ABUSE TRACKER

AUSTRALIA
The Age

April 13, 2016

Bianca Hall
Legal Affairs Reporter for The Age

Lawyers for Cardinal George Pell have sought to discredit a witness at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse on Wednesday, persuading Justice Peter McClellan to publicly release a document they say calls into question the testimony of a man whose brother was allegedly abused by disgraced Ballarat Christian Brother Edward Dowlan.

Cardinal Pell’s lawyer Sam Duggan also claimed the man, known only as BWF, was an unreliable witness.

But Justice McClellan said he was only releasing the document – a judge’s courtroom remarks sentencing BWF for an unrelated crime years later – in the interests of openness and transparency.

BWF clashed with Mr Duggan at an earlier hearing of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in December, when he told the commission he had told church authorities in 1973 his younger brother BWG was brutally bashed and molested by disgraced brother Edward Dowlan.

BWF said he had discovered that his brother had been sent to a doctor because an attack from Dowlan had left his legs and buttocks severely bruised. He assumed at the time that he had also been sexually assaulted because Dowlan’s abusive behaviour was then common knowledge among students.

Dowlan is currently serving a minimum of three years in jail for abusing 20 young boys.

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NEW JERSEY
Observer-Tribune

By CHRISTINE LEE Staff Writer

HARDING TWP. – The at-times thorny relationship between the Catholic Church in the U.S. and state authorities was the topic of a program Sunday led by a Seton Hall University professor at a Harding church.

Speaking in front of a group of around 20 people, Madison resident and former Councilwoman JoRenee Formicola, a professor of political science, spoke about issues of clerical sexual abuse in a program at the First Presbyterian Church of New Vernon, Lee’s Hill Road.

Formicola’s 2014 book “Clerical Sexual Abuse: How the Crisis Changed U.S. Catholic Church-State Relations,” analyzes the struggle between church leaders and civil authorities in dealing with the treatment of clergy members accused of sexual abuse.

Published by Palgrave-Macmillan, the book is written based on grand jury hearings, criminal investigations, civil lawsuits, as well as news and media reports. The book explains the personal, political, legal and institutional dimensions of the crisis.

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POLAND
Inside Poland

A former archbishop who resigned amid allegations that he forced homosexual attentions on trainee priests is to play a key role in a holy mass in Poznań marking the 1050th anniversary of the baptism of Poland.

Father Juliusz Paetz stepped down after the newspaper Rzeczpospolita published allegations of sexual abuse in 2002. The newspaper reported that the then archbishop’s ‘proclivities’ had been known by the authorities at his seminary for some time, and that former pope John Paul II was ‘shocked’ to hear the revelations.

Father Paetz denied all allegations of sexual abuse, yet resigned from his post as Archbishop of Poznań. He was banned from administering holy communion, preaching and acts of consecration.

Now, it has emerged that Father Paetz will play a key role in the mass celebrating the baptism of Poland. His participation has been defended by senator Jan Maria Jackowski, of the League of Polish Families party (Liga Polskich Rodzin), closely affiliated with the Law and Justice government and the Church in Poland.

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FRANKRIJK
kerknet

De Franse katholieke Kerk kondigt nultolerantie en een onafhankelijk onderzoek aan. Nieuwe regels moeten alle wantrouwen en verdachtmakingen wegnemen.

De Franse bisschoppen hebben vandaag dinsdag op een persconferentie een nieuwe reeks maatregelen aangekondigd in de strijd tegen het seksueel misbruik van minderjarigen door katholieke geestelijken. De aankondiging komt er na een aantal gevallen van misbruik en onthullingen de afgelopen maanden, waarbij vooral de leiding van het aartsbisdom Lyon ernstig in opspraak kwam.

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TEXAS
South Bend Tribune

South Bend Tribune Report

SAN ANTONIO — A former University of Notre Dame theology professor accused of sexually abusing a boy in the 1980s characterized his suicide as “a farewell gift” he hoped would “bring healing to anyone that (he) might have hurt.”

That is according to a suicide letter an attorney for the Rev. Virgilio Elizondo’s accuser released to the San Antonio Express-News, the paper reported Tuesday.

Elizondo shot himself in the head and died March 14, according to San Antonio police. Elizondo was found with a suicide letter nearby and his finger still on the trigger, the Express-News reported.

In life, the 80-year-old Elizondo had vehemently denied the allegations put forth by a San Antonio man in a lawsuit. The man, who has not been identified, lived in a San Antonio orphanage as a child. The accuser says he was the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of another priest, the Rev. Jesus Armando Dominguez, from 1980 to 1983. The accuser says he sought counsel in 1983 from Elizondo, who was then a priest at the San Fernando Cathedral, about what Dominguez had done to him, but Elizondo kissed and fondled him. The man’s lawsuit named both priests and the Archdiocese of San Antonio as defendants. …

Full text of Father Elizondo’s letter

FAREWELL

For the past several weeks I have had the blessing of having plenty of time reflecting deeply upon the mystery of my entire life. It has been joyful and sad, inspiring and disastrous. Many thoughts have come into my mind: beautiful and ugly, life-giving and death-bearing, silly and profound, virtuous and sinful, insight and blindness, I am grateful for all my life (80), especially for my 52 years of priesthood. God has been so good!

In spite of my sinfulness, I have lived a life totally dedicated to serving others – especially the elderly, the immigrant, the minorities and the poor. My trust in the absolute goodness, mercy and love of God remains steady, I am most grateful!!!!

Now, I am very tired, fatigued and empty. My body is falling apart, my knees are giving in, my kidneys are beginning to fail, and my eyes are fading and other complications.

How best can I be of service? At this time it is by offering my life as a final gift. I freely choose my moment and way of giving my life to others. This is not a suicide but a farewell gift. I pray that the gift of my life may bring healing to anyone that I might have hurt.

“Greater love no one has, then to lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

To anyone whom I have ever offended, I beg your forgiveness and mercy. It was never my intention to hurt anyone. My greatest pain is that I have hurt others, especially those I love the most. I am a sinner in need of forgiveness and mercy.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Fox 43

APRIL 12, 2016, BY HOWARD SHEPPARD

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The State House has passed a bill that would reform the statute of limitations regarding child sexual abuse cases. The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin County, and Rep. Joseph Petrarca, D-Westmoreland/Armstrong/Juniata counties.

“This is an important bill for Pennsylvania children,” said Rep. Joseph Petrarca, Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “Not only does it help to protect our children, it also allows child sex abuse survivors to seek justice.”

The bill would abolish the criminal statute of limitations for future criminal prosecutions for serious child sexual abuse crimes relating to human trafficking, sexual servitude, rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, aggravated indecent sexual assault and incest. The bill also would waive sovereign immunity for state and local public institutions in cases of gross negligence, which would allow civil cases to be filed against them.

It also would increase the length of time, from age 30 to age 50, for when child sexual abuse victims could file civil claims. As amended by the House Monday, this provision would be retroactive, so that civil suits could be filed no matter when the crime occurred, as long as the survivor meets the age criteria.

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PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive

By Ivey DeJesus | idejesus@pennlive.com

Following a poignant debate on the House floor, Pennsylvania lawmakers by an overwhelming majority voted Tuesday to advance a measure that would allow a generation of victims of child sexual abuse to seek justice.

After years of failed efforts by advocates to reform laws applying to child sex crimes, House lawmakers voted 180-15 to approve a bill that will — if approved by the Senate — eliminate criminal statute of limitations on future child sex abuse crimes and amend civil statutes.

Under the bill, the criminal statutes applied child sex abuse crimes would fall under the same parameters applied to murder: The statutes would never expire.

Civil statutes would extend from the present age 30 to 50. The bill would also retroactively extend civil statutes that expired at a victim’s age 30 to 50.

For victims’ advocates, Tuesday’s vote stands as a watershed moment in the protracted effort to reform Pennsylvania’s law.

“The victims have waited long enough…it’s time to vote,” said Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks), concluding an emotional final appeal to House colleagues to pass the measure. Rozzi twice during the debate session shared graphic accounts of his abuse and that of his friends at the hands of a predator priest.

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PENNSYLVANIA
York Daily Record

Mary Wilson, mary_wilson@witf.org April 12, 2016

A major change to the state’s statute of limitations in child sex abuse cases is headed to the state Senate, after receiving final approval from House lawmakers.

By a vote of 180-15, the House passed a plan to erase the time limit on criminal child sex abuse cases going forward and let victims bring civil suits until their 50th birthday, an extension of 20 years. The measure would also allow victims to sue institutions that harbored their abusers.

At one point during debate, members suggested delaying their vote to review constitutional concerns. The motion was vehemently rejected by the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks), who has made his own story of being sexually abused by a childhood priest central to his support of statute of limitations changes.

“These victims have been through enough. They have been abused, they have been lied to, their stories have been covered up!” said Rozzi, shouting into the microphone on the House floor. “And there has been institution and public corruption that has denied them justice!”

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PENNSYLVANIA
The Morning Call

Steve EsackContact Reporter
Call Harrisburg Bureau

PA House votes to extend statute of limitations in criminal and civil cases of child sex abuse

HARRISBURG — Last-minute attempts to postpone and stop a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for child sex-abuse cases failed Tuesday in the House.

And they failed by wide margins as a majority of Republican and Democratic lawmakers united behind a belief they had the power and duty to atone for the past and make a better future for victims of child sex abuse.

The bill would eliminate a legal time limit on when child abusers can be prosecuted for future crimes, and would give victims of past abuse more time to file civil lawsuits against their abusers and any employers who might have enabled the abuse.

The measure now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to face intense opposition from Catholic-based and insurance-related lobbying groups.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Philly.com

by Angela Couloumbis, HARRISBURG BUREAU

HARRISBURG – In a stunning ideological shift, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Tuesday approved legislation to abolish the statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes and increase the legal window for victims to file civil claims against their abusers.

The bill, versions of which have languished for years in the legislature, now heads to the Senate. If it is approved in that chamber, it could potentially open the door for hundreds of victims who say the old statute of limitations shut them out from seeking justice against their abusers.

“You have given the children of this Commonwealth hope,” said Rep. Mark Rozzi (D., Berks), a former abuse victim himself who championed the legislation.

Under current law, child sexual abuse victims can file lawsuits against their abusers until the age of 30. They can seek criminal charges against offenders until they reach 50 years of age.

The bill passed in a 180-15 vote by the House would eliminate the statute of limitations in future criminal cases. But it would effectively be retroactive on the civil side, extending from age 30 to age 50 the amount of time for child sexual abuse victims to file civil claims.

The latter, in particular, has been a major sticking point for more than a decade, with some legislators in the House blocking any action on measures that opened windows for victims who have aged out to bring civil actions.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Houston Chronicle

Mark Scolforo, Associated Press Tuesday, April 12, 2016

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers voted Tuesday to give victims of child sexual abuse more time to sue and more time for prosecutors to bring charges against perpetrators.

The state House voted 180-15 to approve a bill that changes the age limit from 30 to 50 for people who were abused as children to bring civil lawsuits.

It applies retroactively so that past abuse victims can sue. It would also prevent organizations from claiming immunity from lawsuits when they have acted with gross negligence.

The proposal also would eliminate the statute of limitations in future criminal cases for a list of more severe crimes that involve child victims. That provision is not retroactive.

