ABUSE TRACKER

AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

By JASON GORDON June 28, 2013

IF anyone wondered what was at stake in this Special Commission of Inquiry, they needed to look no further than the rafts of tables stacked with barristers between Commissioner Margaret Cunneen and the public gallery.

Most days, more than 18. Highly skilled, highly paid and highly charged.

Some, such as Julia Lonergan, SC, and Warwick Hunt, were there to assist the commissioner and lead witnesses through the mountainous volumes of evidence submitted to the inquiry. The remainder represented individual interests – the police, the top brass, the church, the top clergy, the Newcastle Herald.

This was round one. At stake was the public credibility of a police force faced with damning allegations that a “Catholic mafia” existed within its ranks and that a key detective was shut out of investigations by forces wanting to protect the Church.

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ILLINOIS
Journal Standard

By Nick Crow
JOURNALSTANDARD.COM
Posted Jun 28, 2013

OREGON — Charles Babler, the 64-year-old Mount Morris man who had worked as a pastor with Crossroads Community Church in Polo for the past decade, will appear before a circuit court judge at 1 p.m. to face charges of criminal sexual abuse of a minor.

Babler was arrested by sheriff’s deputies last Friday in the wake of an investigation of a 2011 incident in which police say he had contact with a person younger than 13.

Aggravated criminal sexual abuse is a Class 2 felony, punishable by three to seven years in prison. Probation is possible, and guilty offenders must register for mandatory lifetime classification as sexual predators.

Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock said that the charges facing Babler could be amended during the hearing.

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PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Big Trial

By Ralph Cipriano
for Bigtrial.net

It’s one of the enduring mysteries of the current district attorney’s self-described “historic” prosecution of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

How could one former district attorney, Lynne Abraham, and one grand jury look at the state law for endangering the welfare of a child [EWOC], in 2005 and decide that the law didn’t apply to Msgr. William J. Lynn, Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, or any other high-ranking official at the archdiocese?

And how could the current district attorney, Seth Williams, and another grand jury look at that same exact EWOC law in 2011 and decide that the law did apply, not only to Msgr. Lynn, but also to Father James J. Brennan, Father Edward V. Avery, Father Charles Engelhardt, and Bernard Shero?

In the appeals battle over the conviction of Msgr. Lynn, District Attorney Seth Williams finally had to answer the question that he had previously been stonewalling on. The D.A.’s official explanation for the legal flip-flop was contained in a 63-page brief filed June 25th in Superior Court.

In the brief, written by Hugh L. Burns, chief of the D.A.’s Appeals Unit, the author conceded that one Philadelphia district attorney got it right and one Philadelphia district attorney got it wrong, but that it would be up to the Superior Court to make the final call.

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ROMA
AGI

(AGI) – Roma, 28 giu. – Le accuse mosse dall’ex sacerdote Patrizio Poggi sarebbero scaturite dal risentimento nutrito nei confronti di altri sacerdoti e monsignori che, dopo la sua condanna definitiva per abusi sessuali nei confronti dei minori, lo avevano scaricato e, anzi, lo avevano ostacolato nel suo progetto di essere reintegrato nell’ordine sacerdotale.

Questo quanto ipotizzato dal procuratore aggiunto di Roma, Maria Monteleone, che ha chiesto e ottenuto l’arresto per calunnia dell’ex sacerdote fermato dai carabinieri in un residence sulla via Camilluccia a Roma dove occupava un appartamento.

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ROME
il Messaggero

ROMA – I carabinieri del Nucleo Investigativo di Roma hanno arrestato l’ex sacerdote Patrizio Poggi, in esecuzione di un’ordinanza di custodia cautelare in carcere emessa dal gip Aldo Morgigni, su richiesta del procuratore aggiunto della Procura della Repubblica di Roma, Maria Monteleone.

Poggi è indagato del reato di calunnia aggravata e continuata per avere denunciato, a marzo 2013, circostanze non veritiere in ordine alla presunta esistenza di un’organizzazione criminale gestita da tre personaggi romani, attiva nel procacciare ragazzi italiani e stranieri, anche minorenni, per avviarli alla prostituzione maschile in favore di vari esponenti del clero romano, di cui Poggi aveva indicato i nominativi in sede di denuncia.

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ROMA
ASCA

(ASCA) – Roma, 28 giu – I Carabinieri del Nucleo Investigativo di Roma, nel corso della mattinata, hanno arrestato l’ex sacerdote Patrizio Poggi, in esecuzione di un’ordinanza di custodia cautelare in carcere emessa dal Gip presso il Tribunale di Roma Aldo Morgigni, su richiesta del Procuratore Aggiunto della Procura della Repubblica di Roma, Maria Monteleone. Poggi e’ indagato del reato di calunnia aggravata e continuata per avere denunciato, a marzo 2013, circostanze non veritiere in ordine alla presunta esistenza di un’organizzazione criminale gestita da tre personaggi romani, attiva nel procacciare ragazzi italiani e stranieri, anche minorenni, per avviarli alla prostituzione maschile in favore di vari esponenti del clero romano, di cui Poggi aveva indicato i nominativi in sede di denuncia.

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ROME
The Times (UK)

James Bone Rome

The convicted paedophile priest who told police that other Catholic clergy used underage rent-boys was arrested for slander yesterday after prosecutors concluded he had made up the allegations.

Prosecutors said the claims by Patrizio Poggi, who served a five-year sentence for child abuse while a priest on the outskirts of Rome, were “untrue or based on mere hearsay” and motivated by personal animosity against some of the clerics named. They accused him of attempting to coach possible victims to back up his allegations.

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UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian

Vikram Dodd
The Guardian, Thursday 27 June 2013

Imams in 500 mosques across Britain will on Friday give the same sermon denouncing the grooming and sexual abuse of children.

The co-ordinated effort follows the convictions of Muslim men in British courts for a series of horrific cases. Organisers say it is the first time that so many imams will deliver the same sermon before hundreds of congregations.

The sermons will urge people to report those suspected of involvement in sexual abuse offences, and opens with a quotation from the Qur’an which forbids Muslims from “sexual indecency, wickedness and oppression of others”.

The courts have dealt with a cluster of horrific cases including those in Rochdale, Derby and Oxford, where on Thursday five men were sentenced to life imprisonment and two others to long sentences for the abuse of girls.

It is organised by a group called Together Against Grooming, and backed by bodies including the Muslim Council of Britain, the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, and the Islamic Society of Britain.

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider

Nunzio Serrano, who served in the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, has been arrested after he apparently helped friends bring 20 million Euros into Italy. Vatican spokesman Lombardi says the Vatican is prepared to cooperate with the judiciary

ANDREA TORNIELLI
VATICAN CITY

Less than forty eight hours after it was announced that Francis had ordered the setting up of a commission to inquire into the activities of the IOR, the Vatican bank has come under the media spotlight again, following the arrest of Italian monsignor Nunzio Scarano, who had been working for APSA (the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See). Two others were arrested as well: Italian policeman Giovanni Maria Zito, who was dismissed from the Italian secret services three months ago and broker Giovanni Carenzio. They are accused of corruption, slander and fraud. The arrest was made as part of the inquiry that is being carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome, into the activities of the IOR. Public Prosecutors Nello Rossi and Stefano Fava have been leading the three year investigation into the violation of anti-money laundering regulations by the IOR’s director general Paolo Cipriani and deputy director Massimo Tulli.

Mgr. Scarano, a former banker who became a priest 27 years ago, apparently agreed to pay 400 thousand Euros to have 20 million Euros in cash brought into Italy on a private jet. According to Scarano’s lawyer, the money was in fact transported on a State-authorised flight and the prelate only acted as a go-between. The money belonged to one of his friend’s families. But the monsignor was also placed under investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of his home city, Salerno, last 13 June, on charges of money-laundering. The investigation is being led by Public Prosecutor Elena Guarino and looking into the illegal transaction of money via cheques worth 10 thousand Euros each. Although accounting records show these as donations to help settle debts accumulated by a property in Salerno, it is suspected the transactions were part of a money laundering operation. In 2009, Mgr. Scarano withdrew 560 thousand Euros in cash from his IOR bank account, claiming it went towards paying off a mortgage.

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AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

STRIKE Force Georgiana had resulted in 11 people being charged with 440 offences involving 110 victims and the numbers were growing almost daily, strike force investigator Detective Sergeant Kristi Faber has told the special commission of inquiry in Newcastle.

In a session just before lunch on Friday Detective Sergeant Faber said the strike force had done extremely good work.

She said 13 detectives over five years had worked on Georgiana matters. Investigating child sexual abuse was physically hard, and mentally extremely hard.

Detective Sergeant Faber said no one in Georgiana was ever discouraged from investigating matters involving the church and she had never had ‘‘any resistance whatsoever’’ from her superior officers to such investigations.

Sergeant Faber was questioned about her account of a conversation with Newcastle Herald reporter Joanne McCarthy, which took place on May 30, 2008.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

DAN BOX From: The Australian June 29, 2013

A DETECTIVE working with a police strike force that has charged 11 priests with hundreds of child abuse offences was warned by a colleague that her life was in danger from the “Catholic mafia”, an inquiry has heard.

A DETECTIVE was warned by a colleague that her life was in danger from the “Catholic mafia”, an inquiry has heard.

Detective Sergeant Kristi Faber told the NSW special commission of inquiry into church child abuse that another detective, Peter Fox, made the claim during a telephone conversation last year.

Detective Chief Inspector Fox told Ms Faber that her investigation into historic abuse committed by local priests meant she “would not be liked” and her “life was in danger from the Catholic mafia”, she said.

In his own sworn evidence to the inquiry, Mr Fox has previously denied the conversation took place, although he has repeatedly used the phrase to describe serving officers who allegedly attempted to discourage investigations into the clergy.

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CONNECTICUT
Journal Inquirer

By Alex Wood Journal Inquirer

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in South Windsor and the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut aren’t liable to a man who says the priest at St. Peter’s sexually molested him in 1977 when he was in sixth grade and serving as an acolyte, the state Appellate Court ruled this week.

The court concluded that the harm inflicted by the former priest, Bruce Jacques, on the plaintiff in the case, Robert Gough, “was not foreseeable.”

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PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philly.com

The Associated Press POSTED: Friday, June 28, 2013

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia says recent improvements to its financial health won’t be reflected in data being released next week. Archbishop Charles Chaput (SHAP’-yoo) says results of the 2012 audit “are serious – and that’s an understatement.”

The information will be released online Wednesday morning. Chaput said Friday that most of the problems stem from bad spending habits, not fraud or the priest sex-abuse scandal. The church had a $6 million deficit in August 2012. The archdiocese got a new chief financial officer in April 2012. The previous CFO is behind bars for embezzling $900,000.

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IRELAND
Irish Examiner

Friday, June 28, 2013

The Government has thrown down the gauntlet to the four religious orders that ran the Magdalene Laundries, saying it expects them to contribute money towards the redress scheme — as two groups said they would not pay.

By Conall Ó Fátharta
Irish Examiner Reporter

Justice Minister Alan Shatter told the Dáil the Government, survivors of the laundries and the wider public “expect” those who ran the institutions to pay to compensate the women who suffered in their care. Mr Shatter’s challenge comes as two of the orders have told the Government they will not be contributing any money towards the Quirke redress scheme, expected to cost between €34m and €58m.

