Abuse victim speaks for first time, demands to know why priest not defrocked

A victim of Rev. Barry McGrory’s sexual abuse is demanding to know why the Catholic priest has never been defrocked.
Colleen Passard sent a written statement to the Citizen after the newspaper published a story this week about McGrory, a Catholic priest who admitted in an interview that he sexually abused three adolescents at Ottawa’s Holy Cross Parish in the 1970s and 80s.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/abuse-victim-speaks-for-first-time-demands-to-know-why-priest-not-defrocked

William Campbell-Taylor, Peter Ball and the Silencing of Gay Clergy Abuse

In the galling history of homosexual sexual abuse and establishment cover up of that abuse in the Church of England, have been two important cases in recent months, those of Bishop Peter Ball and Rev. William Campbell-Taylor. Both call into question the Christian vocation of the Anglican establishment and its willingness to engage truthfully with the gay abuse issue among its clergy.
The first case represented a staggering catalogue of multiple concerns of sex abuse against boys and vulnerable young men by Bishop Peter Ball which were raised over years but quietly shelved by the Church as the abuse continued.

http://www.virtueonline.org/william-campbell-taylor-peter-ball-and-silencing-gay-clergy-abuse

Kettler can lead healing from abuse crisis

Thankfully, Bishop Donald Kettler seems ready to put an end to the suffering on all sides this sordid situation, at least in Central Minnesota. It is time. It is past time to do the right thing.

Abuse allegations have hung heavy over the Catholic church over the past decade and a half, and St. Cloud Diocese has not been spared. Other churches and institutions have been harmed by these perpetrators of personal violence, but the Catholic Church has received the lion’s share of the press.

http://www.sctimes.com/story/opinion/2016/05/26/kettler-can-lead-healing-abuse-crisis/84901508/ 

New Ulm Diocese receives 98 claims of abuse

In the three years since the passage of a state law that temporarily lifted the civil statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims, the Diocese of New Ulm has received 98 claims of sexual abuse from victims. Of the diocese’s 75 parishes, 28 are named in lawsuits involving 15 priests. On Tuesday in Brown County District Court attorneys with Jeff Anderson and Associates filed two civil suits against the New Ulm Diocese.
Both allege abuse by the same priest, Reverend Michael Skoblik, who is now deceased. One claims the victim was sexually abused by Skoblik at the Church of St. George in Glencoe between 1953 and 1966. The other alleges sexual abuse by Skoblik at the Church of St. Joseph in Silver Lake. Since March, Skoblik has been named in 3 other civil lawsuits filed in Brown County District Court. They allege abuse at Holy Family Parish and St Pius X Parish. Another priest, the Reverend John Gleason was accused in a civil suit filed Monday of sexually abusing a girl in 1970 until 1972 while at St. Michael Catholic Church in Morgan.

http://www.knuj.net/2016/05/new-ulm-diocese-receives-98-claims-of-abuse/

BUSTED: Catholic diocese with history of cover-ups caught protecting priest accused of child abuse

Rev. Gregory Yacyshyn, the pastor of St. Jude Church on Long Island is the target of a lawsuit against the diocese, alleging he is a “public nuisance.” The suit claims there is a history of the church covering up priest sexual abuse and allowing child molesters to live openly in the community.
The Rockville Centre Diocese spokesman says these claims lack of “credible allegations” and he believes the community is safe, according to the New York Daily News.

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/busted-catholic-diocese-with-history-of-cover-ups-caught-protecting-priest-accused-of-child-abuse/ 

Victim of Church-sex-crime let go of Resentment and Turned to Mercy, Here’s Her Mentality

Once a reporter in the US asked President Carter if he has ever committed adultery in anyway. The question was very blunt and honest. However, should this be the way one sees this issue of sex crimes? I have a colleague who suffered from a personal tragedy six years ago.
She’s a new graduate at that time and was quite young, innocent and served the Church with earnest. While she knew that there are a lot of crimes in society today, she still believed that the church was a holy place and all the ministers were good people. However, reality is not as black and white as she saw it and she found herself unable to comprehend the truth that she was sexually abused by a minister severely. Shamefully, as well.

http://chinachristiandaily.com/2016-05-27/society/victim-of-church-sex-crime-let-go-of-resentment-and-turned-to-mercy--here-s-her-mentality_1350.html 

Child sex abuse survivor: He'll spend $100K to beat Sen. DeFrancisco, others

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A minority owner of the Vernon Downs racetrack says he'll spend $100,000 this year to unseat state Sen. John DeFrancisco and other senators who won't pass a bill to allow child sexual abuse survivors like himself sue their abusers.
DeFrancisco, the Senate deputy majority leader from Syracuse, is going to be the No. 1 target of the new Fighting for Children PAC that Gary Greenberg says he's in the process of forming.

http://www.syracuse.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/05/child_sex_abuse_survivor_hell_spend_100k_to_beat_sen_defrancisco_others.html

Diocese of Duluth, Abuse Victims to Enter Mediation in July

A bankruptcy judge ordered the Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth, Minn., and lawyers for more than 100 clergy sexual abuse victims to a three-day mediation session in July.
Court papers filed this week show that Judge Gregg Zive, a Nevada bankruptcy judge, will serve as the mediator at a conference slated to begin July 19, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Minneapolis.

http://blogs.wsj.com/bankruptcy/2016/05/26/diocese-of-duluth-abuse-victims-to-enter-mediation-in-july/?mod=WSJBlog 

Twin Cities Archdiocese files plan to settle with abuse victims

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis filed its financial reorganization plan in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Thursday, offering a strategy for regaining financial stability while compensating an expected 400 clergy abuse claims.

The plan calls for the creation of a $65 million trust fund for victims, which could increase in size if further insurance settlements are reached, as well as a $500,000 counseling fund for victims and new protocols to prevent future abuse.

http://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-archdiocese-files-plan-to-settle-with-abuse-victims/380998651/ 

Father Doyle's disappearing act: how a paedophile priest hid in plain sight

George Pell: 'I'm not here to defend the indefensible'. In one of his first responses addressing systematic abuse in the church, George Pell told the Royal Commission that the Catholic Church "has mucked things up".  

The departure of Father Joseph Doyle from Our Lady of Lourdes church was announced without warning during one Sunday Mass in late 2005. The congregation was told Father Joe, as he was known, would retire that day, after 37 years ministering to the Bayswater parish.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/father-doyles-disappearing-act-how-a-paedophile-priest-hid-in-plain-sight-20160525-gp3ml2.html 

Man alleges Guam archbishop molested him as a child

HAGATNA, Guam — A 52-year-old man from Hawaii said he was sexually abused by Archbishop Anthony Apuron when he was 12 years old.
  Roy T. Quintanilla spoke at a press conference held in front of the Archdiocese of Agana Chancery Office in Hagåtña.   Quintanilla was flanked by his attorney David Lujan and others. Quintanilla said he’s been silent for 40 years. The alleged abuse deeply affected him, causing him to contemplate suicide.

http://www.13newsnow.com/news/nation-now/man-alleges-guam-archbishop-molested-him-as-a-child/197934176 

Vandergrift Man Headed To Altoona To Send Message About Clergy Sex Abuse

VANDERGRIFT (KDKA) — Robert Mizic, 45, of Vandergrift will be joining several other abuse victims and drive to Altoona Tuesday evening.
They will be protesting outside a church there, where the local bishop will be holding a prayer service for victims of sexual abuse. Mizic says he was abused by a priest both sexually and physically decades ago while growing up outside Philadelphia.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2016/05/17/vandergrift-man-headed-to-altoona-to-send-message-about-clergy-sex-abuse/ 

