State Needs To Find A Way To Help Victims Of Sexual Abuse

It was interesting to see a report in Newsday last week indicating Democrats in the state Legislature were taking a second look at the Child Victims Act. The story quotes Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, D-Albany, as one of the Democratic Party legislators voicing concern that the legislation, as previously proposed, could have serious financial implications for the state. “These are no longer one-house issues and they have serious financial implications for the state,” Fahy told Newsday’s Michael Gormley. “We have a lot of homework to do.”

https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4184472111856999279#editor/target=post;postID=7153949306637527673 

A year of milestones and scandals

This closing year has been a year of scandals all over the world. There were the sex scandals in the Roman Catholic church. The Roman Catholic church has started to 'clean its own house' and to show that, despite the sins of the 'higher clergy', “the gates of hell shall never prevail against it” (Matthew 16:17-19). In his Christmas message to the Roman curia, Pope Francis stated, “Some have not concealed their glee that the church has been hard hit.”

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/a-year-of-milestones-and-scandals_153116?profile=1096 

Amid more revelations of Catholic Church abuse and cover-up, survivors galvanize

Now to one of the more difficult stories that resonated throughout this past year. The Catholic Church, along with its larger community around the world, has been rocked by the church's long history of sexual abuse. This year, the tragic revelations kept coming, and they exposed even more just how long many dioceses covered up the abuse. In this very frank conversation, Judy explores what the cover-ups have meant for survivors and for the faithful at large.
But she begins with some background.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/new-revelations-of-church-abuse-cover-up-leave-catholics-feeling-betrayed 

Pope Francis Vows that the Catholic Church Will “Never Again” Cover Up Clergy Sexual Abuse

Pope Francis vowed Friday that the Catholic Church will “never again” cover up clergy sex abuse and demanded that priests who have raped and molested children turn themselves in. Francis dedicated his annual Christmas speech to the Vatican bureaucracy to abuse, evidence that a year of devastating revelations of sexual misconduct and cover-up has shaken his papacy and caused a crisis of confidence in the Catholic hierarchy.

https://epages.wordpress.com/2018/12/27/pope-francis-vows-that-the-catholic-church-will-never-again-cover-up-clergy-sexual-abuse-how-africa-news-with-comment/ 

End statute of limitations and report church involvement in sex abuse

I’m a retired New Haven detective with 27 years of service following Army military police duty. The perpetrator of sexual abuse of a child was pursued by my colleagues and me with the intent of putting the felon away for years so another child would not become a victim. I and most did not know the influence of the Catholic Church to make prosecution disappear. It's taken the likes of The Day reporter Joe Wojtas, “Norwich diocese will release names of priests accused of sexual assault” (Dec. 21), and others to continue to educate the public to the extent of these vicious criminals and the responsible organization and individuals.

https://www.theday.com/letters-to-the-editor/20181227/end-statute-of-limitations-and-report-church-involvement-in-sex-abuse 

Catholic Church in Illinois Withheld Names of at Least 500 Priests Accused of Abuse, Attorney General Says

The Catholic Church in Illinois withheld the names of at least 500 priests accused of sexual abuse of minors, the state’s attorney general said Wednesday in a scathing report that accused the church of failing victims by neglecting to investigate their allegations. The preliminary report by Attorney General Lisa Madigan concludes that the Catholic dioceses in Illinois are incapable of investigating themselves and “will not resolve the clergy sexual abuse crisis on their own.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/us/illinois-attorney-general-catholic-church-priest-abuse.html 

Pope Francis' early blind spot on sex abuse threatens legacy

It has been a wretched year for Pope Francis, whose blind spot on clergy sex abuse conspired with events beyond his control to threaten his legacy and throw the Catholic hierarchy into a credibility crisis not seen in modern times. The latest development — a high-profile verdict in a far-away country — cements the impression that Francis simply didn't "get it" when he first became pope in 2013 and began leading the church.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/popes-initial-blind-spot-sex-abuse-threatens-legacy-60028685 

Pennsylvania priest sent to prison after guilty plea in abuse case

A priest who once served in the Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to prison for sexually molesting a boy in the 1990s. Fr. John Sweeney, 76, received a sentence of 11 months to five years in state prison and must register as a sex offender for 10 years, a judge in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, said Dec. 21. The priest pled guilty in July to misdemeanor indecent assault on a minor after he was accused of abusing a 10-year-old boy while counseling him about misbehaving on a school bus.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/pennsylvania-priest-sent-prison-after-guilty-plea-abuse-case 

Vatican No. 3 Cardinal George Pell Convicted on Charges He Sexually Abused Choir Boys

The Vatican’s third most powerful official has been convicted in Australia on all charges he sexually abused two choir boys there in the late '90s, according to two sources with knowledge of the case. A unanimous jury returned its verdict for Cardinal George Pell on Tuesday (Australian time) after more than three days of deliberations, the sources said, in a trial conducted under a gag order by the judge that prevented any details of the trial being made public.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/vatican-no-3-cardinal-george-pell-on-trial-for-historical-child-sex-charges 

Keep the pressure on: Civil authorities must vigilantly investigate church sex scandal

Information released last week by the attorney general of Illinois should guide officials in other states, including New York, as they investigate the sexual abuse scandal within the Roman Catholic Church. “A scathing report from Attorney General Lisa Madigan finds the number of Catholic priests accused of sexual abuse against children in Illinois is much higher than previously acknowledged. The report said accusations have been leveled against 690 priests while Catholic officials have publicly identified only 185 clergy with credible allegations against them,” according to a story published Dec. 20 by the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/opinion/keep-the-pressure-on-civil-authorities-must-vigilantly-investigate-church-sex-scandal-20181228

