Bolivar man forms Faithful Catholics Against Pedophilia

Thomas Venditti wants Roman Catholics who are outraged by the cover-up of child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown and elsewhere to unite in an effort to remove pedophiles and their protectors from the institution.

So the Bolivar resident has formed the Faithful Catholics Against Pedophilia. “We are Catholics who are offended that this has happened within our church,” Venditti said.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/bolivar-man-forms-faithful-catholics-against-pedophilia/article_9d250dd8-53ca-11e7-acbd-ff5f3e048dda.html

If lawmakers do anything, pass Child Victims Act

New York state lawmakers have left a lot of important matters until the last minute before they end this year’s legislative session later this week.
If they do anything, they need to pass the Child Victims Act and give victims of child sex crimes more time to get the justice they deserve. The Assembly earlier this month passed a bill (A5885/S6722,S6575) that would do just that.

https://dailygazette.com/article/2017/06/17/editorial-if-lawmakers-do-anything-pass-the-child-victims-act

Kinky ‘cake porn’ priest in hot water over missing money

A Greek Orthodox priest who enjoyed kinky “cake crush” romps with a parochial school principal may now be in hot holy water over hundreds of thousands of dollars in missing money and murky credit-card expenses.
A forensic audit of St. Spyridon Church in Washington Heights found financial irregularities, according to a preliminary draft of the audit obtained by The Post. The May 19 report labeled “for discussion purposes only” is not final.

http://nypost.com/2017/06/17/kinky-cake-porn-priest-in-hot-water-over-missing-money/

Local judges continue to stay away from clergy sex abuse cases

Superior Court of Guam judges continue to recuse themselves from hearing Catholic clergy sex abuse cases, even as plaintiffs' lawyers have started exploring the possibility of an out-of-court settlement.
Sixteen clergy sex abuse lawsuits have been filed in local court between March 7 and May 10. The Archdiocese of Agana is a defendant in each case, along with some priests, the Capuchin Franciscans, or the Boy Scouts of America and its Aloha Council Chamorro District.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/06/18/local-judges-continue-recusals-clergy-sex-abuse-cases/402585001/ 

Fifteen Years After Dallas, Part Seven: Sister Cathy Turns Baltimore into a Troll

Netflix’s recent documentary, The Keepers, has been a blockbuster for true crime and documentary fans (it was the talk of CrimeCon).
A gripping tale of abuse, cover-up, and murder, the series tells the story of how a group of former students are trying to find justice for their teacher Sister Cathy Cesnik, a murdered nun from Baltimore.

http://theworthyadversary.com/4547-4547 

Catholic group calls for 5 to be removed

The Catholics of Guam cannot trust or have confidence in the Chancery leadership with these clergymen still enjoying some position of authority within our Archdiocese and benefits from our contributions." – David Sablan, president, Concerned Catholics of Guam

The Concerned Catholics of Guam is calling on the leaders of the Archdiocese of Agana to remove four priests and a deacon from administrative and ministerial duties within the church in order to "restore some trust in the leadership," according to CCOG president, David Sablan.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/catholic-group-calls-for-to-be-removed/article_fdab8160-5270-11e7-91b1-2706cc86083a.html 

Extradite former principal back to Australia, victim of alleged molestation asks Israel

A Jewish woman who said she had been molested repeatedly by her former principal called on Israel to extradite the woman back to their native Australia.
Dassi Erlich, a 29-year-old mother of one who said that her alleged molestation by Malka Leifer had left her emotionally scarred, made the plea Sunday during a speech before approximately 200 participants of Melbourne’s Limmud conference of Jewish learning.

http://www.jta.org/2017/06/18/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/extradite-former-principal-back-to-australia-alleged-molestation-victim-asks-israel

Sen. John DeFrancisco supports one-year window for malpractice cases — but not child sex abuse cases

Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco opposes opening a one-year legal window to revive old cases for child sex abuse survivors — yet he supports the concept for other victims.
The powerful Syracuse Republican opposes a bill designed to make it easier for child sex abuse survivors to seek justice, largely because of a provision that would give victims who can no longer sue under current law one year to bring cases.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/child-sex-abuse-victims-sympathy-n-y-senate-gop-article-1.3257570 

State urged to change sex-abuse law

MOUNT MARION - At age 60, Brian O’Leary is still deeply scarred from the sexual abuse a neighbor inflicted on him more than 40 years ago when he was growing up in Saugerties. The perpetrator lived across the street and worked at IBM with O’Leary’s father.
For five years, he repeatedly assaulted the boy in his home and his car, a string of violations that began when O’Leary was only 12 and ended when he stopped his tormentor at age 17 - because he realized how badly he wanted to kill himself.

http://www.recordonline.com/news/20170618/state-urged-to-change-sex-abuse-law 

'I was completely infatuated': Manny Waks confronts his alleged abuser

It's been three decades since Manny Waks last spoke to the man he alleges abused him as a child back in the late 1980s. 
But in a chilling confrontation caught on video and aired on Israeli television this week, the prominent child abuse survivor and activist confronted Velvel (Zev) Serebryanski, a former member of Melbourne's ultra-Orthodox community, to demand the elderly man admit "what you did to me".

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/i-was-completely-infatuated-manny-waks-confronts-his-alleged-abuser-20170614-gwrctc.html

Clerical sex-abuse cover-up in Australian church

Antipodean Booker-winner Thomas Keneally's new novel tells the story of a liberal priest's uncovering of paedophilia in the Catholic church during the mid-1990s.

