Former Passaic priest is found guilty of luring in case involving teen parishioner

A former Passaic priest faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted Tuesday of sex charges in a case in which he was accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl, though he was acquitted of the most serious charge against him.

Jose Lopez, 37, showed no emotion as a jury in Superior Court in Paterson found him guilty of luring, child endangerment and criminal sexual contact. The panel found him not guilty of attempted sexual assault.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/former-passaic-priest-is-found-guilty-of-luring-in-case-involving-teen-parishioner-1.1623100 

Expert resigns from ‘doomed’ Scots historical child abuse inquiry

An independent expert has resigned from his position on Scotland’s child abuse inquiry claiming it is “doomed” due to Scottish Government interference.
Professor Michael Lamb, a professor of psychology at Cambridge University, said the inquiry’s fact-finding was being “constrained” and “micro-managed” by ministers. 

http://www.scotsman.com/news/expert-resigns-from-doomed-scots-historical-child-abuse-inquiry-1-4164470 

Graphic testimony outlines alleged sexual abuse, counseling session in Word of Life case

UTICA, N.Y. - Testimony continues Tuesday in the Sarah Ferguson trial. NewsChannel 2’s Joleen Ferris is in Oneida County court live tweeting. Follow her at @joleenferris for updates.
Witness Grace Leonard, 16, took the stand. She is Sarah’s sister and a lifelong member of the Word of Life church.

http://www.wktv.com/news/Graphic_testimony_outlines_alleged_sexual_abuse_counseling_session_in_Word_of_Life_case_.html 

Family of Lichtenegger’s victims says church knew history of sexual violence, allowed him access to kids anyway

A civil lawsuit filed in Johnson County District Court claims that Westside Family Church leaders knew Kessler Lichtenegger posed a threat to minors, but allowed him to participate in church youth activities anyway.

Claiming that church leaders knew about his history of sexual misconduct and allowed him unsupervised access to minors anyway, the family of the latest victims of former SM East student Kessler Lichtenegger have sued Westside Family Church in Lenexa.

http://shawneemissionpost.com/2016/06/09/family-of-lichteneggers-victims-says-church-knew-history-of-sexual-violence-allowed-him-access-to-kids-anyway-51304 

NT attorney general recounts abusive childhood and says: 'Do not become a victim'

John Elferink tells parliament that as a police officer he used to raid places he had been raped in his youth, in the hope of ‘rescuing any other child’
The Northern Territory attorney general has used his farewell speech to parliament to recount his experience as a child sexual abuse survivor and tell others not to “become a victim”.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jun/28/nt-attorney-general-recounts-abusive-childhood-and-says-do-not-become-a-victim 

Lifting of child sex abuse statutes of limitations urged

Alleged sex abuse victims of Archbishop Anthony Apuron and their supporters urged the passage of the Bill 326-33, authored by Sen. Frank Blas Jr. that would amend the law relative to the statute of limitations in cases involving child sex abuse, during a public hearing yesterday, June 27 at the Guam Legislature.

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/lifting-of-child-sex-abuse-statutes-of-limitations-urged/article_7095dcb6-3c47-11e6-868f-2b1e324a4ac2.html 

Pope Francis has a long way to go if he wants to get lapsed Catholics back

I like Pope Francis.  In our home, he goes primarily by his unofficial title: His Holiness Pope Coolpants. He reminds me of another old Catholic dude I was extremely fond of, my grandfather, and his willingness to say things that Catholics don't really like to hear (gays are people/birth control pills — turns out they're not the Devil's Smarties) endears him greatly to me, an ex-Catholic who can still recite the Act of Contrition and has a box full of saint trading cards. I'm still looking for St. Tekakwitha, if anyone can hook a lapsie up.

http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/1125075/pope-francis-gays-abuse 

Archbishop Hon 'Deeply Moved' but Protesters Want Apuron Defrocked

Protesters have changed their message from "Apuron Resign" to "Defrock Apuron."  Guam- The number of Catholic protesters has been growing in the last few weeks. 

They were at it again yesterday, picketing in front of the Cathedral Basilica, but this time their message was different.

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/9905 

Catholic bishop apologizes for ‘betrayal’ of sexual abuse

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (RNS) A single chime rang out after each abuse victim’s statement was read over the speakers at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Kansas City, a solemn echo to enduring pain.
It was a simple, symbolic gesture but one that had an almost inexpressible resonance for those who had been abused, and for many Catholics in a diocese so identified with clergy abuse that its last bishop was forced to resign.

http://religionnews.com/2016/06/27/catholic-bishop-apologizes-for-betrayal-of-sexual-abuse/ 

Catholic Church needs to be part of the solution to sexual abuse law reform

Earlier this month, Pope Francis translated his much-discussed “breath of fresh” air into action when it comes to cracking down on the sexual abuse crisis that has crippled the church in recent years.
The pope changed church law so that bishops who may be looking the other way when it comes to predatory priests can more easily be removed.

http://www.irishcentral.com/Catholic-Church-needs-to-be-part-of-the-solution-to-sexual-abuse-law-reform.html 

Bishops oppose bid to lower age of criminal liability

Incoming Philippine president aims to lower minimum child prosecution ceiling from 15 to 12 years old.  The Philippine bishops' Commission on Pastoral Care has voiced strong opposition to a plan by the incoming administration to lower the minimum age for child prosecutions from 15 to 12.
"These kids are victims themselves so why penalize them?" said Rodolfo Diamante, executive secretary of the commission.

http://www.ucanews.com/news/bishops-oppose-bid-to-lower-age-of-criminal-liability/76347 

Castor says sex-abuse bill would violate Pa. Constitution

HARRISBURG - Four lawyers, including the top aide to the Pennsylvania attorney general, told a state Senate panel Monday that a bill to let child sex-abuse victims sue for decades-old attacks would violate the state's constitution and ultimately fail if challenged in the courts.
"However righteous the policy goals behind [the bill], the General Assembly in its zeal cannot overrule a state constitutional right," said Bruce L. Castor Jr., the former Montgomery County prosecutor who was appointed solicitor general this year by Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane.

http://articles.philly.com/2016-06-15/news/73771611_1_law-professor-statute-top-aide 

Altoona-Johnstown Diocese: serial predator priest on leave as precaution

The Altoona-Johnstown Diocese on Tuesday confirmed it had placed on leave a predator priest named in two sex abuse lawsuits.
Tony DeGol, spokesman for the diocese, said Bishop Mark Bartchak had placed the Rev. Charles Bodziak on leave in January "as a precautionary measure" pending further investigations into multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including child sexual abuse, leveled on the priest dating back more than 30 years.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/06/altoona_priest_sex_abuse_lawsu_1.html 

Judge, survivors sign off on Gallup Diocese settlement

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Victims of predatory priests and workers with the Diocese of Gallup have finally agreed to and won a multi-million dollar settlement for their claims, a federal judge ruled this morning.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma in May approved a plan for the payments, but the plan had to be approved by a vote among claimants.

http://www.abqjournal.com/795570/judge-survivors-sign-off-on-gallup-diocese-settlement.html 

The Human Spirit: Spotlight

‘The message we got was to be quiet, to forgive and forget, and not to ruin the life of such an esteemed teacher. “Think of his children,” they dare to say to me. What about my children?' 

How fortunate, thought Miriam (a pseudonym), a mother of eight. Her fourth son in a row was going to get the school’s most venerated eighth-grade teacher.

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-Human-Spirit-Spotlight-457665 

Pope: Bishops to face sacking for child abuse ‘negligence’

Apostolic letter stresses need for ‘special diligence’ in caring for minors and vulnerable adults. VATICAN CITY – Catholic bishops guilty of negligence in child abuse cases can now be dismissed from office, Pope Francis said Saturday in a move hiking pressure on the Church’s hierarchy. 

