ABUSE TRACKER

BOSTON (MA)
Coshocton Tribune

[New Garabedian List – BishopAccountability.org]

By Jay Lindsay, Associated Press

BOSTON (WTW) — A Massachusetts attorney for clergy sex abuse victims released six new names of clerics accused of abuse, saying Wednesday that it shows that a crisis that began a decade ago is far from over.

Mitchell Garabedian said he reached five- or six-figure settlements in all the cases over the past 15 months.

One of the men is living and served in New Jersey. Five are dead and served in various Northeast states, including two who were priests in the Boston Archdiocese.

One of the Boston priests, the Rev. James Lane, reported the notorious abuser John Geoghan to church leaders during the 1980s.

At a news conference, Garabedian singled out the Boston Archdiocese for not disclosing its names first.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Catholic News Service

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Ten years after passing their “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” the heads of nearly all U.S. dioceses are in full compliance with the 17-point document, according to recently completed audits.

Two dioceses — Baker, Ore., and Lincoln, Neb. — and six Eastern Catholic eparchies refused to participate in the audits, as they had in past years, and were found to be noncompliant.

In dioceses where the audits took place, however, only one diocese was found in noncompliance with one article of the charter. The Diocese of Shreveport, La., was found to be noncompliant because its diocesan review board had not met in two years.

The diocese had not “experienced any charter-related violations in at least four years,” and the board was immediately convened when the diocese was notified of the gap, according to the report from StoneBridge Business Partners of Rochester, N.Y. StoneBridge conducted the audits for the first time in the year ending June 30, 2011. Earlier audits had been carried out by the Gavin Group of Boston.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Catholic League

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the findings of the 2011 Annual Report on priestly sexual abuse that was released by the bishops’ conference; the survey was done by a Georgetown institute:

The headlines should read, “Abuse Problem Near Zero Among Priests,” but that is not what is being reported.

According to the 2011 Official Catholic Directory, there are 40,271 priests in the U.S. The report says there were 23 credible accusations of the sexual abuse of a minor made against priests for incidences last year. Of that number, 9 were deemed credible by law enforcement. Which means that 99.98% of priests nationwide had no such accusation made against them last year. Nowhere is this being reported.

Here are more data from the report that won’t appear elsewhere: almost all the offenses involve homosexuality. Indeed, 16% of the credible allegations made against priests who work in dioceses or eparchies, and 6% of religious order priests, involved pedophilia. In the former category, 82% of the alleged victims were male; in the latter, the figure is 94%. In other words, we are not talking about kids as victims, and we are not talking about females: we are talking about postpubescent males who were allegedly violated by adult males. That’s called homosexuality.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

STOCKTON (CA)
Modesto Bee

Bee Staff Reports
local@modbee.com

STOCKTON — Phase Two of a civil trial in which a former altar boy is suing the Diocese of Stockton for damages stemming from a child sex abuse claim was postponed Wednesday and will begin Thursday.

A civil jury has found the pastor of St. Joachim Church in Lockeford, Michael Kelly, liable of various actions related to sexual assault.

On the stand, the plaintiff described being groomed, molested and raped by Kelly when they both served at Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton more than 20 years ago, Kelly as priest and plaintiff as an altar boy.

The jury found unanimously in favor of the plaintiff, identified in court papers as John TZ Doe, after two months of testimony. The archdiocese immediately removed him from his position.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer

By Joseph A. Slobodzian
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

The former baseball coach of the alleged victim of a sexual assault by the Rev. James J. Brennan told a Philadelphia jury today that he once saw Brennan massaging the preteen boy’s back during a postgame house party in about 1990.

Robert T. Kane testified that the boy – the son of one of his assistant coaches – had been playing with friends outside and returned inside sweaty and wearing no shirt.

As the boy sat at a table, Kane said, Brennan approached from behind and began massaging the boy’s bare shoulders.

The image stuck in his head, Kane told the Common Pleas Court jury under questioning by Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coelho.

“It was kind of like looking at a black-and-white picture and seeing someone wearing a yellow hat,” Kane testified. “I just seemed odd to me.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by Dorothee Benz, CCR on April 11, 2012

April 11, 2012, New York – Today, a survivor-led support group for sex abuse victims, which is under attack by U.S. Catholic officials, submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) new and extensive documentation that the organization says shows ongoing child rape by Catholic clergy and continuing cover-ups by bishops and Vatican officials. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) says the new evidence, submitted by SNAP’s attorneys at the Center for Constitutional Rights, underscores the urgent need to prevent future child sex crimes and cover-ups and hold church officials accountable for widespread human rights abuses.

Nearly 500 victims, witnesses, whistleblowers and supporters from 65 different countries have reached out to SNAP since September when the organization filed the complaint with the ICC.

“We’re grateful so many brave but wounded and fearful victims across the world are starting to speak up and get help,” said Barbara Blaine, SNAP’s president “But we’re still shocked by how aggressively church officials still hide, ignore and enable clerics to assault kids, escape justice and flee elsewhere while focusing almost strictly on damage control and public relations maneuvers.”

“The documentation we presented today includes evidence that has come to light in the six months since we filed the original submission,” said CCR senior staff attorney Pam Spees. “These developments demonstrate yet again both how widespread this human rights crisis is and how it tragically continues.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
The Daily Best

Barbie Latza Nadeau

The Vatican has cracked down on a popular and outspoken Irish Catholic priest. Barbie Latza Nadeau reports on the Catholic Spring

The Vatican has been watching Father Tony Flannery for a long time. The popular Irish Catholic priest has candidly voiced his liberal – and critical – views on the Church, becoming a beacon of reason to his many of his loyal readers.

He questioned celibacy and was an advocate of ordaining women into the priesthood, frequently writing about how women priests could help the church bring more Catholics to mass. To many, Flannery channeled the pop vox of today’s Catholics who wanted to keep the faith, but couldn’t easily navigate the Church’s tough stance on issues like contraception and divorce.

But to his critics, his writing bordered on heresy.

The Vatican clearly had enough of Flannery and last week silenced the 65-year-old priest. Just days before Easter, Flannery, a prolific and long-time columnist for the Redemptorist Order’s monthly magazine “Reality”, was told he can no longer write on any of the church doctrine issues.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

CHARLESTON (SC)
WCBD

By: Diocese of Charleston News Release | WCBD News 2
Published: April 11, 2012

CHARLESTON, SC – April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone is observing the month long initiative by celebrating a special Mass on Sunday, April 15 at 5:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Charleston.

This Mass will be offered for the healing of child sexual abuse victims and their families, and in recognition of the Diocese’s newly adopted Policy that addresses sexual abuse allegations. “This special Mass will be an opportunity for the Catholic community to pray for all victims of abuse and to remind everyone about the importance of protecting God’s children,” said Most Reverend Robert E. Guglielmone, Bishop of Charleston.

April 15 also marks the day in which the Policy Concerning Allegations of Sexual Misconduct or Abuse of a Minor by Church Personnel (2012) goes into effect. “There are three major revisions to the Policy,” said Bishop Guglielmone. “The first is new restrictions when communicating with youth through social media. The second is closing any ambiguity regarding background screening and safe environment training of employees and volunteers. The third gives more independence to the advisory board that assesses allegations.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

FLORIDA
Orlando Sentinel

By Erika Pesantes, Sun Sentinel

1:33 p.m. EDT, April 11, 2012
Additional molestation charges were brought against a former Fort Lauderdale pastor Wednesday bringing the total number of victims to six.

Jeffery London, 48, of Lauderdale Lakes, has been accused of molesting two more victims and has been charged with five counts of sexual battery on a child and three counts of sexual battery.

London allegedly performed oral sex on the now 21-year-old victim when he was 11 years-old and had the child do the same, according to a Broward Sheriff’s Office report. It occurred on a daily basis until the child reached adulthood.

London would allegedly give the victim money in exchange for oral sex; the initial abuse occurred at a time when the victim’s mother was incarcerated and the child was staying with London, according to the report.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
CBS Philly

By Tony Hanson

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Evidence in the Philadelphia clergy child-abuse case today has focused on who was in charge — who was responsible for the placement and transfer of alleged and suspected “predator” priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

It has become apparent that priests suspected of preying on children were shuffled, for decades, from one parish to another in the Philadelphia archdiocese (see related stories).

But the defense contends that defendant Msgr. William Lynn, who is charged with endangering children by allowing the suspect priests to remain in ministry, wasn’t responsible.

Although he was the archdiocese’s Secretary for Clergy — handling personnel matters including allegations of misconduct — the defense contends the archbishop had final say and signed the papers on all personnel moves.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BOSTON (MA)
TheBostonChannel

BOSTON — Dozens of cases of alleged sexual abuse by clergy have been settled by the Archdiocese of Boston, according to a lawyer representing the alleged victims.

Mitchell Garabedian outlined the settlements at a press conference on Wednesday in a downtown Boston hotel.

The settlements, described in the five- or six-figure range, include no admission of guilt from the archdiocese.

A spokesman for the archdiocese confirmed the settlements, but said its own investigation found the claims “inconclusive.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

MILWAUKEE (WI)
National Catholic Reporter

Apr. 11, 2012

By Maryangela Layman Roman, Catholic News Service

MILWAUKEE — A U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled April 5 that the depositions of Milwaukee’s retired archbishop, a Milwaukee auxiliary bishop and a former priest will remain sealed and may not be made public.

The ruling by Judge Susan V. Kelley was in response to a motion filed by Jeff Anderson and Associates, the law firm representing claimants in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin where Kelley is presiding over the Chapter 11 reorganization of the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

At issue are the depositions of retired Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba and a former priest, Daniel Budzynski.

In denying the motion to unseal them, Kelley noted she had previously authorized “rule 2004 examinations,” or depositions, which were taken last October and November, for three reasons:

— The potential loss of evidence because of the age or infirmity of the witnesses; Weakland is 85; Sklba is 76; and Budzynski is 84.