In an early scene from Thomas Keneally's poignant new novel about clerical sex abuse, a young Australian woman called Maureen Breslin goes searching for her Irish roots on the Donegal coast. She is particularly impressed by an outdoor Mass stone, where fugitive Catholic priests used to hold ceremonies for their followers in defiance of Britain's Penal Laws.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/clerical-sexabuse-coverup-in-australian-church-35831397.html

Pastor accused of stealing church

The website of the Fountain of Youth Cathedral. Bishop Franklin L. Fountain, pastor of the Bridgeport church, is charged with first-degree larceny and second-degree forgery after police said he forged deed documents and sold the Madison Avenue church to himself for $1.
The pastor of the Fountain of Youth Cathedral won the hearts of his congregation — then stole their church, police said. Bishop Franklin L. Fountain may eventually have to answer to a higher authority but in the meantime he will face a Superior Court judge.

http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Pastor-accused-of-stealing-church-11220402.php

Fifteen Years After Dallas, Part Five: Naughty Nienstedt and the Vatican Shred

In 2013, Minnesota passed a landmark bill that allowed victims of child sexual abuse to use the civil courts to expose their abuser, no matter when the abuse took place. We are hoping to get one passed in New York right now.
Ensuing lawsuits showed that the Archdiocese under Archbishop John Nienstedt (pictured above) and his predecessors actively covered up the sexual abuse of minors for decades. It was bad. Really bad.

http://theworthyadversary.com/4532-fifteen-years-after-dallas-part-five 

Florida pastor sentenced to prison for child sex offense

A Florida minister who was found guilty of traveling to meet an underage boy for sex received his sentence on Tuesday.  David Donald Hoppenjan, 53, will serve 21 months in state prison and will be designated a sexual offender upon release, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

Florida man threatens his family with fake bomb  Hoppenjan, who was a pastor at First United Methodist Church of Pace, was arrested in a sting operation conducted by local and state law enforcement officials in September

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime--law/new-florida-pastor-sentenced-prison-for-child-sex-offense/9nht2ltjrUXZLmNfzr7b5H/ 

Cuomo Introduces Late-Session Senate Bill To Expand Statute Of Limitations For Childhood Sex Assault Victims

Governor Andrew Cuomo alleviated some advocate concerns on Thursday by introducing a Senate bill that would give victims of child abuse a larger window of time to seek justice. The program bill could still face an uphill battle in the Senate, which has been historically hostile towards efforts to expand the statute of limitations for sex abuse victims. But advocates hope the governor's end-of-session move could push its hand.
Research shows that a majority of childhood victims wait at least five years before speaking. Under current law, most New York victims have only five years after they turn 18 to bring civil or criminal charges against their abusers—thanks to statute of limitations laws that are more prohibitive than most U.S. states, according to the victim abuse network Safe Horizon.

http://gothamist.com/2017/06/16/cuomo_childhood_sex_assault.php 

'We failed you': St Stanislaus in Bathurst formally apologises to sex abuse victims

Victims of sexual abuse at Australia's oldest Catholic boys' boarding school have welcomed a formal apology, but say there is a long way to go in the healing process.

A formal service was held last night at St Stanislaus College at Bathurst in central west New South Wales to apologise for historic acts of abuse. At least 160 students were abused by former staff and priests at the school between the 1970s and 1990s.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-17/st-stanislaus-formally-apologises-to-sex-abuse-victims/8626764 

Who Killed Sister Cathy?

In November 1969, Sister Catherine Cesnik, a popular, twenty-six-year-old teacher at an all-girls Catholic high school in Baltimore, disappeared. Two months later her frozen body was found in a nearby landfill, her skull fractured and her clothes partly removed.
No one was ever charged in her murder, which is now the subject of The Keepers, Netflix’s latest foray into true-crime original programming. The Keepers follows a pair of Cesnik’s former students who have devoted their retirement years to pursuing the case. The two women have amassed vast quantities of evidence, apparently more than the police know, but the drama of the documentary lies in the tantalizing possibility that Cesnik was killed just as she was about to expose the most outrageous and bizarre case of clergy sexual abuse I have ever heard of.

https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/who-killed-sister-cathy 

Theresa May urged to implement redress scheme for N Ireland child abuse victims

The collapse of Stormont has meant that victims have been left without any redress, despite promises of a public apology, compensation and counselling following a major public inquiry into historical child abuse at churches, charities and state institutions.
Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said that due to the lack of a functioning government in Northern Ireland it is up to the Prime Minister to implement the redress scheme.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/theresa-may-urged-to-implement-redress-scheme-for-n-ireland-child-abuse-victims-35819952.html 

Let’s call child sexual abuse in the church what it is: Catholic extremism

Call it the Abbott Test for Moral Action. We can’t defeat a threat until we properly identify and name it, and the most important threats are those that have already proven deadly.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott led a chorus of voices last week demanding that political leaders define recent deadly terrorist attacks as Islamic. Abbott rejected concerns that such comments could inflame anti-Islam sentiment: “Islamophobia hasn’t killed anyone,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/13/lets-call-child-sexual-abuse-in-the-church-what-it-is-catholic-extremism 

St Stanislaus College, Bathurst in the firing line over apology to child sex survivors

A FORMER Newcastle man who was sexually assaulted by a priest at a Vincentian Brothers college has slammed the order, the college and the Catholic Church for an apology to victims on Friday, June 16, the day Vincentian founder St Vincent de Paul was made a saint.
“If he saw what’s happened at that school he’d be turning in his grave,” said Damien Sheridan of Bathurst’s St Stanislaus College, where 16 priests, Vincentian Brothers or laymen associated with the college have been the subject of serious child sex allegations, with multiple convictions.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4721879/survivor-slams-sorry-day/#slide=6 

US Bishops 'can never say we are sorry enough' for tragedy of abuse

'The Holy Father has called us respectfully to acknowledge our own share in causing the pain that so many are still enduring,' said Gregory. Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory said today (14 June) that the US Catholic bishops "can never say that we are sorry enough for the share that we have had in this tragedy of broken fidelity and trust" - the clergy sex abuse crisis.
He made the comments in the homily at an evening Mass said to commemorate a "Day of Prayer and Penance" for victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. The liturgy was celebrated at St Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis at the end of the first day of the bishops' spring assembly.

