Church Settles Abuse for $4.24M

Settlement with alleged victim is second-largest individual sum in Catholic priest scandal The Catholic Diocese of Savannah has agreed to pay more than $4 million to the alleged victim of an abusive former priest in order to avoid going to trial.
The Diocese released a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing the $4.24 million agreement reached with former St. James Catholic School student Allan Ranta Jr. Ranta had filed a complaint in a Jasper County, S.C., civil court stating he was molested from 1978 to 1983, starting when he was 10 years old, by former priest Wayland Y. Brown.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2009/09_10/2009_10_29_Felty_ChurchSettles.htm 

Japanese bishops want nuclear power abolished worldwide

They released a statement urging people to learn from the experience of the Fukushima disaster.  The bishops' conference of Japan has issued a statement calling for the worldwide abolition of nuclear power, five and a half years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan (CBCJ) issued their statement, On the Abolition of Nuclear Power Generation: A Call by the Catholic Church in Japan, on Nov. 11.

http://www.ucanews.com/news/japanese-bishops-want-nuclear-power-abolished-worldwide/77758

Convicted sex offender Father Ron Léger granted bail

Founder of Teen Stop Jeunesse serving 2 years for sexually assaulting 3 males.  Convicted sex offender Father Ron Léger has been granted bail after being arrested on additional charges.
Judge Cynthia Devine ruled he could be released from custody on a $1,000 bond and a $10,000 surety provided by Clerics of Saint Viator. Léger was arrested in October on eight new charges involving four men. He is currently serving out time for his conviction in 2015.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/convicted-priest-ron-leger-bail-1.3873149 

Louisville priest found guilty of sexually abusing child at Meade County camp

A Louisville priest accused of abusing a boy at camp was found guilty Tuesday of sexually abusing a child in the 1970s. The jury came back around 5 p.m. Tuesday after deliberating for about two hours. In the verdict, the jury found Fr. Joseph Hemmerle "inappropriate touching" involving a child under the age of 15.
 And after hearing more deliberation, the jury came back around 6:45 p.m. with a recommendation of seven years in prison.

 http://www.wdrb.com/story/33817862/louisville-priest-found-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-child-at-meade-county-camp 

How the Catholic Church in Australia aims to enhance anti-abuse efforts

Sydney, Australia, Nov 29, 2016 / 12:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In Australia, the Catholic Church has established a new independent non-profit to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse.
“Catholic bishops and religious leaders in Australia are determined to do all in their power to ensure that abuse, in any form, should never again occur in the Church,” said a Nov. 22 FAQ on the new company. “The setting of consistent national standards and auditing compliance with them is a key element in this.”

http://angelusnews.com/articles/how-the-catholic-church-in-australia-aims-to-enhance-anti-abuse-efforts 

Yeshivah continues to cause victims to suffer

The damning report released yesterday by the Royal Commission into Yeshivah includes findings that 'the responses of leadership groups to the adverse experiences of survivors and their families ranged from inaction to enabling those adverse experiences.’.
It is truly extraordinary and ironic that on the same day the findings have come out, the Yeshivah leadership invited David Werdiger to host an event on its premises as part of an election process brought about by the Royal Commission and intended as a response to the horrific failures of the Yeshivah leadership to act against those who have been part of the attacks against victims and their families for seeking justice in relation to their abuse. Such attacks, from many quarters, have included the use of anonymous blogs, the spreading of vicious lies against victims and their families, and general intimidation. Werdiger is scheduled to host another similar event tonight.

http://www.mannywaks.com/blog/yeshivah-continues-to-cause-victims-to-suffer 

Legal fees are a barrier to justice for sex abuse victims, inquiry hears

The lawyers fees should NOT BE ADDED ONTO THE VICTIMS/SURVIVORS BILL... the lawyers fees should be separate from their compensation...  I have seen some survivors get only $5,000.00... after they have paid their lawyers... this is not on... the lawyers get paid far too much money... I have seen lawyers get paid over a $1.000.000.00... and the victims get what paddy short at... that is piss all... Ann

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Inquiry chaired by Alexis Jay holds public seminar, hearing that proposed fixed costs regime is a further threat to litigation. Victims of abuse are finding it increasingly difficult to bring claims for compensation to court because of cuts to legal aid and high legal fees, the inquiry into child sexual abuse has heard.
In its first public seminar, the independent inquiry chaired by Prof Alexis Jay was also told that proposals to introduce a fixed costs regime could add a further barrier to justice.

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/nov/29/legal-fees-are-a-barrier-to-justice-for-sex-abuse-victims-inquiry-hears 

Bishop Michael Kennedy will not move Loud Fence Ribbons

The decision comes after an online petition, started by sexual abuse victim Phil Wright, received hundreds of signatures to protest the move. “These plans will no longer proceed,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Having now heard more of the concerns of abuse survivors, parishioners, and members of the Loud Fence movement it is clear to me that to proceed with my announced plans for a memorial and for moving the ribbons may cause further hurt rather than alleviating it.”

http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/4327955/bishops-memorial-backflip/ 

Rabbis call for heads to roll at Yeshivah in wake of child sex abuse scandals

Australia's most powerful coalition of rabbis has for first time called for heads to roll at Yeshivah institutions, after damning findings in the royal commission exposed that child abuse was ignored and enabled by its leaders.
Executives at the Rabbinical Council of Australia and New Zealand, the Rabbinical Council of Victoria and the Rabbinical Council of New South Wales, have joined forces to take the strongest position to date on the need for reform in the community, which has been rocked by wide-ranging child abuse scandals.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/rabbis-call-for-heads-to-roll-at-yeshivah-in-wake-of-child-sex-abuse-scandals-20161129-gt0i0s.html

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has played down security breaches and says confidential information was not at risk after a door

Representatives of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry have rejected claims that security lapses have undermined its work.
After a newspaper reported that a door at the inquiry had been left unlocked, potentially allowing access to confidential files, a spokesman denied there had been any risk of access to such files, adding that "rigorous security measures" were always in place.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14935408.Abuse_inquiry_reassures_victims_over_data_security/ 

Sex abuse royal commission: Geelong Grammar chaplain tried to hypnotise students before sexually assaulting them

A chaplain at one of the country's most prestigious private schools tried to hypnotise students before sexually assaulting them, a victim told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.
The royal commission turned its focus to Geelong Grammar, where serious and ongoing sexual abuse occurred from the late 1950s until 2007.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/sex-abuse-royal-commission-geelong-grammar-students-were-afraid-to-report-abuse-by-teachers-20150901-gjcegd.html 

Eviction fears raised for priest’s parents

The elderly parents of a Roman Catholic priest at the centre of legal action could be evicted from their home, it was claimed this week.
It’s the latest twist in a saga that began when Fr Matthew Despard was suspended after writing a book making allegations of sexual misconduct within the church.

http://www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/news/eviction-fears-raised-for-priest-s-parents-1-4304781 

Papal visit a chance to tackle ‘silencing’ of priests

Association of Catholic Priests: Visit may be way to address issue of disciplined members. The confirmation of a visit to Ireland by Pope Francis in August 2018 has been welcomed as an opportunity to address the situation of five Irish priests who have been disciplined by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has particularly welcomed the visit “as an opportunity to engage with the issue of the ‘silencing’ of five of our priest-members, and the injustice thereby perpetrated against priests who have contributed so much to the life and work of the Church in Ireland”. 

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/papal-visit-a-chance-to-tackle-silencing-of-priests-1.288574