The Irish Examiner understands from sources that both the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of Refuge told the Government in advance of the Quirke Report being published on Wednesday, they would not be contributing money to the compensation fund.

The report recommended the women be paid compensation ranging from €11,500 to a maximum of €100,000 depending on the duration spent in a Magdalene Laundry.

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ITALIA
Giornalettismo

E’ stato arrestato per calunnia aggravata e continuata l’ex sacerdote Patrizio Poggi, che aveva denunciato l’esistenza di un’organizzazione criminale dedita a reclutare ragazzi, anche minorenni, per farli prostituire con esponenti del clero romano.

DON POGGI, PIANO CALUNNIOSO – Le indagini dei carabinieri del Nucleo investigativo di Roma – riferisce una nota – ”hanno dimostrato come Poggi abbia concepito e attuato un piano calunnioso, prospettando circostanze non veritiere”, ”in quanto animato da risentimento per motivazioni personali”.

COSA AVEVA DETTO DON PATRIZIO POGGI – Nei giorni scorsi giornali e quotidiani avevano riportato i verbali di Don Poggi. Don Poggi, del quartiere romano di Primavalle, fu condannato nel 1999 a otto anni di reclusione (poi ridotti a cinque, ndr) per aver abusato di cinque ragazzi fra i 14 e 15 anni. Minori che erano stati a lui affidati negli anni ’90 e poi vittime delle sue violenze. Come aveva svelato il Fatto quotidiano, scontato il suo debito con la giustizia, aveva chiesto di essere riammesso a celebrare la messa. Di fronte al rifiuto delle gerarchie ecclesiastiche, aveva però deciso di raccontare altre “verità”, accusando anche un importante monsignore “con la passione per i ragazzini”. Lo stesso quotidiano di Padellaro e Travaglio ha pubblicato il testo della denuncia dello scorso 8 marzo, quando Poggi si presentò ai carabinieri.

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ROMA
Corriere della Sera

ROMA – Arrestato per calunnia il sacerdote sospeso a divinis che aveva denunciato un presunto scandalo pedofilia nella Curia Romana. Don Patrizio Poggi, aveva denunciato ai carabinieri di Roma quella che a suo dire era «un’organizzazione criminale dedita a reclutare ragazzi, anche minorenni, per farli prostituire» con esponenti del clero romano. Le indagini dei carabinieri del Nucleo investigativo di Roma hanno tuttavia «dimostrato come Poggi abbia concepito e attuato un piano calunnioso, prospettando circostanze non veritiere o, comunque, basate su mere dicerie», «in quanto animato da risentimento per motivazioni personali nei confronti di alcuni dei prelati da lui accusati di fruire di prestazioni sessuali omosessuali a pagamento con minorenni». Da qui l’ordinanza di custodia cautelare in carcere emessa dal Gip di Roma Aldo Morgigni, su richiesta del Procuratore Aggiunto Maria Monteleone.

LA CONDANNA PER ABUSI – Il risentimento di Poggi sarebbe legato alle sue personali vicende giudiziarie e alla sua sospensione dal sacerdozio in seguito a casi di pedofilia – questi sì provati – in cui era stato coinvolto negli Anni Novanta. Ai carabinieri del Noe (Nucleo per la tutela dell’ambiente) aveva egli stesso premesso di essere stato condannato a 5 anni di reclusione (ma la condanna in primo grado, nel 1999, era stata più pesante: 8 anni) per violenza sessuale nei confronti di minori, l’ex parroco del San Filippo Neri di Roma assicura di aver sentito «il dovere di tutelare la Santa Chiesa e la comunità cristiana».

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ITALIA
Lazio News

Denunciò falsi casi di pedofilia all’interno del Vaticano: con questa accusa è stato arrestato oggi l’ex sacerdote Patrizio Poggi.

Don Poggi aveva denunciato ai carabinieri di Roma “un’organizzazione criminale dedita a reclutare ragazzi, anche minorenni, per farli prostituire” con esponenti del clero romano. Le indagini dei carabinieri del Nucleo investigativo hanno però “dimostrato come Poggi abbia concepito e attuato un piano calunnioso, prospettando circostanze non veritiere o, comunque, basate su mere dicerie, in quanto animato da risentimento per motivazioni personali nei confronti di alcuni dei prelati da lui accusati di fruire di prestazioni sessuali omosessuali a pagamento con minorenni”.

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ITALY
The Atlantic Wire

DASHIELL BENNETT

A high-ranking official at the troubled Vatican bank (who was already under investigation for a possible money laundering scheme) was arrested on Friday for trying to bring 20 million euros in to the country illegally. Monsignor Nunzio Scarano was detained along with two others for the failed plot that involved bringing the cash from Switzerland to Italy on an Italian government plane, presumably so they could avoid customs checks, and therefore, taxes.

Scarano’s lawyer denies all the charges and says his client “can explain,” though he did not elaborate on how. The new charges follow a separate investigation of Scarano that stemmed from a series of shady transactions he made back in 2009, transferring money between his personal accounts in The Vatican and in Italy.

On a personal scale, Scarano’s crimes are not that disastrous, but they come at a very difficult time for the Church and the new pope. Just two days ago, Pope Francis created an inquiry commission to investigate corruption and mismanagement at the Vatican bank. The bank, which operates under different laws than the rest of the European Union, has been accused of failing to meet the more rigorous standards of the world financial community and an excess of secrecy. Scarano’s alleged crimes appear to be exactly the kind of behavior the Pope is trying to put a stop to.

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VATICAN CITY
adnkronos

Vatican City, 28 June (AKI) – The Holy See on Friday said it would “cooperate fully” with Italian investigators after the arrest of senior cleric on suspicion of fraud and graft amid a wider probe into the Vatican Bank.

“The Holy See has not received any request by Italian authorities in this case, but it confirms it is willing to cooperate fully,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement.

Lombardi said the body which oversees the Vatican’s financial institutions was also across the case of Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, a Vatican accountant arrested on Friday for suspected fraud, corruption and slander.

“The Financial Information Authority (Ais) is following this problem and will take any necessary action within its remit,” Lombardi stated.

He noted that Scarano was suspended last month from his post with the Vatican’s Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (Apsa), which manages the Vatican’s portfolio of assets including its real estate.

As a Vatican employee, Scarano was eligible to hold an account at the Vatican Bank, which Pope Francis on Wednesday put under investigation amid several money-laundering scandals.

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VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter

Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service | Jun. 28, 2013

VATICAN CITY An Italian monsignor, already suspended from his Vatican accounting job while under investigation for money laundering, was arrested Friday on charges of fraud, corruption and slander in a separate case.

Msgr. Nunzio Scarano, a priest of the archdiocese of Salerno-Campagna-Acero, was head of the analytical accounting service at the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, the Vatican office that oversees Vatican property and investments.

Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said Scarano was suspended in May, “as soon as his superiors were informed that he was under investigation.” Vatican rules call for the suspension of any employee who is the subject of a criminal investigation, he said Friday.

The spokesman also said, “The Holy See has not yet received any request on this matter from the proper Italian authorities, but confirms it is ready to collaborate fully.”

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ROME
CNN

By Hada Messia and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN
June 28, 2013

Rome (CNN) — A Vatican official, a financial broker and a former secret service police officer were arrested Friday on suspicion of corruption over an alleged attempt to smuggle a huge sum of cash into Italy, Rome’s prosecutor said.

The official, Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, works as a financial analyst in the Vatican office that administers Vatican-owned property.

The archdiocese of Salerno, in southern Italy, issued a statement saying media reports identifying him as a bishop there were incorrect.

Prosecutor Nello Rossi told reporters the three suspects could face corruption charges, with Scarano also facing a possible count of defamation.

He stressed that the investigation is ongoing and that money laundering is not among the possible charges based on what investigators have uncovered so far.

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WORCESTER (MA)
The Republican

By Kevin Koczwara, MassLive.com
on June 28, 2013

WORCESTER – A defrocked Worcester priest serving a 50-year sentence in Texas for molesting an 11-year-old boy more than 20 years ago could be released from prison because of medical problems, reports The Worcester Telegram & Gazette*.

Thomas H. Teczar, 72, was convicted of rape and sexual abuse of an 11-year-old boy in 2009 and he was accused of abusing at least 14 boys over a 50 year span, reports the Telegram & Gazette. He is not supposed to be considered for parole until Oct. 23, 2019. He was formally removed from the priesthood by Pope Benedict XVI in September 2011.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Teczar is accused of complaints of sexually abusing teams as far back as the mid-1960s and had issues in parishes in Leicester, Worcester, Uxbridge as well as California and Texas, where he was eventually convicted of the sexual abuse of an 11-year-old boy in Ranger, TX in the 1990s.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) released a statement urging Teczar not be released.

“We oppose parole for Fr. Thomas H. Teczar, who in 2009 was convicted of rape and sexual abuse of an 11-year-old boy. In addition to this conviction, there are documented accusations of Teczar sexually assaulting children for nearly 50 years,” read a statement posted by David Clohessy on SNAP’s website.

“Despite this, he wants to serve only four years of a 50-year-sentence. Having a long history of committing crimes without consequence, he cannot be allowed to walk free from the only punishment he has ever received, punishment which keeps him away from children,” the statement continues. “We urge Texas officials will recognize that Teczar’s entire history of sexual violence against children exceedingly overshadows his case for parole based on alleged medical conditions.”

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ROME
National Catholic Reporter

John L. Allen Jr. | Jun. 28, 2013 All Things Catholic

Perhaps it’s the curmudgeon in me, but I’m always drawn to news stories that seem to upend conventional wisdom, and I award bonus points if the story challenges both liberal and conservative biases at the same time. …

Everyone knows that the cardinals who propelled a Latin American outsider to the papacy in just five ballots in March were acutely frustrated with what they saw as breakdowns in Vatican management. To date, Francis hasn’t done much to break with business as usual, but signals continue to accumulate that when he gets started, we may be in for an earthquake rather than a mere tremor.

The Vatican announced Wednesday that Francis has created a new commission to investigate the Vatican bank, technically known as the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR). Here is my piece on the commission.

Early reaction among seasoned Vatican-watchers is that this is a big deal. Writing in Corriere della Sera on Thursday, Massimo Franco said that it augurs “a radical project of renewal” in the Vatican. Noting that two of the five members appointed to the commission are Americans, Msgr. Peter Wells of the Secretariat of State and former Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon, Franco also said the pope’s move reflects a healthy dose of “Anglo-Saxon pragmatism.”

An accompanying piece in Corriere quoted Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, the coordinator of the pope’s new kitchen cabinet formed of eight cardinals from around the world. In the article, Maradiaga expressed a degree of skepticism about the bank’s current modus operandi: “They’ve said that the IOR is not a bank but a foundation,” Maradiaga said. “Then why in the world has it acted like a bank?”

The ferment over the bank is unfolding against the backdrop of yet another scandal. An official of another Vatican financial office, the Apostolic Patrimony of the Holy See, was recently suspended after prosecutors in Salerno opened an investigation because he apparently withdrew $730,000 in cash from a Vatican bank account and then used it to pay off personal debts, allegedly convincing more than 50 friends to convert 10,000 Euro each into cashier’s checks in order to evade reporting requirements.

