Group calls on diocese to seek other potential victims of jailed ex-priest

An advocacy group for clergy abuse victims is urging the Diocese of Scranton to reach out to individuals who may know about other potential crimes committed by a former priest who is up for parole after molesting a boy a decade ago in Wayne County.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said it opposes the release of Steven Wolpert, who is serving a nine- to 18-year sentence at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill for involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child under 13.

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/group-calls-on-diocese-to-seek-other-potential-victims-of-jailed-ex-priest-1.2110622 

Their fight lost, members of closed Scituate church start their own

It has been 12 years -- and 5 days, to be exact -- since St. Frances X. Cabrini church in Scituate was declared closed by the Archdiocese of Boston, as part of a sweeping reconfiguration process necessitated by dwindling attendance and collections, a shortage of priests, and a multimillion-dollar settlement with victims of the priest sexual abuse scandal.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/south/2016/10/28/their-fight-lost-members-closed-scituate-church-start-their-own/2Hi7R6kuifZr6cHkszfxSL/story.html 

Priests need not report confessions about child abuse, court says

Louisiana law does not require a priest to notify authorities after hearing evidence of child abuse from a child making a religious confession, the state Supreme Court said Friday (Oct. 28).
The ruling came in an ongoing 2009 lawsuit against Roman Catholic authorities by parents who say their daughter, now an adult, was sexually abused by a parishioner at an Assumption Parish church.

http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2016/10/law_can_shield_priests_from_re.html 

Lawsuit Alleges Sex Abuse by Ex-No. 2 at Legion of Christ

A former top official for the scandal-plagued Legion of Christ sexually abused a teenage boy in the early 1990s, according to a lawsuit filed this week.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, accuses a priest who served as second-in-command to a man who founded the conservative religious order and molested his own seminarians. It's believed to include the first such accusation against the Rev. Luis Garza, who's believed to be living in the Philippines.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/lawsuit-alleges-sex-abuse-legion-christ-43147087 

Elderly Salvos worker jailed for sex abuse of children in his care

An elderly Victorian man who "remorselessly" sexually abused boys who were in the care of the Salvation Army will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
Robert Burnett, 77, was today sentenced to 18 years in jail with a minimum of 14 and a half years.
The former Salvation Army boys' home supervisor was found guilty of abusing seven boys between the early 1970s to the late 1990s.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/10/28/02/32/ex-salvo-carer-likely-to-die-in-vic-prison 

Bergen Priest Wanted In PA On Child Porn Charges Arrested

A Roman Catholic priest from Mahwah has been arrested on 40 child sexual abuse counts for allegedly possessing and disseminating child pornogaphy, authorities announced Wednesday.
Kevin A. Gugliotta, 54, was charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography and 20 counts of dissemination of child pornography, the result of a multi-county and multi-state investigation, Janine Edwards, Wayne County Pennsylvania District Attorney said in a news release.

http://patch.com/new-jersey/oakland/bergen-priest-wanted-pa-child-porn-charges-arrested 

PA--Victims seek Scranton bishop’s help with ex-priest wanting parole

A former priest who was convicted of child sex crimes in the Scranton diocese is up for parole. We hope he’s kept in prison. We call on Scranton’s top Catholic official, Bishop Joseph Bambera, to aggressively reach out to anyone who may have information or suspicions about his crimes.
And we hope this news prompts others who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes to call police so he might be charged with and convicted on other offenses and be kept away from kids even longer.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/pa_victims_seek_scranton_bishop_s_help_with_ex_priest_wanting_parole 

NJ priest liked playing poker and sharing child porn, cops say

A poker-playing Catholic priest in New Jersey has been stripped of his duties after being arrested Friday on charges of possessing and sharing images of child sexual abuse.
Kevin Gugliotta, 54, of Mahwah, is facing 20 counts of possession of child pornography and 20 counts of distributing child pornography.

http://nj1015.com/nj-priest-liked-playing-poker-and-sharing-child-porn-cops-say/ 

Preliminary hearing for priest accused of raping airman moved to January

A Catholic priest from Mountain Home who’s been accused of raping an airman was scheduled to be in court Monday.
The preliminary hearing for Victor F. Jagerstatter’s was rescheduled for Jan. 6, 2016 at 11 a.m. in Elmore County. Jagerstatter, 39, was accused of attempting oral sex with an airman who was passed out, according to a probable cause affidavit.

http://www.kmvt.com/content/news/Preliminary-hearing-for-priest-accused-of-raping-airman-moved-to-January-398596931.html

Assignment Record– Rev. Edward Tissera aka W. Edward Julian Tissera aka Edward Warnakulasuriya aka Edward J. Tissera

Summary of Case: A native of Sri Lanka, Tissera/Warnakulasuriya was ordained in 1989. By 1997 he was working in the Archdiocese of New York, as an assistant in a Staten Island parish. There is a two-year gap in his Directory listings, and he reappears in 2002 in the Diocese of Hartford CT. He assisted there at parishes in West Hartford, Enfield, Watertown and New Britain. Notably there are gaps in his assignments 2003-2004 and again 2006-2007. In 2011 Tissera/Warnakulasuriya was made pastor of St. Bernard's in Tariffville, CT.

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

CA-–Sex offender returned to ministry by Antiochian Orthodox Church

Bishop pleaded guilty to groping a woman in a Michigan casino in 2004 Cleric spent time in jail and was on the sex offender registry

Retired after his conviction, the head of the Antiochians recently appointed him to lead the Diocese of Los Angeles A victims’ group condemns this action, calling it “unbelievable, dangerous and callous”

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ca_sex_offender_returned_to_ministry_by_antiochian_orthodox_church 

Listen and give us a say, children speak about their safety

Researchers from Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Southern Cross University (SCU) will present findings from three research projects, commissioned by the Royal Commission, involving 1,400 children and young people, including those with a disability.
“The Royal Commission has commissioned a series of research projects into children’s views of safety,” Royal Commission CEO Philip Reed said.

http://childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2016-10/listen-and-give-us-a-say,-children-speak-about-the 

Welsh speakers to man phonelines of major child sex abuse inquiry

A team of Welsh speakers will man phonelines for a major inquiry into child sex abuse. Professor Alexis Jay is in Cardiff today to launch the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s Welsh office.
It will also mark the start in Wales of the inquiry’s “truth project”, through which victims and survivors of abuse can share their experiences.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-speakers-man-phonelines-major-12078259 

INSIGHT-Pope Francis the manager - surprising, secretive, shrewd

* Keeps aides guessing with unexpected decisions
* Works around the bureaucracy when he deems it necessary
* No right-hand man, two secretaries keep out of sight
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Father Ernest Simoni, a 88-year-old Albanian, was watching Pope Francis on television this month when, to his astonishment, he heard the pontiff mention his name.

http://news.trust.org/item/20161026090018-b38hc/ 

Child sex abuse inquiry opens Welsh office in Cardiff

Victims of historical sexual abuse have been urged to come forward and give evidence to an independent inquiry after it opened an office in Wales.