— The testimony would be used to value claims and determine whether they were objectionable.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

RHODE ISLAND
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by David Clohessy on April 11, 2012

Two child sex abuse lawsuits against the Providence Catholic diocese are still moving forward despite a judge’s decision in favor of the defendants. The cases involve alleged child sex crimes by Fr. Brendan Smyth and alleged recklessness by the Providence diocese. In the 1960s, Smyth worked at Our Lady of Mercy parish in East Greenwich RI.

Though they are taking legal action decades after they were allegedly hurt, the victims argued that the statute of limitations should be suspended because they repressed their memories of the abuse and because Catholic officials “fraudulently concealed” their knowledge of Smyth’s crimes.

Last week, Judge Netti Vogel ruled against the fraud claim. The repressed memory argument will be heard later.

“We think it’s reprehensible when Catholic bishops, who purport to be caring shepherds, act in court like cold-hearted CEOs,” said David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP’s director. “If Bishop Tobin honestly believes this once-imprisoned priest is innocent, Tobin should defend the case on its merits, not by exploiting legal technicalities.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

WISCONSIN
SNAP Wisconsin

Fr. Glenn Davidowich is founder of Junior Pro Wrestling Association

Statement by John Pilmaier, SNAP Wisconsin Director
CONTACT: 414.336.8575

Today an attorney has announced that he has settled a child sex abuse claim involving a Catholic priest now living in Manitowoc Wisconsin. The accused cleric is Fr. Glenn Davidowich. The attorney who reached the settlement is Mitchell Garabedian.

Davidowich worked at Catholic churches in Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Davidowich was also the founder of an organization known as the Junior Pro Wrestling Association (JPWA) which produced and sold videos of teenage boys in sexually suggestive poses. The JPWA website featured pictures of boys in swimming briefs, some wearing dog collars and chains.

We continue to be disappointed that the truth about pedophile priests is still hidden by Catholic officials and that credible allegations against child molesting clerics are still not disclosed by church officials. We hope that anyone who may have seen, suspected, or suffered crimes by Fr. Glenn Davidowich will come forward, get help, and start recovering.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

KANSAS CITY (MO)
Directors and Officers Liability

While charges and stories of priests abusing children have been surfacing and being suppressed across the country for decades, a criminal prosecution of clergy engaged in cover-ups is rare. Bishop Robert Finn, head of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic leader facing criminal charges in connection with alleged child sexual abuse.

Bishop Finn is charged for failing to report a priest who kept pornographic pictures of girl children under the diocese on his computer. The defense of Bishop Finn argued that charges against him be dropped as he had no duty to report to the authorities of the alleged abuse by another priest. But, Jackson County Circuit Judge John Terence rejected the arguments and held that Bishop Finn had a duty to report after church officials found pictures of naked girl children on the computer of Father Shawn Ratigan.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Daily Mail (United Kingdom)

Mark Dooley

Two years ago, I appeared on a television programme entitled Faith in Crisis. I was joined on the panel by Fr Tony Flannery, a founding member of the self-styled Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland (ACP). Last week, the Vatican banned Fr Flannery from contributing to the Redemptorist Order’s Reality magazine.

Before appearing on Faith in Crisis, I had not met Fr Flannery. In fact, it wasn’t until he accused me of suggesting that he didn’t celebrate the Eucharist correctly, that I realised he was a Catholic priest. This was because he neither spoke nor dressed as someone who wished to be identified as a member of the clergy.

Like most of the other participants on that programme, Fr Flannery chanted from a radical hymn book. His message was one of dissent from Rome on issues ranging from clerical celibacy to women priests. As he spoke, I remember being surprised that the Vatican permitted such flagrant opposition to Church doctrine by one of its priests.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Herald

By Alan O’Keeffe

Wednesday April 11 2012

SEVERE criticisms of RTE’s handling of the Fr Kevin Reynolds story have been made by its own former director of television Helen O’Rahilly.

There were “shocking” aspects, she said, to the way the national broadcaster dealt with the claims of rape against the priest which were proved to be false after the programme was broadcast

Hitting out at RTE, Ms Rahilly said what has emerged about the programme makers methods were “extremely damning.”

Ms O’Rahilly is a former Director of Television at RTE who had previously worked as a BBC executive. She indicated she returned to the BBC after only 10 months at RTE because she had difficulties about how the station operated. She was later promoted to Deputy Controller of BBC One.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

NORTH DAKOTA
Grand Forks Herald

By: Associated Press

BISMARCK — A former Roman Catholic priest won’t have to spend more time in jail for stealing from a paralyzed man while he was caring for him.

A judge sentenced 68-year-old Cyprian Meier to 18 months in prison for exploiting a vulnerable adult. The sentence was suspended for five years. Meier will get credit for 148 days he’s already spent in jail.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Beaver County Times

Associated Press

Philadelphia prosecutors are showing jurors how a priest with a history of child-molestation complaints was reassigned each time a new allegation arose.

The Rev. Francis Trauger was transferred eight times during his clerical career, each time without a warning to the parish.

Hundreds of documents are being presented to a jury in the trial of Monsignor William Lynn, the archdiocese’s secretary of clergy from 1992 to 2004.

Lynn is the first Roman Catholic official in the U.S. charged with endangering children for allegedly transferring priests suspected of molestation. His attorneys insist that Lynn tried to drum out predator priests but his efforts were hindered by his superiors.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

MASSACHUSETTS
BishopAccountability.org

On April 11, 2012, Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian announced that in the past year he had settled lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by twelve priests and brothers not on his original list of accused clerics. Below we are providing the assignment histories of these new priests and brothers. This page supplements our previous collection of assignment records for the new priests named by Garabedian on January 19, 2011. A complete list of all the clerics named by Garabedian clients is proviided on the law firm’s website.

Names of clerics not yet in our Database of Accused Priests are noted in the list below. See also Settlements Are Reached in Clergy Sex Abuse Cases: Police Chaplain One of 12 Clerics, by Lisa Wangsness, Boston Globe, April 11, 2012.

Two of the priests in Garabedian’s second list – Revs. James H. Lane and Rickard/Richard J. O’Donovan – are priests of the Boston archdiocese, who should now be added by Cardinal O’Malley to his Boston list, which when it was released in August 2011 included names from Garabedian’s first list. The new Garabedian list also includes religious order priests who worked in the Boston archdiocese.

Rev. James H. Lane of Boston worked for many years as a police chaplain. Sadly, it is not unusual for offending priests to use a chaplaincy with police or firefighters as a cover. Examples are Rev. Joseph T. Herp of Louisville KY, Rev. Gerard P. Walsh of Worcester MA, Rev. Stephen C. Foley of Hartford CT, and Rev. John Cornelius of Seattle WA.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

MISSOURI
The Turner Report

A 9 a.m. Monday, April 16, arraignment has been scheduled in Taney County Circuit Court for Lee Bradberry, 22, Auburn, Ala.

Bradberry is charged with two counts of statutory sodomy, two counts of sexual molestation and single counts of sexual misconduct and attempted statutory sodomy, all involving underage boys who were under his charge as a counselor at Kanakuk Kamps in Branson.

Bradberry is being held in the Taney County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

AUSTRIA
National Catholic Reporter

by Phyllis Zagano on Apr. 11, 2012 Just Catholic

Now it’s Vienna’s Cardinal Christoph Schönborn who’s wading in hot water. Seems he and a group of Austrian priests and deacons got a full blast of papal steam on Holy Thursday.

The shrill Roman whistle sounded: No women or married men will be ordained.

Goodness, what’s a 67-year-old prince of the church (and son of a count) to do? After all, Schönborn was a student of Joseph Ratzinger in Regensburg, Germany. He taught dogmatic theology at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He was a member of the International Theological Commission. He oversaw the creation of the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Now Schönborn’s former professor, the pope, chastised the Austrians (not directly, of course) in the middle of Holy Thursday. Benedict also sent a letter to Schönborn. Do you think it might be about women?

Schönborn has tangled with Benedict before. In 2009, as the Austrian bishops were ending emergency meetings called by the pope, the cardinal handed Benedict XVI a petition. Called an “initiative of the faithful,” it asked for married priests (both men to be ordained and those who left to marry) and for ordination of women as deacons. Since then, the Austrian Priest’s Initiative, representing 15 percent of Austrian clergy, broadened the demands. And, by the way, 87,000 Austrian Catholics have formally resigned from the church.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

NEW JERSEY
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by David Clohessy on April 11, 2012

A child sex abuse case against a former NJ Catholic cleric, Fr. Leonard Thomas Walsh (who worked in Rutherford), has been settled.

We are sad that the truth about pedophile priests is still hidden by Catholic officials and those credible allegations against child molesting clerics are still not disclosed by Catholic officials.

We hope that anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Walsh – in NJ or elsewhere – will come forward, get help and start recovering.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BOSTON (MA)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by David Clohessy on April 11, 2012

Boston’s the one archdiocese where transparency about predator priests should be routine. But it’s still not. We still learn about credibly accused clerics from sources outside the church hierarchy.

The obvious question is “How many other credible allegations and secret settlements has O’Malley gotten and made over the past eight years?”

If the head of the Boston archdiocese is still keeping silent about accusations and pay-outs, it’s almost certain that most other US bishops are doing likewise.

We applaud Mitchell Garabedian, BishopAccountability.org, and others who continue to put protecting innocent kids over protecting adults’ reputations.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

VATICAN CITY
Straits Times (Singapore)

VATICAN CITY (AFP) – An Irish priest was summoned to Rome and asked to retire to a monastery in March after he voiced views in favour of liberal reforms for the Catholic Church, a website reported on Wednesday.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the main guardian of the Church’s dogma, did not reportedly take kindly to Father Tony Flannery’s pronouncements on contraception, the marriage of priests and women’s ordination.