The vote followed an emotional floor speech by Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, who described in detail his own abuse as a child through his Catholic church.

“All I want is justice,” Rozzi said. “I want justice for all my friends who have been sexually abused. They knew what they did — they covered it up. And now they need to be held accountable. That’s the bottom line.”

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PENNSYLVANIA
We Are Central PA

[with video]

By Lauren Handley | lhandley@wtajtv.com
Published 04/12 2016

Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pa.

A bill to change the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution of child sex crimes is now headed to the Senate, but it didn’t pass without some challenges.

Some lawmakers said they thought it would be an easy vote. Instead, a motion to postpone the vote was brought before the House. That’s where tensions began to rise.

Representative after representative stood to support or oppose the motion.

“The reason I rise in support of this motion is that I’m getting some messages back home as to the constitutionality question on this amendment,” said representative Cris Dush, (R), of Indiana and Jefferson counties.

“I think it’s clear,” said representative Bryan Barbin, (D), of Cambria and Somerset counties. “I ask for a ‘no’ vote on the motion to postpone.”

Representative Mark Rozzi, (D), of Berks county – a victim himself of child sexual abuse – has been pushing for this bill to pass the House. When the motion to postpone was brought, Rozzi made a plea to fellow lawmakers.

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MINNESOTA
St. Cloud Times

David Unze, dunze@stcloudtimes.com April 12, 2016

Two lawsuits filed Tuesday name St. John’s Abbey’s former prior the Rev. Tom Andert as an abuser of two former students in the 1970s and early ’80s.

The lawsuits come after St. John’s Abbey and its review board previously cleared Andert by claiming the allegations against him were unsubstantiated. But the lawyer representing the men suing Andert said that abbey investigators never interviewed the victim in one of the lawsuits before declaring the allegations unsubstantiated.

Todd Belrose, who lives in Florida, identified himself as a victim of Andert’s and is suing the former prior, St. John’s Abbey, the Order of St. Benedict and St. John’s Prep School. A second lawsuit, filed by a victim identified as John Doe 324, names the same defendants.

One lawsuit accuses Andert of abuse in 1970 or 1971, while the other accuses him of abuse in 1979 or 1980. Both victims were 14 at the time and were students at the Prep School.

At a press conference Tuesday in St. Paul, Jeffrey Anderson mentioned a third victim of Andert’s, a student whom Anderson said was abused by Andert in the mid-1990s when Andert was the headmaster at the Prep School. Ben Spanier struggled with depression and unsuccessfully attempted suicide before killing himself last year, Anderson said.

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MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

Two lawsuits accuse the former prior of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., of abusing two former prep school students in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The lawsuits come after the abbey and its review board earlier this year cleared the Rev. Tom Andert, saying the allegations were unsubstantiated. Andert’s name has never been on the abbey’s list of those with credible allegations against them of the abuse of minors.

But Jeff Anderson, the lawyer representing the men suing Andert, said that abbey investigators never interviewed the victim in one of the lawsuits before declaring the allegations unsubstantiated.

The abbey issued a statement denying the allegations and saying it intends to defend both cases.

Todd Belrose, now of Florida, spoke at the news conference. He reported the abuse last year to the abbey, which put Andert on leave pending an investigation. In February 2016, the abbey issued a statement saying after a six-month investigation it determined the claim to be unsubstantiated. It then reinstated Andert. Belrose said he was not interviewed by abbey officials.

Andert also was cleared of allegations that he abused another young man in 1994.

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MINNESOTA
WJON

ST. CLOUD (AP) — Two lawsuits accuse the former prior of St. John’s Abbey of abusing two former prep school students in the 1970s and early 80s.

The lawsuits come after the abbey and its review board earlier this year cleared the Rev. Tom Andert, saying the allegations against him were unsubstantiated. Andert’s name has never been on the abbey’s list of those with credible allegations against them of the abuse of minors.

But Jeff Anderson, the lawyer representing the men suing Andert, said that abbey investigators never interviewed the victim in one of the lawsuits before declaring the allegations unsubstantiated.

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MINNESOTA
CBS Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — Fighting through tears on Tuesday, Todd Belrose recounted 35 years of pain resulting from alleged clergy sex abuse by Father Thomas Andert.

“Sadly, I just found out lately there are many more survivors, and as much as it breaks my heart, it also helps me,” Belsore said.

At a news conference announcing two newly-filed civil suits alleging priest sex abuse, Belrose and a former plaintiff said St. John’s Preparatory School priests should have helped young boys, not hurt them.

“Oh, they helped all right,” said abuse survivor Troy Bromlage. “They helped us drink more, use more and try to kill ourselves because we don’t feel whole.”

Andert was never put on the list of 18 credibly accused abbey monks that the abbey released back in 2003. That was despite the fact he was first accused of past abuse of a 14-year-old prep school student years earlier.

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TEXAS
New York Daily News

BY TOBIAS SALINGER NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Tuesday, April 12, 2016

A celebrated Texas priest confessed to sins in his suicide note but didn’t admit anything about the allegation he molested a boy who asked for his help 33 years ago.

Lawyers for an anonymous man suing Father Virgilio Elizondo, another priest and officials with their archdiocese released the typewritten one-page note Monday, the San Antonio Express-News reported. The San Antonio Police Department confirmed it provided the lawyers with the note found on the scene after Elizondo, 80, shot himself in the head March 14.

“How can I best be of service? At this time it is by offering my life as a final gift,” the note said. “I freely choose my moment and way of giving life to others. This is not a suicide but a farewell gift. I pray that the gift of my life may bring healing to anyone that I might have hurt.”

The note continued, “To anyone whom I have ever offended, I beg your forgiveness and mercy. It was never my intention to hurt anyone. My greatest pain is that I have hurt others, especially those I love the most. I am a sinner in need of forgiveness and mercy.”

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VATICAN CITY
The Week

Michael Brendan Dougherty

To a universal fanfare from the mainstream and Catholic media, Pope Francis has issued a long-awaited document, Amoris Laetitia, “the Joy of Love,” as his conclusion to the Catholic Church’s two-year Synod on the Family. But to this Catholic, the pope’s supposedly reformist document is a botch job.

For two years, bishops presented their respective cases for two contradicting views of marriage, re-marriage, and the Church’s own sacraments. Pope Francis didn’t choose between these two options. He chose them both. The pope did not effect some grand synthesis. He merely gave his imprimatur to the Church’s own confused practice on these matters and, more frighteningly, to its self-doubt.

As a result, the Joy of Love reads as an admission that God, as Catholics understand him, really isn’t merciful or gracious to poor sinners. So priests should try to do better from now on.

All of this requires some explanation. While the document spends hundreds of pages, some of them quite good, and others quite banal, on the meaning of Christian marriage and family life, the headlines and anxiety all revolve around one topic. The “Great Matter” of the two-year Synod on the Family came down to one question: Can the divorced and re-married receive holy communion without obtaining an annulment or otherwise amending their life?

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FLORIDA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Tuesday, April 12, 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)

A predator priest from the Altoona Pennsylvania area identified last month in a grand jury report now lives in Orlando. We urge Orlando Bishop John Noonan to aggressively seek out anyone in Florida who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes.

He is Fr. Martin D. McCamley. A grand jury convened by Pennsylvania’s attorney general found that:

–Fr. McCamley was a sexual partner of another Pennsylvania priest, Father James Bunn,

–The two of them sexually abused the same child, which was “coordinated on the part of McCamley and Bunn.”

–The priest’s “proclivity to engage in impermissible sexual conduct was an open joke among diocesan officials,”

–Fr. McCamley “was infuriated” when one victim “rebuffed” him and the priest “began to retaliate against the boy by criticizing him in choir,” and

–Fr. McCamley was once taken to a hospital with a bleeding rectum.

[BishopAccountability.org]

In 1981, when Fr. McCamley was vice principal of a Catholic High School, he was reported to the bishop for allegedly molesting a boy but the bishop “dismissed the complaint outright.” Catholic officials kept Fr. McCamley on the job, which “endangered children for another 25 years,” the grand jury found.

Since the Vatican hasn’t defrocked Fr. McCamley, as best we can tell, he’s still a priest.

In the face of all this, it’s immoral for Noonan to passively sit in his office and do nothing.

This isn’t rocket science. Noonan knows what a caring shepherd would do here. Noonan should personally go to each parish where Fr. McCamley worked, look his flock in the eye, and beg them – clearly and emphatically – to call police if they have any knowledge or suspicions about Fr. McCamley’s crimes.”

The bishop should also turn any records he may have about Fr. McCamley to law enforcement agencies. And Noonan should use his website, diocesan newspaper and parish bulletins to reach out to

The bishop has a public relations staff. It would be quick, simple and easy for him to stand up before cameras and say ‘I worry that Fr. McCamley may still be hurting kids. I implore you to call police and prosecutors now if you saw, suspected or suffered his crimes.’ How hard is this?”

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KENTUCKY
WDRB

[with video]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Sexual abuse survivors and their families grabbed the attention of people walking by the KFC Yum! Center on Tuesday.

That’s where a large Protestant pastors conference is being held.

The protesters claim churches hide sexual predators and want to raise awareness that it’s a serious problem.

They’re upset that one of the guest speakers, C.J. Mahaney, is accused of covering up sex abuse at his church.

One family drove all the way from Maryland to protest him being part of the conference.

Their daughter was sexually abused.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Foundation to Abolish Child Sex Abuse

Rep. Mark Rozzi making final remarks before the vote is called on HB 1947.

I hope some of you were able to watch the debate yesterday and today on line. There are days when we we can feel that we are not alone, days that legislators can be won over with the argument calling them to do the right thing for victims of past sexual abuse and to help protect children today and in the future, days that politics can be used for good.

Today was one of those days.

While the battle is not over, we celebrate today because here in PA, #SOLReform legislation has taken a big step further.

And we would be remiss if we didn’t say a BIG thank you to all of you who helped make this happen. Each call, each email you write does, in fact, make a difference.

Marie Whitehead
Communication Coordinator FACSA

“““““““““““
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 12, 2016

Contact: John Salveson at 215-870-0680 salveson@abolishsexabuse.org

Foundation to Abolish Child Sex Abuse (FACSA) Statement Regarding the Passage of PA HB 1947 today.

BRYN MAWR, PA – John Salveson, President of FACSA (Foundation to Abolish Child Sex Abuse) released the following statement regarding passage of HB 1947.

“Today we have witnessed a major step forward in our battle to find justice for the victims of child sex abuse in Pennsylvania. HB 1947 is not perfect – but it provides an opportunity for justice for child sex abuse victims, who would have the ability, under the law, to bring civil suits against the people who abused them and the institutions which sheltered those abusers.

This bill would not exist without the courageous, relentless support of Rep. Mark Rozzi. He has played a leadership role for the several years in advocating for the reform of outdated statute of limitations related to child sex abuse. We salute his bravery and determination. He is a champion for the rights of children in our Commonwealth. We also commend Rep. Thomas Murt for his advocacy and commitment to this cause.

The bill will now go to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration. We are confident that Chairman Stewart Greenleaf will lend his support to quickly moving the bill to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Senator Greenleaf has worked to protect children from abuse for decades, and was among the first in the Commonwealth to advocate for progressive laws related to child sex abuse.

FACSA will continue to press for the passage of this and other laws to protect children. The time is long overdue for Pennsylvania to support those who have been abused rather than their abusers.”

