Marist College praised for rescinding honour to official who protected abuser

Ex-students of Marist College Canberra have praised a decision to rename a student house honouring a senior official who helped protect a paedophile brother and shuffle him to another school.
Abuse victim Damian De Marco and Marist old boy Mike Desmond have urged the school to continue on a path of healing the horrors of the school's past.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/marist-college-praised-for-rescinding-honour-to-official-who-protected-abuser-20160323-gnpcyp.html 

How It All Works There is a homosexual network in the Church.

Faithful Catholics have felt it in their bones for some time now — that group of faithful Catholics who have had sufficient time to study it and know it, besides feeling it.
There is something terribly wrong in the Church, and in large part, it's owing to unfaithful clergy — and among that group of unfaithful clergy is a network of homosexual men who betray their vows and promises and responsibilities to Our Blessed Lord, His Holy Church and the sheep.

http://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/how-it-all-works 

Boston Globe’s Robinson Talks Spotlight, Investigative Reporting

Investigative reporting is a worthy calling, even if it’s not quite as exciting as it looks in the movies, says Boston Globe Editor at Large Walter “Robby” Robinson, and he definitely ought to know. Robinson led the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team of investigative reporters who won a 2003 Pulitzer Prize for cracking open the Roman Catholic Church’s fortress of secrecy, revealing a deep systemic problem of hushing up sex abuse cases and protecting pedophile priests.


http://www.free-times.com/news/boston-globes-robinson-talks-spotlight-investigative-reporting-032316

Family of mother who jumped off cliff with toddler urge victims of domestic violence to speak out

The family of a young mother who died with her toddler has called on victims of domestic violence to ‘speak up’.

Jasmine Riley was found dead at the bottom of a Maroubra cliff face, with her son Braxton on Thursday night, following a desperate search, which came too late.

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/31184728/bodies-of-woman-and-young-boy-discovered-at-maroubra-beach-after-major-police-operation/ 

Victims of alleged sexual abuse by Catholic priests drop legal action against Salford Diocese

Legal action brought by Former students of St Bede’s College was stopped without reaching any conclusions, out of court settlement or apologies.  Legal action against Salford Diocese by alleged victims of sexual abuse has been dropped.
Former students of St Bede’s College in Whalley Range, Manchester, were suing church bosses over claims they were sexually abused by Catholic priests.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/victims-alleged-sexual-abuse-catholic-11098099

Best picture illuminates evil of child abuse: Here's hoping 'Spotlight' helps with healing

“Spotlight” may have been the best picture of 2015 according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but you wouldn't know it by the amount of buzz the film generated in Decatur.

It never played here, as far as I know, except for the special showing the Avon Theatre gave to Herald & Review employees and their families earlier this month.

http://herald-review.com/lifestyles/best-picture-illuminates-evil-of-child-abuse-here-s-hoping/article_fab09e00-36fe-5e1f-8c45-6b430850732b.html 

Pope hears tales of suffering, abuse at Colosseum Easter ritual

Tens of thousands of faithful bearing candles prayed at an Easter ritual at Rome's ancient Colosseum on Friday, where they and Pope Francis were told of the suffering of rejected migrants, sexually abused children and slaves.

Security was tight at the former gladiator battle ground, where a small group of believers carried a cross between 14 "stations" evoking the last hours of Jesus's life during the traditional Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession.

http://www.globalpost.com/article/6751300/2016/03/25/pope-hears-tales-suffering-abuse-colosseum-easter-ritual 

Money and Saint-Making

ontinuing his reform of Vatican finances, Pope Francis issued a decree on March 4 approving new norms relating to the administration of the “goods,” mainly money, of the causes for beatification and canonization of saints in order to ensure full transparency and accountability in this area.

He took this decisive step after the commission he set up in July 2013 concluded that there was little or no oversight on how the considerable sums of money collected for a particular cause were spent. 

http://americamagazine.org/issue/money-and-saint-making

Secret archive of paedophile crime kept by Catholic Church's insurers

Victims of some of the worst sexual abuse perpetrated by the Catholic Church are being denied access to a vast archive of clergy crime, as the church continues to ensure the offending is kept secret, despite the files being handed over to the royal commission.
The nearly 2000 files – which include evidence about at least 63 offenders – have been amassed by the church's insurers, but the church appears intent on paying millions of dollars in victims compensation settlements to ensure the documents are not made public.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/secret-archive-of-paedophile-crime-kept-by-catholic-churchs-insurers-20160317-gnlc6k.html 

Priest indicted on prostitution charge

Father Alberto Paolo Lesmo suspended by Archbishop Scola.  Milan prosecutors have indicted Father Alberto Paolo Lesmo, accusing him of paying with cash and drugs for sex with a minor, ANSA sources said on Friday.
    Prosecutors said that between 2009 and 2011, Lesmo paid a boy aged between 14 and 17 for sex, at times also paying with illegal drugs.

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/2016/03/25/priest-indicted-on-prostitution-charge_ca11ea56-10cd-434a-b786-c378a05d5c1f.html 

Priesthood power plummets as we face an uncertain future | Faith Matters

The Rev. Bryan Dalton is a charmer. Visiting St. Ambrose Church in Deerfield Beach, Fla., over the years, I have heard him croon at Mass, ask parishioners marking a birthday that month to stand as he leads the congregation singing, "Happy Birthday" and then presents each of them with a rose.  And he tells jokes.
Last month, he began his homily with, "I need your money." People laughed but he gets it.  As the largest parish in the Miami Archdiocese, St. Ambrose has to raise $312,000 for the annual appeal.  He reaches his goal every year.  No wonder.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2016/03/priesthood_power_plummets_in_an_uncertain_future_f.html 

Former Area Priest Removed After Sex Abuse Allegations

A former Dutchess County priest was officially removed from the clergy during the past month after an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse from the 1980s, according to the Archdiocese of New York.
Claims of sexual abuse made against Peter J. Kihm, 60, last year were found to be credible by both law enforcement and the Archdiocesan Review Board, Auxiliary Bishop Dominick John Lagonegro said in a March 14 letter to parishioners of Church of the Good Shepherd in Rhinebeck, where Kihm most recently served as pastor. (See letter attached below.)

http://armonk.dailyvoice.com/news/former-area-priest-removed-after-sex-abuse-allegations/647128/ 

Op-ed: Bill will protect children, give them recovery time after abuse

First, it was Penn State then it was the Arch­diocese of Phil­adelphia. Now, just when you think that scan­dals in­volving the sexu­al ab­use of chil­dren can’t get any worse, we learn about yet an­oth­er one.
After a pro­longed and ex­tens­ive in­vest­ig­a­tion, law en­force­ment pro­fes­sion­als have un­covered lit­er­ally mounds of evid­ence of count­less cases of child sexu­al ab­use and a multi-year cov­er-up by Ro­man Cath­ol­ic Church of­fi­cials.

http://www.bsmphilly.com/2016/mar/23/op-ed-bill-will-protect-children-give-them-recovery-time-after-abuse/#.VvY--Ec1eUl 

It's disgusting': Church spends more to restore church than compensate victims of paedophile priests

A Bayside church linked to historical clerical abuse and destroyed by an arsonist last year will be rebuilt at an estimated cost of $20 million – almost double the total compensation paid by the Archdiocese of Melbourne to 326 victims of paedophile priests.
The decision to restore St James Church in Gardenvale to its former glory has incensed victims of Father Ronald Pickering, who preyed on more than a dozen boys while he served at the church from 1978 to 1993 before fleeing to Britain.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/its-disgusting-church-spends-more-to-restore-church-than-compensate-victims-of-paedophile-priests-20160324-gnqm79.html 