The Vatican Insider website, citing informed sources, said the 65-year-old priest, one of the founders of the Association of Irish Priests, was called back to Rome by the superior general of his Redemptorist order, Father Michael Brehl.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Association of Religion Data Archives

By David Briggs

Thousands of victims of sexual abuse will never receive a personal apology from their church leaders.

Many continue suffering into adulthood from the crimes of wayward clergy and the conspiracy of silence by religious hierarchs. Now, some will be offended even more by statements made by Cardinal Edward Egan.

The archbishop emeritus of New York recently expressed regret for issuing an apology at the height of the U.S. scandal, saying, “I don’t think we did anything wrong.”

Yet no matter how much individuals such as the cardinal would like to put the sexual abuse scandal behind them, they can no longer appeal to an obedient laity to ignore or downplay the crimes, according to new research.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Longford Leader

Published on Wednesday 11 April 2012

Defamed Co Longford priest Fr Kevin Reynolds has blamed the media for keeping the ongoing controversy surrounding his much publicised RTE libelling in the public spotlight.

In a short and candid interview with the Leader on Monday, the Lanesboro born cleric intimated his desire to draw a line under the entire episode and concentrate on his parochial duties as a parish priest.

He also declined to make any further comment about his exclusion from a Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s investigation into the controversial Prime Time Investigates programme, ‘A Mission to Prey’.

Speaking from his adopted home of Ahascragh, Co Galway, Fr Reynolds said many of his parishioners had also spoken of their frustration at unrelenting media coverage concerning the furore.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
The Irish Times

LUKE CASSIDY

Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte has neither seen nor received a report commissioned by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) into the Prime Time Investigates programme that libelled Fr Kevin Reynolds.

The unpublished report into the broadcast, which was carried out by former BBC Northern Ireland controller Anna Carragher, and proposed a fine of about €200,000, was sent to RTÉ and interested parties last week.

An article in yesterday’s Irish Times detailed the main findings which were highly critical of the standards of journalism involved in the broadcast, citing briefing notes based on the document.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Breaking News

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has described RTÉ’s handling of the Fr Kevin Reynolds case as a “debacle”.

Minister Rabbitte said the ‘Mission to Prey’ programe, part of the now-axed ‘Prime Time Investigates’ strand, was a departure from the broadcaster’s “usual high standards”.

Yesterday leaked documents from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) were highly critical of the standards of journalism involved in the broadcast.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

MASSACHUSETTS
The Patriot Ledger

BOSTON —

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has reached settlements in sexual abuse cases involving two priests, including a priest at St. Colman Church in Brockton during the 1950s and 1960s who later served at Sacred Heart in Weymouth.

The Rev. Richard J. O’Donovan died in August 2000, before the allegation was raised against him.

The other case involved the Rev. James Lane, a former Boston police chaplain whose only previous connection with the scandal was as a whistleblower.

The Rev. Lane died in 2007.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

DEUTSCHLAND
taz

Was hat die Gesellschaft begriffen nach zwei Jahren Aufdeckung von Missbrauchsfällen? Nichts. Eher im Gegenteil, zumindest wenn man die Reformpädagogik betrachtet.von Christian Füller

Bildungsministerin Annette Schavan (CDU) nennt es gerne eine „neue Kultur des Hinschauens“. Das bedeutet, kurz gesagt: Lehrer, Eltern, Pfarrer, die Polizei, die Öffentlichkeit, alle müssen viel sensibler auf Missbrauchsverdachte achten und schnell reagieren – zum Schutz der Opfer. Das muss die Lehre sein aus der Aufdeckung schwerster und umfangreicher Missbrauchsfälle in Kollegs, Klöstern und der Odenwaldschule. Denkt man.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Renew America

By Matt C. Abbott

Catholic author, speaker and journalist Dawn Eden has a new book out titled My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints, published by Ave Maria Press. Below is the book’s foreword, written by Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V., superior general of the Sisters of Life.

From the Ave Maria Press website:

‘One in four American women and one in six American men report having been sexually abused during childhood…. Eden uses her own story as a backdrop to introduce numerous holy people — like Laura Vicuña, Thomas Aquinas and Bernard of Clairvaux — who suffered sexual abuse or sexual inappropriateness, as well as saints such as Ignatius of Loyola who suffered other forms of mistreatment and abandonment. Readers seeking wholeness will discover saints with wounds like their own, whose stories bear witness to the transforming power of grace. Eden explores different dimensions of divine love — sheltering, compassionate, purifying, etc. — to help those sexually wounded in childhood understand their identity in the abiding love of Christ.’

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED KINGDOM
BBC News

By Elaine Thelen BBC News

‘Sarah’ is still traumatised by the sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl. In a church-going, happy and loving family was a seven-year-old girl.

But then, through a weekly ordeal of sexual abuse at the hands of someone she thought would protect her, her life changed forever.

Now 23 years old, the torment of the years of her uncle’s abuse remains strong, along with the anger over how her family covered it up to protect their reputation and that of the Church.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Irish Independent

Wednesday April 11 2012

– Interviews with sources were not documented, while note-taking was non-existent.

– RTE guidelines allow secret filming under certain circumstances, including when it is believed that a subject will not consent. It was assumed Fr Reynolds would not consent.

– There was a mentality that the offer of a paternity test from Fr Reynolds was an attempt to derail the programme.

– Reporter Aoife Kavanagh, although experienced, was working on her first ‘Prime Time Investigates’ programme and had not been provided with training on the guidelines surrounding investigative journalism.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Irish Independent

Wednesday April 11 2012

May 7, 2011: Fr Kevin Reynolds is confronted by an RTE ‘Prime Time Investigates’ team at his church in Ahascragh, Co Galway. He refutes the allegation that he fathered a child.

May 23, 2011: RTE broadcasts the ‘Prime Time Investigates: Mission to Prey’ programme despite an offer from Fr Reynolds of a paternity test.

September 21, 2011: The High Court hears two paternity tests show Fr Reynolds did not father a child to a Kenyan woman.

October 7, 2011: RTE issues an apology to Fr Reynolds. The broadcaster accepted that the allegations against the Galway priest were baseless and without foundation.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Irish Independent

By Colm Kelpie

Wednesday April 11 2012

RTE is likely to accept the findings of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s investigation into the libelling of Fr Kevin Reynolds by ‘Prime Time Investigates’.

But the Irish Independent understands there are concerns within the state broadcaster that some of the BAI’s conclusions appear to apply to its entire current affairs output, even though the probe focused only on allegations made against Fr Reynolds in one programme.

The unpublished report was sent to RTE last Thursday and the broadcaster has until April 20 to issue a reply, or request an oral hearing or go to the High Court.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Irish Independent

[click here for the story]

By Edel Kennedy

Wednesday April 11 2012

RTE has rejected a claim that the woman at the centre of the Fr Kevin Reynolds controversy did not understand the questions she was being asked during the making of the programme.

A family member of Veneranda Mudi — the woman who claimed she had been raped and had a child by the priest in Kenya — said she did not understand what she was being asked.

However, RTE sources have rejected this outright, saying that expert translators were used at all stages, and each translation was verified a number of times.

They also said that there was “no doubt” among the investigative team that she fully understood what she was being asked.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Galway Independent

Posted on 11/04/2012

by Marie Madden
@galwayindo

A group representing over 800 Irish priests has spoken out in support of Galway native Fr Tony Flannery, after he was ‘silenced’ by the Vatican as a result of his liberal views.

Fr Flannery, who is based in the Redemptorist Church Esker, had his regular column in religious magazine ‘Reality’ withdrawn recently after intervention from the Vatican.

It is understood that the move was taken as a result of Fr Flannery’s previous discussions on the ending of celibacy, opening up the Church to lay people and women and other frustrations he had experienced within the Catholic Church. Further action was also taken against a second priest, Fr Gerard Moloney, banning him from writing on various topics.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
Trouw

De Belgische kardinaal Godfried Danneels is de voorbije tientallen jaren zeker veertig keer op de hoogte gebracht van seksueel misbruik in de rooms-katholieke kerk in België. Danneels is met die kennis nooit naar de politie gestapt en heeft altijd gezegd verrast te zijn door de omvang van het misbruik.

Dat meldt de krant Het Laatste Nieuws vandaag op basis van het gerechtelijk dossier van de zogeheten Operatie Kelk. Daarin staat onder meer dat de gevallen waarover Danneels werd ingelicht, niet alleen betrekking hadden op zijn eigen bisdom, maar op heel Vlaanderen. ‘In de meeste gevallen is er sprake van teruggevonden briefwisseling tussen Danneels en de slachtoffers, hun families of nabestaanden’, schrijft de krant.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

NEDERLAND
eo

Financiële genoegdoening is geen oplossing voor seksueel misbruik. ‘Het gaat om dialoog en vergeving van de dader’, zegt Frans Houben in het Radio 1-programma ‘Dit Is De Dag’.

Houben, zelf slachtoffer van seksueel misbruik, maakte een kunstwerk over het misbruik in de Rooms-Katholieke kerk. Hij stuit daarbij op veel onbegrip onder andere slachtoffers, die het gevoel hebben dat hij heult met de vijand. De kunstenaar krijgt haatmails en verkapte dreigementen ‘vanuit de slachtoffer-hoek’. ‘Veel slachtoffers zijn nog boos – vaak terecht – en niet aan vergeving toe,’ constateert Houben die zelf nog regelmatig naar de kerk gaat. ‘Boosheid mag maar dan genuanceerd.’