In Thursday’s La Repubblica, Vatican writer Paolo Rodari said the creation of the commission presages “a revolution not just in structures but in personnel,” a point seemingly confirmed by an accompanying interview with Cardinal George Pell of Australia, another member of the pope’s “Gang of Eight.”

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican Information Service

Vatican City, 28 June 2013 (VIS) – This morning, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See Press Office, issued the following communique regarding the arrest, in Italy, of Msgr. Nunzio Scarano, director of accounting analysis service of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), in the context of an investigation on corruption and fraud.

“As has been made known in the past few days, Msgr. Nunzio Scarano was suspended from his position at the APSA over a month ago, as soon as his superiors were informed that he was under investigation. This is in compliance of the Regulations of the Roman Curia, which require the precautionary suspension of persons against whom prosecution has been initiated.”

“The Holy See has still not received any request from the competent Italian authorities on the matter, but has confirmed its willingness to cooperate fully.”

“The competent Vatican authority, the AIF (the Vatican Financial Information Authority), is following the issue in order to take, if necessary, appropriate measures within its competence.”

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COLORADO
Gazette

By Lance Benzel Published: June 27, 2013

A former Colorado Springs priest being tried on charges of sexually assaulting a teenage altar boy was considered “part of our family,” the boy’s mother told a jury Thursday while choking back tears.

Testifying on the third day of the prosecution’s case against the Rev. Charles Robert “Bob” Manning, the woman said the then-pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church was a frequent guest at the family home.

“Holidays. Dinners. Everything,” the woman said. “I included him as part of our family.”

According to earlier testimony, the accuser was 14 when he sent an email to St. Gabriel’s, 8755 Scarborough Drive, saying that he wanted to explore Catholicism.

Manning, 78, has pleaded not guilty to all counts, with his attorneys portraying him the victim of false allegations by the boy, who became an altar server during the course of one-on-one tutelage by Manning in his church office.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC Mildura-Swan Hill

By Deb Banks (ABC Mildura-Swan Hill)

A former police detective living in Mildura wants a government inquiry into what happened to him 40 years ago, after he uncovered hundreds of cases of sex abuse at the hands of a Catholic church priest and found himself confronted with a conspiracy to prevent investigation, damaging his career and leading ultimately to his resignation from the force.

Denis Ryan says his investigation into Catholic priest – Monsignor John Day – uncovered hundreds of cases of child sex abuse, but was smothered by Victoria Police and the church.

Mr Ryan has documented his quest for justice in a book released this week, and is telling his story for the first time.

Mr Ryan first came in contact with Father Day on the streets of St Kilda, in 1956, while on divisional van duties.

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INDIA
IBN Live

Press Trust of India | Updated Jun 28, 2013

The Madras High Court has upheld the arrest of a Catholic priest from Tamil Nadu, charged with abusing a minor girl in the US, facilitating his extradition to face justice in that country.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Dhanapalan and C T Selvam dismissed the petition filed by the priest’s sister Pushpavathi, seeking to quash his arrest on the ground that there was a delay in producing him in Delhi and his continued incarceration amounted to illegal detention.

The bench rejected her plea and facilitated the priest’s extradition contending that the crime is a “first degree criminal sexual conduct.” Additional Solicitor General G Masilamani had pointed out that there was a valid extradition treaty with the US since 1999 and that the US has furnished all relevant documents validating its extradition request.

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CALIFORNIA
Appeal-Democrat

June 28, 2013

By Rob Parsons/A-D Reporter

A Catholic priest “nibbled” a Yuba City teenager’s nose, put his head against her chest, pulled her down onto a bed and kissed her face repeatedly, the 16-year-old testified on Thursday.

“Then he put his tongue inside my mouth,” the girl said in Sutter County Superior Court. The Appeal-Democrat is not naming the girl because she is a minor and an alleged victim.

During a recorded phone call between the girl and the Rev. Julio Cesar Guarin-Sosa, the Colombian priest apologized for the alleged March 8 incident in the Yuba City girl’s bedroom and asked her to keep it secret, Yuba City police Officer Isabel Kodani testified.

“Because he said it would destroy his life,” Kodani said. “He told her it would never happen again.”

Superior Court Judge Christopher R. Chandler ordered Guarin-Sosa, 43, to stand trial on misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and child molestation following Thursday’s preliminary hearing.

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CALIFORNIA
TheMediaReport

How do the cultural elites in Hollywood deal with a successful actor after he has been accused by at least four different men of child sex abuse? Not screaming headlines, of course. Instead, it rewards him with three Emmy Awards.

Kevin Clash struck it big in Hollywood by developing the personality and voice of the popular Sesame Street character Elmo. Yet after a number of men came forward late last November to accuse him of abusing them as boys, he resigned from the hit children’s show, thus joining a growing list of Hollywood celebrities accused of sex abuse with scant media disapprobation.

Roman Polanski: ‘It wasn’t rape-rape’

Clash is not the first Hollywood star to be celebrated by media elites even after being accused of child sex crimes.

In March of 1977, Los Angeles law enforcement arrested famed director Roman Polanski for the savage rape of a 13-year-old girl that happened at the home of his famous friend, Jack Nicholson. Court records indicate that after Polanski plied the underage girl with alcohol and drugs, he then forcibly performed oral sex, intercourse, and sodomy. …

Contrast the treatment by the Los Angeles Times to the death of Jackson with the death of a popular L.A. cleric, Bishop Juan Arzube, who passed away less than a year before Jackson. Arzube was the target of a single accusation during 2003, the year that California lifted the statute of limitations in order for accusers to file money-seeking lawsuits against the Catholic Church.

Arzube vehemently denied the decades-old allegation, but that did not stop the Times from devoting nearly 30 percent of his obituary to the stale accusation against him and stamping the word “ACCUSED” below the photograph accompanying it. (See for yourself and read about this episode.)

Meanwhile, unlike Bishop Arzube, charges of abuse against Jackson continue to this day, even after his death.

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UNITED STATES
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Burton was ordained a priest of the Society of Jesus, Maryland Province, in 1967. His ministry took him from Maryland to Chile, North Carolina and New Jersey. He taught, served in hispanic ministry, established and co-directed a youth ministry program, and worked as a campus minister. In 1994 the Jesuits received a report that in 1982 Burton had engaged in “inappropriate touching” with a minor in North Carolina. Burton underwent a brief period of therapy, but remained in ministry. In June 2007 the Jesuits claimed that they discovered the earlier accusation in reviewing Burton’s personnel file. Burton acknowledged the sexual misconduct and was removed from active ministry. He died in August 2011.

Ordained: 1967
Died: Aug. 20, 2011

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MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Thursday, June 27

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

A dangerous predator priest is one step closer to being sent back to the US for trial. We are grateful for Indian court officials for their ruling today in the case of Fr. Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, who molested girls in the Crookston MN diocese.

We’ve long worried about the safety of girls in India near Jeyapaul, especially since his bishop put him in charge of overseeing schools, knowing full well that he was considered a fugitive from US criminal authorities.

Jeyapaul is one of an increasing number of accused predator priests who are allowed to flee to other countries despite credible child sex abuse allegations or sometimes arrest warrants.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Minnesota Catholic officials “knew of rumors about inappropriate behavior by (Jeyapaul) in 8/04” but Jeyapaul “suddenly returned to India in 9/05.”

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TEXAS/MASSACHUSETTS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

POSTED BY DAVID CLOHESSY ON JUNE 27, 2013

We oppose parole for Fr. Thomas H. Teczar, who in 2009 was convicted of rape and sexual abuse of an 11-year-old boy. In addition to this conviction, there are documented accusations of Teczar sexually assaulting children for nearly 50 years.

Despite this, he wants to serve only four years of a 50-year-sentence. Having a long history of committing crimes without consequence, he cannot be allowed walk free from the only punishment he has ever received, punishment which keeps him away from children. We urge Texas officials will recognize that Teczar’s entire history of sexual violence against children exceedingly overshadows his case for parole based on alleged medical conditions.

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MILWAUKEE (WI)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Thursday, June 27

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

In a predictable move, Milwaukee’s archbishop posted a blog today in which he again tries to obscure the truth and deceive parishioners and the public about clergy sex crimes and cover ups.

A centerpiece of Archbishop Jerome Listecki’s public relations effort is his claim that Catholic officials did “their best with what they knew at the time.” He suggests that it was largely ignorance that led Milwaukee church supervisors to ignore, minimize, hide and enable horrific crimes against children.

He’s wrong.

The documents will prove that they did no better. Archdiocesan officials consistently refused to call police or notify parishioners about known and suspected clergy child sex crimes. Church officials are smart, well-educated men guided by expensive lawyers. They have known, for decades, that child sex abuse was illegal. They have known, for decades, that parishioners deserved to know if their pastor, priest or teacher was a child molester.

Yet they insisted on protecting themselves, their reputations and their clerical careers by intimidating victims, threatening whistleblowers, discrediting witnesses, ignoring police, stonewalling prosecutors, lobbying to defeat child abuse protection laws, and deceiving parishioners while paying secret settlements and quietly transferring predators.

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MILWAUKEE (WI)
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee

Click here to read this blog in Spanish.

On April 3rd, I informed you of my decision to authorize the release of documents related to diocesan priests with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. These documents are scheduled to be posted to the archdiocesan website next week and I’m sure they will generate many stories in the news.

We have worked with the attorneys for abuse survivors who identified almost 6,000 pages of documents they believe should be made public and that best demonstrate how the archdiocese handled allegations of sexual abuse, responded to reports, and dealt with offending priests. Those are the documents that will be posted.

My hope in voluntarily making these documents public is that they will aid abuse survivors, families, and others in understanding the past, reviewing the present and allowing the Church in southeastern Wisconsin to continue moving forward. We can never tell abuse survivors enough how sorry we are for what they endured. My apology goes out to all who have been harmed and I continue to offer to meet with any individual abuse survivors who would find it helpful.

What we do today in responding to reports of abuse is different than in decades past but that fact does not erase the past. The documents present one part of the history of what happened and demonstrate how people tried to do their best with what they knew at the time. We may never have the complete picture because the records are not always clear and there is no way to delve more deeply because many of the people involved are dead or have had memories fade as 20, 30 or 40 years or more have passed.

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NEW JERSEY
NJ Today

[with video]

Myers Mum After Chat With Catholic Publication; Critics Renew Call for Resignation

By David Cruz
NJ Today

Newark Archbishop John Myers’ slow emergence from media silence is doing little to shed light on the church’s role in the Father Michael Fugee case. That’s what critics of Myers are saying today as they repeat their calls for his resignation.

“It’s typical Archbishop John Myers,” said Bob Hoatson of Road to Recovery, a victims’ advocacy group. “Once again he deflects all criticism from himself; he deflects all criticism from the Archdiocese of Newark, from the priest who molested the child, and he talks about things like review boards and protocols and things that are tangential to the essential issue here.”

In an interview with the National Catholic Register, Myers admitted that the church dropped the ball on properly monitoring Fugee, who was arrested in May for allegedly violating a 2003 Memorandum of Understating with the Bergen County Prosecutor to stay away from children. Myers said that in the future, “We would not enter into a memorandum of understanding that places a burden on the Church. The state has more resources.”