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OREGON
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Tuesday, April 12, 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 applaud the brave Oregon man who is suing the First Assembly of God officials for committing and concealing child sex crimes. Civil lawsuits often seem to be the only way to expose “enablers,” the employees who ignored or hid knowledge of or suspicions about horrific abuse of kids. And these suits perform a valuable public service by deterring other supervisors and colleagues who may be tempted to turn a blind eye to abuse or worse, help keep it under wraps.

The case is W.J. v. First Assembly of God of Albany, et al., filed today in Multnomah County (Circuit Ct. Case No. 16CV11965). It’s being handled by Portland attorneys Gilion Dumas (503-952-6789, gilion@dumaslawgroup.com) and Ashley Vaughn (931-206-0090, ashley@dumaslawgroup.com).

Sadly, abuse and cover up are far more common than any of us realize or would like to admit, especially in churches and especially in the more insular and conservative denominations like the Assemblies of God. It takes real courage for any victim of sexual violence to speak up. And it takes real compassion for victims to take legal action so that other vulnerable kids are protected and other wounded adults can heal. So again, we are deeply grateful that this man has found the strength to step forward and the wisdom to expose wrongdoers in court.

No matter what happens in court, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in Assemblies churches or institutions – especially byGantt and Todd Clark – to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling journalists, get justice by calling attorneys, and get comfort 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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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

APRIL 13, 2016

Dan Box
Crime reporter
Sydney

Cardinal George Pell’s claims to have been deceived by Catholic officials over pedophile abuse in the church have been rebutted in new evidence to the sex abuse royal commission.

The inquiry today will hold a public hearing to decide how to deal with new material in witness statements from four former Catholic Education Office staff.

The commission sought the statements after Cardinal Pell, now a senior Vatican official, testified last month, ­accusing the office of keeping from him reports of violent and sexual misconduct by the late Peter Searson. Searson sexually abused children, threatened parishioners with a gun and is alleged to have stabbed a bird to death with a screwdriver, the inquiry heard.

Cardinal Pell told the commission he had been “deceived” by the CEO, which did not ­“adequately brief” him about Searson and “told me there was insufficient evidence to remove him” during the late 1980s and early 90s. Dr Pell then was an auxiliary bishop in Melbourne, overseeing Searson’s Doveton parish in the city’s east.

The Australian understands the former head of the office, Thomas Doyle, has given evidence denying his staff intended to deceive Cardinal Pell, ­although he may not have been given all relevant information.

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FRANCE
ABC News (US)

By PHILIPPE SOTTO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
PARIS — Apr 12, 2016

The French Catholic Church has decided to set up a new independent commission made up of secular experts in charge of advising bishops and helping them handle the sensitive cases of child sex abuses by priests.

Monsignor Georges Pontier, the chief of France’s bishops, announced Tuesday a series of measures to fight pedophilia inside the French church, amid growing concerns over newly-revealed child sex abuse cases, especially in the Lyon diocese run by Cardinal Philippe Barbarin.

Pontier said the national secular expert commission, chaired by a “qualified lay personality” yet to be chosen, will consist of former magistrates, doctors, psychologists, educators or parents.

“The commission will be in place before the summer of 2016,” said Pontier, who met with pope Francis in Rome last week.

The measures detailed by Pontier include a new website dedicated to victims of priest abuse and plans to set up local, specialized units in charge of greeting, listening and assisting victims in every French diocese and the 14 church districts in France.

Bertrand Virieux, 44, co-founder of a victim association and himself a victim of a priest when he was a child, suggested the measures were not enough. “We need strong decisions. And this doesn’t necessarily mean units specialized in listening to victims, but rather an immediate reporting to the prosecutor,” he said in an interview with iTele channel.

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euronews

Produced by Beatriz Beiras

The Vatican is under scrutiny. It happens with the Roman Catholic Church and its hierarchy each time a paedophile scandal is brought into the open. It has happened over the past fourteen years and of such magnitude that the United Nations has questioned the Church.

In 2014 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child released a damning report on the Holy See.

“The Holy See has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators. Another matter was the code of silence that was imposed by the Church on children and the fact that reporting to national law enforcement authorities has never been made compulsory,” said Kirsten Sandberg, Chairwoman of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

That is exactly what was revealed in 2002 when such a scandal broke in Boston. The Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law, under public pressure was forced to resign. He had turned his back on many cases of sexual abuse committed by priests with impunity in his diocese.

In Dublin in 2009 a similar story broke, revealed after an inquiry which lasted nine years. Thousands of children had been sexually abused for decades in institutions run by the Catholic church. Rape and molestation were “endemic” in the centres for boys according to the report including at the Artane Industrial School where sexual abuse it said was a “chronic problem”.

“This document, this inquiry vindicates what victims had said. It mentions where children were raped and brutally abused and victims feel vindicated by that. That will give them some comfort,” said John Kelly, an alleged victim of abuse.

In 2010 it was the German Catholic church which was caught up in cases of sexual abuse in several education institutions dating back to the 1970s.

Once again the hierarchy’s position was brought into sharp focus and its refusal to solve the problems according to this man.

“You saw the reactions of the individual people. No one is guilty: ‘I don’t assume any responsibility’, Bishop Ackermann says. He is a man installed by the church. That means those who are responsible for the crimes again are sitting down at a table to discuss how to move on,” said Norbert Denef, spokesman for the Network of victims for sexual abuse.

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AUSTRALIA
7 News

Annette Blackwell – AAP on April 13, 2016

The royal commission into child sex abuse will hold a directions hearing on Wednesday to decide what action to take following the death of former Ballarat Catholic bishop Ronald Mulkearns.

Bishop Mulkearns, who was terminally ill with cancer, died at age 85 last week and was buried on Monday.

The royal commission had wanted to hear further evidence from him about his 26 years – from 1971 to 1997 – in charge of the Victorian diocese of Ballarat, during which time some of the worst cases of child sexual abuse by clergy occurred.

The bishop last gave evidence in February and it was planned to call him again.

The Wednesday hearing will set a timetable for written submissions relating to the Ballarat inquiry.

A further hearing date to receive evidence of four former officers of the Catholic Education Office in relation to the inquiry into the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is also expected to be set on Wednesday.

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UNITED STATES
Religion & Politics

By Tiffany Stanley | April 12, 2016

Last month, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Catholic archbishop of New York, gave a public lecture at Washington University in St. Louis. It was a homecoming for the cardinal, who is a St. Louis native. The Danforth Center on Religion and Politics sponsored the event.

Over his 40 years in ministry, Dolan has served in Missouri, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., and Rome. He has been the chairman of Catholic Relief Services and the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In 2012, Pope Benedict elevated him to the College of Cardinals.

During his visit, Cardinal Dolan sat down with Tiffany Stanley, managing editor of Religion & Politics. He discussed a range of topics—from Pope Francis and the presidential campaign to the late Antonin Scalia and the movie Spotlight. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. …

R&P: On the other side, clearly the Catholic Church has weathered severe crises in the last few decades. The movie Spotlight just won two Oscars. What would be your word of encouragement today, in this time, for abuse survivors, and for the people that have fallen away in light of that?

TD: I spent time with them a lot. In one way it is very excruciating to talk about that, but in another way it is somewhat natural because I spend a lot of time doing it as any pastor worth his salt would. In general, I find them, on the one hand, extraordinarily blunt about the depth of their wounds. I find them, with some exceptions, eager for healing, and wise to know that the perverse nauseating action of a given priest, whose presence was due to the negligence of a particular bishop, should not ever extinguish one’s faith, or make one detest the church because of it. They are very wise in telling me they have been tempted to do that, but they realize that’s not the thing to do. So many of them move me to tears when the say, “We still love the church. We still gratefully remember the overwhelming majority of priests who are good to us.”

They simply want an assurance that they have been heard, and rightly so, and then most of all, they want the assurance that the Church has learned, and that things are in order. That’s why I think a lot of bishops often ask survivors to be part of our ongoing efforts, and many of them are happy to do so.

Secondly, you don’t want to start bragging about all the good stuff that the Church has done. But it is time, I think, to turn the spotlight on that, to use the word “spotlight.” I didn’t see the movie, but from what I understand it was very fairly and objectively reported in the movie. Apparently it was a very fair movie. We are talking about a historical event that is terribly sad, and now there has been a prolonged mea culpa on the behalf of the bishops to say, “Look, we’re not denying that, we did not handle that well.” We would like to propose that just as in the past we were an example of how not to handle it, that perhaps we could now serve as a model of how to respond to this. And people, with objectivity, have said we are doing a very good job. –

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CANADA
The Telegram

Barb Sweet
Published on April 12, 2016

Says they are not relevant in context of civil case

The Roman Catholic Church doesn’t want videotapes of four witnesses at the 1989-90 Hughes Inquiry shown at the Mount Cashel civil trial taking place now.

Lawyer Mark Frederick, who represents the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. of St. John’s, is arguing against an application made by former residents’ lawyer Geoff Budden.

Newfoundland Supreme Court Justice Alphonsus Faour is presiding over a civil trial to determine whether the church is liable for the physical and sexual abuse of boys by certain Christian Brothers at the orphanage during the late 1940s to early 1960s.

The church contends it did not run the orphanage.

Budden wants the court to see some tapes from the Hughes Inquiry that took place nearly 30 years ago — evidence of a former resident, the inquiry investigator, an RCMP officer and a archdiocese official. All are deceased.

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UNITED STATES
The Open Tabernacle: Here Comes Everybody

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Betty Clermont

An Italian news agency specializing in Vatican affairs reported yesterday that “the senator, after the controversy, may terminate the visit and return at a better time.” The “controversy” refers to “interference (by the Vatican) in the US presidential campaign, especially a few days of the primary important in New York State.”

“For some analysts, Sander’s visit to the Vatican, without being received by the Holy Father, may damage his image.” Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi, had made it clear “that His Holiness doesn’t plan to give the senator an audience.” In fact, other than Pres. Obama, Pope Francis has never met in private with any US Democrat.

If Bernie Sanders does cancel his visit, this should be wonderful news for progressives.

Jews

Pope Francis met with the leader of an anti-Semitic group on April 1. “Hard-core, anti-Semitic” is how the Southern Poverty Law Center described the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). The Simon Wiesenthal Center named SSPX as influential within the French far-right, anti-Semitic party. The SSPX is a priestly society which currently has no canonical status in the Church ever since its founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, ordained bishops without the consent of Pope John Paul II. Yet Pope Francis initiated a process of “full reconciliation” with the SSPX in 2013.

In his first act as pontiff, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras as head of his new “Council of Cardinals.” In addition to supporting the 2009 military coup against the constitutionally-elected and progressive against Pres. Manuel Zelaya, Rodriguez Maradiaga was referred to as a “notorious anti-Semite” by Alan M. Dershowitz.

Women

“Abortion is to throw someone out in order to save another. That’s what the Mafia does,” Pope Francis said during his Feb. 16 in-flight interview. In his much-touted encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, Pope Francis asked, “How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties?”

On the topic of birth control in Laudato Si: “Instead of resolving the problems of the poor and thinking of how the world can be different, some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate,” the pope wrote. He also denounced international organizations for making economic assistance to developing countries “contingent on certain policies of ‘reproductive health.’”