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

NEDERLAND
bol.com

Boek ‘NR. 21’ van Frans Houben werpt nieuw licht op misbruik in RK internaten.
‘NR. 21’ is de titel van de indringende, somtijds rauwe, memoires van Frans Houben over zijn leven in een Rooms Katholiek jongensinternaat. Met broeders die hun handen niet thuis kunnen houden en elke vorm van verzet er meedogenloos uitranselen. Met paters die hun ogen sluiten voor wat er allemaal gebeurt en misstanden onder het tapijt vegen. Met echte vrienden en met jongens die je nooit kunt vertrouwen. Met een moed…

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

SPAIN
The Daily Beast (United States)

Apr 11, 2012

Did doctors and the Catholic Church traffic in stolen newborns? Mike Elkin reports from Madrid on the shocking trial of one nun.

On his deathbed, five years ago in Barcelona, Juan Moreno told his son Juan Luis the family secret: We bought you from a priest in 1969. Moreno Sr. paid 150,000 pesetas, more than what he paid for their apartment seven years earlier. DNA tests have revealed that Juan Luis’s birth certificate, which names his adoptive parents as his birth parents, is false. And Antonio Barroso, Juan Luis’s best friend, was also bought from the same priest, according to Juan Luis. The two families would take summer vacations together to Zaragoza, around 300 kilometers west of Barcelona, but the men now believe the trips’ true purpose was to pay the installments on the two boys to the clergyman, Juan Luis says.

“My adoptive family gave me plenty of love, but it’s also true that my life has been a lie,” Juan Luis says over the telephone from Barcelona.

Moreno is one of thousands of Spaniards who suspect that doctors, nurses, priests and nuns stole and sold babies between the 1960s and the early 1980s. While the 1,500 open cases vary, a common story has a woman being told her newborn has died shortly after birth. The baby is sold to another couple, and official papers are doctored so this couple appeared as the biological parents. At one infamous Madrid clinic, now closed, called San Ramón, it was reported in the Spanish media that staff kept a dead newborn in the freezer to prove to mothers that their babies had died.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

ISRAEL
The Jerusalem Post

By YAAKOV LAPPIN

Prosecutors say 4 young men who studied under rabbi accused of sexual offenses have agreed to come forward.

Jerusalem District prosecutors are seeking to introduce new witnesses in the trial of Rabbi Moti Elon, who has been charged with two counts of sexual offenses against two underage students.

The trial is set to enter the testimony stage next week, and prosecutors have said that four young men who studied under Elon have agreed to come forward with new, allegedly incriminating information.

The offenses are said to have occurred between 2003 and 2005.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

NEDERLAND
Nu

MIDDELBURG – Het Openbaar Ministerie (OM) in Middelburg heeft een aangifte tegen kardinaal Ad Simonis wegens meineed geseponeerd.

Een woordvoerster van het OM zei woensdag dat er onvoldoende aanleiding is voor een verdenking.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

DEUTSCHLAND
Rhein-Zeitung

Kirn – Das Bistum Trier hat Priester Manfred V. von seinen Funktionen als Seelsorger des Diakonie-Krankenhauses Kirn und eines Altenheims in der Stadt entbunden. Das bestätigte am Dienstag Dr. Stephan Kronenburg, der Leiter der bischöflichen Pressestelle, auf Nachfrage.

Das Nachrichtenmagazin „Der Spiegel“ hatte am 19. März unter anderem über Pfarrer V. berichtet. Laut dem Artikel soll der Priester gegenüber dem „Spiegel“ eingeräumt haben, in der zweiten Hälfte der 1990er-Jahre Minderjährige in der Ukraine missbraucht zu haben. Dieser Darstellung sei das Bistum Trier unmittelbar nachgegangen, erklärte Dr. Kronenburg.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

DEUTSCHLAND
Rhein-Zeitung

Trier – Triers Bischof Stephan Ackermann hat zwei pädophile Priester in Bistum Trier “entpflichtet”. Ihnen sei damit die Ausübung priesterlicher Dienste untersagt, erklärte ein Sprecher des Bistums Trier am Dienstag.

Ackermann war in den vergangenen Wochen in die Kritik geraten, weil das Bistum mehrere als pädophil bekanntgewordene Priester beschäftigt. Der Bischof ist auch Missbrauchsbeauftragter der katholischen Kirche in Deutschland.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
HLN

Bewerkt door: Hanne Adriaen
11/04/12

Het artikel dat vandaag in Het Laatste Nieuws is verschenen over Operatie Kelk, bevat niets meer dan opgewarmde kost. Dat zegt meester Fernand Keuleneer, de advocaat van kardinaal Danneels. In het artikel staat dat Danneels zeker veertig maal op de hoogte werd gebracht van seksueel misbruik binnen de Kerk maar daar niets tegen ondernam.

“De kardinaal heeft op deze aantijgingen reeds geantwoord in het parlement en heeft aan zijn antwoorden van toen niets toe te voegen”, liet de advocaat weten. “Hij formuleerde zijn antwoorden toen hij door de parlementaire commissie gehoord werd over de behandeling van seksueel misbruik. Dat verslag kan door iedereen geraadpleegd worden op de website van de Kamer”, aldus meester Keuleneer voort.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
HLN

Kardinaal Godfried Danneels werd de voorbije tientallen jaren zeker veertig keer op de hoogte gebracht van seksueel misbruik binnen de Kerk. Dat schrijft de krant Het Laatste Nieuws op basis van de briefwisseling in het dossier Operatie Kelk. Danneels stapte nooit naar het gerecht, en heeft altijd beweerd verrast te zijn door de omvang van het misbruik.

De gevallen waarover Danneels werd ingelicht, hadden niet alleen betrekking op zijn eigen bisdom, maar op heel Vlaanderen. “In de meeste gevallen is er sprake van teruggevonden briefwisseling tussen Danneels en de slachtoffers, hun families of nabestaanden. Die kan de kardinaal nu de das omdoen”, schrijft de krant.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
De Morgen

Kardinaal Godfried Danneels werd de voorbije tientallen jaren zeker veertig keer op de hoogte gebracht van seksueel misbruik binnen de Kerk. Dat schrijft de krant Het Laatste Nieuws op basis van de briefwisseling in het dossier Operatie Kelk. Danneels stapte nooit naar het gerecht, en heeft altijd beweerd verrast te zijn door de omvang van het misbruik.

De gevallen waarover Danneels werd ingelicht, hadden niet alleen betrekking op zijn eigen bisdom, maar op heel Vlaanderen. “In de meeste gevallen is er sprake van teruggevonden briefwisseling tussen Danneels en de slachtoffers, hun families of nabestaanden. Die kan de kardinaal nu de das omdoen”, schrijft de krant.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
Het Nieuwsblad

Kardinaal Godfried Danneels werd de voorbije tientallen jaren zeker veertig keer op de hoogte gebracht van seksueel misbruik binnen de kerk. Dat werd bevestigd aan de VRT. Danneels heeft altijd beweerd verrast te zijn door de omvang van het misbruik.

In het gerechtelijk dossier van operatie Kelk zitten veertig brieven van mensen die aan kardinaal Danneels melden dat ze seksueel zijn misbruikt door een geestelijke. De brieven werden bij de kardinaal gevonden. Die zou daar echter niets mee hebben gedaan.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
de Volkskrant

De Belgische kardinaal Godfried Danneels is de voorbije tientallen jaren zeker veertig keer op de hoogte gebracht van seksueel misbruik in de rooms-katholieke kerk in België. Danneels is met die kennis nooit naar de politie gestapt en heeft altijd gezegd verrast te zijn door de omvang van het misbruik.

Dat meldt de krant Het Laatste Nieuws vandaag op basis van het gerechtelijk dossier van de zogeheten Operatie Kelk. Daarin staat onder meer dat de gevallen waarover Danneels werd ingelicht, niet alleen betrekking hadden op zijn eigen bisdom, maar op heel Vlaanderen. ‘In de meeste gevallen is er sprake van teruggevonden briefwisseling tussen Danneels en de slachtoffers, hun families of nabestaanden’, schrijft de krant.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
Gazet van Antwerpen

Kardinaal Godfried Danneels werd de voorbije tientallen jaren zeker veertig keer op de hoogte gebracht van seksueel misbruik binnen de Kerk. Dat schrijft een krant van De Persgroep op basis van de briefwisseling in het dossier Operatie Kelk. Danneels heeft altijd beweerd verrast te zijn door de omvang van het misbruik.

De gevallen waarover Danneels werd ingelicht, hadden niet alleen betrekking op zijn eigen bisdom, maar op heel Vlaanderen. “In de meeste gevallen is er sprake van teruggevonden briefwisseling tussen Danneels en de slachtoffers, hun families of nabestaanden. Die kan de kardinaal nu de das omdoen”, schrijft de krant.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
De Standaard

Kardinaal Godfried Danneels werd de voorbije tientallen jaren zeker veertig keer op de hoogte gebracht van seksueel misbruik binnen de kerk. Dat werd bevestigd aan de VRT. Danneels heeft altijd beweerd verrast te zijn door de omvang van het misbruik.

In het gerechtelijk dossier van operatie Kelk zitten veertig brieven van mensen die aan kardinaal Danneels melden dat ze seksueel zijn misbruikt door een geestelijke. De brieven werden bij de kardinaal gevonden. Die zou daar echter niets mee hebben gedaan.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
Knack

(Belga) Het artikel dat vandaag in de krant Het Laatste Nieuws staat over Operatie Kelk, bevat niets meer dan opgewarmde kost. Dat zegt meester Fernand Keuleneer, de advocaat van kardinaal Danneels. In het artikel staat dat Danneels zeker 40 maal op de hoogte werd gebracht van seksueel misbruik binnen de Kerk maar daar niets tegen ondernam. “De kardinaal heeft reeds op deze aantijgingen geantwoord in het parlement en heeft aan zijn antwoorden van toen niets toe te voegen”, zegt de advocaat.