Film review: In a coastal sanctuary, priests face up to their sins

This week sees the release of two films that focus on far-flung Christian communities thrown into chaos by past crimes and misdemeanours. Much the better of the two is The Club (★★★★, 18 cert, 97 mins) from Chilean director Pablo Larraín. His previous films, including Tony Manero and Post Mortem, have brilliantly explored Pinochet’s reign of terror through the stories of characters at society’s margins. Here, his target is the Church and the main characters – a group of Catholic priests living together in a bleak coastal corner of Chile – are about as marginal as you can get.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2016/03/24/film-review-in-a-coastal-sanctuary-priests-face-up-to-their-sins/ 

A church that protects sexual predators isn’t much church at all

“This was like God showing up.” That’s how one victim of clergy sexual abuse in the Boston archdiocese described his family’s response when a priest came to visit. He added fatefully, “When a priest paid attention to you it was a big deal.” Unfortunately, in this case and hundreds like it, such attention was actually a way of “grooming” Catholic children for abuse.

https://baptistnews.com/2016/03/24/a-church-that-protects-sexual-predators-isnt-much-church-at-all/ 

Chair of Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry launches call for evidence and says probe aims to protect children yet to be born

SUSAN O'Brien QC says investigation will address seven decades of abuse of children in faith-based organisations, children's homes, foster care, long-term hospital care and boarding schools. 

THE inquiry into the abuse of children in care is not just to provide answers for survivors but to protect "some Scottish children yet to be born", its chair said as she launched a call for evidence.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/chair-scottish-child-abuse-inquiry-7619661#dcDfc1qLWgD2bhy3.97

French cardinal Barbarin 'apologises' to abuse victims

A French cardinal accused of covering up the sexual abuse of children by priests apologised to victims during a mass, according to the website of his diocese.

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, quoting Pope Francis, said Wednesday he was "obliged to assume all the evil committed by some priests and personally apologise for the damage they have caused by sexually abusing children."

http://news.yahoo.com/under-fire-french-cardinal-personally-apologises-sex-abuse-093533467.html 

MN--Victims blast new Twin Cities archbishop

The new Twin Cities archbishop is a slightly friendlier version of the old Twin Cities archbishop. This is a disappointing choice for an archdiocese that deserves better and by a pope who knows better.
Just weeks ago, Hebda stayed silent and did nothing while his corrupt predecessor quietly moved out of state and resumed ministry, causing a firestorm of justifiable outrage and controversy.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_victims_blast_new_twin_cities_archbishop 

Protest against clerical sex abuse in the Catholic Church in Dublin today

Survivors of clerical sex abuse in the Catholic Church are to stage a protest in Dublin today.
They want those who covered up abuse by priests and other religious to be brought to justice. An actor dressed as a Cardinal will be paraded down Grafton street in chains this morning as part of their protest.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/protest-against-clerical-sex-abuse-in-the-catholic-church-in-dublin-today-726762.html

After meeting with church leaders, youth pastor resigns

A Boone pastor has resigned after meeting with church leaders about allegations from a former member of the church's youth group.  The pastor has not been criminally charged in connection with the case, but Ames police told KCCI that they are actively investigating what was reported to them and looking for him.
Police said that on Monday a 19-year-old woman came forward about her relationship with Grace Community Church's Youth Pastor Joel Waltz.

http://www.kcci.com/news/after-meeting-with-church-leaders-youth-pastor-resigns/38660058 

Religion's tax break is a cross we shouldn't have to bear

Religious groups are not taxable. No wonder there’s no transparency in how their billions of dollars are spent. Whether or not you are a practising Christian, Easter is a time to think about religious traditions. The ongoing proceedings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse​ and the cover-ups so long perpetrated within religious institutions are added reason to do so this year. So, too, is the trial at the Vatican of two investigative journalists for accessing secret Vatican documents about financial corruption and incompetence.

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/easter-is-a-good-time-to-revisit-taxexempt-status-of-religious-organisations-20160323-gnpzjj.html 

Francis appoints Hebda to replace Nienstedt in St. Paul-Minneapolis

Pope Francis has appointed a new leader for a Catholic archdiocese in the American Midwest where mismanagement of clergy sexual abuse cases led to the dual early resignations of the former archbishop and an auxiliary bishop last June.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda will now lead the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota, canceling his former appointment to take over the archdiocese of Newark, N.J., in July.

http://ncronline.org/news/francis-appoints-hebda-replace-nienstedt-st-paul-minneapolis 

Utah Supreme Court gives OK for ex-FLDS woman to sue UEP trust

The Utah Supreme Court on Wednesday said a polygamous sect's charitable trust can be held liable for Warren Jeffs' role in forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry  The ruling sends the case back to a lower court where the former child bride, Elissa Wall, may seek up to $40 million.

"As trustee ... Jeffs was called upon to administer the trust in accordance with the doctrines and principles of the FLDS church. Those doctrines and principles, according to [Wall's] allegations and evidence in the record, included the arrangement of plural, underage marriages," Wednesday's ruling states. "Thus, as abhorrent and troubling as this may appear to be, there is a basis in the record for the conclusion that Jeffs' acts were aimed in part at advancing the interests of the trust as he perceived them."

http://www.sltrib.com/news/3700292-155/utah-supreme-court-gives-ok-for 

Is tragedy a laughing matter?

ELEANOR HALL: The Melbourne International Comedy Festival kicked off last night, with some traumatic childhood experiences as the subject matter.
Our reporter Rachael Brown was curious about how you could turn this into comedy. She went along to a show about the royal commission into the church to find out.

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2016/s4431133.htm 

Welsh churches unite in forum to safeguard children and vulnerable adults

The Church in Wales has joined with other Christian denominations in the country as well as expert and survivor organisations in a new forum to safeguard children and vulnerable adults and to ensure that all churches in Wales are safe places for them.
The Welsh Christian Safeguarding Forum brings together the safeguarding officers from churches throughout Wales and has been established to share and develop best practice and to give Christian organisations a stronger voice on safeguarding issues in Wales.

http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2016/03/welsh-churches-unite-in-forum-to-safeguard-children-and-vulnerable-adults.aspx 

Former Fire-EMS lieutenant denied bond in Botetourt County sex abuse case

Citing evidence of past inappropriate behavior, a judge has refused to grant bond to a former Roanoke Fire-EMS lieutenant now jailed on numerous counts of sexual abuse involving a min David Allen Bocock Jr., 46, saw his request for bail denied by Judge Malfourd “Bo” Trumbo at a hearing Thursday morning in Botetourt County Circuit Court.
Because of the nature of the charges and the potential life sentence he faces, Bocock needed to convince the judge that he poses neither a flight risk nor a danger to himself or the community.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/crime/botetourt_county/former-fire-ems-lieutenant-denied-bond-in-botetourt-county-sex/article_c8223cdc-3cf4-5815-9cd9-d2c905858bea.html 

Interim Archbishop Elevated to Lead Twin Cities Archdiocese

Archbishop Bernard Hebda said Thursday that he is surprised, humbled and "truly thrilled" by Pope Francis' decision to keep him on as head of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis after serving nine months as interim leader.

