OPINION: An unaccepted affront from Pope

‘As a Catholic, I call upon Pope Francis to accept his duty to promote healing’ BY BRIAN FRANCIS GUEST OPINION I write in relation to the recent refusal of Pope Francis to apologize for the role of the Catholic Church in the Indian residential schools. The tragedy of residential schools is now well known in this country and this region. What is equally well known is the role of the Catholic Church in not only the schools, but the abuses suffered by Indigenous children who were forced to attend the schools.

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/opinion-an-unaccepted-affront-from-pope-199972/ 

Pat Howard: Erie bishop shines light into darkness

I never thought I’d witness a moment like Bishop Lawrence Persico releasing the names of 51 people connected to the Catholic Diocese of Erie who had been credibly accused of sexual misconduct with children. Persico on Friday identified 34 priests and former priests, 21 of whom are dead. He also called to account 17 laypeople, two of whom are dead. That number of priests, which even Persico said will likely grow, represents about 6 percent of the priests who served the diocese from the mid-1940s to the present.

http://www.goerie.com/opinion/20180408/pat-howard-erie-bishop-shines-light-into-darkness 

Veteran of Catholic Chapter 11s Represents Weinstein Victims

The catholic church nuns and priest... should pay dearly for their crimes... they committed upon innocent children boys and girls... for years and years... everyone knew what they were doing to the children... and they walked away... they did not want to upset the catholic church... but never did they think about the many boys and girls... who were RAPED AND ABUSED... BY NUNS AND PRIEST BOTH DAY AND NIGHT... they did NOTHING...

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James Stang darted into a first-floor conference room at the DoubleTree Hotel in Wilmington, Del., late last month and with a wave and a nod called his team to the back corner of the room. He was preparing for his next assignment: representing alleged victims of Harvey Weinstein. For more than a decade, the 62-year-old lawyer has wrangled with the Catholic Church on behalf of sexual abuse victims as ballooning abuse-related liabilities have driven dioceses across the U.S. into bankruptcy.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/veteran-of-catholic-chapter-11s-represents-weinstein-victims-1523192403 

Vatican police arrest ex-diplomat over 'child pornography'

Police at the Vatican have arrested a priest who previously worked at the Holy See's US embassy on suspicion of possessing child pornography. Carlo Alberto Capella was taken into custody after an investigation. Monsignor Capella was recalled from the US in September 2017 after US authorities told the Vatican about a possible violation of child pornography laws by one of its diplomats.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43680234 

When ministers and the State bowed to the Church

Early governments acted as if Irish independence amounted to Rome Rule. It took the revelation of the clerical sex abuse scandal to end such deference, writes Ryle Dwyer The political influence demonstrated by the Catholic hierarchy a century ago during the Conscription Crisis of 1918 had reverberations for decades afterwards. Few Irish politicians dared to stand up to the bishops, even on political matters. Instead, politicians were careful to demonstrate a subservient devotion to the Catholic Church. For decades, the fears of Protestants were essentially ignored, especially Northern Protestants who were convinced they would be discriminated against in a united Ireland.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/views/analysis/when-ministers-and-the-state-bowed-to-the-church-836331.html 

Adelaide archbishop wants case against him claiming abuse cover-up thrown out

The Catholic archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, wants the case against him involving claims he covered up child sex abuse by a priest thrown out of a New South Wales court. Defence barrister Stephen Odgers SC told Newcastle local court on Monday that a detailed “no case to answer” submission would be made at the end of the prosecution case against Wilson.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/09/adelaide-archbishop-wants-case-against-him-claiming-abuse-cover-up-thrown-out

50 years later, man accuses prominent Niagara Falls priest of molesting him as a child

A 63-year-old Youngstown man alleges he was sexually abused 50 years ago by a Niagara Falls priest who received many awards and honors for his work with poor people, the homeless and disadvantaged teenagers. Niagara County resident Mark V. Lynch said he was 13 years old when he was molested in 1968 by the late Rev. Joseph A. Schuster in a Niagara Falls rectory. He said he reported the incident March 12 to the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo and was told Tuesday the complaint had been received and would be given to Bishop Richard J. Malone and attorneys for the diocese.