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UNITED STATES
CNN

By Daniel Burke, CNN Religion Editor

(CNN) It was one of the worst kept secrets in Washington or Rome: Pope Francis would waste little time in replacing his ambassador to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Vigano.

On Tuesday, the Vatican announced that the day had come. Vigano, the diminutive diplomat who aroused ire by setting up a secret meeting in Washington between the Pope and Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who has become a conservative Christian heroine for refusing to sign same-sex marriage certificates, is out.

He wasn’t fired, exactly. Bishops are required to submit their resignation to the pope when they turn 75, and Vigano reached that milestone in January. But many bishops are allowed to serve past that point at the pope’s discretion. That’s true of Vatican ambassadors, called apostolic nuncios, as well.

Officially, then, the Pope accepted Vigano’s resignation, and replaced him with Archbishop Christophe Pierre, a seasoned diplomat who was previously the papal nuncio in Mexico, where Francis just finished a successful trip in February.

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FRANCE
News 24

Paris – The Catholic Church in France on Tuesday pledged to shed light on all cases of paedophilia, including “historic cases”, following a scandal over an archbishop accused of covering up a priest’s crimes.

Bishops decided that special groups would be set up to listen to complaints from victims of sexual abuse and an “independent national commission” would be set up to investigate, led by a lay person.

“Individual cases remain in our dioceses, even historic cases, and we need to shed light on them,” said Archbishop Georges Pontier, president of the French bishops conference.

“We pledge to do this work just as we treat cases brought to our attention, particularly by victims,” he said.

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FRANCE
New Zealand Herald

Wednesday Apr 13, 2016

PARIS (AP) ” The French Catholic Church has decided to set up a new independent commission made up of secular experts in charge of advising bishops and helping them handle the sensitive cases of child sex abuses by priests.

Monsignor Georges Pontier, chief of French bishops, announced Tuesday a series of measures to fight pedophilia inside the French church, amid growing concerns over newly-revealed child sex abuse cases, especially in the Lyon diocese run by Cardinal Philippe Barbarin.

Barbarin said that “the commission will be in place before the summer of 2016.”

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PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive

By PennLive Op-Ed
on April 12, 2016

By Amy B. Hill

The Catholic Church has learned hard lessons regarding child sexual abuse and has taken responsibility for the abuse that has occurred within its ranks.

The dioceses across Pennsylvania have implemented changes that offer assistance to abuse survivors and affirm that they are not at fault for the crime committed against them.

The Church has also taken great strides to protect children and provide financial assistance for survivors and their families, no matter how long ago the crime was committed, and for as long as necessary.

Children and adults are trained to recognize and report signs of abuse to ensure that the children in our care are safe and secure.

Despite that, state lawmakers are considering a proposal that could lead to the closure of parishes, schools, and ministries of today’s Catholics, who are in no way responsible for abuse that occurred decades ago.

This is not speculative. In other states, parishes and ministries were devastated.

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UNITED STATES
Change.org

C.J. Mahaney is facing serious charges of allegedly covering up child sex abuse, yet he is still a speaker at the Together for the Gospel Conference (T4G) going on this week.

“Every time a complicit church official is honored, it discourages victims, witnesses and whistleblowers from exposing predators, warning parents and protecting kids. Giving corrupt men like Mahaney praise and visibility contributes to the already strong sense of powerlessness that many who saw, suspected and suffered sexual abuse within churches feel. It decreases the chances they’ll find the courage and hope needed to speak up about horrific wrongs. Essentially, it sanctions the concealing of sexual assaults against children.” -SNAP letter to T4G

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FRANCE
ABC News (Australia)

The Catholic Church in France has pledged to shed light on all cases of paedophilia — including “historic cases” — following a scandal over an archbishop accused of covering up a priest’s crimes.

Bishops decided that special groups would be set up to listen to complaints from victims of sexual abuse and an “independent national commission” would be set up to investigate, led by a lay person.

“Individual cases remain in our dioceses, even historic cases, and we need to shed light on them,” Archbishop Georges Pontier, president of the French bishops conference, said.

“We pledge to do this work just as we treat cases brought to our attention, particularly by victims.”

So-called “listening cells” will be set up in every diocese to hear complaints from victims, Archbishop Pontier added.

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FRANCE
Le Parisien

L’annonce était attendue. L’Église catholique s’est engagée ce mardi à faire «toute la lumière» sur tous les cas de pédophilie, «même anciens». Le président de la Conférence des évêques de France (CEF), Mgr Georges Pontier, a annoncé une série de mesures pour mieux lutter contre la pédophilie dans l’Église.

Des «cellules d’accueil et d’écoute» seront mises en place au niveau des diocèses ou des provinces ecclésiastiques (regroupements de diocèses). «Un site internet dédié, notamment à l’accueil des victimes, permettra à celles-ci de rentrer en contact avec cette cellule locale. Dès aujourd’hui et dans l’attente de la mise en place du site internet, l’adresse mail paroledevictimes@cef.fr est ouverte aux victimes», a-t-il expliqué.

Une «commission nationale d’expertise indépendante» est créée : «Présidée par une personnalité laïque qualifiée, et composée d’experts (anciens magistrats, médecins, psychologues, parents…)», elle aura «pour mission de conseiller les évêques dans l’évaluation des situations de prêtres ayant commis des actes répréhensibles», selon le discours de Mgr Pontier.

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FRANCE
Le Monde

Par Cécile Chambraud

Agir pour ne plus laisser le champ libre à la critique et au soupçon. Après des semaines de tourmente déclenchée par une affaire de prêtre pédophile dans le diocèse de Lyon, les représentants de l’épiscopat français ont décidé de prendre l’initiative. Le conseil permanent de la Conférence des évêques de France (CEF), réuni depuis lundi 11 avril, devait annoncer, mardi, un ensemble de mesures destinées à prévenir les dérives pédophiles dans l’Eglise, à améliorer la prise en compte des victimes par l’Eglise catholique et à clarifier la conduite à tenir dans les cas de faits anciens dénoncés des années après avoir été commis.

Après la mise au jour des agressions sexuelles perpétrées par le Père Bernard P. sur de jeunes scouts dont il avait la charge entre 1971 et 1991, à Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, après les questions soulevées par la façon dont le diocèse de Lyon a géré son cas depuis lors, l’épiscopat a mis longtemps à comprendre qu’il ne pouvait se contenter de mettre en avant sa prise de conscience du problème de la pédophilie depuis quinze ans. Celle-ci avait fait suite à la condamnation de l’évêque de Bayeux, Pierre Pican, en 2001, à trois mois d’emprisonnement avec sursis pour non-dénonciation de faits de pédophilie commis par un prêtre de son diocèse, René Bissey, lui-même condamné à dix-huit ans de réclusion en 2000.

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POLEN
Katholisch

[A discussion on sexual abuse allegations made against Archbishop Julius Paetz.]

Bei der Feier des 1050. Jahrestags der Christianisierung Polens steht nach Medienberichten möglicherweise auch ein wegen Missbrauchsvorwürfen mit einem Predigtverbot belegter Bischof mit am Altar. Der ehemalige Posener Erzbischof Juliusz Paetz war 2002 beschuldigt worden, Seminaristen sexuell missbraucht zu haben. Er wies die Vorwürfe zurück, verzichtete aber auf sein Amt. Der Vatikan erteilte ihm zusätzlich ein Predigtverbot.

Die polnische Kirche selbst äußerte sich nicht präzise zu der Frage, ob Paetz an der Festmesse am Freitag in Posen (Poznan) beteiligt sein wird. “Jeder Priester, der nicht suspendiert ist, kann die Messe abhalten”, sagte Pawel Rytel-Andrianik, der Sprecher der katholischen Bischofskonferenz, am Dienstag im Nachrichtensender TVN24. Ein Sprecher des Bistums Posen sagte, auch “Seniorbischöfe” seien an dem Festgottesdienst zur “Taufe Polens” beteiligt.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Katholisch

[Vandals caused damage at a Catholic church in Wurtzburg. The contents of a large area of graffiti on a wall of the tomb featured bold references to the diocese’s handling of sexual abuse allegations. Police estimated the damage at 10,000 euros.]

Die Kiliansgruft in Würzburg ist Ziel einer Vandalismus-Attacke geworden. Am vergangenen Sonntag wurden in der Grabstätte Wände und eine Statue mit beleidigenden Graffiti beschmiert, teilte das Bistum am Dienstag mit. Der oder die Täter sind bislang unbekannt, die Kriminalpolizei hat die Ermittlungen aufgenommen.

Am Nachmittag oder Abend des Sonntags hätten die unbekannten Täter eine Statue des NS-Märtyrers Georg Häfner in der Gruft der Neumünsterkirche in der Würzburger Innenstadt mit Sprühfarbe beschmiert, heißt es in der Mitteilung weiter. In der Kirche befindet sich auch die Grablege der als Frankenapostel bezeichneten Diözesanheiligen Kilian, Kolonat und Totnan. Die Inhalte eines großflächigen Graffito an einer Wand der Gruft stellten laut Bistum Bezüge zum “Umgang der katholischen Kirche mit Vorwürfen sexuellen Missbrauchs her und beschimpfen auf unsägliche Weise den 2014 verstorbenen Generalvikar der Diözese Würzburg”. Die Polizei schätzt den entstandenen Sachschaden auf 10.000 Euro.

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FRANCE
RFI

The Catholic Church in France on Tuesday pledged to shed light on all cases of paedophilia, including “historic cases”, following a scandal over an archbishop accused of covering up a priest’s crimes. Bishops decided that special groups would be set up to listen to complaints from victims of sexual abuse and an “independent national commission” would be set up to investigate, led by a lay person.

“Individual cases remain in our dioceses, even historic cases, and we need to shed light on them,” said Archbishop Georges Pontier, president of the French bishops conference.

New ‘listening cells’

“We pledge to do this work just as we treat cases brought to our attention, particularly by victims,” he said.

So-called “listening cells” will be set up in every diocese to hear complaints from victims, Pontier added.

The measures were announced after the case of Archbishop of Lyon Philippe Barbarin re-opened the debate about paedophilia in the Church in France.

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UNITED KINGDOM
Liverpool Echo

A former priest accused of historic sex offences against two schoolboys at a catholic college run by the Archdiocese of Liverpool is set to stand trial.

Michael Higginbottom, 73, is alleged to have sexually abused children at St Joseph’s College in Up Holland, near Skelmersdale, in the late 1970s.

The school, which shut in 1992, was a Roman Catholic seminary and provided a secondary education to boys aged 11–18 who wished to go into the priesthood.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place in the late 1970s when the complainants were in their early teens.

Higginbottom appeared at Liverpool Crown Court this morning where he pleaded not guilty to four counts of indecent assault and two counts of buggery.