Hebda had been slated to become Archbishop of Newark this summer, and was dividing his time between New Jersey and Minnesota when the Vatican informed him on Tuesday that he would be staying in St. Paul. His installation Mass is scheduled for May 13.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/interim-archbishop-elevated-lead-twin-cities-archdiocese-37894854 

This Easter, churches will be praying for a rebirth

Death and resurrection are the central themes of the main Christian festival of Easter. And this Easter, these themes are becoming uncomfortably close for thoughtful church leaders.
With the recent damning revelations of clergy sexual abuse aired at the royal commission still painfully fresh and with church attendance figures on an accelerating downward slope, the mainstream Christian churches are in trouble.

https://theconversation.com/this-easter-churches-will-be-praying-for-a-rebirth-56591 

8 women settle with Seattle Archdiocese for $9.1 million in priest sex-abuse cases

Eight women who sued the Seattle Archdiocese alleging sexual abuse by former priest Michael Cody, a known pedophile, have reached a $9.1 million settlement with church officials, the archdiocese announced Wednesday night.
Cody, who died last year, served in various Catholic parishes in Western Washington during the 1960s and into the late 1970s and preyed on children for years, though church officials knew he was sick, according to documents from what’s known as Cody’s “secret file” in the archdiocese.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/8-women-settle-with-seattle-archdiocese-for-91-million-in-priest-sex-abuse-case/ 

Lawsuit names Baptist church in 30-year-old abuse case

A Cooperative Baptist Fellowship pastor in Georgia has voiced regret and sadness about his church’s handling decades ago of allegations of sexual abuse within a Boy Scout troop it sponsored.
A lawsuit filed March 17 in Fulton County State Court accuses First Baptist Church of Gainesville, Ga., of neglect leading to the rape in 1985 of a now 46-year-old man.

https://baptistnews.com/2016/03/22/lawsuit-names-baptist-church-in-30-year-old-abuse-case/ 

State high court asked to reject appeal in priest abuse case

Attorneys for a Roman Catholic church official are asking the state Supreme Court to reject prosecutors’ appeal of a decision granting him a new trial.
Monsignor William Lynn’s attorneys on Tuesday called the request “breathtakingly dishonest,” saying there were no grounds for an appeal under state rules, The Philadelphia Inquirer (http://bit.ly/1pHmvLC) reported.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/22/state-high-court-asked-to-reject-appeal-in-priest-/ 

Syracuse suspect in baby porn case was All Saints Elementary employee

The 23-year-old woman who is accused of producing child pornography with an infant is an employee at a Syracuse elementary school.
School officials have declined to answer any questions about her employment or background.
Emily Oberst of Syracuse is accused of helping Jason Kopp, 40, of Liverpool, to sexually exploit a baby girl, according to federal prosecutors.

http://www.syracuse.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/03/syracuse_suspect_in_child_porn_case_was_all_saints_elementary_employee.html 

Tackling child abuse: easy as ABC?

A new initiative launched by the Department for Education aims to tackle child abuse and neglect. The initiative, called “Together We Can Tackle Child Abuse”, is being championed by local authorities and NHS trusts throughout the country.
One of the issues raised by the initiative is the failure of people to report suspected child abuse or neglect. It has been noted that, of those who suspect child abuse, one third does not act on their suspicions because they are worried about being wrong.

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=2243c750-e873-4ac5-9707-e1587ab199ef 

On sex abuse, has the pendulum swung too far?

Attitudes about how the Church is handling cases of clerical sex abuse are frequently rooted in a misunderstanding of rule of law and evidentiary standards.   Last month Peter Saunders, the British man who founded and leads the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), was removed from the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, “apparently following a 15-0 vote of no confidence.”

The chorus of some mainstream media has been quick to describe this as a sign that the Vatican doesn’t intend to do enough against child sex abuse, or that Pope Francis is failing to do so. However, this attitude of utter condemnation of the Church is misplaced and based, in part, on a misunderstanding of rule of law and evidentiary standards. 

http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/4659/on_sex_abuse_has_the_pendulum_swung_too_far.aspx 

Diocese of Gallup offers to settle sex abuse claims

Attorneys in the Diocese of Gallup’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed a reorganization plan Monday that contains cash contributions of $21 million from nine sources to settle claims filed by 57 alleged victims of clerical sexual abuse.
An attorney who represents abuse victims estimated Monday that payments would average about $350,000 per claimant, though amounts likely would vary depending on circumstances.

http://www.abqjournal.com/744189/news/diocese-offers-to-settle-sex-abuse-claims.html 

For those who couldn't be heard

I am a strong supporter of the victims that have been sexually abused and I am glad they're finally getting some justice. I am a daughter of a man who was abused as a child by several of the priests, and I would like to see some support for the families that have been left behind.
My father committed suicide 11 years ago because of the trauma he went through. There needs to be some recognition for the men that have taken their lives at the hands of these priests.

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3803348/letters-to-the-editor/?cs=64 

Sex-claim woman ‘ripped to shreds’ by church lawyers

A law professor described yesterday how she was “ripped to shreds” by the Church of England when she made a legal claim over sexual abuse by a vicar when she was a teenager.
Julie Macfarlane said that the church tried to rule her claim out of date, suggested that she had consented to sex with her abuser and put her through a gruelling psychiatric examination before settling her claim last month.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article4716809.ece 

Shepherds’ Accountability When The Flock Is Abused

Thirteen years ago, as a national scandal raged over the rape and molestation of school children by hundreds of Catholic priests, a panel of leading laity appointed by the national hierarchy to look into church responsibility candidly warned “there must be consequences” for the bishops who led years of cover-up.
The bishops’ marked failure to follow through since by investigating fellow superiors was brought home this month in a scathing grand jury report in Pennsylvania. It found at least 50 priests and other church employees sexually molested hundreds of children in central Pennsylvania parishes for over four decades while church officials and some civil authorities knew but worked to conceal the crimes.

http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/shepherds-accountability-when-the-flock-is-abused/?emc=edit_tnt_20160318&nlid=61881856&tntemail0=y&_r=0 

Minnesota town’s showy gravestone is bitter reminder of priest’s abuse

In a small cemetery on the eastern edge of the Iron Range, one gravestone sticks out.
A granite headstone honoring the Rev. Thomas Stack, who founded the Roman Catholic church across the street, sits atop a hill near the entrance of the Hoyt Lakes Memorial Cemetery. The stone is the only one permitted to stand above ground in the municipal cemetery.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/03/20/minnesota-towns-showy-gravestone-is-bitter-reminder-of-priests-abuse/ 

Arson fears prompt Catholic Church security warning ahead of Easter

The Catholic Church is bracing for possible arson attacks on Melbourne parishes linked to paedophile priests, 12 months after vandals torched three suburban churches.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne has told its parishes to be vigilant following an attempted arson attack on St Bede's Church in Balwyn North earlier this month. An intruder broke into the church and poured accelerant onto the altar, but is believed to have fled before lighting the fire because an alarm went off.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/arson-fears-prompt-catholic-church-security-warning-ahead-of-easter-20160321-gno027.html

Bishop Zubik apologizes for those 'victimized' by the church

There were no organ strains, no bursts of incense, only the sound of shoes echoing softly off the vast stone surfaces of St. Paul Cathedral as Bishop David Zubik paced down the center aisle with a small group of priests and acolytes bearing candles and a crucifix.
Once at the front, the Roman Catholic bishop of Pittsburgh, clad in a purple robe symbolizing penance, prostrated himself in front of the altar for five silent minutes.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2016/03/22/Bishop-Zubik-apologizes-for-those-hurt-by-him-the-church/stories/201603220113 

OH--Catholic seminary makes promises; Victims respond

It’s all well and good to promise “we’ll do better in the future.” Catholic officials, when facing abuse scandals, excel at pledging improvement. They’re usually very poor, however, at follow through.
It’s hard to believe that church officials in Columbus, Steubenville and Vermont were unaware that dozens of seminaries had rejected Joel Wright. And Catholic officials have been talking about better seminary screening for decades. So it’s hard to be enthusiastic about this latest promise.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/oh_catholic_seminary_makes_promises_victims_respond 

Who is protected by the Royal Commission’s private hearings? The case of Wolston Park Hospital survivors

Does the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse ensure that all those who want to be heard publicly are provided the chance? Royal Commissions are usually public investigations.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse strays from the legal norm, instead, comprising private sessions as well as a selection of public case studies. Does this new approach fulfill a democratic and transparent investigation of institutionalised child sexual abuse?