The move was announced just two weeks after the pope came under fire for meeting a top French cardinal accused of covering up for a pedophile priest in a scandal that has shaken France’s Catholic Church.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/pope-bishops-to-face-sacking-for-child-abuse-negligence/ 

Connecticut yeshiva principal accused of raping student repeatedly

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut rabbi is accused of raping and molesting a teenage boy hundreds of times when the boy was a student at a Jewish boarding school in New Haven from 2001 to 2005, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court.

The former student, Eliyahu Mirlis, now 28, of New Jersey, accuses Rabbi Daniel Greer, principal of the Yeshiva of New Haven school, of sexual abuse. The Associated Press generally does not name people who allege sexual assault, but Mirlis wanted to come forward, said his lawyer, Antonio Ponvert.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/connecticut-yeshiva-principal-accused-of-raping-student-repeatedly/ 

Police Arrest Former Pastor Paul Cunningham

Police arrested former Los Alamos Pastor Paul Cunningham last Friday evening on San Ildefonso Road and charged him with two counts of sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents obtained by the Los Alamos Daily Post, investigators executed a search warrant at Cunningham's home, at 4732 Brisa Del Bosque, and found more than 400 explicit images of children and nine pornographic videos on computers belonging to Cunningham. Twenty-two of the images had been shared through several social media sites.

http://www.ladailypost.com/content/police-arrest-former-pastor-paul-cunningham 

Lawmakers take step toward eliminating statute of limitations for sex crime prosecutions

The state Senate approved a measure on Wednesday that would end the statute of limitations for rape and several other sex crimes in California.
The measure by Sen. Connie Leyva (D-Chino) would allow the indefinite criminal prosecution of rape, sodomy, lewd or lascivious acts, continuous sexual abuse of a child, oral copulation and sexual penetration.

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-essential-politics-state-senate-votes-to-eliminat-1464806279-htmlstory.html 

New bishop, new healing after Kansas City diocese’s sex abuse scandal

Nearly incomprehensible suffering preceded where the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph will humbly place itself on Sunday.
The diocese seeks reconciliation. The new bishop, installed last fall, will make a public apology for decades of sexual abuse committed by diocesan priests.

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/mary-sanchez/article85731582.html

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/mary-sanchez/article85731582.html#storylink=cpy

Girl's mother and former pastor testify in Passaic priest's attempted rape trial

A Passaic woman testified on Tuesday that her 14-year-old daughter told her a priest at a Catholic church in her neighborhood sat her on his lap and touched her inappropriately three years ago.

The mother, whose name is being withheld to protect her daughter’s identity, testified in Superior Court in Paterson that the family lived across the street from the St. Mary’s Assumption Church on Market Street, where The Rev. Jose Lopez was a priest.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/girl-s-mother-and-former-pastor-testify-in-passaic-priest-s-attempted-rape-trial-1.1619348 

Altoona-Johnstown priest named in sex abuse lawsuit; attorney hopeful claims will circumvent time-barred statute

A priest who was named a child predator in a grand jury report on widespread clergy sex abuse in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese was on Tuesday named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit filed by two women who claim he molested them as children.
The women filed the lawsuits in Blair County court against the Rev. Charles F. Bodziak, the diocese and several church officials.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/06/altoona_priest_sex_abuse_lawsu.html#incart_river_index 

Former St Ambrose pupils' radio documentary 'The Abuse Trial' wins big in New York

A LANDMARK radio documentary about the crimes of jailed teacher Alan Morris has won Gold at the prestigious New York Festivals. Former St Ambrose College pupil David Nolan made a documentary 'The Abuse Trial' for BBC Radio 4 back in January.
It focuses on the case of Alan Morris, the former deacon who was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2014 for a string of sexual abuses carried out on St Ambrose schoolboys between the 1970s and early 1990s.

http://www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/14570734.Former_St_Ambrose_pupils__radio_documentary__The_Abuse_Trial__wins_big_in_New_York/ 

Blair County attorney announces new civil lawsuits against suspended priest

ALTOONA – Civil lawsuits have been filed in Blair County against a priest who was identified as an alleged sexual predator in a report issued by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General earlier this year, and who most recently served a parish in Cambria County.

Two female plaintiffs have accused the Rev. Charles Bodziak of molesting them over a period of years, beginning when they were younger than 10, according to their attorney, Richard Serbin.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/blair-county-attorney-announces-new-civil-lawsuits-against-suspended-priest/article_3418e194-37aa-11e6-a6e5-bf8a61db9ba5.html 

Enquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Non- Government Organisations

I am writing to provide some further information by way of a brief postscript to theevidence I was able to give to the Committee in relation to the Salesian issues.
I .Fr Chambers’ evidence,  I note that in his public evidence to the Committee of April 29 2013, Fr Chambers made the following statement:

http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/fcdc/inquiries/57th/Child_Abuse_Inquiry/Right_of_Reply/Right_of_Reply_Prof_Patrick_Parkinson.pdf 

Laotian man arrested at Los Angeles-area monastery on state child pornography charges

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A Laotian man in the United States on a religious worker visa is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in state court on charges of possessing and distributing child pornography, following a probe by the Riverside County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Kounzong Saebphang, 26, of Laos, is charged with two felony criminal counts. He was arrested June 1 at the Wat Lao Buddhist Monastery in Riverside where he resided as a monk. The arrest came following the execution of a federal search warrant at that location.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/laotian-man-arrested-los-angeles-area-monastery-state-child-pornography-charges 

No action taken on child sex crime bill by Senate panel; negotiations on amendments continue

The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who last week stacked a hearing in favor of opponents seeking to defeat a proposed child sex crime reform bill, on Wednesday evening struck a more sensitive tone to victims of child sex abuse when asked why the panel had not taken action on the bill.
Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery County, said House Bill 1947 had not been taken up during a breakout meeting of the session on Wednesday because of ongoing negotiations to the bill.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/06/statute_of_limitations_child_s_2.html#incart_river_home 

PA Senate to Reject ‘Dangerous’ Child Sex Abuse Provision

Bill applies retroactive sex abuse charges to Church, spares public institutions.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (ChurchMilitant.com) - A Pennsylvania senate committee is set to scrap a provision within proposed reforms to the current child sex abuse statute of limitations that would apply the amendments retroactively.

http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/pa-senate-to-reject-dangerous-child-sex-abuse-provision 

New guidelines forbid Montreal Catholic priests, lay workers to be alone with children

MONTREAL – Invoking past sexual abuse scandals and the need to create a “healthy and safe environment” in its churches, the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Montreal has announced new guidelines to ensure priests and lay workers are never alone with children.
“Recent events have brought to light the horrific reality of abuse of minors and vulnerable persons by members of the Church,” Christian Lépine, archbishop of Montreal, wrote in a message to the faithful dated Wednesday.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/religion/new-guidelines-forbid-montreal-catholic-priests-lay-workers-to-be-alone-with-children 

GA church hires youth pastor accused of child sexual abuse — only to have him allegedly do it again

uestions are being raised in Marietta, Georgia, as to how a man charged with sexually abusing a child when he worked as a youth pastor in 2013 could be hired as a youth pastor this year, in a position where he is again accused of sexual abuse, 11Alive reports.
Alexander Edwards has been charged in two cases, one from 2013 and one from this year.