“De kardinaal formuleerde zijn antwoorden toen hij gehoord werd door de parlementaire commissie betreffende de behandeling van seksueel misbruik en dat verslag kan door iedereen worden geraadpleegd op de website van de Kamer”, gaat meester Keuleneer voort. Volgens de advocaat is het niet toevallig dat het artikel in Het Laatste Nieuws net nu verschijnt, een week nadat het Hof van Cassatie de huiszoekingen en inbeslagnames bij de kardinaal en in het aartsbisschoppelijk paleis definitief onwettelijk verklaarde.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Press TV (Iran)

A church-sponsored audit says the allegations of sexual abuse of minors committed by Roman Catholic Church clerics in the United States increased 15 percent in number in 2011.

According to a report by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops released on Tuesday, a total of 489 people reported credible cases of allegations of sexual abuse by priests or deacons in 2011.

The largest portion of the allegations was made by adults who were victimized when they were children by now-deceased clerics.

Twenty-one cases of the abuse allegations involved victims younger than 19 who made the allegations more recently, according to the report.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Catholic News Agency

[the report]

Washington D.C., Apr 10, 2012 / 08:05 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Law enforcement found only seven credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors against Catholic clergy in the U.S. in 2010 and 2011, though more abuse victims from past decades have come forward, according to the latest report on child protection in the Catholic Church.

In response to the findings, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged continued attention to abuse prevention.

“While the report supports the conclusion of both studies done by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice – that the majority of allegations are way in the past – the Church must continue to be vigilant,” he said in the report’s preface.

“The Church must do all she can never to let abuse happen again. And we must all continue to work with full resolve toward the healing and reconciliation of the victims/survivors.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

CALIFORNIA
Monterey County Herald

By VIRGINIA HENNESSEY
Herald Staff Writermontereyherald.com
Posted: 04/10/2012

Three of four clergy-abuse lawsuits pending against the Diocese of Monterey will likely be dismissed or settled for small sums after a recent state Supreme Court ruling.

In a case that was being watched throughout the state, the high court ruled the statute of limitations had expired for six brothers seeking damages from the Oakland Diocese for abuse they allegedly suffered in the 1970s at the hands of a parish priest.

The ruling evaluated the evolving statute of limitations in lawsuits against third-party defendants, such as employers. Issued March 29, the 5-2 opinion created a select category of victims who turned 26 before 1998 but did not file lawsuits during a one-year window of opportunity created by the legislature in 2003.

Among them are two Sacramento men who sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey in 2011 alleging the Rev. William Allison abused them when they were children at San Carlos School in Monterey in the 1960s.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

STOCKTON (CA)
The Modesto Bee

By Ross Farrow
Lodi News-Sentinel

STOCKTON — As Father Michael Kelly leaves St. Joachim’s Catholic Church in Lockeford after a jury determined that he sexually assaulted a former altar boy in the 1980s, the Stockton Diocese is picking up the pieces.

Bishop Stephen Blaire said Monday that he placed Kelly on paid administrative leave pending a recommendation by a special committee at the Vatican.

Kelly has moved out of the rectory on the parish grounds in Lockeford. He must find his own living arrangements, and he can no longer wear priest’s clothing, Blaire said.

Kelly, 62, was found liable of sexually assaulting an altar boy at Stockton’s Cathedral of the Annunciation in the mid-1980s. The plaintiff, now a 37-year-old man from Marin County, is on medical leave from his position as a pilot for Southwest Airlines. Kelly doesn’t face criminal charges because the statute of limitations has expired.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Priest Abuse Trial Blog

Ralph Cipriano

In the secret files of the archdiocese, a psychologist warned church officials that Father Edward M. DePaoli was a likely repeat offender.

Father DePaoli was the priest who got busted by U.S. Postal inspectors in 1985 for hoarding $15,000 worth of foreign kiddie porn under his bed in the rectory at the Holy Martyrs Church in Oreland, Pa. The feds raided the rectory and confiscated more than 100 magazines and 14 reels. In the archdiocese’s secret files, Dr. Eric Griffin-Shelley, Father DePaoli’s therapist, told church officials in 1986 that the priest was “likely to repeat his past behavior and become progressively worse.”

The psychologist suggested six months to one year of “intensive in-patient psychotherapy.” The major problem with letting Father DePaoli continue in ministry, the psychologist warned, was the danger that the priest might “go beyond fantasy in terms of his sexual urges toward children.” There was no indication that the priest was on the road to being rehabilitated, the psychologist reported. Despite being busted by the feds, Father DePaoli was still getting porn in the mail, Dr. Griffin-Shelley told church officials.

Besides his addiction to porn, Father DePaoli had other problems, the psychologist revealed in confidential documents displayed Monday at the ongoing archdiocese sex abuse trial, now in its third week. Father DePaoli had a “narcissistic personality,” the psychologist reported, plus a “compulsive personality disorder,” and a habit of forming “poor relationships with other people.”

Everything you’d want in a priest, right?

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer

BY JOSEPH A. SLOBODZIAN
Inquirer Staff Writer

THROUGH ALMOST 20 years of disputes with church superiors over his addiction to pornography, the Rev. Edward M. DePaoli inevitably returned to a last defense: It was fantasy; he had never sexually touched another person.

That defense crumbled in 2002, after a Bucks County woman came forward to tell church officials that DePaoli fondled her breast when she was a 12-year-old catechism student at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Doylestown.

“I jabbed him and looked at him like, ‘What are you doing?’ ” the woman, now 56, told a Common Pleas Court jury. “I was 12 years old and no one had ever touched me like that before.”

The woman, whose name is being withheld, was the final witness Tuesday to testify about DePaoli’s clerical career before he was defrocked in 2005 at age 60.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

MASSACHUSETTS
WWLP

BOSTON (AP) – The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has reached settlements in sexual abuse cases involving two priests, including a former Boston police chaplain whose only previous connection with the scandal was as a whistleblower.

The chaplain, the Rev. James Lane, and the Rev. Rickard O’Donovan are among a dozen clerics named in separate sexual abuse claims against dioceses and religious orders that Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian says he settled in the last 14 months. Both priests are dead.

Garabedian plans to reveal the 12 names today.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

MASSACHUSETTS
Boston Globe

By Lisa Wangsness
| Globe Staff
April 11, 2012

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has reached settlements in sexual abuse cases involving two priests, including the Rev. James H. Lane, a beloved Dorchester pastor and veteran Boston police chaplain whose only previous connection with the abuse scandal was as a whistleblower.

The Boston priests – Lane, who died in 2007, and the Rev. Rickard O’Donovan, who died in 2000 – are among a dozen clerics named in separate sexual abuse claims against dioceses and religious orders that Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian says he settled in the last 14 months. The settlements were five- to six-figure amounts, said Garabedian.

As is standard, none of the settlements involved an admission of guilt.

Terrence C. Donilon, an archdiocesan spokesman, confirmed the two settlements but said in a statement that archdiocesan investigations were inconclusive because both involved a single victim who professed to have been abused more than 40 years ago by a priest who died before he could answer the allegations.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Chicago Tribune

By Andrew Stern

CHICAGO, April 10 (Reuters) – The number of credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors committed by Roman Catholic priests or deacons in the United States rose 15 percent last year, and the church spent $144 million to deal with the ongoing scandal, according to a church-sponsored audit released on Tuesday.

A total of 489 people reported credible allegations of abuse by priests or deacons in 2011, the bulk of them involving adults victimized when they were children decades ago by now-deceased clerics, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a report on its ninth annual audit of the issue.

Twenty-one of the victims were younger than 19 and victimized more recently. Attorneys for victims say there are likely tens of thousands more victims who have never come forward since the scandal erupted in Boston in 2002.

“We renew our promise to strive to the fullest to end the societal scourge of child sexual abuse,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the conference, said in an introductory letter to
the report.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by David Clohessy on April 10, 2012

In the church’s ongoing child sex abuse and cover up scandal, Cardinal Dolan continues to dish out pabulum instead of push for reform.

Rather than making even vaguer and largely soon forgotten promises (“to strive to the fullest to end the societal scourge of child sexual abuse,” he pledges today), he should:

— remove his blog post insensitively questioning (and implicitly blaming) a New York City teenager who reported, just last year, being repeatedly molested by her pastor http://blog.archny.org/?p=1556

And

— post on his archdiocesan website the names of proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics (like two dozen of his brother bishops have done).

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Priest Abuse Trial Blog

Ralph Cipriano

In the secret files of the archdiocese, a psychologist warned church officials that Father Edward M. DePaoli was a likely repeat offender.

Father DePaoli was the priest who got busted by U.S. Postal inspectors in 1986 for hoarding $15,000 worth of foreign kiddie porn under his bed in the rectory at the Holy Martyrs Church in Oreland, Pa. The feds raided the rectory and confiscated more than 100 magazines and 14 reels. In the archdiocese’s secret files, Dr. Eric Griffin-Shelley, Father DePaoli’s therapist, told church officials in 1986 that the priest was “likely to repeat his past behavior and become progressively worse.”

The psychologist suggested six months to one year of “intensive in-patient psychotherapy.” The major problem with letting Father DePaoli continue in ministry, the psychologist warned, was the danger that the priest might “go beyond fantasy in terms of his sexual urges toward children.” There was no indication that the priest was on the road to being rehabilitated, the psychologist reported. Despite being busted by the feds, Father DePaoli was still getting porn in the mail, Dr. Griffin-Shelley told church officials.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
U.S. Catholic

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Although allegations of child sex abuse by U.S. priests and deacons continue to surface, the vast majority involve actions taken decades ago by clergy who have since died or been removed from ministry, according to a new report.

The 2011 survey of abuse-related allegations and costs conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University in Washington was released April 10 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

It showed that there were 594 new credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor by diocesan or religious-order priests or deacons during 2011, but only 23 of the new allegations (4 percent) involved children who were under the age of 18 in 2010 or 2011. The allegations were made by 588 people against 461 clergy members.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
National Catholic Reporter

by Brian Roewe on Apr. 10, 2012 NCR Today

In the Philadelphia sex abuse trial, the testimony this morning picked up where it ended Monday, exploring the career of former priest Fr. Edward M. DePaoli.