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=18116&page=0 

Kendall House residents pursuing legal action against Church of England for 'drug abuse' at Gravesend children's home

Former residents of a Gravesend children’s home are pursuing legal action against the Church of England for allegedly covering up years of drug abuse.  A claim is being prepared by lawyers for Teresa Cooper, 48, a campaigner who says she was forcibly tranquilised at Kendall House between 1981 and 1984.

The mother-of-three hopes the claim can help give a voice to those who are said to have fallen ill as a result of their treatment at the home, as well as their children and grandchildren, many of whom suffered birth defects.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/news/church-hit-with-legal-claim-93013/ 

Child abuse investigators urge victims and witnesses to come forward as time limit for suing is removed

NVESTIGATORS leading a huge inquiry into child abuse are to urge witnesses and victims to come forward.
Susan O’Brien QC, who is chairing the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry , will encourage individuals and institutions to contact the probe.  At a meeting in Glasgow on Wednesday, she will detail how evidence can be given.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/child-abuse-investigators-urge-victims-7595099#xGhTY4sGRLODzX2g.97

Inquiry Chair to formally launch call for evidence

The Chair of the Inquiry, Ms Susan O’Brien QC, is to launch a formal Call for Evidence on Wednesday 23 March in Glasgow. The event will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, 301 Argyle St, Glasgow G2 8DL.
Since the Inquiry was formally established on 1 October 2015, it has engaged with a range of individuals and organisations with an interest in its work. The Inquiry has already started taking evidence from people who are elderly or seriously ill and this will continue.

https://www.childabuseinquiry.scot/news-and-updates/inquiry-chair-to-formally-launch-call-for-evidence/

Protesters Denounce Brooklyn Yeshiva For Employing Alleged Child Abusers

small group of protesters gathered on Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights on Sunday to denounce the longtime employment of allegedly abusive teachers at Oholei Torah, one of the largest and most prestigious boys yeshivas in Brooklyn's Chabad network.
The protesters—including members of the Lubavitch community, survivors, and alumni—held signs that read "What would the Rebbe say?" and "Abuse isn't chinuch [education]." A row of strategically-parked yellow school buses blocked them from the yeshiva's front entrance, where parents, teachers and rabbis ducked through the light snow into Oholei Torah's annual gala dinner.

http://gothamist.com/2016/03/21/oholei_torah_protest.php 

Baptist pastor sentenced to 50 years for hiring mistress and her husband to set his wife on fire

A Baptist pastor from Missouri has been sentenced to 50 years in prison last week for hiring his mistress and her husband to burn his house down with his wife inside of it, reports the Riverfront Times.
Donald Lafferty, 71, who was sentenced to 50 years in prison after a jury convicted him on charges of attempted murder, arson, armed criminal action and financial exploitation of the elderly after investigators discovered he had embezzled $87,000 from his 89-year-old mother.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/03/baptist-pastor-sentenced-to-50-years-for-hiring-mistress-and-her-husband-to-set-his-wife-on-fire/ 

No date set for bishop to testify to sex abuse inquiry

No date has been set for former Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns to continue his evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Bishop Mulkearns made his much-anticipated appearance at the child sexual abuse inquiry via videolink from the nursing home in which he now lives in February.

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3804067/no-date-set-for-bishop-to-testify/ 

Fears former bishop paedophile Peter Ball impersonated his identical twin brother

A probe has been launched into claims a notorious paedophile bishop impersonated his identical twin brother - by carrying out services in his place.
Former Bishop of Gloucester Peter Ball, 83, was jailed last year after he admitted sexually abusing teenagers and young men.  But there are now fears he took the place of his twin Michael Ball, who was also a bishop and a friend of Prince Charles, by duping congregations in other parts of the UK.

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Fears-bishop-paedophile-Peter-Ball-impersonated/story-28962768-detail/story.html

Not My Child: Protecting My Son from a Sexual Predator

Several years ago, our family was befriended by a community acquaintance with whom we shared some extracurricular activities. Over time, this man (I’ll call him Bob), began paying attention to my two-year-old son. He’d ask my son for high fives or hugs and offer to take him for walks when my son grew antsy at events. At a summer picnic, he asked if he could take my son over to the playground, “So you have a chance to visit,” he said. I didn’t know him well, so I politely declined.
From time to time, Bob came by our house with his grandchild, stopping to chat with us in the yard. More than once, he asked if my son could walk to the park with the two of them. I always came up with a reason to keep my son home with me.

http://herviewfromhome.com/not-my-child-protecting-my-son-from-a-sexual-predator/ 

Andrew Bolt says Cardinal George Pell either ‘lying’ or ‘dangerously indifferent’

News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt, a staunch defender of Cardinal George Pell, has declared the Catholic cleric’s evidence at the royal commission on Tuesday “disastrous” and the case against him “very damning”.
In a dramatic reversal of his consistent defence of Pell, the Herald Sun commentator now says the Vatican’s finance chief was either lying or “dangerously indifferent” to the fact children were being raped.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/mar/02/andrew-bolt-says-cardinal-george-pell-either-lying-or-dangerously-indifferent 

A culture of silence

If the media coverage – from left and right – is any sign, Cardinal George Pell angered many people with his evidence this week to the royal commission into institutional child sexual abuse.
Cardinal Pell has been testifying via video link from Rome into what he knew about paedophile priests in the Ballarat diocese in the 1970s a

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/religionandethicsreport/a-culture-of-silence/7213300 

Seattle Archdiocese must release ‘secret’ files on misconduct

Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain has not exercised his authority to make public the files in his possession. As a result, it’s impossible to even begin to understand, the archdiocese’s responsibility for the sexual abuse of hundreds of children suffered at its parishes.
THE Catholic Church across America has been mired in scandal for nearly 20 years — since reports of widespread abuse of children by its priests first surfaced. The Seattle Archdiocese is no different.

http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/seattle-archdiocese-must-release-secret-files-on-misconduct/ 

'He was a monster': how priest child abuse tore apart Pennsylvania towns

A grand jury report issued last week details abuse by dozens of Catholic leaders in the small communities of Altoona-Johnstown from the 1950s to the 1990s.  One of Brian Gergely’s fellow altar boys had a code he would use to signal danger in the room where they and the priest prepared for mass.
“He would say ‘red buttons’, and that was the alert that the priest was coming up behind you, and we would try to get away from him, running around the desk in the middle of the room where he kept the chalices, the host and the wine,” said Gergely, 46. Gergely was 10 at the time.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/08/catholic-priest-child-sex-abuse-ebensburg-pennsylvania 