http://buffalonews.com/2018/04/04/50-years-later-man-accuses-prominent-niagara-falls-priest-of-molesting-him-as-a-child/ 

Former Youth Minister at Rockville Church Sentenced To 3 Years for Sexual Abuse of Teen

A former youth minister at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Rockville was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for the sexual abuse of a teen parishioner, according to Montgomery County prosecutors. Brian Patrick Werth, 34, had been arrested in 2016 in connection with the abuse of a then-16-year-old girl, to whom he had sent explicit text messages for two years and had sexual contact with her earlier that year. He was charged with a fourth-degree sex offense, sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree assault.

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2018/Former-Youth-Minister-at-Rockville-Church-Sentenced-To-3-Years-for-Sexual-Abuse-of-Teen/ 

Mexican diocese apologizes for failing to stop abusive priest

A Mexican diocese has apologized and asked for forgiveness for failing to stop a priest from sexually abusing Catholic school children. At the time, the priest had been banned from his priestly duties in a neighboring archdiocese. “As a church, we ask for forgiveness from the victims. … We manifest our commitment to always act truthfully and with justice and, as an institution, take preventive measures so that nothing similar ever happens again,” the Diocese of Irapuato, in the western state of Guanajuato, said April 3 in a short statement. “The Diocese of Irapuato expresses its solidarity with the victims and their families and deplores what happened. This atrocious behavior, in which persons are abused, is inadmissible and condemnable.”

https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2018/04/05/mexican-diocese-apologizes-for-failing-to-stop-abusive-priest/ 

French Cardinal to Stand Trial in Sex Abuse Cover-Up Case

A French court has set a date in early 2019 for the criminal trial of a French cardinal and a high-ranking Vatican prelate suspected of covering up a child sex abuse scandal in the eastern diocese of Lyon. Victims of a priest who has confessed to preying on them have summoned Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, Monsignor Luis Ladaria Ferrer, head of a powerful office in the Vatican, and five other Catholic Church officials to appear together in court for allegedly being informed of the priest's past abuses and not reporting them to authorities.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-04-04/french-cardinal-to-stand-trial-in-sex-abuse-cover-up-case 

Hart to depart with Pope poised to pick Melbourne's next Archbishop

The Catholic Church in Australia faces a pivotal moment in its history, with an official search now underway to replace long-serving Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart. Senior Catholic sources have told The Age that a highly secretive selection process is near completion, with Pope Francis to have the final say on Archbishop Hart’s successor. The process is meant to be subject to “pontifical secret” – an order made by the Vatican under canon law which imposes silence – so is not meant to be discussed.

http://www.watoday.com.au/victoria/hart-to-depart-with-pope-poised-to-pick-melbourne-s-next-archbishop-20180403-p4z7oc 

New archbishop cracking-down on clergy sex abuse

He's the leader of Guam's faithful. Archbishop Michael Byrnes was appointed to the Archdiocese of Agana two years ago. At the time there were only a handful of clergy sexual abuse lawsuits. Though the count is now upwards of 160-lawsuits, he's worked tirelessly to prevent future cases. And his efforts haven't gone unnoticed. He's the recipient of this year's Visionary Voice Award. Earlier this week, Archbishop Byrnes accepted the award during a proclamation signing to commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.

http://www.kuam.com/story/37900937/2018/04/06/new-archbishop-cracking-down-on-clergy-sex-abuse 

Erie bishop: Disclosures part of ‘search for the truth’

Catholic Diocese of Erie says it hopes to help victims, community with its release 51 names of accused priests, laypeople Bishop Lawrence Persico likened the event to ending a kind of darkness. In a stunning break from years of Catholic Diocese of Erie policy, Persico on Friday released the names of priests and laypeople credibly accused of sexually abusing minors or engaging in improper behavior with minors since 1944. (scroll down for the list of names.)

http://www.goerie.com/news/20180406/erie-bishop-disclosures-part-of-search-for-truth