‘I apologize for the pain’: Bishop leads prayer vigil for victims of priest abuse

Bishop Mark Bartchak started his reflection on Monday by posing the question “What can you possibly say at a time like this?” during a prayer service for victims of sexual abuse.
It is a question many members of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown have wrestled with since the state Office of the Attorney General released a grand jury report in March that accused the organization of being involved in a decades-long coverup to protect priests and other religious leaders who allegedly sexually abused children.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/i-apologize-for-the-pain-bishop-leads-prayer-vigil-for/article_240ca2d2-1be3-11e6-acf6-4b9dd7b89383.html 

Vatican mystery intensifies, bones found in grave

ROME –  Forensic police swarmed the crypt of a Roman basilica on Monday to exhume the body of a reputed mobster as part of an investigation into one of the Vatican's most enduring mysteries: the 1983 disappearance of the teenage daughter of one of its employees.
Medical experts took samples from the remains of Enrico De Pedis and also took boxes of old bones from the nearby ossuary, according to a De Pedis family lawyer, as part of the investigation into whether Emanuela Orlandi may have been buried alongside him.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/05/14/vatican-braced-for-exhumation-in-old-kidnap-case.html 

Priests, Abuse and Vatican Conspiracy with Fr. Thomas Doyle and Abuse Survivor Helen McGonigle

We speak to two guests that offer two complimentary perspectives on the ongoing sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church: First, Fr. Thomas Doyle, speaks about the upper echelons of conspiracy in the Vatican that have enabled abuse to go on untreated.

Then we hear from Helen McGonigle, who had been a victim of priest Brendan Smyth–a man that had been moved time and time again by the church and abused hundreds of children in his years as a priest.

https://rapevictimsofthecatholicchurch.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/priests-abuse-and-vatican-conspiracy-with-fr-thomas-doyle-and-abuse-survivor-helen-mcgonigle/ 

Petitioners demand action against ‘monster’ Staten Island Catholic school principal

An online petition urging Timothy Cardinal Dolan to fire a Staten Island priest accused of using abusive tactics to rule St. Joseph by the Sea High School has drawn some heated supporters.
As of Saturday evening, 1,629 people who signed a change.org petition calling for the removal of the Rev. Michael Reilly, 50, used words like "monster," "racist" and "cruel" to describe the school principal and his alleged treatment of staff and students.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/petitions-urge-dolan-decide-fate-s-catholic-school-head-article-1.2645475 

New Prague parish faces priest abuse lawsuit

NEW PRAGUE — A New Prague parish is being sued by a victim who alleges he was sexually abused by a priest in the 1960s.
Minneapolis attorney Patrick Noaker filed a civil complaint on behalf of the victim on Monday in Le Sueur County District Court. It alleges the victim was sexually abused when he was 12 by the Rev. Louis Heitzer in 1965 at St. Scholastica Parish in Heidelberg.

http://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/local_news/new-prague-parish-faces-priest-abuse-lawsuit/article_7629c76e-21f3-11e6-855f-1bef2feb40e4.html 

USCCB Abuse Audit Warns of Complacency

The annual report on the implementation of the U.S. bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" warns against complacency in dioceses, and the firm contracted to conduct audits of dioceses and parishes said there was "plenty of room for improvement" in implementing two of the charter's articles.
In remarks prefacing the report, Francesco C. Cesareo, chairman of the National Review Board, the all-lay group that tracks for the bishops how dioceses address clergy sexual abuse, said this year's audit results "continue to demonstrate the progress that has been made in ensuring safe environments for children in the church."

http://americamagazine.org/issue/usccb-abuse-audit-warns-complacency

Indonesian Leader Authorizes Chemical Castration for Child Sex Offenders

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, signed a decree on Wednesday authorizing chemical castration for convicted child sex offenders and requiring those released on parole to wear electronic monitoring devices.

The new punishment comes in response to the brutal gang rape and murder in April of a 14-year-old girl on her way home on the island of Sumatra. Seven teenage boys were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime, which prompted national outrage and revived previous calls for chemical castration as a punishment against child sex offenders.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/asia/indonesia-chemical-castration.html?emc=edit_tnt_20160525&eml_thmb=1&nlid=63876270&tntemail0=y&_r=1 

Timothy Cardinal Dolan ripped for delaying talk on child sex abuse

The time may not be right for Timothy Cardinal Dolan to talk about child sex abuse, but advocates say it’s long overdue.
Victim-turned-advocate Kathryn Robb says Dolan is putting a new generation of kids in danger by opposing legislation that would allow adult victims of child sex abuse to seek justice in claims that would likely affect predator priests.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/cardinal-dolan-ripped-stalling-talk-child-sex-abuse-article-1.2648910 

Catholic friar allegedly molested Brisbane schoolgirl

AN ageing Catholic friar named at the child abuse royal commission has been charged with more than a dozen child-sex offences for allegedly ­molesting an eight-year-old girl at a Brisbane bayside primary school.
Fr Anthony Francis “Damian” Colbourne, a member of historic Catholic Church order the Capuchin Friars who wear brown monk-like robes, allegedly threatened the Year 4 student that she and her parents would go to hell unless she performed sex acts with him.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/crime-and-justice/catholic-friar-allegedly-molested-brisbane-schoolgirl/news-story/bdbf8f2f02c3155da61663d4d5430970?from=google_rss 

Philippine Leader Duterte Vents at 'Hypocritical' Catholic Church

Manila. The Philippines' president-elect Rodrigo Duterte described the Catholic Church as the country's "most hypocritical institution" on Sunday (22/05) and said he was ready to take on senior Filipino bishops to debate their wrongdoings before he takes office next month.
The tough-talking 71-year-old has yet to be proclaimed the May 9 poll winner, but an unofficial vote count by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed a huge lead over his rivals, three of whom conceded defeat. He is due to take office on June 30.

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/international/philippine-leader-duterte-vents-hypocritical-catholic-church/ 

Catholic friar accused of 'forcing a Year 4 student to fondle him by threatening that she would go to hell'

A Catholic friar, charged with more than a dozen child sex offences, allegedly told an eight-year-old girl he molested that she and her parents would go to hell unless she performed sex acts with him.

Fr Anthony Francis 'Damian' Colbourne, who was named in the child abuse royal commission, allegedly molested the girl in the mid 1970s when she was a Year 4 student at a Brisbane school, reported the Courier Mail.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3605043/Catholic-friar-accused-forcing-Year-4-student-fondle-threatening-hell.html 

More than 800 sex abuse claims filed under Minnesota law

Law that lanced victims' pain and roiled Catholic Church hits deadline . Abuse survivor Jamie Heutmaker spoke in his home about the impact of the Child Victims Act.

More than 850 child sex abuse claims, including about 500 against Minnesota Catholic clergy, have been made in the past three years under a landmark Minnesota law sunsetting this week that allowed victims of older abuse cases to have their day in court.