Why sexual abuse survivors need your support

Warning - this story contains material which may distress some readers
Most school mornings Di Elderton spent in dread as she waited for her father, Alfred Zammit, to knock on the wall between their bedrooms. Rat-a-tat-tat. Time to come in.
But when she finally worked up the courage to tell the secret she mustn't tell, we, as a society, let her down.  Di was an only child. Her mother went to work early, so it was her father's job to take her to school from age nine to 15. The routine always ended the same. She would have to help him masturbate to climax in the bathroom.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/everyones-complicit-why-sexual-abuse-survivors-need-your-support-20160306-gnc3of.html 

Notre Dame professor accused of sex abuse kills himself

A University of Notre Dame theology professor accused of sexually abusing a boy in the 1980s killed himself Monday.
Police responded to a report of a shooting at the home of the Rev. Virgilio Elizondo fewer than 10 minutes before his official time of death on Monday afternoon, according to the law enforcement and county records, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/education/notre-dame-professor-accused-of-sex-abuse-found-dead-in/article_b3dfabb9-9c92-5229-bca8-4ff16dbed09c.html 

Catholic Immorality: Why the Church doesn't care about victims of sexual assault

Recent comments by high-ranking officials of the Catholic Church have painted a terrifying picture of the attitudes and policies the church holds toward the most atrocious actions committed by its own clergy: the sexual abuse of children. While allegations of sexual assaults have plagued the church since the 1970s, that Vatican has done little to discipline those responsible.

In a recent report published by the Catholic news site Cruxnow.com, new Catholic bishops are being told they are neither legally nor morally obligated to report sexual abuse by clergy to the proper authorities.

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/opinion/article_d3bac29c-e58b-11e5-bab1-4302c0d45fd7.html 

Archdiocese of Seattle publishes list of clergy accused of sexual abuse

The Archdiocese of Seattle on Friday published a list of clergy and religious brothers and sisters “for whom allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been admitted, established or determined to be credible.”
The diocese said it published the list as part of its “ongoing commitment to transparency and to encourage persons sexually abused by clergy or by anyone working on behalf of the Church to come forward.”

http://myedmondsnews.com/2016/01/archdiocese-of-seattle-publishes-list-of-clergy-accused-of-sexual-abuse/ 

What Pope Benedict Knew About Abuse in the Catholic Church

The election of Pope Francis, in 2013, had the effect, among other things, of displacing the painful story of priestly sexual abuse that had dominated public awareness of the Church during much of the eight-year papacy of his predecessor. The sense that the Church, both during the last years of Benedict and under Francis, had begun to deal more forcefully with the issue created a desire in many, inside and outside the Church, to move on. But recent events suggest that we take another careful look at this chapter of Church history before turning the page.

During the past week, a German lawyer charged with investigating the abuse of minors in a famous Catholic boys’ choir in Bavaria revealed that two hundred and thirty-one children had been victimized over a period of decades. The attorney, Ulrich Weber, who was commissioned by the Diocese of Regensburg to conduct the inquiry, said that there were fifty credible cases of sexual abuse, along with a larger number of cases of other forms of physical abuse, from beatings to food deprivation.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/what-pope-benedict-knew-about-abuse-in-the-catholic-church 

What is the cause of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church?

Question: "What is the cause of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church? Why are there pedophile priests in the Roman Catholic Church?" 

Answer: In recent years, hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals have come forward claiming sexual abuse from priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Numerous "pedophile priests" have been identified. Sadly, rather than defrocking the priests (removing from the priesthood), the Catholic Church has in most instances attempted to cover up the sexual abuse by transferring the offending priest(s) to different parishes. The scandal and attempted cover-up continues to expand, reaching all the way to the papacy itself. So, what is the cause of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church? Why does pedophilia seem to be such a common problem among Roman Catholic priests?

http://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-abuse.html 

Catholic sexual abuse cases in New Zealand

The first recorded case was in 1900. Allegations of cruelty toward children residing at the Stoke Industrial School, (also known as St Mary's Orphanage) instigated a Royal Commission and the eventual prosecution of two Marist Brothers. Edouard Forrier, ( Brother Wybertus) was charged with five counts of common assault and five counts of indecent assault. The alleged incidents occurred between September 5, 1893 and June 1, 1897. ^[1]

Marist Father Alan Woodcock, abused children at St John's College in Hastings, St Patrick's College in Upper Hutt, Highden in the Manawatu and Futuna in Wellington. After Woodcock left the Marist Priesthood and left New Zealand to live in England, he was extradited back to New Zealand and convicted of 21 sex offences committed between 1978 and 1987. The abuse continued despite the knowledge of Father Michael Curtain and Father Fred Bliss.^[2] Tracking him down abroad was done with the assistance of the Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth.^[3]

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_sexual_abuse_cases_in_New_Zealand} 

£18million-a-year abuse inquiry is so big it 'could break justice system' warns one of Britain's most senior former judges

The troubled historic child abuse inquiry is so wide-ranging and costly it risks ‘breaking the system’, one of Britain’s most senior ex-judges has warned.

Lord Woolf said he feared Dame Lowell Goddard faces a ‘huge task’ chairing the five-year investigation into Establishment sex abuse and cover-ups, and predicted that he would not live to see its final report.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3500908/Abuse-inquiry-big-break-justice-warns-one-Britain-s-senior-former-judges.html 

Jesuit priest Stanislaus Hogan jailed over child pornography found in Saint Ignatius' College quarters

An Adelaide Jesuit priest and teacher found with more than 1,500 pornographic images of boys has been jailed for more than two years.

Stanislaus Hogan, 70, was found with books, magazines and videos of young and teenage boys, in his private quarters at Saint Ignatius' College in Adelaide's eastern suburbs in August 2013.  He was on the college staff at the time of his arrest.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-20/st-ignatius-jesuit-priest-stan-hogan-jailed-child-porn/6336244 

3 friars in Pennsylvania abuse case removed from duties

A Franciscan religious order in Pennsylvania says it is “deeply saddened” to learn of criminal charges against three leaders who are accused of allowing a friar who was a known sexual predator to have access to children.
Kane’s office seized documents from the order last summer and Brother Stephen Baker stabbed himself in the heart at the monastery in January 2013. In that job, the grand jury found, he sexually offended three more children, Kane said.

http://nanonews.org/3-friars-in-pennsylvania-abuse-case-removed-from-duties/ 

Male religious orders may not be accountable to Catholic Church

Even as the leadership of a Hollidaysburg-based Franciscan province is called to account in criminal court for its handling of a sex offender, the case is raising a broader question:
Just how accountable are male religious orders for following the U.S. Catholic Church's zero-tolerance policy adopted in 2002?  Such orders are typically authorized by the pope and consist of priests and brothers who make specific vows, typically to poverty, chastity and obedience, with some orders having additional vows.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2016/03/20/Male-religious-orders-may-not-be-accountable-to-Catholic-Church/stories/201603200109 

Dutch clerical sexual child abuse cover-up update

This video says about itself: Belgian Bishop Admits Sexual Abuse of Boy – Sends Shockwave through Belgium
23 April 2010    Belgium’s longest-serving bishop admits sexually abusing a boy (his nephew). This was officially revealed at a press conference on 23 April 2010. Prior to his resignation, he was bishop of Bruges, which is located in one of the more conservatively religious regions of Flanders.

https://dearkitty1.wordpress.com/2016/03/19/dutch-clerical-sexual-child-abuse-cover-up-update/ 

Campaigners challenge Church’s acceptance of Bishop George Bell paedophile allegations

A group of Church figures, academics, politicians, and lawyers have condemned the Church of England’s decision to accept allegations that Bishop George Bell abused a child. 
Today (March 20) the George Bell Group said it had raised the matter with the Archbishop of Canterbury. In October last year, the Church paid a civil settlement to a person who had accused Bishop Bell of abusing them as a child.

http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/campaigners-challenge-church-s-acceptance-of-bishop-george-bell-paedophile-allegations-1-7286544 

Half a century after her brother’s abuse, she takes fight to Hoyt Lakes cemetery

The nuns and priest who abused... and raped children... should only have a cross at their grave... we carried our cross of Shame... Pain... and Guilt... right throughout our lives... while these priest and nuns... walked this earth without a care in the world... as though they were god himself... they should not have a head stone... for all to see... the victim - survivors...do not need to have their sins... thrown up in their faces... every time they go to see a loved one... Ann

=============================

In a small cemetery on the eastern edge of the Iron Range, one gravestone sticks out.
Literally.