Prof Alexis Jay, the fourth chairwoman of the troubled probe, attended the launch event in Cardiff. Its "truth project" is being rolled out in Wales, where victims and survivors of abuse can share their experiences.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-37764943 

Judge says Xavier College can see allegedly abused ex-student's psychiatric records

Xavier College is a step closer to accessing the psychological records of a man who claims he was sexually abused as a student at the school more than 40 years ago.
Janusz Skarbek alleges he was raped when he was a student at the exclusive, Jesuit-run school between 1971 and 1974.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4254072/judge-says-xavier-college-can-see-allegedly-abused-ex-students-psychiatric-records/?cs=7 

Pastor barred from ministry after sexual abuse plea

A local pastor arrested last year has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a congregation member and been barred from practicing ministry while on probation.
Larry Marshall Murrell, 63, pleaded guilty Oct. 10 to two misdemeanor counts of third-degree sexual abuse and was sentenced to three years of probation and 30 days in jail with credit for time served. A felony count of second-degree sexual abuse was dismissed as part of a plea deal. He otherwise faced up to five years in prison.

http://www.heraldandnews.com/news/pastor-barred-from-ministry-after-sexual-abuse-plea/article_cf29c050-bf41-5d6f-ab66-a685f10b034f.html 

Defining the worth of an apology: Presbyterian Church statement at AFN can help past wounds heal

News-Miner opinion: On the closing day of the Alaska Federation of Natives’ 50th annual convention, one statement made waves across the state. The general assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A., prompted by its Alaska members, extended an apology to AFN and its members for abuses of Alaska Natives in church schools and boarding schools its members ran or participated in. The abuses of Alaska boarding schools are well established but poorly documented, and by offering an apology, the Presbyterian Church has taken a step to bridge divides of resentment and suspicion.

http://www.newsminer.com/opinion/editorials/defining-the-worth-of-an-apology-presbyterian-church-statement-at/article_a83172e6-9b35-11e6-8ab9-cfb485d79cb1.html 

Vatican's Argentina archives ready to be shown to victims of dictatorship crimes

The Vatican and Argentina’s bishops have finished cataloguing their archives from the country’s dictatorship era, and will soon make them available to victims and their relatives who have long accused the church of complicity with the military rulers.
A joint statement on Tuesday said the process of digitizing the archives had been completed and that procedures to access the information would be forthcoming. No date was set, and the opening for now is restricted to victims, detainees, their relatives and the religious superiors of victims who were priests or nuns.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/25/vatican-argentina-archives-dictatorship-pope-francis 

Judge says girls suing church can remain anonymous

A Kansas judge has ruled that two victims of sexual assault suing a Southern Baptist church will remain anonymous in court proceedings.
Johnson County District Court Judge Kevin Moriarty granted a motion last month allowing the plaintiffs to proceed using pseudonyms in their case against Westside Family Church in Lenexa, Kan., a Southern Baptist congregation founded in 1977 with an average attendance of 4,700.

https://baptistnews.com/article/judge-says-girls-suing-church-can-remain-anonymous/#.WBLH8jU1eUn 

Church worker to be sentenced next month for child sex offences

A former lay worker with the Church of Ireland will be sentenced next month for the rape and molestation of 14 young boys over the course of 30 years.

Patrick O’Brien (76) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 48 sample counts of indecent assault, including various instances of anal penetration, and three counts of sexual assault of the boys between 1977 and 2010 at numerous locations throughout the state including Kildare, Westmeath, on a boat in Loughrea in Co Galway and at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin where he worked as a volunteer.

https://www.sundayworld.com/news/crimedesk/church-worker-to-be-sentenced-next-month-for-child-sex-offences 

The priests and brothers who preyed on children

As Cardinal Pell appears before the royal commision to answer questions about his role in the Catholic Church's child abuse scandal, just who are some of the worst offenders in Victoria? 
One Australia's worst paedophiles, former Ballarat priest Gerald Ridsdale has been convicted of 138 sex offences against children - some as young as four - involving more than 50 victims.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-priests-and-brothers-who-preyed-on-children-20160301-gn72tw.html 

Italian 'exorcists' arrested on molestation charges

A priest and an army colonel pretending to be exorcists have been detained in Sicily. Investigators have said they took advantage of ill women and sexually abused them.

A Catholic priest posing as a "healer" and "exorcist" was arrested in Sicily on sexual molestation charges, Italian media reported on Friday.  59-year-old Salvatore Anello is charged with inappropriately touching four adult women and a 12-year-old girl.

http://www.dw.com/en/italian-exorcists-arrested-on-molestation-charges/a-36111895 

Abuse allegations follow leader of Peruvian Catholic sect to Rome

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 

PA--Victims blast Philly archbishop

WHY: 1) In recent years, Chaput has brought to Philadelphia a controversial Catholic sect based in Peru whose founder molested kids. The sect's founder and seven aides are also accused of kidnapping and assaulting youth. Several members of the group, including a priest, now run the parish and Newman Center at both Drexel and the University of Pennsylvania. But as best SNAP can tell, Chaput has never disclosed or discussed the crimes of the group’s Peru-based officials, or explained or apologized for his vigorous support of the group, either in Pennsylania, Colorado or Peru.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/pa_victims_blast_philly_archbishop 

Ex-Brooklyn priest who pleaded guilty of child sex abuse in 2008 is eligible for parole

A former Catholic priest from Brooklyn who pleaded guilty in 2008 to sexually abusing an 8-year-old boy is up for parole — but a relative of the victim and an abuse survivors’ organization say he should remain in prison.
Steven Wolpert, who served as a priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn during the 1980s, pleaded guilty in 2008 to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 13, a first-degree felony.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ex-brooklyn-priest-sexually-abused-boy-eligible-parole-article-1.2843413 

Another sentencing delay for priest in child porn case

A federal judge once again postponed the sentencing for a former Navy chaplain and Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to taking pornographic pictures of a teen boy and then distributing the images.
Several sentencing dates in U.S. District Court in Delaware for John Thomas Matthew Lee, 50, have been canceled since March, including the most recent one scheduled for Tuesday. He now is expected to be sentenced in February.

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2016/10/24/another-sentencing-delay-priest-child-porn-case/92682022/ 

Child abuse lawyer who quit LAST MONTH still drawing £1,700-a-day of your money

Ben Emmerson QC quit the child abuse inquiry one day after he was suspended following concerns about his leadership.
The lawyer will continue to work on the £100 million inquiry until the end of November, which is two months after he officially quit.  Chairwoman of the inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay said: “He was continuing to be instructed for a short period to conclude the work. I believe it was two months.”

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/724387/Ben-Emmerson-QC-quit-last-month-1-700-a-day 

Trinity Grammar School principal admits to management failures over student sexual assaults

The principal of Sydney's elite Trinity Grammar School has given evidence to the child abuse royal commission that is at odds with testimony already given by his deputy.

The commission is examining whether the private Sydney boys' school responded appropriately to allegations of the rape and attempted rape of boarding house students, sometimes with a wooden dildo.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-24/trinity-grammar-principal-admits-failures-handling-sex-assaults/7959240 

Victoria Police detectives interview Cardinal George Pell in Rome

CARDINAL George Pell has vowed to cooperate with Victoria Police in its ongoing probe into child sex abuse allegations made against him. His office confirmed he has been voluntarily interviewed by Victorian detectives who flew to Rome last week.

“The Cardinal repeats his previous rejection of all and every allegation of sexual abuse and will continue to co-operate with Victoria Police until the investigation is finalised,” a statement from Cardinal Pell’s office in Rome said.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/victoria-police-detectives-to-interview-cardinal-george-pell-in-rome/news-story/2d11ba184ed7811c6b974578be92df93 

WA--Victims want Bellingham principal fired

Seattle Archbishop Peter Sartain should fire a Bellingham principal for deceiving parents – in at least two ways - about a sex offender at a Catholic elementary school.http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article108369317.html
First, the principal kept the offender's presence secret for a year. When he finally did “come clean (only after having been prodded by distraught parents), he further deceived parents by claiming, with no apparent basis, that the offender was "in the first percentile" of child molesters who were rehabilitated. (According to one news account, the man remains “registered as a level II sex offender, meaning he is considered at moderate risk to reoffend.”)

http://www.snapnetwork.org/wa_victims_want_bellingham_principal_fired 

Eugene priest arrested on charges of purchasing sex with juvenile prostitute, drug possession

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect language in the charging document filed Thursday and to indicate that the defendant is expected to return to court on Oct. 20, instead of Oct. 17 as earlier reported.