Jay Fahey, a former Bergen County Prosecutor now in private practice told us today that the church did indeed violate the agreement but that, barring a smoking gun, he didn’t expect the church as a corporation, or Archbishop Myers as its head, to face any charges.

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WORCESTER (MA)
Telegram & Gazette

By Bronislaus B. Kush, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
bkush@telegram.com

WORCESTER — Thomas H. Teczar, the defrocked Worcester priest serving a 50-year sentence in Texas for molesting an 11-year-old boy more than 20 years ago, may be released from prison because of medical problems.

Mr. Teczar, who was also publicly accused of sexually assaulting at least two Central Massachusetts boys, was formally removed from the priesthood by Pope Benedict XVI in September 2011.

Texas prosecutors and victims of Mr. Teczar were informed this week that the Parole Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is considering an early parole for the former priest and asked them to provide comments on any such action.

Ordinarily, Mr. Teczar would not be considered for parole until Oct. 23, 2019. …

Spokesman Raymond L. Delisle said the Diocese of Worcester had no comment.

“The decision of whether or not to parole him is up to Texas officials,” he said.

David Clohessy of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said there are documented accusations of Mr. Teczar sexually assaulting children for nearly 50 years.

“Despite this, he wants to serve only four years of a 50-year sentence,” Mr. Clohessy said. “Having a long history of committing crimes without consequence, he cannot be allowed to walk free from the only punishment he has ever received, punishment which keeps him away from children.”

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AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

Transcript Day 11
Monday, June 24, 2013

Transcript Day 12
Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Transcript Day 13
Wednesday, June 26, 2013

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AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

By JASON GORDON June 27, 2013

PETER Fox might have exaggerated the number of church sex abuse victims and clergy he said he had interviewed in order to promote himself to the investigating team, an inquiry heard yesterday.

Giving evidence to the Special Commission of Inquiry into how police handled the investigation into the alleged cover-up of sex abuse within the Catholic Church, Detective Inspector Graeme Parker told the inquiry that he had “never been sure” that police received all the information that Mr Fox had collected during his own investigations, alleging that he may have secretly held on to some material.

Later, when cross-examined by Mr Fox’s barrister Mark Cohen, Mr Parker said Mr Fox had spoken in public on numerous occasions and indicated that he had interviewed a number of alleged victims and members of the clergy.

But Mr Parker said reports of such things were never produced by Mr Fox in those numbers.

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AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

By IAN KIRKWOOD June 28, 2013

IN an explosive burst of evidence superintendent John Gralton has told the special inquiry in Newcastle that he was assaulted in the class by a priest in front of 40 students.

Superintendent Gralton also said he knew of five or six friends who had been indecently assaulted by priests.

He gave information about this to investigators.

Asked about the idea of a cover-up by police of church crimes he said nothing could be farther from the truth and that he the found the idea fanciful and offensive.

He said the idea that the Lantle investigation would be anything other than complete was far from the truth.

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AUSTRALIA
7 News

By Dan Cox, ABC
Updated June 28, 2013

A senior policeman has told a New South Wales inquiry into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church he was abused by a priest.

Former Central Hunter Local Area Commander Superintendent John Gralton told the special commission of inquiry at Newcastle Supreme Court he was assaulted in front of 40 other students by a priest at his Catholic school.

He said he gave a statement to an investigator, as well as the details of five or six other students who were indecently assaulted at school.

Superintendent Gralton told the inquiry any suggestion there were efforts to stop investigations was “abhorrent”, “offensive at the highest level” and “could not be further from the truth”.

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by Madeleine Davies

Posted: 28 Jun 2013

A REFORM of the Church of England’s safeguarding procedures, to be discussed by the General Synod next weekend, has been dismissed by a spokeswoman for a survivors group.

Anne Lawrence, a barrister, from Minister and Clergy SexualAbuse Survivors, said that those addressing safeguarding in the Church of England were “seeking to fix a problem before they know what the problem is. The survivors are the symptoms, the debris, the bits broken by a system that breaks things. If they want tostop …

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ITALY
Deutsche Welle

The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported on its website that the arrested cleric was Nunzio Scarano, the bishop of Salerno in southern Italy. He had been put under investigation for money laundering.

The former intelligence officer Giovanni Mario Zito and the finance broker Giovanni Carinzo were also arrested on the charges of corruption, fraud and slander, according to the German news agency dpa, quoting Italian authorities.

Earlier this week the AP news agency had reported that Scarano had withdrawn more than half a million euros in charitable donations without any flags being raised, walked out of Vatican City with the cash, and then used it to pay off a personal mortgage.

On Friday, dpa quoted Italian prosecutors as saying Bishop Scarano had paid Zito 400,000 euros ($520,000) to transport 20 million euros in cash from Switzerland to Italy onboard a private jet.

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ITALY
Wall Street Journal

By Gilles Castonguay

MILAN—Italian financial police Friday arrested a senior prelate, a financial broker and a member of Italy’s secret service in an investigation into a failed attempt to bring about €20 million ($26.1 million) in cash into Italy from Switzerland by plane, a spokesman for the financial police said.

According to the spokesman, the investigation was opened by the public prosecutor’s office in Rome while it was pursuing a separate probe into the Vatican’s bank, the Institute of Religious Works, which is under pressure from international regulators to improve its transparency.

The investigation didn’t concern the bank, known by its Italian abbreviation, IOR, the spokesman said.

“It is an offshoot,” he said.

The suspects, including Msgr. Nunzio Scarano, are being investigated for crimes such as fraud and corruption, he added.

Msgr. Scarano’s lawyer, Silverio Sica, confirmed the arrest.

Msgr. Scarano had already suspended himself from his duties with the church after coming under investigation in a separate money-laundering case, Mr. Sica added.

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ITALY
euronews

Three people have been arrested as part of an Italian investigation into the Vatican bank.

A member of Italy’s secret services, a financial broker and a cleric were all detained on Friday.

The cleric, Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, worked as an accountant in the Vatican’s financial administration. He was suspended from duties several weeks ago after being placed under investigation by magistrates.

Scarano is accused of taking 600,000 euros out of a Vatican Bank account. He is said to have taken out small amounts at a time and given them to friends who in turn wrote him cheques. The money was apparently used to pay off a mortgage.

The Monsignor’s lawyer Silverio Sica said he was additionally accused of being involved in an attempt to help friends bring 20 million euros into Italy from Switzerland by plane in league with the secret service agent and the financial intermediary.

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ITALY
Reuters

* Trio accused of trying to bring 20 million euros from Switzerland
* Vatican prelate was already involved in another investigation
* Arrests come after Pope sets up commission to look into bank (Adds details from lawyer, latest charges, Vatican response)

By Philip Pullella

ROME, June 28 (Reuters) – A senior Vatican cleric suspected of trying to help rich friends bring millions of euros into Italy illegally was arrested on Friday as part of an investigation into the Vatican bank, police sources and his lawyer said.

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, 61, worked as a senior accountant in the Vatican’s financial administration and is already involved in another investigation by magistrates in southern Italy.

He was arrested in a parish in the outskirts of Rome and taken to the city’s Queen of Heaven jail, his lawyer Silverio Sica told Reuters. Also arrested in the investigation were a member of Italy’s secret services and a financial broker.

Sica said Scarano was accused of being involved in an attempt to help friends bring 20 million euros ($26 million) into Italy from Switzerland by plane in league with the secret service agent and the financial intermediary.

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ITALY
NBC News

By Claudio Lavanga and Ian Johnston, NBC News

A monsignor suspended from his job as an accountant at the Vatican has been arrested, a papal spokesman said Friday.

Greg Burke, the senior Vatican communication adviser, confirmed Monsignor Nunzio Scarano had been detained.

Scarano normally works as an accountant for APSA, the body that manages the Vatican’s real estate, but was suspended over alleged financial offenses.

The cleric’s lawyer Silverio Sica told The Associated Press that his client was arrested on Wednesday over separate allegations and was now accused of fraud, corruption and slander.

Sica laid out what the prosecutors claimed had happened in the interview with the AP:

He said Scarano was a middleman in the operation: Friends had asked him to intervene with a broker, Giovanni Carenzio, to return 20 million euros ($26 million) they had given him to invest.

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ITALY
Telegraph (UK)

An Italian spy, a Vatican official and banker have been arrested on suspicion of corruption and fraud involving an alleged plot to bring 20 million euros in cash into Italy from Switzerland aboard a government plane.

By Nick Squires, Rome11:57AM BST 28 Jun 2013

The arrests come just two days after Pope Francis appointed a special commission to oversee the Vatican’s scandal-plagued bank, which is known officially as the Institute for Religious Works.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano was arrested after allegedly trying to bring the sum of money into Italy from Switzerland in an Italian government plane.

He had recently been suspended as an accountant in a Vatican department which manages the assets of the Holy See.

He is accused of fraud, corruption and slander.

His lawyer, Silverio Sica, told The Associated Press that the prelate was a middleman in the operation – friends had asked him to intervene with a broker, Giovanni Carenzio, to return 20 million euros (£17m) they had given him to invest.

Mr Sica said Msgr Scarano had persuaded Mr Carenzio to return the money, and an Italian secret service agent, Giovanni Maria Zito, went to Switzerland to bring the cash back aboard an Italian government aircraft.

The operation failed because Mr Carenzio, the broker, reneged on the deal, the lawyer said.

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ITALIEN
Sueddeutsche

Wegen vermuteter Geldwäsche steht die Vatikanbank bereits seit Jahren im Fokus der italienischen Justiz. Medienberichten zufolge wurde nun im Rahmen der Ermittlungen ein hochrangiger Vatikan-Geistlicher verhaftet. Auch ein ehemaliger Geheimdienstler soll festgenommen worden sein.

Im Zuge von Ermittlungen bei der Vatikanbank ist ein Geistlicher aus dem süditalienischen Salerno Medienberichten zufolge festgenommen worden. Gegen den Monsignore Nunzio Scarano werde wegen Korruption, Betrug und Verleumdung ermittelt, berichtete La Repubblica. Nach Angaben der Zeitung wurden zudem ein Polizeibeamter, der ehemalige Mitarbeiter des italienischen Geheimdiensts Giovanni Maria Zito, und der Börsenhändler Giovanni Carenzio festgenommen.

Im Zentrum der Affäre steht angeblich eine Vereinbarung zwischen Scarano und Zito, die zum Ziel hatte, Bargeld in Höhe von 20 Millionen aus der Schweiz an Bord eines Privatjets zurückzuführen, das Freunden des Geistlichen gehört. Dem Bericht zufolge war Scarano zwei Wochen zuvor zum Verdacht auf Geldwäsche in Höhe von 560.000 Euro befragt worden.

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ITALY
The New York Times

By RACHEL DONADIO
Published: June 28, 2013

ROME — Italian police on Friday arrested a prelate, a financial broker and an agent of the Italian Secret Service on corruption charges as part of a complex plot in which the priest — who is already under investigation for money-laundering involving the Vatican Bank — allegedly tried to repatriate millions of euros from Switzerland to Italy in a private plane.

The priest, Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, had been suspended this spring from a position at one of the Vatican’s main financial departments. Those arrested were charged with fraud, corruption and slander as part of a broad investigation tied to the famously secretive Vatican Bank.

