ABUSE TRACKER

A digest of links to media coverage of clergy abuse. For recent coverage listed in this blog, read the full article in the newspaper or other media source by clicking “Read original article.” For earlier coverage, click the title to read the original article.

December 7, 2016

Church picketers give way to Byrnes’ first Sunday Mass

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Haidee V Eugenio , heugenio@guampdn.com December 7, 2016

As a gesture of good faith and welcome, Catholics who have been picketing weekly in front of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña shortened their picketing this weekend so they could attend Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes’ first Sunday Mass on Dec. 4.

Byrnes arrived on Guam on Nov. 28, or about a month after Pope Francis appointed him on Oct. 31 to succeed Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron should Apuron retire, resign or be removed. Apuron, 71, is undergoing a canonical trial at the Vatican following multiple sex abuse allegations.

“We want to assure you that our picketing is not directed at you and what you have accomplished,” Concerned Catholics of Guam President David J. Sablan and Laity Forward Movement founding President Lou Klitzkie said in a joint letter to Byrnes on Sunday, Dec. 4.

Picketers continue to call for Apuron’s removal as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana and his laicization. Klitzkie and Sablan said they will remain vigilant.

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

Salvation Army underpaid dozens of sex abuse claims, royal commission told

AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

Rachel Browne

The Salvation Army underpaid dozens of people who received financial compensation from the organisation for the alleged physical and sexual abuse they suffered in children’s homes, a royal commission has heard.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was told the Salvation Army’s two Australian territories have underpaid abuse victims by thousands of dollars.

A review of almost 200 claims in the eastern territory, which covers NSW, Queensland and the ACT, found more than a quarter were incorrectly assessed according to the Salvation Army’s own formula.

The review of claims from 1997 to 2014 found 134 male victims were paid a total of $5.8 million for alleged abuse in boys’ homes and 52 women received $1.4 million for alleged abuse in girls’ facilities.

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

Salvos dismissed after abuse allegations

AUSTRALIA
The Australian

REBEKAH ISONAustralian Associated Press December 7, 2016

A senior figure of The Salvation Army has told a royal commission about harsh conditions in the organisation’s former children’s homes, with residents calling the movement “The Starvation Army”.

The frank appraisal came after the commission heard a further eight retired officers had been dismissed following sex abuse hearings and that the organisation had underpaid survivors.

Retired officer of 30 years’ service David Eldridge on Wednesday said he would be “hard pressed to say that any of the boys’ homes … were warm and loving environments” and that workers felt they had such power over children that they could commit physical and sexual abuse.

Commissioner Andrew Murray asked Mr Eldridge whether he was aware that some former residents used to call the group “The Starvation Army”.

“The food was often bolstered by food that was, in a sense, begged from local grocery stores or fruit shops,” Mr Eldridge, who was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his work for youth and homeless people, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

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

Rape allegation against another priest

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Haidee V Eugenio , heugenio@guampdn.com December 7, 2016

A former altar boy in Sinajana, who also was a student at Father Duenas Memorial School, has accused a Catholic priest of repeatedly raping and sexually molesting him, from about 1982 to 1986.

Robert Aguon Perez, now 45, filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Rev. David Anderson and the Archdiocese of Agana, alleging that Anderson started molesting him when he was an 11-year-old altar boy and then started raping him when he was 12 or 13 years old. The lawsuit states Anderson was a priest in Sinajana and a theology teacher at Father Duenas.

Perez is represented by Attorney David Lujan of the law firm Lujan and Wolff, which has so far filed 12 clergy sex abuse lawsuits against former and current priests on Guam, the Archdiocese of Agana, and as many as 50 unnamed people who may have helped, abetted, concealed or covered up sex abuses.

Lujan’s law firm said on Wednesday it does do not know where Anderson is right now, but that he is not on Guam. This is the first time Anderson’s name has been mentioned in any public allegation or accusation of clergy sex abuse on Guam.

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

Vatican debuts website in response to clergy sex scandals

VATICAN CITY
Times-Picayune

By Religion News Service
on December 06, 2016

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has launched a website as part of its efforts to protect children from clergy sexual abuse and to promote healing and reconciliation. It’s the first time that the Vatican has published resources and documents on the issue.

The site is sponsored by the commission that Pope Francis set up to protect minors. “It is very important for the commission to have a means to communicate,” Marie Collins, an Irish abuse survivor and commission member, said Tuesday (Dec. 6). “I hope eventually people will also use it to communicate with the commission.”

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors was established by the pope in 2013. It is headed by Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley.

The new website includes a template for local churches seeking to protect minors from clerical sex abuse, guidelines on how to handle complaints and options for education and healing. It also provides news and information about the commission and promotes greater sharing of information within the church.

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

Cenzon recuses herself from church abuse case

GUAM
Guam Daily Post

Judge Maria Cenzon of the Superior Court of Guam recused herself from two civil cases filed in her courtroom on Tuesday. According to attorney John C. Terlaje, who represents the Archdiocese of Agana, Cenzon has a familiar relationship with a member on the finance council of the archdiocese. Judge Cenzon filed her recusal order to the court stating the specific details. The cases involves Roy T. Quintanilla and Anthony J. Vegafria, who have accused Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexual abuse. A new appointment for a presiding judge in the case is expected soon.

Cenzon is now the second judge of the Superior court of Guam to recuse herself from controversial cases of church sex abuse. Judge Anita Sukola, in a civil case filed by Leo Tudela against former Guam priest Rev. Louis Brouillard and the Archdiocese of Agana, stated that she was “closely related to several members of the Neocatechumenal Way,” an organization within the archdiocese of Agana.

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

Catholic Church defrocks priest over inappropriate sexual relationship, apologises to Jennifer Herrick

AUSTRALIA
Radio Australia

7 December 2016

By the National Reporting Team’s Lorna Knowles

The Catholic Church defrocks a priest for having a “long-term inappropriate sexual relationship” with a woman, in what is believed to be an Australian first.

The Catholic Church has defrocked a priest for having a “long-term inappropriate sexual relationship” with a woman, in what is believed to be an Australian first.

The church has also publicly apologised to the female parishioner involved, Jennifer Herrick.

The apology is the culmination of a seven-year legal battle Ms Herrick has waged against the church over the “toxic” relationship she had with Father Thomas Knowles.

On Friday, her civil damages claim against the church will be formally settled in the NSW Supreme Court and Ms Herrick hopes her victory will inspire other women who have been exploited by priests to come forward.

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

Former Guam resident claiming sex abuse by priest is 12th person to come forward

GUAM
KUAM

Updated: Dec 07, 2016
By Sabrina Salas Matanane

And now there are twelve. KUAM News has learned that another person has come forward, alleging he was abused by a priest when he was a altar boy serving in a local parish.

The latest person to come forward is 45-year-old Los Angeles resident Robert Aguon Perez, who grew up on Guam. He alleges that when he was 11 years old he was an altar boy at the Saint Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Sinajana where Father David Anderson would allegedly repeatedly sexually molest him while he would spend the night at the church’s rectory. The alleged sexual abuse didn’t stop there – he alleges it continued when he was 14 and 15 when he was a student at Father Duenas Memorial School where Father Anderson was a theology teacher.

He alleges the Agana archdiocese new about the abuse but did nothing.

It was just last week Wednesday the latest case was filed by Oregon resident 56-year-old Norman J.D. Aguon. He grew up on Guam and served as an altar boy at the San Isidro Church in Malojloj. Aguon is one of the many victims of pedophile priest Father Louis Brouillard that have come forward to allege that he would walk around naked at his home at the Carmelite monastery.

Aguon says he was repeatedly sexually molested by Father Brouillard starting when he was 13 up until he was 17. Other former altar boys that claim they were sexually molested by Father Brouillard are Leo Tudela, Bruce Diaz, Vicente Perez, Vicente San Nicolas and Anthony Vegafria. Former altar boys that have accused Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexual molestation are Walter Denton, Roland Sondia, Roy Quintanilla, and the Estate of Joseph “Sonny” Quinata.

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

Salvos dismissed after RC allegations

AUSTRALIA
Daily Telegraph

Rebekah Ison, Australian Associated Press
December 6, 2016

The Salvation Army has removed the names of eight retired officers from their roll and taken action against a further three who were subject to allegations at the child sex abuse royal commission in 2014.

The dismissals came to light the same day a royal commission heard the organisation had underpaid some survivors of child sexual abuse.

The eight dismissed officers from the organisation’s eastern territory are not allowed to wear the uniform and can only attend The Salvation Army Corps or premises under supervision, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard on Wednesday.

Another officer resigned before he could be dismissed, one died during investigation and a third is being investigated by police, counsel assisting Gail Furness SC said.

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

Salvation Army abuse survivors call for states to commit to compensation

AUSTRALIA
The Guardian

Christopher Knaus
Tuesday 6 December 2016

Survivors of the Salvation Army’s notoriously cruel children’s homes protested outside the royal commission on Wednesday, calling for states, territories and institutions to sign up to the national redress scheme.

The Salvation Army is before the royal commission for the final time this week, following earlier hearings examining children’s homes in Eden Park, Box Hill, Bayswater and Nedlands between the second world war and 1990; and Gill, Bexley, Riverview and Indooroopilly between 1993 and 2014.

The commission has heard harrowing stories of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in the homes, and that a culture of fear made children too scared to report or resist their mistreatment.

Some children were threatened with physical harm when they came forward, and the reports of others were simply ignored, the royal commission heard.

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

Six aboriginals file complaint with human rights tribunal over John Furlong investigation

CANADA
Business Vancouver

By Bob Mackin | Dec. 6, 2016

Six Northern British Columbia First Nations members are accusing the federal government and RCMP of racial and ethnic discrimination for bungling their allegations of abuse against Vancouver corporate director John Furlong.

Maurice Joseph, Emma Williams, Dorothy Williams, Richard Perry, Ann Tom and Cathy Woodgate filed a complaint Monday (December 5) with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

“Although the government failed to acknowledge, let alone investigate, our concerns regarding alleged abuse by John Furlong, it has favoured Furlong in ways that have silenced and re-traumatized us,” said the complaint by the ex-Furlong students. “Neither the Public Safety Ministry nor the RCMP provided a service to remedy this situation.

“Instead they treated us in an adverse and differential manner. The denial of a service, and treatment in an adverse and differential manner are both prohibited under the Canadian Human Rights Code.”

The six say they are disappointed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who came to power promising a new relationship with aboriginals, never responded to their November 2015 open letter that sought Furlong’s removal from the chairmanship of Own the Podium, the federally funded organization that supports medal-contending Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Instead, they say the government supported Furlong to become chair last July of a Canadian Olympic Committee task force formed to help Calgary explore a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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December 6, 2016

Archbishop Byrnes speaks at this morning’s news briefing

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes spoke at a news briefing that started at 10:30 a.m. today in the St. John Paul the Great Center for Evangelization at the Chancery on San Ramon Hill.

Byrnes, who came from the Archdiocese of Detroit, described his first 10 days on Guam.

Byrnes also discussed the islandwide celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday.

“I’m looking forward to our celebration tomorrow, and I really encourage our faithful to join in,” he said.

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

School chaplain and pupil had oral sex 35 times, court told

IRELAND
Irish Times

A woman who claims she was sexually abused by a school chaplain has told the High Court he first kissed her after she turned 17. “It was an intimate kiss on the mouth,” she said.

The woman said the kiss happened after the chaplain, who was also a teacher, brought her to his house following a trip to the cinema with other school children. She said the sexual element between them progressed and they had oral sex about 35 times.

In her action, the woman alleges, between 2004 and 2007 she was repeatedly and wrongfully physically and sexually assaulted, falsely imprisoned and sexually abused and subjected to sexualised behaviour by the chaplain.

The now 28-year-old woman has sued the former chaplain, who left the Catholic priesthood some years ago; the school where he was chaplain and the local bishop, who all deny liability.

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

Vatican–Victims question “resources” offered by papal abuse commission

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org)

Among other “resources,” the new Vatican abuse website “provides links to statements by Popes John Paul II, Benedict and Francis over the past 15 years on the subject.”

http://www.americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/pope-francis-commission-protection-minors-launches-new-website

Really?