A granite headstone honoring the Rev. Thomas Stack, who founded the Catholic church across the street, sits atop a hill near the entrance of the Hoyt Lakes Memorial Cemetery. The stone is the only one permitted to stand above ground in the municipal cemetery.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/iron-range/3990953-half-century-after-her-brothers-abuse-she-takes-fight-hoyt-lakes-cemetery 

3 friars charged in sex-abuse case 1 They supervised man suspected of molesting more than 100

Three Franciscan friars charged with allowing a suspected sexual predator to hold jobs where he molested more than 100 children surrendered Friday in Pennsylvania, where they were confronted by the mother of one of his victims.
Robert D'Aversa, 69; Anthony Criscitelli, 62; and Giles Schinelli, 73, are free on unsecured bond until an April 14 preliminary hearing on child-endangerment and conspiracy charges. Each is a third-degree felony carrying up to seven years in prison.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/mar/19/3-friars-charged-in-sex-abuse-case-2016-1/ 

No, Pope Francis didn't exactly fire his ambassador to US -- yet

The headline was eye-catching, and most likely that was the goal: “Pope fires Vatican ambassador to U.S. over Kim Davis,” shouted the story this week in the left-leaning Daily Kos.
Pretty amazing, if it were true. In reality, Pope Francis’ current ambassador, or nuncio, to the U.S., Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, was still in his job, though that could change at any minute.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865650407/No-Pope-Francis-didnt-exactly-fire-his-ambassador-to-US----yet.html?pg=all 

Pennsylvania lobbyists are obstacle to changing sex abuse laws

I was in Harrisburg on Monday, and The Morning Call's Capitol correspondent, Steve Esack, helped me with some research while I attended a rally for child sex abuse statute-of-limitations reform and waited for a medical marijuana bill to finally hit the state House floor.
Here's what he came up with: The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, the umbrella group for every diocese and archdiocese in the state, spent $3.5 million on lobbying in Harrisburg between 2010 and 2015, according to Department of State records.

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/white/mc-bw-pennsylvania-lobbyists-20160319-column.html 

Former Catholic Church insider calls for police and royal commission to subpoena secret 'red files'

A former Catholic Church insider has called on police and the royal commission to subpoena all of the church's secret clergy abuse documents — known as the "red files".

Helen Last, a former coordinator of the Melbourne Archdiocese's Pastoral Response Office, said the full extent of church abuse would not be known until all the documents were made available.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-17/call-for-catholic-church-red-files-to-be-subpoenaed/7252882 

St. Cloud Diocese Named in Civil Lawsuit Over Sex Abuse Case

The Diocese of St. Cloud has been named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit involving a priest who has been accused of sexual abusing a minor.
Father Antonio Marfori was charged last October with sexually abusing a student while he was a teacher at St. Cloud Cathedral High School in the late 1970’s.

http://wjon.com/st-cloud-diocese-named-in-civil-lawsuit-over-sex-abuse-case/ 

Catholic Church has Made Great Strides in Protecting Children from Abuse and Helping Survivors Find Healing

The grand jury report detailing child sexual abuse going back decades in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown was shocking and heartbreaking. Even more alarming is that the tragedy of child sexual abuse today infiltrates every part of society.
No institution is more acutely aware of the harm, pain and anger caused by child sexual abuse than the Roman Catholic Church. The church has repeatedly acknowledged its mistakes and its role in the ongoing suffering experienced by survivors and their loved ones.

http://www.hbgdiocese.org/2016/03/18/catholic-church-has-made-great-strides-in-protecting-children-from-abuse-and-helping-survivors-find-healing/ 

Church cut contact with child abuse victim on order of insurers

A report by Ian Elliott, an expert in child safeguarding, has found "repeated failures" by clergy and bishops in the Church of England to deal with reports by survivors of child abuse.

A single survivor of child sex abuse told "over 40 members of the clergy during the 1970s, 80s, 90s and 2000s" of sexual abuse he had suffered at the hands of a senior member of the Church of England, but failed to receive an adequate response – including from people in "very senior positions within the Church" and the office of Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2016/03/church-cut-contact-with-child-abuse-victim-on-order-of-insurers 

Criminal charges filed against Franciscan friars in Pennsylvania abuse investigation

Three friars of the Third Order Regular Franciscans were criminally charged Monday in Pennsylvania with conspiracy and endangering children for their alleged role in enabling a brother in their order believed to have sexually abused upwards of 100 minors, primarily at a Catholic high school.
The charges were announced Tuesday by Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who acted on recommendations brought by the same statewide grand jury investigation that had also revealed widespread abuse and misconduct by priests and church officials in the Altoona-Johnstown, Pa., diocese.

http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/three-franciscan-friars-charged-alleged-role-enabling-clergy-sex-abuse-minors 

How did we let it happen?

Some People Live More in 20 Years…  …Than others do in 80. It's not the time that matters, it's the person.

The following was a response to someone who commented on my recent Hevria post about a Newsweek article detailing abuse and cover-up at Oholei Torah in Crown Heights. I’ve copied the comment here:
Abuse and its cover-ups should never be tolerated. Still, I take issue with your claim that the outrage will always be that the articles by secular outlets are anti-Semitic simply because this is such a searingly uncomfortable subject. It is pretty clear in the Newsweek article that they are pushing an agenda and trying to spread the idea that abuse like this happens BECAUSE of the nature of the religious/Chassidic community (this despite their “disclaimer” that abuse doesn’t necessarily occur more in Chassidic communities than secular). They misreport facts about the insularity of the culture and use their own misunderstandings as support for theories like “abuse is perpetuated because religious people are ignorant and close-minded”, beliefs that reek of bigotry. I think if issues were addressed with more respect, compassion, and empowerment, and less shaming and polarizing sensationalism, they’d be better received by the community and the focus would be less on the anti-Semitism of the article and more on solutions.

https://hareiani.com/2016/03/16/how-we-let-abuse-happen/

Devon man sexually abused by priest criticises police

A man who was sexually assaulted by a Church of England priest has criticised police accusing them of failing to investigate his complaint.
The victim, from Devon, says he told Devon and Cornwall Police about Vickery House's abuse in 2001 - 11 years before an investigation was launched. Last year the clergyman was jailed for six-and-a-half years for sex offences against boys and young men.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-35821458 