Prosecutors allege that the broker and the secret service agent helped the monsignor bring 20 million euros, or $26 million, into Italy from Switzerland in a private jet, the ANSA news agency reported. It said that the 20 million euros belonged to “some friends of the monsignor.”

The Vatican did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A Vatican official said that Monsignor Scarano had been suspended from his position as an accountant at APSA, a department that oversees the Vatican’s real estate holdings, after prosecutors in Salerno opened a separate investigation into money-laundering. The official indicated that the suspension was a sign that the Vatican was stepping up its internal vigilance.

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ITALY
7 News

ROME (AFP) – A priest has been arrested on suspicion of fraud and corruption in connection with the sweeping probe of the scandal-plagued Vatican bank, Italian media reported Friday.

Nunzio Scarano, a priest from Salerno, was arrested after an investigation into the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), as the bank is known, unearthed a suspected international fraud scheme, reports said.

Initial reports that had suggested Scarano was a bishop were incorrect, Vatican senior media advisor Greg Burke said.

The priest was suspended from his position as a member of the administration that manages the Vatican’s assets (the APSA) “about a month ago, after his superiors learnt about an investigation into his activities,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said.

Scarano was arrested along with a former member of the Italian secret services and a financier for allegedly plotting to illegally move 20 million euros ($26 million) from Switzerland to Italy.

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ITALY
MSN

If Dan Brown’s casting around for a plot twist for his next blockbuster tale, hopefully he’s watching the news. Senior Vatican bishop, Monsignore Nunzio Scarano, has reportedly been arrested in an alleged plot to illegally bring $26 million into Italy on a government plane. It comes straight on the heels of Pope Francis ordering an unprecedented internal investigation into the uber-secretive Vatican Bank. (And we thought he was just busy with heart-warming stuff like offering kids rides on the popemobile and washing inmates’ feet.) Scarano’s been under police investigation, and his arrest, along with a secret service agent and a financial broker, could be a major step in Pope Francis’ plan to purify the ailing reputation of the bank and its $7.1 billion in assets.

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ITALY
The Hindu

A high-ranking Vatican official and two others have been arrested on suspicion of financial fraud at the Institute of Religious Works (IOR), the Holy See’s scandal-tainted bank, Italian authorities said on Friday.

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano — who had wrongly been identified as a bishop in earlier media reports — is accused of corruption, fraud and slander along with Giovanni Maria Zito, a former intelligence officer, and Giovanni Carinzo, a financial broker. They are all Italian.

According to Rome prosecutors, Mr. Scarano paid Mr. Zito 400,000 euros (523,000 dollars) to transport 20 million euros in cash from Switzerland to Italy on board a jet. The money belonged to a family friend.

The prelate’s lawyer, Silverio Sica, told the SkyTG24 news channel that Mr. Scarano had “tried to help friends that were important to him, who had suffered a loss,” and ruled out that he had made any personal gains.

The monsignor had been placed under investigation earlier this month for alleged money laundering in his home town of Salerno, southern Italy, and was suspended from his accounting role at Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) — the Holy See’s central bank.

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ITALY
The Washington Times

By Cheryl K. Chumley-The Washington Times Friday, June 28, 2013

A Vatican accountant has been arrested on charges of fraud and corruption related to a money-laundering scheme to bring $26 million from Switzerland into Italy aboard an Italian government plane, authorities said.

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano was arrested before the plane ever left the ground, The Associated Press reported. His attorney, Silverio Sica, said he’s accused of being a middleman for the scheme, which also allegedly involved his friends.

Monsignor Scarano was reportedly asked to convince a broker, Giovanni Carenzio, to give back $26 million he was going to invest on his friends’ behalf. An Italian secret service agent — Mario Zito — was supposed to fly to Switzerland, recoup the money and return it to Monsignor Scarano’s friends. But the broker changed his mind and the plot fell through, AP reported.

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ROME
Daily Mail (UK)

By HANNAH ROBERTS IN ROME

One of the Vatican’s most senior money-men has been arrested in an alleged plot to smuggle 20 million Euros into Italy on a government plane.

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, the bishop of Salerno, and the chief accountant for the Vatican’s vast property portfolio, has been taken into custody along with an Italian secret agent Mario Zito and broker Giovanni Carenzio.

Scarano, 61, who worked at Deutsche bank before taking ecclesiastical vows, is accused of fraud, corruption, and other charges, as part of a wider investigation into the IOR Vatican Bank.

His nickname in Vatican circles was reportedly ‘Don 500 Euros’ thanks to his habit of showing people that he had only the largest bank note in his wallet.

The high profile arrests come just 48 hours after Pope Francis announced the line up for his commission into the Vatican Bank.

The so-called ‘Bank of God ‘ has been tarnished by scandal and suspicion for 30 years.

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CIUDAD DEL VATICANO
El Universal

NICOLE WINFIELD – AP | CIUDAD DEL VATICANO | Publicado el 28 de junio de 2013

Un funcionario del Vaticano que ya estaba bajo investigación por un presunto ardid para lavar dinero, fue arrestado el viernes por una operación distinta: los fiscales dicen que trató de trasladar 20 millones de euros en efectivo de Suiza a Italia a bordo de un avión del gobierno italiano.

Monseñor Nunzio Scarano, recientemente suspendido como contador de uno de los principales departamentos financieros del Vaticano, está acusado de fraude, corrupción y otros cargos relacionados con el plan, el cual nunca se llevó a cabo, dijo su abogado Silverio Sica a The Associated Press.

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ITALIA
la Repubblica

La nomina di ieri di monsignor Battista Mario Salvatore Ricca come prelato dello Ior non è che il primo atto di una rivoluzione che in autunno porterà la curia romana a cambiare completamente pelle. Il 29 giugno, in particolare, festa dei santi Pietro e Paolo, è data ritenuta importante. In questo giorno, infatti, potrebbero essere annunciati gli spostamenti di alcuni capi dicastero, “promozioni” utili a ridisegnare la governance vaticana. Insieme, spostamenti che permetteranno al Papa di convogliare nei posti che contano energie nuove e soprattutto persone di sua stretta fiducia. Sul nome del nuovo Segretario di Stato, invece, vige il massimo riserbo. Così anche sulla data dell’annuncio.

A oggi in pole position c’è l’attuale presidente del governatorato della Città del Vaticano, Giuseppe Bertello, che in scia a quanto auspicava la “Pastor Bonus” di Paolo VI (la costituzione apostolica dedicata proprio alla curia romana), se nominato manterrebbe entrambi gli incarichi. In alternativa, un altro nome molto considerato da Bergoglio è quello dell’attuale nunzio in Venezuela Pietro Parolin, già numero tre della stessa segreteria di stato. Certo, il “nodo Bertone” non è ancora del tutto risolto: il quasi ottantenne segretario di stato, infatti, sembra puntare a una clamorosa, quanto improbabile, prorogatio di un anno.

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ITALIE
Atlantico (France)

Le pape François avait dit lors d’une audience privée, il y a quelques semaines, que le Vatican était “gangrené par la corruption”. Il semble que le souverain pontife ait eu raison. En tout cas, l’arrestation de Mgr Nunzio Scarano, évêque de Salerne, jette le trouble. Le prélat est en effet soupçonné de fraude et de corruption. Un membre des services secrets italiens et un intermédiaire financier ont été eux aussi arrêtés vendredi matin dans le cadre d’une enquête de la justice italienne sur l’Institut des oeuvres de religion (IOR), la banque du Vatican. Des dizaines de millions d’euros avaient été bloqués dans le cadre d’une enquête qui avait conduit, entre autre, au limogeage de la direction du IOR. Au fil des ans, des scandales retentissants ont entaché la réputation de l’IOR, des milieux criminels ayant profité de l’anonymat ou de prête-noms pour y blanchir leurs fonds.

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ITALIA
Corriere del Ticino

ROMA – Tre persone sono state arrestate oggi nell’ambito di un filone di indagine sullo Ior in corso alla procura della Repubblica di Roma.

Tra i fermati c’è monsignor Nunzio Scarano, responsabile del servizio di contabilità analitica dell’Amministrazione del patrimonio della Sede Apostolica (Apsa), l’organismo che gestisce i beni della Santa Sede.

Scarano, tra l’altro, è coinvolto a Salerno in un’altra indagine per ricettazione.
Le altre due persone arrestate sono l’agente dell’Aisi Maria Zito e il broker Giovanni Carenzio. Le ordinanze di custodia cautelare sono state firmate del giudice per le indagini preliminari (gip) Barbara Callari su richiesta del procuratore aggiunto Nello Rossi e dei sostituti Stefano Rocco Fava e Stefano Pesci.

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ITALIA
ANSA

Sacerdote dal 1987, mons. Nunzio Scarano prima di prendere i voti e’ stato funzionario di banca. Nei primi giorni di giugno e’ stato iscritto nel registro degli indagati della Procura della Repubblica di Salerno con l’accusa di riciclaggio in un’inchiesta su presunte donazioni, ritenute fittizie dall’accusa. Secondo l’ipotesi investigativa, in realta’ queste donazioni sarebbero servite a mascherare un maxi riciclaggio di denaro, che ruotava proprio intorno alla figura di Scarano. Il prelato – sempre secondo l’ipotesi investigativa – avrebbe contattato alcune decine di persone (56 gli indagati tra Salerno e provincia) e avrebbe chiesto a ognuno di loro la compilazione di un assegno circolare da 10mila euro, spiegando di dover ripianare i debiti di una societa’ immobiliare titolare di alcune case nel centro di Salerno.

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ITALIA
il Mattino

Guerra tra cugini. Scarano contro Scarano. È da una diatriba familiare che nasce l’inchiesta . Il prelato che velatamente accusa il cugino e il socio di questi di furto e un avvocato, Cecchino Cacciatore, che nel presentare le proprie indagini difensive consegna nelle mani degli inquirenti delle carte che «scottano».

A far partire le indagini, dunque, una denuncia presentata proprio da monsignor Nunzio Scarano ai carabinieri. Il prelato aveva subito, secondo quanto denunciato, un furto nella sua abitazione di Salerno di tele, monili in oro, argenteria, quadri d’autore di De Chirico, Labella e Guttuso, di un crocifisso dell’altare di San Pietro del Bernini, e infine di una pergamena in olio che rappresenta un vaso dello Scatizzi. Il tutto per un danno di circa cinque-sei milioni di euro.

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ITALY
BBC News

A senior Italian cleric has been arrested in connection with an inquiry into the Vatican bank scandal over allegations of corruption and fraud.

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano works in the Vatican’s financial administration. A secret service agent and a financial broker have also been arrested.

They are suspected of trying to move 20m euros illegally into Italy.

Pope Francis ordered an unprecedented internal investigation into the bank’s affairs in the wake of recent scandals.

Monsignor Scarano has been under investigation by Italian police for a series of suspicious transactions involving the recycling of a series of cheques described as church donations through the Vatican Bank.

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ITALIA
il Mattino

SALERNO. Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, prelato salernitano, è indagato dalla Procura della Repubblica di Salerno, insieme ad altre 56 persone, per il reato di riciclaggio. Monsignor Scarano è addetto tecnico di prima categoria dell’Apsa in Vaticano, l’Amministrazione Patrimonio Sede Apostolica che gestisce i beni della Santa Sede in Italia. L’iscrizione di mons. Scarano nel registro degli indagati – anticipata dal quotidiano salernitano La Città – è stata confermata da fonti della Procura di Salerno.