Like the one where Francis, on his one year anniversary in office, claimed “No one else has done more (on abuse) than the church. Yet the church is the only one to be attacked.”

https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/francis-marks-anniversary-interview-family-women-contraception

Or the one where Francis praised the “courage” of US bishops in the crisis:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/23/pope-francis-us-catholic-church-sex-abuse-scandal-bishops

Or the one where Francis said “In my diocese it (clergy sex cases) never happened to me. . .”

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/Argentina/

Or the one where Francis ­­­­defended Chilean Bishop Juan Barros, who reportedly witnessed at least three children being assaulted by Fr. Fernando Karadima, telling Catholics “Don’t let yourselves be led by the noses of all the leftists who have plotted this. . .”

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2015/11/12/prominent-chilean-priest-punished-for-sex-abuse-maintains-his-innocence/

Or the one where Francis’ representative to a United Nations panel said Vatican officials have no responsibility for abusive clerics because “”priests are citizens of their own states, and they fall under the jurisdiction of their own country.”

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

‘FGM happened to me in white, midwest America’

UNITED STATES
The Guardian (UK)

Dr A Renee Bergstrom
Saturday 3 December 2016

In 1947, when I was just three years old a doctor removed my clitoris. Female genital mutilation is mostly associated with African cultures, and non-Christian religions, but my FGM happened in white, midwest America. It took place in a church clinic that used a scalpel on girls who masturbated.

I remember the excruciating pain and feeling betrayed. I was told not to talk about it, but keeping the secret meant I was alone with my questions as I grew into puberty: what was missing? What would it be like to be “whole”?

At 15 I consulted a doctor regarding a tugging sensation from my scar tissue. Unknowingly, I went to the same clinic where the clitoridectomy was performed and the doctor shamed me with a booklet entitled The Sin of Self-Pleasuring.

My first child and I could have died – an almost universal impact of FGM is difficulty giving birth. I, like so many women around the world, did not know genital scar tissue does not stretch. I wanted to be fully awake to experience giving birth, but my obstetrician performed an extensive episiotomy under anaesthetic that took months to heal. He was compassionate and shocked to hear the origin of my scar.

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

REVEALED: Christian docs removed 3-year-old girl’s genitals because they feared she was masturbating

UNITED STATES
Raw Story

ERIN CORBETT
06 DEC 2016

dR. Renée Bergstrom broke the silence about her experience with female genital mutilation as a child. She recounted how when she was just three years old she was taken to the doctor to have her clitoris removed, Bergstrom wrote for the Guardian.

Bergstrom is now 72 years old, but is now breaking the silence about female genital mutilation, which happened in white, Midwest America. She wrote of her Christian mother taking her to a church clinic to have the procedure as a “‘cure’ for masturbation.”

“My mother was concerned that I was masturbating, and my face turned very red,” Bergstrom shared in a video that accompanied her piece. “She took me to a doctor who said, ‘Well I can fix that,’ and cut off my clitoris.”

“As I was growing older, she told me she knew it was a mistake and that I was not supposed to ever talk about it,” she said.

“I remember the excruciating pain and feeling betrayed,” she wrote. “I was told not to talk about it, but keeping the secret meant I was alone with my questions as I grew into puberty: what was missing? What would it be like to be ‘whole’?”

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

Diocese dismisses teacher from two schools

MASSACHUSETTS
Catholic Free Press

A part-time music and theater arts teacher has been dismissed from two Catholic schools as a result of allegations of sexual abuse that reportedly occurred in the early-1990s, according to a press release from the Diocese of Worcester.

The teacher, Derek P. Sylvester of Worcester, was placed on paid administrative leave Nov. 10 and subsequently dismissed Dec. 2 after an internal investigation and recommendation, according to the diocesan Office of Communications. During the investigation, Mr. Sylvester denied that any sexual abuse had occurred, the release stated.

The allegations against Mr. Sylvester were from a time prior to his employment at St. Mary Elementary School in Shrewsbury and St. Joseph Elementary School in Webster. Neither school had received any complaints about Mr. Sylvester’s behavior.

According to the press release, Judith Audette, the victim’s assistance coordinator for the diocesan Office of Healing and Prevention, received a confidential report Nov. 7, made by the alleged victim, who is now an adult. In keeping with its policies, the Diocese said it reported the allegation to the Worcester District Attorney’s office.

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Priest suspended while police carry out investigation into ‘incident of an adult nature’

NORTHERN IRELAND
Ulster Star

The Diocese of Down and Connor has confirmed that a priest has been suspended from his ministry pending a PSNI investigation into “an alleged incident of an historical adult nature.”

A spokesperson for the Diocese commented: “The Diocese of Down and Connor has been informed that the Police Service of Northern Ireland has initiated an investigation into an alleged incident of an historical adult nature involving a priest of the Diocese of Down and Connor.

“Bishop Noel Treanor has suspended the cleric’s ministry pending a full and complete investigation.”

It’s understood police officers have interviewed the priest, who hasn’t been named by the Diocese, in connection with an alleged sexual assault.

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

Archbishop of Glasgow welcomes safeguarding chair

SCOTLAND
Premier

Tue 06 Dec 2016

By Aaron James

The Archbishop of Glasgow has welcomed Baroness Helen Liddell as chair of an independent review into the Scottish Catholic Church’s safeguarding practices.

Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia (above) thanked Baroness Liddell, a Labour peer and former Scottish secretary, for helping to ensure the recommendations of a commission into abuse claims within the Church, led by the Very Rev Dr Andrew McLellan, are carried out.

The appointment follows criticism from Dr McLellan that the Church was “appearing to ignore” his recommendations, which included ensuring justice is done for those who have been abused and that its safeguarding practices are rewritten and subject to external scrutiny.

The claim was rejected by the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, which said its commitment to implement the recommendations in full had not diminished.

Announcing Baroness Liddell’s appointment, the Bishops’ Conference said the group would operate separately from the church to review safeguarding standards and carry out independent audits.

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Herald View: Church chair must ensure openness

SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland

BARONESS Helen Liddell – former Scottish Secretary and former aide to Robert Maxwell – is used to taking on some of the trickier appointments in public life, but she has started her latest one with some tough talking. As chair of the group overseeing the response of the Catholic Church in Scotland to historic sex abuse, Baroness Liddell says there will be no box-ticking. Writing in The Herald, she also promises that, although a Catholic herself, she will be independent and fearless. A light will be shone into every corner of church procedure, she says.

Naturally, it is going to take time to judge whether the Independent Review Group under Baroness Liddell can be as effective she promises it will be, but in laying out an uncompromising manifesto, its first chair is off to a good start. The credibility of the Catholic Church in Scotland rests on it doing everything possible to ensure abuse does not happen again. Baroness Liddell is also right to say solace and support must be provided to survivors.

However, in taking on the job, Baroness Liddell also appears to acknowledge that the process so far has not always been handled as well as it could have been. Last month, Dr Andrew McLellan, chair of the commission which investigated abuse in the Church and recommended the establishment of the review group, said the process was not proceeding as it should. Dr McLellan and six other members of the commission said a lack of action by the bishops was in danger of confirming survivors’ fears that the recommendations for change would be ignored. It was a serious accusation from a respected figure.

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

Former Labour minister Helen Liddell pledges ‘fearless’ review of Church abuse

SCOTLAND
The National

SCOTLAND’S bishops have asked former Labour minister Helen Liddell to take charge of making the Catholic Church a “safe place for all”.

Liddell will chair the independent review group responsible for implementing the recommendations of Dr Andrew McLellan’s report into the church’s failures over child protection. The former MP for Airdrie and Shotts promised the group would be “transparent and fearless”.

Back in 2013, the bishops had McLellan, a former Chief Moderator at the Kirk, chair a review and make “recommendations for improvement that will assist the Church in being a safe place for all”.

McLellan’s report, which was published last year, called for the Catholic Church to make an immediate apology to survivors and to rewrite all its safeguarding policies and open itself up to external scrutiny.

Liddell’s appointment comes just weeks after McLellan accused the bishops of ignoring his report.

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

Liddell to lead church abuse review group

SCOTLAND
The Times

Will Humphries
December 6 2016
The Times

A Labour veteran will lead an independent group monitoring the Catholic church’s response to child sexual abuse — 16 months after it was called for by an official report.

Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke, a former secretary of state for Scotland, has been appointed by the church after criticism that it was appearing to drag its feet over implementing new safeguards against child sexual abuse scandals, which have plagued it in recent years.

The Bishops’ Conference, the ruling body of the Catholic Church in Scotland, formally announced Baroness Liddell yesterday as the first chairwoman of the Independent Review Group. It will work separately from the church, reviewing new safeguarding standards and carrying out independent audits.

An independent body was called for 16 months ago by Andrew McLellan in his official inquiry report into the child sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church in Scotland.

At the beginning of last month, he criticised the Catholic hierarchy for failing to act on the recommendations of his commission, which called for an independent review body. The church responded on November 2 by saying a “chairman has accepted and the members of the group are being confirmed”.

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Move to Further Improve Safeguarding Standards in Scotland

SCOTLAND
Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The bishops of Scotland are implementing measures in order to further improve the standards of safeguarding the welfare of people involved with the Church.

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has recently established an independent Review Group that will consider the Scottish Church’s existing safeguarding policies, with an aim of making any possible improvements.

This week, the appointment of the first chairperson of the Review Group was announced. Baroness Helen Liddell is a veteran member of the UK Labour Party and was a member of former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s cabinet. She will appoint the members of the group and oversee the Church’s efforts to take care of survivors of abuse.

The former Secretary of State for Scotland said the Review Group will include “safeguarding professionals, specialists in the evaluation of organisations, a representative of Police Scotland and a canon lawyer.” Speaking about the work of the group, she added: “Judge us by our actions.”

The announcement comes after members of the McLellan Commission suggested that recommendations from its 2015 report were not being implemented appropriately.

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Australian rabbi resigns following damning report on child sex abuse

AUSTRALIA
Jerusalem Post

By TAMARA ZIEVE \ 12/06/2016

Australian Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz announced Tuesday that he had resigned as a member of the Orthodox Rabbinic bodies in Australia following damning findings by a royal commission into the responses of two Jewish institutions to allegations of child sexual abuse within their communities.

The two institutions investigated were the Yeshiva Center and the Yeshiva College in Melbourne, Victoria, and the Yeshiva Center and the Yeshiva College in Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales.

“The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has highlighted over the last few years the unfortunate and inexcusable mistakes that were made in the past,” said Yurkowicz, as he announced his resignation from the Rabbinical Council of Victoria and the newly formed Rabbinical Council of Australia and New Zealand.

In a letter to his Chabad Malvern community, he said: “I understand that during the time I was on the committee of management and a trustee of the Yeshiva Center [since 2006], victims of child sexual abuse, and others, have suffered, and I sincerely apologize for that. I no longer have any involvement in the Yeshiva Center, and have been asked to resign my membership from these rabbinic groups because of the position I held at that time.”

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Pontifical Commission on Child Protection creates website

VATICAN CITY
Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors [PCPM] is launching a new website to provide information on the Commission and its Mission.

The website –currently in a ‘beta’ format – has resources divided into four categories: “Healing and Care”, “Guidelines”, “Education”, and the “Day of Prayer [for the Victims and Survivors of Sexual Abuse]”.

It also provides news and information about the Commission in an easily accessible format.
Pope Francis formally appointed the first eight Members of the “Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors” on 22 March 2014, upon the suggestion of the Council of Cardinals.

In a ‘Chirograph’ issued the same day, the Holy Father wrote that the Commission’s task is to advise the Roman Pontiff on effective policies for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults and educational programs for all who are involved in this work.

The website – www.protectionofminors.va – is currently available in English, but will be expanded to Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese in the near future.

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Guidelines TEMPLATE document

VATICAN CITY
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

Introduction

Pope Francis, in his letter of 2 February 2015 to the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences and Conferences of Major Superiors, wrote that the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors “can be a new, important and effective means for helping me to encourage and advance the commitment of the Church at every level – Episcopal Conferences, Dioceses, Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and others – to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.”

The following Guidelines Template is provided to Episcopal Conferences and Religious Congregations to assist their development and implementation of policies and procedures for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults from sexual abuse, for responding to abuse in the Church and for demonstrating integrity in this work.

These Guidelines build on the work already undertaken by many Conferences and on guidance in the Circular Letter of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of 3 May 2011. The Commission hopes to assist local Churches in establishing and maintaining a comprehensive set of local Guidelines for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.

