Bishop 'could not keep silent'

Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of the Diocese of Jefferson City — one of the youngest and newest of those attending the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops — was among the first and loudest to respond when the Vatican asked the conference to delay action on the sexual abuse crisis facing the church. Many were surprised. Maybe none more so than McKnight.

http://www.newstribune.com/news/local/story/2018/nov/20/bishop-could-not-keep-silent/753307/ 

Church continues to blackball priest

I was baptized and confirmed at St.Michael's Church in Lakeside. The bishop is alienating several of us in the Catholic church by blackballing Fr. William Graham ("Split verdict in Duluth priest's suit against accuser," Aug. 25). Of late, I have been impressed by letters in the News Tribune in support of Fr. Graham, a real genuine man who has taught theology at the College of St. Scholastica. He earns his own money.

https://duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/letters/4532727-readers-view-church-continues-blackball-priest 

Evidence Shows Bishop Malone Covered Up Abuse in Maine

While the bishop of Buffalo, New York allows credibly accused priests to remain in active ministry, his history in another diocese reveals a pattern of cover-ups. Bishop Richard Malone of the Buffalo diocese has been under pressure from laity and the media due to his apparent tolerance of sexually abusive priests in active ministry. In a press conference last week, he invited reporters to look at his past experience in the diocese of Portland, Maine. The diocese covers the entire state of Maine.

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/malone-covered-up-sex-abuse-in-maine 

Bishop urges other bishops to be honest about McCarrick cover-up: ‘Be men, not cowards’

Bishop Shawn McKnight was “very disappointed” at the Holy See’s intervention last week prohibiting the U.S. bishops from taking action on measures to address sexual abuse. “My frustration, shared with many other people, is this,” Bishop McKnight of the Diocese of Jefferson City explained. “We have known about the scandal of Archbishop McCarrick since the end of June, and our Church must take immediate, decisive and substantive action in light of the deep wound the scandal has caused.”

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/bishop-urges-other-bishops-to-be-honest-about-mccarrick-cover-up-be-men-not 

French priest and bishop convicted over sexual abuse of minors

The convictions are the latest in a series of sex abuse scandals that have rocked the Vatican. A French priest has been sentenced to two years in prison for sexually abusing multiple children, while his former bishop has been given a suspended sentence of eight months for failing to report the crimes.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/french-priest-bishop-convicted-sexual-abuse-minors-181122164313619.html 

Facing the flock: South Dakota priest looks for answers after assistant's arrest

Brian Christensen is on his way to jail again. A clerical collar around his thin neck, rosary dangling from the rearview mirror, the priest sets out on the same trip he has taken almost every day that week. First was Monday afternoon, when he followed the detectives down this road, then up to the third floor of the police department, where he waited outside the interrogation room.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4536965-facing-flock-south-dakota-priest-looks-answers-after-assistants-arrest

Police Storm Catholic Headquarters, Top Official Charged With Sexual Abuse Crimes

The police in Texas stormed the Catholic headquarters in Houston, seizing sensitive documents that implicated a Church official of sexual misconduct. Assistant District Attorney J. Tyler Dunman led federal law enforcement, together with the Texas Rangers and officers of the Conroe Police Department to the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

https://citizentruth.org/police-storm-catholic-headquarters-top-official-charged-with-sexual-abuse-crimes/ 

Survivors network: Church, Hawley slow to oust sex abusers

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests says the Jefferson City Diocese and Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley are not doing enough to investigate and raise awareness of sex abuse by clergy. Bishop W. Shawn McKnight released in November a list of 33 names of Jefferson City Diocese clergy that had been “credibly accused” of illicit sexual acts involving minors. The list came during a listening tour regarding the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church and on the heels of an announced investigation by Hawley.

https://www.columbiatribune.com/news/20181201/survivors-network-church-hawley-slow-to-oust-sex-abusers 

Archdiocese of Omaha publishes list of clergy accused of sexually abusing children

On Friday, the Archdiocese of Omaha published a list of clergy against whom allegations of the sexual abuse of minors have been substantiated. The Diocese of Grand Island, which includes Kearney Catholic churches, is wrapping up the review of all files of active, retired and deceased clergy. When this review is completed, the Grand Island Diocese will determine whether to release a similar publication of any substantiated claims against clergy in the diocese regarding the abuse of minors.

https://www.theindependent.com/news/regional/kearney/archdiocese-of-omaha-publishes-list-of-clergy-accused-of-sexually/article_e234733b-7cf5-5037-8356-e30cb9ba072b.html 

Priest's View: Bishops, chancery officials who failed children can step aside

There continues to be much anger and outrage and shame and sadness in the Catholic Church over the abuse scandals and especially over the coverups by the bishops. Most agree now that the root cause of our troubles is the failure of the bishops' leadership. So far, we've seen mostly pious words and not much action from our bishops. It looks like the bishops simply want to take a mulligan.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/columns/4537109-priests-view-bishops-chancery-officials-who-failed-children-can-step-aside 

Faithful Urged To Remain Vigilant

Church-goers within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston are still reeling from the revelation that 18 of their priests have had credible accusations of sexual abuse against them in the Northern Panhandle. It also was revealed that 13 additional diocesan priests had been accused in other states. Since the Diocese released the list of abusers last week, current clergy have struggled with the news and how to bring a new sense of faith to their congregations.

http://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2018/12/faithful-urged-to-remain-vigilant/

'No double life:' Pope tells actively gay priests, nuns to quit

Vatican City: Men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be admitted to the Catholic clergy, and it would be better for priests who are actively gay to leave rather than lead a double life, Pope Francis says. While he has previously spoken of the need for better screening of candidates for the religious life, his comments suggesting that priests who cannot keep their vows of celibacy should leave are some of his clearest to date.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/no-double-life-pope-tells-actively-gay-priests-nuns-to-quit-20181203-p50jrx.html 

Pope tells gay clergy to be celibate or leave the priesthood

Pope Francis says homosexual priests or nuns should be celibate and responsible to avoid creating a scandal, and if they cannot they should leave their roles. Men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be admitted to the Catholic clergy, and it would be better for priests who are actively gay to leave, Pope Francis says in a new book.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/pope-tells-gay-clergy-to-be-celibate-or-leave-the-priesthood 

Syracuse bishop to release list of abusive priests before successor is named

Syracuse Bishop Robert Cunningham plans to release a list of priests with credible claims of child abuse against them as he awaits the naming of his successor. Consideration for the next bishop was one of the reasons Cunningham, 75, gave in a letter distributed this weekend to the people of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse.

https://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2018/12/syracuse_bishop_to_release_list_of_abusive_priests_before_successor_is_named.html 

What happens when the system fails you at birth?

An illegal adoption. A life of neglect and abuse. What happens when the system fails you at birth and you're robbed of the chances you might have otherwise had? CHRIS CHILTON talks to an Invercargill man who spent his whole life wondering. The boy was out of control. He stole. He lied. He vandalised. He set fires. He ran away from home and slept rough. When he got home he'd get a thrashing. Then he'd run away again.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/108957898/what-happens-when-the-system-fails-you-at-birth