Saginaw County Prosecutor Responds To Reported Verbal Attacks In Priest Sex Abuse Case

The Saginaw County Prosecutor’s Office is responding to what it calls verbal attacks against reported victims in the on-going investigation of alleged sexual assaults possibly involving priests from the Saginaw Catholic Diocese. County Prosecutor John McColgan calls those attacks unfounded. Defense Attorney Allan Crawford who represents Reverend Robert DeLand who’s now facing additional charges called the investigation a witch hunt.

http://www.wsgw.com/saginaw-county-prosecutor-respond-to-reported-verbal-attacks-in-priest-sex-abuse-case/ 

'You Don't Trust the Church; You Trust Jesus' says Nassar Victim

Harvard students gave former gymnast and sexual abuse survivor Rachael Denhollander a standing ovation Thursday night after she spoke about living with both justice and forgiveness. Denhollander was the first person to publicly accuse gymnast doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. She stepped into the national spotlight in January when she was the last of more than 150 women and girls to confront Nassar in court during his sentencing hearing for criminal sexual conduct.

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2018/april/you-dont-trust-the-church-you-trust-jesus-says-nassar-victim 

Prosecutor jabs back after DeLand's attorney calls charges 'outright appalling'

DeLand, of Freeland, originally was charged in February with criminal sexual conduct for allegedly assaulting two males, ages 21 and 17. Det. Brian Berg with the Tittabawassee Township Police Department said three of the new charges involved the same victim from the original February charges. The fourth charge involved an additional 18-year-old victim who claims DeLand tried to sexually assault him inside St. Agnes Church in May 2017.

http://www.wnem.com/story/37892558/saginaw-area-priest-facing-additional-sexual-assault-charges 

Cardinal Dolan pushes Cuomo for changes in Child Victims Act

Cardinal Timothy Dolan emerged from a closed-door meeting Tuesday with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo saying the proposed Child Victims Act to prosecute and compensate victims of child sexual abuse unfairly targets the Catholic Church and, if passed as is, would be “toxic.” The long-proposed Child Victims Act would extend the statute of limitations for criminal and civil cases of those accused of molestation and sexual abuse of children. The proposals include a “look-back” period of one year for victims to be heard in court. The issue is now part of negotiations in a 2018-19 state budget that is due by April 1.

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/spin-cycle/child-victims-act-cuomo-dolan-catholic-1.17546277 

Priest who abruptly left St. Mary’s in Batavia named in sex abuse scandal as Diocese releases 42 names

Four days after The Buffalo News detailed sexual assault allegations against a priest who abruptly left a Batavia parish in 2002 and the priest’s denial, the Diocese of Buffalo has released his name, along with 41 other priests accused of sexually abusing children. Father Donald Becker’s name was on that list. Becker left St. Mary’s Church in Batavia in 2002, “because of a medical leave of absence,” the Diocese said at the time.

http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn01/priest-who-abruptly-left-st-marys-in-batavia-named-in-sex-abuse-scandal-as-diocese-releases-42-names-20180320 

Guam archbishop guilty of sexual abuse, exiled from island, Vatican tribunal rules

VATICAN CITY — A Vatican tribunal found Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron guilty of sexually abusing minors and decreed he should be removed him from his clerical office and exiled from the island. The Vatican said in a statement issued Friday that the tribunal had found Apuron "guilty of certain accusations." The tribunal dismissed some of the charges against him. Apuron is the highest ranking church figure to have been convicted of sexual misconduct. Other high-ranking church officials, such as Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law, were accused of covering up, not participating, in such misconduct.

http://www.khou.com/article/news/nation-now/guam-archbishop-guilty-of-sexual-abuse-exiled-from-island-vatican-tribunal-rules/465-ae804c30-7ab4-46c6-afc0-7723e09f2092 

Fr. James Martin Doubts Pope Francis on TV

DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) – In a recent interview with CNN about his so-called LGBT ministry, Jesuit priest Fr. James Martin expressed discontent with how the Holy Father has responded to sex abuse. In a televised interview on Tuesday, the pro-gay Jesuit celebrity priest spoke with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. She asked Fr. Martin about the priest sex abuse scandal. She noted that traditionalists are discontent with the pope but so are liberals.

https://catholiccitizens.org/news/78096/fr-james-martin-doubts-pope-francis-tv/ 

Five years on, Pope Francis under fire over sex abuse scandals

As Pope Francis marks the fifth year of his papacy next week, the pontiff once hailed as a fearless reformer is under fire for his handling of the sex abuse scandals that have rocked the Roman Catholic Church. Since taking over in March 2013, the 81-year-old Argentinian has championed the cause of the marginalised, saying he wanted a "poor church for the poor" and shunning papal palaces and ostentatious displays of wealth.

https://www.thelocal.it/20180311/five-years-on-pope-francis-under-fire-over-sex-abuse-scandals 

Salem pastor resigns after church investigates claims of sexual misconduct by him, 3 others

Warning: Some of the testimonies found in this story contain graphic details that some may find triggering or disturbing. "Sexual immorality" was the reason cited when longtime Pastor Ken Engelking resigned in January from Morning Star Community Church in Salem. Four women had come forward the previous spring with allegations against Engelking, two other former church staff members and a member of an affiliated church.

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2018/03/08/morning-star-community-church-sexual-assault/1032703001/ 

Age of confusion for Catholics under Pope Francis

If you think politics today in this country are a mess – it’s the same and probably worse for the Catholic Church. What started as a time of hope with the election of Pope Francis has turned into the greatest period of confusion and likely heresy since the Reformation. Confusion is the name of the game, but it isn’t a game. Pope Francis, who initially exuded a look of caring and friendliness, has turned into a pope who issues opinion that contradict established Catholic teaching, while at the same time denying he’s doing that. Well, sort of.

www.wnd.com/2018/03/age-of-confusion-for-catholics-under-pope-francis/ 

Victim to Bishop Malone: Release the names of abusive priests in Buffalo

“It’s been such a whirlwind that this has broken as big as it has.” Michael Whalen is talking about the sexual abuse he first revealed last week in the Catholic Church -- and what he calls the “tsunami” of victims who say they have also been abused by Catholic priests through the years in the Diocese of Buffalo. “ It’s been unbelievable the victims who have contacted me,” Whalen said in front of the diocesan headquarters Sunday morning. “I am proud of all of you.”

https://www.wkbw.com/news/i-team/victim-to-bishop-malone-release-the-names-of-abusive-priests-in-buffalo 

Abuse allegations at Wichita church come amid #ChurchToo movement

A lawsuit alleges that a youth pastor sexually abused a teenage girl for three years – and that the church and its senior minister tried to cover it up. The lawsuit is about Word of Life Ministries and Schools in Wichita. Yet it makes mention of the “sexual abuse scandals that emerged from the Catholic Church,” where people entrusted to care for children have used that role to take advantage of them.

http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article203482104.html 

Senior Catholic leader faces sex abuse accusers via video link

The most senior Catholic Church leader to be charged with sexual abuse came close to confronting his accusers on Monday in a video-linked Australian court hearing to test the strength of the prosecution's case. Cardinal George Pell's alleged victims began testifying in the Melbourne Magistrates Court against Pope Francis' former finance minister in testimony that cannot be made public.
The complainants, who cannot be identified, are avoiding the intense media scrutiny focused on the cramped courtroom and the company of their alleged abuser by giving their evidence via a video connection from an undisclosed location. The number of alleged victims has not been made public, and their testimony is scheduled to continue for up to two weeks.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cardinal-george-pell-catholic-church-sexual-abuse-australia-accusers-video-link/