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/06/ga-church-hires-youth-pastor-accused-of-child-sexual-abuse-only-to-have-him-allegedly-do-it-again/ 

Pesch: Child sexual abuse allegations prompt legal questions

We, as a community, are finally having a conversation that we should have had years, if not decades, ago. That conversation centers around child sexual abuse within a religious setting. Because of recent events, we are currently focused on the Catholic church and more specifically on the allegations pending against Guam’s top Catholic leader, Archbishop Anthony Apuron.
I am hopeful, as are others, that over the next few weeks and months this conversation will be broadened to include what legal action can be taken against any and all child sexual abusers who hold religious positions and those in leadership positions who did little or nothing to stop the abuse.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/opinion/columnists/2016/06/19/pesch-child-sexual-abuse-allegations-prompt-legal-questions/86073758/ 

Outing a Charismatic Sexual Predator

I am not inclined to dwell on stories of sexual abuse. Not because I don’t think they are serious issues. Of course I do. They are perhaps among the most serious issues affecting the Orthodox world. Sex abuse is as much a part of Orthodoxy as it is in the rest of the world. Experts in the field generally testify to that effect.

The argument against such thinking has always been that a Torah based life will preclude such behavior… that our sense of ethics and morality will hold sway over us. While that may generally be true, we are not the only ones that have a moral code or lead lives based on biblical values. 

 

http://haemtza.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/outing-charismatic-sexual-predator.html 

New faces join protesters against Archbishop Apuron

Protesters filled the walkway in front of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica on Sunday morning, marching as they have at different locations around Guam for the last few months.
The protests have called for Archbishop Anthony Apuron to resign as head of Guam’s Catholic church. And while the initial protesters mostly accused Apuron of mismanagement, the last few weeks have been all about sexual abuse accusations stemming from incidents more than 30 years ago.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/06/19/new-faces-join-protesters-against-archbishop-apuron/86108796/ 

Statute of Limitations Developments

Amid reports that the fix is in to gut House Bill 1947, the bill that would reform statute of limitations laws in cases of child sex abuse, a group of current and former Philadelphia district attorneys issued a press release supporting the bill in its current form.
I don't ordinarily run press releases, but I'll make an exception, because these are people whose investigations into predators in the Philadelphia Archdiocese led to two damning grand jury reports.

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/white/blog/mc-district-attorneys-support-hb-1947-20160623-column.html 

Jurors deliberate in trial of Passaic priest accused of molesting 14-year-old girl

Jurors in Paterson started deliberating Thursday in the trial of a former Passaic priest who is accused of sexually molesting a 14-year-old girl three years ago.

Passaic County prosecutors said during a trial in Superior Court in Paterson that the Rev. Jose Lopez took the girl to his private living quarters inside the St. Mary’s Church on Market Street, placed her on his lap and touched her inappropriately.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/jurors-deliberate-in-trial-of-passaic-priest-accused-of-molesting-14-year-old-girl-1.1621026 

KS--Sex offending church workers -1 from Canada-are "outed"

Group demands that Mennonite Church USA end its practice of keeping secret files on clergy with sexual misconduct charges
A support group for survivors of sexual abuse is announcing the addition of five new names to their Mennonite Abuse Prevention (MAP) list. To be placed on the MAP list, offenders must have been named elsewhere through established media sources, internal institutional documents, court records, or any combination of the above.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ks_sex_offending_church_workers_1_from_canada_are_outed 

Priests, catholic volunteers will no longer be alone with children

The archdiocese of Montreal is implementing a plan that would forbid priests and church volunteers from being alone with children.
Final details of the plan are still being worked out as the Catholic Church looks for ten parishes in and around the city to implement the pilot project later this year.  Canon Francois Sarrazin said that given the scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church, the plan makes sense.

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/priests-catholic-volunteers-will-no-longer-be-alone-with-children-1.2958787 

Estimated lost income potential for orphanage boys in millions

The combined potential lost income for three John Does because of the possible effect on their lives from their Mount Cashel experiences might have hit as high as $6 million.

The figures given for the three men differ because one man is retired from the military, another is a retired teacher and the third had a career affected by alcohol use.

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2016-06-23/article-4569097/Estimated-lost-income-potential-for-orphanage-boys-in-millions/1 

Victims feel cheated after priest facing sexual assault charges dies before going to trial

Victims of an alleged pedophile priest, whose trial was repeatedly delayed, say his death this week has robbed them of the chance to confront him.
Linus Bastien died June 19 at home in Petrolia after his case dragged on with repeated delays for five years. He was 89.  One of Bastien’s alleged victims from St. Mary church in Maidstone said he was disappointed when he learned of the priest’s death.

http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/victims-feel-cheated-after-priest-facing-sexual-assault-charges-dies-before-going-to-trial 

Youth pastor facing molestation charges also charged in south Georgia

MARIETTA, GA – 11Alive News has learned a Marietta youth pastor accused of molesting an 11-year-old boy was charged in another incident near Albany, Ga., three years ago.
But Alexander Edwards’ case was never prosecuted there until recently.  11Alive News is looking into how a serious felony charged involving sexual abuse of children could fall through the cracks.

http://www.11alive.com/news/crime/youth-pastor-facing-molestation-charges-also-charged-in-south-georgia/252724260

Prosecutors still mulling porn charge against Hibbing priest

The St. Louis County Attorney's Office still is deciding whether to move forward with a charge of possessing child pornography against Brian Lederer, the Catholic priest who on Monday was found not guilty on separate charges of inappropriately touching four girls.

A jury of six men and six women took less than two hours to find Lederer not guilty of charges that stemmed from allegations by four girls, ages 11-13 at the time, that Lederer had touched them inappropriately.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/crime-and-courts/4059780-prosecutors-still-mulling-porn-charge-against-hibbing-priest 

Catholic League President celebrates defeat of Child Victims Act, says bill was pushed by activists 'out to rape the Catholic Church'

ALBANY — The gloating head of the Catholic League on Monday ripped into the “victims’ lobby” he says is out to “rape” the Catholic Church over the issue of child sex abuse.
In a vitriolic message emailed to his supporters, Catholic League President Bill Donohue celebrated the defeat of the Child Victims Act that would have made it easier for kid sex abuse victims to seek justice.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/catholic-league-president-celebrates-defeat-child-victims-act-article-1.2680722 

Why Does the Rabbinical Council of America Refuse to Protect Children from Child Molesters?

Six weeks ago, I emailed Rabbi Mark Dratch, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), and published a detailed letter expressing my concern that the RCA was not doing nearly enough to protect Orthodox children from sexual assault.
The 2,000-word letter pointed out how the RCA hasn’t implemented or enforced four separate sets of child-safety resolutions that it has adopted over the last 23 years. I asked him to require that all RCA rabbis publicly prohibit from their synagogues, schools and yeshivas anyone convicted of a child sex crime. I wrote this letter in part because, in a phone call that I had with Rabbi Dratch 7 months ago, he told me that he wouldn’t commit to enforcing the RCA child protection resolutions or require rabbis to ban child sex offenders from Orthodox institutions.

https://www.algemeiner.com/2016/06/22/why-does-the-rabbinical-council-of-america-refuse-to-protect-children-from-child-molesters/ 

Gallup Diocese Clergy Abuse Settlement Approved

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup, N.M., on Tuesday won court approval of its plan to compensate clergy sexual abuse victims, paving the way for it to exit bankruptcy.
Following a hearing at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Albuquerque, N.M., Judge David Thuma signed off on the $25 million plan, which is largely funded by contributions from the diocese, insurance carriers, parishes and sales of the diocese’s property.

http://blogs.wsj.com/bankruptcy/2016/06/22/gallup-diocese-clergy-abuse-settlement-approved/ 