Msgr. William J. Lynn and the Rev. James J. Brennan both stand trial for their roles in an alleged conspiracy of covering up cases of priest sex abuse within the Philadelphia archdiocese. Lynn, the former secretary of clergy in the archdiocese from 1992-2004, is the first church official charged for his role in a cover-up of priest sex abuse.

According to a report from the Philadelphia Inquirer, the prosecution continued Tuesday to document the career of DePaoli. Defrocked in 2005, he pleaded guilty in 1985 to a child pornography charge and served a year’s probation while participating in mandatory mental health treatment.

DePaoli had been serving as a morals and ethics teacher at Bishop McDevitt High School in a Philadelphia suburb before his indictment.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
The Irish Times

MARIE O’HALLORAN

THE BROADCASTING Authority of Ireland and RTÉ have expressed their “disappointment” at the leaking of information to The Irish Times about the Prime Time Investigates programme that defamed Fr Kevin Reynolds.

The authority said it “will review the matter to seek to ascertain how such information was made available”.

The paper received briefing notes of the report by former BBC Northern Ireland controller Anna Carragher, which heavily criticised both the standards of journalism involved in the broadcast and the role of management.

The Mission to Prey documentary falsely accused Fr Reynolds of raping a minor and fathering her child while he was a missionary in Africa. He sued the broadcaster, accepting an apology and a substantial out-of-court settlement.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
The Irish Times

PATSY McGARRY and PADDY AGNEW

REDEMPTORIST PRIEST Fr Tony Flannery, who was silenced by the Vatican because of his views on contraception, celibacy and women’s ordination, has been advised by Rome to go to a monastery for a period where he would “pray and reflect” on his situation.

Then, it was hoped, he would return “to think with the church” (sentire com ecclesia), according to the Rome-based website Vatican Insider.

Senior Vaticanologist Gerry O’Connell reported that Fr Flannery was summoned to Rome in mid-March for a meeting with Fr Michael Brehl, the Canadian Superior General of the Redemptorists.

Fr Brehl himself had been summoned to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) by the prefect, US Cardinal William Levada, who expressed his concern about the “orthodoxy” of views expressed by Fr Flannery in articles in the Redemptorist magazine Reality.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
SNAP Wisconsin

For virtually every new priest ordained in the US, a current one is removed from ministry for child sex abuse

Number of Catholic clergy who sexually assaulted children now tops 6,000 mark

Statement by Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director
CONTACT: 414.429.7259

New internal data released by the US Catholic Bishops today reveals that the total number of Catholic clergy who have raped or sexually assaulted children or minors over the past several decades is now 6,115 (a careful breakdown of the numbers in the report can be found at BishopAccountabilty.org). The number of accused clerics is, of course, larger.

Last year, 270 never before identified priests were reported to have committed child sex crimes. 184 of these priests were officially but quietly removed from ministry because these reports of criminal behavior against children were found to be credible and actionable. Quietly, that is, unless parishioners and the public found out about it.

In fact, the total number of newly accused clerics in the US for child sex abuse last year was virtually identical to the total number of newly ordained diocesan priests. The 275 newly ordained diocesan priests in the US outnumbered the number of newly accused child sex offender priests by only five. And, for every one or two priests ordained last year in the US, another priest was taken out of ministry for having sexually assaulted a child.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
BishopAccountability.org

Number of Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Children As Reported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishopswith Numbers of Persons Alleging Abuse

Compiled by BishopAccountability.org
From reports commissioned by the USCCB
Updated April 10, 2012

As of April 10, 2012, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has counted 6,115 clerics “not implausibly” and “credibly” accused in 1950-2011 of sexually abusing minors. The USCCB total omits allegations made in 2003.

As of April 10, 2012, the USCCB has counted 16,324 individuals who have alleged that they were abused as minors by priests. The USCCB total omits persons who made allegations in 2003.

In the table below, we provide year-by-year the USCCB’s data – on accused priests and persons making allegations – which add up to 6,115 accused priests and 16,324 survivors. The numbers in the table are color-coded for easier reference. We also provide links to all the USCCB source documents.

The USCCB hired the John Jay College of Criminal Justice to evaluate data submitted by member bishops regarding the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, bishops, deacons, and seminarians. In its 2004 report, the John Jay College found that, according to survey forms completed by the bishops, they had received in 1950-2002 “not implausible” allegations of sexual abuse of minors committed by 4,392 priests, including 12 bishops.

In 2004, the USCCB commissioned the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University to begin collecting annual data on allegations and settlements, and starting in Spring 2005, CARA has published a report each year. (See Bendyna’s 2/15/05 letter to Skylstad describing the commission, in the 2005 Report, PDF p. 12.) Among other data, that report counts the number of diocesan and religious order priests “credibly” accused of abuse during the previous calendar year, and states how many of those had been accused in prior years or are being accused for the first time. These data were obtained using a survey that was available to the bishops and superiors of religious orders online. See, for example, the 2009 diocesan and religious order surveys (with aggregate U.S. numbers filled in), and see below for the Manchester diocese’s summaries of its responses to the surveys.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

NEW YORK
The Post-Standard

By Emily Kulkus / The Post-Standard

Syracuse, NY — On Feb. 23, Robert Hoatson took the Syracuse University sex abuse scandal to a new level — which is how the former Catholic priest-turned-victims advocate does business.

At a panel discussion of news coverage at SU and Penn State, Hoatson made an announcement: He was counseling a new victim of sexual abuse by a head coach at SU.

Fingers stopped tweeting. Heads turned to neighbors. Feet fidgeted. It was as if the audience thought: “What did he just say?” …

And the sex scandals at Syracuse and Penn State, and in the Catholic Church, have vaulted him into the media and provided a growing audience for his bold statements.

Hoatson’s background as an alleged victim and a former Catholic priest make him an uncommon spokesman for the cause.

While a priest in New Jersey in 2002, Hoatson began making public statements about sex abuse in the Catholic church and its schools. He began to talk publicly about the abuse he said he suffered for a dozen years at the hands of at least four religious colleagues and superiors as a Christian Brother and while studying to become a priest. Hoatson, who was ordained in 1997 at age 45, blamed the abuse for his panic and anxiety attacks as well as severe depression that included suicidal thoughts.

Hoatson criticized Catholic bishops for covering up for pedophile priests while testifying at a legislative forum in Albany about a bill to help abuse victims in May 2003. Days later, the Newark diocese removed him from his post as headmaster of a school. Archdiocese officials said it was because Hoatson was having management problems and clashing with the finance committee.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
NewsMax

By Andrew Stern

CHICAGO, April 10 (Reuters) – The number of credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors committed by Roman Catholic priests or deacons in the United States rose 15 percent last year, and the church spent $144 million to deal with the ongoing scandal, according to a church-sponsored audit released on Tuesday.

A total of 489 people reported credible allegations of abuse by priests or deacons in 2011, the bulk of them involving adults victimized when they were children decades ago by now-deceased clerics, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a report on its ninth annual audit of the issue.

Twenty-one of the victims were younger than 19 and victimized more recently. Attorneys for victims say there are likely tens of thousands more victims who have never come forward since the scandal erupted in Boston in 2002.

“We renew our promise to strive to the fullest to end the societal scourge of child sexual abuse,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the conference, said in an introductory letter to the report.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

[page 59]

Promulgation Letters

The auditors have noted that, to meet the Charter requirements, dioceses/eparchies are increasingly relying on the public school systems to train and educate the children who are enrolled in religious education programs. In accordance with Bishop Aymond’s 2006 memo, bishops/eparchs must sign letters promulgating each public school program within the diocese/eparchy and state that each program is in accordance with Catholic moral principles.
Parish Accountability To continue to drive parish accountability, parish audits should be performed by diocesan/eparchial personnel on a regular basis and become a required
component of the on-site Charter audit process.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

[page 3]

April 2012

This is the ninth Annual Report of the results of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (Charter) audits. This year the audits were conducted by StoneBridge Business Partners and compiled by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection (SCYP). Article 9 of the Charter states,
“The Secretariat is to produce an annual public report on the progress made in implementing and maintaining the standards in this Charter. The report is to be based on an annual audit process whose method, scope, and cost are to be approved by the Administrative Committee on the recommendation of the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People. This public report is to include the names of those dioceses/eparchies which the audit shows are not in compliance with the provisions and expectations of the Charter.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

April 10, 2012

Dioceses of Lincoln, Nebraska, Baker, Oregon, six eparchies refused to participate
Almost three-quarters of allegations from 1960-1984
New auditors urge better recordkeeping

WASHINGTON—The 2011 Annual Report on the implementation of the Charter for Protection of Children and Young People reports that nearly all dioceses in the country are totally compliant with the 17-point Charter.

It also notes that, as in previous years, the Diocese of Baker, Oregon, and Lincoln, Nebraska, and six eparchies (Eastern rite dioceses) refused to participate in the audits and therefore are found non-compliant.

The full report can be found at: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/child-and-youth-protection/upload/2011-annual-report.pdf

The report notes that most allegations reported today are of incidents from previous decades. For example, 68 percent of allegations made in 2011, were of incidents from 1960-1984, and the most common time period for allegations was 1975-1979. It also found most of the accused have died or been removed from ministry and many had been accused previously.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
NECN

Apr 10, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) — Roman Catholic dioceses and religious orders said they received 594 credible claims of clergy sex abuse last year, with all but a few of the allegations involving wrongdoing that occurred decades ago, according to a study released Tuesday by American bishops.

Church officials reported paying more than $144 million in settlements and related costs last year, as the scandal over priests who molested children continued to batter the church.