Attorney for church sex abuse victims details diocesan offers, renews bishop resignation call

A Boston-based attorney representing more than a dozen church sexual abuse victims in Western New York provided some details about the settlement offers tendered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, calling some fair but others "re-victimizing." And as he and other advocates have done numerous times before, they called on Bishop Richard Malone to reveal all details about cases and resign his post.

http://news.wbfo.org/post/attorney-church-sex-abuse-victims-details-diocesan-offers-renews-bishop-resignation-call 

Christchurch Catholic school refuses to release details of sex abuse investigation

A leading Catholic secondary school is refusing to release details of its investigation into a sex abuse complaint. St Bede's College in Christchurch has refused RNZ's request, and emails suggest it has not responded to similar requests from the victim and police. The complainant said a lay art teacher at St Bede's sexually abused him, starting when he was 15 years old, in the 1970s. A police investigation last year found the complainant "is a credible and believable witness and police believe that his complaint is genuine".

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/christchurch-catholic-school-refuses-release-details-sex-abuse-investigation#_=_ 

Catholic priest admits to being whistleblower to help dozens of victims

It's no secret that Catholic priests have faced allegations of sexual abuse, including some in our state. Now one priest is admitting to becoming a whistleblower and helping dozens of victims. Advertisement He said it wasn't easy, but he wanted to do right by parishioners who came to him for help. He kept quiet about his role for decades, but after his archdiocese filed for bankruptcy, he felt it was necessary to come clean to parishioners. Father Vincent Paul Chavez, of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Parish and Catholic school said during one of his recent homilies he decided to come clean.

https://www.koat.com/article/catholic-priest-admits-to-being-whistleblower-to-help-dozens-of-victims/25648338 

Pope: Nobody will be spared from punishment in child abuse crisis

Pope Francis said on Friday that no one in the Catholic Church would avoid punishment if found guilty of child sexual abuse. Francis told the Roman Curia in a traditional pre-Christmas address to the Vatican hierarchy. “Let it be clear that before these abominations the Church will spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice, whoever has committed such crimes,” Francis said. “To those, who abuse minors I would say this: convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice,” the pontiff added.

https://theeagleonline.com.ng/pope-nobody-will-be-spared-from-punishment-in-child-abuse-crisis/ 

Sexual assault and the Catholic Church: are victims finding justice?

Over the last two to three decades in Australia, and internationally, there has been increasing exposure of institutional child sex crimes within the Catholic Church which has prompted demands for justice. In 2012, the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-government Organisations was established as was a commission of inquiry into the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese in New South Wales.

https://figshare.com/articles/Sexual_assault_and_the_Catholic_Church_are_victims_finding_justice_/4697455

Pope to priest abusers: Turn yourselves in, no place to hide

Pope Francis demanded Friday that priests who have raped and molested children turn themselves in and vowed that the Catholic Church will "never again" hide their crimes. Francis dedicated his annual Christmas speech to Vatican bureaucrats to abuse, evidence that a year of devastating revelations of sexual misconduct and cover-up around the globe has shaken his papacy and caused a crisis of confidence in the Catholic hierarchy.

http://www.wmbfnews.com/2018/12/21/pope-priestly-sex-abusers-turn-yourselves/ 

Idaho Catholic priest sentenced to 25 years for child pornography

A Roman Catholic priest who possessed more than 2,500 images of what investigators called the most disturbing child pornography they had ever seen has been sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole. The Rev. W. Thomas Faucher pleaded guilty to five felonies including possessing and distributing child pornography and a drug charge earlier this year. During his sentencing hearing in Idaho on Thursday, Judge Jason Scott said Faucher fantasized about raping and killing young children, favored child pornography that depicted extreme violence and claimed in online chats to have mixed his own bodily fluids into the communion wine at his church.

https://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/nation/idaho-catholic-priest-sentenced-25-years-child-pornography/ 

'Never again': Pope Francis demands abusive priests turn themselves in

'Convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice' Pope Francis demanded Friday that priests who have raped and molested children turn themselves in and vowed that the Catholic Church will "never again" hide their crimes. Francis dedicated his annual Christmas speech to Vatican bureaucrats to abuse, evidence that a year of devastating revelations of sexual misconduct and coverup around the globe has shaken his papacy and caused a crisis of confidence in the Catholic hierarchy.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/never-again-pope-francis-demands-abusive-priests-turn-themselves-in-1.4955500 

OUR VIEW: Church must end abuse cover-up

The cover-up of decades of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests is real and widespread. It has made victims of thousands of Americans. In August, after two years of investigation, a grand jury in Pennsylvania identified more than 1,000 people who had been victims of sexual abuse by priests over 70 years, with thousands more whose records either were lost or who were afraid to come forward.

https://www.mywebtimes.com/2018/12/20/our-view-church-must-end-abuse-cover-up/ax9471v/ 

Pope vows Church will 'never again' ignore abuse accusations

Pope Francis vowed Friday that the Catholic Church will never again treat abuse allegations without "seriousness and promptness", calling on abusers to hand themselves in to police. "The Church will never seek to hush up or not take seriously any case," the pope said in his annual address to the Church's governing Curia at the Vatican. "Let it be clear that before these abominations the Church will spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whosoever has committed such crimes".