A reverend at a Eugene Serbian Orthodox church who is also a community college instructor has been arrested on suspicion of purchasing sex with a juvenile prostitute on more than one occasion and allegedly using her to traffic cocaine, according to Eugene police and charging documents filed Thursday in Lane County Circuit Court.

http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/34890634-75/eugene-priest-arrested-on-charges-of-purchasing-sex-with-juvenile-prostitute-drug-possession.html.csp 

Sex abuse survivors upset as push to scrap time limits on civil cases fails in WA Parliament

Time restrictions on when victims of child sexual abuse in Western Australia can sue for damages appear certain to remain in place until next year, despite four Government MPs crossing the floor to vote with Labor on an attempt to bring the issue to a parliamentary vote.

The vote, which followed a fiery debate, means the scrapping of the six-year statute of limitations for child sexual abuse civil cases will not happen until after the state election even though both major parties have now declared support for the policy.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-20/bill-to-speed-up-damages-to-wa-child-sex-abuse-victims-defeated/7950894 

Alleged abuse victim told he 'bore some blame' for bullying, royal commission hears

The King's School headmaster Tim Hawkes told the parents of a student who suffered an alleged indecent assault on a camp that the boy "bore some of the blame" for subsequent bullying, a royal commission has heard.
The school failed to make a formal report to police about the incident, despite a senior constable advising the deputy headmaster to do so, according to evidence to be presented to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/alleged-abuse-victim-told-he-bore-some-blame-for-bullying-royal-commission-hears-20161019-gs6dy3.html 

Trinity boys used 'dildo' made in woodwork class to rape younger student, inquiry told

Students at Sydney’s Trinity grammar school used an item made during a woodwork class to rape a younger student, the abuse royal commission has heard.
On day one of fresh hearings in Sydney, counsel assisting David Lloyd gave an overview of the cases of “institutional responses to children with problematic or harmful sexual behaviours” to be examined by the inquiry.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/20/trinity-boys-used-dildo-made-in-woodwork-class-to-younger-student-inquiry-told 

Culture of cover-up at Trinity: father

A culture of cover-up was at the centre of a top Sydney school's response to a boy who was raped with an assortment of pole-like implements, the abuse royal commission has heard.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse began fresh hearings on Thursday in Sydney, this time casting a spotlight on schools' responses to children with "problematic or harmful sexual behaviours".

https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/32950983/sex-abuse-by-students-under-scrutiny/#page1 

Who knew what, when?

Often the simplest questions are the hardest to answer. As we reported yesterday, the troubles of the inquiry into historical child abuse continue to unravel. But the departure of the inquiry head, Dame Lowell Goddard, potentially could cause the prime minister herself a significant political headache.
During Prime Minister's Questions today Theresa May was asked the question - what did she know, and when, about the problems at the inquiry? The prime minister's answer implied that she had known something was up.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37707702 

‘I am X’: Mormon Church Faces Growing Sex Abuse Scandal, Pt.

In March 2016, two Navajo siblings filed suit against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—also known as LDS or Mormon Church—in the Window Rock District of the Navajo Nation Court. In their suit, the siblings allege that they were sexually abused numerous times in several homes during their time in the “Indian Placement Program,” a foster care program operated by the church. All names and identifying information of the plaintiffs have been changed to protect their privacy.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/10/19/i-am-x-mormon-church-faces-growing-sex-abuse-scandal-pt-1-166143 

Lay worker who raped boys to be sentenced

Patrick O’Brien, aged 76, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 48 sample counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault of the boys between 1977 and 2010.
O’Brien, with an address at Knocklyon Rd, Templeogue, Dublin, has one previous conviction for a sex assault of another boy in 1989, for which he got a one-year suspended sentence.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/lay-worker-who-raped-boys-to-be-sentenced-426635.html 

The Church Must Condemn Sexual Assault

Every American should be appalled by Donald Trump’s recently unearthed —and sadly revealing—comments on his behavior toward women. Yet these comments do not just speak to the character of Mr. Trump, they reveal a grander injustice that our sisters, mothers, and daughters suffer each and every day.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-church-must-condemn-sexual-assault_us_5807eb9be4b00483d3b5cf55 

Man comes forward to share his story of alleged sex abuse at Bergen Catholic High School

Walter Slapkowski graduated from Bergen Catholic High School in 1974. But over 40 years after he left, Slapkowski returned Thursday to detail how he was allegedly abused while attending the school.
Slapkowski alleges that Christian Brother Timothy Joseph O'Sullivan took advantage of him during what was supposed to be detention. He says he came forward now because of a $1.9 million settlement in August, after a lawsuit from 21 men accusing staffers of sexual abuse decades ago. Slapkowski is one of the seven other victims who came forward, after the settlement.

http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/man-comes-forward-alleged-sex-abuse-bergen-catholic#.WAl2wzU1eUl 

Harrisburg teacher charged with institutional sexual assault, police say

A Harrisburg teacher has been charged with institutional sexual assault.  Authorities say 33-year-old Randi Lynn Zurenko of Millerstown, Perry County cultivated inappropriate relationships with two separate Bishop McDevitt High School students while she was a teacher at the school.
"Detectives from the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division this afternoon arrested Randi Lynn Zurenko, 33, of Millerstown, Perry County. Zurenko was charged with Institutional Sexual Assault (13 counts total), Sexual Abuse of Children (153 counts total), Unlawful Contact with Minors (33 counts total), Dissemination of Obscene Materials to a Minor (20 counts) and Corruption of Minors (13 counts total). 

http://www.wgal.com/article/harrisburg-teacher-charged-with-sexual-assault-of-students-police-say/6965019

Miami youth pastor accused of pimping teenage boys

MIAMI (AP) — A youth pastor is facing charges after being accused of recruiting teenage boys for sex.
News outlets report 52-year-old Ron Maurice Cooper was arrested Monday on human trafficking, false imprisonment and other charges. Police say Cooper recruited several males, ages 16 to 18, telling them he could get them modeling work.

http://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/crime/2016/10/20/miami-youth-pastor-accused-pimping-teenage-boys/92452754/ 

Clifton Ukrainian Orthodox priest Oleh Zhownirovych accused of choking baby in Kansas

CLIFTON - A Ukrainian Orthodox priest from Clifton is accused of trying to choke a baby in the Kansas City, Kansas, area.
Prosecutors say Oleh Zhownirovych, 54, tried to choke the 4-month-old baby while at a Wal-Mart in Overland Park, Kansas. He was charged with felony aggravated battery and misdemeanor battery.

http://newjersey.news12.com/news/clifton-ukrainian-orthodox-priest-oleh-zhownirovych-accused-of-choking-baby-in-kansas-1.12483295

8 more men claim sexual abuse at North Jersey high school

ORADELL — Eight more former Bergen Catholic High School students have come forward to accuse former staff members at the school of sexual abuse.
The eight have levied their allegations since it was revealed in August that the all-boys high school in Oradell had reached a $1.9 million settlement with 21 men who said they were sexually abused at the school.

http://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2016/10/more_men_claim_sexual_abuse_at_bergen_catholic_high_school.html#incart_river_home 

Victims of Priests’ Abuse Face a Choice

This is power and control... once you have signed up to this... you will not have a voice any more... THIS IS DO AS I SAY... it is not to help the victims-survivors... do not sign any papers what so every... it will hold you more to the catholic church abuse... 