GUIDELINES TEMPLATE

1. An introductory statement setting the guidelines in a faith context.
The Commission considers it very important that the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults is seen as an integral part of the mission of the church, one that it is firmly rooted in our belief that each individual has a unique worth created in the image and likeness of God. This opening section should make it clear that what follows is gospel based.

2. A statement of commitment to Article 3.1and Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The protection of children recognises their human rights as expressed in this United Nations Convention:

Article 3.1

“In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.”

Article 19

“1. States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from al forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s), or any other person who has the care of the child.

2. Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have care of the child, as well as for other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate for judicial involvement.”

The Holy See is a signatory to this Convention.

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Pope Francis’ Commission for the Protection of Minors Launches New Website

VATICAN CITY
America

Gerard O’Connell | Dec 6 2016

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is launching a new website devoted to providing information on the commission and its mission, the Vatican announced on Dec. 6.

The website, www.protectionofminors.va, aims to provide the public with regular updates on the commission’s work in promoting a culture of safeguarding together with local churches as well as the educational programs involving the P.C.P.M. worldwide.

The commission, set up by Pope Francis in March 2014 as an advisory body, is headed by Cardinal Seán O’Malley and has 17 members, including two survivors of clerical sex abuse. Its membership includes eight women and nine men (four of them clerics), from all continents. Its secretary is Msgr. Robert Oliver from Boston.

The commission is engaged in a process of educating bishops and church leadership worldwide, including heads of religious orders, on their respective responsibility and accountability for the protection of children, adolescents and vulnerable adults from sexual abuse and for creating a climate that ensures their protection in all institutions and structures of the Catholic Church.

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Vatican launches website after child sex abuse scandals

VATICAN CITY
KBZK

By Delia Gallagher CNN

ROME (CNN) — The Vatican has launched a new website detailing its efforts to protect children from sexual abuse by clergy.

It’s the first time the Vatican is publishing the documents and resources in one place, including an email and phone number to contact its commission for the protection of minors.

The commission was established in 2013 and is headed by Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley.

“It is very important to the Commission that we are as transparent as possible,” project coordinator Emer McCarthy told CNN Tuesday. “Our members want people to know that they are doing their level best to carry out the commission of the Holy Father.”

“Much of the work of the Commission is listening, study and reflection, so there will not be day-to-day updates, but the website is the vehicle to let people know that we are here,” she added.

‘Comply with authorities’

The website includes a template for local churches around the world to use in establishing their own norms for protecting minors from clerical sex abuse.

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Vatican launches website for preventing clerical sex abuse

VATICAN CITY
Crux

Inés San MartínDecember 6, 2016
VATICAN CORRESPONDENT

ROME – A beta version of a new website featuring resources for the prevention of clerical sexual abuse around world made its debut on Tuesday, launched by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors created by Pope Francis and led by Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston.

The site includes a template for anti-abuse guidelines each local church was asked to produce back in 2011, under emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.

The site, conceived as a way to share the knowledge and resources the commission has on safeguarding children and caring for survivors, is currently only available in English, but with other major languages following soon.

Emer McCarthy, project manager of the papal commission, told Crux that Spanish is the next goal, followed by French, and eventually Italian, German and Portuguese.

Although the website has a focus on sharing the commission’s activities, McCarthy underlined that it’s not a PR exercise but a tool that will “hopefully help people.”

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Vatican commission launches child protection website

VATICAN CITY
Catholic News Service

By Catholic News Service
12.6.2016

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has launched a beta version of its website in English and has included its template for local guidelines on preventing sexual abuse, resources for a day of prayer for the victims and survivors as well as a mailing address to contact commission members.

The website — www.protectionofminors.va — eventually will include versions in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and French, the commission said in a statement Dec. 6.

Pope Francis’ international Council of Cardinals identified the protection of children and young adults as one of the church’s priority needs and suggested in December 2013 that he create a commission to advise him and assist dioceses and religious orders around the world in drawing up guidelines, handling accusations and ministering to victims and survivors. Pope Francis named the first members three months later and appointed as president Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston.

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Vatican’s anti-abuse commission launches new website

VATICAN CITY
Catholic News Agency

by Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Dec 6, 2016 / 06:16 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors launched a new website Tuesday, which is designed to help inform the public about their work, and includes resources for Church leaders on safeguarding children and caring for survivors.

Announced by the Vatican Dec. 6, and coinciding with the feast of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, the website is considered to be in the “beta” stage and is still undergoing development.

However, the website already includes information on the history, mission and members of the Commission, practical resources and Church documents on the topic of abuse, as well as past and upcoming programs of the commission, and news about their current work.

The commission serves as an advisory body to the Pope, providing recommendations on how the Church can best protect minors and vulnerable adults. It consists of 17 men and women from around the world who work in the field of abuse prevention and recovery, including a few survivors, and is headed by Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston.

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MI–2 accused in priest abuse case quietly move out of Michigan; Victims cry “foul”

MICHIGAN
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016

For more information: David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, davidgclohessy@gmail.com), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003cell, bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org)

Two accused church officials quietly move
One still works for an institution training priests
Victims’ blast “reckless secrecy” of Saginaw’ Catholic bishop
Investigation showed cleric “sexually harassed” a then-22 year old
Lawsuit says church official accused victim of seducing older priest

Two defendants in a civil abuse and cover up lawsuit involving a Saginaw priest have apparently moved out of state. A victims group is blasting the priest’s supervisor for “doing what bishops have done for decades: letting alleged wrongdoers quietly move away after being accused and work again among unsuspecting and vulnerable families.”

One of the accused, Trudy McCaffrey, still works for the church in Irene, South Dakota where she’s a “spiritual director” for Broom Tree Retreat, cultivating new priests. The other defendant, the alleged predator in the case, Father Denis Heames, now works for a San Diego California lawyer.

[Facebook]

[Linked-In]

According to a Michigan newspaper, the lawsuit, filed earlier this year in Isabella County in Chief Judge Paul Chamberlain’s court, accuses Fr. Heames, McCaffery, the Saginaw diocese and St. Mary’s parish of “battery, defamation, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, negligent supervision and vicarious liability” because Fr. Heames allegedly “abused his authority when he entered into a sexual relationship with a then-22 year old student in the fall of 2012, when he began acting as her spiritual counselor.”

In some states, it’s a crime for a clergy person to have sex with a congregant. Advocates say it’s inherently abusive for “well educated, powerful priests, who have massive power over parishioners, to exploit that power for their sexual gratification, just like doctors can’t have sex with patients and therapists can’t have sex with clients,” according to David Clohessy of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

Letting McCaffery and Fr. Heames “quietly” move is “reckless, deceitful and callous” and “endangers vulnerable young church members,” said Clohessy. “These deliberate and irresponsible decision violate, at least in spirit, the US bishops’ abuse policy which supposedly mandates ‘openness and transparency’ in clergy abuse cases. Bishops in San Diego, South Dakota and Michigan are taking big risks here.”

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OR–Victims urge church staff to do outreach re predator

OREGON
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

We are glad that a Baptist youth pastor has been arrested and allegedly admitted child sex crimes. But we’re disappointed in how his supervisors and colleagues are responding and call on them to work aggressively to help law enforcement prosecute the offender and find and help his victims.

[Mail Tribune]

Kenneth Leo Baker, 44, of Ashland, faces six sex charges for allegedly abusing a girl for five years. Pastor Don Baldrica says Baker “revealed what he had done” to him and other church leaders. And Baldrica says he immediately called the law. We hope he’s telling the truth. Regardless, the pastor’s civic and moral duty doesn’t end here. They gave Baker access to kids. So they must help put Baker behind bars and help ameliorate the severe harm he’s caused.

According to a local newspaper, church officials removed all reference to Baker on their website. But pretending he was never there is deceitful and self-serving. Instead, the church should post prominent notices on their website and elsewhere begging anyone who may have information or suspicions about Baker to call law enforcement. They should be writing letters to former staff and members stressing the same message.

Ministers call themselves “shepherds.” A caring shepherd in cases like this admits there are likely other “lost sheep” out there, suffering in silence, shame and self-blame. He or she would use every possible method of reaching out to them – church signs, bulletins, mailings and pulpit announcements. Instead, most ministers do little but focus on protecting themselves from criticism and litigation. We hope this doesn’t happen here.

No matter what courts or church officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in churches or institutions – especially in Baptist ones – to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.

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Argentina–Convicted abuser attacked in church; Victims respond

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

We are upset that a convicted child molester was beaten to death in an Argentine church. Violence is never the answer.

[Inquirer]

But we’re also upset that Marcelo Fabian Pecollo was working in the church to begin with. We believe it’s reckless and callous for church officials to employ or host convicted child molesters, especially when they’re apt to be up on the altar or in front of congregants – places of prominence that likely rub even more salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of victims and their loved ones. Very rarely, it’s also reckless for the safety of the molester himself.

Criminals who have completed their sentences should not go hungry or jobless. But they should not be given positions of respect or power, especially in churches. Too often, predators use positions like this to gain legitimacy and build trust, especially with trusting parents. Then, they often assault innocent kids or vulnerable adults.

No matter what happens in this case, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in churches or institutions to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.

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Ha abusato di decine di minori disabili: in manette Nicola Bruno Corradi „Abusi sessuali su minori sordomuti: prete in manette“

ITALIA/ARGENTINA
Rete L’Abuso

[The priest Nicola Bruno Corradi was arrested in Argentina where he was sent in the ’80s after having abused deaf children at an institution in Verona. Among the victims were also some children from Brescia.]

Il sacerdote Nicola Bruno Corradi è stato arrestato in Argentina dove era stato mandato negli anni ’80, dopo aver abusato dei bambini sordomuti di un istituto d’accoglienza di Verona. Tra le vittime anche alcuni bimbi bresciani.

Le manette sono scattate lunedì scorso in Argentina, dopo anni di abusi e violenze sui bambini sordomuti ospiti di alcune strutture d’accoglienza. Sarebbero decine le piccole vittime di Don Nicola Bruno Corradi, sacerdote veronese di 82 anni. Bambini tra i 10 e 12 anni con incapacità uditive e di linguaggio, ospiti dell’istituto Provolo di Mendoza. Si parlerebbe di almeno 60 casi di abusi, avvenuti tra il 2007 e il 2009.

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Preti pedofili “l’affetto paterno” del vescovo Lupi.

ITALIA
Rete L’Abuso

In riferimento al comunicato diramato ieri dall’ufficio stampa diocesano che ha irritato non poco le decine di persone che nel savonese si sono trovate la vita irreparabilmente distrutta a causa degli atti criminali commessi dai preti pedofili savonesi e coperti per anni dalla diocesi, riteniamo opportuno definire con precisione l’operato del vescovo dimissionario Vittorio Lupi, parecchio differente dal mieloso comunicato diramato ieri.

Vittorio Lupi arrivò a Savona nei primi mesi del 2008 e fu immediatamente informato da don Carlo Rebagliati su quale fosse la drammatica situazione della chiesa savonese, una situazione senza ombra di dubbio ben conosciuta e anche documentata dalla stessa diocesi e dal Vaticano, come dimostrano le decine di carteggi prelevati dagli inquirenti durante le indagini.

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Bischöfliche Bussfeier für die Opfer sexueller Übergriffe

SCHWEIZ
SRF

[The Swiss bishops have announced a compensation plan for victims of abuse. Since 2010, more than 200 victims of sexual assaults by Catholic clergy have been reported and many cases were time-barred.]

* Die Schweizer Bischofskonferenz hat in Sitten eine Gebets- und Bussfeier für die Opfer sexueller Übergriffe im kirchlichen Umfeld durchgeführt.
* Zwischen 2010 und 2015 haben sich 223 Opfer sexueller Übergriffe durch Kirchenmänner der katholischen Kirche in der Schweiz gemeldet.
* Viele Übergriffe sind verjährt. Für viele dieser Opfer sei die Situaion «besonders erdrückend», hiess es von der Bischofskonferenz.

Der Gebets- und Bussfeier in der Basilika von Valeria in Sitten (VS) stand der Präsident der Schweizer Bischofskonferenz, Charles Morerod, vor. Er bekannte in einem Gebet: «Grosse Schuld ist in unserer Zeit in der Kirche und auch in unseren Diözesen und Gemeinschaften offenbar geworden. Es ist dies eine Schuld Einzelner, eine Schuld, die auch durch bestimmte Strukturen sowie Verhaltens- und Denkmuster ermöglicht worden ist.» Die Schuld sei mehrschichtig.