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7307/0/us-bishops-can-never-say-we-are-sorry-enough-for-tragedy-of-abuse 

George Pell: priest challenges choir boy abuse allegations

A priest who says he accompanied George Pell every time he was at St Patrick’s Cathedral has challenged one of the most salacious allegations against the former archbishop of Melbourne — that he abused two teenage choir boys in a backroom of the Cathedral — in an interview with Victoria Police.

The priest, who was on the then-Archbishop’s staff from September 1996 to January 2001 told police late last year it was “physically impossible for Archbishop Pell to have been alone with anyone in the Cathedral, before, during, or after the celebration of Sunday Mass or on any other occasion’’.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/george-pell-priest-challenges-choir-boy-abuse-allegations/news-story/33b3d82bc2f050c38732aab54607d70d 

Alleged sex abuse victim slams Church's 'appalling' handling of his case

A MAN who claims he was repeatedly raped by a Bradford vicar has blasted the Church of England for caring more about its own “self-preservation” than caring for the abused and dealing with abusers.
The man, known as Michael, spoke out after his alleged abuser was found dead by police just hours after he failed to turn up at court to face historic sex abuse charges on Tuesday.

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/local/localbrad/15333486.Alleged_sex_abuse_victim_slams_Church_s__appalling__handling_of_his_case/ 

No one is monitoring former abusive priests

The parents of boys who accused a priest of sexual abuse wrote to the Chicago Archdiocese more than two decades ago: "Your repeatedly asking 'what do we want'? is one more insult. 'What we want' should be totally obvious. We want something done about these priest's." [sic]
Next week, June 15, marks the 25th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Chicago's announcement of the intent to create a review board to remove priests, such as the one mentioned by the parents. While publicly available files clearly document that church officials knew about the priest's behavior since at least the late 1980s, they did not report him to the authorities or remove him from ministry.

https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/young-voices/no-one-monitoring-former-abusive-priests 

Please sign Irish petition for UN Committee Against Torture

Irish and U.K. Survivors of historic institutional child abuse in Ireland
Thank you to you and your supporters X
you and your supporters please show of electronic support via online signatures will be put as petition before the Committee Against Torture, the UN body which monitors the implementation of the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by state parties.

Why is this important? Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Indicate how it proposes to implement all the recommendations of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and indicate the time frame for doing so;
(b) Institute prompt, independent and thorough investigations into all cases of abuse as found by the report and, if appropriate, prosecute and punish perpetrators;
(c) Ensure that all victims of abuse obtain redress and have an enforceable right to compensation, including the means for as full rehabilitation as possible.

https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/please-sign-irish-petition-for-un-committee-against-torture 

Pedophile Priest With HIV who Raped 30 Children Forgiven by Church

What on earth is the Pope up to... he has gone back on his words so many times... what on earth happened to... FIRST STRIKE OUT they are worst than animals... they did not care... or have any feelings what so ever... for the children Girls AND Boys... you wounder why we will not go away... our fight for justice got that much harder... does the catholic church know... that Jesus and God... will not forget the evil that they have bestowed... upon the blood of the innocent children worldwide??....
where is god in their lives?? What happens to these children now... yes, Yes, I know that they are not children any more... but don't you know... what rape by the all mighty does to children... their souls are no more... they are forever locked up within themselves... and now their wolves who have hounded them for years------ the priest and nuns who RAPED them... will never leave them in peace... what has the catholic church done to her children??? Ann
PS.. I put boys in to... because I am also talking for both boys and girls... If I ever get to Heaven... I will ask god how many souls we have saved... by standing up for the innocent children... Ann

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

A Catholic Priest has been acquitted by the church after he admitted to raping almost 30 young girls aged between 5 and 10-years-old. The priest, Jose Garcia Ataulfo, was cleared of any wrong-doing and won't face any criminal charges, despite the fact that he knew he was infected with HIV when he sexually abused all the children he admitted to raping.
The mother of one of the priest's victims wrote a letter to The Pope asking to meet with him in Rome to discuss the case, but was shunned by the Vatican who declared that "the matter is closed".

http://www.neonnettle.com/features/891-pedophile-priest-with-hiv-who-raped-30-children-forgiven-by-church 

Archbishop Philip Wilson to step aside from duties to prepare trial defence

Philip Wilson, archbishop of Adelaide, is preparing to step aside from his duties after the New South Wales court of appeal unanimously dismissed his latest attempt to have a charge of failing to report child abuse quashed.
A spokeswoman for archbishop told Guardian Australia. “Now that there has been clarification on some of the points of law which arise, the archbishop is keen to move onto the trial preparation phase and will take time away from his duties when the trial approaches so that he can prepare his defence and demonstrate his innocence.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jun/09/archbishop-philip-wilson-to-step-aside-from-duties-when-he-faces-trial-for-failing-to-report-child-abuse 

‘Horrible mistakes’ saw abusive priests escape justice

A “dreadful misunderstanding” of child abuse led the Catholic Church to offer therapy to paedophile priests and agree deals to avoid prosecutions.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry heard the Church attempted to “repair” clerics who committed offences against children and had made “horrible mistakes” in its treatment of victims.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/horrible-mistakes-saw-abusive-priests-escape-justice-1-4470984 

> US church leaders helping many find healing as victims of clergy sexual abuse, but more to be done, finds audit

Church leaders not to assume that 'sexual abuse of minors by the clergy is a thing of the past and a distant memory'. The 14th annual report on diocesan compliance with the US Catholic Church's "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" shows that church leaders have taken steps to help many find healing as victims of clergy sexual abuse, but there is still work to be done.