If you sign these papers... you will be the catholic church puppets forever... and they will keep pulling your strings... as tight as they can... believe me... it is still happening... with the men and women today... from the nuns who still have their control... over us to do with the mortgages... they have over our homes...  don't sign any papers... and remember that your lawyers... are paid by the catholic church as well... so they too... bow down to them in the end... be very careful... Ann

 ===============================

If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan wants to give you money. He announced a settlement program this month that will be run by an independent mediator, Kenneth Feinberg. It will review claims and decide on an amount, which church officials will not be able to alter or reject. The settlements will not be capped; the archdiocese has promised to pay whatever it takes, by selling assets or borrowing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/17/opinion/victims-of-priests-abuse-face-a-choice.html?_r=2 

Catholic lay organizations prepare for legal action on Yona property

As the weekly protests by Catholic activists continued yesterday outside the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, leadership of the respective lay organizations said they are preparing to take legal action in order to return control of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary property in Yona to the Archdiocese of Agana.
Beyond the recent allegations of child sexual abuse leveled against Archbishop Anthony Apuron in May, the return of the seminary has been a central point of contention for the past couple of years.

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/catholic-lay-organizations-prepare-for-legal-action-on-yona-property/article_043ae4b2-9381-11e6-9f54-735c1c196131.html 

Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte says being sexually abused as a child had major influence on his politics

Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, has said that being sexually abused as a child had a major impact on his politics, including a war on drugs which has left more than 3,000 people dead.
In his first interview since being sworn in as leader, Mr Duterte said his abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest largely shaped his personality and his political development.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/16/philippines-leader-rodrigo-duterte-says-being-sexually-abused-as/ 

New York Times Wrong on Cardinal Dolan

The editorial in today's New York Times, “Victims of Priests' Abuse Face a Choice,” must be challenged on several counts. Its principal focus is the new initiative by the Archdiocese of New York, the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program. This program is designed to deal fairly with claims of clergy sexual abuse.
The editorial says “the program is confidential.” It is important to emphasize that if someone requests confidentiality, the archdiocese will respect it, but it is also true that under the provisions of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, it has no authority to require it. Of course, the archdiocese is not going to publicize information on these matters on its website, but that is not the same as requiring claimants to sign a confidentiality agreement. That will not happen.

https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/bill-donohue/2016/10/17/new-york-times-wrong-cardinal-dolan 

What the Church can learn from Bruce Springsteen

MUSIC legend Bruce Springsteen will tour Australia early next year, playing to packed houses.
At the same time, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will be preparing for what it’s calling the “Catholic Church Final Hearing”.
It’s expected to last for four weeks, enabling the Commission to ask questions about “a number of factors … including canon law, mandatory celibacy and the selection, screening, training and ongoing support and supervision of working priests and religious”.
This won’t be an easy time for the Catholic Church in Australia.

http://catholicleader.com.au/analysis/what-the-church-can-learn-from-bruce-springsteen

The Catholic Church and Our Boys – How Do We Help Them Keep the Faith While Men of the Cloth Deceive and Abuse?

As a Catholic Mom of four boys, and in light of recent convictions of priests in the Catholic church of male child molestation, I’ve found myself questioning my own beliefs, the church, and indeed the people around me. I’m here to tell you that I now know five – count them, FIVE – convicted male sex offenders, and I’m sad to say that one of those was a priest.

https://goodmenproject.com/raising-boys/the-catholic-church-and-our-boys-how-do-we-help-them-keep-the-faith-while-men-of-the-cloth-deceive-and-abuse-dg/ 

Church took two years to de-frock priest John Joseph Farrell, royal commission told

The Catholic Church took two years to defrock New South Wales priest John Joseph Farrell after a report found he posed a risk to children, a royal commission has heard.

Former Armidale Bishop Luc Matthys has been giving evidence to the commission as it looks into how the church dealt with decades of abuse allegations made against Farrell.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-15/catholic-church-knew-of-john-farrells-behaviour-for-two-years/7849878 

Survivors' stories: Child sex abuse inquiry revives painful memories

As the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse begins its first public hearings in Ballarat, five victims have called for recognition, justice and a national scheme to support survivors.
During the 1960s and 1970s, a notorious paedophile ring preyed on children in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat. Catholic priest Gerald Ridsdale, Brother Robert Best, Brother Ted Dowlan and Brother Stephen Frances Farrell were among the convicted paedophiles who operated in the area.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-19/child-abuse-royal-commission-ballarat-victims-share-accounts/6477564 

Christchurch high school students targeted by online sexual predator

An online predator posing as a teenage girl has lured boys as young as 13 into sending them nude pictures online. Police launched an investigation after at least two boys sent nude photos to the imposter, going by the name of Ella.
The fake profile was for a teenage girl who attended Christchurch Girls' High School (CGHS). Across various social media platforms including Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook, "Ella" befriended at least 321 young people, with many attending Canterbury schools, NZME reported.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/85494145/christchurch-high-school-students-targeted-by-online-sexual-predator 

Child sex abuse inquiry: 'Still very interested in the past'

She stressed she meant to chair every part of the inquiry, adding that there is no professional group that is "entirely blameless" in failing to protect children from abuse.
The Wigan MP added: "If it is to proceed with confidence the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister need to answer the very many questions over this inquiry starting with the truth surrounding the departure of Dame Lowell Goddard".

http://crcconnection.com/2016/10/18/child-sex-abuse-inquiry-still-very-interested-in-the-past.html 

Ex-priest accused of attempted rape with teen takes plea deal

PHILADELPHIA - A former Roman Catholic priest from Philadelphia accused of trying to rape a 14-year-old boy in 1996 has pleaded no contest to simple assault under a deal with prosecutors.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports James Brennan entered the plea on Monday. Prosecutors say he’ll be sentenced to two years’ probation.

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2016/10/19/ex-priest-accused-attempted-rape-teen-takes-plea-deal/ 

Métis man sues Catholic church alleging sexual abuse over 70 years ago

A Métis man alleges he was physically and sexually abused by a Catholic priest and a nun at the Vogar church school in Manitoba's Interlake region more than 70 years ago.
The allegations are in a lawsuit filed last week in Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench naming the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg, the order of nuns Les Oblats de Marie Immaculée du Manitoba, the province of Manitoba, as well as the priest and the nun.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/vogar-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-1.3812239 

NY--Head of Dolan’s victim pay-off plan insults victims; SNAP responds

Cardinal Tim Dolan’s unilateral, top-down victim pay-off program has barely begun. Yet the man Dolan picked to head it is already insulting and blaming victims. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/17/opinion/victims-of-priests-abuse-face-a-choice.html
Kenneth Feinberg told the New York Times that victims tend to be “procrastinators.” At best, that’s stupid. At worst, it’s hurtful. Both he and Dolan should apologize. And they should drop their insensitive, arbitrary and self-serving deadline which forces still-suffering victims to move quickly to deal with decades of pain or else be left out in the cold again.
If kids are to be safer, adults must make it easier, not harder, for victims to report sexual violence. Dolan’s selfish deadline and Feinberg’s callous comments are making it harder.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ny_head_of_dolan_s_victim_pay_off_plan_insults_victims_snap_responds 

British MPs to probe Goddard's departure

British MPs will grill the Home Office's top civil servant over the resignation of former child sexual abuse inquiry chair Dame Lowell Goddard amid concerns the Government may have covered up allegations about her conduct.

