Review: Say Sorry - A Harrowing Childhood in Catholic Orphanages

I know some people do not like the way I wrote my story... Child like they say... Please remember one thing which I am so ashamed of... I found it very hard to write about what happened to me at the two catholic church orphanages... I was not educated... to tell you the truth my body and mind were so damage... that I forgot what I had read after two lines... I could not remember anything... I still get violent headaches everyday... and I can not sleep at night... because of the nightmares I have... Please forgive me for the mistakes I have made in my books... I did them all myself the covers and the layout of my books... I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something... The only thing I am guilty of is telling the TRUTH... Ann Free Spirit = Ann Thompson

https://www.amazon.com/Say-Sorry-Harrowing-Childhood-Orphanages/dp/1543994660/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Say+Sorry+Ann+Thompson&qid=1579524764&sr=8-1

Altar boys say they were abused by priests at the Vatican

Former altar boys have claimed they were molested by priests inside the Vatican, as a lingering scandal surrounding widespread abuse in the Catholic Church erupts at its headquarters once again. Several anonymous former altar boys at the Vatican’s youth seminary alleged at least two priests kissed and fondled three of them in the Nineties.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vatican-child-sexual-abuse-catholic-church-priests-iene-altar-boys-a9205446.html 

The skeletons keep tumbling out: Three more former altar boys accuse two priests of sexually abusing them inside Vatican Church

The fresh allegations come just months after Catholic leaders had gathered for an unprecedented summit at the Vatican to tackle widespread paedophilia within the church. At the close of the summit in February, Pope Francis promised the church would "spare no effort" in bringing abusers to justice and would not cover up or underestimate abuse.

https://www.opindia.com/2019/11/vatican-church-sexual-abuse-altar-boys-priests/ 

Two priests guilty of sexually abusing deaf children at a school in Argentina

Each were sentenced to more than 40 years in prison for abuse at a school for deaf and hearing-impaired children in northwestern Argentina The court also sentenced an 83-year-old gardener linked to the case to 18 years in prison. Two priests were found guilty on Monday of sexually abusing deaf children at a Catholic-run school in Argentina, a case that has shaken the church in Pope Francis’s homeland.

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3039317/two-priests-guilty-sexually-abusing-deaf-children-school 

Australia moves closer to compulsory child abuse reporting by priests

Australia’s top attorneys agreed on Friday to standardize laws across the country forcing priests to report child abuse revealed to them during confessions in a move that could widen a schism between the church and the government. Federal and state attorneys-general agreed on key principles for the laws, which fall under the responsibility of state and territory governments and which address the most contentious recommendations from a government inquiry into child abuse.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/510550/australia-moves-closer-to-compulsory-child-abuse-reporting-by-priests/ 

"A cruel insult". Former PM Tony Abbott criticised for his prison visit to George Pell,

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has visited convicted pedophile George Pell in prison, where he is being held on child sex convictions. Mr Abbott told Seven News he was “simply visiting a friend” after he was spotted leaving the Melbourne Assessment Prison on Monday. Pell – who in December last year was jailed for six years for sexually assaulting two choirboys at Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral while he was Archbishop of Melbourne – is being held at the prison.

https://www.mamamia.com.au/tony-abbott-george-pell-2/ 

Pope Francis meets with bishops to end abuses

In February, Pope Francis traveled to Abu Dhabi and became the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula. The reception in the royal palace was one of the most spectacular in living memory. During this trip, the pope signed together with the Great Imam Al-Tayeb an important declaration in promoting Universal Human Fraternity, against the use of religion to justify violence.

https://www.romereports.com/en/2019/12/26/february-2019-pope-francis-meets-with-bishops-to-end-abuses/

Ireland, 1984: A year of fierce debates and ‘mounting evils’

The year 1984 became notorious for a number of stories involving women, pregnancy outside marriage, and their treatment by society, church and State. The impact of these stories would resonate for decades. That year, 15-year-old Ann Lovett died after giving birth to a stillborn son at a grotto in Granard, Co Longford; a full-term pregnancy that appeared to have gone unnoticed by all who knew her.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/ireland-1984-a-year-of-fierce-debates-and-mounting-evils-1.3946743?fbclid=IwAR2BXoYgec51cLtRXharXJmWA-Km5v1zIGjAzKsEzqREsTZ0ws1KU6ZC7dM#.XSEbtq_cPgI.facebook 

Family violence: Men are victims too

New Zealand has the worst rate of family and intimate-partner violence in the world. Eighty per cent of incidents go unreported — so what we know of family violence in our community is barely the tip of the iceberg. Today is part four of We’re Better Than This, a week-long series on family violence. Our aim is to raise awareness, to educate, to give an insight into the victims and perpetrators. We want to encourage victims to have the strength to speak out, and abusers the courage to change their behaviour.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11636220