Introductory remarks in the 2017 report urge church leaders not to assume that "sexual abuse of minors by the clergy is a thing of the past and a distant memory. Any allegation involving a current minor should remind the bishops that they must rededicate themselves each day to maintaining a level of vigilance," wrote Francesco Cesareo, chairman of the National Review Board, which oversees the audits.

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7260/0/us-church-leaders-helping-many-find-healing-as-victims-of-clergy-sexual-abuse-but-more-to-be-done-finds-audit 

St Stanislaus College, Bathurst closes the door on the media

IT was bad timing for St Stanislaus College at Bathurst in February, when one of its most notorious teacher/priests, Brian Spillane, was sentenced for terrible sex crimes against students only days before the college marked its 150th anniversary.
In a statement after the sentencing the college acknowledged it was “deeply sorry” for what Spillane’s victims experienced at the Vincentian school.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4716541/an-end-to-euphemisms/ 

1963 letter indicates former pope knew of abuse

Priest recommended the removal of pedophiles from ministry. The head of a Roman Catholic order that specialized in the treatment of pedophile priests visited with the then-pope nearly 50 years ago and followed up with a letter recommending the removal of pedophile priests from ministry, according to a copy of the letter released Wednesday.
In the Aug. 27, 1963 letter, the head of the New Mexico-based Servants of the Holy Paraclete tells the pope he recommends removing pedophile priests from active ministry and strongly urges defrocking repeat offenders.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/36123847/ns/world_news-europe/t/letter-indicates-former-pope-knew-abuse/#.WTydjaIlGUn

N.Y. senator who leads breakaway group of Dems agrees to amend proposal helping child sex abuse victims

The head of a breakaway group of state Senate Democrats is amending his proposal to help child sex abuse victims in a way that has won over some skeptical advocates.
Sen. Jeffrey Klein’s bill contained a provision to create a commission to examine, evaluate and make binding recommendations on time-barred civil claims within a one-year window to determine if they could move forward.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/n-y-pol-leads-breakaway-dems-amends-proposal-abuse-vics-article-1.3235488 

Letter to the editor | Catholic church must own up to its sins

I am responding to the Readers’ Forum letter of May 28 by Bernie and Cindy Leech, “Who is being protected, church or its children?” I am proud of them for speaking out. We need to stand behind this couple, who are grieving the loss of their son, Corey, and the betrayal of Brother Stephen Baker.
All of the abuse perpetrated by Catholic priests has got to stop. It has nothing to do with the Catholic religion. It is these deviant men who enter the priesthood and hide behind the holy cloth of God.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/editorials/readers_forum/letter-to-the-editor-catholic-church-must-own-up-to/article_26dcc122-4d38-11e7-b8f3-dfb2de7a85fc.html 

Catholic bishop organization in N.Y. wants to do away with legal time-frames in sex abuse cases

The organization representing the state’s Catholic bishops says it supports doing away entirely with the legal time-frames to bring criminal charges in sexual abuse cases.
Dennis Poust, a spokesman for the state Catholic Conference headed by Timothy Cardinal Dolan, told the Daily News on Friday that his organization continues to oppose a one-year window to revive old cases, but supports doing away entirely with the statute of limitations pertaining to criminal sex abuse cases.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/n-y-catholic-bishops-time-frames-sex-abuse-cases-article-1.3218192 

Archbishop accused of hiding pedophilia

A senior official of the Catholic Church in Mexico announced his resignation yesterday, the same day that a former priest filed accusations that Cardinal Norberto Rivera had concealed 15 cases of pedophilia by priests.
Rivera presented his resignation as Primate Archbishop of Mexico to church authorities, complying with regulations that require prelates to retire upon reaching the age of 75. Rivera will turn 75 next Tuesday, said a spokesman of the Archdiocese of Mexico.

http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/archbishop-accused-of-hiding-pedophilia-cases/ 

Why Is Keough High School Closing? 'The Keepers' Institution Is Shutting Its Doors This Year

Nearly five decades after Sister Cathy Cesnik's tragic murder in Baltimore, the unsolved case is receiving the national attention it deserves. But Netflix's new docuseries The Keepers simultaneously places an extremely strong focus on the allegations of sexual abuse at Archbishop Keough High School, where Sister Cathy was a beloved English teacher.
The series presents a theory that Sister Cathy's murder was linked to her attempts to help the teenage girls who confided in her about the alleged abuse they suffered at the hands of Father Joseph Maskell, the school's chaplain. (The Baltimore Sun reported that Maskell denied the accusations until his death in 2001, and he was never charged with any crime.) Keough has recently received a flurry of attention due to the series — but its doors will close for good very soon. However, the reason for Keough High School's closing is unrelated to The Keepers and its content.

https://www.bustle.com/p/why-is-keough-high-school-closing-the-keepers-institution-is-shutting-its-doors-this-year-59752 

American priest from The Keepers ‘counselled Irish sex abuse victims’

An American priest and psychologist at the centre of suspected murder scandal was hired as a child psychologist in Ireland after a series of sexual abuse cases, the former chief executive of the southeastern health board has said.
John Cooney said that Joseph Maskell, the subject of the Netflix documentary The Keepers, almost certainly counselled child sexual abuse victims. Mr Cooney said he believed that Maskell may have been hired without a job interview because he had adequate qualifications and experience and because the health board was chronically short of child psychologists to deal with the huge growth in sexual abuse cases that came to light in the 1990s.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/american-priest-linked-to-murder-counselled-irish-sex-abuse-victims-grmkkcs9v 

More boy scouts leaders named in sex abuse lawsuits

These latest victims are represented by Atty. David Lujan. Plaintiff E.V. tells an all too familiar tale in his complaint, saying that abuse from Louis Brouillard began in the early 1970s when E.V. was a teen. Like other victims before him, E.V. states that Brouillard would use the pretext of serving for an early morning mass to get E.V. to spend nights at the Malojloj parish rectory, and would molest him there. Brouillard reportedly rewarded boys by taking them to restaurants. As a scoutmaster, Brouillard took E.V. and other boys swimming and camping, where he would grope the boys during weekly outings.