 

http://www.startribune.com/more-than-800-sex-abuse-claims-filed-under-minnesota-law/380524441/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Danish church shut down after allegations of sexual abuse

Jutland police confirm receiving reports of misconduct by priest. A free church in Jutland has been closed after several children and young people said at a meeting that they had been abused by a priest.
The attacks are alleged to have taken place from 2006 to 2011. “We are in shock,” the church leader told Metroxpress. “It is difficult to understand that so much has been going on that we were not aware of.”

http://muserpress.dk/danish-church-shut-down-after-allegations-of-sexual-abuse/ 

Catholic Church sex abuse complaints up 35 percent, report finds

Complaints of sexual abuse by Catholic Church clergy were up 35 percent in 2015, according to an audit of claims and related settlements released Friday.
Between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015, 838 people filed complaints saying they had been abused by church personnel while they were children. This is up from 620 complaints filed the year before.

http://www.theolympian.com/news/nation-world/national/article79378942.html

Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/news/nation-world/national/article79378942.html#storylink=cp

Priests, Abuse and Vatican Conspiracy with Fr. Thomas Doyle and Abuse Survivor Helen McGonigle

We speak to two guests that offer two complimentary perspectives on the ongoing sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church: First, Fr. Thomas Doyle, speaks about the upper echelons of conspiracy in the Vatican that have enabled abuse to go on untreated.

Then we hear from Helen McGonigle, who had been a victim of priest Brendan Smyth–a man that had been moved time and time again by the church and abused hundreds of children in his years as a priest.

https://rapevictimsofthecatholicchurch.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/priests-abuse-and-vatican-conspiracy-with-fr-thomas-doyle-and-abuse-survivor-helen-mcgonigle/ 

Leading Vatican consultant accused of sexual abuse

A consultant who once helped the Vatican craft guidelines to keep gay men from being ordained as priests has been accused of sexually abusing young men.
European media have relayed accusations from four different men against Msgr Tony Anatrella, the Religion News Service reported.  Only one of the men agreed to be identified by his real name. Accusations against the French priest and therapist first surfaced more than a decade ago.

http://cathnews.co.nz/2016/05/24/leading-vatican-consultant-accused-sexual-abuse/

PA Lawmakers Expect Battle With Church Over Child Sex Abuse Bill

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A new fight is brewing between the Catholic Church and Harrisburg. A full-scale battle over Pennslvania’s statute of limitations is expected to break out.
“Just looking at it from a moral compass standpoint? They are so wrong,” said Pennsylvania lawmaker Mark Rozzi. He and others predict a coordinated challenge from the Catholic Church. But for Rozzi of Berks County, the battle is personal.

http://myinforms.com/en-us/a/34237572-pa-lawmakers-expect-battle-with-church-over-child-sex-abuse-bill/ 

Minnesota Abuse Victims Claim Church Shielded $1.7 Billion in Assets

There are some people in the Church who appear to take a high road when it comes to saying anything about some of the bishops and the damage to the Faith that some of them cause.
We say "appear to take the high road" because in private they say things without reservation and quite openly if the people hearing them are considered "safe" or "allies."

http://canmua.net/minnesota/minnesota-abuse-victims-claim-church-shielded-17-billion-in-assets-834907.html 

Former priest jailed over historical sexual abuse of Wellington teenagers New Zealand

Ann-Marie Shelley, of Upper Hutt, talks about her decision to identify herself as the victim of Peter Hercock's abuse.  Four troubled Catholic schoolgirls each visited their priest's rooms, alone, seeking guidance.  What Peter Hercock did to the pupils of Sacred Heart in Lower Hutt instead left them feeling ashamed. On Monday, the women broke their silence to expose the former priest for sexual abuse going back decades.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/79516891/former-priest-jailed-over-historic-sexual-abuse-of-wellington-teenagers 

Catholic suspected paedophiles allowed to continue teaching, despite complaints

Catholic officials knowingly allowed two suspected paedophiles, including one of NSW's worst, to continue teaching unpunished, eventually putting St Edmund's College students at risk for a decade.
One cover-up involved a Marist Brothers principal in Sydney, who was aware that now-notorious child predator Brother Francis "Romuald" Cable was abusing boys, but failed to report him to police.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/catholic-suspected-paedophiles-allowed-to-continue-teaching-despite-complaints-20160517-goxam5.html 

LAUSD assistant principal arrested on suspicion of sexual misconduct with student

William Webb, a popular assistant principal at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s flagship arts high school, was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of sexual misconduct with a student.
Webb, 51, was taken into custody by Los Angeles Police Juvenile Division detectives, Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese confirmed. He is being held at the Van Nuys station jail in lieu of $120,000 bond.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-principal-molest-arrest-20160517-snap-story.html

child sex-abuse survivor, blasts lawmakers protecting predators by dismissing Child Victims Act

Stephen Jimenez breaks into tears as he recalls the scars of his sexual assault as he returns to Windsor Terrace after almost 25 years. Stephen Jimenez returned to Windsor Terrace for the first time in 25 years Tuesday and was bombarded by warm memories — and raw, gut-wrenching emotional wounds.
Jimenez grew up in a three-story home in this leafy Brooklyn neighborhood surrounded by a loving extended family.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/award-winning-journo-victim-blasts-child-victims-act-blockers-article-1.2640485

Statute of limitations would prevent L.I. Catholic school priest from criminal prosecution

New York's statute of limitations on misdemeanor sexual abuse would prevent a now-suspended Catholic priest from being criminally prosecuted — the latest example of how current laws work against victims.
A church-run inquiry determined that accusations lodged against the Rev. James Williams, former president of Chaminade High School in Mineola, L.I., of sexually abusing a former student had been deemed “credible.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/sex-abuse-law-prevent-priest-criminal-prosecution-article-1.2640602 

A victim speaks - Part 2

New allegations of priest abuse in the Altoona/ Johnstown Catholic diocese surfaced Monday when a letter sent to Bishop Mark Bartchak was released to the media.  In it "Whistleblower" George Foster calls for 5 priests and 1 sister to be removed from their posts and investigated.

 For one victim - we call him "John" -  it's the action that he wants to see now.  "How many victims are out there, afraid to talk, because they know there ain't going to be any help,"  explains "John".

 

http://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/a-victim-speaks-out-part-2 

Child sex abuse bill focus of legislator’s panel

Nearly 24 hours after priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia convened for meetings with Archbishop Charles Chaput, a state representative who claims he was abused as a child by a priest is hosting a panel for legislators on a bill that would expand the statute of limitations for filing lawsuits against suspected abusers and institutions that allegedly protected them.
Phil Saviano, whose efforts to help Boston Globe reporters expose suspected child sex abuse by nearly 90 priests in 2002 were included in the Academy Award-winning film, “Spotlight,” will be among five panelists featured in East Wing Senate Hearing Room 8 A at 12:30 this afternoon. Host is state Rep. Mark Rozzi of Berks County, D-126, who has identified himself as a survivor of Catholic clergy abuse.

http://www.delcotimes.com/article/DC/20160517/NEWS/160519694 

Minorities in Pakistan's Punjab battling human rights abuse

Safeguarding of human rights in Pakistan, or more specifically in its largest Punjab province, is complex, given the nation's demographic diversity, huge population and a democracy that is an admixture of both Islamic and secular laws.
Pakistan's Constitution, like any other provides for fundamental rights, but whether they are guaranteed is debatable because, every now and then, we hear of cases of religious discrimination against Christians, Hindus and non-Sunni Muslims, targeted terror-related sectarian and communal violence, caste discrimination in the corridors of power and electoral restrictions. 

http://www.business-standard.com/article/international/minorities-in-pakistan-s-punjab-battling-human-rights-abuse-116051800127_1.html 

On the Front Lines in the Battle to Eliminate Child Sexual Abuse in the Jewish Community

There is no doubt to anyone who has eyes to see and ears that hear that the myriad headlines that dominate the media reveal egregious corruption amongst trusted officials and the kind of moral turpitude that causes a collective cringe.