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MINNESOTA
Jeff Anderson and Associates

4-3-2015 Letter from Sipe to Klassen-1
5-1-2015 Letter from Sipe to Klassen-2
5-3-2015 Email from Sipe to Klassen-3
8-21-2015 Letter from Spaniers to Klassen
Andert Photos
Belrose Summons and Complaint 4-11-2016
Belrose Summons and Complaint
St. John’s Statement on Andert Feb
Thomas Andert Timeline Overview
Todd Belrose Photo
Statement of Doe 324

4/11/2016

Sexual abuse survivor will speak publicly for the first time
using his name at press conference tomorrow

What: At a news conference on Tuesday in St. Paul, attorneys Jeff Anderson and Mike Bryant will:

• Announce the filing of two civil lawsuits naming St. John’s Abbey and Father Tom Andert as defendants. One of the survivors, sexually abused by Fr. Andert when he was 14 years old, will speak publicly using his name at tomorrow’s press conference. The second survivor, Doe 324, was sexually abused by Fr. Andert in approximately 1970-1971.
• Discuss St. John’s 2015 internal investigation of Fr. Andert and how he was returned to ministry in February 2016. Andert was also in charge of the monks on restriction at the Abbey who were accused of child sexual abuse. Survivor Troy Bramlage (Doe 2) will also be present to comment on the release of files from St. John’s and how Andert’s file was not included.
• Encourage other survivors of sexual abuse by Fr. Tom Andert, and others, to come forward safely and confidentially before the Child Victims Act window legislation expires on May 25, 2016.

WHEN: Tuesday April 12, 2016, at 1:00PM CT

WHERE: Jeff Anderson & Associates
366 Jackson Street, Suite 100
St. Paul, MN 55101

Notes:

• A copy of the complaints will be available at the press conference and on our website tomorrow and the event will be live-streamed online with links available on our homepage at www.andersonadvocates.com.

Contact Jeff Anderson: Office: 651.237.5143 Cell: 612.817.8665
Contact Mike Bryant: Office: 320.259.5414 Cell: 800.359.0061
Contact Josh Peck: Office: 651.237.5143 Cell: 651.253.4972

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MINNESOTA
KSTP

Scott Theisen

A survivor who says he was sexually abused by a St. John’s Abbey priest when he was 14 years old will speak publicly for the first time Tuesday.

The man’s lawyers, Jeff Anderson and Mike Bryant, say they will also file two civil lawsuits against St. Johns Abbey and the Rev. Tom Andert.

The alleged victim says Andert abused him in the early 1970s.

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UNITED KINGDOM
Wigan Today

A Catholic priest accused of historical sex abuse at a former Wigan seminary appeared in the dock today.

Father Michael Higginbottom pleaded not guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to six sex offences allegedly involving two young boys in the late 1970s.

The 73-year-old, who now lives in the North East, is currently suspended from St Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church, in Darlington.

The priest, who was wearing a dark suit and blue shirt and tie, pleaded not guilty to two offences of indecently assaulting one boy who was aged 12-13.

He also denied two offences of indecently assaulting the other boy, also aged 13 and two offences of buggery against him.

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FRANCE
La Depeche

Cellules d’écoute partout en France, commission d’expertise “indépendante”: l’Église catholique a annoncé mardi une série de mesures visant à faire “la lumière” sur la pédophilie dans ses rangs, y compris sur les faits les plus anciens, après les révélations en cascade qui l’ont ébranlée.

Ces annonces étaient très attendues de la part d’un épiscopat sous le feu des critiques ces dernières semaines. Premier visé: le cardinal Philippe Barbarin.

Archevêque de Lyon depuis 2002, Mgr Barbarin est ciblé par deux enquêtes pour “non-dénonciation” d’agressions sexuelles, notamment à la suite de la mise en examen fin janvier d’un prêtre, Bernard Preynat, pour des actes pédophiles commis il y a plus de 25 ans sur de jeunes scouts lyonnais.

À l’origine de ces enquêtes, qui ont mené à des perquisitions à l’archevêché: des plaintes de victimes regroupées dans une association, La Parole libérée, qui reprochent au cardinal Barbarin de ne pas avoir informé la justice des anciens agissements du Père Preynat, laissé en poste jusqu’en 2015.

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FRANCE
Le Point

AFP

Le président de la Conférence des évêques de France (CEF), Mgr Georges Pontier, s’est engagé, mardi, à mettre en place une série de mesures pour mieux lutter contre la pédophilie dans l’Église, dont la création de « cellules d’écoute » des victimes dans tous les diocèses ou provinces. La CEF a annoncé ces nouvelles dispositions à la presse à l’issue d’une réunion de son « conseil permanent », l’exécutif de l’épiscopat, alors que l’Église catholique en France est ébranlée depuis plus de deux mois par des révélations d’affaires de pédophilie ou d’agressions sexuelles impliquant des prêtres.

L’une de ses figures, le cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archevêque de Lyon, est actuellement visé par deux enquêtes pour non-dénonciation, notamment à la suite de la mise en examen fin janvier du père Bernard Preynat pour des actes pédophiles commis il y a plus de 25 ans sur de jeunes scouts lyonnais. « Dans l’histoire des diocèses, des cas particuliers demeurent, même anciens, sur lesquels il est nécessaire de faire la lumière. Nous nous engageons à faire ce travail comme nous le faisons sur les cas portés à notre connaissance, notamment par les victimes », a déclaré mardi Mgr Pontier.
Un site internet

Des « cellules d’accueil et d’écoute » seront mises en place au niveau des diocèses ou des provinces ecclésiastiques (regroupements de diocèses), a annoncé le président de la CEF. « Un site internet dédié, notamment à l’accueil des victimes, permettra à celles-ci d’entrer en contact avec cette cellule locale. Dès aujourd’hui et dans l’attente de la mise en place du site internet, l’adresse mail paroledevictimes@cef.fr est ouverte aux victimes », a-t-il poursuivi.

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FRANCE
The Local

The Catholic Church in France on Tuesday pledged to shed light on all cases of paedophilia, including “historic cases”, following a scandal over an archbishop accused of covering up a priest’s crimes.

The bishops’ conference also decided that special groups would be set up to listen to complaints from victims of sexual abuse and an “independent national commission” would be created to investigate alleged cases.

“Individual cases remain in our dioceses, even historic cases, and we need to shed light on them,” said Archbishop Georges Pontier, president of the French bishops conference.

“We pledge to do this work just as we treat cases brought to our attention, particularly by victims,” he said.

So-called “listening cells” will be set up in every diocese to hear complaints from victims, Pontier added.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Huffington Post

Jennifer Sabin
Writer, editor, self-styled political pundit, and former ABC News journalist

Pope Francis just issued his long-awaited statement, Amori Laetitia, calling for less judgment and more tolerance of gays, non-traditional families, and people who are divorced. I applaud his more compassionate approach. But his statement would have had a more profound impact if he had also written the reverse and called for more judgment, less tolerance of Catholic priests who rape children and the bishops who protect them. When is this popular pontiff going to take a stronger stand on sexual abuse?

There’s a line in the movie Spotlight that I haven’t been able to get out of my head:

“If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one.”

The sentiment is attributed to attorney Mitch Garabedian (played by Stanley Tucci), who has represented many victims of pedophile priests and was one of the Boston Globe‘s primary sources for the groundbreaking story that is the basis for the Oscar-winning film. It took a village – a city – to protect Boston priests and cover up atrocities against children, and it took a village in Pennsylvania as well – the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown – to permit and cover up the abuse of hundreds of children by fifty Catholic priests. A recently released grand jury report details that abuse and its aftermath, and it is a dark reminder that this has happened all over the country, and indeed, the world. And so it will take a world leader – Pope Francis – to make meaningful change that will begin to fix this horrific problem.

The grand jury report says church officials, including two bishops, “placed their desire to avoid public scandal over the well-being of innocent children.” For over forty years they continued to allow pedophile priests to work with children, did little or nothing to help victims, and kept the law out of their business. In a number of cases, as in Spotlight, those charged with carrying out the law protected the priests and the Catholic Church itself.

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KENTUCKY
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Victims to protest huge Protestant conference
Several controversial ministers are set to speak
Their denomination is accused of hiding predators
It’s now based in Louisville and has 70 churches as members
Group says ministers’ roles “will deter others from reporting abuse”
SNAP: “And it rubs salt into the deep wounds of those hurt on their watch”

WHAT
Holding signs, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hand leaflets to church members outside a big Protestant conference. The fliers urge attendees to

–tell conference organizers they’re wrong to let a minister who’s accused of hiding child sex crimes speak at the event, and
–boycott conference sessions led by several controversial clergymen

WHEN
Tuesday, April 12, noon until 2:00 p.m.

WHERE
Near the fountain outside the T4G conference at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville KY

WHO
About five members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including some whose loved ones were sexually violated by members of a controversial Louisville-based Protestant denomination

WHY
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is protesting at a major religious conference because a pastor who has allegedly concealed child sex crimes by at least 15 accused offenders will speak, along with other ministers in his controversial, Louisville-based denomination.

Rev. C. J. Mahaney is the former head of Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM), now known as Sovereign Grace Churches (SGC). It has roughly 70 churches across the US (mainly in eastern states) and in Australia, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Great Britain, Germany and Mexico.

He is a plenary presenter at the biennial international Together for the Gospel (T4G16) conference which is expected to draw 8,000 participants to Louisville on April 12-14.http://t4g.org/, http://t4g.org/speakers/

But in October, Mahaney was accused in civil lawsuits of ignoring and hiding known and suspected child sexual abuse by church staff and members while he led SGM and Covenant Life Church in Maryland. And last month, SNAP leaders urged conference organizers to rescind their invitation to Mahaney, but they ignored SNAP’s request.

Even before that, alleged victims of SGC/SGM predators and their family members and other concerned individuals privately and individually conveyed to T4G conference organizers and scheduled speakers their strong objections to Mahaney and SGM officials having any role at the event.

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PENNSYLVANIA
CBS Philly

April 11, 2016 By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — A bill that would give victims of child sex abuse more time to seek justice is now teed up for a vote in the state House this week.

The House Monday debated amendments to a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions, and would give victims of child sex abuse until the age of 50, instead of the current age of 30, to bring civil cases.

The House passed one amendment that would make that extension for civil cases retroactive. Republican Thomas Murt of Philadelphia and Montgomery County offered another amendment that would suspend the civil statute of limitations to create a two-year window for past victims to sue.

“I resent anyone saying that this issue is being driven by special interests, by trial lawyers,” Murt said. “This issue is being driven by victims.”

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NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph

By Rebecca Black
PUBLISHED
12/04/2016

A key witness in the Kincora child abuse scandal says he will not give evidence to the Institutional Abuse Inquiry in Northern Ireland.

Roy Garland has claimed the Banbridge-based Hart Inquiry cannot find the answers for generations of victims who suffered abuse at Kincora Boys Home in east Belfast because it does not have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence.

Last week the High Court refused an application by a Kincora victim for a judicial review of Secretary of State Theresa Villier’s decision not to include the former home in the more powerful UK-wide Goddard inquiry.

Mr Garland said the Historical Institutional Abuse inquiry (HIA) asked him to attend and he agreed on the premise it was a “serious inquiry”. Now, after voicing disappointment at the refusal to include Kincora in the Goddard inquiry, Mr Garland said he will not give evidence to the HIA.

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VATICAN CITY
Catholic Herald (UK)

by Cindy Wooden
posted Tuesday, 12 Apr 2016

Nicola Maio said he was put under ‘psychological pressure’ while working on the commission set up to investigate Vatican finances

The man who served as executive secretary of a commission Pope Francis established to study Vatican finances said he never gave documents of any kind to Italian journalists and, in fact, met the two reporters only when he and they entered a Vatican courtroom to face charges connected to the leaking of the documents.

Nicola Maio, former executive secretary and assistant to Spanish Mgr Lucio Vallejo Balda, secretary of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, testified at the criminal trial in the Vatican on April 11.

