. Francis McCaa was allegedly one of the most egregious sexual abusers of children in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown.

A grand jury report issued earlier this year by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, which detailed an alleged decades-long coverup of abuse in the diocese, succinctly called him a “monster” with a “sickening hunger for innocence.”

http://www.tribdem.com/news/the-unmasking-of-a-monster-report-exposes-how-church-abuse/article_1f133dfc-bf64-11e6-b3f0-7bca5649937e.html 

Three decades later, Altoona–Johnstown diocese doesn’t object to the release of information in abuse cases

After the passage of three decades – and the release of a scathing report by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General that provided details about an alleged cover-up of rampant child sexual abuse within its ranks – the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown changed positions as to whether information in a civil litigation against Msgr. Francis McCaa should be made public.

In 1986, counsel for the monsignor, diocese, former Bishop James Hogan, and Holy Name Catholic Church in Ebensburg argued that pretrial documents – in a case brought by four plaintiffs – should be sealed in order to “prevent serious and irreparable harm to the defendants through the disclosure of information which may not be relevant or admissible at the trial of the case,” as described in the papers.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/three-decades-later-altoona-johnstown-diocese-doesn-t-object-to/article_8235d4ac-bf60-11e6-8e49-cbcb63acf250.html 

Buried secrets no more: Court unseals pretrial records in abuse case against Altoona-Johnstown diocese

Thirty years ago today – on Dec. 11, 1986 – an order was issued to seal the pretrial records in a case filed by petitioners against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, former Bishop James Hogan, Holy Name Catholic Church and Msgr. Francis McCaa.

The decision prohibited parties and attorneys from publicly disseminating any information obtained from pleadings or documents.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/buried-secrets-no-more-court-unseals-pretrial-records-in-abuse/article_847e927a-bf61-11e6-b880-c303c5b3d7f8.html 

Liberty University Has Sold Its Soul for Football Together We Heal

Together We Heal is for any who suffer from the trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse. We are here to provide a safe forum for survivors of abuse to share, learn and heal, give direction to those seeking guidance and to expose sexual predators for what they are and their methods of getting into our lives.

Monday, November 28th 2016. That date will go down in Baptist history as the beginning of the end. Not of the end of baptists; but something more tragic, and much more sinister. It’s the end of women being safe on Liberty University’s campus.

https://togetherweheal.wordpress.com/2016/12/01/liberty-university-has-sold-its-soul-for-football/

States weigh up cash compensation for victims of child sexual abuse

AUSTRALIAN state governments are under pressure to support a new national scheme to compensate victims of child sexual abuse with payments of up to $150,000.
The scheme, announced by the Federal Government on November 4, has the potential to benefit tens of thousands of people who have suffered institutional child sexual abuse.

http://catholicleader.com.au/news/states-weigh-up-cash-compensation-for-victims-of-child-sexual-abuse 

Hon talks about Apuron, Byrnes, Guam-Rome link

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai said Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron had more than a year, from early 2015, to prove to the Vatican he could improve his weak pastoral governance and unify the Catholic Church on Guam.
But Apuron failed to heed the calls, and the subsequent public allegations that Apuron sexually abused Agat altar boys in the 1970s made matters worse for him, Hon said.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/12/03/hon-talks-apuron-byrnes-guam-rome-link/94791548/ 

Fort Bend County assistant pastor charged with sexual assault of a child

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) --An assistant pastor has been charged with sexual assault of a child, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office announced Friday.

Authorities arrested Daniel Carrel, 27, for his alleged assault of a 14-year-old girl. He is the assistant pastor at the Sienna Ranch Baptist Church.

http://abc13.com/news/assistant-pastor-charged-with-sexual-assault-of-a-child/1637128/

46 Claims Filed in 2 Months to Priest Abuse Victims Program

It took 30 years for a former student to be ready to report he'd been sexually abused by a respected Roman Catholic priest on high school trips. But it didn't take long to realize the priest wouldn't be held accountable in court.

Though the church said investigators found the allegations credible, the accuser couldn't sue or press criminal charges, mainly because of the passage of time.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/46-claims-filed-months-priest-abuse-victims-program-43966878 

Cardinal Tagle reminds Filipinos not to abuse freedom

Love will conquer sin, love will conquer pride, he said. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila reminded Filipino Catholics not to abuse "God's gift of human freedom" by making decisions that are against God's teachings.
Speaking during the celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Manila on Dec. 8, the prelate expressed sadness over how people use their freedom to turn away from God.

http://www.ucanews.com/news/cardinal-tagle-reminds-filipinos-not-to-abuse-freedom/77848 

Priest turned advocate joins 2017 race for N.J. governor

Bob Hoatson has an unconventional resume for a budding gubernatorial candidate.
The 64-year-old West Orange resident is a one-time Catholic priest who changed course and became a vocal advocate for sexual abuse victims. He's never been elected to public office.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/12/priest_turned_advocate_joins_2017_race_for_nj_gove.html 