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/13665 

Grand Jury action needed in unsolved murders, sexual abuse of Keough students and its cover-up

otice to the Archdiocese of Baltimore (AOB): Three high ranking Penn State College officials were sentenced to jail, on June 2, 2017, for not reporting the child abuse allegations against scumbag Jerry Sandusky. This is a final warning to those who enable child predators to perpetrate their crimes. No more cover-ups! Now, to that end, let’s re-open a window to the past:
Joyce Malecki, age 20, was working in an office of a liquor distributor. On November 11, 1969. She went shopping in the Glen Burnie area and was abducted. Her body was found two days later in a creek located on the U.S. Army’s Fort Meade military base.

http://baltimorepostexaminer.com/grand-jury-action-needed-unsolved-murders-sexual-abuse-keough-students-cover/2017/06/05 

Preliminary hearing in child abuse case against Russian priest set for June 13

The Priozersk City Court in the Leningrad Region has set June 13 as a date for the preliminary hearing in the case against Russian priest Gleb Grozovsky, who stands charged with sexual abuse of children, the court’s spokesperson Svetlana Krasikova told RAPSI on Monday.
A prosecutor’s motion to extend Grozovsky’s detention will be considered on the same day, according to the court’s representative. According to investigators, Grozovsky committed several crimes against minors in 2011 and 2013. In 2013, he fled to Israel and applied for citizenship. However, his application was dismissed.

http://rapsinews.com/judicial_news/20170605/278852905.html 

Devon Mormon bishop accused of child sex abuse

Stewart Allsford, 66, was a representative of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, at the time of the alleged abuse in the 1990s.
He admits indecently assaulting one of the girls when she 14 but denies five other charges of sex abuse. On the first day of his trial at Exeter Crown Court the jury heard from the alleged victim, now an adult, who said she had tried to hide what had happened from other people as she felt she was somehow to blame.

http://www.devonlive.com/devon-mormon-bishop-accused-of-child-sex-abuse/story-30372530-detail/story.html

Before ‘The Keepers,’ My Mother Was One Of Father Maskell’s Victims

Note: This post contains details regarding sexual abuse.

In the late Cathy Cesnik’s English class at Archbishop Keough High School, my mother and her friend giggled uncontrollably at the cackling of the Three Witches, or the Wayward Sisters, in the recording of “MacBeth.” Sister Cathy (who at that time went by Sister Joanita) devised a punishment to fit the crime: each time the recording approached the cackling, she lowered the volume on the record player and required the girls to perform the cackling themselves. She was the kind of teacher who created with her students memories that last a lifetime.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-very-dangerous-woman-the-keepers-my-family-and_us_59357235e4b0649fff211b42 

Why indigenous leaders and Canadian Catholics still want an apology from Pope Francis

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he urged Pope Francis to formally apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in mistreatment of Canada’s indigenous communities, making the request during his meeting with the pope on May 29.
Though a formal papal apology has not yet been issued, Mr. Trudeau’s request comes after a variety of attempts on the part of Catholics in Canada and the Vatican to address the legacy of residential schools, where indigenous children who had been removed from their communities were subjected to heavy-handed assimilation efforts and, in many cases, sexual, physical and emotional abuse. While the schools were financed by the government, most were administered by churches; they were founded in the late 19th century and began to shut down in the 1970s.

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/06/05/why-indigenous-leaders-and-canadian-catholics-still-want-apology-pope 

Child sexual abuse charges laid against dozens of men in Pilbara region

Dozens of alleged paedophiles have been arrested across the Pilbara region as part of a police crackdown on child sex abuse.
Police would not confirm the number of men charged or how many offences were allegedly committed. But reports in the local newspaper stated more than 30 men had been charged with almost 300 counts of child sex abuse during a nine-month operation across areas including Roebourne and Karratha.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-03/child-sex-abuse-charges-laid-against-dozens-of-men-in-pilbara/8586266 

Watching George Pell

Cardinal George Pell, emeritus Archbishop of Sydney and now resident in Rome, is Australia’s most senior prelate. Known for his orthodoxy and direct speaking, Pell has become the center of an increasingly strident media storm in Australia, related to the child sexual abuse crisis. Australian police now hint that they have enough evidence to charge Pell with acts of sexual abuse—yet they have failed to do so. 

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2017/06/watching-george-pell 

Sexual abuse victims dying before national redress scheme set up, survivor warns

Tasmanian victims of child sexual abuse in institutional settings will die before they receive redress, authorities have been warned.

A national redress scheme, which was recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, is expected to be up and running next year, but the Tasmanian Government has not set aside any money.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-05/call-for-sexual-abuse-redress-money-in-tasmania/8588034 

Netflix's The Keepers highlights harrowing sexual abuse in a 1960s US Catholic school

NETFLIX’S NEW TRUE crime documentary The Keepers is sparking fresh interest in a 48-year-old murder case.  
The seven-part series opens with the story of 26-year-old Sister Cathy Cesnik, a beloved nun and teacher at the all-girls Archbishop Keough High School in Baltimore, Maryland.
Sister Cathy went missing on 7 November 1969 and nearly two months later her body was found.
To this day, her murder remains unsolved.

http://www.thejournal.ie/netflixs-the-keepers-reveals-harrowing-sexual-abuse-in-a-1960s-us-catholic-school-3416780-Jun2017/

HSE audit scathing over St John of God secret payments to managers

On Saturday, June 25th last year a representative of the St John of God organisation contacted the Health Service Executive out of the blue with a bombshell revelation. An internal whistleblower had given details to a Sunday newspaper of a secret €1.6 million payment made to a number of its senior managers three years previously.