Maio is on trial along with the monsignor and Francesca Chaouqui, a member of the former Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See, for “divulging news and documents concerning fundamental interests” of the Vatican.

In addition, the Vatican has charged two Italian journalists — Gianluigi Nuzzi, author of Merchants in the Temple, and Emiliano Fittipaldi, author of Avarice of soliciting the documents and exercising pressure on the defendants, especially Mgr Vallejo Balda.

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VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter

Joshua J. McElwee | Apr. 12, 2016

VATICAN CITY
Pope Francis has replaced the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States just days after he was lauded by the country’s bishops at their seminary in Rome during a posh annual honors banquet.

Italian Archbishop Carlo Viganò — who has represented the Vatican in Washington since 2011 but came under scrutiny when his name surfaced last year in questions over how Francis came to meet controversial Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis during his September U.S. trip — will be succeeded by French Archbishop Christophe Pierre.

The replacement of what is formally known as the apostolic nuncio to the United States, which had been rumored for months, was announced by the Vatican Tuesday. Viganò had turned 75, the traditional retirement age for Catholic bishops, in January.

Until his new appointment, Pierre had been serving as the Vatican’s representative in Mexico. In that role since 2007, he has previously served as apostolic nuncio in both Uganda and Haiti.

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WASHINGTON (DC)
WTOP

By Neal Augenstein | @AugensteinWTOP
April 11, 2016

WASHINGTON — Saying he has “waited long enough,” the ex-lawyer of “D.C. Madam” Deborah Jeane Palfrey has released some of the names of companies, government agencies and organizations that had called her escort service between 2000 and 2006.

In a court filing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia obtained by WTOP, Montgomery Blair Sibley included the names of 174 of the entities that had dialed Palfrey’s business, Pamela Martin & Associates. No individuals’ names were listed. …

Others listed in the filing include the Archdiocese of Washington, Embassy of Japan, Bethlehem Steel, Constellation Energy/BGE, Hewlett-Packard, Johns Hopkins University, Washington Gas and several large law firms.

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GUAM
Pacific News Center

Written by Janela Carrera

Father Luis Camacho was arrested last year and charged with custodial interference. He resigned as priest of two Southern churches as a result.

Guam – Another member of the Catholic Church is calling for the resignation of Archbishop Anthony Apuron, but not over recent concerns over the Redemptoris Mater Seminary. Teri Untalan says a priest who was accused of sexual misconduct with a minor last year is now once again in active ministry involving youth.

Teri Untalan is a member of the Santa Barbara Catholic parish but is not part of any formal group. She wrote to Archbishop Anthony Apuron yesterday calling for his resignation.

“I wrote this letter on my behalf and on behalf of all anonymous Catholics I suppose, friends of mine, people that I know that have come up to me and asked what can we do, what can be done,” explains Untalan.

Untalan says she and many others recently became aware of the whereabouts of Father Luis Camacho. Father Camacho resigned as pastor of the two churches he was overseeing last year March here on Guam after he was arrested and charged with custodial interference for picking up a 17-year-old student without permission from school and taking her to a secluded beach.

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VATICAN CITY
Catholic Culture

April 12, 2016

Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Christophe Pierre as apostolic nuncio to the United States of America.

Archbishop Pierre succeeds Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who has served in the position since 2011 and reached the retirement age of 75 in January.

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CITTA’ DEL VATICANO
Bollettino

[Pope Francis has appointed Christophe Pierre as papal nuncio to the United States.]

Il Santo Padre Francesco ha nominato Nunzio Apostolico negli Stati Uniti d’America S.E. Mons. Christophe Pierre, Arcivescovo titolare di Gunela, finora Nunzio Apostolico in Messico.

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CANADA
Sudbury Star

Catholics who grew up in the 1950s and 60s were taught that priests were next to God, filled — emboldened even — with the Holy Spirit to do God’s work. They had influence and enjoyed respect.

They were, of course, just men, then as today. In too many cases, Catholics in Sudbury and northeastern Ontario have discovered in recent years, an alarming number of their priests were not particularly good men, as far from God or the Holy Spirit as one could imagine.

Bernard Cloutier, Donald Holmes, William Hodgson “Hod” Marshall, Thomas O’Dell, Gerald Roy and John E. Sullivan are priests who served in Sudbury and northeastern Ontario who have been found guilty during the last decade of sex crimes, some more horrible than others. One of them, Marshall, was even principal for a time at St. Charles when it was a prestigious all-boys school.

Most of their victims were young boys, either altar boys or other members of their congregation put into their care. They acted as predators, exploiting their positions as trusted members of their clergy to act on their baser instincts.

The pain inflicted by their perversions resurfaced in a Sudbury courtroom this week. A man identified only as P.J.J. had brought a $3-million lawsuit against the Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie and Sullivan. However, Sullivan, who was 90, died on Easter Sunday, and on Wednesday of last week, the church fired its lawyers.

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PENNSYLVANIA
ABC 27

By Dave Marcheskie
Published: April 11, 2016

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Dozens of sex abuse survivors rallied in the state Capitol to urge lawmakers to reform Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations.

Gut-wrenching stories were shared at the bottom of the Rotunda steps Monday morning as survivors relived the most traumatic and painful experience of their lives with strangers.

“It doesn’t go away,” one woman said. “It stays fresh in our minds and our hearts.”

A woman whose brother was murdered by his significant other discussed the traumatizing ordeal of seeking justice in a fragile system.

“We could not take a chance she could walk free and not pay for this horrible crime,” she said.

Dozens filled the Rotunda with signs urging lawmakers to grant certain rights to survivors.

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AUSTRALIA
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

12 April, 2016

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has just completed its 5,000th private session.

The 5,000th private session took place in Brisbane with a man in his 60’s who shared his experience of child sexual abuse in out-of-home care in the 1960s.

As well as completing its 5,000th private session, the Royal Commission has now made over 1,000 referrals to authorities, including police.

Private sessions allow survivors of child sexual abuse in an institution to share their story directly with a Commissioner in a private setting.

Royal Commission Chief Executive Officer Philip Reed said that private sessions are an essential and ongoing component of the work being undertaken by the Royal Commission, alongside public hearings and policy development.

“There is a great need for many survivors to be able to tell their story,” Mr Reed said.

“The Royal Commission acknowledges the courage of those people who have shared their story.

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CANADA
The Telegram

Barb Sweet
Published on April 11, 2016

Some 60 years ago, two boys without winter coats dragged a cardboard box of meagre belongings through the snow together after being expelled from Mount Cashel.

Neither spoke to each other about sexual abuse nor could they fathom ever being listened to about it, they told The Telegram outside court Monday in St. John’s.

Parting after one stayed with the other’s family for a short time, the boys — now men in their late 70s — said they did not speak for decades.

Then they bumped into each other at the police station as a result of the 1989 Hughes Inquiry into the scandal surrounding sexual abuse of a different era of young boys at Mount Cashel — during the 1970s and 1980s.

“I thought he was dead,” one man said of the other of that long-ago chance meeting at the station, where neither was privy to what either said to police.

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PENNSYLVANIA
WITF

Written by Mary Wilson, Capitol Bureau Chief | Apr 11, 2016

A long-sought measure to retroactively change the statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases has been queued up for a final vote in the state House.

The proposal would erase the statute of limitations in criminal cases of child sex abuse going forward, and extend the limit for civil cases from the victim’s 30th birthday to when he or she turns 50.

House lawmakers also approved a tweak on Monday that will apply the civil suit extension retroactively to victims whose cases have already been time-barred. That means child sex abuse victims older than 30 would be able to bring a civil suit until their 50th birthday under the proposal.

The amendment was offered by Democratic Representative Mark Rozzi of Berks County, who said victims should have more time to bring suit, since they often take decades to speak about their abuse.

“My amendment does not help everyone but it at least opens the door,” said Rozzi in a speech on the House floor before his amendment passed overwhelmingly. “More work needs to be done. We can’t change what happened to the innocents of the past, but we can make it right.”

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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

April 12, 2016

Beau Donelly

The nine-year-old girl who always volunteered to sit on the priest’s lap to steer his car – knowing what he would do to her – because she wanted to protect her younger cousin from being touched.

A family driven out of town by their neighbours after the father reported a local teacher for abusing his daughter. The Aboriginal boys on the mission who laughed off the abuse at the hands of their superintendent. A toddler tied up in the kitchen and abused by her foster father.

These are some of the more than 5000 stories recounted by victims in private sessions to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse over the past three years.
The abuse was perpetrated by adults against children. It happened across the nation in homes, schools, places of worship, sporting clubs, workplaces, orphanages, health services, juvenile justice centres.

Data from the royal commission shows survivors were, on average, aged 10 years old when they were first abused. A third of girls and almost one fifth of boys were aged under eight.

It also shows that:

* On average, the abuse continued for 2.8 years.
* Most people were abused multiple times.
* About 90 per cent of offenders were male.
* It took survivors an average 24 years to disclose their abuse.
* Almost nine in 10 survivors said they now experience poor mental health.
* 60 per cent say they have relationship difficulties.

The private sessions, which are held in motel rooms in all capital cities and many regional areas, allow victims and people who are aware of child abuse to share their stories one-on-one with a commissioner.

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SCOTLAND
Scotsman

CHILD sex abuse shames society, but suggesting the Catholic church has a disporporionate problem is a terrible deception writes Peter Kearney

The Catholic church in Scotland has been reasonably criticised in recent years over failings in the field of safeguarding. The media attention given to the church has been significant and for the most part, negative. It has however, become very difficult to determine whether or not the criticism is proportionate, balanced or fair.

Last year, a commission chaired by Dr Andrew McLellan and charged with examining Safeguarding in the church, put forward eight recommendations – all of which were accepted. Three months later, the Church published its “Implementation Plan”, setting out the action it will take, with timescales and accountability.

The McLellan Commission took just under two years to complete its report, implementing its recommendations will take a similar timescale, but they will all be completed by December 2017.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Sally Brooks

The child sex abuse royal commission’s probe into an Aboriginal school in Alice Springs has raised questions about who is ultimately responsible for student and staff welfare at non-government schools, a former staff member said.

On Monday, the ABC reported the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse requested more than two decades of information from the Lutheran Schools Association about Yirara College in Central Australia.

There is no information to suggest that the inquiry is investigating any specific allegations of child sexual abuse at the school.

Karl Bajzik worked as boarding house parent at Yirara College for about 18 months, from late 2010, and met with royal commission staff about the school in Alice Springs in January.

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ARIZONA
Fox 10

TOLLESON, Ariz. (KSAZ) – Robert Jerez is now being housed at the 4th Avenue Jail after police arrested and charged him with nine counts of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of sexual abuse.

Jerez made his initial court appearance Monday, beyond his name he had nothing else to say.

The pastor of the Grace Walk Community Church Joe Calloway says last Thursday night a 15-year-old girl who attends the church came to him and says she had been having sex with “Pastor Tony” which some kids at the church called Jerez.

Calloway says Jerez is an adult leader, not staff at the church.

“We never allow our adults to be alone with them, but I guess she had come to him with some struggles she had, and evidently he got her phone number, and they began to communicate off campus,” said Joe Calloway.