Permanent secretary Mark Sedwill will be questioned at the Commons Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/top-stories/a/32912218/british-mps-to-probe-goddards-departure/#page1 

Victims of Priests’ Abuse Face a Choice

If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan wants to give you money. He announced a settlement program this month that will be run by an independent mediator, Kenneth Feinberg.
It will review claims and decide on an amount, which church officials will not be able to alter or reject. The settlements will not be capped; the archdiocese has promised to pay whatever it takes, by selling assets or borrowing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/17/opinion/victims-of-priests-abuse-face-a-choice.html?emc=edit_tnt_20161017&nlid=63876270&tntemail0=y&_r=0 

This priest (a supporter of George Pell) is in trouble with some of his parishioners: Background article by Broken Rites

During George Pell's rise from being a priest to a cardinal, one of his supporters has been Melbourne priest John Walshe. The Melbourne Catholic archdiocese has confirmed that in 2012 it paid a $75,000 settlement (the maximum amount available) to a former student (John Roach) who has alleged that, when he 18, he was sexually targeted by Father Walshe.
Melbourne's Archbishop Denis Hart gave a written apology to John Roach for the "wrongs and hurt" he suffered at the hands of Father Walshe. Now, a number of Father Walshe's parishioners in Melbourne want Father Walshe removed from their parish. This Broken Rites article is based partly on evidence given by Father Walshe to Australia's national child-abuse Royal Commission, including a claim by Father Walshe that he supports the policy of priestly celibacy.

http://www.brokenrites.org.au/drupal/node/386 

Christian Brother Robert Best faces child-sex charges

An elderly Christian Brother who spent decades teaching in Victorian Catholic schools has been charged with 39 offences, including child sex abuse. Robert Charles Best, 75, now living in Ararat in western Vctoria, is alleged to have committed acts of indecent assault over a 20-year period, according to charge sheets filed with the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 2 September 2016.
Police allege that Best committed 17 counts of indecent assault, one count of assault and one count of unlawful imprisonment between 1968 and 1973 in Ballarat.

http://www.brokenrites.org.au/drupal/node/402 

Dudley Imam found guilty of indecent assault on two girls 'has fled to Bangladesh'

Police believe father-of-seven Hafiz Rahman, from Netherton, boarded a flight to Bangladesh on Saturday, after claiming to be too ill to attend Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday where he was found guilty of five charges of indecent assault.
Rahman had been the Imam at Queens Cross mosque in Cradley Heath when the assaults took place in the 1980s.

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2016/10/13/dudley-imam-found-guilty-of-indecent-assault-on-two-girls-has-fled-to-bangladesh/

The State Law Gauntlet Facing Child Sex Abuse Survivors: A Long Way to Go to Child-Centered Justice

Herculean efforts across the United States have been undertaken to eliminate the threshold legal barrier for most sex abuse victims: the statute of limitations. Some states have been very successful like Delaware and Minnesota while others remain mired in a system that blocks the vast majority of survivors like New York. To their credit, advocates, survivors, and their supporters continue to press even in the most backward states.

https://verdict.justia.com/2016/10/13/state-law-gauntlet-facing-child-sex-abuse-survivors-long-way-go-child-centered-justice 

Announcements made from inside the controversial Redemptoris Mater Seminary

"Fierce bias and prejudice" is how members of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary's board of directors would describe a recent report released by the visitation ad hoc committee on the RMS. That report recommended that the Yona seminary be closed for the good of the Archdiocese of Agana - unless they could clarify the seminary's purpose, seek formal accreditation to ensure the quality of its priest formation program, and ensure financial independence.

http://www.kuam.com/story/33379770/2016/10/Thursday/announcements-made-from-inside-the-controversial-redemptoris-mater-seminary 

Zimbabwe: Rape-Accused Pastor in Dock

Apostolic Faith Mission Ruwa pastor Oliver Makomo, who is accused of raping a congregant, was yesterday remanded to November 3 for a trial date.Makomo (49) yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande facing rape charges and is out on $100 bail.
The prosecutor Ms Audrey Chogumaira told the court that the docket was sent back to the police station for further management.It is alleged that sometime in 2012, Makomo visited the complainant (22) at her workplace.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201610120504.html

Vatican Power Shift

Has there been a power shift in the Vatican under Pope Francis? Has the Secretariat of State lost its traditional role as the pope’s main adviser, being replaced by the council of cardinals that Francis established soon after his election? Where will power lie once the reform of the Roman Curia has been completed?
These questions are being asked in the Vatican today as the council of cardinal advisers plays a highly significant role in advising, offering suggestions or making proposals to the Argentine pope.

http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/vatican-power-shift 

Minnesota sect leader admits sexually assaulting 2 girls

The leader of an isolated religious sect in Minnesota pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexually assaulting two teenage girls who were members of his community.
As part of the plea deal, Victor Barnard, 55, agreed to serve 30 years in prison.

http://www.thedailytimes.com/news/nation_world/minnesota-sect-leader-admits-sexually-assaulting-girls/article_82fc79ae-1f6c-5ea9-bf37-47fd66e7b95f.html 

Laity Forward Movement members advance on Yona seminary

For most members of the Laity Forward Movement, they had never been inside the Redemptoris Mater Seminary. And today, they were clearly unwelcome. The gates had a sign stating "No Trespassing" and individuals at the lobby doors mirrored that sentiment.
It wasn't just the temperature rising today in Yona. Seminary attendant: All this filming is illegal. (shuts door)

http://www.kuam.com/story/33370029/laity-forward-movement-members-advance-on-yona-seminary 

Alcohol abuse behind babys death, says judge

Cape Town -A Western Cape judge was upset that nobody went to the aid of a young mother who was battling to care properly for her baby, who died at just one month old.
Handing down judgment in the case of the murder of little Atnik Persent at a farm in Sandvlei, near Montagu, Judge H Van Staden painted a picture of a sad existence of undereducated farmworkers who spent their free time drinking and fighting among themselves.

http://www.zimbabwestar.com/index.php/sid/248534375 

Archbishop fails to stop child abuse case.

Adelaide's Catholic Archbishop has failed again to stop criminal proceedings against him over claims he concealed a colleague's sexual abuse of a young boy.
Archbishop Philip Wilson is charged with concealing information about the 1971 sexual assault of a 10-year-old boy by the now-dead pedophile priest James Fletcher in the NSW town of Maitland.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/10/14/09/52/archbishop-fails-to-stop-sex-case 

More Women Describe Trump Kissing, Touching Them

America you can not let this pig trump... become president of USA... is there not one man who will stand up against him??...  Ann

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

And attorneys representing Trump sent a letter to Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet demanding the newspaper remove the article from its website and issue and apology.
'Your article is reckless, defamatory and constitutes libel per se. It is apparent from, among other things, the timing of the article, that it is nothing more than a politically-motivated effort to defeat Mr. Trump's candidacy.'

http://www.zimbabwestar.com/index.php/sid/248519473 

Will stronger child sex abuse bill get a vote?

Rep. Mark Rozzi doesn't like hearing that it's too close to the election for legislators to support the strongest possible version of House Bill 1947, the child sexual abuse statute of limitations bill.
"That's somewhat disconcerting to me," he said. "Any representative or senator who would make a comment like that should be voted out."