The newspaper had approached the St John of God organisation the previous day about the payments and a story was expected to be published imminently

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hse-audit-scathing-over-st-john-of-god-secret-payments-to-managers-1.3104732 

Archdiocese ‘heartbroken’ allegations include first Chamorro bishop

Don't weep out load for your sake of being seen to be sorry... weep for the innocent children... that god's servants have raped... and left the children with the crimes of the catholic church... nuns and priest with in them... Ann

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

Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes issued a statement yesterday expressing sadness about the latest allegations of sex abuse filed in court, and the addition of Guam's beloved first Chamorro bishop as one of the accused.
"As the shepherd of our Catholic Church on Guam, I acknowledge the six latest persons to come forward filing allegations of sexual abuse by our clergy and others," Byrnes said in a written statement. "With deep sadness, I also acknowledge that the newest lawsuits related to child abuse now include an allegation against the late Archbishop Felixberto C. Flores, who I know is deeply loved by many here on Guam."

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/archdiocese-heartbroken-allegations-include-first-chamorro-bishop/article_c193ea72-48ee-11e7-9baa-37336825a432.html 

Former St Pius X teacher Ted Hall set to face sexual assault trial

FORMER St Pius X, Adamstown maths teacher, Ted Hall, has been committed to stand trial on 32 sexual and indecent assault offences dating back to the 1970s.
Edward Smith Hall, 66, known as Ted Hall to St Pius students, appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio visual link from Wagga Wagga Local Court charged with 40 offences against 11 St Pius students between 1973 and 1986.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4701912/ex-st-pius-x-teacher-set-to-face-trial/

Lujan: Holy See could be named defendant in Guam clergy sex abuse cases

The Holy See or the Roman Catholic Church could be named defendant in dozens of Guam clergy sex abuse lawsuits if the Archdiocese of Agana continues its objections to federal court jurisdiction on these matters, attorney David Lujan said.
Lujan said the Holy See’s degree of control and influence over the Archdiocese of Agana exceeds that of a parent corporation.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/06/04/lujan-holy-see-could-named-defendant-clergy-sex-abuse-cases/368794001/ 

Picketers: Vatican has evidence, defrock Apuron

The Vatican has all the evidence to defrock Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron, according to Catholics who continued their weekly picket on Sunday, nearly a year since Pope Francis suspended Apuron on June 6, 2016 over multiple allegations of rape and sex abuse of minors.
“Now that all evidence is in Rome, we want to see Apuron defrocked so that we can have healing in the church and healing also for victims of Apuron and other priests,” Laity Forward Movement President Lou Klitzkie said as she held a sign in front of Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagatna that read, “Apuron Out.”

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/06/04/guam-picketers-vatican-has-evidence-defrock-apuron/368631001/ 

Paedophile 'prophet' took six children as wives

just got to keep my words to myself in what I am thinking about this PIG of a man... using any name which puts him above everyone else... to be known as a christian... so as he can RAPE innocent children... is the biggest CRIME of them all... he should have hid dick cut off... and all these rapist should be injected so as they have no feeling what so ever...and his balls cut off as well...

PS: and this is why I do not have anything to do with any religions... the rape and abuse of innocent children... this is evil and a CRIME against god and man...  Ann

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

A PAEDOPHILE brainwashed a former Amish couple into regarding him as a prophet and 'gifting' him their six young daughters as child wives, a court heard.

Lee Kaplan, 52, convinced Savilla and Daniel Stoltzfus that his relationships with their six daughters were the will of God, who contacted him in his dreams, the court was told. The first daughter to be "gifted" to Kaplan, it was claimed, was given as a future wife when she was nine years old. 

https://www.gattonstar.com.au/news/paedophile-prophet-took-six-children-wives/3185580/ 

 

VATICAN IN FLAMES: Fire and thick black smoke billowing above Pope’s walled city

and Nero not inn sight... as the nuns would say to us every day... a punishment from God... OH yes, god must be displeased with what he has seen... all of his little children weeping... because of the rape and abuse from his servants... priest and nuns... Ann

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

According to reports the Pope was inside the Vatican, the heart of the Roman Catholic Church.  Alarming footage from the scene yesterday showed black smoke pouring into the sky at a considerable rate.
A large explosion was heard just before plumes of the thick smoke erupted into the sunny skies above Rome. Hoardes of firefighters were seen at the auto-garage where the fire started.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/811977/Vatican-smoke-fire-pope-thick-black-Rome-city

Cries of 'witch-hunt' ring hollow for Catholic clergy survivors

When you write a book which details allegations of paedophilia against a man who was once one of the nation's most powerful people, curious things happen. One of the crazier things is a tiny circle of people who still unquestioningly defend this person, saying he could not possibly have committed acts they know nothing about and accuse you of leftist bias.
How on god's green earth, you ask yourself, did the prospect that someone might have abused children suddenly become a matter of left and right?

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/cries-of-witchhunt-ring-hollow-for-catholic-clergy-survivors-20170530-gwg15v.html

Anglicans insist sex offenders sign pledge

Perth’s Anglican Church has revealed known sex offenders are being asked to sign “worshipping agreements” if they want to attend parish services under strict supervision arrangements.The details come after figures released as part of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearings appeared to show Perth had a high number of sex offenders attending Church services compared with other cities.