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ARIZONA
Arizona Republic

Sarah Anderson, The Republic | azcentral.com

A community church pastor in Phoenix has been charged with nine counts of sexual conduct and one count of sexual abuse, according to Maricopa County Superior Court documents.

An employee at Grace Walk Community Church on West Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix first reported to the Tolleson Police Department on April 7 that an underage girl had talked about having a sexual relationship with Robert Jerez, 35, according to court documents. Jerez is a youth leader at the church and is known there as “Pastor Tony,” police said.

The victim told police that she had sex with Jerez more than 10 times since November 2015 and that the two of them exchanged nude photos via text messages. According to court documents, Jerez was aware of her age from the beginning, as she had filled out paperwork with her date of birth when she sat in a youth group with him.

The victim told police their first sexual encounter happened after church, when Jerez came to her apartment after her father went to work, and that she took one of her father’s oxycodone pills beforehand because she was nervous.

The victim also told police she would sometimes say no when he asked her to perform a sexual act, and he would coerce her into it anyway, or he would sometimes have sex with her without her explicit consent, the court document said. The last time they had sex, the victim said she was high on pills, according to court documents.

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ARIZONA
12 News

Trisha Hendricks, KPNX

The pastor of a church in Tolleson is condemning a youth leader who’s accused of having sex and doing drugs with a teen parishioner. Pastor Tony, as he’s known, has admitted to all of it and the girl’s father has the “sexts” to back up the sickening stories.

Robert Anthony Jerez is behind bars facing nine counts of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of sexual abuse.

The lead pastor of the church he volunteered at called police as soon as he found out.

“I was angry, I mean very, very angry,” said Joe Calloway, lead pastor at Grace Walk Community Church.

Calloway spoke with 12 News about Jerez, a former volunteer leader at his church near 79th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road.

“It’s brought a sense of shock,” he said. “Nobody saw this coming, nobody believed this was something that could possibly happen.”

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PENNSYLVANIA
The Morning Call

Steve Esack
Call Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG — At a lectern on the House floor, far below a ceiling mural that depicts the celestial passage of time, a lawmaker spoke of the pain and suffering that never ends for him and other victims of child sex abuse.

As he has done repeatedly since his election in 2013, Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, explained how he and his childhood friends were raped by an Allentown Catholic Diocese priest while growing up in Reading. One of those friends, Rozzi said, committed suicide this Good Friday after a lifetime of therapy and drug abuse.

“He was 44,” Rozzi said of the suicide victim.

Then Rozzi urged his colleagues, silent and listening closely, to remove legal deadlines for bringing criminal charges against child abusers and that prevent child-abuse victims from suing them and perhaps their employers in civil court.

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PENNSYLVANIA
We Are Central PA

Harrisburg, Dauphin County

Local advocates rallied in Harrisburg to change the laws to better protect child sex abuse victims. The rally was organized after the priest sex abuse scandal in our region.

Victim advocates and survivors kicked off National Crime Victims’ Rights Week at the state capitol Monday.

As Victim Advocate Diane Brannigan says, “The whole thing is more for people to discuss this, talk about this, not make people feel so shamed if this did happen to them.”

Attorney Josh Shapiro added, “To see so many victims, survivors and advocates coming out of the shadows, coming together gives me great hope.”

Leaders from victim advocate organizations stood before a crowd, demanding change.

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TEXAS
San Antonio Express-News

By Elaine Ayala
April 11, 2016

Father Virgilio Elizondo calls himself a sinner and asks for forgiveness and mercy in a typewritten suicide note released Monday, but does not refer to last year’s accusation that he molested a young boy who came to him for help more than 30 years ago.

A month after his death from a self-inflicted gunshot, the one-page document was released to local media Monday by attorney Thomas J. Henry, who represents a man, known only as John Doe, who alleges he was abused as a boy by a former priest named Jesus Armando Dominguez. The lawsuit alleges that when the boy reported the abuse by Dominguez to Elizondo in 1983, Elizondo kissed and fondled him.

The typed, unsigned note, titled “Farewell,” said Elizondo hoped his death would “bring healing to anyone that I might have hurt” and said his life had been “dedicated to serving others.”

Elizondo, who was 80, notes his fatigue, failing health and feeling “empty.” He quoted the Gospel of John — “Greater love no one has, (than) to lay down his life for his friends” — and said he was “offering my life as a final gift.”

“I freely choose my moment and way of giving my life to others,” the note said. “This is not a suicide but a farewell gift. I pray that the gift of my life may bring healing to anyone that I might have hurt.” …

The Archdiocese of San Antonio did not comment but released a prepared statement Monday about the note.

“Out of respect for the privacy of the Elizondo family, the Archdiocese of San Antonio feels that it would be inappropriate for us to try to interpret or comment on the meaning of the message left by Father Virgilio Elizondo,” it stated. The statement also clarified that outside of this pending litigation, the archdiocese has not been made aware of any allegation against Elizondo of sexual abuse of a minor. …

David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said that argument — that survivors who wait so long after their alleged abuse don’t remember it accurately — has been particularly hard on survivors.

Clohessy, a survivor himself, has worked for the organization for more than 25 years. He said he has read dozens of suicide notes written by accused priests.

He called Elizondo’s “typical. He essentially admits it, albeit somewhat obliquely.

“Sadly, few child molesters, even as they’re dying, summon the courage to tell the truth,” he said. “Often, they come very close, and I think that’s what Father Elizondo did here. It would have been extraordinarily quick and easy to say, ‘I didn’t do this.’ Yet he didn’t.”

“It’s horrifying on so many levels,” said Clohessy, which is why he said SNAP asked San Antonio church officials “to low-key” Elizondo’s funeral.

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KENTUCKY
The Courier-Journal

Matthew Glowicki, @MattGlo
April 11, 2016

The leader of a local church who had been associated with allegations of sex abuse cover-ups is scheduled to speak this week at a religious conference for preachers, drawing the criticism of a support group for clergy sexual abuse survivors.

C.J. Mahaney, the current senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Louisville, is set to speak at the Together for the Gospel conference, a gathering expected to draw thousands to town Tuesday-Thursday at the KFC Yum! Center.

Leaders with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests plan to protest outside the conference Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. by speaking out about the allegations against Mahaney and the church he formerly pastored, Sovereign Grace Ministries. It was a denomination comprised of a network of dozens of churches now known as Sovereign Grace Churches. The denomination moved its headquarters from Maryland to Louisville.

A 2012 civil lawsuit filed in Maryland accused Mahaney of helping to cover up sex abuse by both church leaders and members in the Maryland church, the Courier-Journal previously reported.

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ARIZONA
ABC 15

Joe Enea
Apr 11, 2016

TOLLESON, AZ – A Tolleson youth pastor has been arrested for having a sexual relationship with an underage member of his church.

Court records show 35-year-old Robert Anthony Jerez had a three-month relationship with the female victim, during which they had sex more than 10 times and shared drugs and alcohol.

Tolleson police on Thursday got a call from an employee of Grace Community Church, near 78th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, saying a young female churchgoer told a friend that she had a sexual relationship with “Pastor Tony.”

The victim’s father was also told this information and he relayed to police that Pastor Tony and his daughter were in a relationship from October 2015 to December 2015. The father also provided police with his daughter’s cell phone which contained texted photos between the two that were sexual in nature.

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PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive

By Ivey DeJesus | idejesus@pennlive.com

The laws that govern how long victims of child sex abuse have to bring their predators to justice came one step closer to being reformed on Monday.

A bill that would reform the statute of limitations cleared a hurdle in the House as lawmakers approved two amendments to House Bill 1947, which would eliminate civil and criminal statutes of limitations to most sex crimes, especially child sex abuse cases – all going forward.

The House agreed to attach an amendment introduced by Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks) that would retroactively raise the age limit for civil lawsuits in sex abuse cases from 30 to 50.

Speaking before a House session that was notably boisterous with chatter all day, Rozzi brought the chamber to a hushed silence as he spoke about friends and victims who had either committed suicide or suffered decades of anguish after being sexually abused by priests.

Rozzi’s amendment would raise the age limit for victims to seek charges – retroactively — from 30 to 50.

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SOUTH DAKOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, April 11, 2016

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

Victims urge bishop to act on abuse
Group wants “outreach” about SD predator
He was just sued for child sex crimes in Texas
But he’s an SD native and worked here too

A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging South Dakota Catholic officials to “aggressively reach out” to victims of a recently-sued predator priest.

Last month, Fr. Milton “Milty” Eggerling was accused for the first time in Texas sex abuse and cover-up lawsuit. In it, the victim charges that Eggerling lured him with special treatment, gifts of money, and outings before sexually abusing him. The abuse, which took place in the 1970s, began when the boy was 11 years old.

The lawsuit also says that Austin, Texas, church officials—including the bishop—knew or should have known about the abuse and did little to nothing to stop it.

[Statesman]

SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)—the nation’s largest support group for men and women sexually abused in religious and institutional settings—wants Sioux Falls Bishop Paul J. Swain to reach out to anyone who may have encountered Eggerling during his time in the state.

The group fears that there may be more victims who are suffering in shame and silence. SNAP also wants to encourage witnesses and whistleblowers to come forward and share what they know.

Eggerling was a native of South Dakota, born and raised in the Sioux Fall Diocese. After his ordination into the priesthood, he worked at churches and schools in Lennox, Worthing, Howard, Marion, Aberdeen, and Sioux Falls, SD from the 1950s to the early 1970s.

[BishopAccountability.org]

“We’re concerned because our experience has shown us that Eggerling may have victims across the Sioux Falls Diocese,” said David Clohessy of SNAP. “Predators never have just one victim. Bishop Swain has a moral duty and the Christian obligation to reach out to anyone who may be hurting or who may have information about Eggerling in South Dakota.”

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UNITED STATES
Brent Detwiler

Sunday, April 10, 2016

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is a coalition of pastors, scholars, and churchmen who hold the historic creeds and confessions of the Reformed faith and who proclaim biblical doctrine in order to foster a Reformed awakening in today’s Church.

The organization has a website called Mortification of Spin (i.e., the killing of deceit). Carl Trueman, Todd Pruitt, and Aimee Byrd are featured bloggers on the site.

It is significant, therefore, that Todd Pruitt called for C.J. Mahaney’s removal from Together for the Gospel yesterday (link). The conference starts on Tuesday. He said, “I appeal therefore to the organizers of T4G to remove C.J. Mahaney not only from the roster of speakers but also from the organization itself.”

Pruitt also called upon Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, and Al Mohler to make “a humble statement asking forgiveness for not acting sooner” in the removal of Mahaney from Together for the Gospel and exhorted them to take a “posture of solidarity with the victims of the abuse in SGM churches.”

I’ve included his post below.

Mahaney used to be a Council Member on the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals along with the men listed below in 2011. That’s the year I sent out The Documents. The Council has since been disbanded but the Alliance remains active, influential and well connected in the Reformed Church.

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NEW YORK
Catholic League

Bill Donohue comments on a bill that will soon be introduced in Albany that will eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes against minors:

On April 1, I issued a news release that was critical of New York State Senator Brad Hoylman for sponsoring a bill that would exclude public institutions from legislation eliminating the statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes.

I now commend him for pivoting. According to an exclusive by Ken Lovett of the Daily News (he has covered this issue better than anyone), Hoylman, and State Senator Andrea-Stewart Cousins, will submit a bill that covers all institutions equally, whether public or private. That is how it should be: justice demands that young victims of sex crimes be treated equally, independent of the venue of the offense.