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ITALIA
Corriere della Sera

ROMA – A neppure 48 ore dalla svolta di Papa Francesco che mercoledì 26 ha nominato una commissione di cardinali per raccogliere informazioni sulle reali attività dell’Istituto per le Opere Religiose, arriva una clamorosa svolta nei rapporti tra Stato italiano e Vaticano: un alto prelato, un funzionario dei Servizi segreti ed un broker finanziario sono stati arrestati nell’ ambito di un filone di indagine sullo Ior in corso alla Procura della Repubblica di Roma. Sono accusati di corruzione, calunnia e truffa: i reati riguardano la vicenda del rientro di una grossa somma in contanti dalla Svizzera. Le autorità vaticane si sono dette «pronte a collaborare» anche se al momento non avrebbero «ancora alcuna richiesta», ha spiegato il portavoce padre Federico Lombardi.

INDAGINI DELLA GUARDIA DI FINANZA – Gli arresti, dopo le indagini svolte dal nucleo valutario della Gdf, sono stati chiesti dalla Procura e confermati dal gip della Capitale, Barbara Callari. Il provvedimento cautelare ha colpito: monsignor Nunzio Scarano, 61 anni, fino a 24 ore prima capo contabile all’Apsa (Amministrazione del patrimonio della Sede Apostolica) – e da due settimane già indagato dalla Procura di Salerno per il crack del Pastificio Amato -; un ex funzionario del Servizio segreto interno, Giovanni Maria Zito, sottufficiale dei carabinieri, espulso dall’Aisi tre mesi fa; il broker finanziario Giovanni Carenzio, un italiano che lavora soprattutto all’estero.

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ITALIEN
N24

Die italienische Polizei hat den hochrangigen Vatikan-Geistlichen Nunzio Scarano festgenommen. Er soll in einen Geldwäsche-Skandal verwickelt sein. Ermittelt wird auch gegen einen Geheimdienstler.

Die italienische Polizei hat den vatikanischen Geistlichen Monsignor Nunzio Scarano wegen seiner mutmaßlichen Beteiligung an einem millionenschweren geplanten Geldtransfer festgenommen. Dem kürzlich suspendierten Funktionär der durch Geldwäscheskandale angeschlagenen Vatikanbank wird vorgeworfen, den heimlichen Transfer von 20 Millionen Euro in einem Regierungsflugzeug aus der Schweiz nach Italien geplant zu haben, wie Scaranos Anwalt Silverio Sica am Freitag mitteilte. Der Plan wurde letztlich nie in die Tat umgesetzt.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

One of the Hunter Valley’s top female detectives is today expected to give evidence at a New South Wales inquiry into child sexual abuse by the Catholic Church.

The first stage of the Special Commission is expected to wrap up this morning.

It is looking into claims by policeman Peter Fox that he was told by senior colleagues to stop investigating two Catholic priests.

Senior police officers, including Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, have given evidence over three weeks of public hearings in Newcastle.

It is expected the inquiry will this morning hear from Newcastle’s Local Area Commander, Superintendent John Gralton, and Detective Sergeant Kristi Faber.

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WYOMING
Billings Gazette

By MEGAN CASSIDY Casper Star-Tribune

CASPER, Wyo. — A former church janitor could spend nearly 20 years in jail after his second sex crime conviction in a decade.

James David Jaure is accused of multiple acts of molestation on young girls — some under 13 — while he was employed at Highland Park Church in Casper. Police allege Jaure allowed church members to believe he was a youth leader, which gained him access to the girls.

Jaure, 29, is listed under Wyoming’s Sex Offender Registry, but it is unclear by the police affidavit whether church employers were aware of this upon hiring him. According to the website, he was convicted on April 2, 2004 in Cheyenne for third-degree sexual assault.

Officials at the church were unavailable for comment late Thursday afternoon, and a witness listed in the affidavit declined to speak about the case.

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MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

Article by: ROSE FRENCH , Star Tribune Updated: June 27, 2013

New state law gives victims of child sex abuse more time to file suits.

Hundreds of lawsuits with potential big payouts for victims of child sex abuse are expected after a new state law allows more time to sue accused perpetrators and the institutions where they worked.

The Catholic Church and other religious groups stand to be hit hardest under the Child Victims Act, according to victims rights advocates, who call the measure the nation’s most expansive such law.

So far, at least eight suits have been filed against Catholic entities since the law was enacted in May, and hundreds more could be on the horizon based on the number filed in other states where similar laws were enacted, advocates say. Two Catholic dioceses sought bankruptcy protection in two of those states.

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VATICAN CITY
Boston.com

By NICOLE WINFIELD / Associated Press / June 28, 2013

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A Vatican official was arrested Friday by Italian police for allegedly trying to bring 20 million euros ($26 million) in cash into the country from Switzerland aboard an Italian government plane, his lawyer said.

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, already under investigation in a purported money-laundering plot involving the Vatican bank, is accused of fraud, corruption and slander stemming from the plot, which never got off the ground, attorney Silverio Sica told The Associated Press.

It was the latest financial scandal to hit the Vatican and came just two days after Pope Francis created a commission of inquiry into the Vatican bank to get to the bottom of the problems that have plagued it for decades and contributed to damaging the Vatican’s reputation.

Sica said Scarano was a middleman in the Swiss operation. Friends had asked him to intervene with a broker, Giovanni Carenzio, to return 20 million euros they had given him to invest. Sica said Scarano persuaded Carenzio to return the money, and an Italian secret service agent, Giovanni Maria Zito, went to Switzerland to bring the cash back aboard an Italian government aircraft. Such a move would presumably prevent any reporting of the money coming into Italy.

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ROME
Catholic Culture

Pope Francis has confirmed the role of Cardinal Velasio De Paolis as a special papal delegate to oversee reforms in the Legion of Christ.

In a letter to Cardinal De Paolis, made public by the Vatican on June 27, the Pope said that the Italian prelate’s role would continue until an extraordinary chapter of the Legionaries, to be held in 2014, at which the religious order will elect new leaders and approve a new constitution. The results of that meeting, the Pope wrote, should be “fundamental steps in the path towards the authentic and profound renewal of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ and, indirectly, as well for the activity of the whole Regnum Christi Movement.”

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INDIA
The Hindu

The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a habeas corpus petition seeking the release of a parish priest, who had allegedly sexually-abused a 14-year-old girl in the US, and who is now lodged in Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

A Division Bench comprising Justices V. Dhanapalan and C.T. Selvam passed the order on a petition by one P. Pushpavathy, challenging an order of the Ministry of External Affairs, of March 8, 2011, requesting the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi, to inquire into the request for extradition of the petitioner’s brother, Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, to the US.

To facilitate the inquiry, an arrest warrant against Jeyapaul, who was wanted by the US authorities for alleged “criminal sexual conduct in the first degree”, under that country’s laws, was necessitated. The warrant was necessary as he was not available for the inquiry.

The petitioner said Jeyapaul was incardinated to the Catholic Diocese of Ootacamund and was ordained a priest in May 1982. He served as Assistant Parish Priest in St. John De Britto Church, Sathyamangalam, Erode district, from 1982 to 1983 and became a parish priest in 1985.

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WORCESTER (MA)
Telegram & Gazette

By Bronislaus B. Kush, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

WORCESTER — Thomas H. Teczar, the defrocked Worcester priest who is serving a 50-year sentence in Texas for molesting an 11-year-old boy more than 20 years ago, may be released from prison because of medical problems afflicting the ex-clergyman.

Mr. Teczar, who was also publicly accused of sexually assaulting at least two Central Massachusetts boys, was formally removed from the priesthood by Pope Benedict XVI in September 2011.

Texas prosecutors and victims of Mr. Teczar were informed this week that the Parole Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is considering an early parole for the former priest and asked them to provide comments on any such action.

Ordinarily, Mr. Teczar would not be considered for parole until Oct. 23, 2019.

“I don’t know how they can possibly consider doing this,” said Dallas lawyer Tahira Khan Merritt, who represented eight of Mr. Teczar’s victims in civil litigation and who was later appointed a special prosecutor in Eastland County, Texas, for Mr. Teczar’s criminal case.

She said the recidivism rate for pedophiles is high and wondered how authorities would monitor Mr. Teczar, were he to be released.

Ms. Merritt said Mr. Teczar has been accused of abusing at least 14 boys.

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MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Thursday, June 27

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

A dangerous predator priest is one step closer to being sent back to the US for trial. We are grateful for Indian court officials for their ruling today in the case of Fr. Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, who molested girls in the Crookston MN diocese.

We’ve long worried about the safety of girls in India near Jeyapaul, especially since his bishop put him in charge of overseeing schools, knowing full well that he was considered a fugitive from US criminal authorities.

Jeyapaul is one of an increasing number of accused predator priests who are allowed to flee to other countries despite credible child sex abuse allegations or sometimes arrest warrants.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Minnesota Catholic officials “knew of rumors about inappropriate behavior by (Jeyapaul) in 8/04” but Jeyapaul “suddenly returned to India in 9/05.”

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INDIANA
WNDU

PLYMOUTH A Plymouth pastor has been called to take over a Fort Wayne parish after a priest was caught in a child abuse scandal.

The Plymouth Pilot reports that Father William Kummer will replace Reverend Cornelius Ryan, who was removed from his position at Saint Joseph Catholic Church earlier this month.

Ryan admitted to allegations of child abuse, after being confronted. The allegations reportedly involve an incident in Africa about 20 years ago.

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CALIFORNIA
The Press-Enterprise

BY BRIAN ROKOS STAFF WRITER June 27, 2013

Bail remained at $65,000 Thursday, June 27, for Todd Michael Edwards, the man accused of sexually assaulting two teen girls who were members of a Mormon church in Menifee where Edwards was bishop.

Edwards’ defense attorneys had been seeking a bail reduction. But during a hearing Thursday morning in Riverside, Superior Court Judge Becky L. Dugan said the amount of bail was appropriate for the charges: sexual penetration with a foreign object while using bodily force, sexual battery and dissuading a witness.

Edwards, who turns 49 on June 29, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. A date of July 24 was set Thursday for a felony settlement conference.

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AUSTRALIA
Maitland Mercury

The Hunter’s most senior police are at odds over who ordered the search of whistleblower Peter Fox’s locked office in 2010.

Contradictory evidence has emerged before the Special Commission of Inquiry during the final week of examination into how Newcastle police dealt with allegations the church tried to cover up sexual abuse perpetrated by Catholic priests Denis McAlinden and James Fletcher – both now dead.

On Wednesday, Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Humphrey told the special commission that the then Commander Carlene York’s staff officer, Inspector Fay Dunn, requested the search of Chief Inspector Fox’s office.

Chief Inspector Humphrey said he had received a “panicked” call from Inspector Dunn, who had been asked “hard questions” by Newcastle Herald journalist Joanne McCarthy.

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DALLAS (TX)
Tahira Khan Merritt, Attorney at Law

Today, Attorney Tahira Khan Merritt of Dallas has learned that ex-priest Thomas Teczar, currently serving a 50 year prison sentence in Texas for aggravated sexual assault of a child, is being considered for “medical parole.”