Former Grafton priest jailed for Newcastle child sex

A FORMER Anglican priest who sexually preyed on two young boys before moving to the Diocese of Grafton has been jailed for at least one year and 10 months.
Lindsay Thomas McLoughlin, 65, pleaded guilty to performing oral sex, fondling and attempting to have anal intercourse with a young teen, and exposing himself while approaching another child in the 1980s.

http://www.southburnetttimes.com.au/news/former-grafton-priest-jailed-for-newcastle-child-s/3120667/ 

How Jehovah’s Witnesses leaders hide child abuse secrets at all costs

The leadership of the Jehovah’s Witnesses has boldly defied court orders to turn over the names and whereabouts of alleged child sexual abusers across the United States.
Since 2014, courts have slapped the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ parent corporation – the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York – with multimillion-dollar judgments and sanctions for violating orders to hand over secret documents.

https://www.revealnews.org/article/how-jehovahs-witnesses-leaders-hide-child-abuse-secrets-at-all-costs/ 

Exclusive: Don Dale training manual revealed

Documents obtained under freedom of information laws show how NT corrections officers violated official procedures at Don Dale.
Northern Territory corrections staff broke multiple department rules governing the use of tear gas when they deployed it against a group of teenagers in a now infamous incident at Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in 2014, exclusively obtained training materials reveal.

https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2016/12/10/exclusive-don-dale-training-manual-revealed/14812884004079 

Bill Cosby Accuser Seeks End of D.C.'s Sex Assault Statute of Limitations

Bills ending statute of limitations for sex assault expire at the end of the year. The sun is about to set on proposed legislation that would make it easier for victims of sexual assault to seek justice in the District of Columbia.

Current law in the District requires sex assault victims to report allegations before the statute of limitations runs out in order for prosecutors and courts to act on the allegations. For civil cases the statute of limitations is three years; for criminal cases it’s up to 15 years. In cases where the victim is a minor, the statute of limitations doesn’t kick in until the victim’s 21st birthday.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/first-read-dmv/Bill-Cosby-Accuser-Meets-With-DC-Councilmember-About-Expiring-Sex-Assault-Statute-of-Limitations-Bills-405500796.html 

Washington, DC--Catholic officials beat back abuse reform

We’re very disappointed that DC Catholic officials have again apparently blocked reforms that would protect kids, expose predators and deter cover ups of heinous child sex crimes.Police and prosecutors are underpaid and overworked. Most sex crimes aren’t reported or pursued. So thousands are assaulted by repeat offenders. Most prisons are overcrowded.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/washington_dc_catholic_officials_beat_back_abuse_reform 

Victims need more time to come forward

If state legislators don't want to extend the statute of limitations on sex crimes, then let them volunteer to put their child or grandchild in a room with Louis VanWie.
VanWie will be getting out of prison at the end of the month after serving 20 years for sexually abusing three children.

https://dailygazette.com/node/202135 

Three alleged predators go to San Diego

t’s 23 degrees in St. Louis, the coldest day of winter so far. At times like this, my mind wanders to the hundreds of proven, admitted and credibly accused predator priests who’ve quietly been sent or moved to warmer clients.
Today, I think of two who are in San Diego and one who was arrested there:
Fr. Denis Heames of Saginaw now works for San Diego lawyer Richard McEntyre (619-221-0279). He claims, on his Linked In page, that he moved to California for "family" reasons. But Fr. Heames makes no mention of the pending lawsuit against him which says he sexually exploited a 22 year old student who worked under him. Nor does he mention the findings by officials at Central Michigan University that he sexually harassed that brave young woman,

http://www.snapnetwork.org/three_alleged_predators_go_to_san_diego 

A day that will live in irony...

"Test everything; retain what is good.” (1 Thes 5:21) A laywoman expresses concerns about issues in the Roman Catholic Church to foster positive dialogue by posing and exploring questions. Please remember that Canon Law says it is not only a right but a duty to question the church. Also, Canon Law provides an over-riding power to the sensus fidelium (sense of the faithful). By this, Canon Law says that if the sensus fidelium (collective of the faithful) reject a law, it is not valid.

http://questionsfromaewe.blogspot.co.nz/2016/12/a-day-that-will-live-in-irony.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+QuestionsFromAEwe+(Questions+from+a+Ewe) 

NC--Savvy mom & cops nail youth pastor for nude photos

Nude photos of a man found on a boy's cellphone have been traced to a Raliegh North Carolina youth pastor. We are grateful to the boy’s mom and to law enforcement for quick action. Now, it’s time for church officials to step up aggressively, by reaching out to others who may have seen, suspected or suffered the cleric’s alleged crimes.
Tyler Simkus Smither of Raleigh, who’s with Harbor United Methodist Church in Masonboro, apparently sent the Florida child the inappropriate pictures. He’s now behind bars.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/nc_savvy_mom_cops_nail_youth_pastor_for_nude_photos