Father Wehmann at St. Olaf

Many people have written to me regarding Father Mark Wehmann's appearance on the liturgy schedule at St. Olaf in Minneapolis.  
Father Wehmann's personnel file, which outlines the reasons for his removal from ministry in December of 2013, is available online by following this link: http://www.andersonadvocates.com/Documents/priest_files/Mark%20Wehmann%20Priest%20File.pdf.

http://canonicalconsultation.com/1/post/2016/09/father-wehmann-at-st-olaf.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://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3820263/Heavily-Catholic-Guam-torn-sex-abuse-allegations.html 

Assignment Record– Rev. L. Joseph Obersinner, S.J.

Summary of Case: L. Joseph Obersinner was ordained for the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus in 1957. He spent many years as an Indian missionary in Omak WA in the Diocese of Spokane and at St. Ignatius Mission in the Diocese of Helena MT. He was also assigned to parishes in the Archdiocese of Portland OR, and the Diocese of Boise ID. In the late 1990s or early 2000s he retired to the Regis Jesuit Community in Spokane.
Obersinner's name was included on the Helena diocese's list posted to its website in April 2015 of clerics with allegations against them of sexual abuse of at least one minor. 

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

Popular Chicago-Area Priest Removed For 'Inappropriate Relationship' Joins Ministry in Texas

The Rev. Marco Mercado was removed last October by the Chicago Archdiocese, saying he was involved in “an inappropriate relationship with an adult man” has moved to Texas and begun working in hospital ministry. Mercado tells the Telemundo affiliate in San Antonio that “I’ve been able to refocus in my vocation, in my ministry, my priesthood. That’s why I’m extremely grateful for all the people who’ve supported me, all the people who’ve prayed for me.”

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Popular--390635601.html 

New bishop of Diocese of Arlington vows to reach out to sex abuse victims

Bishop Michael Burbidge, newly-appointed Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, vows to personally reach out to victims of clergy sexual abuse, and  “to accompany them in this process of healing.”
In a news conference with outgoing Bishop Paul Loverde, 76, who has led the Diocese since 1999, Burbidge, most recently the bishop in Raleigh, says he has been aware of Loverde’s outreach to victims.

http://wtop.com/arlington/2016/10/new-bishop-named-diocese-arlington/ 

Timothy Cardinal Dolan unveils healing program for victims of sex abuse in the Catholic Church

Scores of abuse victims molested by predatory Catholic priests can collect cash damages set by an independent administrator under a church plan unveiled Thursday.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan announced the new Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program as the Archdiocese of New York attempts to resolve the crippling abuse scandal of the last 40 years.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/timothy-cardinal-dolan-unveils-new-program-sex-abuse-victims-article-1.2819917 

How do other states besides Pa. handle statutes of limitations in sex-abuse cases?

As the rigorous debate continues in Pennsylvania surrounding the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse, other states across the country have likewise attempted to tackle the issue.
And while the outcomes have varied, some see similarities to events here.

http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20161005/how-do-other-states-besides-pa-handle-statutes-of-limitations-in-sex-abuse-cases 

Married couple fall unconscious, writhe on sidewalk after 'heroin overdose'

If you want to kill yourself... or look a fool... for every one to see you... the way we all see you... act out on your taking of drugs... here are some for you... just remember your kids are the first to see you... and they take that in... as it is always on their minds... to do it... when they are older... like what their silly parents do...

drugs kill... and the first thing that is killed... is your brain... that is why you never remember about... the stupid things you do... while you are on a high... if your kids do it when they are older... it is because... you had already given your children... the go ahead... by taking drugs yourself.... when they were little... remember your children... while you take that sniff... or that needle... because if you do it... they will sure to do... as you do...  Ann

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A married couple fell unconscious and their bodies writhed on a sidewalk as onlookers watched on and laughed in a shocking video showcasing America's heroin epidemic.

Bystander Courtland Garner filmed a husband and wife's "overdose" aftermath in broad daylight in Memphis, Tennessee, and live streamed the video on Facebook on Monday, which has gone viral.