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/white/mc-bw-mark-rozzi-20161015-story.html 

Guam needs its 'Fierce Women,' and for men to respect them

Like most issues of the Sunday Post, this issue one provides a number of articles about brave, talented, and successful women.
A short feature about the second Fiet Famalao’an, or “Fierce Women,” discussion panel celebrates female empowerment and the increasingly important roles of the manmaga’haga – Chamorro female leaders of a clan. And this week’s Profile feature of Gloria Nelson shows how she’s seized her role as the reigning Miss Earth Guam to advocate for conserving Guam’s environment and marine animals.

http://www.postguam.com/sunday_post/guam-needs-its-fierce-women-and-for-men-to-respect/article_37b3b958-9201-11e6-92cc-fb5a76593ce2.html 

Abuse inquiry into Church 'to be scaled back'

The national inquiry into how the Church of England, the Church in Wales and other bodies dealt with the sexual abuse of children is going to be scaled back, it has been reported.

The results of a review by chairwoman Professor Alexis Jay into the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) is expected to prompt a cut in the number of public evidence hearings next week.

http://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/Abuse-inquiry-into-Church-to-be-scaled-back 

Argentine court fines Catholic church $50,000 for sex abuse

A court in Buenos Aires on Saturday ordered the Catholic Church to pay $50,000 to a former seminarian who alleged he was sexually abused some 25 years ago by an Argentine archbishop.
The breakthrough ruling is the first civil court judgment against the majority Roman Catholic church in Argentina, legal experts said.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/argentine-court-fines-catholic-church-50-000-for-sex-abuse/article/477317 

Child sex abuse inquiry: Dame Lowell Goddard must explain resignation, say MPs

MPs have asked the former head of the child sex abuse inquiry to explain her departure amid concerns the government was aware of misconduct claims.

Dame Lowell Goddard quit in August. On Friday she denied allegations of misconduct and racism which the Times said had been made against her.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-37666392 

Film Review: Trinity

Michael is a troubled artist whose fragile psyche begins to crack after a chance run-in with the priest who abused him as a child. What follows is a walking dream state in which Michael attempts to rationalize and cope with his trauma, his emotions and his actions.
Skip Shea’s Trinity is a powerful drama with psychological horror overtones and is filled with a tense anxiety and strong performances. The cast overall holds their own while Sean Carmichael really stands out as Michael; his performance has a believable nervous confusion about it that adds an unexpected energy to the film.

http://motifri.com/film-review-trinity/ 

Lebanon Catholic High School teacher charged with sexual assault of student

Police say 27-year-old Jesus Omar Sandoval, a Spanish teacher at Lebanon Catholic High School, engaged in sexual activity with a teen on school property and at his residence in West Lebanon Township.
It happened between Oct. 2013 and April 2014 when the teen was 15 and 16-years-old. At that time, Sandoval was 24-years-old.

http://www.wgal.com/news/lebanon-catholic-high-school-teacher-charged-with-sexual-assault-of-student/42110452 

Update on Story of Msgr. Tony Anatrella, Vatican "Expert" on Homosexuality: Archdiocese of Paris Sets Up Commission to Investigate Allegations

An update for you on a story we have discussed here in the past: as I told you this past May (here, here, and here), news reports surfaced in late April and early May in Dutch and French media of new allegations made against the Vatican's "expert" on homosexuality, Monsignor Tony Anatrella. Anatrella has a history of characterizing homosexuality as a psychological disorder that can be "cured" through "reparative" or "conversion" therapy.
He was invited to the Vatican's Synod on the Family to advise the synod about the topic of homosexuality, and when a Vatican document instructing new bishops that they need not report allegations of sexual abuse by clergy to criminal authorities came to light and caused consternation, it was revealed that the document was citing Tony Anatrella in giving this advice.

http://bilgrimage.blogspot.co.nz/2016/10/update-on-story-of-msgr-tony-anatrella.html?m=1

Book of evidence served on priest accused of assault

A book of evidence was served yesterday on a priest accused of indecently assaulting a boy at a school in Co Cork about 35 years ago.

 Tadhg O’Dalaigh, aged 72, of Woodview, Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin, was served with the book, Inspector Mary King confirmed yesterday.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/book-of-evidence-served-on-priest-accused-of-assault-425294.html

Survivors of abuse 'heartened,' 'ecstatic' after action against ex-St. George's chaplain

The Episcopal Church issued "the most severe penalty" possible against Howard W. "Howdy" White Jr. when it removed him from the priesthood Monday, nearly 50 years after he was ordained.
Every diocesan bishop within the Episcopal Church — here and abroad — will be notified Wednesday.  White, 75, former associate chaplain at St. George's School, is one of six former staff or faculty members accused in the sex-abuse scandal that has rocked the elite Middletown prep school since last December.

http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20161011/survivors-of-abuse-heartened-ecstatic-after-action-against-ex-st-georges-chaplain 

Obituary: The Rev. Timothy Power, founding pastor of Pax Christi in Eden Prairie

The Rev. Tim Power didn’t lecture or teach. He didn’t quite preach. Instead, he told stories, expertly weaving them through the thousands of homilies he gave over his 24 years at Pax Christi Catholic Community in Eden Prairie.

Power told them inside and outside the church’s walls, with and often without his clerical collar. His stories were warm, wise and often self-deprecating.

http://www.startribune.com/obituary-the-rev-timothy-power-founding-pastor-of-pax-christi-in-eden-prairie/396737631/ 

Former Catholic priest Vincent Gerard Ryan given suspended sentence for sex offences against boy

Notorious paedophile priest Vincent Gerard Ryan has been given a 15-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to sex offences in the New South Wales Hunter region from the 1980s.

The former Catholic priest pleaded guilty to acts of gross indecency and attempting sexual intercourse with a boy at a church in Gresford near Dungong, when he was parish priest.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-14/former-hunter-priest-vincent-ryan-sentenced-for-sex-abuse/7932008 

Archbishop under fire over alleged abuse cover-up

LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: The Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, is under increasing pressure tonight to explain what he knew about sexual abuses by priests.
Police are investigating complaints from victims who allege that when Archbishop Wilson held senior positions in the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese in the 1970s and '80s, he failed to report sexual abuse by priests against children.

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2902098.htm

How Powerful Men Get Away With It

You are not powerful... you are a spineless wonder... who verbal abusers young girls and women... I don't know why the women in USA... with their loved ones... don't stand up against trump... I am sure that all honest people in America... will stand up to him... and boot him out of becoming the president of USA...
watch out world... the 3rd. world war is about to begin... trump has already told the world... which countries and people he hates... so we will not have to wait... after you all get down on your knees and vote him in...
you are all bowing down now... by the way you go to his meetings... and I can not believe my eyes... how much shit... you let this pig say and do... under your ever eyes... come on America... you can do better than this- I hope...  Ann

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

Before I wrote a book on Trump, I wrote one about the Catholic priest abuse scandals. And I see a heck of a lot of similarities. 