https://www.france24.com/en/20181221-pope-vows-church-will-never-again-ignore-abuse-accusations

Wilson case offers a study in contrasting coverage

One of the most important legal judgments this year was that handed down by Judge Roy Ellis in the NSW District Court in Newcastle on December 6. In Regina v Philip Edward Wilson, the judge upheld an appeal and quashed the conviction of Wilson, the ­former Catholic archbishop of Adelaide. Wilson had been convicted in the NSW Local Court in May by Magistrate Robert Stone for failing to report a child sexual ­assault to NSW Police. The Crown’s case was that in 1976 ­Wilson had been told of a case of clerical child abuse and failed to report it between 2004 and 2006 when the priest was charged with the offence.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/wilson-case-offers-a-study-in-contrasting-coverage/news-story/2ec411d850e4af0ad7d6b27d22b7590a 

UK Cardinal Denies Predator Priest Cover-Up

The United Kingdom's leading cleric is denying that he covered for an alleged predator priest. In testimony to a government panel on Thursday, Westminster Cdl. Vincent Nichols countered claims he was complicit in covering up sex abuse as archbishop of Birmingham from 2000–2009. Cardinal Nichols, head of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, told investigators with Britain's Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) that he was "still learning" how to handle the "terrible evil" of clerical sex abuse, but insisted he was innocent of whitewash.

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/uk-cardinal-shock-at-revelation-predator-priests-sent-to-us 

Catholic deacon removed from ministry after calling for independent investigation of sex abuse ...

A Catholic deacon, who called for an independent investigation after the Nashville diocese released the names of priests accused of sexual abuse, has been removed from ministry at his Brentwood parish. Deacon Ron Deal, who has served at Holy Family Catholic Church since 2010, cannot minister as a deacon at the parish until his "public disagreement with the diocese is resolved," according to a letter from the Rev. Joe McMahon, the church's pastor. The letter says the parish priest's decision was backed by Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2018/12/14/nashville-catholic-deacon-removed-ministry-after-calling-independent-investigation-sex-abuse/2309516002/ 

Abuse survivors request meeting with Francis in Panama over Costa Rica archbishop

Pope Francis began 2018 with a trip to a Latin American country where the focus was on his response to clergy sexual abuse. It appears 2019 will start in a similar way. Two abuse survivors are asking the pontiff to meet with them during his January trip to Panama, hoping to press the pope on his appointment of an archbishop in neighboring Costa Rica who they say covered up for their abuser.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/abuse-survivors-request-meeting-francis-panama-over-costa-rica-archbishop 

Bishops from New Zealand and Polynesia issue joint protest on West Papua abuses

Bishops from the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ANZP) have expressed their “deep disappointment” at what they say is the continued suppression of the first people of West Papua. The political status of West Papua is disputed. In the 1940s, with the collapse of the Netherlands East Indies, Indonesia claimed sovereignty over all of the former colony but the Dutch retained control over West Papua. In the 1960s, Indonesia invaded the island and a later UN-brokered peace deal resulted in 1,000 “elders” voting to become part of Indonesia in a disputed election.

https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2018/12/bishops-from-new-zealand-and-polynesia-issue-joint-protest-on-west-papua-abuses.aspx 

4 Jesuit Priests Who Served In Pittsburgh Are Among Those Listed With 'Credible' Abuse ...

The Roman Catholic Jesuit province serving much of the eastern United States on Monday released the names of Jesuit priests who face “credible or established” accusations of sexual abuse of minors dating to 1950. In a letter, the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus identified five living Jesuits facing offenses that took place in the province and another eight who are dead. The men — part of a Catholic order that includes more than 16,000 men worldwide — served in churches, high schools, colleges and other institutions.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/12/17/jesuit-priests-pittsburgh-sexual-abuse-allegations/ 

List released of Jesuit priests facing accusations of sexual abuse of minors dating back to 1950

The Roman Catholic Jesuit province serving much of the eastern United States on Monday released the names of Jesuit priests who face "credible or established" accusations of sexual abuse of minors dating to 1950 -- that includes some Marquette University staff. The Midwest Jesuits put out a letter Monday along with the list, saying they were self-reporting in the interest of transparency. They said all of the people were "credibly accused" of sexual abuse of a child.

https://fox6now.com/2018/12/17/list-released-of-jesuit-priests-facing-accusations-of-sexual-abuse-of-minors-dating-back-to-1950/ 

States Ask Pennsylvania Prosecutors for Info on Catholic Church Abuses

Attorneys general from 45 states are asking Pennsylvania prosecutors for information about sexual misconduct by Catholic priests, as well as efforts by the church hierarchy to cover up the abuses. This comes as Jesuit provinces in Maryland and the Midwest released the names of 84 clergy members who are credibly accused of sexually abusing children. The latest lists bring the number of Jesuits accused of sexual crimes since the 1950s to 230.

https://www.democracynow.org/2018/12/18/headlines/states_ask_pennsylvania_prosecutors_for_info_on_catholic_church_abuses 

The Vatican's No. 3 was convicted of sex abuse. But where is the reckoning?