Under-fire French cardinal faces new accusations

A French cardinal accused of covering up the sexual abuse of children by a priest faced new accusations on Wednesday that he had promoted another cleric despite the man having a previous conviction for sexually abusing adult students.
Le Parisien newspaper reported that Archbishop of Lyon Philippe Barbarin had allowed an unnamed priest to take up a job in his diocese in central France despite the man having been given a suspended 18-month jail sentence for sexually abusing students in a residential home that he supervised.

http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/Under-fire-French-cardinal-faces-new-accusations_612949.html 

Children's Rights; Christian Abuse of innocent Children

In the past the Christian Church condoned all manner of evil done to children. It tried and executed them for witchcraft and for other offences. It saw nothing wrong in beating them frequently and severely for minor wrongdoing — even for other people's wrongdoing. It terrified them with stories of Hell. It allowed them to contract arranged marriages. It failed to speak out against child labour because it saw nothing at all wrong in the practice.
For many centuries the Church opposed the education of poor children, except in the few cases where boys could be drawn into its own service. Girls were denied education altogether. In punishing children for sins they had not committed, there seems to have been almost no concept of fairness or rights. Thus, the Church made much of the concept of bastardy:

http://www.badnewsaboutchristianity.com/gak_children.htm 

Bishop embarrassed by report into CofE's handling of abuse allegation

The Church of England's been told to change the way it deals with allegations of abuse after a damming report found its response to one case was "simply not acceptable".

The Elliott Review was commissioned in September 2015 to look into alleged sexual abuse committed against a man during the 1970s. His claims were made to a number of different people on separate occasions through the intervening years, both within and outside the Church, but no action was taken.

https://www.premierchristianradio.com/News/UK/Bishop-embarrassed-by-report-into-CofE-s-handling-of-abuse-allegation 

Religious leaders charged with letting predator molest children, Pennsylvania attorney general says

They knew who he was, and yet they put him in a place where he was like a kid in a candy store,” victims' attorney Richard Serbin said.  Three leaders of a Catholic-based religious order in Pennsylvania face felony conspiracy charges for allegedly allowing a friar -- an accused child predator -- to continue his work and molest numerous additional children in the course of his duties, authorities said Tuesday.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane filed the charges against the leaders of the Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regulars -- identified as Giles A. Schinelli, 73; Robert J. D'Aversa, 69; and Anthony M. Criscitelli, 61.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/03/15/Catholic-leaders-charged-with-letting-predator-molest-children-Pennsylvania-attorney-general-says/4351458079139/ 

French premier calls on Catholic cardinal to 'act' on abuse

France's prime minister appealed on Tuesday to a Catholic cardinal at the center of abuse cover-up allegations to take action, but stopped short of calling for his resignation.
Manuel Valls said Tuesday that Cardinal Philippe Barbarin should "take responsibility and talk and act." But Barbarin told a news conference he never concealed cases of child abuse reported to him.
Barbarin, Lyon's cardinal since 2003, said he may have made mistakes, but stressed "I have never, never, never covered up any act of pedophilia."

http://tucson.com/news/world/french-premier-calls-on-catholic-cardinal-to-act-on-abuse/article_9d75c1a7-0bad-5488-8e5c-decf4a28afee.html 

Pennsylvania Charges Ex-Leaders of Catholic Order With Aiding Sexual Predator

Three former leaders of a Franciscan religious order in Pennsylvania were charged with felonies on Tuesday for allowing a friar who was a known sexual predator to repeatedly work with children, including as a high school athletic trainer who massaged students naked, and pull some out of class for what a grand jury report called “private physical therapy sessions.”

Tuesday’s complaint was the first time members of a Roman Catholic religious order have been charged with aiding an abuser. While the church has faced thousands of lawsuits over sexual abuse by members of the clergy in the past decade, criminal prosecutions of the supervisors accused of covering up for abusers have been rare.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/franciscan-friars-charged-with-abetting-sexual-abuser-in-pennsylvania.html?emc=edit_tnt_20160315&nlid=63876270&tntemail0=y 

What's missing from that Pennsylvania grand-jury report

For anyone who has been following the sex-abuse scandal in the American Catholic Church, the Pennsylvania grand-jury report on the failures of the Altoona diocese follows a depressingly familiar pattern. There are the priests who molest adolescents (virtually always boys), the treatment centers that give the predators clean bills of health, enabling them to find more prey. But in the whole sad 145-page report (which is embedded in this Post-Gazette report) there are also some remarkable new features:

http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=1143 

Taboo, transgression, transformation: child abuse and the politics of acceptability

The fear of online paedophiles may be obscuring some deeper drivers of child abuse, as well as the potential offered by the web to prevent harm. The concept of taboo crossed many boundaries to find its way into the Western lexicon. Its linguistic origins are Tongan; it was one of the few genuinely productive cultural exchanges initiated by Captain James Cook. During a ceremonial engagement with local people, Cook invited some aboard his boat for dinner and noted:

Not one of them would sit down, or eat a bit of anything that was served up. On expressing my surprize at this, they were all taboo, as they said; which word has a very comprehensive meaning; but, in general, signifies that a thing is forbidden. Why they were laid under such restraints at present was not explained. 

https://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/lizzie-oshea/taboo-transgression-transformation-child-abuse-and-politics-of-acceptability 

Denby Fawcett: How Many Sexual Abuse Victims Still Suffer In Silence?

Editor’s Note: Civil Beat generally does not use anonymous sources, as noted in our long-standing policy. We’re making an exception here because of the importance of hearing a sexual abuse victim’s perspective, and the fact that court records, including a settlement with the Catholic Church, do not reveal his identity.

“I consider myself one of the lucky ones,” says a man who recently settled a sex abuse case against the Catholic Church.

MG, as he’s referred to in court records that keep his identify secret, says he feels “lucky” because after decades of battling alcoholism, drug addiction, mood disorders and depression, he’s at the point where he can begin to forgive three Catholic priests he says sexually assaulted him when he was too young to stop them.

http://www.civilbeat.com/2016/03/denby-fawcett-how-many-sexual-abuse-victims-still-suffer-in-silence/ 

Sexual Assault Lawyer Comments On Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Filed Against Former Catholic School

AbuseGuardian.com reports on a lawsuit filed against the Salesian Society, which is a Catholic order that ran a former boarding school called Mary Help of Christians School located in the East Lake area of Tampa. The suit was filed on Tuesday, March 8th, 2016.
The plaintiff filing this case claims that when he was just 12-years-old, he was singled out by one of the brothers at his boarding school, Mary Help of Christians, and was allegedly sexually abused until the age of 14. The victim feared disclosing the abuse to anyone after being taught that if he brought scandal to the church he would go to hell. To this day, he claims that even his wife and children are unaware of the abuse he suffered as a child, and he has gone to great lengths to conceal his identity within the lawsuit. His alleged abuser passed away in 1994, yet the school has faced almost a dozen lawsuits regarding sexual abuse which reportedly took place involving mostly three religious brothers and teachers at the school for several years. The plaintiff’s attorney, in this case, is familiar with other similar lawsuits which have taken place, and he estimates that $1 million has been paid out in settlements.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2870509 

French PM urges cardinal to ‘take responsibility’ in abuse scandal

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls yesterday urged a cardinal, accused of covering up the sexual abuse of young boys by a priest, to “take responsibility” in a case which has deeply embarrassed the French Church. Cardinal Philippe Barbarin hit back, insisting at a press conference:
“I have never covered up paedophilia.” The latest abuse scandal to hit the Catholic Church erupted when priest Bernard Preynat was charged in January, after victims came forward with claims he had sexually abused Scouts between 1986 and 1991.