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/32815758/married-couple-fall-unconscious-writhe-on-sidewalk-after-heroin-overdose/#page1 

NY Archdiocese Offers Compensation to Abuse Victims

Victims of clergy sex abuse willing to forego lawsuits against New York's Roman Catholic archdiocese can seek compensation through a new church fund announced Thursday, but any records of such abuse and what the church did about problem priests will remain private.

The program will be led by Kenneth Feinberg, who managed the federal compensation fund for Sept. 11 victims, with oversight by former New York Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly, among others.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ny-archdiocese-begins-compensation-program-abuse-victims-42615981 

Church leaders hold crisis talks held over fears trainee Catholic priests using gay dating app Grindr

Church leaders have held crisis talks over fears that trainee Catholic priests in Ireland are using the gay dating app Grindr.  Ireland's Catholic Church hierarchy admitted concerns about an "unhealthy atmosphere" at the country's main seminary.
As a result Church leaders have ordered a review of the "appropriate use of the internet and social media" at a centuries-old training centre for priests, as well as an overhaul of its approach to whistleblowers.

http://www.itv.com/news/2016-08-24/crisis-talks-held-over-fears-trainee-catholic-priests-using-gay-dating-app-grindr/ 

Aid workers accused of abusing migrants in French refugee camp

AID workers in the Calais Jungle have been accused of having sex with migrants — in some cases with multiple partners a day, reports The Sun.

A whistleblower took to Facebook to accuse volunteers of using camp prostitutes and sleeping with multiple migrants within the same 24 hours. Other aid workers have claimed chancing volunteers are treating the camp as a “free for all festival” and struggle to “keep it in their pants”.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/sex/aid-workers-accused-of-abusing-migrants-in-french-refugee-camp/news-story/b4485a5b7fe5e823d95fc57255faba96 

Stop criticizing Catholic Church for sex abuse scandal

Former Morning Call columnist Paul Carpenter chased his white whale through endless columns of his — motorcycle helmet laws. Yawn. To his credit, he always clearly spelled out who and what he was advocating against.
The same can't be said for columnist Bill White and his "White" whale — the Catholic Church. Without ever using the two words, "Catholic Church," or indicating the fact that his prime expert is specifically a Church critic, in a recent Sunday column White leaves out that he only goes after Catholic dioceses, without using the words, of course.

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/letters/mc-mcinerney-white-catholic-20160930-story.html 

What next for the child abuse inquiry after its top lawyer’s departure?

The suspension and then resignation of Ben Emmerson QC as lead counsel is another major blow for the much-troubled inquiry. But there are potential solutions to the problems it faces. What does the resignation of the lead counsel to the child abuse inquiry mean?
Few doubt that departure of Ben Emmerson QC, who for the last two years has been lead counsel to the national child abuse inquiry, is anything other than a damaging blow to its operations. The inquiry emerged from the shockwaves of the Jimmy Savile revelations, which exposed for the first time how an abuser could operate in plain sight within institutions from the National Health Service to the BBC.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/30/what-next-for-child-abuse-inquiry-after-lead-counsel-suspension-ben-emmerson

The child sex abuse inquiry has a bad history –and no future

Where does history end and the present day begin? It sounds like a trick interview question for Oxford – with a smarty pants answer, like: “Now!” But this strange, metaphysical puzzle is one of the crucial questions that has to be answered by the vast, sprawling and unmanageable Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/01/the-child-sex-abuse-inquiry-has-a-bad-history-and-no-future/ 

Former Arapahoe church youth pastor spared prison sentence for sexually assaulting 13-year-old girl

A teen-aged girl faced the youth pastor who sexually abused her and told a packed Arapahoe County courtroom how she was considering suicide when the pastor violated her trust and crushed her spirit.
“He never punched me and he never hit me,” the girl said. “But he broke me. As a person I trusted, he shattered what safety was.”

http://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/30/arapahoe-church-youth-pastor-sentence-sexually-assaulting-13-year-old-girl/