Cardinal George Pell was, as Vatican treasurer, one of the Catholic Church's most powerful figures and a senior counselor to Pope Francis, until Pell was placed on a leave of absence last year. Last week, he was convicted in an Australian court on what were referred to there as "historical" sex abuse charges. That locution seemed to diminish the events themselves, which, as a unanimous jury found, occurred decades ago. Yet the crucible of clergy sex abuse remains a thoroughly contemporary blight for the church, for the Vatican and for Francis, whose papacy, already blemished by his flailing and shuffling on the issue, hangs in the balance.

https://www.postguam.com/forum/the-vatican-s-no-was-convicted-of-sex-abuse-but/article_2d1c64ea-0298-11e9-8435-43229bf472bf.html 

‘Systematic cover-up’: Catholic sex abuse probe spreads to 45 STATES

Investigations into abuse by Catholic priests are spreading across the entire US after a two-year probe in Pennsylvania alone revealed hundreds of cases of abuse – and a massive institutional cover-up. Pennsylvania Attorney General Joshua Shapiro told USA Today that officials from up to 45 states have sought his office’s assistance in prosecuting alleged misconduct by Catholic priests, and alleged cover-ups by the church.

https://www.rt.com/usa/446734-catholic-priests-abuse-investigation/

U.S. priest charged with sexually abusing 10 boys in Philippines

An American Catholic priest has been charged with soliciting sex with underage boys while in the Philippines, according to federal prosecutors. Rev. Kenneth Bernard Hendricks, 77, of Cincinnati, is charged with engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of Ohio. Hendricks was arrested Dec. 5 in the Philippines, where he was serving as a missionary priest.

https://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/national/priest-charged-with-sexually-abusing-boys-philippines/LA9HncBLzvKBqRjV36qzHI/

Cardinal Vincent Nichols to give testimony at child abuse inquiry

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, is to give testimony to the independent child sexual abuse inquiry panel. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is examining if there were failings across a range of organisations in protecting children from harm, including the Catholic Church. As part of the investigations into the church's handling of child sexual abuse allegations, the inquiry team has looked at the Archdiocese of Birmingham as a case study.

https://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/Cardinal-Vincent-Nichols-to-give-testimony-at-child-abuse-inquiry 

ICC called on to investigate crimes in the Catholic Church

There are two questions weighing heavily on abuse survivor Peter Gogarty's mind — how people who claim to believe in and preach the Gospel could prey on and sexually abuse children, and how those who concealed the abhorrent crimes have never be held to account.   The questions have consumed him and he is now taking the issue to the International Criminal Court (ICC), asking its prosecutor to investigate senior Catholic Church officials for what he calls crimes against humanity.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-13/church-child-sex-abuse-international-court-probe-bid/10612718 

Supporters of sex abuse survivor protest planned appeal by diocese

Supporters of clergy sexual abuse survivor Irene Deschenes shouted “shame” and “justice for Irene” at the Catholic diocese office in London Wednesday afternoon, delivering a letter to the bishop demanding the organization abandon a planned appeal of a court ruling that allows her to reopen a settled civil case. Representatives from London-area women’s groups gathered at the office to denounce the diocese’s move and voice their support for the 57-year-old sex-abuse survivor.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/supporters-of-sex-abuse-survivor-protest-planned-appeal-by-diocese 

England’s most senior Catholic cleric apologises for withholding evidence of child abuse allegations

The country’s most senior Catholic cleric apologised for withholding evidence of abuse allegations made against JRR Tolkien’s son during his priesthood. Cardinal Vincent Nichols told an inquiry on Thursday he was focused on settling legal action against the church quickly when, in 2002, he chose not to disclose a key document to a complainant.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/12/13/englands-senior-catholic-cleric-apologises-withholding-evidence/ 

Cdl. Pell to appeal jury’s ‘outrageous’ verdict finding him guilty of sexual abuse

MELBOURNE, Australia, December 12, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – Australian Cardinal George Pell is in the process of appealing a jury’s verdict that found him guilty of sexually abusing choir boys, LifeSiteNews has learned from a source with knowledge of the case. A jury had found Pell guilty of charges related to the sexual abuse of two choir boys in his native Australia in the late 1990s, according to the Daily Beast in a story that broke yesterday.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cdl.-pell-to-appeal-jurys-verdict-finding-him-guilty-of-sexual-abuse 

Catholic church still breaking its own laws, 16 years after priest abuse scandal exposed

Attempts to solve many problems found in the Catholic church today can be traced back to a meeting among U.S. bishops in June 2002. It was five months after the Boston Globe had exposed widespread child sexual abuse by priests and a pattern of cover-ups by the church and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops gathered in Dallas to vote on a new set of policies.

https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2018/12/13/pa-priest-abuse-catholic-church-breaking-rules-set-after-boston-child-sexual-assault-transparency/2295523002/

Birmingham bishop releases names of priests accused of abuse

Bishop Robert J. Baker, head of the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, today released the names of six priests accused of sexual abuse of minors in its files. “The priests named were ministering in this diocese when they committed these deplorable acts,” Baker said. “What they did, not only to the victims themselves but their families and friends, is inexcusable.” Here are the names: Charles V. Cross (died in 2010) Cross was removed from ministry in 1985 and forced to retire without privileges in 2002.

https://www.al.com/news/2018/12/birmingham-bishop-releases-names-of-priests-accused-of-abuse.html 

Australian Cardinal falls silently on child sex charge

rdinal George Pell in a file photo. Image: Twitter A guilty verdict in the sexual abuse trial of Australia’s most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, is one of the country’s most sensational news stories of 2018, but Australian media is unable to report it. Cardinal Pell, who has also been one of the closest advisers to Pope Francis as his de facto finance chief, was this week found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in a Melbourne Court of five charges of sexually abusing two choir boys in the 1990s.

http://www.atimes.com/article/australian-cardinal-falls-silently-on-child-sex-charge/ 