Convicted Peeping-Tom Rabbi Barry Freundel Wants His Jail Sentence Reduced to One Year

Barry Freundel, the former rabbi of Georgetown’s Kesher Israel synagogue who pleaded guilty last year to secretly filming a women’s changing room at a ritual Jewish bath, was back in court Tuesday appealing his jail sentence. Freundel argued in DC’s Court of Appeals that the six-and-a-half year sentence he received last year on a slew of voyeurism charges was illegal and should be reduced to less than a year.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2016/06/21/georgetown-rabbi-barry-freundel-appealing-voyeurism-sentence/ 

Meir Pogrow’s Manipulations as Remembered by a Seminary Student

I knew this rabbi. 18 years ago, I came to Israel for the year to study Torah in a seminary [Michlalah] where he taught. He lived on campus with his young family in the apartment right beneath mine. From the first time I met him, my overwhelming gut instinct was to stay away. There was something creepy about the way he knew all of our SAT scores by heart, even before we arrived. The way he knew exactly who was registered for an Ivy League college.

https://frumfollies.wordpress.com/2016/06/21/meir-pogrows-manipulations-as-remembered-by-a-seminary-student/ 

The Rise of Pope Francis

Typically, priests are selected for auxiliary bishop – the first rung up the hierarchical career ladder – from those who have distinguished themselves working for the (arch)diocese. For example, the new auxiliary bishop in Philadelphia had been coordinator and spiritual director of the archdiocesan seminary, an auditor and had served on three boards for the archdiocese in addition to heading five parishes
At the time he was chosen in 1992 as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, Fr. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was assigned to the Jesuit Church in the city of Córdoba, 435 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, and had never held a position working for the archdiocese.

https://opentabernacle.wordpress.com/2016/06/22/the-rise-of-pope-francis/ 

Everything You Need to Know About Victor Barnard, the Creepy Cult Leader Accused of Sexually Assaulting Minors

It's hard to believe anyone could rape and brainwash so many people and get away with it for so long, but Victor Barnard did. The Minnesota religious cult leader convinced 150 people he was like God, invited them all to live on an isolated campground, and coerced the parents in the group into letting him rape their oldest daughters (his "maidens") for years, all in the name of Jesus Christ.

http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/06/pine-county-minnesota-sex-offender-victor-barnard.html 

Movie Review: Spotlight

The gritty realism of double Academy award winning movie Spotlight is a reminder of what can be achieved when the writers, director and cast stay resolutely true to the ideals of storytelling.
Spotlight would have failed the emotional test if it had succumbed to over dramatising the true story of how Boston reporters revealed the shocking extent of sexual abuse by priests.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/aucklander/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503372&objectid=11661331 

Lawsuits: Sisters abused by same central Pennsylvania priest

ALTOONA (AP) — Two sisters have sued a Catholic priest, his central Pennsylvania diocese and two ex-bishops who supervised him, saying the cleric molested them repeatedly as girls — including one at her first Communion party.
The younger sister, who is now 47, said she met the Rev. Charles Bodziak at St. Leo Church in Altoona, where he was the parish priest, when she was in second grade. At the party her parents threw after her first Communion, Bodziak groped her buttocks and gave her an open mouth kiss, according to the lawsuit.

https://www.indianagazette.com/news/reg-national-world/lawsuits-sisters-abused-by-same-central-pennsylvania-priest,24445974/ 

Pennsylvania judge orders three priests to trial in sex abuse case

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania judge on Wednesday ordered three Franciscan friars to stand trial on charges they endangered boys by assigning a fourth cleric they knew to be a sexual predator to work at a Catholic high school in the 1990s.
Magisterial District Judge Paula Aigner ordered Fathers Giles Schinelli, 73; Robert D’Aversa, 69, and Anthony Criscitelli, 61, to stand trial in Blair County Court of Common Pleas in Hollidaysburg, Pa., on felony charges of endangering the welfare of children and conspiracy. No date for the trial was set.

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/reuters/news/nation/20160427_Reuters_Report_tagreuterscom2016newsmlKCN0XO2P5_Pennsylvania_judge_orders_three_priests_to_trial_in_sex_abuse_case.html 

Lawsuits: Sisters abused by same Pennsylvania priest as kids

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) - Two sisters have sued a Catholic priest, his central Pennsylvania diocese and two ex-bishops who supervised him, saying the cleric molested them repeatedly as girls - including one at her first Communion party.

The younger sister, who is now 47, said she met the Rev. Charles Bodziak at St. Leo Church in Altoona, where he was the parish priest, when she was in second grade. At the party her parents threw after her first Communion, Bodziak groped her buttocks and gave her an open mouth kiss, according to the lawsuit.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160621_ap_ecfd47db59754a8e9cb27c577997fe19.html 

Newall: A long overdue quest for healing and justice

There is a bill before the state Senate that would do something real - something lasting - for survivors of sexual abuse. Something that would allow so many the opportunity for justice they have long been denied. Something that could help them heal - that could help them ease and carry their burdens.
Passed by the House on April 12, H.B. 1947 would eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for sexual abuse and extend the civil statutes by 20 years, until victims turn 50. It would allow victims to sue over abuse that occurred decades ago.

http://articles.philly.com/2016-05-12/news/73017917_1_sexual-abuse-abuse-survivor-abuse-allegations 

Altoona-Johnstown abuse changed minds

Rep. Thomas Caltagirone was disgusted. The veteran Democrat from Reading had been one of the Catholic Church's staunchest political allies for years, but by March he had hit a breaking point.
A state grand jury had exposed clergy sex abuse in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese and a bishop who used an internal payment chart to dole out money, correlating to the degree of the victim's abuse. This, after Jerry Sandusky and two damning grand jury reports in a decade about predator priests in Philadelphia.

http://articles.philly.com/2016-05-09/news/72935691_1_abuse-victim-catholic-church-house-bill 

Malverne pastor steps down Accused of misconduct with a minor

The Rev. Frank Parisi, the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Malverne for the past 11 years, announced in an open letter to parishioners last weekend that he had been accused of “inappropriate behavior with a minor” in an incident that occurred just over 20 years ago.
Parisi wrote that the allegations were presented to the diocese during the previous week, and that in accordance with diocesan policy, he had left his position at Our Lady of Lourdes. “I have voluntarily stepped away from active ministry until such time that these allegations have been investigated and I have been cleared of them,” he wrote. “I would ask you to pray for me during this difficult time.”

http://liherald.com/malverne/stories/Malverne-pastor-steps-down,80833 

Assignment Record– Msgr. George V. Rieffer

Summary of Case: George V. Rieffer was ordained for the Santa Fe archdiocese in 1939. He quickly rose to prominence in the archdiocese, holding many leadership positions throughout his career which included Assistant to the Archbishop early on, roles with the Marriage and Archdiocesan Tribunals, Archdiocesan Consultors, Dean, and ultimately, Vicar General. Rieffer was Rector of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary 1945-50, and was elevated to Monsignor in 1948. He also pastored several parishes, including Immaculate Conception in Las Vegas NM 1950-67. Rieffer retired in 1980 and died in 1991.