Although they have never been recognized as a constituency, millions of American voters—men as well as women—have been sexually abused, and for them, the presidential campaign has become a riveting drama and a source of fresh pain. They recognize themselves in the women who have come forward to report gross encounters with Donald Trump, and they see in the much of the response to their charges a familiar kind of deflection and denial.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/10/14/donald-trump-secular-catholic-priest.html?via=desktop&source=facebook 

Judge: Sexual assault victims can stay anonymous in suit against Lenexa church

In a case scheduled to go to jury trial next year, a judge has ruled that two victims of sexual assault who filed a civil lawsuit against a Lenexa church will remain anonymous in court proceedings.
Johnson County District Court Judge Kevin Moriarty granted the plantiffs’ motion to proceed in the case using pseudonyms for the young victims and their mother. The ruling was issued Sept. 20.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article105972327.html

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article105972327.html#storylink=cpy

Melissa Mark-Viverito, New York Council Speaker, Reveals She Was Sexually Abused

Melissa Mark-Viverito, the speaker of the New York City Council, revealed this week that she was the victim of sexual abuse as a child, saying at an emotional news conference that she was compelled to go public in reaction to the video in which Donald J. Trump is heard boasting about foisting himself on women.

“This is the first time I ever publicly talked about this,” Ms. Mark-Viverito said on Thursday, speaking to reporters at City Hall and appearing at times to hold back tears. “Twenty percent of young girls unfortunately experience some form of sex abuse and molestation.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/nyregion/melissa-mark-viverito-sexual-abuse.html?emc=edit_tnt_20161013&nlid=63876270&tntemail0=y&_r=1 

Archdiocese of Hartford Settles Sexual Abuse Claim Against Priest

The Archdiocese of Hartford has agreed to settle a 16-year-old sexual abuse claim against one of its priests.
According to a press release issued by the plaintiff 's lawyers, "John Doe" as he was known in court documents was repeatedly abused, battered, and sexually assaulted over a six month period by Edward Warnakulasuriya, also known as Edward Tissera, a Sri Lankan priest who at the time was the associate pastor at St. John the Evangelist Church in Watertown.

http://wnpr.org/post/archdiocese-hartford-settles-sexual-abuse-claim-against-priest 

Australia court says bishop to face charges he hid sex abuse

A Roman Catholic archbishop in Australia has failed for the second time to stop a criminal prosecution against him over allegations he covered up for a pedophile priest in the 1970s.
Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson was charged in April last year with concealing a serious child sexual abuse offence in 1971. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge, which carries a potential two-year prison sentence.

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-10-14/world-news/Australia-court-says-bishop-to-face-charges-he-hid-sex-abuse-6736165188 

'He was like an octopus. His hands were everywhere': Woman claims Donald Trump groped her

This man should be made to stand down from becoming USA President... God forbid... USA what have you become??... you are voting for this pig of a man... he has no respect for girls or women... to become the head of the USA... where are the police??...
or is it because he is white... that they are not doing anything about this evil man... Stand up USA... and make this man accountable... for groping and touching women inappropriately...  any other person would be in jail by now... Ann

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

Two women have accused Donald Trump of touching them inappropriately in the past, according to a New York Times report, with one saying she was groped and another recounting him kissing her on the mouth. The report follows the release of a video from 2005 last Friday in which Trump was caught on a "hot mic" bragging about groping women.

The bombastic billionaire was grilled about those comments during his debate with Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton on Sunday, to which he responded "No... I have not" when asked if he had kissed women without permission or grabbed their genitals.
 The Trump campaign denied the New York Times report and called it "character assassination".

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/32883025/donald-trump-was-like-an-octopus-woman-tells-the-new-york-times/?cmp=st#page1

Sexual Abuse Advocates and Attorneys Warn Archdiocese of New York Sexual Abuse Fund May be Bait-and-Switch

Please be so careful... before you sign any papers... all I can say... is DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING... this is a trap into getting you away from justice... the way you should face the catholic church... like most abusers... every time they open their mounts... it is a lie... DON'T FALL INTO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TRAP...  Ann

 ================================

(New York, NY – Friday, October 7, 2016) At a press conference in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, Sexual Abuse attorneys along with survivors of sexual abuse warned that Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s recently proposed “Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program” for those who have survived abuse by priests or deacons of the archdiocese, may be a bait-and-switch that could re-victimize survivors of abuse.

http://noakerlaw.com/sexual-abuse-advocates-and-attorneys-warn-archdiocese-of-new-york-sexual-abuse-fund-may-be-bait-and-switch/ 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan shows support for sex abuse victims, but opposes law that allows them to sue predators

Please be so careful... before you sign any papers... all I can say... is DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING... this is a trap into getting you away from justice... the way you should face the catholic church... like most abusers... every time they open their mounts... it is a lie... DON'T FALL INTO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TRAP...  Ann

 ===============================

Timothy Cardinal Dolan wants to be an ally of those seeking justice for victims of child sex abuse — but he doesn’t support their bill.
During a visit to a Catholic high school near upstate Kingston on Monday, Dolan was greeted by about 10 protesters calling on him to back legislation — known as The Child Victims Act — that would remove the statute of limitations on cases of child sex abuse and allow a one-year look-back window for victims to revive old civil cases.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/cardinal-dolan-supports-sex-abuse-victims-not-kid-rape-law-article-1.2816292 

St Francis Boys' Home sex abuse inquiry: Pair deny charges

wo men have denied abusing 26 children at a Catholic boys' home in Bedfordshire more than 40 years ago.  James McCann, 79, of Suffield Court, Swaffham, Norfolk, is charged with 18 sexual assaults and 48 assaults in connection with St Francis Boys Home, Shefford, between 1963 and 1974.
John Cahill, 73, of Chandos Court, Bedford, has been charged with six sexual offences against four boys. The pair pleaded not guilty to all charges at the Old Bailey in London.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-35235109 

Former scout leader at a Catholic children's home dubbed the 'orphanage from hell'

A former scout leader at a care home linked to Jimmy Savile and dubbed the 'orphanage from hell' has been jailed for three and a half years for molesting vulnerable young boys in the 1960s, it can now be reported.

John Cahill, now 74, from Bedford, was sentenced at the Old Bailey in March after pleading guilty to six counts of indecent assault on four boys aged between 10 and 14 at St Francis, Shefford.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3831369/Former-scout-leader-Catholic-children-s-home-dubbed-orphanage-hell-jailed-three-half-years-sexual-assaults-young-boys-1960s.html 

Rev. 'Howdy' White, one of the accused in St. George School sex-abuse scandal, removed from Episcopal priesthood

The Rev. Howard "Howdy" White Jr., one of a half dozen named perpetrators in the sex-abuse scandal that embroiled St. George's School in Middletown this year, was removed from the Episcopal priesthood on Monday.
Bishop Audrey Scanlan of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania issued a statement Monday evening. White, who lives in Bedford, Pennsylvania, could not be reached for comment. Now retired, he had been serving there as a fill-in priest at St. James Episcopal Church.

http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20161010/rev-howdy-white-one-of-accused-in-st-george-school-sex-abuse-scandal-removed-from-episcopal-priesthood 

COLUMN: Former BoS Editor Steve Lowe speaks out after Shefford Boys' Home verdict

TODAY James McCann, 80, was found to have responsible for 42 charges of physical and sexual assaults against young boys at St Fancis Boys' Home in Shefford.
Former editor of BoS, Steve Lowe, has followed the story closely since 1997. He worked to expose the wrongdoings at the boys' home and bore the brunt of the backlash from doing so.  Now he shares his view on the outcome.

http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/column-former-bos-editor-steve-lowe-speaks-out-after-shefford-boys-home-verdict/story-29794969-detail/story.html 

Shefford boys' home abusers guilty verdicts show complaints will be 'taken seriously' says NSPCC

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A CHILDREN'S charity has described two men found guilty of physical and sexual abuse at a Catholic children's home in Shefford as 'monsters'.
James McCann, 80, of Suffield Court, Swaffham, Norfolk, a former housemaster at the home, was found by a jury today to have been responsible for 42 charges of physical and sexual assaults against residents.
He was given an absolute discharge at The Old Bailey on medical grounds, having suffered a stroke.

http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/nspcc-says-guilty-verdicts-for-shefford-boys-home-abusers-show-complaints-will-be-taken-seriously/story-29794983-detail/story.html 

Property belonging to late Bishop Ronald Mulkearns goes on the market, with Ballarat diocese to receive proceeds

A BEACHFRONT home owned by a key figure in the child sexual abuse scandal that plagued the Catholic diocese of Ballarat has hit the market.