FORGIVE ME FATHER FOR YOU HAVE SINNED

In September Pope Francis summoned the Presidents of the Church’s Conferences of Bishops from around the world, to address the one thing that could diminish the Church: child sexual abuse. The Pope has been facing mounting pressures over revelations of the extent of the “child abuse scandal” and what appears to be institutional abetment to conceal such abuses.

https://www.reporter.bz/2018/12/14/forgive-me-father-for-you-have-sinned/ 

Bishop Tobin addresses sex abuse scandal in Catholic Church

Bishop Thomas Tobin spoke with NBC 10’s Gene Valicenti about the Catholic Church’s ongoing sex abuse scandal during a taping of 10 News Conference Friday. Before coming to the Diocese of Providence, Tobin had previously worked in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. A grand jury investigation in Pennsylvania revealed decades of child sexual abuse by priests there, with hundreds of victims.

https://turnto10.com/news/local/only-on-10-bishop-tobin-addresses-sex-abuse-scandal-in-catholic-church 

Waterford woman who stood by paedophile husband who raped her two sisters branded 'evil'

A rape victim on Thursday night branded her sister “evil” for standing by the paedophile who destroyed her childhood. Vile Bartholomew “Batty” Prendergast, 65, was jailed this week for sexually abusing two of his ex-wife Patricia’s sisters along with a third woman. Today, Saturday, we publish new images of the leering pervert as he mingled with families on a day out.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/waterford-woman-who-stood-paedophile-13702660 

German prosecutors launch crackdown on Church sex abuse

German police and prosecutors are launching investigations into clergy sexual abuse following the Sept. 12 leak of a report containing evidence of 3,700 alleged child sex abuse cases in the Catholic Church over a 68-year-period.Authorities in Cologne, Passau and Gorlitz have publicly initiated criminal proceedings following the release of the report, according to Welt news. Six law professors filed criminal complaints against all 27 dioceses in October. A further 20 public prosecutors nationwide are currently examining evidence against church officials in Germany’s 27 Catholic dioceses.

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2018/12/07/german-prosecutors-launch-crackdown-on-church-sex-abuse/ 

Forgotten victims of priest sexual abuse. They were not children but could they consent?

Shame, secrecy and a vast disparity of power could mean that the number of women sexually abused by clergy is four times the figure for children, with victims now telling their stories. Christine James* was 17 when she met the man who would spend years treating her like his dirty little secret. At first, she was flattered by the attention of a Catholic priest: confused yet elated that such a figure could be drawn to her. Now, she realises she was his perfect prey: young and vulnerable, from a strict religious family where male authority was to be respected and feared. And in the hierarchy of her small-town church, there was no greater authority than Father Martin.*

https://www.smh.com.au/national/forgotten-victims-of-priest-sexual-abuse-they-were-not-children-but-could-they-consent-20181206-p50knj.html 

Priest: Churches need to step up for victims of abuse

As pastor of a Catholic Church in a suburb of Chicago, Fr. Charles Dahm said he wasn’t aware any of his parishioners were victims of domestic violence until a newly-hired counselor at the church brought it to his attention. “She told me almost all the clients who came in were victims of domestic violence,” Dahm said. “I had no idea. I knew these women, but I didn’t see the problem. I asked her to help me recognize the problem, how to uncover it and how to respond to victims.”

http://www.hutchnews.com/news/20181209/priest-churches-need-to-step-up-for-victims-of-abuse 

Believing the unbelievable: How an Altoona lawyer took on the Catholic church over clergy sex abuse

Mary Hutchison was desperate. It was 1987 when the devout Catholic mother of three knocked on the door of Richard Serbin’s Altoona law office. Hutchison had learned her troubled son Michael, then 19 and locked in a forensic psychiatric ward, had been raped repeatedly over seven of his then 19 years of life. The perpetrator: Father Francis Luddy, their beloved parish priest at St. Therese’s Catholic Church. The priest abused him between the time he was 11 and 17.

https://triblive.com/local/regional/14386197-74/believing-the-unbelievable-how-an-altoona-lawyer-took-on-the-catholic-church 

2 Jesuit provinces releases 153 names of accused abusers

Two Roman Catholic Jesuit provinces that cover nearly half the U.S. released the names Friday of more than 150 priests and other ministry leaders who were found to have “credible allegations” of sexual abuse made against them dating to the 1950s. Jesuits West, which covers 10 western states, said its internal investigation found credible allegations against 111 priests, brothers or priests in training who were connected to it dating back to 1950. No one on the list is involved in public ministry any longer, it said.

https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/2-jesuit-provinces-releases-153-names-of-accused-abusers/ 

US Jesuits Release Names of Clergy Accused of Sexual Abuse

Two U.S. chapters of the Roman Catholic Church’s Jesuit order of clergyman on Dec. 7 released a list of 153 names of its clerics who have faced credible accusations of sexual misconduct spanning almost half the country. The disclosures come from Jesuits on the West Coast and in the central United States and identify offenders dating back to the 1950s.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-jesuits-release-names-of-clergy-accused-of-sexual-abuse_2733649.html 

Child Victims Act getting a hard second look amid concerns

ust as a bill to empower victims of child sexual assault appeared ready for quick passage under the new Democratic majority in the state Senate, the measure is getting a hard second look even by its supporters. The Assembly's Democratic majority easily passed the Child Victims Act for the past two years and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has supported it, but the bill stood no chance of becoming law because of opposition by the Senate’s then-Republican majority.

https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/child-victims-act-1.24324948 

These ‘men of God’ sexually abused children. Then they found refuge at other churches.