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/assign/Rieffer_George_V.html 

Abuse victims file civil suit

Two more victims of child sexual abuse are now coming forward and they've filed a civil lawsuit against the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.
Two sisters say they were molested by Father Charles Bodziak starting at only eight and nine years old.  They say Bodziak used alcohol to abuse them for years.

http://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/abuse-victims-file-civil-suit

MO--The 50th local St. L area abusive priest is sued

The 50^th local St. Louis area abusive priest is sued Cleric has never been accused or sued before The victim, Tom Viviano, speaks publicly for 1st time Two other priests, man says, saw but didn’t stop the crimes
SNAP to others: “Even if perpetrator is dead, it’s important to speak up” WHAT: Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, a clergy sex abuse victim will speak for the first time publicly and disclose that

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mo_the_50th_local_st_l_area_abusive_priest_is_sued 

MN--Victims: “Prosecutors should now seek porn charges against priest”

Now that Fr. Brian Lederer has escaped responsibility for his other child sex crimes, we urge prosecutors to renew their child pornography case against him. That’s the best way to keep this predators away from his prey.
The Duluth News Tribune reported yesterday that “Authorities also charged Lederer with possession of child pornography after recovering images of suspected child pornography from his computer. . “ and “Lederer could ‘potentially’ still be prosecuted on that pornography charge,” according to prosecutors.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_victims_prosecutors_should_now_seek_porn_charges_against_priest 

Blair County attorney announces new civil lawsuits against suspended priest

ALTOONA – Civil lawsuits have been filed in Blair County against a priest who was identified as an alleged sexual predator in a report issued by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General earlier this year, and who most recently served a parish in Cambria County.

Two female plaintiffs have accused the Rev. Charles Bodziak of molesting them over a period of years, beginning when they were younger than 10, according to their attorney, Richard Serbin.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/blair-county-attorney-announces-new-civil-lawsuits-against-suspended-priest/article_3418e194-37aa-11e6-a6e5-bf8a61db9ba5.html 

Why abuse victims wait until their twilight years to come forward

For more than 60 years, Sylvia Woosley kept a terrible secret. When she finally spoke publicly last week about the sexual abuse she suffered from the age of 10 at the hands of the late Sir Clement Freud, her words hinted at the corrosive guilt and shame she had carried with her all that time: “I want to die clean.”
Now in her late seventies, Sylvia decided to break her silence in an ITV Exposure programme, aired last Wednesday. She watched it at the home of David Henshaw, its executive producer. “Afterwards, I asked her how she felt, and she said, ‘I just feel very happy’,” he says. “She looked 10 years younger.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/why-abuse-victims-wait-until-their-twilight-years-to-come-forwar/

Inquirer editorial: Pa. Senate's poor excuse for ignoring sexual abuse victims

A bogus hearing staged by the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee last week suggested some members are determined to protect the Catholic Church and insurance companies instead of securing justice for the victims of pedophiles and the institutions that protect them.

Considering a bill passed by the House that would give abuse victims more time to file criminal and civil claims, the committee limited testimony to the question of the measure's constitutionality.

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/editorials/20160620_Pa__Senate_s_poor_excuse_for_ignoring_sexual_abuse_victims.html 

The Cult Next Door

For decades, the people of Hinsdale gave little thought to the mysterious brick building in town. Then came a scandal.
The building, red bricked, colonnaded, crowned with a white cupola, sits on a grassy knoll in northwest Hinsdale. Unmarked, unremarkable, it barely registers as anything more than a garden-variety administrative headquarters of unknown provenance.

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/July-2016/Institute-in-Basic-Life-Principles-Hinsdale/ 

Bail Set for Alleged Cult Leader Accused of Sex Assault

Bail was set Monday for a man accused of sexually abusing girls who were followers in his alleged cult.
A Pine County District Court judge set conditional bail for 54-year-old Victor Barnard at $1.5 million and unconditional bail at $3 million. The conditions include wearing a GPS, forfeiting his passport and not leaving Minnesota.

http://www.kaaltv.com/article/stories/s4174543.shtml 

Advertisements generate calls from sex abuse victims

An undisclosed number of individuals have contacted the Concerned Catholics of Guam since the group's advertisements soliciting victims of sex abuse by members of the clergy came out last month.
More alleged victims have been contacting CCOG since the appearance of the ads in local media. Dee Reyes Peredo, one of the points of contact named in the ads, said: “There are victims who are not readily willing to come forward because of pain, embarrassment.”

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/advertisements-generate-calls-from-sex-abuse-victims/article_36e6d6c6-36cc-11e6-b2f7-676b81a5c8bf.html

Kyrgyz Imam Detained, Faces Allegations Of Sexually Abusing 10-Year-Old Boy

A Kyrgyz imam has been detained for questioning in southern Kyrgyzstan after being accused of sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy.
The Jalal-Abad regional police department's spokesman, Myktybek Turdubekov, told RFE/RL on June 20 that the 58-year-old imam was detained after a woman from the village of At-Basar filed a complaint alleging that her son had been regularly raped by the imam.

http://www.rferl.org/content/imam-sexual-abuse-kyrgyzstan/27809318.html 

The Resistance Against Female Genital Mutilation in India is Growing

Khatna has been practiced by generations of Bohra families in secrecy and silence but now women are speaking up.  On June 9, Judge Johnson of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Australia passed a landmark judgment.
Shabbir Vaziri, a senior Bohra priest, was sentenced to 11 months in jail for promoting, perpetuating and enforcing the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the community. This was the first case in history in which Bohras, including a mother and a nurse, were prosecuted for conducting FGM on two small girls. 

http://thewire.in/39127/the-resistance-against-female-genital-mutilation-is-growing/ 

How 'blind reporting' buried 1400 child sex cases

Hundreds of cases of child sex abuse going back decades may be reopened after the Catholic Church publicly abandoned a controversial practice known as blind reporting.
Blind reporting occurs when an organisation passes on an allegation of child sex abuse, but strips the report of the name of the victim, meaning police are unable to investigate the report.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/how-blind-reporting-buried-1400-child-sex-cases/3002081/ 

Bishop to apologise for sex abuse cover up

THE Bishop of Grafton is about to deliver an apology to a woman whose 40-year saga of sexual abuse at the hands of de-frocked Bishop Donald Shearman which brought down a Governor-General and figured strongly in a Royal Commission.

During her sermon tomorrow, Bishop Sarah Macneil will deliver her apology to 76-year-old Beth Heinrich. 

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/bishop-to-apologise-for-sex-abuse-cover-up/3043173/ 

Blind-reported child sex abuse cases may be reopened after hundreds not investigated

Hundreds of cases of child sex abuse going back decades may be reopened after the Catholic Church publicly abandoned a controversial practice known as blind reporting.

Blind reporting occurs when an organisation passes on an allegation of child sex abuse, but strips the report of the name of the victim, meaning police are unable to investigate the report.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-20/blind-reporting-child-sex-abuse-leaves-hundreds-not-investigated/7340128 

Church expert confirms there was option for priest to deal with abuse reports

A parish priest at Mount Cashel in the 1950s would have been aware of an option to deal outside the secrecy of confession with a boy's report of sexual abuse by a Christian Brother, an expert on canon law agreed  in court this morning.
Fr. Francis Morrissey of Ottawa concluded his testimony at the civil trial in Newfoundland Supreme Court before the lunch break.

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2016-06-14/article-4559283/Church-expert-confirms-there-was-option-for-priest-to-deal-with-abuse-reports/1 

Police probe financial issues at Catholic parish in Saltcoats

Police have been called in to investigate "financial irregularities" at a Catholic church in North Ayrshire.

The Diocese of Galloway said a report on the issue at St Mary's (Our Lady Star of the Sea) in Saltcoats had been passed to Police Scotland on 27 May. In a statement, the Diocese confirmed that Father Graeme Bell had resigned his position as parish priest with effect from 1 June.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-32959367 

Gambling Catholic priest jailed for stealing £96,000

A Catholic priest has been jailed for 10 months for stealing £96,000 from his parish in North Ayrshire to fund an online gambling habit.