The multi-million dollar home in picturesque Fairhaven was left to the church by Bishop Ronald Mulkearns who died in April after he admitted shuffled paedophile priests around his parishes, covering up the abuse of hundreds of children.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/deceased-estate-of-catholic-bishop-ronald-mulkearns-placed-on-the-market/news-story/3c923df4eb171509decae7455b350fd2 

Priest to be barred in India following 'unprecedented' settlement in favor of Minnesota sexual abuse victim

A Minnesota survivor of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest has won a settlement in federal court to prevent her abuser, who was suspended but not removed from the ministry, from carrying out similar crimes in his home country of India.


But in a Monday press conference, survivor Megan Peterson questioned the church mechanisms that allowed her abuser, Father Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, to possibly return to the ministry after being convicted for his crimes against her in the U.S.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4128593-priest-be-barred-india-following-unprecedented-settlement-favor-minnesota-sexual-abuse

Minister ponders claims top gardaí covered up abuse

Labour leader Brendan Howlin confirmed that he handed over a comprehensive document compiled by one of Bill Kenneally’s victims detailing a “litany of concerns around the handling of the investigation”.
“There is going to have to be an investigation of some kind and the victims must be at the heart of it,” Mr Howlin told the Irish Examiner.  The matter has been referred to Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan by Ms Fitzgerald, who has “in the first place, sought the views of the Garda Commissioner on the issues raised”.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/minister-ponders-claims-top-gardai-covered-up-abuse-424762.html 

San Diego parishioners kept in the dark about sexual assault

For the second time in four years, a San Diego priest credibly accused (and later criminally charged) with sexual assault was allowed to stay in a parish while parishioners were kept in the dark.
Apparently, Bishop Robert McElroy doesn’t think that’s a big deal. He’s wrong.

Priest charged under Minnesota Law  Fr. Jacob Andrew Bertrand is facing sexual assault charges in Minnesota.

http://theworthyadversary.com/4339-4339 

Imam divorces eighth wife after she catches him red-handed with minor inside mosque

An imam from Punjab has divorced his eighth wife after she caught him red-handed somomizing a minor inside the mosque in Burewala city of Punjab.

Mussarat Bibi, who hails from neighboring Habib Colony, was married to Qari Muhammad Aslam some 15 years ago. Aslam is an imam at Gulshan Raza Town mosque and an Arabic teacher at the city’s Govt. MC Model High School.

https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/imam-divorces-eighth-wife-after-she-catches-him-red-handed-inside-mosque/ 

San Diego Priest Facing Charges Related to Sexual Encounter With Woman in Minnesota

A San Diego priest is facing charges for having sex with a woman in Minnesota while religiously advising her, allegedly paying her to keep quiet about their relationship.

Jacob Andrew Bertrand, 32, a priest at the Diocese of San Diego, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the 3rd degree for having sex with the woman in 2010, according to a complaint filed in the County of Dakota in Minnesota.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-Priest-Facing-Charges-Sexual-Encounter-Woman-in-Minnesota-396368591.html 

Victims of child sexual abuse waiting for justice, too

The scene on the Capitol steps last week was heart-warming, even though at its core it was a protest. The star was Libre, the horribly abused the Boston terrier puppy whose recovery is nothing short of miraculous.
With Libre their call to action, hundreds of people demanded tougher legal penalties for those convicted of abusing animals.  As state Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Franklin, noted, Pennsylvania is one of only three remaining states without a felony cruelty statute

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2016/10/statute_of_limitations_animal.html 

Here's what PennLive's editorial missed in the Statute of Limitations debate

PennLive's editorial successfully called upon Pennsylvania lawmakers to end the injustice caused by statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse.
The statute of limitation laws in Pennsylvania have always miscalculated the complex dynamics of childhood sexual abuse. While there is no time limit on the wounds from such an assault on the child's body and soul and research underscores that it can take decades for the child victim to come forward.

http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2016/10/heres_what_pennlives_editorial.html 

Dudley Imam Guilty Of Sexual Assaults Against Pupils

A religious teacher, who practised as an Imam at a Dudley mosque has been convicted of sexually abusing two pupils more than 30 years ago.

Hifiz Rahman, aged 57, from Ballard Road, Netherton, was found guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court of sexually assaulting two girls at Queens Cross Mosque in the 1980s.

http://www.heart.co.uk/westmids/news/local/dudley-imam-guilty-of-sexual-assaults-against/#1uLZFrWKOCEOTo49.97 

San Diego priest charged with sexual assault of Minnesota woman during private mass

A Catholic priest from San Diego has been charged with criminal sexual conduct for an incident during a private mass for the victim in her parents’ Mendota Heights, Minnesota home back in 2010. Jacob Bertrand, 33, was charged by summons with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct by clergy.
According to the charges, a 30-year-old woman contacted Mendota Heights police on April 28, 2016 to report sexual contact between her and Bertrand. The victim told police she met Bertrand in 2009 while studying spirituality at a university in Rome, Italy. Bertrand was also a student and a deacon at a Catholic church at that time. The victim asked Bertrand to be her spiritual guide, and the two began to meet every Wednesday for “holy conversation.”

http://www.fox9.com/news/210295968-story 

Theresa May dismisses claims her child sex abuse inquiry is 'too broad'

Mrs Clooney, a human rights lawyer, said the departure of the inquiry's senior lawyer Ben Emmerson QC had left a 'huge gap' that would be difficult to fill.

Mr Emmerson quit the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) 24 hours after he was suspended by chairwoman Alexis Jay over concerns about his leadership, but the inquiry has refused to release any further details for the barrister's suspension.  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3821338/Theresa-dismisses-claims-child-sex-abuse-inquiry-broad-Amal-Clooney-says-departure-lawyer-left-huge-gap-hard-fill.html

Heavily Catholic Guam is torn by sex abuse allegations

Atop a lofty hill overlooking the ocean in the U.S. territory of Guam, a residence for the governor and a ceremonial one for the archbishop sit together, a decades-old symbol of their seemingly equal power on an island where nearly everyone is Roman Catholic.
Catholicism is woven deeply into the Spanish-influenced culture of this land of 165,000 people. Families consider it a blessing to be closely associated with priests, and having a son grow up to be a priest or a daughter become a nun is a source of pride.

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/heavily-catholic-guam-torn-sex-abuse-allegations 

AK-Survivors disappointed in the Vatican’s choice for Anchorage’s new bishop

We’re disappointed in the Vatican’s choice for Anchorage’s new bishop Paul D. Etienne of Cheyenne, Wyoming (replacing Archbishop Roger L. Schwietz). Etienne has shown no leadership whatsoever in the church’s continuing child sex abuse and cover up crisis.

 For years, Etienne has continued to honor a predatory bishop, Bishop Joseph Hart, against whom at least six child sex abuse lawsuits have settled, Hart’s name graces a children’s home in Torrington Wyoming.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ak-survivors_disappointed_in_the_vatican_s_choice_for_anchorage_s_new_bishop