Pastor Bruce Goddard acted immediately when he learned the principal at Faith Baptist Church’s school in Wildomar, California, had been intimately involved with a 17-year-old student. He rented the 35-year-old principal a U-Haul and shipped him out of state. He did not call the police.

https://www.star-telegram.com/living/religion/article222576430.html 

Guidelines for women!

We’ve been gaining experience for these last 21 years in our marrried priests’ movement! We have come to a point where we can be in a better position to help both the priest and the woman who are in love. One of the aspects which has been built on, is the number of tips given to women in order to understand better their position. We are not abandoning the priest neither, but this time we’re giving out some practical guidelines to the women out there!

https://maltesemarriedcatholicpriest.wordpress.com/2018/11/26/guidelines-for-women/ 

Saginaw Loses Nearly Half Its Catholics Over 13 Years

The number of Catholics in Saginaw has plummeted to nearly half in just 13 years. A survey shows that in 2005, there were 50,328 Catholics in the Michigan diocese, that number dropping to only 27,599 today. The general population in the Saginaw diocese has dropped since 2010, showing an approximate 8,000-person decline from 199,851 to 191,934.

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/saginaw-loses-nearly-half-its-catholics-over-13-years

New Mexico archdiocese to file for bankruptcy over sex abuse

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe announced Thursday it will soon be filing for bankruptcy protection, as the Catholic church in New Mexico has settled numerous claims of sexual abuse by clergy over the years and is close to depleting its reserves. About 20 dioceses and other religious orders around the U.S. have filed for bankruptcy protection as a result of the claims, according to lawyers representing the archdiocese.

https://www.wral.com/warrant-yields-documents-on-2-ex-priests-in-sex-abuse-case/18028454/ 

The Catholic Church’s Nightmare Is Going to Get Worse

In August, I wrote about the Pennsylvania grand jury that detailed the Catholic church’s conspiracy to cover up for pedophile clergy, going back decades and encompassing thousands of victims. There was a new development in October: yet another attempt to raise the statute of limitations failed in the state senate, but the next day, the Justice Department announced a federal investigation into all eight dioceses in Pennsylvania.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2018/12/the-catholic-churchs-nightmare-is-going-to-get-worse/ 

Pope Francis urges homosexual priests and nuns to be celibate, or leave

In his clearest comments on the subject yet, Pope Francis says active homosexuals in the Catholic Church should leave, rather than live a "double life". Key points Pope makes remarks in new book discussing challenges of religious life He says candidates must be "humanly and emotionally mature" Church teaches homosexuality not sinful, but homosexual sex is While he has previously spoken of the need for better screening of candidates for the religious life, his comments, in a new book, suggesting priests who cannot keep their vows of celibacy should leave are some of his clearest to date.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-03/pope-francis-tells-homosexuals-to-leave-church/10575980 

The Truth About the Catholic Clergy Abuse Scandal

Numerous state attorneys general are opening investigations into clergy sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church in the wake of Pennsylvania’s grand jury report released in August, cataloging allegations of heinous sex crimes across the state over more than 70 years. On the heels of that bombshell came an 11-page Testimony — followed by addenda in September and October — by a Vatican prelate-turned-whistleblower, accusing Pope Francis of helping cover up sexual misconduct among high-ranking church ecclesiastics and calling on the pontiff to resign

https://www.thenewamerican.com/print-magazine/item/30742-the-truth-about-the-catholic-clergy-abuse-scandal 

Empty Pews and Collection Plates

What Is The Fastest Growing Religion? Recent surveys by the Pew Research Center and the Hartford Institute for Religious Research indicate that one in four Americans do not belong to any religion. In fact, the largest “religious” group in the United States now is made up of ex-Catholics. At last count, there were about 385,000 churches belonging to more than 60 denominations, down about 30,000 from just five years ago. Over half of these churches have only 100 worshippers on weekends. About 30 million Catholics have left the American church and about 56 million have left the Protestant denominations in the last few decades. Over 40% of Americans raised Catholic have left the Church.

http://hpr1.com/index.php/opinion/gadfly/empty-pews-and-collection-plates/ 

No answer on forced adoption: 'There must be some compassion somewhere'

Women who lost children to adoption during the so-called "baby scoop" era fear their stories will be left out of an inquiry into state and church abuse. It's been seven months since Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed she was considering options to examine New Zealand's forced adoption history, including a select committee inquiry.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12171821

Diocese of Las Cruces releases names of credibly accused priests

Last month, the Diocese of Las Cruces published the names of 28 priests who have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct with minors and have served within the geographical boundary of the diocese. Among these are several priests who served in churches in Grant County, mostly during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The last priest served in 1990.

http://www.scdailypress.com/site/2018/12/05/diocese-of-las-cruces-releases-names-of-credibly-accused-priests/ 

Despite priest abuse, don't be an Easter lily and poinsettia Catholic

Please allow me to respond to the sexual abuse in the Catholic Church as noted by Cal Thomas ("The shame of the Catholic Church") and Tim Roemer ("After Catholic Church sex abuse cover-ups, we in the pews must no longer simply pray & pay"). The vast majority of men and women in the Catholic Church are true to their vows. Any Catholic who leaves the church because of sexual abuse by a member of the clergy is, in all probability, an Easter lily and poinsettia Catholic.

https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2018/12/05/despite-priest-abuse-dont-easter-lily-and-poinsettia-catholic/2196595002/ 

