Chilean cardinal says bishop should resign over abuse crisis

The head of Chile’s Catholic Church said on Thursday that a Chilean bishop accused of covering up sexual abuse should resign, little more than a week after Pope Frances said he had made mistakes in handling Chile’s sexual abuse crisis. Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati told reporters that Juan Barros, a Chilean bishop who allegedly concealed abuse of minors by his mentor Father Fernando Karadima, should resign “without a doubt,” while adding he would not judge “whether or not [Barros] had covered up” the incidents.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chile-abuse/chilean-cardinal-says-bishop-should-resign-over-abuse-crisis-idUSKBN1HQ36Q 

Women from 'The Keepers' discuss experience at Baltimore conference on child sexual abuse prevention

Three women featured in the documentary “The Keepers” renewed calls Thursday for the Archdiocese of Baltimore to release its files on the priest at the center of the Netflix series. “Open your books, release your records,” Abbie Schaub said at a conference at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Schaub, along with Lil Hughes Knipp and Teresa Lancaster, was featured in a panel at the annual symposium of the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, which is part of the public health school.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-the-keepers-panel-20180418-story.html 

Yes, theologies of forgiveness and confession have played a role in Church abuse and cover up

An open Letter to Paul Richardson from Linda Woodhead. Dear Paul Richardson Thank you for an interesting opinion piece on Christian Today, 'Senior clergy don't need MBAs to deal with abuse'. I agree with much that you say. I must take issue, however, with your suggestion that there is little evidence to suport my claim that theologies of forgiveness and confession have played a role in abuse and cover up.

https://www.christiantoday.com/article/yes-theologies-of-forgiveness-and-confession-have-played-a-role-in-church-abuse-and-cover-up/128303.htm 

Former archdiocese chancellor accused of sexual abuse being called back to Guam

Former Archdiocese of Agana Chancellor Adrian Cristobal, currently a priest on a mission to the Diocese of Phoenix in Arizona, is being called back to Guam after he was accused in a lawsuit of sexually molesting and abusing a Barrigada parish altar boy on several occasions, from about 1995 to 1997. The Diocese of Phoenix will be notified of the claims of child sexual abuse filed against Cristobal, according to Tony Diaz, the Archdiocese of Agana's director of communication. Diaz said this is because the complaint against Cristobal will be handled in accordance with the Archdiocese of Agana's sexual abuse and sexual misconduct policy.

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/04/11/former-archdiocese-chancellor-accused-sexual-abuse-being-called-back-guam/502062002/ 

Adelaide Archbishop's fate in the balance

A NSW magistrate is considering a submission from Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson to drop the case against the clergyman involving claims he covered up child sex abuse by a fellow priest. After prosecutor Gareth Harrison formally closed the crown case against Wilson in the Newcastle Local Court today, defence barrister Stephen Odgers SC handed up a detailed “no case to answer” submission to magistrate Robert Stone.

https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/04/10/adelaide-archbishops-fate-balance/ 

Pennsylvania Dioceses Under Largest Sex-Abuse Investigation in History

Six dioceses are involved in the latest grand jury investigation into possible sex abuse cover up. PHILADELPHIA, Penn. (ChurchMilitant.com) - A 22-month investigation is expected to reveal the worst revelation of sex abuse and its cover up in U.S. history, according to a Pennsylvania politician. State Rep. Mark Rozzi is claiming "There has never been another grand jury like this … in history as far as it pertains to child sex abuse. This is going to be the worst report ever." He adds the investigation will reveal a "pattern of collusion" across the dioceses of Erie, Harrisburg, Greensburg, Allentown, Pittsburgh and Scranton.

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/pennsylvania-dioceses-under-largest-sex-abuse-investigation-in-history 

Grand jury report next for Catholic Diocese of Erie

After disclosing names of 51 accused priests and laypeople, Bishop Lawrence Persico predicts release of grand jury findings will be another “sobering moment.” The unprecedented release of information is far from over for the Catholic Diocese of Erie. Even with Bishop Lawrence Persico’s extraordinary move on Friday to publicize a 51-name list of accused priests and laypeople, more information about child sexual-abuse allegations in the diocese is set to come to light — and soon

http://www.goerie.com/news/20180408/grand-jury-report-next-for-catholic-diocese-of-erie 

Accusers give more details, instances of clergy sex abuses during church interviews

Clergy sex abuse accusers are giving the Catholic Church's attorneys more details and describing more instances of abuse, mostly by priests, during interviews to help evaluate claims for possible settlement, a Seattle-based attorney representing some plaintiffs said. This interview process is much like a deposition. Each person is interviewed for an average of two hours. It is conducted by lawyers for the defendants, including the Archdiocese of Agana, the Boy Scouts of American, Capuchin Franciscans and others associated with the Catholic Church. Victims' attorneys are present during these interviews.

