Bishop Scanlan Issues Letter to Diocese in Response to the Recent Issues Involving Retired Priest of Central Pennsylvania

Dear members of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania,
You may have read in today’s newspapers that a member of our Central Pennsylvania clergy, the Rev. Dr. Howard White, is among the subjects of an investigation into widespread allegations of sexual abuse during the 1970s and 1980s at St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island. The Rev. Dr. Howard White served at the school during this time and is now a retired priest who currently serves as a long-term supply priest at St. James Episcopal Church, Bedford (PA).
St. George’s School recently released the report of its investigation and the Rhode Island State Police are conducting a criminal investigation into episodes discussed in that report. Yesterday, former students of St. George’s named Fr. White as one of the alleged abusers described in the report.

http://www.diocesecpa.org/news/bishop-scanlan-issues-letter-diocese-response-recent-issues-involving-retired-priest-central 

Parents call for priest friend of Cardinal George Pell to resign.

PARENTS at two Melbourne Catholic primary schools are demanding the resignation of their priest, who recently defended Cardinal George Pell.
In their first group protest meeting last night, parents from St Patrick’s Parish Primary in Mentone and St John Vianney’s in Parkdale are set to make a plan to call for scandal-hit Father John Walshe to quit his post.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/parents-call-for-priest-friend-of-cardinal-george-pell-to-resign/news-story/886c87f5dd9c29b260cc6f74def01801 

Liberia: Episcopal Church Suspends Priests For Alleged Raping a Minor

The Episcopal Church of Liberia has indefinitely suspended its priest assigned in Grand Kru County in connection with the alleged raping of a 10-year-old girl in the county.

In a release issued last evening from the Church, Archbishop Jonathan B.B. Hart said the church is shocked and dismayed about news report concerning the involvement of its priest in "this barbaric and heinous act."

http://allafrica.com/stories/201601070930.html 

Resident evil: The child abusers who only stopped because their care home closed.

Former priest Anthony McCallen and former headmaster James Carragher have been jailed for sexually abusing boys at the St William's care home and approved school. Simon Bristow reports on how they were caught.
VULNERABLE boys sexually abused at a children's home may have felt they had to go along with it to "stay alive", the officer in charge of the inquiry has said. James Carragher, 75, and Anthony McCallen, 69, were yesterday jailed for a total of 24 years for abusing children in their care at the former St William's approved school in Market Weighton.

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Resident-evil-child-abusers-stopped-care-home/story-28462972-detail/story.html

St. George's Prep School Ex-Students Call for Criminal Investigations

40 adults have come forward claiming they were sexually abused while at a Rhode Island boarding school. Former students who claim they were sexually abused at a Rhode Island Boarding school are asking those abusers to be held accountable, along with school officials, who they say covered up the abuse for years.

The alleged abuse happened in the 70's and 80's at St. George's School, in Middletown, Rhode Island.

http://www.necn.com/news/new-england/St-Georges-Prep-School-Ex-Students-Call-for-Criminal-Investigations-364294941.html 

Sex Abuse Statute of Limitations Reform 2015 Year in Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The movement to eliminate and revive expired statutes of limitations (SOLs) for child sex abuse made significant progress in 2015. It also inspired a new and related SOL reform movement for all rape victims, young and old, as the SOLs became a major factor in the dozens of out-of-statute allegations against Bill Cosby, as I discuss here.
Finally, there is a decided trend in SOL reform that needs to be stemmed and reversed before our children will be safe: legislators’ willingness to let institutions off the hook.

https://verdict.justia.com/2016/01/07/sex-abuse-statute-of-limitations-reform-2015-year-in-review 

New charges allege religious leader, who has ties to the Duggars, sexually abused women

Ten women on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Bill Gothard, who for decades was a major force in the conservative Christian homeschooling movement, charging him and leaders in his ministry with sexual abuse, harassment and cover-up.
Gothard, who urged Christians to shun things like short skirts and rock music, is accused of raping a woman. The same woman says she was raped by one of the ministry’s “biblical counselors.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/01/06/new-charges-allege-religious-leader-who-has-ties-to-the-duggars-sexually-abused-women/?postshare=2481452135241130&tid=ss_tw 

'Porn viewers risk becoming child abusers'

The child pornography market is expanding dramatically and viewing it could be the catalyst for some to engage in hands-on abuse of children, experts say.
The warning is contained in a research report to the child sex abuse royal commission as it tackles how to abuse-proof institutions where children are at risk.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/01/07/09/24/porn-viewers-risk-becoming-child-abusers 

Shipped to Australia and told his parents were dead, a Welsh 'orphan' relives a difficult childhood

David Crisp was seven when he was shipped to Australia believing his parents were dead and found out they were alive decades later. He was just seven when he was shipped to Australia believing his parents were dead.
Now David Crisp has spoken of falling victim to physical and sexual abuse in Australia having been told by British authorities he was going on holiday. And he told of learning his parents were still alive and his 30-year search for them.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/shipped-australia-told-parents-were-5374996#ICID=sharebar_facebook 

Cardinal George Pell labels reports casting doubt on legitimacy of his illness 'misleading and mischievous'

Catholic Cardinal George Pell has attacked reports casting doubt on the legitimacy of his illness, which has stopped him appearing at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Cardinal Pell was to appear at the inquiry on Wednesday but his lawyer told the hearing on Friday Cardinal Pell was unwell and could not travel to give evidence in person.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-13/pell-attacks-reports-casting-doubt-on-legitimacy-of-his-illness/7024616 

Priest John Walshe who defended George Pell accused of sexually abusing John Roach

A Catholic priest who gave evidence to the child abuse royal commission in defence of Cardinal George Pell was himself the subject of a historical sexual abuse claim, the ABC can reveal.

 In 2012, the victim, John Roach, received an apology and $75,000 compensation after the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne accepted he had been sexually abused by Father John Walshe, a parish priest based at Mentone in Melbourne's south east.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-23/john-walshe-accused-of-sexual-abuse/7051050 

Dozens of parishioners appeal for Father John Walshe's removal after allegations of sexual abuse

A group of Catholic parishioners in Melbourne's south-east are calling for their parish priest, Father John Walshe, to be removed, after it was revealed he was investigated over alleged sexual abuse.

The ABC revealed last month a Catholic Church investigation found Father Walshe had sexually abused an 18-year-old trainee priest in 1982.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-07/father-john-walshe-parishioners-appeal-for-removal/7073584 

Police Investigating Sexual Abuse Claims at Prestigious New England Boarding School

Two New England attorneys are saying they've been in touch with more than 40 alumni of an affluent Rhode Island boarding school that allege staff members or other pupils sexually assaulted them during the 1970s and 1980s.
PEOPLE spoke Wednesday with Eric MacLeish, one of the two lawyers behind a press conference held on Tuesday in which four graduates of the St. George's School in Middletown accused school officials of covering up years of systemic abuse.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20977939,00.html