Immigrant in church 11 months deported

Federal authorities say a Mexican immigrant who sought refuge in a Durham church for nearly a year has been deported. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Bryan Cox said Samuel Oliver-Bruno was removed from the U.S. to Mexico at 8:45 p.m. Thursday. Oliver-Bruno had spent 11 months in the church before leaving last week to have his fingerprints taken as part of an application to stay in the U.S. to support his son and ailing wife. He was arrested at an immigration office where he went for the screening as part of his application.

http://www.journalgazette.net/news/20181130/immigrant-in-church-11-months-deported 

6 priests with regional ties on Springfield Diocese's sex abuse list

A list released Thursday by the Diocese of Springfield with the names of 19 priests accused of sexually abusing children includes at least six clergy who worked in Decatur at times. The disclosure was in response to a review by the state Attorney General's office, which since August has been investigating the Roman Catholic Church after a Pennsylvania grand jury report identified at least seven priests with a connection to Illinois.

https://herald-review.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/priests-with-decatur-ties-on-clergy-sex-abuse-list/article_6502fbc1-bd67-5644-a629-356143ad71d4.html 

Church scandals must remain in spotlight

I deeply appreciate the Post-Gazette’s ongoing coverage and revelations about the abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. The Nov. 25 front page article, “Hiding Behind God,” left me reeling. I hope to see the issue shoved in the face of church hierarchy until atonement and justice prevail

https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2018/12/01/div-class-libPageBodyLinebreak-Church-scandals-must-remain-in-spotlight-div/stories/201812010008 

Women say church leaders must listen to survivors before abuse summit

Three female survivors of sexual abuse by priests called on church leaders preparing for a February summit at the Vatican to listen to the voices of victims and to end a “culture of cover-up” that has dragged on for decades. The women, from the United States, Peru and Germany, spoke of their experiences of sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse during a Rome seminar, “Overcoming Silence: Women’s Voices in the Abuse Crisis.” All three survivors urged victims of abuse to “go to the police,” adding that they believed internal investigations by the church have consistently failed to address the problem since the first cases were reported by journalists in the 1980s.

http://catholicphilly.com/2018/11/news/world-news/women-say-church-leaders-must-listen-to-survivors-before-abuse-summit/ 

When did the Church know? Questions about allegations against Brian Boucher

Questions are being raised about when a Catholic Church first learned about allegations against a priest accused of sexual assault. Father Brian Boucher has been with charged with sexually assaulting several victims. Amanda Jelowicki has more. Father Brian Boucher’s trial lasted one week, with shocking testimony from two alleged victims, detailing horrific sexual abuse.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4716551/father-brian-boucher-montreal/

‘Pray for us’: Murdered sexual predator Harvey Milk canonized by LGBT ‘catholic’ group

A ‘Catholic LGBT’ ministry known as Out at St. Paul has insinuated that murdered LGBT activist, politician, and sexual predator Harvey Milk is a saint to whom one can ask for spiritual favors. “Harvey Milk, pray for us,” entreated the group earlier this week as it promoted an article featuring a ‘religious icon’ of Milk. The New York City group, evidently, would like to see Milk, who died 40 years ago, canonized.  Yet Harvey Milk was not even Christian: he was a ‘gay’ secular Jew.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/pray-for-us-murdered-sexual-predator-harvey-milk-canonized-by-lgbt-catholic

Unmasking More Predator Priests

Thursday’s release of a list of predator priests who served in West Virginia is only a beginning for the Roman Catholic Church, in many ways. One of them is that the shocking, disturbing revelations in the list may — and should — make the list longer. Church officials say that was one of their goals in making the information public.

http://www.theintelligencer.net/opinion/editorials/2018/12/unmasking-more-predator-priests/ 

Catholics must hate the sin of homosexuality

November 30, 2018 (The Catholic Thing) – Knowing that the Catholic Church has had many ups and downs in the course of its long history, I am confident – well, fairly confident – that it will eventually emerge from its present slump. But this recovery won't happen anytime soon. And so I, being an old man, won't live to see it. That saddens me.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/catholics-must-hate-the-sin-of-homosexuality

Deacon accuses Niantic priest of attempted sexual assault

A former deacon at Sacred Heart Church in Groton has alleged that the current pastor of St. Agnes Church in Niantic, the Rev. Gregory Mullaney, repeatedly propositioned him for sex while on a 2006 trip to Rome and tried to sexually assault him in the street after he fled from a restaurant where the two had been dining.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20181201/deacon-accuses-niantic-priest-of-attempted-sexual-assault 

Authorities: Cardinal DiNardo’s computers were seized in search

Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon talks to reporters outside the Chancery of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, in Houston. Authorities conducted a search warrant of the building. A preliminary log of what was seized during the search at the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston included at least three of Cardinal Daniel DiNardo’s computers but was mistakenly made public Friday, according to Montgomery County officials.

