Fighting abuse: What Pope Francis has done during his pontificate
…or legal coercion. As such, tackling abuse and fostering healing require constant personal conversion, he has said. The pope has also widened the scope of abuse to include not just…
Newspapers examine U.S. bishops’ responses to abuse allegations
…on sex abuse in the Catholic Church and past failures by the church to root out abusers and to protect the innocent. The entire public — including Catholics — can…
Pittsburgh bishop apologizes to abuse victims, reviews abuse response
…working to remove offenders, assist victims, and prevent further abuse. “Ever since I first met victims of clergy child sexual abuse in 1988, I have seen the immense pain that…
Pope told Jesuits he regularly meets abuse survivors, journal reports
…Rome, sent Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, an experienced investigator, to Chile to conduct interviews. After the pope left Chile and flew on to Peru, the topic of abuse was…
Summit emphasizes global nature of abuse crisis, need to put victims first
…victims of clerical sexual abuse; working to end the abuse and exploitation of children and young people online; and working with civil authorities to end sex tourism. The summit brought…
Pope issues new norms on mandatory abuse reporting, bishop accountability
…will be accountable not just for protecting minors against abuse but also for protecting seminarians, novices, and members of religious orders from violence and sexual abuse stemming from an abuse…
Abuse crisis, leadership failure seen having impact on church giving
…abuse crisis. The report urged church leaders to “provide full financial transparency regarding all aspects of the (abuse) crisis, include how donations are used.” The report also called upon bishops…
All of Chile’s bishops offer resignations after meeting pope on abuse
…acts that have occurred in the Chilean church in relation to those unacceptable abuses of power, of conscience, and sexual abuse that have resulted in the lessening of the prophetic…
Wuerl: In Pittsburgh, he ‘established strong policies’ on abuse claims
…substantiated allegation of child sexual abuse,” the fact sheet said. “While allegations of abuse were being investigated, priests were placed on administrative leave and/or sent for professional psychological evaluation.” The…
Pope applauds launch of abuse investigation center in Chile
…during the inaugural ceremony of the Center for Investigation of Abuse and Early Prevention at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the pope praised the center’s aim to “not only…
Statements from bishops of dioceses named in grand jury abuse report
…abuse claims is here. From Bishop Ronald W. Gainer of Harrisburg: “I read the grand jury report on child sexual abuse with great sadness, for once again we read that…
Chilean abuse victims welcome pope’s letter, call for zero tolerance
…that the abuse of power must end for trust to be restored for sexual abuse victims, who feel that they were ignored and not taken seriously by the Chilean church….
Pennsylvania grand jury says church was interested in hiding abuse
…sex abuse crisis in 2000, the U.S. bishops in 2002 approved procedures and protocols for addressing allegations of abuse. But Shapiro seemed to cast doubt that it was enough. “They…
Milwaukee Archdiocese reaches $21 million settlement with abuse survivors
…allegation of sexual abuse of a minor,” according to information provided by the archdiocese. The second class is comprised of 107 claims involving abuse by a religious order priest, brother,…
Clergy Sex Abuse Not About Gay Priests, Top Psychologist Says
…clerical abuse. Only a small number of abusive priests — and of sexual abusers in the general population — can be formally classified as pedophiles, according to the clinical definition…
Clericalism, abuse of power, at heart of sex abuse crisis, cardinal says
…of abuse; transferring the accused to other places where they continue to abuse; or trying to reach monetary settlements to buy silence.” To understand the full depth of the crisis,…
Report: Priests abused hundreds of kids in Altoona-Johnstown Diocese
…a statewide grand jury found. At least 50 priests or religious leaders were involved in the abuse and diocesan leaders systematically concealed the abuse to protect the church’s image, according…
Bishops hear frank presentations, discussion on abuse crisis
…and continue to move solutions to abuse forward. “Don’t stagnate it, or slow it down,” said Cesareo during a question-and-answer period following his report. He said if action against abuse…
Pope asks forgiveness from victims of clergy sex abuse in Chile
By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service SANTIAGO, Chile (CNS) — Pope Francis, in his first formal speech in Chile, asked forgiveness from those who were sexually abused by priests….
Pope accepts two more bishops’ resignations in Chile
…VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In the wake of a papal investigation into abuse of power, negligence and the cover-up of sexual abuse in the church in Chile, Pope Francis has…
Survivor hopes papal meeting will bring end to ‘culture of abuse’
…prayers for the church in Chile and hoped the meetings would be “a crucial step to repair and forever avoid the abuses of conscience, power and especially sexual [abuse] in…
Survivors hope pope will act against ‘epidemic’ of abuse in the church
By Junno Arocho Esteves | Catholic News Service ROME (CNS) — Three Chilean abuse survivors who met with Pope Francis said his apology to them must be accompanied by concrete…
Great expectations: Vatican abuse summit has key, realistic goals
…the abuse crisis. Administrative solutions involving new policies and norms are not enough, he has said. He told Chile’s bishops that abuse and its cover-up “are indicators that something is…
World’s bishops call for action on abuse; English bishop wants synod
…help to combat the scourge of clerical child sex abuse. Bishop Egan told the pope his letter was prompted by the “terrible abuse of minors by clergy” documented by the…
At summit, survivors expose ‘cancer’ of clergy sex abuse
…Pope Francis and bishops attending the Vatican summit on child protection and the abuse crisis. The meeting began Feb. 21 with the harrowing stories of survivors of sexual abuse, cover-up,…
More accountability needed after abuse revelations, church figures say
…sexually abused minors. (CNS photo | Nancy Wiechec) By Mark Pattison | Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — The sexual abuse allegations surrounding now-former Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick have prompted…
Prominent Catholics see larger role for laity in church’s abuse response
…premise envisions that such a board would review abuse allegations or complaints of improper handling of an abuse claim by any bishop. Just such a body has been sought since…
Bishop Cunningham: ‘It is time for the state legislature to strengthen and pass the Child Victims Act’
…work to ensure that child sexual abuse never happens in our Church again. Tragically, child sexual abuse extends beyond the Catholic Church. Americans have learned of the shocking scale and…
Abuse allegation against Cardinal McCarrick found credible
…hard to reconcile with the news of a credible and substantiated claim of abuse of a minor.” “The abuse of anyone who is vulnerable is both shameful and horrific. The…
Cardinal says ‘sorrow, disgust, rage’ are ‘righteous’ reactions to abuse
…child sex abuse claims in six Pennsylvania dioceses. Some weeks before that were the allegations against Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick that he abused a minor more than 47 years ago…