Teczar, formerly a priest with the Diocese of Fort Worth and the Diocese of Worcester, MA, has been accused of molesting at least fourteen boys over his career as a priest. To allow Teczar to be released on parole would create a dangerous public precedence for offending clergy currently incarcerated for child abuse charges throughout the country. Teczar has been and is still a danger to children and to the public regardless of where he lives. He should not be paroled.

Please take the time TODAY to fax your concerns regarding Teczar’s possible release to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice–Parole Division at (512) 406-5294.

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INDIA
Times of India

CHENNAI: Clearing the decks for the extradition of an Ooty-based fugitive priest – Fr Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul – to the US where he must stand trial for “first degree criminal sexual conduct”, the Madras high court has upheld his arrest and refused to quash it as illegal detention.

According to U.S. authorities Jeyapaul had sexually abused a 14 year old girl in 2004 while he was parish priest of a local church in Minnesota. He met the girl at a youth conference in 2004 and sexually abused her till 2005. Jeyapaul returned to India on August 31, 2005, to be at the bedside of his critically ill mother.

In 2011, the U.S. embassy sent a diplomatic note, requesting the union ministry of external affairs (MEA) to extradite Jeyapal to stand trial for the first degree sexual offence case, which it said, carries a maximum punishment of 30 years of jail term. The MEA, in turn, issued an order on March 8, 2011 requesting the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Patiala House Court in New Delhi, to determine whether the extradition request was in order and whether a prima facie exists against Jeyapaul.

On April 19, 2011, the MEA filed an application for warrant for the arrest of the ‘fugitive criminal’. He was arrested on March 16, 2012 at Chimitahalli near Sathyamangalam in Erode district in Tamil Nadu and produced before the Delhi court on March 19, 2012. He has since been housed at the Tihar jail in Delhi.

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ITALIA
il Referendum

di Vincenzo Lentini

Lo scandalo dei preti pedofili in Vaticano scuote la Chiesa di Papa Francesco, di nuovo. Con questo ultimo caso la rete riporta alla luce una petizione che si può firmare online e che chiede a Papa Francesco misure concrete anti pedofilia. L’idea è della Rete “L’abuso” a tutela dei bambini, curata da Francesco Zanardi. Qui si può firmare la petizione che ha fino ad ora ottenuto 6768 sostenitori.

La denuncia di Don Poggi

Rapporti sessuali con minori (e non) spesso di nazionalità rumena avvenivano anche all’interno degli edifici sacri. L’accusa, diretta a ben 9 preti, stavolta è diversa perché arriva dall’interno e, per questo, fa ancora più male: a parlare, infatti, è don Patrizio Poggi, ex parroco di San Filippo Neri di Roma, sospeso “a divinis” e condannato nel ’99 a otto anni di reclusione, poi ridotti a cinque, per aver abusato sessualmente di cinque ragazzini tra i 14 e i 15 che frequentavano la sua parrocchia. Dopo il rifiuto delle alte sfere ecclesiastiche alla richiesta dell’ex parroco di poter tornare a dire messa, una volta scontata la sua pena, don Poggi lo scorso 8 Marzo presentò ai carabinieri una denuncia scottante contenente i nomi dei prelati coinvolti; ma non solo.

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ROMA
Aburzzo24ore

L’ennesimo scandalo dei preti pedofili esce allo scoperto grazie alla denuncia di don Patrizio Poggi, prete condannato a cinque anni per violenza sessuale nei confronti di minori, ex parroco del San Filippo Neri di Roma dice di sentire “il dovere di tutelare la Santa Chiesa e la comunità cristiana”.

Il prete dopo aver scontato la condanna voleva ritornare a fare il sacerdote, al rifiuto del Vaticano al suo reintegro ha riferito ai carabinieri i fatti di cui era a conoscenza.

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ROMA
Blitz Quotidiano

ROMA – Don Patrizio Poggi perdonato da Papa Ratzinger? Il sito Affari Italiani racconta nuovi particolari sulla vicenda dell’ex parroco del San Filippo Neri di Roma, condannato a cinque anni di reclusione per violenza sessuale su minori, è al centro di uno scandalo sulla pedofilia nella curia romana dopo la sua denuncia ai carabinieri, nomi e cognomi (fonte Il Corriere della Sera) di prelati e un circuito di prostituzione giovanile/minorile a beneficio di monsignori e parroci romani.

Nuovi inquietanti particolari continuano ad emergere dopo la denuncia di Don Patrizio Poggi. Secondo Affari Italiani

…dalle pagine della denuncia emerge che il sacerdote, sospeso “a divinis” nel 2010, era stato “perdonato” da Benedetto XVI. Il Papa emerito, cioè – stando a quanto detto da Poggi – nel 2011 aveva accolto il ricorso presentato dal prete contro il provvedimento che lo sospendeva e Joseph Ratzinger gli aveva accordato la “Restitutio ad integrum”, cioè la possibilità di tornare a esercitare il ministero sacerdotale. La questione è ancora pendente presso la Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede, alla quale Ratzinger aveva rinviato don Poggi per l’esecuzione della decisione papale.

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ROME
The Australian

JAMES BONE, ROME From: The Times June 28, 2013

A FORMER police officer pulled up outside a bar known as Twink – slang for a gay youth – next to Rome’s central station. He drove a Fiat Panda marked “Emergency Blood” so that he could park easily. Then he picked up Romanian “rent boys”, some under-age, for encounters with Catholic priests.

The explosive claim has been made by a convicted pedophile priest to Italian police in a case that threatens to rock the Vatican.

Don Patrizio Poggi, who served five years for abusing five boys aged 14 and 15 while a parish priest in Rome, named clerics who were alleged clients of the boys. They include four priests, two ex-priests and a military chaplain.

The boys were paid from E150 to E500 and sometimes more, Poggi said, and some encounters took place on church premises.

“I decided to file this complaint and co-operate with the law after long reflection and after a painful history of abuse and misuse of power that I have overcome thanks to the faith that guides me,” the defrocked priest told police.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

MICHAEL OWEN AND VERITY EDWARDS From: The Australian June 28, 2013

SENATE President John Hogg says he will take no action against independent senator Nick Xenophon for wrongly naming in parliament an Adelaide priest as a perpetrator of clerical sexual abuse.

In a letter to Monsignor Ian Dempsey obtained by The Australian, Senator Hogg said it was not his role “to make judgments about the speeches made by senators”.

He said that he had already reminded senators “to use their great power of freedom of speech responsibly” after Senator Xenophon used parliamentary privilege in September 2011 to name Monsignor Dempsey as one of three priests who allegedly abused the former head of the Traditional Anglican Communion, John Hepworth, in a Catholic seminary in the 1960s.

Senator Hogg also noted in the letter that the Senate had agreed to publish a response from Monsignor Dempsey in September, becoming the first house of parliament anywhere in the world to allow unelected people to respond on the parliamentary record.

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ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, president of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com)

Norbert Maday, an ex-Chicago predator priest who was convicted in Wisconsin for molesting boys, will be released from prison in the next few weeks. We suspect he’ll move back to the Chicago area, and we call on Chicago Catholic officials to use their vast resources to warn families about him.

Maday was convicted in 1994 on three counts of sexual assault and one count of intimidating a victim and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

He was ordained in 1964 and graduated from St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein (in the same class with two other Chicago predator priests: Fr. Robert Mayer and Fr. Ralph Strand. Maday worked at St. John of God in Chicago (1964-66), St. Leo’s in Chicago (1966-1969), St. Louis de Montfort in Oak Lawn IL (1969-77), St. Bede the Venerable in Chicago (1977-83), Our Lady of the Ridge in Chicago Ridge Il (1983-89), and St. Jude the Apostle in South Holland IL (1989-1992). He was also the associate director of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Youth.

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NEW JERSEY
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

A prosecutor has disclosed that embattled Newark Archbishop John Myers is withholding documents about an admitted child molesting cleric, Fr. Michael Fugee.

Today’s The Record newspaper reports that “investigators still need to . . .secure more documents from the Newark Archdiocese that have not been turned over.” It quotes prosecutor John Molinelli.

We see this pattern often. In public, Catholic officials claim they’re cooperating with prosecutors. In private, they’re actually stonewalling prosecutors.

Moving promptly in the Fr. Fugee case is critical because Myers is still letting an admitted child molester live in an undisclosed Newark area Catholic parish. Myers refuses to put Fr. Fugee in a secure treatment center. And Myers refuses to disclose Fr. Fugee’s whereabouts.

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PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Big Trial

MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013

Here is the victim impact statement submitted to Judge Ellen Ceisler by Billy Doe, as read in court by Assistant District Attorney Evangelia Manos:

Dear Your Honor,

My name is [Billy Doe]. I’m the victim of these horrendous men. My life and childhood have been destroyed by these men and the things they did to me. I went through something no child or anyone should go through. They have taken from me, and I will never get back, a lot of those things. For the past 14 years, I have tried to numb the pain and forget what they did to me.

Constant depression, anxiety, flashbacks, and reminder of the hell that I was dragged through. I quickly found myself spiraling out of control and getting into trouble, desperately trying to stop the pain. I tried to commit suicide numerous times, and had years of suicidal ideation. I spent years going to sleep, hoping I did not wake up. And in the mornings, I would dread living through another day. By 11, I was smoking marijuana, trying to stop my suffering, but it never seemed to go away.

I fell quickly into a life of addiction, and, as I got older, it got worse. It led me to a life of heroin addiction, jail, and many institutions. I tore my family apart and disappointed them for many years. Only after I got clean and brought this to light, we started to rebuilt our relationship, and it finally feels good to make my family proud of me. Even though I am a victim, I am now a survivor.

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PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Big Trial

MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013

By Ralph Cipriano
for Bigtrial.net

On June 20, defense lawyers for Father Charles Engelhardt and Bernard Shero filed motions to appeal Judge Ellen Ceisler’s “excessive and unreasonable” sentences.

On June 21, Judge Ceisler denied both motions. The defense can now appeal the judge’s decisions to Superior Court.

The court documents, however, lay out for the first time the details on how brutally the judge clobbered the defendants.

Let’s start with Engelhardt.

The jury convicted Engelhardt on three charges: endangering the welfare of a child, indecent assault, and corrupting the morals of a minor. The jury convicted the priest of a fourth charge, conspiracy, but the judge said the jury made a mistake on that one, and she tossed the conspiracy charge as unproven.

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PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Big Trial

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

By Ralph Cipriano
for Bigtrial.net

Mariana Sorensen, author of two high-profile grand jury reports on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, has resigned from the district attorney’s office. Her last day of work was Friday, June 21.

Sorensen, an assistant district attorney in the special investigations unit, declined to be interviewed. A polarizing figure, she was regarded by victims advocates as a champion crusader, and by church critics as a Catholic-hating zealot.

The 2005 grand jury report on the archdiocese was a ground-breaking document nationally that exposed sexual abuse of minors by the local clergy. This reporter hailed it as a “literary masterpiece.” To the local archdiocese’s lawyers, however, it was “a vile, mean-spirited diatribe” that sought to convict the Catholic Church in the court of public opinion, based upon “an unfair and inaccurate portrayal of facts.”

Archdiocese lawyers may have argued over how the facts were portrayed, but they couldn’t argue with the weight of the evidence. The 2005 grand jury report was based upon 45,000 documents subpoenaed from the archdiocese’s own secret archive files. Those files, kept in a locked safe at archdiocese headquarters, catalogued the sins of priests over four decades.