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/04/14/victims-give-more-details-instances-clergy-sex-abuses-during-church-interviews/513329002/ 

Adelaide Archbishop part of 'toxic' cover-up of abuse, trial hears

Prosecutor at archbishop’s trial tells court Philip Wilson was part of a culture of covering things up where ‘victims come second’ Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has been accused of acting like a “cat on a hot tin roof” when trying to absolve himself of guilt over claims he covered up child sexual abuse by a paedophile priest. Prosecutor Gareth Harrison told Newcastle local court that Wilson was a “consummate Catholic politician” who had ducked and weaved when trying not to incriminate himself.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/13/adelaide-archbishop-part-of-toxic-cover-up-of-abuse-trial-hears

Saginaw Diocese to name five additional priests with sexual abuse complaints

The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw will name five additional priests with sexual abuse complaints later Friday, bringing the total to seven amid an ongoing criminal investigation. Bishop Joseph R. Cistone confirmed at a press conference Friday, April 13, that the diocese will publish the names of those priests on its website. Cistone also announced that Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Michael J. Talbot will serve as the independent delegate for the investigation.

http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2018/04/saginaw_bishop_holds_press_con.html

Vatican: Pope Chile letter a “spiritual state of emergency”

The Vatican said Thursday that Pope Francis’s apology to Chilean sex abuse victims and his request that the country’s bishops come to Rome to discuss reforms amounts to a “spiritual state of emergency” declaration for the Chilean Catholic Church. In an interview with The Associated Press, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said Francis’s letter to the Chilean hierarchy was an acknowledgment that he had made mistakes about abuse victims and that “yes, we believe you, you have your place in the Church.”

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/04/12/vatican-pope-chile-letter-a-spiritual-state-of-emergency/ 

Chilean abuse victims welcome pope’s letter, call for zero tolerance

Victims of clergy sexual abuse welcomed Pope Francis’s letter in which he apologized for underestimating the seriousness of the crisis in Chile. James Hamilton, Jose Andres Murillo and Juan Carlos Cruz, victims of Father Fernando Karadima, released a statement April 11 saying they appreciated the pope’s letter and were “evaluating the possibilities” for meeting with the pope. “The damage committed by the hierarchy of the Chilean Church, to which the pope refers, has affected many people, not just us,” the victims said.

https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2018/04/12/chilean-abuse-victims-welcome-popes-letter-call-for-zero-tolerance/ 

Australian State Premier Challenges Catholic Priests’ ‘Seal of Confession’

The premier of the Australian state of New South Wales State has initiated a national discussion on the inviolability of the Catholic “seal of confession” following a Royal Commission recommendation that priests be required to divulge any sexual abuse of children heard in the confessional. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the matter of the seal of confession needed to be handled at the national level, asserting that it goes “beyond the boundaries of any one state.”

http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2018/04/04/australian-premier-challenges-catholic-priests-seal-confession/ 

Pedophile Priests Preyed In Local Parishes

The pedophile priest scandal in Boston, a story told in the Oscar nominated movie Spotlight, earned the Boston Globe a Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for breaking the news. But pedophile priests were commonplace decades earlier on the East End, a story that has, for the most part, gone untold. As reported last week exclusively in The Independent — this newspaper has followed the story since 2003 —the Diocese Of Rockville Centre often sent priests accused of inappropriate behavior to eastern Long Island, believing they would blend in better in the sparsely-populated communities here.

https://indyeastend.com/news-opinion/pedophile-priests-preyed-in-local-parishes/ 

Grandfather, 74, breaks six decades of silence to reveal he was raped by Irish nun who fell pregnant with child he's never known

A GRANDFATHER has told of how a depraved Irish nun raped him in a care home as a young boy before becoming pregnant with a child he has never met. Edward Hayes, 74, was sexually abused by Irish nun Sister Mary Conleth, real name Bessie Veronica Lawler, as a vulnerable youngster in the 1950s. The horrific crimes occurred while he was growing up at the John Reynolds Home in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, which was run by The Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph – a Catholic congregation of nuns.

https://www.irishpost.com/news/grandfather-74-breaks-six-decades-silence-reveal-raped-irish-nun-fell-pregnant-child-hes-never-known-152785