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/anglicans-insist-sex-offenders-sign-pledge-ng-b88492831z 

Former NT child welfare minister faces court

Former politicians who were in charge of Northern Territory child welfare and department heads are expected to front the royal commission into youth detention as it examines Aboriginal child removals.
Former Children and Families Minister Kon Vatskalis, who was in charge between 2009-2012, is due to take the stand on Thursday.

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/politics/state/2017/06/01/former-nt-child-welfare-minister-faces-court.html 

Abused foster children deserve compensation too

Did you know children placed with foster parents in family homes have very limited rights to be compensated by the government for any sexual, physical or emotional abuse?
Foster children are some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our community. Somehow, these innocent children have little opportunity to receive compensation for their abuse suffered at the hands of vindictive foster parents.

http://kelsolawyers.com/au/news-item/abused-foster-children-deserve-compensation/?utm_source=Kelso+Lawyers+Newsletter&utm_campaign=9eab685bbf-Newsletter_11_May16th2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8de5cf57f7-9eab685bbf-26107661&goal=0_8de5cf57f7-9eab685bbf-26107661 

Church acknowledges latest clergy sex abuse lawsuits

The Archdiocese of Agana issued a written statement Thursday, stating it continues to pray for all victims of child sexual abuse, and has once again asked people to use the "Hope and Healing" initiative which provides professional counseling to anyone who has been abused by clergy or church employees.
"As the designated shepherd of our Catholic Church on Guam, I acknowledge the newest lawsuits and allegations of clergy sexual abuse filed by individuals known by the initials of A.N.D., G.J. and B.J. as well as Mr. Francis Charfauros and Mr. Troy Torres," Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes said in a statement.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/06/01/church-acknowledges-latest-clergy-sex-abuse-lawsuits/361062001/ 

Why I won't be giving to the Salvos Appeal

Welcome to the battlefront on this Sunday afternoon. For once the sun is shining down on the good Lord's soldiers as the war against Satan rages on.
The Salvation Army has commandeered the left lane of a busy road - witches hats organised so willing drivers can pull over, wind down their windows and hand over money to help feed the poor, save a few souls and beat back the devil's entreaties.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/why-i-wont-be-giving-to-the-salvos-appeal-20170601-gwhxpp.html 

Another abuse victim names defrocked priest

Guam - Raymond Cepeda served as a priest at the Santa Barbara Catholic Church in Dededo and at the Cathedral Basilica, and was defrocked in 2009 after he was accused of sexual abuse in 2004.
The latest complaint filed yesterday through attorney David Lujan was by a man using the initials R.Q. This is the sixth time Cepeda has been named as the offender in these church abuse cases. What’s a little different about this alleged victim is that R.Q. was not an altar server. He claims to have been abused when he was taking confirmation classes at the Dededo Parish, of which Cepeda was in charge.

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/13659

Third Marianas bishop accused of sexually abusing children

A 62-year-old man has accused the late Archbishop Felixberto C. Flores of sexually abusing him more than 50 years ago at Cathedral Grade School, according to one of the latest lawsuits filed against the Catholic Church in federal court.
Flores is the third church leader from the Marianas accused of sexual abusing a minor. Guam’s Archbishop Anthony Apuron, who succeeded Flores, and Saipan’s Bishop emeritus Tomas Camacho also have been named in lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/06/02/third-marianas-bishop-accused-sexually-abusing-children-guam-saipan-clergy-abuse/364594001/ 

Five more victims file against local Church and Boy Scouts

Five more people have come forward with sex abuse allegations against the local Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts.Of those accused is the late Archbishop Felix Berto Flores. 62-year-old A.J.R. alleges he was 11 years old when then priest Flores abused him while he was serving at the Agana Cathedral. Additionally, three more people - one of them female - have come forward accusing Fr. Louis Brouillard of sexual molestation, the crimes occurring when he was serving at the Malojloj parish.

http://www.kuam.com/story/35572456/2017/06/02/five-more-victims-file-against-local-church-and-boy-scouts 

Former Penn State President Gets Jail Time in Child Molestation Scandal

A judge on Friday sentenced three former Pennsylvania State University officials, including a former president, to short jail terms followed by home confinement for their roles in the child molestation scandal that rocked the university.

In March, a jury found Graham B. Spanier, the former president, guilty of one misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child, and not guilty of two other charges. His lawyers have said he will appeal the conviction, and they argued for a sentence of probation rather than jail time.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/02/us/penn-state-graham-spanier-child-molestation-sentence.html?emc=edit_tnt_20170602&nlid=63876270&tntemail0=y&_r=0 

State Funeral Service for Mr Anthony Foster

Date  Wednesday 7 June 2017

Location

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall
Melbourne Recital Centre
31 Sturt Street
Melbourne

• guests should arrive via the Sturt Street Entrance to the venue
• doors open at 9:30am
• guests are asked to arrive and be seated by 10:00am
• service commences promptly at 10:30am.

Attendance

Public

• Mr Foster impacted the lives of many and was closely associated with a significant number of people and organisations
• there is unfortunately limited capacity for the broader community to attend inside the venue and we are unable guarantee access on the day
• for those who wish to pay their respects to Mr Foster, there will be an opportunity to farewell as the casket leaves the venue following the service
• this will take place on Sturt Street between approximately 11:30am and 12 noon on Wednesday.

http://www.vic.gov.au/news/state-funeral-service-for-mr-anthony-foster.html 

Archbishop Says he Thought it was Legal for Priests to Have sex With Children

A St Louis Archbishop who covered up for pedophile priests claimed that he didn't know it was illegal for adults or priests to have sex with children. Archbishop Robert Carlson made the shocking claims during a deposition as part of a sexual abuse lawsuit in Minnesota involving the archdiocese and the Diocese of Winona
During his testimony, he is asked why he didn't report the cases of child rape to the police, to which he replies, "I'm not sure whether I knew it was a crime or not"

http://www.neonnettle.com/features/923-archbishop-says-he-thought-it-was-legal-for-priests-to-have-sex-with-children 