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AUSTRALIA
lewisblayse.net

Lewis Blayse

Adelaide Catholic Archbishop, Philip Wilson (pictured above) was director of Religious Education for the Newcastle-Maitland diocese and a teacher at the St. Pius X High School in Newcastle at the time of serious abuses there (see previous posting).

Peter Gogarty was a victim from this time and has expressed disbelief that Wilson knew nothing of the abuses at the school. Both Wilson and Mr. Gogarty are due to give evidence to the New South Wales government inquiry into clerical abuses in the Newcastle-Maitland diocese in the next couple of weeks.

In an earlier posting, the fact that Wilson will be permitted to give his evidence in private was criticized. This criticism remains valid. It was also noted that Mr. Gogarty was to give in-camera evidence, and this was considered “fair enough,” at the time.

However, that was on the assumption that it was Mr. Gogarty’s choice. It now transpires that it was the decision of the Special Commissioner, Ms. Cunneen, and not Mr. Gogarty’s wish at all.

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AUSTRALIA
lewisblayse.net

Lewis Blayse

The case of Cardinal Bernard Law, in the U.S., came to light through investigative journalism. Similarly, the Newcastle-Maitland problems saw the light of day ultimately through the investigative efforts of Fairfax journalist, Joanne McCarthy, of the Newcastle Herald. For this she was awarded the title of Australian Journalist of the Year.

This week she gave evidence to the New South Wales enquiry into clerical child sexual abuse. There, she said that “It was about having the victims and their families looked after…I didn’t want to go the police…I wanted the police to investigate… It was my only aim.”

It is almost impossible for an investigative journalist not to become part of the story. It is much easier to cover the local school fete and similar low-involvement stories. Ms. McCarthy is not a hack. By the time she had heard a few victim stories, she could not avoid seeing the story through to its natural conclusion.

Those who have heard victims tell their stories (for the first time for many of these victims), the effect can be profound. Those who might be inclined to be critical of her should bear this in mind. They should ask themselves – What would I have done?

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CONNECTICUT
Norwich Bulletin

By JOHN BARRY
The Bulletin
Posted Jun 25, 2013

New London, Conn. —
A former teacher at a Sprague school accused of sending inappropriate texts to an underage student has been sentenced to probation.

According to the terms of a plea bargain agreed to in April, Robert Pfeiffer, 31, of Hebron, received a five-year suspended sentence and five years’ probation.

Pfeiffer will not be able to teach or coach during the five years of his probation. In addition, he is expected to have to submit to sexual offender status, in which he will be banned from unsupervised contact with minors. The terms of the deal don’t require him to register as a sex offender.

The plea bargain was made on the eve of Pfeiffer’s trial in New London Superior Court in order to spare the girl to whom he sent the messages the ordeal of testifying, said attorney Bernard Steadman, who represents her interests in court.

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CONNECTICUT
Turn to 10

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) – A 31-year-old former teacher at a parochial school in Sprague has been sentenced to five years of probation for sending inappropriate texts to a female student.

Robert Pfeiffer of Hebron had pleaded no contest in April to a charge of risk of injury to a minor.

Prosecutors say Pfeiffer sent messages seeking a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student at the Academy for the Holy Family in 2010.

They say he resigned after telling the principal at the school he was texting hypothetical scenarios to ensure the girl would be able to say ‘no’ to boys in the future.

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CONNECTICUT
The Day

By Karen Florin
Publication: theday.com

Published 06/25/2013 12:00

A lawyer representing a former Academy of the Holy Family student described disgraced history teacher Robert Pfeiffer as a “groomer” and a “predator” as Pfeiffer was sentenced Tuesday in New London Superior Court for sending sexually explicit text messages to the student in 2010.

Pfeiffer, 31, of Hebron had pleaded no contest to risk of injury to a minor in April as attorneys were selecting a jury for a trial in New London Superior Court. Prosecutor Theresa Anne Ferryman offered him a five-year prison sentence, fully suspended, and five years of probation in exchange for the felony conviction and his inability to teach for the next five years.

The victim, who has since graduated at the top of her class and moved out of state, did not want to testify against Pfeiffer at his trial. Attorney Bernard Steadman, who served as a guardian ad litem for the teen, said she is thriving despite the incident with Pfeiffer and other trauma in her life. Steadman did not buy Pfeiffer’s defense that he had “sexted” with the girl to see if she would be able to “say no” to boys in the future.

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MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

DULUTH, Minn. — A civil lawsuit has been filed against the Diocese of Duluth by a 55-year-old man who says he was abused by a priest as a young boy.

The lawsuit is the first in St. Louis County under Minnesota’s new law creating a three-year window for past victims of childhood abuse to file a civil suit against their abuser or the institution that may have allowed the abuse.

Michael DeRoche’s lawsuit asks for more than $50,000. It also wants the diocese to release the names of priests who have been “credibly accused” of molesting children.

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NEW JERSEY
The Record

THURSDAY JUNE 27, 2013
BY JEFF GREEN
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

The lawyer representing the Rev. Michael Fugee in his contempt of court case requested a hearing scheduled for next month to get an early look at evidence that prosecutors have amassed in recent weeks.

The July 25 probable cause hearing, said Michael D’Alessio, the lawyer, is meant to compel the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office to present some evidence that Fugee allegedly failed to follow a legal ban on ministering to children. The priest signed the agreement with prosecutors and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark in 2007 as part of a deal to dismiss a decades-old case that he allegedly groped a 13-year-old Wyckoff boy.

Prosecutors are continuing their apparently far-reaching investigation in the Fugee case. So far, they have seized two computers from the priest’s residence, conducted interviews and obtained thousands of pages of documents from the archdiocese, where Fugee worked in two office jobs until he resigned from the ministry last month, according to D’Alessio and prosecutors.

Fugee’s lawyer said he requested the public hearing before Superior Court Judge Liliana DeAvila-Silebi to “find out the basis of the complaint.” D’Alessio would not present his own evidence but would be able to cross-examine any witnesses who testified for the prosecution.

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NEW JERSEY
Spiritual Politics

Mark Silk | Jun 27, 2013

After maintaining radio silence for a month, Archbishop Myers of Newark made another effort at self-exoneration this week in a Q. and A. with the National Catholic Register. To say that his A’s strain credulity would be an understatement.

Asked whether by returning Rev. Michael Fugee to ministry he had violated the U.S. bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children’s “zero tolerance” policy for all priests with credible accusations of clergy abuse, Myers said, “The memorandum of understanding worked out with the prosecutor’s office said he could function as a priest, but not with minors in an unsupervised capacity.”

That’s not the case. The memorandum makes clear that Fugee was not to minister to minors, period.

Myers continued: “The assignments I gave him were intended to increase supervision. He was in the chancery eight hours a day, and he was working with another priest to identify places where priests could participate in retreats. In that role, he had no contact with children.”

That’s far from the whole truth. Myers fails to mention that he also assigned Fugee to serve as a chaplain at St. Michael’s Medical Center without informing hospital administrators of the legal restrictions on him.

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ROME
International Business Times

By UMBERTO BACCHI: June 27, 2013

Italian investigators have opened an inquiry into claims by a convicted paedophile priest that an underage prostitution ring has been operating inside the Holy Roman Church with clergymen hiring rentboys for sex inside churches.

Don Patrizio Poggi, 46, told Italian authorities that a former Carabinieri pimped boys for nine clergymen.

Poggi, who served a five-year sentence for abusing teenage boys while he was a parish priest at the San Filippo Neri church in Rome, said he made the allegations to “protect the Holy Church and the Christian community.”

The boys were chosen because they were starving and desperate, he claimed, according to Il Messaggero newspaper.

The former policeman used to recruit the boys, mostly eastern European immigrants, outside a gay bar named Twink near Rome’s Termini train station. He reportedly sat in his Fiat Panda – marked “Emergency Blood” to avoid parking fines – to make his selection.

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AUSTRALIA
Courier Mail

SHANNON DEERY
HERALD SUN JUNE 27, 2013

HIGH-profile priest Fatherr Bob Maguire has been drawn into the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse crisis after it was alleged an altar boy from one of his former parishes was the victim of abuse.

The 11-year-old was an altar boy where Fr Maguire was stationed in the early 1970s and says he was abused by another priest after doing odd jobs at his home for pocket money.

The alleged abuse did not happen at the parish church or home where Fr Maguire lived. There have been no allegations levelled at Fr Maguire.

A retired priest in his 80s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on Wednesday was committed to stand trial in the County Court over the allegations.

Fr Maguire last night told the Herald Sun he was rocked by the allegations levelled at a man he had known since the 1960s.

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AUSTRALIA
Voiceless Victim

[Rudd returns as Aussie PM after ousting Gillard]

Many victims of child sexual abuse are mourning Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s overnight defeat at the hands of the smirking, conniving, grey haired boys club. I suspect she knew all along her time at the top would be short and that she had a limited opportunity to achieve real change before she would be taken down for the crime of being a successful, assertive woman.

Unlike many of our underachieving politicians, Julia did not waste her time in power. She made a genuine, positive difference to so many people’s lives and to our nation’s progress towards being a humane society.

The people she aided were not the ones who would help fund a privileged retirement from politics. Rejecting self interest for social justice, Julia Gillard stood up for the rights of the abused, the neglected, and the deserving. And she did it with grace, with conviction and with calm determination.

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OSTERREICH
der Standard

Der kirchliche Missbrauchsskandal wird hierzulande, anders als in Irland, nie aufgearbeitet werden
Promt nach der Veröffentlichung des Endberichts der Kommission Wilhelminenberg (“Helige-Kommission”) reagierte, wie erwartet, die Wiener Opposition: ÖVP-Landesparteiobmann Manfred Juraczka zeigte sich “erschüttert” über das Ausmaß der Vorfälle, und FPÖ-Chef Strache empörte sich über nun angeblich nachgewiesene Vertuschung “von oben”.

Das Dokument selbst zeugt von einem aufrichtigen Versuch, aufzuklären. Der Leser dieses 344 Seiten starken Berichts kann sich zweifelsohne von dem, was sich zwischen 1948 und 1977 im Wiener Kinderheim abspielte, ein lebendiges Bild machen, und zwar aus sachlichem, geschichtlichem, juristischem sowie medizinischem Blickwinkel. Insbesondere das einleitende Kapitel “Das Leben im Kinderheim” liefert einen Einblick in einen Alltag, den niemand heutzutage gutheißen würde.

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MASSACHUSETTS
Die Presse

Zieht Rom (auch) unter Franziskus die Daumenschrauben gegen Kirchenkritiker an? Ein Vertrauensmann des neuen Papstes, Kardinal O’Malley, hat dem Sprecher der Pfarrerinitiative Schüller Auftritte in seiner Diözese Boston verboten.

Ist Helmut Schüller, der Sprecher der Parrerinitiave persona non grata im Vatikan? Wie verfährt die Kurie unter dem neuen Pontifikat mit Kritikern? Setzen sich hinter den Kulissen Bewahrer gegen Reformer durch? Verbirgt sich hinter dem freundlichen Lächeln von Franziskus ein konservativer Hardliner? Diese Fragen stellen sich angesichts der jüngsten Entwicklungen.

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