Disgraced Kiwi priest dies suddenly in Sydney, Australia

A disgraced former Catholic priest from Hamilton has died suddenly in Australia. An obituary notice published in the New Zealand Herald said James Joseph Cunneen "suffered a heart attack and passed away suddenly" in the intensive care unit at Blacktown Hospital in Sydney. He died on December 28 last year.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12299498 

France: 19-year-old abused by Church priest charged for ramming a crucifix down the pedophile’s throat and murdering him

The priest was the subject of a church investigation shortly before his death. The inquiry was dropped after he died, with no report ever being sent to Rome, according to Franceinfo. The outlet also noted that three people had contacted the local bishop's office with information regarding abuse by the priest since July 2018.

https://www.opindia.com/2019/12/france-church-sexual-abuse-teen-charged-murder-pedophile-priest-crucifix-down-throat/ 

Pope Francis Abolishes ‘Pontifical Secret’ in Clergy Sex-Abuse Cases

Pope Francis has abolished the “pontifical secret” mechanism that has been invoked in clergy sexual abuse cases, following criticism that the confidential code has been used to protect pedophiles in the Roman Catholic church. In a document published Tuesday, Francis ruled that information in abuse cases will still be be protected by church leaders, but that the “pontifical secret” no longer applies to abuse-related accusations and trials.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/pope-francis-abolishes-pontifical-secret-in-clergy-sex-abuse-cases 

Lawsuit alleges famed Jesuit McGuire abused boy 1,000 times

One day in May of 1970, an 11-year-old boy and his disabled sister were sitting on the curb outside a Chicago tavern, waiting for their mother to come out. When a priest with crinkly eyes and a ready smile happened by and offered the family a ride home, they could not have been happier.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/lawsuit-alleges-famed-jesuit-mcguire-abused-boy-1000-times 

Complete rankings for religion headlines and religion newsmakers appear below:

An expose by the Houston Chronicle that revealed hundreds of victims of abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention and that spurred calls for the SBC to investigate churches was chosen as the top religion story of 2019 by members of the Religion News Association in its annual Top 10 Religion Stories and Newsmaker of the Year Poll.

https://spokanefavs.com/sbc-sex-abuse-investigation-voted-no-1-religion-story-of-2019/ 

Queensland government pushes amendment to require priests to violate seal of confession

THE Queensland Government has tabled amendments to the criminal code that would require priests to violate the sacramental seal of confession when penitents confessed child abuse, or risk facing three years’ imprisonment. The proposed amendments, which were tabled in response to Royal Commission recommendations on November 27, reflected similar legislation adopted in Victoria in August.

https://catholicleader.com.au/news/seal-of-confession-under-scrutiny-in-the-wake-of-royal-commission 

Archbishop opposes Qld confession plan

A move to compel Queensland priests to report child sexual abuse offences disclosed during confessions would fail to make children safer, Brisbane's Catholic archbishop says. Mark Coleridge is opposing a state government plan to legislate against the sanctity of the confessional as an excuse, defence or privilege.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld-catholic-archbishop-against-govt-plan-052400128--spt.html 

French priest accused of sex abuse tells trial he had been abused

A defrocked French Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing dozens of boy scouts decades ago told his trial on Wednesday that he himself had suffered similar assaults in his youth, in an unexpected twist to his defence. After confessing in court on Tuesday to "caresses" he knew were forbidden, after victims testified to the horrors they suffered, Bernard Preynat, 74, faulted the church for failing to help him deal with his own urges

https://au.news.yahoo.com/french-priest-accused-sex-abuse-tells-trial-had-213658315--spt.html 

Judge says parents can sue diocese over abuse reporting / Associated Press

Pennsylvania judge has ruled that parents of children in the Roman Catholic Church and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy members can move forward with a lawsuit against the Diocese of Pittsburgh alleging that it has not fulfilled its obligations under state law to report child sexual abusers.

https://voicefaithful.blog/2020/01/09/judge-says-parents-can-sue-diocese-over-abuse-reporting-associated-press/

Catholic priest dies before being sentenced for child sexual abuse

Disgraced former Catholic Priest James Joseph Cunneen, who was found guilty of indecent assault against six teenage boys in New South Wales in the late 1980s, has died before he could be sentenced. 60-year old Mr Cunneen was due to be sentenced in Downing Centre District Court on 14 February 2020.

https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2020/01/13/catholic-priest-dies-before-being-sentenced-for-child-sexual-abuse/

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 

Australian High Court rules in favour of Cardinal George Pell, allows appeal

Australia's final arbiter has granted disgraced cardinal George Pell special leave to appeal his convictions for molesting two choirboys in Melbourne. The High Court of Australia this morning decided the 78-year-old, who is currently serving a six-year jail term, will have his appeal heard next year. The decision keeps Pell's chances for an early release from prison alive.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12284808