For decades, the seemingly at peace Orthodox Jewish world has had its share of shocking publicity when facts emerged about horrific child sexual abuse; perpetrated not by circumspect types in the outside world but by respected adult members of the community.

http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14527:on-the-front-lines-in-the-battle-to-eliminate-child-sexual-abuse-in-the-jewish-community&catid=112:new-york&Itemid=295 

The moments that made Oscars night a milestone for sexual abuse survivors

The stories of sexual assault survivors have taken center stage in multiple ways this awards season. In addition to being the subject of "The Hunting Ground" and the Gaga-Warren track, it is also touched on acclaimed movies "Spotlight" and "Room." And it all came to a head on Oscars Sunday.

The room was already electric when Vice President Joe Biden stepped onto the Oscars stage Sunday night and gave an impassioned speech about reducing sexual assault on college campuses. He then introduced Lady Gaga, who performed a rousing rendition of "Til It Happens to You," the Oscar-nominated song she and Diane Warren wrote about sexual assault on college campuses for the Kirby Dick documentary "The Hunting Ground."

http://canmua.net/world/the-moments-that-made-oscars-night-a-milestone-for-782465.html 

Former nun speaks out on church abuse claims

For 40 years many boys placed in institutions run by the order of St John of God were molested, raped and physically assaulted by some of the men who were supposed to care for them. Now a former nun who worked for the order speaks out about what she says is a culture of collusion within its ranks.
EDITOR'S NOTE: There is an issue with the video for this story that will be rectified on Monday 10 December, apologies for any inconvenience.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3651319.htm 

Priest sexually abused me, says former nun

A former Catholic nun plans to claim compensation from the archdiocese of Melbourne for a priest's alleged sexual abuse.
The woman says Father James Barry Whelan kissed, fondled and partially stripped her of her habit. Father Whelan allegedly has a history of abusing women in Melbourne and Geelong.
The woman, 30 at the time of the alleged sex, met Father Whelan when she was a patient at St Vincent's Hospital.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/12/1026185108418.html 

Pope under fire for meeting French cardinal accused of sex abuse cover-up

VATICAN CITY, Holy See–Pope Francis came under fire Friday after meeting Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the Lyon archbishop suspected of covering up for a pedophile priest in a scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church in France.
“There was a meeting, nothing out of the ordinary,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said, adding that he expected the two men had discussed the crisis in the French church, as well as regular business.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/786853/pope-under-fire-for-meeting-french-cardinal-accused-of-sex-abuse-cover-up 

Reports of sexual abuse by US Catholic clergy spike

Reports about sexual abuse by members of the US Catholic clergy increased sharply last year, according to an annual audit of reports by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The audit of reports showed that 838 people came forward from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, to say they had been sexually abused by priests, deacons or members of religions orders while they were children.

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/05/21/466647/US-Catholic-clergy-sex-abuse 

Horrific claims there's a paedophile ring in Hollywood

Elijah Wood has alleged there is a high-powered paedophile ring at work in Hollywood. The 35-year-old actor - who is best known for his starring role in the Lord of the Rings franchise - has claimed there is a conspiracy to cover-up historic cases of child abuse involving some of the movie industry's most influential names, likening the situation to the case of British entertainer Jimmy Savile, who was exposed as a paedophile after his death in 2011.
He said: "You all grew up with Savile, Jesus, it must have been devastating." The deceased entertainer was a popular figure in the UK until it emerged he abused hundreds of victims over the course of his career, and used his fame and influence to cover his tracks.

https://nz.entertainment.yahoo.com/celebrity/news/a/31670702/elijah-wood-claims-there-is-a-paedophile-ring-in-hollywood/

Shattering the silence: Ballarat’s cycle of sexual abuse

Corey Artz made a harrowing journey back to his hometown with one purpose: To end the cycle of child sexual abuse which has crippled Ballarat and protect future generations of children.
His visit follows the reignition of the debate about whether abuse victims are at risk of becoming abusers.  While experts argue it is a rare exception, Mr Artz’s abuser David Ridsdale was himself an abuse victim.

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3915165/shattering-the-silence/?cs=12 

Quintanilla: Archbishop Apuron is Lying

Roy Quintanilla says he's offended that the archbishop would deny the allegations of sexual abuse. Guam - Roy Taitague Quintanilla says he’s offended that Archbishop Anthony Apuron would deny that he sexually abused Quintanilla when Quintanilla was an altar boy. He also explains what motivated him to end his 40-year silence.

It was the first time anyone has publicly come out with allegations that they were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Archbishop Anthony Apuron. Hours after Roy Quintanilla made the announcement yesterday, Archbishop Apuron released his own video statement, denying all the allegations.

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/9383 

Children More Likely To Be Molested At Church Than In A Transgender-Friendly Bathroom

As the transgender bathroom issue gathers steam it’s worth considering this grim fact: Despite all those transgender bathroom laws GOP state legislatures keep passing, a child is far more likely to be molested at church.
In 2014 the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) came out with a report on sexual abuse in the Catholic church. It turns out that from 1950-2013, 17,259 victims made accusations and 6,427 clerics had been counted as “not implausibly” or “credibly” accused. This doesn’t even account for underreporting or include the unusually large number victims who came forward in 2003 in the wake of the Boston Globe‘s eye-opening report on sexual abuse in the Catholic church by their Spotlight team.

http://americannewsx.com/religion/child-abuse-church-transgender-bathroom/ 

Pope Francis Defies UN on Torturing Children

The UN Committee against Torture “found that the widespread sexual violence within the Catholic Church amounted to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.”
After Vatican officials were called to Geneva in May 2014 to respond to tough questions like why the pope believed his responsibility for protecting children against torture only applied on Vatican property, the committee issued its report.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/6/7/1391284/-Pope-Francis-Defies-UN-on-Torturing-Children 

Royal commission: Child abuse victims share their stories in private hearings

In informal hearing rooms set up by the child sex abuse royal commission, victims are telling their stories of abuse in private.  Around 1,500 people nationwide have so far spoken about what happened to them. More than 1,000 others are on a ballooning waiting list, which grows by an extra 40 people each week.
Some are in their 80s and 90s, and many have carried their secrets for a lifetime. Their stories are not treated as legal evidence, their claims are not tested - as in a court of law. But they are believed and their trauma acknowledged.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-09/child-abuse-victims-share-their-stories-in-private-hearings/5438966 

Catholic bishops speak out – but is anyone listening?

As is their custom, the Australian Catholic bishops have issued a statement on the federal election, outlining the issues they see as important. “A Vote For The Voiceless” names 10 issues, from refugees and asylum seekers to the effect on the world’s poor of Australia’s reduced foreign aid budget.
The voices of these “thrown-away people” are in danger of not being heard in “the long and rowdy campaign”, the bishops say, obviously hopeful that their statement will give the people a voice.

http://theconversation.com/catholic-bishops-speak-out-but-is-anyone-listening-59512 

Priest admits to sexual abuse for first time in Citizen interview

A retired Catholic priest admitted, in an interview with the Citizen, that he sexually abused three young parishioners at Ottawa’s Holy Cross Parish in the 1970s and ’80s.
Rev. Barry McGrory said he was a sex addict who suffered from a powerful attraction to adolescents, both male and female.  Then Archbishop Joseph-Aurèle Plourde, he said, knew of his sexual problems before moving him to a Toronto-based organization dedicated to assisting remote Catholic missions.

http://blog.gaycatholicpriests.org/2016/05/priest-admits-to-sexual-abuse-for-first-time-in-citizen-interview/ 

Bishops must repent for inaction on child abuse, says survivor

A MAN who was abused by two senior Church of England clergyman has demanded that senior bishops make public statements of “repentance” because of what he says is their failure to act quickly on safeguarding reform.
The survivor, known only as “Joe”, was sexually assaulted by the Revd Garth Moore, a former Chancellor of the dioceses of Southwark, Durham, and Gloucester, who died in 1990 (News, 4 December); and later exploited by Michael Fisher, who was then a brother in the Society of St Francis, and later became Bishop of St Germans.