http://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/french-pm-urges-cardinal-take-responsibility-abuse-scandal/

Death of San Antonio priest in abuse case ruled suicide

San Antonians who best knew Father Virgilio Elizondo, the friendly-faced religious scholar, beloved priest, celebrated professor and author of numerous books, used words such as "devastated" and "shocked" to describe their feelings about his death Monday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
For them, the San Antonian who grew up on the city's West Side will be remembered as the altar boy at Christ the King Catholic Church, the Eagle Scout, the boy whose studious nature made him a role model for other Mexican-Americans reaching for higher education and professions at a time when institutions rejected them.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Death-of-San-Antonio-priest-in-abuse-case-called-6892264.php 

MN priest indicted for alleged coverup

The head of a Catholic parish in Minneapolis has been indicted in Pennsylvania on charges he helped cover up cases of priest abuse there.
Father Anthony Criscitelli of St. Bridget’s Parish was accused with two other members of the Franciscan Friars of one count each of child endangerment and criminal conspiracy. Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced the indictment Tuesday.

http://www.kare11.com/news/crime/mn-priest-indicted-for-alleged-coverup/83722055 

Pa Attorney General credits man for speaking up for child sex abuse victims

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane is crediting one man for speaking up for victims of child sexual abuse by priests.
Kane thanked George Foster Tuesday morning during a press conference where she announced the filing of criminal charges against three Franciscan Friars for their role in the Brother Stephen Baker case.

http://wjactv.com/news/local/pa-attorney-general-credits-man-for-speaking-up-for-child-sex-abuse-victims 

Under-fire French cardinal denies covering up child sex abuse

LOURDES: A French cardinal on Tuesday denied accusations he covered up the sexual abuse of children amid a growing scandal that has deeply embarrassed the Catholic Church in France.
Even the fiercely secular French government weighed in, with Prime Minister Manuel Valls urging Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, to “take responsibility” in the case.

http://www.manilatimes.net/breaking_news/under-fire-french-cardinal-denies-covering-up-child-sex-abuse/ 

Archbishop Carey 'failed to pass priest abuse claims on to police', inquiry told

Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey delayed a "proper investigation" into a senior priest's paedophile crimes for two decades by failing to pass information to police, an inquiry heard.
A lawyer for three victims of Peter Ball, the disgraced former Bishop of Lewes and Bishop of Gloucester, made the claim to Dame Lowell Goddard's public inquiry into child sex abuse.

http://www.careappointments.co.uk/care-news/england/item/39260-archbishop-carey-failed-to-pass-priest-abuse-claims-on-to-police-inquiry-told 

Growing sex abuse scandal rocks French Catholic Church

A French cardinal at the centre of a paedophile scandal came under renewed pressure on Tuesday when another witness accused him of covering up sex abuse and the French prime minister told him to take responsibility for his actions.

Bishops from across France met in the sanctuary of Lourdes for their annual behind-closed-doors conference on Tuesday, just as a paedophile rocked the catholic church and beyond.

http://www.thelocal.fr/20160315/paeodophile-scandal-rocks-french-catholic-church 

Call for pedophiles to get 25 years jail

Survivors of child sex abuse have told an inquiry of their frustrations over a criminal justice system that sometimes treats them like the guilty ones.
A child sexual abuse survivor has called for 25-year mandatory sentences for all pedophiles.
Mark Lawrence told the sex abuse royal commission on Tuesday he went through 15 years of hell in the criminal justice system before the man who repeatedly sexually molested him when he was aged 14 was finally jailed.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/03/15/call-pedophiles-get-25-years-jail

Northlake Woman Files Suit Against Church Over Alleged Priest Abuse

A 34-year-old woman, known only as Jane Doe 247, says she was sexually abused by a priest at St. John’s The Baptist Church in Northlake from the ages of 14 to 17.
“I was stunned the first time he touched me inappropriately. I didn’t know what to think. He was a man of the cloth,” Jane Doe tearfully recalled. Now, she is suing the parish and the Melkite Catholic Church.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/03/14/northlake-woman-files-suit-against-greek-church-over-alleged-priest-abuse/ 

Priest admits to relaying confidential documents in 'Vatileaks' trial

During a Vatican City trial on Monday over a case in which five individuals are accused of leaking and disseminating confidential financial documents, a former Vatican official said he relayed documents only under duress.
“Yes, I passed documents,” Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, a former secretary of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs, told Vatican prosecutors March 14. “I was convinced I was in a situation without exit.”

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/priest-admits-to-relaying-confidential-documents-in-vatileaks-trial-20017/ 

Editorial: Records of alleged priest abuse should go public

Catholic Church leaders often take public positions, staking out what to them is the high moral ground and calling for action on a wide range of social issues ranging from immigrant rights to climate change to abortion to food stamp rules.
But their high road has developed a significant pothole from the refusal to make public the church records involved in the Gallup diocese’s bankruptcy case, including personnel files of alleged pedophile priests.

http://www.abqjournal.com/740581/opinion/records-of-alleged-priest-abuse-should-go-public.html 

Child sexual abuse compensation could be paid in state schemes

Child sexual abuse survivors have joined the Catholic Church to call on the Turnbull government to commit to a national redress scheme, fearing they will receive different levels of compensation, depending on where they were abused, through state-run schemes.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse last year recommended the federal government establish a single national redress scheme for 60,000 survivors, which it said was "the most effective structure for ensuring justice for survivors" and the most cost-efficient model. The "next-best option" was for state and territory governments to run their own schemes, it said.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/child-abuse-compensation-could-be-paid-in-state-schemes-20160315-gnjcyn.html 

NZ First want child sex offender register public

UPDATED: 4.32PM The New Zealand First party is demanding a planned child sex offender register be open to the public.
Parliament's currently considering legislation that would create such a register - however it would be closed with it to be only accessible by specified government agencies.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/crime/nz-first-want-child-sex-offender-register-public/ 

What’s the State of the Church’s Child Abuse Crisis?

The first report that church officials received about Father Shawn Ratigan, compiled by a Kansas City Catholic school principal in May 2010, was troubling.
Ratigan had taken hundreds of photographs of children, Julie Hess, the principal, wrote to church officials. He had tried to interact with kids on Facebook, and sometimes had physical contact with children in ways that appeared to other adults to be “boundary violations.”A pair of girl’s underwear was found in a planter in his backyard.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/whats-the-state-of-the-churchs-child-abuse-crisis/ 

How Childhood Trauma Created Christian Myth— And Why It Matters to Atheists

Amid heated debate about religion, a simple fact with profound implications has gone almost entirely unnoticed: that the myths underlying some of the most widespread religions portray themes related to childhood corporal punishment, abandonment, and neglect. Perhaps the presence of such themes should not be surprising, given that the world’s major religions arose from historical contexts where abusive and traumatizing childrearing practices were a cultural norm. 
Of the religions widely practiced today, the traumatic themes are most transparent, pervasive, and close to the surface in the myths of Christianity—hence the focus of this article. To begin, we’ll briefly review evidence pertaining to childhood corporal punishment in the West, with an emphasis on the ancient world in which Christianity arose. We’ll then explore how themes of childhood trauma are reflected in Christian myth. At the end, I’ll offer my thoughts about how these ideas may be of particular value to those who embrace atheism, rationalism, and humanism.

https://richarddawkins.net/2016/03/how-childhood-trauma-created-christian-myth-and-why-it-matters-to-atheists/