Morerod nannte den Übergriff als solchen, aber auch das gleichgültige Schweigen und die unterlassene Hilfe für das Opfer. «Wir fühlen uns auf verschiedenen Ebenen verantwortlich und verdanken den Opfern, dass sie uns die Augen geöffnet haben», sagte Morerod.

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Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz public apology

AUSTRALIA
Manny Waks

6 December 2016

​Following our public statement from earlier today, Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz has sent the statement below to his community. We welcome Rabbi Yurkowicz’s public apology, and his public commitment to child protection within his community.

​Dear Chabad Malvern Community,

I am writing to let you know that I have stepped down as a member of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV) and the newly formed Rabbinical Council of Australia and New Zealand (RCANZ).

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse over the las t few years, has highlighted the unfortunate and inexcusable mistakes that were made in the past. I understand that during the time I was on the committee of management and a trustee of the Yeshivah Centre (since 2006), victims of child sexual abuse, and others have suffered, and I sincerely apologise for that. I no longer have any involvement in the Yeshivah Centre, and have been asked to resign my membership from these Rabbinic groups because of the position I held at that time.

We at Chabad Malvern have always prioritised child protection at all of our activities. Our crèche, after school programs, camps and Shul all have child protection policies in place which our staff are strongly committed too. Since the Royal Commission, Chabad Malvern and its leadership have enrolled in the Australian Childhood Foundation’s accreditation program, and myself and our staff have furthered our awareness and vigilance and continue to do so.
Over the past 30 years, we at Chabad Malvern have built a wonderful community which you are a part of or have been connected to in some way, and therefore I wanted to personally notify you of my decision.

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HEALING AND CARE

VATICAN CITY
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

From the beginning of our work, the Commission Members have adopted the principle that the healing and pastoral care of victims/survivors of sexual abuse is of primary importance to our work.

The first way for us all to learn how to protect minors and vulnerable adults is to meet with victims/survivors and to listen to them. Listening is an important part of the healing process for the victims/survivors, but also for their families, communities, and for the entire Church.

Victims/survivors, more than anyone else, can also teach us how to prevent future abuse. One of the specially dedicated “working groups” of the Commission focuses on initiatives and projects aimed at improving pastoral outreach to the victims/survivors, families and faith communities that have been wounded by child clerical sex abuse.

All the Members have emphasized the mission to offer advice to the Holy Father on ways to improve response mechanisms and communication channels with victims and survivors in local Churches.

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Pedophile killed in attack by parents inside cathedral

ARGENTINA
Inquirer (Philippines)

AFP

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A trumpeter has died after being badly beaten during a concert he was giving in a cathedral near Buenos Aires, attacked by parents from a preschool where he had molested children, a priest said Monday.

Marcelo Fabian Pecollo, a music teacher and trumpeter with the Moron city orchestra, was sentenced in 2010 to 30 years in prison for molesting five preschool children. He was freed in 2014 after a sentence reduction.

The attack took place on October 30 at the cathedral in Moron, a Buenos Aires suburb.

The group of parents barged into the cathedral yelling: “There is a pedophile and a rapist in the church and he is playing in this orchestra.”

Pecollo, 42, tried to get away but the group caught up with him and beat him, including one parent who hit the man with his own trumpet, according to witnesses.

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Sexual predator lured haredi child outside of synagogue

ISRAEL
Arutz Sheva

David Rosenberg, 05/12/16

A man accused of performing indecent acts on a small boy was indicted Monday morning in a Jerusalem district court.

Shlomo Aryeh Rothman, a 21-year old resident of Beit Shemesh, has been charged with a series of sexual assaults on a 13-year old haredi child, whom he lured into his car from outside of the synagogue in which the boy prayed.

Rothman, who had visited the area of the synagogue several times, selected his victim and offered to give him a ride in his car.

On at least four separate occasions, Rothman met with the child outside of the synagogue, took him in his car, and performed indecent acts on him.

The suspect would on these trips drive the boy around to different sites in the city and, after sexually assaulting him, would offer to buy him candies and presents. He also demanded his victim not reveal the incidents to anyone.

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Marist brother avoids jail over ‘massages’

AUSTRALIA
7 News

Genevieve Gannon – AAP on December 6, 2016

A former Catholic school principal convicted of sexually abusing students while giving them “sports massages” in the 1970s has avoided jail for a second time.

Marist Brother Gerard Joseph McNamara, 78, was handed a 16-month suspended sentence by the Victorian County Court on Tuesday after admitting to indecently assaulting two brothers in 1975.

In 2005 McNamara was sentenced to 36 months – also wholly suspended – for seven offences committed in the exact same circumstances.

Most of the assaults happened in the school sports shed after the student sustained an “injury”.

The principal and sports master at St Paul’s Catholic College in Traralgon had a reputation among students, who referred to the abuse as “getting a rub down from Brother Gerard”.

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Former Queanbeyan headmaster allegedly sexually assaulted student in the 1960s

AUSTRALIA
Esperance Express

Daniel Burdon
5 Dec 2016

A former Catholic headmaster of a Queanbeyan primary school allegedly sexually assaulted a student in his care in the mid-1960s on “numerous occasions”, but died before the case against him was settled last month.

It is understood the allegations against the former headmaster of St Gregory’s Primary School, Marist Brother Charles Giuliani, have not previously been reported publicly.

Documents filed in the ACT Supreme Court on behalf of the plaintiff alleged Brother Giuliani “sexually assaulted the plaintiff on numerous occasions” while the plaintiff was a student in his care between 1962 and 1966.

Originally filed in November 2015, the case was settled last month, without any admission of guilt, between the plaintiff, the Estate of Charles Giuliani and the Trustees of the Marist Brothers.

A spokesman for the Marist Brothers Province of Australia said that where a settlement was reached, it was “not a finding of criminal conduct, however it is recognition that some trauma has been sustained by the claimant involved”.

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Shimshon Yurkowicz resigns from Rabbinic Council in wake of royal commission findings

AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Melissa Brown and staff

A Melbourne rabbi has resigned from one of the most senior Jewish bodies in Australia in the wake of the child abuse royal commission.

Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz was a trustee of Yeshivah Centre, which was strongly criticised by the commission for its failure to stop paedophiles preying on children.

The Rabbinic Council of Australia and New Zealand confirmed Rabbi Yurkowicz’s resignation.

The commission found many of the lead rabbis at Yeshiva Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi, as well as synagogues and schools in Sydney and Melbourne followed “a pattern of total inaction” that was wholly inadequate.

Commissioners also found a “marked absence of supportive leadership for survivors of abuse” and the incorrect application of Jewish law left those who spoke out criticised and isolated.

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Rabbi resigns

AUSTRALIA
J-Wire

December 6, 2016 by J-Wire Staff

Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz, Rabbi of Melburne’s Chabad Malvern has resigned his membership of the Orthodox Rabbinic bodies in Australia.

Child sexual abuse advocate Manny Waks writes on his blog: “This follows the release last week of damning findings by the Royal Commission into the response of the Yeshivah Centre in Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi, Sydney to child sexual abuse, which found its leadership responsible for the horrific treatment of victims/survivors and their families.

The Royal Commission found that the Yeshivah leadership ‘did not create an environment conducive to the communication of information about child sexual abuse. If anything, the mixed messages are likely to have produced inaction’.

The Royal Commission was damming of the Yeshivah Cente stating ‘there was an absence of supportive leadership for survivors of child sexual abuse and their families within Yeshivah Melbourne. Halachic [Jewish Law] principles were stridently – even if incorrectly applied. Criticism of those that spoke out was forceful’.

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A New Public Call from “Pastors and Friends” for Tullian Tchividjian to Leave the Ministry

UNITED STATES
Warren Throckmorton

A “group of pastors and friends” has publicly called on Tullian Tchividjian to step away completely from vocational ministry. This group maintains that Tchividjian has deceived them and engaged in disqualifying actions. This call follows the strongly worded statement from Kevin Labby, pastor of Willow Creek Presbyterian, which I published here last week. See the full statement below:
Dear Friends:

We join with others in expressing our shared grief regarding these latest allegations, as well as our thankfulness for the courageous women who came forward to tell their stories. We join our prayers together that they will receive the care and support that they need to heal and move forward in their lives.

In the wake of the initial revelation in June of 2015 that Tullian Tchividjian had engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship, a group of pastors and friends reached out to him in accordance with scripture’s clear admonition in Galatians 6:1–2:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

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Ashland pastor arrested for sex abuse

OREGON
KOBI

Ashland, Ore. – An Ashland pastor is behind bars after he was accused of having sexual contact with an underage girl, according to police.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said 44-year-old Kenneth Leo Baker knew the victim through the First Baptist Church of Ashland.

Baker is no longer listed as a pastor on the First Baptist Church of Ashland’s website. According to an archived version of the page dated from March 1st, 2016, Baker has been a staff member at the church for over 15 years.

Deputies said the alleged contact occurred from 2006 through 2011, with some of the incidents occurring when the girl was younger than 14-year-old.

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Former Ashland pastor faces sex-abuse charges

OREGON
Mail Tribune

By Mark Freeman
Mail Tribune

A former Ashland youth pastor is facing felony sex-abuse charges for alleged contact over at least five years with a young girl he knew through his church, and a church leader said the youth pastor has confessed his crimes.

Kenneth Leo Baker, 44, of Ashland, faces four felony and two misdemeanor sex charges for alleged incidents involving a single victim between 2006 and 2011. At least four of the incidents allegedly occurred when the girl was younger than 14 years old, court records show.

Jackson County sheriff’s Capt. Nathan Sickler said Baker made contact with the victim through First Baptist Church of Ashland, where records show Baker was a youth pastor.

“They were introduced through the church,” Sickler said.

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Judge Cenzon disqualifies herself from church cases

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Shawn Raymundo , sraymundo@guampdn.com December 6, 2016

Judge Maria T. Cenzon announced in Superior Court Tuesday she will be filing a motion to recuse herself from overseeing the cases against the local Catholic church and Archbishop Anthony Apuron, who faces several allegations of rape and molestation.

Citing a conflict of interest, Cenzon said she intends to disqualify herself from case.

“I will be filing a disqualification and a new judge will be assigned to the case,” she told attorneys during a status hearing for two of the sexual abuse cases.

Archdiocese attorney John Terlaje explained Cenzon has familial ties with one of the appointments of the diocese’s finance counsel along with “a couple of other conflicts.”

Tuesday’s status hearing regarded Anthony J. Vegafria’s case against Father Louis Brouillard and Roy Quintanilla’s case against Apuron. Vegafria, a former altar boy and Boy Scout, was the 10th victim in recent weeks to publicly accuse and file a lawsuit against his Brouillard.

Vegafria, now 56, has accused Brouillard, 95, of repeatedly sexually abusing him between 1971 to 1974. Quintanilla was among first former altar boys this year to come forward against Apuron, who Quintanilla alleges abused him when he was a 12-year-old altar server for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Agat.

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

December 5, 2016

Priest, 82, nabbed for sex abuse

ARGENTINA/ITALY
ANSA (Italy)

(ANSA) – Buenos Aires, November 5 – An 82-year-old Italian priest has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing boys in a school for the deaf in Mendoza in western Argentina.

Father Nicola Corradi is already known for alleged abuse committed at a school for the deaf in Verona. A spokesman for the Mendoza bishopric said Corradi, who arrived there in 1996, may have been a beneficiary of the former “malpractice” of shifting predator priests from one place to another rather than denouncing them.

An Italian non-profit organisation, Rete L’abuso Onlus, has denounced Corradi’s abuse in Verona to the local Church, the Vatican and the UN, demanding the creation of a commission of inquiry into Italian paedophile priests.

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Media Release: Victims welcome resignation of Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz

AUSTRALIA
Manny Waks

6 December 2016

​​On behalf of myself and other victims/survivors of child sexual abuse, we welcome the news that Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz, Rabbi of Chabad Malvern (Melbourne, Australia), has resigned his membership of the Orthodox Rabbinic bodies in Australia.

This follows the release last week of damning findings by the Royal Commission into the response of the Yeshivah Centre in Melbourne (and Yeshiva Bondi, Sydney) to child sexual abuse, which found its leadership responsible for the horrific treatment of victims/survivors and their families.