Pope Francis Reduces Penalties For Priests Who Have Sex With Children

Pope Francis has come under fire by Church officials and sex abuse survivors for cutting the penalties for pedophile priests. The Pope wants to create a more "merciful church' by giving weaker sentences to sex offending priests.
The DailyMail Reports: It has been revealed by church officials that Pope Francis overruled advice given to him by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about two priests - allowing them to be punished by a lifetime of prayer.

http://www.neonnettle.com/features/752-pope-francis-reduces-penalties-for-priests-who-have-sex-with-children- 

Anthony Foster: Family accept state funeral for 'brave' child sex abuse victim advocate

he family of long-time advocate for child sex abuse victims, Anthony Foster, has accepted an offer from the Victorian Government for a state funeral.
Mr Foster, who died in a Melbourne hospital on Friday, aged 64, after a fall last week, was yesterday hailed as "brave and gracious" and a "hero" for his campaigning for victims.  He dedicated his life to seeking justice for child sex abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church after two of his daughters were repeatedly raped by a priest in the 1980s.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-28/anthony-fosters-family-accept-state-funeral-from-victorian-govt/8567002 

Australia police to consider advice on abuse allegations — Cardinal George Pell

Victorian police have been given the green light to charge Australia’s most senior catholic figure, Cardinal George Pell. More recently, Pell has faced accusations of child abuse himself when he was a young priest in the 1970s.
But the Cardinal, who is now living in Rome while working at the Vatican, has vehemently denied the allegations, with a spokesperson for him telling The Australian that “each and every allegation of abuse and cover up against him is false”.
Victoria Police has received advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions about its investigation into Cardinal Pell, days after fresh details of the claims were aired.

http://pppfocus.com/2017/05/28/australia-police-to-consider-advice-on-abuse-allegations-cardinal-george-pell/ 

From ‘Spotlight’ to ‘Keepers,’ Richard Sipe sees celibate priesthood as problem for the Catholic Church

(The Baltimore Sun) Richard Sipe, the former priest who spent 25 years studying the sexual behavior of the Catholic clergy, appears in “The Keepers,” the Netflix documentary series about the unsolved murder of Sister Catherine Cesnick and the monstrous abuse of some of her students by the chaplain of a Baltimore high school in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Sipe is the bearded fellow with the cool eyeglasses in Episode 4.

http://www.cathnewsusa.com/2017/05/spotlight-keepers-richard-sipe-sees-celibate-priesthood-problem-catholic-church/?newsletter=1 

Anthony Foster: campaigner for child sexual abuse victims dies

The chair of Australia’s child sex abuse royal commission has said he is “deeply saddened” by the death of tireless victims advocate Anthony Foster.
Foster, who became a relentless advocate after his daughters were raped by a priest, was reported to have died on Friday evening from a major stroke. Foster and his wife, Chrissie, shared their torment to the media and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/may/27/anthony-foster-campaigner-for-child-sexual-abuse-victims-dies?CMP=share_btn_fb 

Pope Francis Absolves 2,000 Pedophile Priests – “No Arrests Necessary”

Pope Francis has come under fire after announcing that over 2,000 pedophile priests will not face criminal prosecution and may be absolved by the Vatican for their heinous crimes.
Speaking to reporters aboard the Papal plane on Saturday, Francis responded to criticism leveled at the Vatican’s handling of sex abuse cases by Marie Collins – an Irish child abuse survivor who resigned from Francis’ internal sex abuse advisory commission in March.

http://yournewswire.com/pope-francis-absolves-pedophile-priests/ 

Convicted pedophiles to lose travel rights

Up to 20,000 registered sex offenders will be banned from travelling overseas or holding an Australian passport under new measures signed-off by government MPs.

About 400 of the 800 offenders who travelled overseas from Australia in 2016 were in breach of an obligation under state or territory laws to notify police of their intent to travel.

http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/convicted-pedophiles-to-lose-travel-rights/news-story/91c99f6173192a6cac60fe9bb20b31ef 

George Pell should not be charged just to clear the air

Cardinal George Pell is not someone who attracts public sympathy. He presents as cold and aloof and as someone who at best did not have the capacity to deal with systemic child abuse committed within the Catholic Church.
For an intelligent man he misread the play alarmingly when giving evidence to the child abuse royal commission saying of one case, "It is a sad story and it wasn't of much interest to me." (He later desperately sought to clarify his meaning).

http://www.theage.com.au/national/george-pell-should-not-be-charged-just-to-clear-the-air-20170524-gwbweo.html 

Mark Pearson disappointed by NSW Parliament's 'watered down' child sex abuse motion

NEWCASTLE MP and former Marist Brothers, Hamilton student Mark Pearson says Australia must end its diplomatic ties with the Catholic Church after an unsuccessful attempt by him to have NSW Parliament condemn the church over its history of child sexual abuse.
Mr Pearson was disappointed that Labor and the Coalition on Thursday refused to support his motion to condemn the church, first raised in October, and instead voted on a motion condemning child sexual abuse in all institutions.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4689651/time-to-condemn-catholic-church-mp/ 

Pell lawyer steps down amid talk of impropriety

The inquiry set up to investigate allegations of sex abuse levelled against Sydney's Catholic Archbishop, George Pell has suffered a setback with the resignation of Dr Pell's legal representative, Melbourne barrister Michael Rozenes.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Mr Rozenes represented Dr Pell's accuser during the Costigan inquiry into the Ship Painters and Dockers' Union in the early 1980s. But the paper said it is unclear what part, if any, this previous association played in yesterday's developments.

http://cathnews.acu.edu.au/209/34.php