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/20-may/news/uk/bishops-must-repent-for-inaction-on-child-abuse-says-survivor 

Pope: No to social climbers, money and power harm the Church

(Vatican Radio) Saying Jesus' path is serving others, Pope Francis urged Christians on Tuesday to overcome the lure of worldliness and human ambition and warned against social climbers who are tempted to destroy the other in order to reach the top. His remarks came during his homily at the morning Mass celebrated in the Santa Marta residence.
The gospel reading where Jesus’ disciples were arguing among themselves over who was the greatest was used by the Pope for his reflections about the dangers of power, money, ambition and vanity. He noted that whereas Jesus was warning his disciples about his coming humiliation and death, they were concerned with worldly matters such as who would become the most powerful among them.

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/05/17/pope_no_to_social_climbers,_money_and_power_harm_the_church/1230403 

Rare view of Vatican justice in secrets trial

Next to St Peter's Basilica, two Swiss Guards stood underneath an arch. One carried a sword, the other a spear. The Vatican had evidently calculated that two guards familiar with medieval weaponry would be enough to deter a raid.

At the very least, they might be able to duel assailants into a standoff until reinforcements arrived. The guards allowed us into the heart of Vatican City, for a trial that has gripped Italians for weeks.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36310087

Alleged victim responds to archbishop’s denial of abuse

Roy Taitague Quintanilla, who publicly accused Archbishop Anthony Apuron of molesting him 40 years ago when he was a 12-year-old altar boy at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Agat where Apuron was then the parish priest, launched a rebuttal to Apuron’s denial late yesterday.
On Tuesday afternoon, Quintanilla held a press conference in front of the Archdiocese of Agana chancery in Agana Heights to confront Apuron over the alleged sexual abuse.

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/alleged-victim-responds-to-archbishop-s-denial-of-abuse/article_4915db3a-1cc3-11e6-b39d-733f2011dc1e.html 

Parish as dictatorship Father Kenneth Doyle

Let me take your litany of complaints one by one -- a list, by the way, which I needed to shorten to fit the limits of this column.

Q. Could you explain to me why Catholic parishes are run as dictatorships and are not democratic? Priests who act as dictators are driving young people to go to non-Catholic services or to quit altogether. Priests are 9-to-5 employees who do not earn their salary; if they were in the real world, many of them would be fired. 

http://www.thebostonpilot.com/opinion/article.asp?id=176502 

Priest removed for sex abuse works at pregnancy center for teens

Catholic priest removed in 2009 from two churches amid allegations he abused teen is now a director at Eastpointe center for teens that he cofounded.

A Catholic priest removed from churches in metro Detroit after he was accused of sexually abusing a teenager is now the development director of a new Catholic center in Eastpointe he cofounded that counsels pregnant teenagers, prompting calls for him to step down.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/macomb/2016/05/08/priest-removed-sex-abuse-works-teens-pregnancy-center/83871114/ 

Lawyer's career dominated by clergy abuse scandal

In his London, Ont., firm, lawyer Robert Talach is known as “the priest guy.”
That’s because, for more than a decade, Talach has done little else in his practice but sue the Catholic Church on behalf of Canadians who say they were sexually abused as children by priests. He has represented abuse victims from Vancouver to Moncton,

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/lawyers-career-dominated-by-clergy-abuse-scandal

Ottawa diocese repeatedly warned about local clergy's most notorious abuser

The Archdiocese of Ottawa continues to pay for the many sins of Rev. Dale Crampton. Court documents reveal that the diocese has paid $741,783.44 in compensation to 10 of Crampton’s victims, who were sexually abused by the Catholic priest between 1963 and 1982.
More lawsuits are before the courts. The victims in those cases are seeking $3.7 million. In total, the diocese now knows of at least 17 people who say they were victimized by the priest as children.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-diocese-repeatedly-warned-about-local-clergys-most-notorious-abuser

Former Union County priest suspended after abuse allegation

A Catholic priest who once served in Union County has been suspended by the Diocese of Owensboro after an allegation of improper conduct with a minor.
An allegation against Father Gerald Baker, pastor of St. Mary of the Wood Catholic Church in Whitesville, Kentucky, and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fordsville, Kentucky, was filed with the diocese on May 3, according to Bishop William Medley.

http://www.thegleaner.com/news/former-union-county-priest-suspended-after-abuse-allegation-3321820b-2977-6710-e053-0100007fd103-380004161.html 

Cosby, Catholic Church rape cases prompt states to rethink statutes of limitations

Fueled by sexual abuse allegations against comedian Bill Cosby and the Catholic Church, and other high-profile cases dating back decades, state legislators across the country are considering lengthening or eliminating statutes of limitations on rape.
Statutes of limitations, which exist for most crimes besides murder, are intended to encourage the timely reporting of crimes. As time passes, evidence deteriorates or gets lost, memories fade and witnesses die.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/states-decide-how-to-handle-statutes-of-limitations-for-rape/# 

Rubén Rosario: 800 claims and counting as child sex-abuse law nears expiration

That’s the rough number of lawsuits or notices of claims filed by St. Paul lawyer Jeff Anderson’s firm on behalf of alleged survivors of childhood sexual abuse since the state’s Child Victim Act went into effect May 25, 2013.
“I believe it might reach up to 900 by the time it’s over,” said Anderson, referring to the fact that the law will expire next Wednesday.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/05/18/ruben-rosario-800-claims-and-counting-as-child-sex-abuse-law-nears-expiration/ 

Abuse survivor whose story was told in 'Spotlight', advocates for reform to PA's sex crime laws

Phil Saviano earned vindication in 2001 when a tough investigating team at the Boston Globe began to look into his claims that priests in that diocese had been molesting children for decades.
Saviano's story, which was depicted in the Academy Award-winning film "Spotlight," has been widely recognized and on Wednesday, the 63-year-old activist recounted that story as part of a panel discussion at the state Capitol on the need to reform the state's sex crime laws.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/05/sex_crime_law_paul_saviano_spo.html 

Woman challenges man running sex abuse press conference outside Haverhill church

HAVERHILL — The Rev. Arnold Kelley is accused of sexually abusing a boy at a Boston area church in the 1970s — but not at All Saints Parish in Haverhill, where he mostly recently lived before retiring and going into a nursing home.
This made All Saints parishioner Kathleen Parker question why a recent civil sex abuse lawsuit against Kelley was being discussed with the media late Wednesday morning on a public sidewalk outside her church at 120 Bellevue Ave.

http://www.eagletribune.com/news/haverhill/woman-challenges-man-running-sex-abuse-press-conference-outside-haverhill/article_ab4e718b-b5e5-554c-8899-da0e969b0d12.html 

Apuron: 'I deny all allegations of sexual abuse'

Archbishop Anthony Apuron released a recorded video Tuesday evening in which he denied allegations that he sexually abused an altar boy about 40 years ago.
On Tuesday morning, Roy Taitague Quintanilla, 52, of Hawaii, gave a detailed account to the media, alleging that he was sexually abused by the archbishop when he was an altar boy and the archbishop was a priest.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/05/17/apuron-deny-all-allegations-sexual-abuse/84479808/ 