Fr Graeme Bell, 41, embezzled the cash from St Mary's (Our Lady, Star of the Sea) in Saltcoats between March and May 2015 to play online roulette. He left the parish in June last year after financial irregularities were reported to police.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-36528501 

Owensboro Diocese Suspends Western Ky. Priest Over Sexual Allegation

The Catholic Diocese of Owensboro has suspended the pastor of a Union County church. The priest is accused of sexual misconduct decades ago.
The Reverend Freddie Byrd has been suspended as pastor of St. Ann Catholic Church in Morganfield. A complaint issued this month accuses Byrd of inappropriate sexual contact with a 17-year-old juvenile in 1983. According to a statement from the diocese, Byrd was not a priest at the time of the alleged sexual abuse.

http://wkms.org/post/owensboro-diocese-suspends-western-ky-priest-over-sexual-allegation#stream/0 

Pope greets graduates of Rome course on protecting minors from abuse

Rome, Italy, Jun 14, 2016 / 11:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The first graduates of an international diploma course on safeguarding minors received a special greeting from Pope Francis, who encouraged the students and faculty to be courageous in their work against sexual abuse.
“I want to thank you and all your faculty for this commitment to the prevention of sexual abuse of minors,” the Pope said in a letter to the director of the Centre for Child Protection (CCP), the initiative that spearheaded the diploma course.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-greets-graduates-of-rome-course-on-protecting-minors-from-abuse-62066/ 

Bill lifts statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases

A bill that would lift the statute of limitations in cases involving child sex abuse will go up for a public hearing on June 27.  Introduced by Senator Frank Blas, Jr., Bill 326 was referred to Senator Frank Aguon Jr.'s committee. Aguon says he is working with Blas to strengthen the measure.
The hearing on the 27th gets underway at 10am at the Guam Legislature in Hagatna.

http://www.kuam.com/story/32234351/2016/06/16/bill-lifts-statute-of-limitations-on-child-sex-abuse-cases 

Wollongong MP speaks of sadness as Edmund Rice College apologises over historical abuse of student

An Illawarra MP has spoken of his sadness after his former school admitted it had let one of its students down by failing to protect him from a paedophile Christian Brother.

Stephen Jones is the Federal Member for Whitlam and a former school captain and dux at Edmund Rice College in West Wollongong.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-16/mp-opens-up-on-child-sex-abuse/7515624 

Former St Edmund's brother John Vincent Roberts pleads guilty to abusing child in NSW

A former St Edmund's College brother has pleaded guilty to repeatedly molesting a child at a school in Wollongong, where he was allowed to teach despite prior complaints of abuse.
The first known complaint about John Vincent Roberts, now 73, was made in Christian Brothers schools in NSW at some point before 1978, when he moved to the order's ACT school, St Edmund's.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/former-st-edmunds-brother-john-vincent-roberts-pleads-guilty-to-abusing-child-in-nsw-20160616-gpkirj.html 

Former preacher facing new child porn charges

A former preacher in Young County has been arrested on charges of child pornography.
A news release from the Texas Rangers stated Dennis Harmon Bell was first arrested on March 17 on one count of possession of child pornography from his residence in Graham. On June 8, a Young County grand jury indicted Bell on five counts of possession of child pornography.

138 1 Guam church's ban on whistleblower group annulled

The whistleblower group Concerned Catholics of Guam is officially no longer a “prohibited society” in the eyes of the Guam Catholic church’s leadership.
Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, issued a decree Thursday, June 16 rescinding Archbishop Anthony Apuron’s June 5 decree banning Concerned Catholics and its supporters from local churches.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/06/15/guam-churchs-ban-whistleblower-group-annulled/85963064/ 

Victims decry makeup of St. George’s search committee

A committee charged with finding the next leader of St. George’s School is already coming under fire for not including any victims of alleged sexual abuse at the school, the scandal that many believe led to head of school Eric Peterson’s recent decision not to seek renewal of his contract after next year.
Two weeks ago, Peterson, 50, informed trustees that he will leave by the end of the 2016-2017 school year. The Middletown, R.I., prep school has been embroiled in controversy since December, after Anne Scott and two other alumnae told of being molested or raped by athletic trainer Al Gibbs in the late 1970s.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/06/16/victims-decry-makeup-george-search-committee/mjs7Ur3rIjAWbAYLI3ycyN/story.html 

New info in sex abuse case

A police interview with the senior pastor of First Christian Church showed that church officials had “expressed concerns” about the behavior of a youth leader who was eventually convicted of sexually abusing teen girls.

#Michael Cele Stephens, 20, was sentenced to 15 years in prison early this year for sexually abusing six teen girls. He met his victims through the church youth group and 4-H.

http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2016/jun/16/new-info-sex-abuse-case/ 

MP Stephen Jones says sexual predators moved freely at Edmund Rice College in the 1980s

Boys at Wollongong's Edmund Rice College in the 1980s knew sexual predators moved freely among them, and would share advice about who to avoid being alone with, Throsby MP Stephen Jones — a former school captain — has revealed.
Following another teacher's admission of guilt over historic child sex crimes at the West Wollongong all-boys college, Mr Jones said the school had felt like a "dumping ground" for paedophiles whose crimes were overlooked by those who could have ended the abuse.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/mp-stephen-jones-says-sexual-predators-moved-freely-at-edmund-rice-college-in-the-1980s-20160616-gpl1s6.html

Statutes of Limitation retroactivity would violate Pa. constitution

The Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee hosted a hearing this week regarding the legality and constitutionality of House Bill 1947. The measure, passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in April, proposes to remove the criminal statute of limitations (SoL) for childhood sexual abuse and raise the civil SoL from age 30 to 50 moving forward.
It also retroactively opens the civil SoL from survivor’s age 30 to age 50. Experts on Pennsylvania’s constitution presented their opinions to Judiciary Committee members with a particular focus on the retroactive provision of the bill.

http://catholicphilly.com/2016/06/think-tank/commentaries/statutes-of-limitation-retroactivity-would-violate-pa-constitution/ 

Hon nullifies Apuron's decrees

It appears the island's interim archbishop doesn't agree with Archbishop Anthony Apuron's last orders. Just hours before the Vatican placed Apuron on leave last week, Apuron issued decrees intended to place gag orders on those he alleged were part of a malicious smear campaign to oust him.
The Concerned Catholics of Guam organization doesn't need the church's blessing after all. In a release dated June 15, Vatican-appointed apostolic administrator Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai rescinded a previous decree issued to the CCOG. The decree was intended for local Catholics to cease any contact with the CCOG and alleged the organization was instigating and soliciting a malicious smear campaign to oust Apuron. The decree was published online on the Archdiocese of Agana website, but removed shortly after.

http://www.kuam.com/story/32234224/2016/06/16/hon-nullifies-apurons-decrees 

Recently defrocked priest once served in Sanford

PORTLAND — A Roman Catholic priest who once served at the former St. Ignatius Parish in Sanford has been dismissed by the Vatican following a charge of sexual abuse.
Antonin R. Caron, who retired in 1994, was an ordained priest for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and was an associate pastor at St. Ignatius Church in the 1970s. He was transferred to Waterville in 1978.

http://www.fosters.com/news/20160615/recently-defrocked-priest-once-served-in-sanford 

Hoylman pushes Albany to pass child sex-abuse reform, but Senate stalls

The Omnibus Child Victims Act, or Senate Bill S6367, is the latest effort from state Democrats to reform the statute of limitations on victims of child sexual abuse. The bill, though still in committee, has momentum in the Senate as victims are stepping forward and Senate Democrats are arguing against entrenched opposition.
State Senator Brad Hoylman introduced the Senate version of the bill with several co-sponsors, including Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the leader of the Democratic Conference.