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Authorities-Cardinal-DiNardo-s-computers-were-13435887.php 

Catholic leaders visit Indiana for listening session on abuse

There were more than 100 in the pews Thursday night at Indiana’s St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church for the last of a series of listening sessions scheduled by Greensburg’s Roman Catholic Bishop Edward C. Malesic. Between prayers that opened and closed the two-hour gathering, a wide range of topics was raised, from the screening process for seminarians, as well as those who teach the seminarians, to questions of “how do I keep my faith” and how parents should talk to their children about clerical sex abuse.

https://www.indianagazette.com/news/catholic-leaders-visit-indiana-for-listening-session-on-abuse/article_61a85294-f4b2-11e8-9768-1fbd3fd74012.html 

Fortitude! A Call to Stay Engaged in Resolving the Abuse Scandal

Let there be fulfilled in us the Scripture that says, “Even the anger of man will serve to praise you, O Lord” (Psalm 76:10) Msgr. Charles Pope Many today rightly speak of the need for courage in the midst of the current sexual abuse scandal and its coverup. It does indeed take courage to speak out and engage in the awkward task of insisting on accountability and reform from our bishops and the Pope, whom we have been taught to revere and respect. There are potential dangers, especially for clergy and lay leaders in the Church, who may risk sanctions of some sort for speaking up. (Thankfully, most bishops have been tolerant of the airing of grievances and calls for reform.) There are also consequences for speaking out that are more irksome than dangerous, such as being labeled divisive, negative, unjust or a scandal-monger.

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/msgr-pope/fortitude-a-summons-to-stay-actively-engaged-in-resolving-the-abuse-scandal 

301 ‘Predator Priests’ Named In Pa. Grand Jury Sex Abuse Report: ‘They Were Raping Little Boys & Girls’

The long-awaited state grand jury report into sexual abuse in six Pennsylvania dioceses, including Pittsburgh and Greensburg, has finally been released. The 884-page document, two years in the making, shines a light into the dark corners of these dioceses going back seven decades, exposing the predators and the efforts of their bishops to protect them. “Today, the most comprehensive report on child sexual abuse within the church ever produced in our country was released,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “Pennsylvanians can finally learn the extent of sexual abuse in these dioceses. For the first time, we can all begin to understand the systematic cover up by church leaders that followed. The abuse scarred every diocese. The cover up was sophisticated. The church protected the institution at all costs.”

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/08/14/pennsylvania-diocese-sex-abuse-grand-jury-report-released/ 

Clergy Abuse Survivors Share Stories At Emotional First Listening Session

Survivors and parishioners came out to St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland on Thursday night for the first of four listening sessions since the release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse. Similar sessions are already being held in in the Greensburg Catholic Diocese. But organizers in the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese are hoping to create a safe space so everyone can work through the healing process together.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/11/29/pittsburgh-catholic-diocese-clergy-sexual-abuse-first-listening-session/ 

Juan Carlos Cruz: the survivor who changed the pope’s mind on sex abuse

“The church has to change that paradigm, that way of thinking that survivors are enemies of the church and want to destroy the church,” said Juan Carlos Cruz. “It’s quite the opposite. There’s a lot of people that have been destroyed by the church and others that have been wronged in the worst way by the church and yet they still want to move forward and call themselves Catholics.”

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/11/30/juan-carlos-cruz-survivor-who-changed-popes-mind-sex-abuse 

The “smaller church” is already here

Yesterday morning over coffee I sat down and read a news analysis piece published on our site, and a report from the National Catholic Register. Both left me with a roiling stomach and an aching head. I fired off a message to a coworker thanking him for his excellent reporting and also confessing that I would very much like to commit murder after reading it.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/mamaneedscoffee/2018/11/the-smaller-church-is-already-here 

Tough new child sexual abuse laws come into effect in NSW today as A-G talks tough with institutions

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman said institutions need to join the National Redress Scheme for child sexual abuse survivors “without further delay” as a range of new laws to bring offenders to justice come into effect in NSW today. Mr Speakman said the NSW Government, which was the first Australian state to pass legislation to join the scheme, had “acted swiftly and in the best interests of NSW survivors”.

https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5787666/time-to-get-serious-attorney-general-says-institutions-need-to-join-national-redress-scheme/ 

Women say church leaders must listen to survivors before abuse summit

Three female survivors of sexual abuse by priests called on church leaders preparing for a February summit at the Vatican to listen to the voices of victims and to end a “culture of cover-up” that has dragged on for decades. The women, from the United States, Peru and Germany, spoke of their experiences of sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse during a Rome seminar, “Overcoming Silence: Women’s Voices in the Abuse Crisis.” All three survivors urged victims of abuse to “go to the police,” adding that they believed internal investigations by the church have consistently failed to address the problem since the first cases were reported by journalists in the 1980s.

http://thecatholicspirit.com/news/nation-and-world/women-say-church-leaders-must-listen-to-survivors-before-abuse-summit/ 

List of clergy accused of alleged abuse, misconduct

The nuns and priest will never tell the truth... the catholic church dose not know the meaning of the word TRUTH... it is up to us survivors to keep telling the truth... it is the only way that I know how to show them up... for who and what they really are... the workers and servants of the devil... Ann

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

OMAHA, Neb. — The Archdiocese of Omaha submitted documents to Nebraska investigators with substantiated allegations of abuse of, or misconduct with minors by 24 archdiocesan priests since 1978. The allegations of misconduct with and/or the abuse of a minor which took place after the implementation of Safe Environment standards in 2002

https://www.ketv.com/article/list-of-clergy-accused-of-alleged-abuse-misconduct/25359186 

Former U.S. Attorney in Pittsburgh applauds federal Catholic clergy abuse probe, reveals what he witnessed as a child

Updated 6 hours ago As the top federal prosecutor in Western Pennsylvania, David Hickton tried a Somerset County priest for molesting children at a Central American orphanage and later invoked federal organized crime statutes in an inquiry into the Altoona- Johnstown diocese. He said he had reason to be suspicious of the Catholic church.

https://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/14351860-74/former-us-attorney-in-pittsburgh-applauds-federal-catholic-clergy-abuse-probe-reveals