The Royal Commission found that the Yeshivah leadership ‘did not create an environment conducive to the communication of information about child sexual abuse. If anything, the mixed messages are likely to have produced inaction’.

The Royal Commission was damming of the Yeshivah Cente stating ‘there was an absence of supportive leadership for survivors of child sexual abuse and their families within Yeshivah Melbourne. Halachic [Jewish Law] principles were stridently – even if incorrectly applied. Criticism of those that spoke out was forceful’.

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Survivor groups urge Liddell to include them in Catholic abuse watchdog

SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland

Gerry Braiden, Local Government Correspondent / @BraidenHT

SURVIVOR groups have urged the chair of a new watchdog body overseeing how the Catholic Church deals with historic abuse to include them at the heart of her work. to ensure the church is held “genuinely accountable for the failures of the past”,

The In Care Survivors’ group (INCAS) said former Labour cabinet minister Baroness Helen Liddell must ensure the Church is held “genuinely accountable for the failures of the past”.

The calls comes as the former Church of Scotland moderator who chaired the commission that investigated Catholic abuse welcomed the appointment, revealed yesterday by The Herald.

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No charges for Peterborough priest; diocese launches internal review

CANADA
Peterborough Examiner

By Jason Bain, The Peterborough Examiner
Monday, December 5, 2016

No criminal charges will be laid after a Peterborough Catholic priest was investigated for sexual misconduct alleged to have taken place in the 1980s at the summer camp where he was the longtime director, parishioners learned on the weekend.

The news about Rev. Bill Moloney, who is on leave from his role as priest at Immaculate Conception Church, was shared by Rev. Joe Morin on behalf of Bishop William McGrattan during masses at the sanctuary on Rogers St. in East City on Saturday and Sunday.

The Haliburton Highlands OPP Detachment had informed the diocese that their investigation about the alleged incident at Camp Northern Lights had concluded and no charges would be laid, said Deirdre Thomas, a spokesperson for the diocese.

Moloney stepped down from the directorship of the camp for kids aged nine to 13 founded in the 1970s by the Knights of Columbus. He is also the chaplain at three schools: St. Peter’s Secondary School, and Immaculate Conception and Monsignor O’Donoghue elementary schools.

Now that the police investigation is done, the diocese will conduct its own internal probe over the next couple of months, Thomas said. It will include a “comprehensive review of the exercise of responsible priestly ministry,” she added.

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Sanibel congregation comes together for priest in hot water

FLORIDA
NBC 2

[with video]

Dec 05, 2016

By Levi Ismail, Reporter

SANIBEL –
A Sanibel parish is rallying for their priest to return to the altar after investigations by deputies come to an end.

Dozens prayed in the parking lot of St. Isabel’s Catholic Church and signed more than 500 petition signatures for the Diocese of Venice to reinstate Father Christopher Senk.

“It’s a remarkable turn out,” said Leo Larkin of St. Isabel’s Catholic Church.

Larkin is one of many parishioners who signed the petition in support of Father Senk who has served the church for nearly 14 years.

Since he left the altar in October, the investigation from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office ended. The department claims it found probable cause that Senk used his influence to get money from a parishioner suffering with dementia. Still, no charges were filed.

“Where the frustration and the anger is, is then why are we continuing this process when he has been exonerated,” asked James Salzman of Sanibel.

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Catholic bishops create $500,000 fund for sex abuse victims

SWITZERLAND
Today

AFP

Catholic bishops in Switzerland have created a fund to help people sexually abused by clergy members in cases where the statute of limitations has passed, they said Monday.

The Swiss Bishops Conference (SBK) said it had created a reparations fund worth 500,000 Swiss francs ($495,000, 462,000 euros) to be used to pay sex abuse victims who no longer have the right to seek redress in court.

“The responsible clergy believe that sex abuse victims in cases where the public statute of limitations has passed and where the Church has long turned a blind eye and provided no reparations, are in a particularly difficult situation,” SBK said in a statement.

SBK said the fund was the latest step in a process it began six years ago when it acknowledged the Church held responsibility, after numerous cases of sexual molestation by priests decades earlier came to light.

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For Texan of the Year, I nominate Cardinal Kevin Farrell

TEXAS
Dallas Morning News

Joshua J. Whitfield, Contributor

For Texan of the Year, I nominate an Irishman. An Irishman fluent in Spanish, a Churchill scholar, a bishop skilled in matters ecclesiastical and diplomatic, skilled in all the sacerdotal ways of grace, a man of joy, humor and mercy.

He’s a worthy candidate: Kevin J. Farrell, sometime bishop of Dallas and now Cardinal of the church, once a bishop of our city, now a bishop for the world.

His legacy is manifold, of a diocese healed after having been rocked (rightfully so) by one of the worst clergy sex-abuse scandals in the country, now healed and even more. He leaves a Catholic community that is now full of confidence, vision and growth. His is also a legacy of competence, charity and goodwill, of a graciousness that in his ministry transcended lines of creed, class and race.

That is, he was what a good Catholic bishop is supposed to be: a bishop for all people, for all are loved by God.

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Child abuse victims speak out as royal commission begins final stretch of public hearings

AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Thomas Oriti

A year away from its final report, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has begun the process of re-examining some of the institutions it has scrutinised over the past three years.

The inquiry has been especially challenging for thousands of victims, many of whom have had to reveal their experiences to a public gallery and the nation.

But with the final months of public hearings underway, victim Peter Gogarty is confident the process will have a lasting impact.

“People that I would never have thought would approach me to talk about this topic now do,” he said.

“I think the work of the commission in just making it OK to talk about this, and in highlighting how horrendous it’s been, that’s been a wonderful gift to our community and to our future children.”

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Argentina prosecutor: priests abused at least 22 children

ARGENTINA
Fox News

Published December 05, 2016 Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – An investigating prosecutor in Argentina says that at least 22 children were sexually abused by two priests at a school for youths with hearing disabilities in northwestern Mendoza province.

Mendoza Supreme Court prosecutor Alejandro Gulle said Monday that the victims provided their testimony through an interpreter.

Police arrested 82-year old priest Nicola Corradi, 55-year-old priest Horacio Corbacho, and three other men last week. They are accused of sexual and physical child abuse at the Antonio Provolo Institute.

Authorities say that the victims are now in their twenties.

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NJ–Vatican put credibly accused predator on the job

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Dec. 5, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

For the second time in days, Vatican officials have been caught endangering kids by putting or keeping credibly accused child molesters on the job, this time in Newark, New Jersey. In this alarming case, Newark’s abuse panel – made up mostly of lay people – and perhaps a dozen or more current and former Newark priests are implicated too, because they knew about glaring recklessness and kept silent about it.

[NJ.com]

(The other case involve Italian priests who molested hearing-impaired kids, were reported to the Vatican a few years ago, but have since moved to South America where they’ve kept working and have repeated their crimes.)

[WTOP]

Fr. Kevin Gugliotta was arrested in October on child pornography charges. But today, a news report reveals that 13 years earlier, in 2003, he’d been accused of child sex crimes, suspected (under a lie) but put back in ministry because Vatican officials insisted he be put back. Why? Because he wasn’t yet a priest when he allegedly assaulted the child.

Shame on every Catholic employee or volunteer, in Rome and Newark, who was a decision-maker in this travesty.

Shame on every one of the dozens more, in Rome and Newark, who, over 14 years, learned about this credible child sex report and the Vatican’s irresponsible, secret decision, and did nothing about it.

We call on Pope Francis to demote or at least discipline the Vatican bureaucrats who in any way played any role in this stunningly hurtful secrecy and selfishness. We call on Newark’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin to do the same in his corrupt archdiocese.

Newark archdiocesan PR man Jim Goodness claims that he and his Newark Catholic colleagues could do nothing “canonically” about Fr. Gugliotta. What absurdity. Absolutely nothing prevented them from simply disclosing that this predator priest had been accused of abuse. Absolutely nothing prevented them from fighting the Vatican decision. Absolutely nothing prevented them from resigning in protest and speaking out. Absolutely nothing prevented them from telling law enforcement about the abuse report against Fr. Gugliotta.

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MD–Victims blast 2 new Baltimore promotions

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Dec. 5, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

We are disappointed that Pope Francis has promoted two Baltimore Catholic officials to become assistant bishops. We would be more optimistic had he chosen clerics from outside the archdiocese and especially had he elevated priests who’ve shown some leadership in ensuring the safety of children.

[Catholic Review]

We see no evidence that either Msgr. Adam J. Parker or Msgr. Mark E. Brennan have fought or spoken out about irresponsible moves by any Catholic official in any child sex abuse or cover up case in Baltimore or anywhere.

On the contrary, they’ve spent most of their careers in the Baltimore archdiocese which has had a very troubling record on children’s safety.

For instance, last year, we in SNAP released nine pages of never-before disclosed emails and letters between two archdiocesan headquarters staffers, a prosecutor and a victim.

They showed that 1) Msgr. Joseph A. Davies has been repeatedly accused of molesting children and 2) at least one church official believes he’s guilty. But Baltimore Archbishop William Lori and his staff refuse to disclose these facts to parents, parishioners or the public.

One letter, to a victim from a high-ranking church official, Msgr. Richard Woy (410-464-4000, RWoy@archbalt.org) says “I want to apologize for the abuse you suffered at the hands of Msgr. Davies.” Another letter by Msgr. Woy admits that the archdiocese “has received a number of child sex abuse allegations” against Msgr. Daviess.

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Canada–Accused priest is allegedly “cleared” by police; Victims respond

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Dec. 5, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

We are disappointed but not surprised that a criminal investigation into an accused predator priest has ended without formal charges. We doubt, however, that he has “convinced police he’s innocent.” (We suspect police simply lack adequate proof to move forward, which of course does NOT mean the accused is innocent.)

And we’re highly skeptical of Catholic officials that they’ll do some kind of “internal investigation” into the cleric. In our experience, such probes are usually “whitewashes” done largely for public relations purposes.

[Kawartha]

“Fr. Bill Moloney (of Immaculate Conception Church) had been removed from his post in early November after a complaint was filed to Haliburton OPP about an incident at Camp Northern Lights, where he is the director,” according to Peterborough This Week.

The paper also reported that the priest “had convinced police he was innocent of allegations of sexual misconduct.” Again, we’re highly suspicion of this claim. We urge police to correct this if in fact it leaves a false impression.

We also urge Fr. Moloney’s supervisors to be more forthcoming about these allegations and aggressively seek out others – using church websites, parish bulletins and pulpit announcements – who may have information or suspicions about this priest or other church staff.

Shame on Deirdre Thomas, spokesperson for the Peterborough diocese for using vague, minimizing mischaracterizations. She called the child sex abuse report and the police investigation “matters that have arisen recently.” If you can’t call something what it is, how can you possibly investigate or prevent it?

Church “investigations” into alleged child sex crimes are inherently problematic.

Just today, in New Jersey, it’s been revealed that an abuse report against a priest 13 years ago had been kept quiet. The priest kept working. And a few weeks ago, he was arrested on child pornography charges.

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Victims’ fund available to Catholic Church abuse victims

SWITZERLAND
swissinfo

Victims who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic Church representatives in Switzerland can now access a special fund to claim compensation. The idea was first launched a year ago by the Swiss Bishops Conference.

At the moment, the newly created fund contains CHF500,000 ($495,500) to compensate abuse victims, who may receive a single payment of up to CHF10,000 ($9,966) according to last year’s plan for the fund.

Bishop Charles Morerod, the head of the Swiss Bishops Conference, said on Monday that the fund “only covers prescribed cases” while recalling the “particularly difficult” situation of abuse victims whose cases “were not heard or addressed for a long time by the Church’s authorities”.

Contributors to the new fund include the Swiss dioceses, the Union of Religious Superiors in Switzerland as well as ecclesiastical corporations. An independent commission has been set up to decide on the amount each victim should receive in compensation.

In Swiss-German regions of Switzerland, unlike the French-speaking part, sexual abuse commissions have existed in dioceses for several years and supported victims. But this is the first compensation fund that has been established.

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Switzerland–Victims blast Swiss church abuse program

UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Dec. 5, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis Missouri, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

We are deeply skeptical of Catholic church abuse victim pay out plans like the one just adopted by Swiss bishops.