Group: Archbishop Apuron should resign

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is calling for the resignation of Archbishop Anthony Apuron following a public accusation of sexual abuse made against him.
The Illinois-based group commended Roy Taitague Quintanilla for coming forward Tuesday and naming Apuron as the man who he said molested him as a 12-year-old altar boy serving at the local Catholic church in Agat. Apuron hasn’t been charged with any crime, and no lawsuit has been filed.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/05/17/snap-apuron-should-resign/84477864/ 

6 new sex abuse lawsuits filed against Seattle Archdiocese

SEATTLE (AP) — Six new child sex abuse lawsuits have been filed against the Seattle Archdiocese. The Seattle attorneys who filed the lawsuits say more abuse survivors came forward after the Catholic church released the names of 77 people against which credible allegations have been made.
They allege they were abused at various parishes and schools across the Seattle Archdiocese from the late 1950s to the late 1980s. In each lawsuit, they claim the Archdiocese knew or should have known that the abuse posed a danger to children, but did not protect them.

http://www.chinookobserver.com/co/free/20160517/6-new-sex-abuse-lawsuits-filed-against-seattle-archdiocese

Editorial: Diocese silence on sexual abuse must end

The act of penance, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, requires “the sinner to endure all things willingly, be contrite of heart, confess with the lips, and practise complete humility and fruitful satisfaction.” It is abhorrent to read these words while learning new details of the abuse of young people in Ottawa by Catholic priests.
Contrition and confession. Both appear in short supply, based on Citizen reporter Andrew Duffy’s findings about the Archdiocese of Ottawa suing its insurance companies over the costs of lawsuits from victims of sexual abuse. Based on Duffy’s scouring of court records and the online database Sylvia’s Site, there have been at least 41 victims in the Ottawa diocese. The archdiocese won’t provide an exact number.

http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-diocese-silence-on-sexual-abuse-must-end 

Special report: Priest admits to sexual abuse for first time in Citizen interview

The Archdiocese of Ottawa will not say how many victims of clergy sex abuse it has recognized or how much it has paid them. But, as Andrew Duffy reports in this series, documents filed in a recent lawsuit begin to answer those questions, while also revealing details of never-before-known cases — such as that of Rev. Barry McGrory.
Read Part 1 of this series: “Insurance lawsuit reveals secrets of Ottawa’s clergy abuse scandal” here. Read Part 2 below. Read Part 3: “Ottawa diocese repeatedly warned about local clergy’s most notorious abuser” Wednesday.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/special-report-priest-admits-to-sexual-abuse-for-first-time-in-citizen-interview 

6 new lawsuits against Seattle Archdiocese detail decades of alleged abuse

Six new lawsuits against the Seattle Archdiocese detail three decades of alleged abuse by six priests and a youth minister. The lawsuits are being filed this morning in King County Superior Court.
Among those accused:

• Father James Gandrau, St. Mark Parish in Shoreline
• Father Dennis Muehe, St. Anne Parish in Seattle
• Father Theodore Marmo, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Edward Hall 
• Father Harold Quigg, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Edward Hall
• Father Jerome Dooley, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and School in Tacoma
• Father David Jaeger, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and School in Everett

http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/6-new-lawsuits-against-seattle-archdiocese-detail-decades-of-alleged-abuse/289133295 

New abuse claims against St Edmund's headmaster emerge

Fresh claims have emerged against a former headmaster of St Edmund's College, who was accused last year of molesting a student repeatedly over two years.
The late Brother Noel Landener served his first stint as a headmaster at St Edmund's between 1960 and 1965, following a long career in the Catholic Christian Brothers order.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/new-abuse-claims-against-st-edmunds-headmaster-emerge-20160516-gowfc5.html

The Catholic church needs to move on from archaic celibacy rule New Zealand

OPINION: On a recent Monday morning I sat at the press desk in the Wellington District Court and watched as a former Catholic priest was sentenced to six years and seven months in prison for historical sex offences.
Peter Joseph Hercock left the priesthood in the 1980s. He is 72 now, and married with a son. But in the 1970s he was a chaplain and counsellor at Sacred Heart Girls' College in Lower Hutt.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/80039052/the-catholic-church-needs-to-move-on-from-archaic-celibacy-rule 

Priest gets 10 years, deportation, on fondling charge

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A Roman Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to fondling a boy has been sentenced to 10 years in a Mississippi prison, followed by deportation to Mexico.
The Rev. Jose Vazquez was ordered to serve the sentence without possibility of parole. Jones County Circuit Judge Dal Williamson also ordered that Vazquez serve an additional five years in prison if he is caught re-entering the United States after he’s deported.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/17/priest-gets-10-years-deportation-on-fondling-charg/ 

Another priest with Haverhill ties accused of child sex abuse

HAVERHILL — Another Catholic priest with Haverhill ties has been accused of sexually abusing a child.
Mitchell Garabedian, lawyer who has brought civil suits against several priests and the Archdiocese of Boston, has filed a civil suit against the Rev. Arnold Kelley, an elderly priest who lived and served at All Saints Parish in Haverhill for several years.

http://www.eagletribune.com/news/haverhill/another-priest-with-haverhill-ties-accused-of-child-sex-abuse/article_c1780960-f27f-5fc4-be24-15cc587e36b1.html 

Lawyer welcomes ADF abuse inquiry

A lawyer representing men who were bullied and bastardised at a navy training school has welcomed a royal commission public investigation into the Australian Defence Force's handling of abuse complaints.
Adair Donaldson, who has been calling for an inquiry for three years, said the independent review into HMAS Leeuwin in Perth and at Balcombe army apprentice school in Victoria is "fantastic".

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/05/16/16/18/defence-force-subject-of-abuse-inquiry 

Elderly paedophile finally facing jail 30 years after his arrest

Peter Farrands was found guilty last month of attacking two boys at the Folville junior school in the heart of Lord Janner’s Leicester constituency.  An 89-year-old paedophile who abused children at a school visited by Lord Janner is finally facing jail - around 30 years after he was first arrested.
Peter Farrands was found guilty last month of attacking two boys at the Folville junior school in the heart of Janner’s Leicester constituency in the 1970s and early 80s.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/elderly-paedophile-finally-facing-jail-5631860 

Altoona-Johnstown abuse changed minds

Rep. Thomas Caltagirone was disgusted. The veteran Democrat from Reading had been one of the Catholic Church's staunchest political allies for years, but by March he had hit a breaking point.
A state grand jury had exposed clergy sex abuse in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese and a bishop who used an internal payment chart to dole out money, correlating to the degree of the victim's abuse. This, after Jerry Sandusky and two damning grand jury reports in a decade about predator priests in Philadelphia.

http://articles.philly.com/2016-05-09/news/72935691_1_abuse-victim-catholic-church-house-bill 

Peruvian Man Details Sexual Abuse He Faced at 'Boot Camp' for Troubled Catholic Kids

The sexual abuse began one evening in a park, says Alvaro Urbina. He was 14.  A misfit at his expensive English-style school in Lima, Peru, Urbina's recently separated mother was desperate to provide him with some direction. She enrolled him in Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana.
Sodalicio was a kind of Catholic boot camp, run by non-clerical volunteers, dedicated to transforming teenagers from the Peruvian elite into prominent priests or devout and influential lay members of society. 

https://news.vice.com/article/peruvian-man-details-sexual-abuse-he-faced-at-boot-camp-for-troubled-catholic-kids

Archdiocese plans to sue for 'malicious lies'

The Archdiocese of Agana last week announced plans to file lawsuits against those who’ve been spreading “malicious lies” about the local Roman Catholic Church, as well as taking cases through the church’s own court system.
The announcement was made in a media release issued Friday. In the release, the archdiocese doesn’t clearly state who it specifically plans to take to court.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/05/16/church-refers-civil-lawsuit-plans-attorneys/84432464/ 

Catholic Church still protecting its own...