http://thevillager.com/2016/06/16/hoylman-pushes-albany-to-pass-child-sex-abuse-reform-but-senate-stalls/ 

Abuse allegations follow leader of Peruvian Catholic sect to Rome

Luis Fernando Figari’s Sodalitium of Christian Life answered only to the Vatican but his decades of alleged physical and sexual abuse are likely to go unpunished.  Only the faint sound of shuffling feet could be heard behind the heavy wooden door of the apartment in Rome where Luis Fernando Figari has lived since 2010. And then, silence.
Close by, another tenant in the upscale apartment building – which sits a short walk from Campo de’ Fiori in the centre of the city – vaguely recognised a picture of Figari taken decades ago, which showed him standing beside Pope John Paul II. She had seen him around, but only rarely.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/16/peru-catholic-sect-sexual-physical-abuse-allegations-luis-fernando-figari-sodalitium 

Trial of accused priest opens in Hibbing

HIBBING — A Hibbing priest accused of sexually abusing four girls was "grooming" the girls and their families by befriending them, St. Louis County prosecutor Jeff Vlatkovich told jurors Wednesday.
"Any time he saw an opportunity to get what he wanted, he took it," Vlatkovich said in his opening statement as the criminal sexual conduct trial of Brian Michael Lederer began in State District Court in Hibbing.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4055598-trial-accused-priest-opens-hibbing 

Former priest, attorneys inspect alleged crime scenes

EDINBURG — The former priest accused of killing a McAllen teacher and beauty queen was back at the scene of the alleged crime Tuesday during a walkthrough with his attorney.
Feit’s attorney O. Rene Flores and the state’s attorney, Michael Garza, inspected the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Tuesday, where John Bernard Feit once lived and where the state alleges he hid Irene Garza’s body before dumping it in a nearby canal.

http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/former-priest-attorneys-inspect-alleged-crime-scenes/article_0b467294-335a-11e6-babc-6b1899ced02c.html 

Home for Mexico’s Pedophile Priests an Open Secret, Members of Clergy Say

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – The house used until 2001 to rehabilitate Catholic priests accused of being pedophiles in Mexico is an open secret that no dares to discuss, Cardinal Emeritus Juan Sandoval Iñiguez said.
The Alberione house in San Pedrito, a town outside the city of Tlaquepaque, is located in a poor area between Pemex and Alba streets.

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2414389&CategoryId=14091 

Boys were horribly wronged: psychologist

Testifies orphans were as vulnerable as could be. A New Mexico forensic psychologist described boys being horribly wronged at Mount Cashel during his testimony Wednesday in Newfoundland Supreme Court. New Mexico forensic psychologist William Foote at the Mount Cashel civil

trial in Newfoundland Supreme Court Wednesday.
“These men were as vulnerable as any human beings could have been when they went to Mount Cashel. They were under the total control of the (Christian) Brothers in that institution,” said William Foote, who was qualified at the Mount Cashel civil trial as an expert on the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse.

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2016-06-15/article-4560656/Mount-Cashel-boys-were-horribly-wronged-psychologist/1 

4th Alleged Victim Accuses Archbishop Anthony Apuron of Sexual Abuse

Roland Paul Lizama Sondia says Archbishop Anthony Apuron molested him when he was an altar boy in Agat. 

Guam - Yet another victim has come forward with sex abuse claims against Archbishop Anthony Apuron. Roland Paul Lizama Sondia says he was molested by Archbishop Apuron in 1977.

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/9754 

Apuron accused once more

Roland Sondia yesterday became the fourth Agat resident since mid-May to accuse Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexual abuse. He made the accusation yesterday, June 15 during a press conference in front of the Pastoral Office at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña.
“When I was an altar boy almost 39 years ago, at the age of 15, I was molested by then-parish priest Anthony Sablan Apuron. This was a man who I trusted and had a lot of respect for,” Sondia said.

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/apuron-accused-once-more/article_3e445da6-32e1-11e6-9510-a326c6a1b05b.html 

Former ‘singing priest’ convicted of sexually abusing boy

Former “singing” priest Tony Walsh has been convicted of sexually abusing a young boy.

Walsh (62), currently serving a sentence for sexual offences against a number of other children, denied ever knowing the boy and said he had never assaulted him. “If I knew him I would have pleaded guilty years ago,” Walsh told the court as he gave evidence on his own behalf.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/former-singing-priest-convicted-of-sexually-abusing-boy-1.2684241 

Vatican contacting about 15 orders of US sisters for 'serene' dialogue

Vatican City The Vatican's congregation for religious life is contacting about 15 U.S. orders of Catholic sisters to clarify "some points" following the controversial six-year investigation of American communities of women religious, the head of the congregation said in a brief interview Tuesday.
Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, the prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said the conversations involve "listening to what they say in a transparent way, without fear, without judging."

http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/vatican-religious-congregation-contacting-15-orders-us-sisters-serene-dialogue 

Kathleen Kane's handpicked No. 2 contradicts her once again

In one of her few recent public appearances, Attorney General Kathleen Kane pleaded with lawmakers Monday to lift the statute of limitations on child sex-abuse charges and expand victims' ability to file civil lawsuits.
"I'm begging you to pass that bill immediately," Kane told a Senate panel considering House Bill 1947.  But Kane's advocacy came with an important asterisk.

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/06/kathleen_kane_bruce_castor_sex.html

Victim of abuse at Kincora home withdraws from inquiry

Richard Kerr feels he has not been given all material that is being relied upon in hearings.  A man who was physically and sexually abused at Kincora Boys’ Home in Belfast has withdrawn as a participant in the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry in Banbridge as he does not have access to a range of documents.

Richard Kerr said he had agreed to be involved in the inquiry despite having reservations about taking part on the grounds that the inquiry did not have powers to compel witnesses and because he felt it did not have sufficient powers to investigate allegations of British state collusion.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/victim-of-abuse-at-kincora-home-withdraws-from-inquiry-1.2684213 

Diocese Suspends Pastor After Sexual Abuse Allegations

The Catholic Diocese of Owensboro has suspended a pastor after allegations that he sexually abused a juvenile in the 1980s.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer ( http://bit.ly/1topael ) reports that the diocese suspended the Rev. Freddie Byrd after being notified of the allegation June 2. The Diocesan Review Board reviewed the complaint and recommended the suspension.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/diocese-suspends-pastor-sexual-abuse-allegations-39845731 

Ayrshire priest jailed for stealing £96,000 from church funds

A priest was jailed for ten months today for stealing nearly £100,000 from church funds to pay for an online ­gambling problem.