[swissinfo]

These programs are almost always unilateral, top-down efforts to prevent litigation and legislative reform of predator-friendly secular laws. They are really about continued secrecy, not victims’ healing or children’s safety.

If kids are to be safer, adults must make it easier, not harder, for victims to report sexual violence. These programs often make it harder.

When these programs happen, church officials should not insist on insensitive, arbitrary and self-serving deadlines which force still-suffering victims to move quickly to deal with decades of pain or else be left out in the cold again.

And the amounts must be much greater, because of the devastating, life-long harm caused to these vulnerable, innocent kids which continues to cause deep suffering for decades.

No matter what church officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in churches, schools or institutions – especially religious ones – to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.

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Bishop Pushes for Healing

NEW MEXICO
Cibola County

CIBOLA COUNTY – Bishop James Wall and the Diocese of Gallup is uniting in prayer for a series of healing services, including several in Cibola County during the upcoming year. The first meeting in the series took place on Nov. 19 in Gallup at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The second meeting is today in Ft. Defiance at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament at 6:30 p.m. The first meeting in the Cibola County area is in February in Grants.

“We extend our invitation to attend these healing services to all who have been affected by physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in the Diocese, especially our brothers and sisters who have survived abuse by members of the Church.

Families and friends of survivors, Catholics and community members who are struggling with forgiveness or who have been affected by the sin of abuse, and all people wishing to unite and seek healing; to them we extend the invitation to attend these services as well,” said a representative from Gallup’s Diocese in a press release.

The healing services consist of prayer, scripture reading, and a reflection from Bishop Wall. The Bishop has and will continue to be available after the services to privately meet with survivors.

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Royal Commission reveals more than 80 church offenders preyed on Hunter children

AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

Joanne McCarthy

More than 80 Catholic and Anglican Church priests and other representatives – including women – are alleged to have committed child sex crimes against Hunter children over decades, newly released data analysis and evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has revealed.

The shocking figure includes claims and substantiated complaints against 51 alleged and convicted Hunter Catholic offenders from the 1940s to the 1990s, including 19 priests, 20 Marist Brothers, and 12 teachers, employees and volunteers, a report by the royal commission has found.

The data analysis has confirmed, for the first time, the extent of compensation paid to survivors of Catholic abuse in the Hunter after years of confidential settlements enforced by the church. It includes confirmation that nearly $10 million was paid to victims of just one child sex offender priest, John Denham. It also confirms that a single victim of notorious paedophile priest Vince Ryan received one of the highest known church abuse payouts in Australia, of $3 million, more than a decade ago.

The royal commission data analysis has also revealed that abuse survivors in the Hunter have received substantially greater compensation, on average, than survivors in two other Australian child sexual abuse hotspots in Ballarat and Melbourne.

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Vatican Investigated Sex Abuse Allegations Against Former Wyckoff Priest, Report Says

NEW JERSEY
Patch

By Daniel Hubbard (Patch Staff) – December 5, 2016

WYCKOFF, N.J. — The former priest of township parish was investigated on allegations that he molested a 16-year-old boy and suspended from ministry as a lay person in the mid-1980s.

Rev. Kevin A. Gugliotta, 54, was investigated when he was a Boy Scout leader and engineer, but the Vatican ruled that canon law, church law, prevented him from being punished because he was not an ordained priest yet, a report by NJ.com states. He became ordained in 1996.

Gugliotta was reinstated in December 2004 and served at five parishes, including St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Wyckoff and Immaculate Conception Church in Mahwah, before asking for a transfer this past summer, according to the NJ.com report.

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An Open Letter to Pope Francis

UNITED STATES
Catholic Whistleblowers

From the Catholic Whistleblowers Steering Committee

November 29, 2016

Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City State
Europe

Re.: Your support of secrecy over the virtues of truth and justice

Dear Pope Francis,

On November 19, 2016 you created seventeen new cardinals of the Catholic Church. Just before they received their red biretta and ring as signs of their new office in the Church these seventeen bishops recited the Cardinals’ Oath, which says, in part: “I, N., Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, promise and swear, from this day forth and as long as I live, ….. not to make known to anyone matters entrusted to me in confidence, the disclosure of which could bring damage or dishonor to Holy Church, …..”

No doubt, confidentiality and secrecy play a good role in human life because no one has a right to know everything. Families have secrets, businesses have secrets, governments have secrets, and even the Church needs secrets – all for the good of the people involved.

Yet, when confidentiality and secrecy deprive people of the truth and the common good, confidentiality and secrecy must take a backseat to the revelation of the truth, no matter how uncomfortable that might be for some people.

Indeed, how many court battles have there been these past decades as victims / survivors of clergy sexual abuse have struggled to bring forth the truth in the pursuit of justice, while bishops have fought to prevent this from happening? And how many more court actions are still needed?

Moreover, we ask, what motivates such behavior by the Catholic bishops in the Vatican, in the United States, and throughout the world? Protecting money? Fear of embarrassment and loss of reputation? Obviously, yes to both questions. And perhaps there are other motives as well.

So, who can change all of this? You, Pope Francis. Truly you have done many good things as the leader of the Church, and with some risk involved as not everyone in the Church agrees with you. But in matters of the clergy sexual abuse you have done little. Furthermore, you certainly have not addressed a critical human reality as it applies to this issue: without truth there is no justice and without justice there will be no healing. And the revelation of the truth helps to protect children and vulnerable adults.

How sad it is that you continue the Cardinals’ Oath. But, you can change this reality by publicly announcing that all cardinals and bishops are released from all forms of vows, oaths, and promises that bind truth and justice to secrecy. Let’s move into the light of truth for the good of all people.

You have the power to make this change. Now you need to do so.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

/S/

Rev. James E. Connell, J.C.D.
2462 North Prospect Avenue #204
Milwaukee, WI 53211
connell.james951@gmail.com
414-940-8054

Members of the Catholic Whistleblowers Steering Committee who sign this letter are:

Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., (West Orange, NJ); Rev. Ronald D. Lemmert (Peekskill, NY); Sr. Sally Butler, OP (Brooklyn, NY); Rev. Patrick Winchester Collins, Ph.D. (Douglas, MI); Sr. Maureen Paul Turlish, SNDdeN (New Castle, DE); Sr. Claire Smith, OSU (Bronx, NY); Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, OP, J.C.D. (Vienna, VA); Rev. James E. Connell, J.C.D. (Milwaukee, WI)

cc: Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States
Members of the News Media throughout the USA

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Catholics sorry that a priest abused a disabled woman

AUSTRALIA
The Freethinker (UK)

The Catholic Church today publicly apologised to a disabled woman who was abused over a period of 14 years by one of its priests, Father Tom Knowles, above, the first priest in Australia to be defrocked for having a ‘long-term inappropriate sexual relationship with a woman.’

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the apology to Jennifer Herrick was issued at Victoria’s oldest and busiest Catholic Church, St Francis

In the apology the Church said:

On behalf of the Australian Province of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, I wish to apologise to Jennifer Herrick for the pain and suffering she experienced.

Herrick, above, was not at the service. She lives in another state and thought the idea of being there would be too traumatic.

The public apology is the culmination of a seven-year battle Herrick waged against the Catholic Church to obtain redress for an ordeal that began when she was a vulnerable young woman with a disability in Sydney. Knowles, who was later to become the Australian head of his order, was working there as a priest.

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Peterborough priest cleared of allegations of sexual misconduct: diocese

CANADA
Kawartha

Fr. Bill Moloney now the subject of an internal investigation

By Lois Tuffin

Parishioners at Immaculate Conception Church broke out in applause on Saturday evening as they learned their parish priest had convinced police he was innocent of allegations of sexual misconduct.

Fr. Bill Moloney had been removed from his post in early November after a complaint was filed to Haliburton OPP about an incident at Camp Northern Lights, where he is the director. However, the police investigation will not result in criminal charges, Fr. Joe Morin announced to the congregation, on behalf of the bishop, on Saturday.

The news was a big relief for Shanthi Terence, a parishioner at St. Anne’s where Fr. Moloney worked before transferring to Immaculate. She saw half the congregation follow him, especially those with children due to their rapport with the popular priest.

“It’s just who he is — his personality,” she says. “He is very sociable, very outgoing. He is very involved in the community. He goes above and beyond.”

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An Open Letter To Whole Foods And Conscious Capitalism: Sexual Violence Accountability

UNITED STATES
Feminine Collective

Nancy Levine
DEC 03, 2016

Dear members of the boards of directors of Whole Foods Market and Conscious Capitalism, Inc.:

How do we change the culture of sexual violence?
Should conscious leaders hold each other accountable?

We respect and admire Whole Foods CEO John Mackey’s commitment to the value of loyalty. As a founding board member of Conscious Capitalism, Inc., Mackey’s intentions were presumably good and noble in prioritizing this value, and pledging loyalty to his friend, spiritual leader Marc Gafni.

However, Gafni said of one of his sexual abuse accusers, as reported by The New York Times ;

“She was 14 going on 35, and I never forced her,”

Gafni’s assertion that his two underage accusers were “willing partners,” as reported by the New York Daily News, is reprehensible.

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Other Pontifical Acts, 05.12.2016

VATICAN CITY
Vatican Information Service – Bulletin

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of Bishop Denis J. Madden from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Baltimore (area 12,430, population 3,216,626, Catholics 509,491, priests 522, permanent deacons 173, religious 935), United States of America, and has appointed Msgr. Adam J. Parker and Msgr. Mark E. Brennan as auxiliaries of the same archdiocese.

Bishop-elect Adam John Parker was born in 1972 in Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America, and was ordained a priest in 2000. He holds a licentiate in communication from the University of Maryland in College Park and in sacramental theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including vicar and parish administrator, parish priest, vice-chancellor and episcopal secretary, special secretary to Cardinal O’Brien in Rome, and member of the council of archdiocesan Caritas. In 2011 he was appointed as chaplain of His Holiness and is currently vicar general and moderator of the Curia.

Bishop-elect Mark Edward Brennan was born in 1947 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, and was ordained a priest in 1970. He obtained a bachelor’s degree from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island in 1969 and attended the Christ the King Seminary in Albany, New York and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he received a bachelor’s degree and Master of Arts in theology. He subsequently dedicated himself to Hispanic immersion studies in the Dominican Republic. After ordination he served in a number of pastoral roles, including parish vicar, pastoral ministry in the Hispanic community of the St. Bartholomew parish in Bethesda, director of priestly vocations and priestly programmes in the archdiocese of Washington, parish administrator, and parish priest. He has also served as member of the presbyteral council and the council of consulters, vicar forane, and counsel at the metropolitan tribunal of the archdiocese of Washington. In 2005 he was named Chaplain of His Holiness. He is currently pastor of the St. Martin of Tours parish in Gaithersburg.

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Priest in child porn case had been vetted by Rome on prior sex abuse claim

NEW JERSEY
NJ.com

By Mark Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on December 05, 2016

Thirteen years ago, amid allegations he molested a 16-year-old boy, the Rev. Kevin Gugliotta was suspended from ministry in New Jersey, his case referred to the Vatican for guidance because of an unusual circumstance.

When the alleged sex assaults occurred in the mid-1980s, Gugliotta wasn’t yet an ordained Catholic priest. He was a private-sector engineer and Boy Scout leader.

In the eyes of the Vatican, the distinction appeared to be a critical one, regardless of the case’s merit.

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark told NJ Advance Media last week the Vatican ruled that church law, known as canon law, prevented Gugliotta from being punished for something he might have done as a layman. In December 2004, he was quietly reinstated, free of restrictions on his ministry, and served for years in various parishes, including a long stint as chaplain to a youth group.

That decision, which was not widely disclosed, is now being questioned by his accuser and others in the wake of Gugliotta’s arrest in October on 40 counts of possessing and disseminating child pornography.

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Pope Francis appoints two auxiliary bishops for Baltimore: Monsignors Mark Brennan and Adam Parker

MARYLAND
Catholic Review

December 05, 2016

By Christopher Gunty
editor@CatholicReview.org

Pope Francis named two new auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Baltimore: Monsignor Mark E. Brennan, pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish in Gaithersburg, in the Archdiocese of Washington; and Monsignor Adam J. Parker, current vicar general and moderator of the curia in Baltimore. The appointments were announced Dec. 5 in Washington by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

At the same time, the pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Denis J. Madden, auxiliary of Baltimore since 2005. Bishop Madden (pictured below) submitted his resignation on his 75th birthday in March 2015, as is the custom for bishops, but it was not accepted until the appointment of the new auxiliaries.