The findings are from annual reports commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to check compliance with the 2002 child safety plan they adopted soon after the crisis erupted in Boston and spread nationwide. The policy includes a pledge to remove all credibly accused priests from church work, create support programs for victims and conduct background checks on employees who work with children. Dioceses have spent tens of millions of dollars on abuse prevention programs over the last decade.

The number of credible claims increased last year from 505 in 2010, while settlement-related costs, including attorney fees and counseling for victims and offenders, dropped by about $5.6 million. (Settlements are often not paid in the same year that a claim is brought.)

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by Barbara Dorris on April 10, 2012

Since it was adopted a decade ago, the bishops’ extremely vague abuse policy has been consistently weakened and sporadically followed. So these alleged “audits” are nearly meaningless.

It’s ironic that bishops pat themselves on the back now when for the first time ever, two top Catholic officials (in Philadelphia and Kansas City) face criminal charges for ignoring, concealing and enabling heinous child sex crimes. Those horrific cases prove that, when it comes to kids’ safety, little in church hierarchy has changed.

And it’s ironic that this news release

— is sent on the eve of a California trial involving a predator priest who was only removed from his post after a jury found him guilty of molesting a child (Fr. Michael Kelly of Stockton),

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PENNSYLVANIA
The Morning Call

Bill White

Around here, many of us have been following the trial of Philadelphia Monsignor William Lynn (left), accused of transferring pedophile priests to unwitting parishes to cover up their crimes, and Rev. William Brennan, accused of raping a 14-year-old boy in 1996.

It truly is a landmark case, since Lynn is the first U.S. church official ever charged with child endangerment for allegedly leaving predators in jobs around children despite prior complaints. The testimony has been horrifying.

Still, these allegations in many cases just further dramatize what already has been reported in two Philadelphia grand jury reports about the way the Philadelphia Diocese covered up child sex abuse. In the long run, you could argue that dragging all this out into the sunlight will be a positive thing for us as a society, including the church if it leads to genuine reform and changed attitudes.

So I think I’ve been even more disturbed by the news from the Midwest, where Catholic officials have gone on the offensive in what appears to be an attempt to stifle one of their most outspoken critics and to intimidate victims, whistle blowers and others.

As I’ve written about child sex abuse over the years, I’ve come to very much admire the organization Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, its local representatives and its executive director, David Clohessy. I’ve seen firsthand the way they’ve provided a desperately needed voice for the victims of clergy abuse, many of whom just needed someone who would listen to them, and have applied pressure to change the disastrous church policies of the past.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

CALIFORNIA
Bilingual Weekly

Posted by Dennis Rocha ⋅ April 10, 2012

Stockton, CA — Father Michael Kelly, pastor of Saint Joachim’s Catholic Church in Lockeford, was found guilty of sexual assault on Friday, April 6th, by a civil jury following the charges of an altar boy in the 1980s.

“In light of this verdict, I have made the decision to remove Fr. Kelly from ministry, effective immediately,” said Dioceses of Stockton’s Bishop, Stephen Blaire, in a press release following the jury`s decision.

The plaintiff, a 37-year-old man, alleges that the priest sexually abused him back in the 80s when he was an altar boy at Cathedral of the Annunciation located in northern downtown Stockton.

In a call for solidarity towards their faith, “Kelly told the congregation not to blame Bishop Stephen Blaire for his removal because the church leader had no other choice.” The Lodi News Sentinel reported on Saturday, April 7th, that more than a hundred parishioners gathered at the Lockeford’s Catholic Church after the verdict.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

OKLAHOMA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by Barbara Dorris on April 10, 2012

We are glad that a jury has convicted Dean Hopkins of his crimes. Children are always safer when predators are in jail, and this conviction will certainly protect children in the Osage County area. When sentencing takes place in June, we look forward to a long sentence that will continue to protect children in Oklahoma.

We hope that those who were victimized by Hopkins are able to begin healing now that this predator is behind bars.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

STOCKTON (CA)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by David Clohessy on April 10, 2012

A support group for victims of clergy sex abuse is calling on Stockton’s Catholic bishop to “rein in his flock” after parishioners rallied around a priest who was found guilty of sexually molesting an altar boy.

Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are writing Bishop Stephen Blaire about some church-goers at St. Joachim Parish in Lockeford who are backing Fr. Michael Kelly. After a two month civil trial, jurors determined that Kelly sexually abused a child.

SNAP says that the public actions by parishioners – both during the trial and since – have been insensitive to victims and will likely deter others who may have seen, suspected, or suffered child sex crimes from coming forward.

During the trial, a minority of parishioners from St. Joachim and elsewhere packed the courthouse in support of Kelly. One parishioner approached a member of the jury, trying to persuade him to let Kelly go. Some of Kelly’s backers have also written letters to newspapers admonishing those who have accused Kelly of wrongdoing.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

UNITED KINGDOM
The Times Literary Supplement

John Plender

Jason Berry
RENDER UNTO ROME
The secret life of money in the Catholic Church
420pp. Crown Publishers. $25.
978 0 385 53132 7

Published: 4 April 2012

The finances of the Church of Rome are notoriously opaque, but at least one thing about them is clear. The ability to deploy the large contributions of the Catholic laity for charitable purposes has been seriously impaired as a result of huge payments made to the victims of sexual abuse by the clergy. The bill in the United States alone is close to $2 billion. So a scandal which has severely undermined the credibility of the Church in the US and Ireland, while causing considerable embarrassment elsewhere, has cast a spotlight on the lack of transparency and accountability in the Church’s handling of the regular donations of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.

The charge sheet outlined in Jason Berry’s exploration of the financial impact of this crisis, which looks primarily at the US, is not pretty. His starting point is Boston, where the former Archbishop, Cardinal Bernard Law, and a clutch of auxiliary bishops failed to act against child-molesters while reaching court settlements that muzzled the victims. The predatory priests were given psychiatric therapy and then recycled to other jobs where they had access to more potential victims. When details finally emerged in 2002 courtesy of the Boston Globe, Pope John Paul II felt obliged to apologize, but exonerated the bishops, declaring that “a generalized lack of knowledge, and also at times the advice of the clinical experts, led bishops to make [the wrong] decisions” – a notably slithery shifting of blame. The Pope also turned down a request by US bishops for permission to defrock severe sex offenders. When Cardinal Law finally resigned as Archbishop, he landed a plum church job in Rome.

The Boston vigilantes took their case to Rome, where it became lost in a canon law hall of mirrors There followed an ineptly conceived and even more ineptly executed plan to sell off assets and close parishes under Law’s successor, Sean O’Malley, and his Vicar-General, Richard Lennon. This prompted a vigil movement. Angry parishioners occupied churches, many of them financially viable, that were scheduled for closure. In Boston, O’Malley was reluctant to bring in the police to eject them. Not so elsewhere. And when Richard Lennon subsequently became Bishop of Cleveland, Ohio, a diocese plagued by financial scandal under his predecessor, he had to have a police escort when saying final Masses at closing churches. The Boston vigilantes, meanwhile, took their case to Rome, where it became lost in a canon law hall of mirrors.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
CBS News

PHILADELPHIA — Jurors in a landmark church sex-abuse trial in Philadelphia are hearing about a priest who was convicted of child pornography charges but wasn’t defrocked until years later.

Prosecutors presented a chronology of the Rev. Edward DePaoli on Tuesday as they continue building their case against a high-ranking official in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. DePaoli was convicted in 1986 but served as a priest until 2002. He was defrocked in 2005.

DePaoli isn’t a defendant in the trial but prosecutors are using testimony about him and others in their case against Monsignor William Lynn. Lynn is the first Roman Catholic official in the U.S. charged with endangering children for allegedly transferring priests suspected of molestation.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer

By Joseph A. Slobodzian
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Internal church memos documenting the storied career of the Rev. Edward M. DePaoli – and what to do about him – were the focus of this morning’s session as prosecutors resumed their case in the clergy sex-abuse trial involving the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

On trial in the landmark case are Msgr. William Lynn, the first church official criminally charged with enabling or covering up sexual abuse of minors by priests, and the Rev. James J. Brennan, charged with attempting to rape a 14-year-old boy in 1996.

DePaoli – who was finally defrocked in 2005 after 20 years of allegations that he subscribed for magazines featuring child pornography – was federally indicted on a child pornography charge in 1985 while teaching morals and ethics at Bishop McDevitt High School in suburban Cheltenham.

DePaoli pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year’s probation and mandatory mental health treatment, which he completed and was pronounced cured.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

NEDERLAND
Maastricht Dichtbij

MAASTRICHT – De van ontucht beschuldigde pastoor Jan Schafraad van de Koepelkerk in Maastricht zal er alles aan doen om de klachtencommissie seksueel misbruik RKK ervan te doordringen dat hij onschuldig is. Met het seksueel misbruik waar drie oud-leerlingen van jongensinternaat Blijerheide hem van beschuldigen. Dat zegt Schafraad (die nog eens benadrukt dat hij gewoon bij zijn naam genoemd wil worden) vandaag in een interview met Dagblad De Limburger.

,,Kijk nu naar mij, kunt u zich voorstellen dat ik aan een pieleke van een jongen van 14 jaar heb gezeten? Of dat ik een jongen van 17 jaar in zijn slaap bevredigd heb? Vreselijk. Bij seksueel misbruik komen ook verstoorde machtsverhoudingen kijken, gebaseerd op angst. Die jongens waren mij juist de baas”, aldus Schafraad, die tijdens de afgelopen paasdagen voor het eerst in tientallen jaren niet op het altaar stond.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

CALIFORNIA
Daily Mail (United Kingdom)

By Paul Thompson

A 13-year-old boy was forced to dig his own grave and partly buried alive after his mother went to a church pastor for guidance on how to discipline her son.

The terrified teen was driven into the desert by two men and handed a shovel and told to dig a grave.

He was also allegedly whipped with a belt and ordered to lie down in the grave where dirt was tossed on top of him.