Father Graeme Bell, 41, was parish priest at Our Lady Star of the Sea church, in Saltcoats, Ayrshire. He embezzled the ­money between March and May 2015 and used it to play online ­roulette while “paralysed” by his gambling addiction, ­Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard.

http://www.scotsman.com/regions/glasgow-strathclyde/ayrshire-priest-jailed-for-stealing-96-000-from-church-funds-1-4154804 

Catholic church investigating five cases of alleged abuse

New Zealand's Catholic church is investigating five historical cases of alleged sexual abuse, and victims' counsellors say the situation here is no better than scandal-plagued dioceses overseas.
It has been eight years since New Zealand's Catholic church apologised to its parishioners about how it had historically handled sexual abuse cases, after admitting to 38 cases of sexual abuse by priests and other men in its ranks.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10637043 

Statute of limitations on child sex abuse argued in Pa. Senate hearing

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Attorney General Kathleen Kane was the first to testify at a Senate hearing on House Bill 1947, which extends the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse.
“I am here to speak on behalf of all of the children and all of the survivors of Pennsylvania,” Kane said and urged senators to vote for HB 1947.

http://abc27.com/2016/06/13/statute-of-limitations-on-child-sex-abuse-argued-in-pa-senate-hearing/ 

Judgement near in Vatican leaks trial

Final hearings in the Vatican's controversial leaks trial of journalists and others will be held next month in a finale to over nine months of courtroom drama that has embarrassed the Holy See.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said Tuesday that final arguments and sentencing requests would be made July 4-6.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/Judgement-near-in-Vatican-leaks-trial/articleshow/52752641.cms 

Concerned Catholics reject Apuron decree

On June 14, the Concerned Catholics of Guam wrote a letter to Pope Francis responding to Archbishop Anthony Apuron’s June 5 decree of banning the group. The letter was sent by Tim Rohr, blogger of Jungle Watch, and was addressed to Pope Francis.
Apuron’s decree titled “Concerning the group so-called ‘Concerned Catholics of Guam’” accused the CCOG of various acts against the church. Apuron labeled them “a prohibited society” for the archdiocese because of their protests against the church hierarchy.

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/concerned-catholics-reject-apuron-decree/article_04c8e716-3202-11e6-ae24-4bd55ae3b866.html 

Catholic rape survivor: I want a Royal Commission into clergy sexual abuse

A Catholic Church rape survivor has slammed church policy of not informing police when the church gets a complaint of sexual abuse.
Ann-Marie Shelley, 60, was raped by former Catholic priest Peter Hercock in the 1970s. Hercock was jailed for six years and seven months in May 2016. She was paid $25,000 by the church.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/80900867/Catholic-rape-survivor-I-want-a-Royal-Commission-into-clergy-sexual-abuse

Editorial: New law for bishops raises many questions

In recent decades, the Vatican apparatus has found the means to reach deep into the ranks of the faithful to banish, condemn, excommunicate and otherwise impose disciplines on those who advanced a discordant idea or advocated for the wrong cause or dared to question the exclusion of women from any meaningful level of decision-making within the church.

http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/editorial-new-law-bishops-raises-many-questions 

Pope Francis Sets Guidelines for Removing Bishops Who Mishandle Sex Abuse Cases

ROME — A year after approving the creation of a new tribunal to discipline bishops who covered up child sex abuse by priests, Pope Francis scrapped that plan on Saturday and issued new guidelines to oust those who have been “negligent” in handling such cases.

Under the new guidelines, issued in an apostolic letter, Roman Catholic bishops who have failed to properly handle sex abuse cases will be investigated by four Vatican offices. If the bishops are found to have betrayed their mission, they will be removed “to protect those who are the weakest among the persons entrusted to them.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/world/europe/05popeabuseupdate1pix.html?emc=edit_tnt_20160604&nlid=63876270&tntemail0=y&_r=1 

The New York Catholic Church Paid Lobbyists $2.1 Million to Block Child Sex-Abuse Law Reform

From 2007 to the end of 2015, the New York Daily News reports, the New York Catholic Conference, led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, paid top Albany lobbyists more than $2.1 million to help block legislation, including the Child Victims Act, that would make it easier for victims of child sex abuse to seek justice.

If passed, the bill—a version of which is still pending—would change New York state law to allow a one-year window in which victims older than 23 could bring lawsuits against their abusers. (Such victims are restricted from suing under the current law.)

http://gawker.com/the-new-york-catholic-church-paid-lobbyists-2-1-millio-1779601553?utm_medium=sharefromsite&utm_source=Gawker_facebook 

Kane aide Castor undercuts aspect of child sex-abuse bill

HARRISBURG — Bruce Castor, Attorney General Kathleen Kane's solicitor general, testified Monday that it is illegal for the state Legislature to pass a bill that retroactively would allow civil lawsuits on child sex abuse cases at least 50 years old.
Castor's comments poked holes in the agency's own grand jury sex reporters. The attorney general's office had said such legislation was legal in recommending bills be passed as part of grand jury reports in the child sex abuse investigations of Jerry Sandusky in 2011 and the Altoona-Johnstown Catholic Diocese in 2016.

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-child-sex-abuse-bill-castor-senate-20160613-story.html 

Royal Commission into abuse at Bathurst

ANYONE affected by child sexual abuse at schools, churches or sporting groups is urged to attend Tuesday's Royal Commission public forum (SUBS-TUES) in Bathurst.
This will be the only public forum in the region for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

http://www.wellingtontimes.com.au/story/3962554/royal-commission-into-abuse-at-bathurst/ 

Concerned Catholics Protest Outside Cathedral

The Pope may have appointed an Apostolic Administrator to temporarily oversee the Archdiocese of Agana, but concerned Catholics continue to push for the removal of Archbishop Anthony Apuron.
Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai was appointed Monday night to oversee the local diocese amid sex abuse allegations against Apuron and other issues involving the local church.

http://www.kuam.com/story/32200868/2016/06/11/concerned-catholics-protest-outside-cathedral

Christine Flowers: Why proposed Pa. sex-abuse law is wrong

I’m a lawyer, as the words at the end of this column signal to the eagle-eyed reader. I’m proud of my profession, of its capacity to craft some semblance of justice for victims, and of its overriding goal of order and equity. One of my favorite quotes is spoken by Thomas More in “A Man For All Seasons” when he tries to explain to an incredulous man named Roper why laws are necessary, even when they end up protecting the guilty:
 “When the last law was down, and the Devil turned ‘round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man’s laws not God’s. And if you cut them down, and you’re just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I’d give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety’s sake.”

http://www.delcotimes.com/article/DC/20160611/NEWS/160619938 

Bishop’s apology to sex abuse victim rights ‘ancient wrong’

THE Bishop of Grafton Sarah Macneil has described her apology to a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a predecessor as an "attempt to right an ancient wrong".

Rev Macneil apologised to Beth Heinrich, during her sermon at the 8am service in Christ Church Cathedral this morning. 

http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/bishops-apology-to-sex-abuse-victim-rights-ancient/3043494/ 

Sex abuse reform bill faces opposition from clergy

In its efforts to squash a bill allowing victims of sexual abuse more time to seek civil recourse, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has launched a campaign that some state representatives say includes lies, misinformation and threats.

The church maintains this legislation could have devastating”impacts on parishes and services as it encourages parishioners to lobby against HB 1947, extending the time an abuse victim can file a civil suit from when they turn 30 years old to 50 years old and removing immunity for organizations found to be grossly negligent.

http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20160612/sex-abuse-reform-bill-faces-opposition-from-clergy 

Pope's statement welcomed in NZ

Catholic Church leaders in New Zealand are welcoming a document outlining a more merciful and loving church.

The 260-page treatise called "Amoris Laetitia," (The Joy of Love), one of the most eagerly awaited pronouncements of Pope Francis, calls for more compassion towards "imperfect" Catholics, such as those who divorced and remarried, saying "no one can be condemned forever".

http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/popes-statement-welcomed-in-nz-2016040919#axzz4BKatG45W 

Mental health disorders, child sex abuse and the Roman Catholic Church

Enda Kenny, Irish Prime Minister, has accused the Roman Catholic Church of attempting to hinder a probe into allegations of child sex-abuse by priests.  As a result the Vatican has recalled its ambassador to Ireland. 

The Irish government has called for a quick response from the Vatican over the church’s handling of allegations against 33 clerics of the sexual abuse of children.  This is alleged to have taken place in the Cloyne diocese of southern Ireland between 1996 and 2009.

http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/news/651-mental-health-disorders-child-sex-abuse-and-the-roman-catholic-church.html