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori expressed his gratitude to the Holy Father for the appointments of the new bishops, which he called “an early Christmas gift” from the pope. “This is a joyous and blessed day for our archdiocese,” the archbishop said.

The bishops-designate will be ordained Jan. 19 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland.

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Former west Belfast priest suspended following sexual assault allegation

NORTHERN IRELAND
The Irish News

SIMON CUNNINGHAM
05 December, 2016

A FORMER administrator of St Peter’s Cathedral in Belfast has been interviewed by police over an alleged sexual assault.

It is understood the allegation against Father Hugh Kennedy is historical in nature and does not involve a child.

The 59-year-old cleric has been been suspended from ministry while the matter is investigated.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Down and Connor said it had been informed that the PSNI had “initiated an investigation into an alleged incident of an historical adult nature involving a priest”.

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Bishop suspends priest from ministry over assault claims

NORTHERN IRELAND
Premier

Mon 05 Dec 2016
By Aaron James

A former priest and cathedral clergyman in Northern Ireland has been suspended from ministry over allegations of sexual assault.

According to the Belfast Telegraph Hugh Kennedy, 59, was working as Administrator at St Peter’s Cathedral in Belfast (above) until this year before working at More House, a Christian school in the Archdiocese of Westminster in London.

Before going to St Peter’s Cathedral in 2006 he served as a parish priest in north Belfast.

Fr Kennedy is also known for appearing in the BBC documentary Choirboys, which looked at the efforts of St Peter’s Cathedral’s choir as it worked up to performing for the Pope at the Vatican.

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Protests continue, but with respect for new archbishop

GUAM
KUAM

Updated: Dec 04, 2016

By Krystal Paco

No offense to the new leadership at the helm of the Archdiocese of Agana, but protests will continue outside the Dulce Nombre De Maria Cathedral-Basilica every Sunday morning…with a slight change.

Sunday morning mass at the cathedral was more packed than usual, as Lou Klitzkie, the founder of the Laity Forward Movement, said, “We came out here today to picket for 20 minutes and then we’re going to mass.” She said it’s a gesture of good faith and welcome to Guam’s new coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes that they retire their signs early enough to attend mass and listen to the Gospel.

“We want to give Archbishop Byrnes a chance. We want to work with him. So we’ll give him that chance,” she added. The memo was sent to Archbishop Byrnes on December 4 and signed-off by Concerned Catholics of Guam president David Sablan, as well as Klitzkie. Both groups have spearheaded the weekly pickets since June and have had most of their demands met in recent months, including the restoration of Monsignor James Benavente and Father Paul Gofigan as well as the takeback of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona.

The letter to Archbishop Byrnes notes that only one demand has yet to be met – that’s to defrock Archbishop Anthony Apuron. “We’re going to continue picketing as long as Archbishop Apuron still holds the title of archbishop,” she said.

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Notorious paedophile Brian Spillane convicted of more Stannies sex assaults

AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

Stephanie Gardiner

Notorious paedophile and former priest Brian Joseph Spillane​ has been found guilty of a string of sexual assaults on students at St Stanislaus College in Bathurst, it can now be revealed.

There has been a complete black-out on Spillane’s cases, which have been running in Sydney courts over several years, including two consecutive trials this year.

In the Downing Centre District Court on Monday, Judge Robyn Tupman​ revoked the series of non-publication orders that has been in force during court proceedings since 2013.

A jury last week found the 73-year-old guilty of 11 charges, including sexual assault, indecent assault and buggery on four students at the boys’ school in central west NSW between 1976 and 1988.

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December 4, 2016

46 Claims Filed in 2 Months to Priest Abuse Victims Program

NEW YORK
ABC News

By JENNIFER PELTZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Dec 4, 2016

It took 30 years for a former student to be ready to report he’d been sexually abused by a respected Roman Catholic priest on high school trips. But it didn’t take long to realize the priest wouldn’t be held accountable in court.

Though the church said investigators found the allegations credible, the accuser couldn’t sue or press criminal charges, mainly because of the passage of time.

Instead, he’s looking to a new compensation process set up by the Archdiocese of New York, potentially the most extensive effort of its kind to date. Some 46 people have filed claims in under two months, and the total could at least triple.

The program lets people take claims, often too old for court, to a noted outside mediator while keeping painful details private.

Yet victims’ advocates are wary, noting that the archdiocese hasn’t given any estimate of the payouts or the total it will spend. Some activists see the program as a church tactic to shield information about the handling of problem priests and counter pressure to let decades-old child sexual abuse cases go to court.

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Protests pause to recognize Byrnes

GUAM
Guam Daily Post

Neil Pang | Post News Staff

The ever-present picket line that has become a mainstay of morning Mass outside the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica yesterday presented an olive branch to newly-arrived Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes when protestors concluded their march early in order to attend Mass.

The protests, which have been ongoing since June, have taken issue with a number of concerns including the property dispute over the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona, the ousting of Archbishop Anthony Apuron, the passage of child sexual abuse Bill 326 and even outgoing apostolic administrator Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai when he failed to respond to their complaints.

In the past weeks as church leadership addressed protestors’ concerns, members of the lay organizations Concerned Catholics of Guam and Laity Forward Movement have focused their grievances and stated they will continue protesting until Apuron is formally removed of his title as Archbishop of Agana.

‘Let’s give him a chance’

While leadership within the lay organizations have stated their intent to continue the protests, they also say they have expressed their hope by putting their protests on hold for Byrnes’ first Sunday Mass.

“Let’s give him a chance,” said former Sen. Bob Klitzkie of Byrnes’ appointment.

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TV choir priest Fr Hugh Kennedy quizzed over sex assault

NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph

By Ciaran Barnes, Chief Reporter
PUBLISHED
04/12/2016

A prominent TV priest who has publicly claimed never to have “molested a child” has been questioned by police about sexual assault.

Sunday Life can reveal that Fr Hugh Kennedy — the former Administrator of St Peter’s Cathedral in west Belfast and star of BBC television documentary Choirboys — was quizzed by detectives last month.

The 59-year-old has been suspended from clerical duties until the investigation is concluded.

PSNI Detective Inspector Zoe McKee said: “Police investigating a report of a sexual assault allegation interviewed a male on November 7, 2016.

“Inquiries into this matter are ongoing.”

A spokesman for the Down and Connor Diocese of the Catholic Church confirmed Fr Kennedy has been withdrawn from ministry.

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How Survivors of Sexual Violence Have Responded to Trump’s Presidential Victory

UNITED STATES
AlterNet

By Nora Jacques / AlterNet November 30, 2016

Note: The last names of survivors have not been mentioned for privacy reasons.

Since President-elect Donald Trump’s shocking victory, protests have erupted in cities across the United States, but for survivors of sexual violence Trump’s victory has had deeper, more personal implications. ‘Locker room talk’ left survivors of abuse shaken as Trump nears his term during the election.

“I felt kind of powerless, but I’ve had a range of emotions for these last few days,” said survivor and student activist, Maddy, 21, whose last name she asked not to be shared. “It was infuriating that this person who was making these awful comments was a perpetrator of violence and was not acknowledging his assault.”

Before the election, the public dialogue about the alleged sexually aggressive behavior of the Republican presidential candidate had seemed, in retrospect, only temporary. However, Trump’s unexpected victory has divided the nation.

“I had the strongest PTSD symptoms I’d had in years. I felt nauseated, disoriented, depressed,” said Heather, 32, a survivor of sexual violence who left town once she discovered Trump won the election. Heather lived in a red state. “I saw neighbors with Trump signs and I just felt unsafe. I had to get away, so now I’m in L.A.”

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Church in Australia Removes References to Christ, Steers Clear of Religious Symbols

AUSTRALIA
Christian Today

Andre Mitchell 04 December 2016

The third largest church in Australia is reportedly shying away from any references to Jesus Christ and supposedly also steering clear of religious symbols as part of its rebranding and new advertising strategy.

Australia’s Uniting Church adopted a new public relations strategy scrapping faith-based language, primarily to distance itself from allegations of child sexual abuse that has tarred the reputation of religious institutions, the Herald Sun reported.

Peter Worland, executive director of Uniting, which acts as the services and advocacy arm of the church, acknowledged these changes.

“You are right to highlight that sometimes we do not mention Christ’s name in our advertising,” Worland was quoted by the Herald Sun as saying. “Since the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, faith-based organisations like ours are perceived pejoratively. So, sometimes we are overt with our religious language, sometimes we are not.”

He nevertheless said the Uniting Church is not entirely abandoning religious symbols. For instance, he said the new logo still has a crucifix in it.

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Music Teacher Dismissed from Two Catholic Schools

WORCESTER (MA)
Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester

December 3, 2016

December 3, 2016, WORCESTER, MA — Mr. Derek P. Sylvester, a part-time music and theater arts teacher at St. Mary Elementary School in Shrewsbury and St. Joseph Elementary School in Webster, has been terminated from his positions due to allegations of sexual abuse reported to have occurred in the early 1990’s, prior to his employment at the schools. No information has come to the attention of either school of any untoward behavior by Mr. Sylvester while employed at any parish or diocesan school, nor as to any student of any of such school.

On November 7, 2016, Ms. Judith Audette, LICSW, Victim’s Assistance Coordinator for the Office of Healing and Prevention of the Diocese of Worcester, received a confidential report made by the alleged victim, now an adult, who claims that the incidents had taken place in the early 1990’s.

In keeping with its policies, the Diocese of Worcester promptly reported the allegation to the Worcester District Attorney’s office. Following subsequent conversations with the alleged victim by Ms. Audette, representatives of the schools informed Mr. Sylvester on November 10 of the receipt of an allegation of abuse and placed him on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. His being placed on leave was done as a matter of policy and so as to allow completion of the investigation, rather than as a disciplinary measure. During that investigation, Mr. Sylvester was informed in detail of the allegation, given the opportunity to respond and denied that any sexual abuse had occurred.

On December 2, Mr. Sylvester was dismissed based on the Superintendent’s administrative investigation and recommendation. No definitive judgment has been made as to whether Mr. Sylvester had committed the alleged offenses, but the allegation was deemed more likely than not to be true and that his continued employment would present an unreasonable risk to students. He had remained on paid administrative leave until that time and had not been present in either of the schools since November 10.

Parents at both schools were notified of the decision by email and/or letter following the dismissal. This is a troubling matter for all involved and counseling services are being made available at both school communities if requested by students, their families or staff.

The diocesan Victim’s Assistance Coordinator can be contacted at 508-929-4363 if anyone has questions regarding the policy or any specific concerns regarding potential abuse of a child.

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Teacher in Shrewsbury, Webster is fired after 1990s sex abuse reported

WORCESTER (MA)
Telegram & Gazette

By Elaine Thompson
Telegram & Gazette Staff

WORCESTER — A local Catholic school teacher has been fired after allegations of sexual abuse that reportedly occurred in the early 1990s.

The alleged sexual abuse occurred before Derek P. Sylvester became a part-time music and theater arts teacher at St. Mary Elementary School in Shrewsbury and St. Joseph Elementary School in Webster, Raymond Delisle, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester, said in a press release Saturday morning. He said that no information has come to the attention of either school of any inappropriate behavior by Mr. Sylvester while employed at any parish or diocesan school or toward any students of the schools.

Mr. Sylvester, who is from Worcester, has taught at the schools for about three years.

The allegations came to light Nov. 7, when the alleged victim, now an adult, made a report to Judith Audette, the Diocese’s Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Office of Healing and Prevention. The alleged victim said the incidents had taken place in the early 1990s.

Mr. Sylvester was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 10, after the allegations were reported to the Worcester District Attorney’s office. He denied the accusations during an internal investigation and was subsequently terminated Friday, Dec. 2.

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Province, archdiocese face class action lawsuit on behalf of Indigenous former students of St. Eustache school

CANADA
CBC News

Two former students are launching a class action lawsuit over physical, sexual and emotional abuse they say they experienced at St. Eustache School in Saint Eustache, Man., throughout the 1960s at the hands of nuns who ran the school and a priest in the community.