"In 1995, two individuals alleged sexual abuse by Father Robert Hopkins in the 1970s." "In 1999, an individual alleged sexual abuse by Father Timothy Murphy in the late 1960s to early 1970s."

"In 2002, an individual alleged sexual abuse in the mid-1970s by Dennis Pecore, who was then a religious brother."

http://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/opinion_columns/catholic-church-still-protecting-its-own/article_694c43e4-1b79-11e6-ae39-3fd2938413be.htmlCatholic Church still protecting its own

Your Body is the Rack: On Suicide and Sexual Abuse

Just a warning to my friends who have been through assault– I’m going to talk about trauma today, a little graphically, to try and help people who have never been through it to understand. If you don’t want to read that, you can scroll down past the picture of Jesus, to my message for you at the end.
So, by now we’ve all heard that a 20-year-old woman in the Netherlands had herself euthanized, because of severe trauma from sexual abuse which a doctor told her was “incurable.” I’m not going to talk about the Church’s teaching on Euthanasia here. Far more competent people than me can tell you all about that. Euthanasia is a terrible injustice which opens the doors for many more. I’d rather take a moment to try to empathize with this soul. She is my sister in Christ, and she desperately wanted to die, and some doctors helped her do it. God have mercy. Why?

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/steelmagnificat/2016/05/your-body-is-the-rack-on-suicide-and-sexual-abuse/?ref_widget=gr_trending&ref_blog=grails&ref_post=catholic 

A new Catholic clergy sex-abuse scandal comes into the spotlight

Like many longtime reporters, I celebrated the Oscar victory for “Spotlight” and the fearless journalism that exposed the Catholic Church’s clergy sex abuse scandal. I would soon see the story, and the scandal, from a very different perspective.

Two days after the Oscar ceremony, news broke about another widespread church coverup. I found myself poring over a grand jury report outlining in sickening detail the abuse of hundreds of children by at least 50 priests and religious leaders in western Pennsylvania’s Altoona-Johnstown Diocese — in my hometown.

https://rapevictimsofthecatholicchurch.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/a-new-catholic-clergy-sex-abuse-scandal-comes-into-the-spotlight/ 

Pope Stands by French Cardinal Facing Abuse Cover-up Claims

Pope Francis has voiced support for a French cardinal who has faced allegations of covering up cases of pedophile priests in his Lyon parish, saying he shouldn't resign.

Francis said in an interview with French Catholic daily La Croix coming out Tuesday that a resignation of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin "would be a mistake, an imprudence."

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/pope-stands-french-cardinal-facing-abuse-cover-claims-39152022 

When no one speaks up

One sobering lesson of the child sex-abuse scandals of recent years is that perpetrators who are not stopped usually find new victims. Reporting by Providence Journal Staff Writers Karen Lee Ziner and Jacqueline Tempera on May 1 has added disturbing new details to the story of Howard White, one of six former employees recently accused of improper behavior at St. George’s School, in Middletown.
News of the allegations against Mr. White has had a ripple effect, bringing at least three additional accusers out of the shadows. In 1974, Mr. White was quietly dismissed by St. George’s from his job as assistant chaplain after he admitted to sexual misconduct, according to a report issued last year by the school. But his behavior was not reported to child protection authorities, as required by law.

http://www.providencejournal.com/opinion/20160516/editorial-when-no-one-speaks-up 

Cocktail was 'religious event' trial told as cardinals stay away

Vatican City (AFP) - Top cardinal Pietro Parolin and two close associates of Pope Francis have sidestepped giving evidence in the controversial and increasingly embarrassing Vatican trial of five people accused of leaking classified Holy See documents.

Vatican number two Parolin, fellow cardinal Santo Abril y Castello and Archbishop Konrad Krajewski had all been asked to give evidence on behalf of one of the accused, PR consultant Francesca Chaouqui.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/31601864/cocktail-was-religious-event-trial-told-as-cardinals-stay-away/ 

Bishop George Bell: Council re-hanging of portrait 'offensive'

Re-hanging a portrait in a town hall of a bishop named as an alleged paedophile is "offensive", say campaigners.

The painting of the late Right Reverend George Bell was removed when the Church of England settled a civil claim made by a woman who says she was abused by him in the 1940s and 50s. But, Chichester Council said it had been replaced as there was reasonable doubt about the woman's claims.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-36294052 

Archdiocese: Cruz's claims about influencing sex bill 'outlandish'

The Catholic Church Friday challenged Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz’s claims that Archbishop Anthony Apuron instructed senators to tank a previous measure meant to support sexual abuse victims.
Cruz, D-Piti, made the statements Wednesday during a radio interview on K57.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/05/13/cruz-church-lobby-gutted-sex-abuse-bill/84318950/ 

Lawsuit alleging abuse by former Meriden priest heads to settlement conference

A settlement conference on sexual abuse claims against a former St. Stanislaus Church assistant pastor is scheduled this week in U.S. District Court in New Haven.

The case is the third sexual assault on a minor claim against the Rev. Stephen Bzdyra, who served as assistant pastor at the Akron Street, Meriden church from 1979 to 1985. Bzdrya also had claims filed by men who said they were abused while he served at St. Francis Church in New Haven, and as a deacon at St. Hedwig Church in Naugatuck.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/news/latestnews/8831393-154/lawsuit-alleging-abuse-by-former-meriden-priest-heads-to-settlement.html 

'Senior clergy must be retrained to deal with sex abuse disclosures'

Sarah Mullally’s plan follows inquiry into Church of England’s handling of case of ‘Joe’, whose disclosures were not acted on
Senior Church of England clergy must undergo systematic retraining to deal properly with disclosures of sexual abuse amid continuing concern that survivors are being ignored, sidelined or intimidated, bishops are to be told next week.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/15/church-of-england-senior-clergy-must-be-retrained-sex-abuse-disclosures-sarah-mullally 

Abuse survivors to protest at Lib HQ

Protesters who say Malcolm Turnbull has failed to show leadership on child abuse redress will target Liberal Party headquarters in Melbourne.
Abuse survivors angry at the Turnbull government's failure to implement a national independent redress scheme will protest outside Liberal Party headquarters in Melbourne on Monday. Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN) executive Leonie Sheedy said child abuse survivors were hurt and angry at the federal government for ignoring the main recommendation of the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/05/16/abuse-survivors-protest-lib-hq

Vatican leaks trial hindered as cardinals dodge questions

Top cardinal Pietro Parolin and two close associates of Pope Francis have sidestepped giving evidence in the controversial and increasingly embarrassing Vatican trial of five people accused of leaking classified Holy See documents. 

Vatican number two Parolin, fellow cardinal Santo Abrily Castello and Archbishop Konrad Krajewski had all been asked to give evidence on behalf of one of the accused, PR consultant Francesca Chaouqui.

http://www.thelocal.it/20160515/vatican-leaks-trial-descends-into-farce-as-cardinals 

NY Catholic School Properly Handles Priest Sex Abuse, But Two Year Statute Runs Out

Rarely do you hear of the Catholic Church handling an accusation of sexual assault properly, but it appears this time the church’s organization handled it appropriately, sadly sex assault statutes are up so quick, and thanks to all the dozens of allegations against powerful Bill Cosby, state and local governments are looking into extending statute of limitations out further.