The boy was later driven back to the home of church Pastor Lonnie Remmer’s where he was tortured with a pair of pliers and pepper spray.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

CALIFORNIA
Orange County Weekly

By R. Scott Moxley
Tue., Apr. 10 2012

John C. Manly–arguably California’s best dirty priest hunter–scored another courthouse victory last week in Stockton when a jury sided with the Newport Beach lawyer’s civil case against a priest who raped an alter boy 20 years ago.

A Modesto Bee article describes how some community members are upset with the verdict because they believe Michael Kelly, a longtime Catholic priest, is too sweet to rape and molest little boys.

Indeed, Kelly refuses to concede the illegal sexual conduct and, until the verdict, had the firm backing of church officials.

But Manly told the Bee that it’s not surprising that people would like and defending offending priests.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
NPR

by The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jurors in a landmark church sex-abuse trial were presented with documents Tuesday outlining the troubled clerical career of a priest who was convicted of child pornography charges yet remained in ministry for years despite similar and repeated complaints.

Prosecutors presented years of correspondence from mental health facilities, therapists and church officials regarding Edward DePaoli when he was a priest. The documents, kept in the archdiocese’s secret archives, outlined how DePaoli, after being convicted in federal court of child pornography charges in 1986, went through psychological treatment, rounds of therapy, and a half dozen church assignments for two decades before he was removed from the priesthood in 2005.

DePaoli is not a defendant in the trial but prosecutors are using the testimony about him and others to build a case against Monsignor William Lynn, who was the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s secretary of clergy from 1992 to 2004 and entrusted with investigating complaints against priests. Lynn is the first Roman Catholic official in the U.S. charged with endangering children for allegedly transferring priests suspected of molestation.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
RTE News

In a statement this afternoon, the BAI said it will review how such information was made available.

According to a report in today’s Irish Times, the report by the BAI will find that the programme was unfair, and breached the privacy of Fr Kevin Reynolds.

The report on the investigation into the programme, carried out by former BBC Northern Ireland controller Anna Carragher, has not yet been published.

However, The Irish Times claims to have seen briefing notes used in the preparation of the document.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Galway Bay FM

RTE says the steps already taken in the wake of the ‘Mission to Prey’ programme don’t cut across anything that may have to be done on foot of a BAI report into the case.

The state broadcaster has this afternoon made limited comments on the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland report in light of leaks to the Irish Times, saying it is disappointed over the leaked BAI documents

According to documents published in today’s newspaper a report commissioned by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland will be heavily critical of the preparations for the programme.

The episode of the Prime Time Investigates series was broadcast last year and resulted in a defamation settlement with Ahascragh parish priest Fr Kevin Reynolds.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Galway Bay FM

April 10, 2012

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has expressed its dismay and disappointment that information regarding an ongoing BAI investigation has entered the public domain.

The BAI is responding to a report published in today’s Irish Times, giving details of briefing notes, prepared for the board of the BAI as part of its investigation into the RTE ‘Mission to Prey’ programme.

The episode of the ‘Prime Time Investigates’ series was broadcast in May of last year and resulted in a defamation settlement with Ahascragh priest, Father Kevin Reynolds.

The BAI says it doesn’t know how the Irish Times got access to these documents – but it plans to find out.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Herald

By Alan O’Keeffe

Tuesday April 10 2012

DEFAMED priest Fr Kevin Reynolds said today that he is “not out for anybody’s blood”. The cleric declared he was not seeking “blood” or revenge in the aftermath of official investigations into the behaviour of the Prime Time Investigates news team.

The former missionary said forgiveness was at the core of his Christian message and he would be a hypocrite if he was seeking vengeance.

He was wrongfully accused of raping a minor and fathering a child in Africa in RTE’s Mission To Prey programme.

When asked today to respond to the leaking of briefing documents about the investigation by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Fr Reynolds told the Herald he would leave all such analysis to his solicitor.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

ROME/IRELAND
Vatican Insider

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has concerns about the writings of the well-known Irish priest, Fr Tony Flannery, on a number of sensitive issues.

Gerard O’Connell
Rome

The Association of Irish Priests (ACP) – which represents about a third of all the priests in Ireland – says it is “disturbed” at the silencing of Father Tony Flannery, one of its founder members. The ACP issued a press statement on the afternoon of Easter Monday, April 9, expressing its “extreme unease and disquiet” at this development. Its statement came after various Irish media, including The Irish Catholic (April 5) and The Irish Times (April 9), had already reported that the Vatican had imposed the silencing. While the ACP statement gave few details of what had actually happened, Vatican Insider has learned from informed sources that in mid-March Fr. Flannery, 65, a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, popularly known as “The Redemptorists”, was summoned to Rome for a meeting with his Superior General, Father Michael Brehl.

This happened about a week before the Vatican released the Summary Report of the Findings of the Visitation to the Irish Church ordered by Pope Benedict XVI following the sexual abuse of minors by priests’ scandal.

In Rome, Fr. Flannery learned that Fr.Brehl, his Canadian Superior General, had earlier been summoned to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), where, according to sources, its prefect, Cardinal William Levada, had informed him that the CDF had concerns about the “orthodoxy” of certain views expressed by Fr.Flannery in articles that he had written for the magazine “Reality”. The monthly magazine is published by the Irish Redemptorists, and has a circulation of around 6,500.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

KANSAS CITY (MO)
JD Journal

While charges and stories of priests abusing children have been surfacing and being suppressed across the country for decades, a criminal prosecution of clergy engaged in cover-ups is rare. Bishop Robert Finn, head of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic leader facing criminal charges in connection with alleged child sexual abuse.

Bishop Finn is charged for failing to report a priest who kept pornographic pictures of girl children under the diocese on his computer. The defense of Bishop Finn argued that charges against him be dropped as he had no duty to report to the authorities of the alleged abuse by another priest. But, Jackson County Circuit Judge John Terence rejected the arguments and held that Bishop Finn had a duty to report after church officials found pictures of naked girl children on the computer of Father Shawn Ratigan.

The judge held, “The court finds that the evidence in this case is sufficient to allow a jury to conclude that Bishop Finn was a designated reporter as defined by Missouri law.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

CANADA
Digital Journal

OTTAWA, Ontario, April 10, 2012 /CNW/ – September 19, 2012 is the Deadline for former Indian Residential Schools students to apply for an Independent Assessment Process (IAP) payment. The Independent Assessment Process (IAP) is an out-of-court process created to resolve claims of abuse at Indian Residential Schools. People who suffered sexual abuse, serious physical abuse, or certain other wrongful acts which caused serious psychological consequences while at a recognized residential school may receive money through the IAP. Awards are based on a point system for different abuses and resulting harms.

The IAP process is separate and different from the Common Experience Payment (CEP) application process. The CEP is a payment to those who lived at a recognized residential school. The IAP provides payments for specific abuse suffered while at a recognized residential school. Under the settlement, former students could apply for the CEP, or for the IAP, or for both the CEP and IAP. The CEP application deadline was September 19, 2011; however, where former students can establish that they were unable to submit their CEP application due to disability, undue hardship or exceptional circumstances they can still apply for CEP up until September 19, 2012.

Eligible former students can apply for an IAP payment if they experienced (1) sexual abuse, (2) serious physical abuse, or (3) certain other wrongful acts which caused serious psychological consequences, while they were either (a) living at residential school, (b) a student at a residential school, or (c) under the age of 21 and allowed to be at residential school to take part in authorized school activities. It is not a requirement to have lived at one of the recognized residential schools in order to make an IAP claim for abuse that may have occurred there. Decisions regarding a number of other schools are in progress. A complete and updated list of recognized residential schools is available at www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

BELGIE
Het Nieuwsblad

BRUGGE – Bisschop Jozef De Kesel heeft in de Sint-Salvatorskathedraal een beeldje onthuld voor de slachtoffers van seksueel misbruik in de Kerk. Het beeldje werd gemaakt in opdracht van de vzw Mensenrechten in de Kerk.

Dissident priester en voorzitter Rik Devillé van de Werkgroep Mensenrechten in de Kerk leidde op Paaszaterdag de ceremonie. Hij zei blij te zijn met de toelating van bisschop Jozef De Kesel om het beeldje een permanente plaats te geven in de doopkapel van de Brugse kathedraal. ‘De symbolische waarde hiervan is groot omdat de bom barstte na de onthulling van het misbruik door de voormalige Brugse bisschop Vangheluwe’, zei Devillé.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Breaking News

10/04/2012
RTÉ has declined to comment on fresh reports surrounding an official inquiry into its ‘Mission to Prey’ programme which libelled missionary priest Fr Kevin Reynolds.

A report carried out by former BBC Northern Ireland controller Anna Carragher for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has yet to be released (BAI).

However the Irish Times this morning published leaked details of briefing documents it says were prepared for the board of the BAI.

According to the Times, the report “has heavily criticised the standards of journalism involved in the broadcast”, concluding that the programme was “unfair and a breach of Fr Reynolds’ privacy”.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

IRELAND
Galway Bay FM

April 10, 2012

RTE has declined to comment on fresh reports surrounding an official inquiry into its ‘Mission to Prey’ programme.

The programme libelled Ahascragh priest Fr.Kevin Reynolds.

A report from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has yet to be released, however the Irish Times has published details of briefing documents it says were prepared for the board of the BAI.

It claims that the report has heavily criticised the standards of journalism involved in the broadcast, and that a fine in the region of 200 thousand euro could be imposed.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

CANADA
VOCM

The case involving a Roman Catholic priest on the west coast has been postponed until next month. George Ansel Smith is facing 62 sex-related charges, and the RCMP laid the first 38 charges in December following a 16-month investigation. The charges are in relation to incidents that happened between 1969 and 1989, and include gross indecency and sexual assault. Smith has been in custody since February 23rd when he was charged with another 24 offences. The 74-year old will appear in Supreme Court in Corner Brook on May 7th.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.