The former students are suing the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, the Archdiocese of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba on behalf of all Indigenous and Métis children who attended the school between 1960 and 1983, according to a statement of claim filed to the Court of Queen’s Bench on Nov. 25.

According to the statement, children of Indigenous or Métis descent who resided in or around Saint Eustache, Man., were made to attend the school during the period, including the two plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs are a man and a woman who both attended the school for six years in the 1960s. The male plaintiff attended from age eight to 14, and the female plaintiff attended from age six to 12.

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December 3, 2016

FORT BEND COUNTY ASSISTANT PASTOR CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD

TEXAS
ABC 13

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) — An assistant pastor has been charged with sexual assault of a child, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.

Authorities arrested Daniel Carrel, 27, for his alleged assault of a 14-year-old girl. He is the assistant pastor at the Sienna Ranch Baptist Church.

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Pädophilie-Skandal erfunden: Ex-Priester in Haft

ROM
Katholisch

[A former priest from Rome was sentenced to barely seven years imprisonment for defamation. In 2013, he is alleged to have said falsely that several clergy had abused children.]

Rom – 02.12.2016

Ein römischer Ex-Priester, der andere Geistliche fälschlich des Kindesmissbrauchs bezichtigt hatte, ist wegen schwerer Verleumdung zu knapp sieben Jahren Haft verurteilt worden. Ein Strafgericht in Rom befand den Mann am Freitag für schuldig, systematisch falsche Aussagen zu angeblichen Pädophilie-Fällen konstruiert und Zeugen beeinflusst zu haben. Der Verurteilte war seinerseits 2007 wegen sexueller Vergehen an Minderjährigen aus dem Klerikerstand entlassen worden und saß bereits eine mehrjährige Gefängnisstrafe ab.

Mehreren Geistlichen Kindesmissbrauch nachgesagt

2013 hatte der Ex-Geistliche mehreren römische Priestern Kindesmissbrauch nachgesagt, darunter persönlichen Mitarbeitern von zwei Kardinälen. Demnach hätten die Beschuldigten einen Zuhälterring gebildet, um Minderjährige anzulocken und Klerikern zuzuführen. Papst Franziskus hatte sich in einem ungewöhnlichen Schritt im März 2014 von dem ehemaligen Priester distanziert und den römischen Klerus öffentlich in Schutz genommen.

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“Das Thema ist noch längst nicht durch”

DEUTSCHLAND
Katholisch

[Bishop Stephan Ackermann: The protection of children and young people must remain a hallmark of the Catholic Church, with the result that “it is doubly fatal if we fail.” \

Köln – 02.12.2016

Sexueller Missbrauch, Gewalt, Mobbing, Hasskommentare – sicher gibt es schönere Themen, mit denen man sich tagein, tagaus beschäftigen kann. Und dann bekommen katholische Missbrauchs- und Kinderschutzexperten auch noch regelmäßig Sätze zu hören wie “Jetzt muss es aber bald mal gut sein mit dem Thema!” Doch “das Thema ist noch längst nicht durch”, bringt der Trierer Bischof Stephan Ackermann die Antwort der Fachleute auf den Punkt. Und beschränkt das nicht auf Missbrauchsfragen, denn auch Themen wie Gewalt, Mobbing oder Chancen und Risiken moderner Medien gehören für ihn dazu.

Ackermann ist nicht nur Missbrauchsbeauftragter der Bischofskonferenz, sondern auch Leiter der bischöflichen Arbeitsgruppe zum Kinder- und Jugendschutz. Und die hat zur ersten bundesweiten Tagung rund um das Thema nach Köln eingeladen. Für Fachleute aus Jugend-, Sport- und Behindertenverbänden, aus Caritas, Orden, Pfarreien, Hilfswerken und Schulen.

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Archdiocese’s bankruptcy costs approach $12 million

MINNESOTA
Post-Bulletin

A federal judge on Dec. 8 will consider millions of dollars more in payments to attorneys and other professionals working on the bankruptcy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

The latest requests for fees and expenses total $4.5 million. If the requests are granted, that would bring the tab for legal and related professional service costs for the bankruptcy to about $12 million.

The archdiocese is responsible not only for payment of its attorneys but also those representing creditors.

The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy nearly two years ago. The church’s most recent reorganization plan would provide $130 million in compensation to clergy abuse victims.

But an attorney for abuse survivors says insurance companies for the archdiocese should put more money into a settlement.

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CAR DEALER INDICTED, FERGUSON DOCUMENTARY AT SUNDANCE, NEWSWEEK’S OOPS

MISSOURI
Berger’s Beat

. .In a downtown courtroom, KC barrister (and Southwest Baptist College trustee) Rebecca Randles asked our town’s Judge Moriarty to keep alive Tom Viviano’s civil case against Fr. Charles M. DeGuire and St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson. The suit alleges the priest molested a child and that church officials could have stopped it. DeGuire worked at churches in U. City, Perryville and near Jefferson City.

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Church apology for a 14-year sexual relationship an Australian first

AUSTRALIA
The Age

Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker

Just after 10am on Sunday, inside Victoria’s oldest and busiest Catholic church, the congregation will hear something extraordinarily rare.

A senior church official will tell those seated in the pews at St Francis on Lonsdale Street that their one-time priest, Tom Knowles, has become the first in Australia to be defrocked for having a “long-term inappropriate sexual relationship” with a woman.

The church official will also say sorry to that woman in public.

“On behalf of the Australian Province of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, I wish to apologise to Jennifer Herrick for the pain and suffering she experienced,” reads a copy of the apology, which has been obtained by Fairfax Media.

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Instructor at Archbishop Carroll High School in D.C. charged with sexually abusing student

WASHINGTON (DC)
Washington Post

By Peter Hermann December 2

A former athletic trainer at Archbishop Carroll High School has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing a female student at the Catholic school in Northeast Washington, according to D.C. police and the archdiocese.

Jimmy Augustin, 33, is charged with a single misdemeanor count of sexual abuse of a minor. He was arrested Thursday and could make an initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Friday. Police listed an address for him in Fort Washington, Md.

Police said in a statement that the alleged abuse occurred at the school, in the 4300 block of Harewood Road NE, near Catholic University of America, between September and October. The school has 385 students.

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Washington said Augustin taught one class in addition to athletic training. A statement from the archdiocese says Augustin has been fired.

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Athletic trainer at DC Catholic school charged with sexual abuse

WASHINGTON (DC)
WTOP

By Mike Murillo | @MikeMurilloWTOP
December 2, 2016

WASHINGTON — A former athletic trainer at an area Catholic high school has been charged with sexually abusing a female student.

On Thursday, D.C. police arrested Jimmy Augustin, 33, of Fort Washington, Maryland, after investigators believe he had sexual contact with a student between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31.

The alleged inappropriate encounters, according to police, occurred at Archbishop Carroll High School in Northeast D.C.

The Archdiocese of Washington, which operates the school, said in a statement that it’s aware of Augustin’s arrest and has been cooperating with police in their investigation.

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Fort Bend County pastor charged with sexually assaulting 14 year old

TEXAS
KHOU

MISSOURI CITY, Texas – A Fort Bend County pastor has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Daniel Carrel, 27, is an assistant pastor at Sienna Ranch Baptist Church. He faces multiple counts of sexual assault, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators said they got a tip from the victim’s mother on Wednesday and on Friday they arrested Carrel.

The mother told investigators she noticed some suspicious conversations between her daughter and the pastor on the teen’s phone.

The two were communicating through social media, she said. Carrel has confessed to having sex with the 14-year-old, authorities said.

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Assistant pastor at Sienna Plantation church accused of sex with underage girl

TEXAS
Click2Houston

[with video]

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – A youth minister at a church in Fort Bend County is accused of having sex with an underage girl several times.

Daniel Carrel, 27, has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault of a minor, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls said Carrel sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl who was a member of his church, Sienna Ranch Baptist Church, which is located on the 9000 black of Sienna Ranch Road in the Sienna Plantation subdivision.

“The girl is from the Sienna Plantation area,” Nehls said.

Nehls told KPRC2 his office was given the case Wednesday. Deputies arrested Carrel Friday evening.

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Hon talks about Apuron, Byrnes, Guam-Rome link

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Haidee V Eugenio , heugenio@guampdn.com December 3, 2016

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai said Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron had more than a year, from early 2015, to prove to the Vatican he could improve his weak pastoral governance and unify the Catholic Church on Guam.

But Apuron failed to heed the calls, and the subsequent public allegations that Apuron sexually abused Agat altar boys in the 1970s made matters worse for him, Hon said.

Concerns about Apuron’s pastoral governance included his failure to constantly communicate with the Vatican and his own archdiocesan priests, and playing favoritism toward one group, Hon said.

Apuron’s health problems and actions, including calling his sex abuse accusers in 2014 and 2016 liars and threatening to sue them, gave the Vatican more reasons to find a successor for him as early as 2015.

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Ex-Teacher at Archbishop Carroll High School in DC Accused of Sexually Abusing Student

WASHINGTON
NBC Washington

[with video]

A teacher and coach at Archbishop Carroll High School in Northeast D.C. has been fired after police arrested him on charges he sexually abused a student at the school.

Jimmy Augustin, 33, is accused of having “sexual contact” with a 17-year-old girl at least two separate times, once in early September and another time at the end of October. Both incidents happened at the Catholic school at 4300 Harewood Rd. NE, police said.

Augustin, of Fort Washington, Maryland, was arrested on Thursday and charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse of a minor, police said.

He was listed as “Head Athletic Trainer” and “Science Teacher” on the school’s website.

According to court documents, Augustin and the student denied anything inappropriate

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High Court asks CBI to expedite probe against Mose Ministries

INDIA
The Hindu

Says the right to a fair trial cannot be separated from the right to a speedy trial

Observing that the right of an accused to fair trial includes the right to speedy trial also, the Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to expedite the probe into the affairs of an unregistered home for girls run by Pastor Gideon Jacob of Tiruchi-based Mose Ministries. The CBI should file its final report before the jurisdictional court, preferably within nine months.

Disposing of a public interest litigation petition filed by an NGO accusing the pastor of running an unauthorised home, Justices S. Nagamuthu and M.V. Muralidaran ordered the CBI Director to entrust the case to a women officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.

This was necessary as the charges included trafficking and sexual abuse of girls.

The judges rejected the CBI special prosecutor’s request to permit the existing investigating officer to continue with the assistance of a woman officer.

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Registered sex offender arrested for child porn while working at Albuquerque church

NEW MEXICO
KRQE

[with video]

By Haley Rush
Published: December 2, 2016

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A registered sex offender is behind bars for distributing child porn. Investigators said it all happened while he was working and living at an Albuquerque church.

Sandia Valley Nazarene Church in the South Valley is also home to convicted sex offender, Randal Paul.

According to a criminal complaint, Paul and his wife moved from California to Albuquerque in 2011 to live and volunteer at the church.

The complaint said Paul did maintenance and even helped prepare sermons.

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Patrick Murphy: Pope’s visit will do little to tackle challenges facing Church

IRELAND
The Irish News

Patrick Murphy
03 December, 2016

BAD news for some Protestant graffiti artists: they may soon have to replace the traditional “No Pope here” with “Pope here – but not for very long”.

Yes, the Pope is coming to Ireland. Northern nationalists are celebrating their prediction that he will come north, which suggests that they do not see the north as part of Ireland. (It’s a bit like the way they used to complain about the British army occasionally crossing the border. It implied that the army had a right to be in the north.)

So, apart from re-writing some slogans, what will a papal visit mean for Ireland, north and south? The answer is that its legacy will probably be more political than religious. …

While the Pope’s visit is part of a worthy programme of renewing family pastoral care, his visit has a significant political dimension. Five years ago, Enda Kenny and the Dáil accused the Vatican of obstructing investigations into sexual abuse by priests, following publication of a damning report on Cloyne diocese. Ireland and the Vatican later withdrew their respective ambassadors.

Having welcomed Kenny to the Vatican this week, the Pope is visiting Ireland to mend diplomatic fences. But while diplomacy will address the Vatican’s concerns, it will do little to tackle the two main challenges facing the Irish Church.

The first is that many of the faithful and former faithful no longer have the same trust or belief in the organisation following its handling of the child sex abuse scandal. Secondly, in a period of all-island austerity and associated deprivation, the Church has rendered itself increasingly irrelevant, by offering neither explanation nor solution to the growing imbalance of wealth.

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