A former president of a prestigious Catholic high school on Long Island has been suspended from practicing as a priest after an investigation found allegations he sexually abused a student were “credible.”

http://highlighthollywood.com/2016/05/ny-catholic-school-properly-handles-priest-sex-abuse-but-two-year-statute-runs-out-highlight-hollywood-news/ 

Priest who posted his photos on gay dating app Grindr now on leave

A Catholic priest from Armagh who posted pictures of himself on a gay dating app has received support after he took a leave of absence from his duties. Father Rory Coyle (35) asked for time off from his clerical duties in March to reflect on his future and has been absent ever since.
It has been reported in the Irish News that Fr Coyle is originally from Drogheda, Co Louth, and that he has been a curate in Armagh for the last six years. The popular priest is a member of Armagh GAA's management committee, and in 2010 he was chief celebrant during the Requiem Mass of Cardinal Cahal Daly.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/priest-who-posted-his-photos-on-gay-dating-app-grindr-now-on-leave-34713529.html 

Ex-president of Catholic HS suspended for sexual abuse

The former president of prestigious Chaminade High School on Long Island is suspended from performing his priestly duties following “credible” allegations he sexually abused a minor, his religious order says.
The Rev. James Williams resigned in 2011 as president of the all-boys Catholic school after serving as 12 years as the school’s president. Williams was a member of the Chaminade faculty and administration from 1991 to 2012.

http://nypost.com/2016/05/14/ex-president-of-catholic-hs-suspended-for-sexual-abuse/ 

Inquiry to hold second preliminary hearings

n July, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will hold second preliminary hearings in relation to four of its investigations. The hearings will be held in court 73 of the Royal Courts of Justice. The full details of the hearings are:
Tuesday 26 July 2016, 10.30 am - further preliminary hearing in relation to the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse involving Lord Greville Janner and the institutional responses to those allegations.

https://www.iicsa.org.uk/news/independent-inquiry-child-sexual-abuse-hold-second-preliminary-hearings 

Inquiries' into sex-abuse allegations going beyond Altoona-Johnstown diocese

HARRISBURG — State investigators are conducting “inquiries” into child-abuse allegations in Roman Catholic dioceses beyond Altoona-Johnstown, which was the subject of a hard-hitting grand jury report in March, Bruce Castor, solicitor general in the attorney general's office, said Friday.

The grand jury report said nearly 50 priests molested hundreds of children over several decades in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. Castor's statement in an interview with the Tribune-Review is the first public acknowledgement by Attorney General Kathleen Kane's office that other allegations are getting a serious review. 

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/10465546-74/abuse-attorney-castor 

The effects of sexual abuse HELL HOPE AND HEALING

Hell, Hope and Healing  Note: Mary Gail Frawley-O’Dea is the author of “Perversion of Power: Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church” and a psychologist who has been working with sexual abuse survivors for 30 years.
In the American Catholic Journal entitled the “National Catholic Reporter”, (which can be accessed on-line at NCRonline.org.), Mary Gail Frawley-O’Dea has published the first of four parts of an article entitled “Hell, Hope and Healing”. This parapharse of Mary’s article has been posted on the Mirfield Memories site by Brian Mark Hennessy.

https://veronafathersmirfield.com/category/the-effects-of-sexual-abuse/ 

Australian Archdiocese’s Painful Past Resurfaces

MELBOURNE, Australia — It’s Palm Sunday at St. Bede’s Church in Balwyn North, and parishioners have filled the pews to the brim for late-morning Mass. It’s an impressive attendance for a church in a sleepy eastern suburb of Australia’s second city, less than a third of which identifies as Catholic.
Yet times are difficult for the Melbourne Archdiocese, from which have emerged some of the most shocking revelations of child sex abuse and its cover-up within the Church in Australia.

http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/australian-archdioceses-painful-past-resurfaces/ 

Victims Share Memories Of Catholic Church Sex Abuse In Moving Video

Their experiences are gut-wrenching, but need to be heard.  The Best Picture victory for “Spotlight” at the Oscars pushed the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal further into the public consciousness.
A new BuzzFeed video intends to keep it there. “I Was Sexually Abused By The Catholic Church” features two victims recounting their horrific experiences as youths.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/victims-memories-of-catholic-church-sex-abuse-will-shock-you_us_56df3cfee4b0ffe6f8eb3a6d 

Catholic monk wanted over child sex abuse allegations has been arrested in Kosovo after FIVE YEARS on the run

A Catholic monk wanted over child sex abuse allegations has been arrested in Kosovo after five years on the run.
Laurence Soper went into hiding after being investigated for alleged sex offences at Catholic Ealing Abbey in London from 1991 to 2000. Following allegations by a former pupil, Soper was arrested in Rome and questioned by appointment by the Metropolitan Police in September 2010.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3590598/child-abuse-monk-arrested-Kosovo-living-fleeing.html 

Long Island Catholic priest suspended amid ‘credible’ child sex-abuse accusation

The ex-president of a prestigious Long Island Catholic high school has been sidelined after sex abuse allegations involving a former student were deemed credible.
The Rev. James Williams, who resigned from Chaminade High School in 2011 after 12 years, has been suspended from functioning as a priest, the Marianist order announced Friday.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/long-island-priest-suspended-credible-child-sex-abuse-rap-article-1.2637091 

Ex-priest, lawyer loses appeal on child rape charges

A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld the sentence of 10 years to life in prison for a former Akron priest and lawyer convicted in 2008 of raping an 8-year-old boy.
Joseph Williams, 72, will remain behind bars at Mansfield Correctional Institution until at least October 2018, when he will go before a parole panel. Williams was convicted in Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court on a charge of raping a child under age 13, and he appealed his case repeatedly until it reached a federal court.

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/ex-priest-lawyer-loses-appeal-on-child-rape-charges-1.682826 

Predator priests and pay outs - why the church investigates its own New Zealand

Wellington human rights lawyer Sonja Cooper's firm has taken on the state and previously religious organisations over claims children were abused in their care. Every surface in Sonja Cooper's Wellington office is swamped with boxes full of secrets.
Each wall  is lined with folders, and her shelves are stacked with cartons full of the worst memories of more than 700 New Zealanders' lives. But the human rights lawyer cannot talk about what's in the boxes.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/79684909/predator-priests-and-pay-outs--why-the-church-investigates-its-own 

Priest charged with sex crimes finds home in Oklahoma parish

LAWTON, Okla. -- A priest who pleaded guilty to sexual battery charges in San Diego is the newest chaplain at a Catholic church in Lawton.
Fr. Jose Alexis Davila joined Blessed Sacrament in Lawton in December, despite a criminal misdemeanor for inappropriately touching a 19-year-old woman in 2011. The church introduced him to the congregation, but never mentioned his criminal past -- or even his last job, writing only that "he has pastoral experience in the United States."

http://kfor.com/2016/04/23/priest-convicted-of-sex-crime-finds-home-in-lawton-parish/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link 

Every sin must be punished

The ‘zero tolerance on sexual abuse’ policy has been adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in India.  Sexual abuse of women and children by spiritual gurus and swamis is not uncommon in India. Most involve long-term abuse of young women, which started when they were minors. It takes a long time for victims to speak up and press charges. However, when abuse of vulnerable children and women takes place within a well-respected and institutionalised religion such as the Roman Catholic Church, it becomes even more difficult to accept.
Since we constantly read about churches getting burnt and priests being attacked, there is a constant anxiety that writing on this issue may be cited out of context for all the wrong reasons. Add to this my own religious affiliations, and the task becomes even more daunting. But the extreme vulnerability of the victims, and the attitude of the Church hierarchy of sweeping it under the carpet, compels me to write.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/op-ed/130516/every-sin-must-be-punished.html