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VATICAN CITY
Rome Reports

[with video]

2016-04-11

On Monday, the former executive secretary of the Cosea Commission, working under Monsignor Vallejo Balda, Nicola Maio made some declarations, as he has also been accused in the Vatileaks 2 case.

He acknowledged that he had access to all documents relating to the Cosea Commission and the Secretariat for the Economy but denies stealing the information and providing it to the two journalists, Fittipaldi and Nuzzi whom, he said he does not know. He further indicated that Francesca Chaouqui never asked him steal this information.

He assured that the only thing he felt pressured by was the responsibility of the work he was doing. He explained to the judge that the tasks entrusted onto him were that of the “will of the Pope.”

He said that he could not negate what Vallejo Balda asked him to do because he was his superior and only did what he asked. He explained that he had no way to checking if what Vallejo Balda was asking him to do was lawful or not because the chain of command was headed by Pope, then by Vallejo Balda and he was the last chain of command. “The only way to know the truth was to knock on the Pope’s door to find out and that was impossible,” he said.

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VATICAN CITY
CT Post

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A secretary on trial in the leaks of confidential Vatican documents has testified that he was compelled to do what his boss wanted because the monsignor reported directly to the pope and he was in no position to refuse.

Nicola Maio testified Monday that he did have legitimate access to documentation, given he was executive secretary of a papal reform commission. But he denied leaking it to two journalists, whose blockbuster books detailed waste, greed and mismanagement in the Holy See administration.

Maio said when his boss, Monsignor Angelo Lucio Vallejo Balda, asked him to get a document, he did so: “Who was I to say no?”

Vallejo has admitted he leaked the papers.

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INDIANA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, April 11, 2016

For more information: David Clohessy 314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com, Barbara Dorris 314 503 0003 cell, bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org

Notre Dame prof publicly discounts abuse allegations
Survivors urge his superior to denounce “this hurtful move”
University head should discipline the cleric, support group says
SNAP: “President should also use this opportunity to educate the rest of his staff”

A Notre Dame professor who is also a priest recently defended a fellow faculty member and a cleric who has been accused of child sexual abuse in Texas. A victims’ group wants the university’s president to discipline the professor for his “hurtful” public remarks.

Father Daniel Groody (574-631-3233, dgroody@nd.edu) is an Associate Professor of Theology at Notre Dame, as well as the Director of Immigration Initiatives at the Institute for Latino Studies. The priest spoke at the funeral of Father Virgilio Elizondo.

In a pending San Antonio lawsuit, Fr. Elizondo is of groping an orphan who confined in the priest that he had suffered long term abuse at the hands of another clergyman. However, Fr. Elizondo took his own life before he could give testimony in the case.

[The Observer]

[Daily Mail]

During a service last week, Fr. Groody claimed that Fr. Elizondo was accused of abuse “not because he was a serial abuser, but because he was a highly visible, accomplished, respected cleric. …” However, although Elizondo denied the allegations when he was alive, members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, believe that the suicide note Elizondo left suggested that he was indeed guilty.

[The Observer]

[Daily Mail]

Two SNAP leaders are writing to Father John I. Jenkins, the President of Notre Dame (574-631-3903 president@nd.edu), urging him to discipline Groody for his remarks, saying that they were not only extremely hurtful but could also deter other survivors from coming forward. The text of the letter, sent earlier today by email, is below.

“Many abusers tell their victims that no one will believe them over a respected man of the cloth,” said David Clohessy, SNAP’s director. “When clergy members dismiss out of hand allegations against other priests, it sends a very chilling message to those who have been abused and are considering coming forward.”

“While we understand that Fr. Groody and Fr. Elizondo were colleagues and may even have been friends, it is not appropriate for a clergyman to express public support for a credibly accused molester,” said Barbara Dorris of SNAP. “Not only does this discourage other victims from coming forward, it also rubs salt into the wounds of already damaged survivors. Ultimately, by discouraging other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers, it makes the church and schools less safe.”

Clohessy also said “Universities pride themselves on open-mindedness, yet here we have a university official trying to pass on his personal opinion as fact, in the absence of any evidence.”

Following Fr. Elizondo’s death SNAP had urged his supporters to show restraint and sensitivity, saying, “It will be tempting to publicly profess his innocence. … We as adults face a simple choice. We can either make it easier for child sex abuse victims to come forward, or harder. Publicly rallying around Fr. Elizondo makes it harder. It makes the church more dangerous.”

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ARKANSAS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, April 11, 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)

An Arkansas priest once suspended after child sex crimes were reported is getting a new parish. We worry about this move and about Arkansas Bishop Anthony Taylor’s continuing secrecy about clergy sex crimes, sexual misconduct and cover ups.

[BishopAccountability.org]

As best we can tell, besides just one notice in 2011, Bishop Taylor has never updated parishioners or the public about Fr. Ruben Quinteros who was temporarily taken off the job and “threatened” after a man reported that a priest had molested his child.

[Bishop Accountability.org]

Now, Fr. Quinteros is being sent to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock. http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/4647/Leadership-changes-coming-to-parishes-diocesan-offices#.dpuf

In 2011, Bishop Taylor says St. Joseph Parish in Fayetteville “received a phone call in Spanish to warn us that a priest was in danger of suffering bodily harm at the hands of a man who believed that his child had been touched improperly (in Springdale) by a priest” and that Fr. Quinteros was being “threatened” but Taylor believed it “may be a case of mistaken identity.”

Bishop Taylor claims he “could not follow up on the call because the number was blocked” but that the priest was temporarily removed from ministry, the State Child Abuse Hotline was called, but neither church officials nor the police “were able to locate the alleged victim.” He also said a church panel “determined that the allegation against was not credible” and Fr. Quinteros resumed “his ministry in De Queen.”

Notice the wording in Bishop Taylor’s written 2011 message: The abuse of a child is portrayed as possible (“alleged”), but the threat to a priest is portrayed as real (“The priest being threatened is Father Ruben”), even though the source of both pieces of information is the same. That wording, we feel, shows the inherent bias that religious figures bring to clergy sex abuse and cover up cases.

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NEW YORK
New York Post

Editorial

Kids in New York’s public schools aren’t learning because the education model is broken. But students in ultra-Orthodox yeshivas aren’t learning, critics charge, because they just aren’t being taught.

State law requires private and parochial schools to provide instruction “at least substantially equivalent” to that in public schools.

But last week, parents and former students claimed 39 ultra-Orthodox day schools in Brooklyn and Queens don’t provide even the most basic instruction in subjects like English, math and science.

Students between the ages of 7 and 13, they charge, get only six hours a week of English and math — and no science or history at all. English instruction for boys stops completely after age 13, leaving them lacking in basic skills and unprepared for the workforce.

Last summer, the Department of Education agreed to look into the complaints, though not with on-site inspections. Instead, it agreed to query the yeshivas and evaluate the responses.

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CANADA
Daily Courier

KENTVILLE, N.S. – A prominent Toronto pastor has pleaded not guilty to decades-old sex-crime allegations in Nova Scotia.

Reverend Brent Hawkes is accused of indecent assault and gross indecency related to allegations of a sexual assault in the 1970s.

As expected, Hawkes did not appear in provincial court today in Kentville. Halifax lawyer Joel Pink appeared on behalf of Hawkes’ lawyer, Clayton Ruby.

Not guilty pleas were entered on the charges and trial dates set for seven days starting Nov. 14.

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PENNSYLVANIA
The Morning Call

Bill White

Parishioner speaks out about bishop’s letter

I mentioned in Sunday’s column that I had heard from a woman who was dismayed at the letter inserted into her church bulletin two Sundays ago. Bishop John O. Barres was lobbying parishioners to contact their state legislators in opposition to bills that would extend the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases.

She was not the only churchgoer I heard from about this. In fact, one of them wrote a letter to Barres and sent me a copy, hoping it could be published in some way.

It’s too long for a letter to the editor and kind of short for a Your View, so I agreed to use it here.

Before I get to it, I’ll remind you that the state House is expected to vote today on a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations for criminal cases of child sex abuse and extend the age when civil suits can be filed from 30 years old to 50. A proposed amendment — a compromise with those who won’t accept a two-year window in which anyone can file a civil suit, even if they’re blocked by the statute of limitations at the time they were abused — would allow any victim to sue up until age 50.

This would give many more victims access to the courts to identify and expose their abusers, but it wouldn’t help older victims. As a practical matter, the compromise would affect 20 years worth of victims. Those who are older than the present age limi of, 30 would have until 50 to file suit under the amendment.

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NEW YORK
New York Daily News

BY KERRY BURKE, REUVEN BLAU NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Sunday, April 10, 2016

A Borough Park businessman at the heart of a police bribery probe leaned on his police buddies to squash two assault raps involving his nephew, according to the victims of a pair of attacks.

Borough Park business honcho Jeremy Reichberg is being investigated by the feds for allegedly plying NYPD brass and at least one officer in the 66th Precinct with gifts in return for favors, according to multiple sources.

His nephew, Shlomo Reichberg, was part of a gang of disassociated Hasidic teens called Grouplech, which means forks in Yiddish, community sources said. The Hasidic hooligans were involved in two reported violent attacks in 2012, according to the victims.

In one scary encounter, Micha Kaplan, 45, says a group of Hasidic teens put him in the hospital for several days after a severe beating. The alleged beatdown started after the teens cut him off as he was driving in Borough Park.

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CANADA
Western Star

Barb SweetPublished on April 11, 2016

To save money on hot shower water, boys would be forced by the Christian Brothers into the orphanage swimming pool with a bar of Sunlight soap to wash up, a witness told the Mount Cashel civil trial this morning, while recounting how he was dragged onetime from the locker room into the pool.

The witness is the fourth former resident to testify among four test cases in a trial to determine whether the RC Episcopal Corp. of St. John’s is liable for physical and sexual abuse by some Christian Brothers at the orphanage during the period — 1940s to 1960s. There are 60 claimants in all represented by the test cases. (As well various other law firms, in have 20 similar cases in total.)

The witness said he would hide in the locker room to avoid the swimming pool bathing ritual and would cry out in anguish over why he was placed in the orphanage and why his father had to die. He told the court last week that his father died in a hit and run accident when the witness was a young boy. He was placed in Mount Cashel and girls in the family were sent to Belvedere orphanage.

The witness recalled some boys were whacked on the hands as many as 50 times a day in front of their class and the worst he saw it for harsh discipline at the orphanage was in the period 1946-50.

The witness is being cross-examined today by Chris Blom, one of the Ontario lawyers representing the Roman Catholic church, which contends it did not run the orphanage and therefore is not liable. It maintains the facility was solely operated by the lay order Christian Brothers.

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PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive

By Ivey DeJesus | idejesus@pennlive.com

Michele Gonsman hasn’t had the chance to take to court the man who sexually abused her when she was a child.

The statute of limitations on the crime had expired by the time she was ready to come forth.

Gonsman hasn’t given up hope of getting justice. On Monday — just two hours before the Pennsylvania House of Representative was scheduled to hold a hearing on a bill that would reform the law — she joined scores other victims of child sexual abuse and sex crimes to push for its passage.

Gonsman said the issue of reforming the law is not an issue of the Catholic Church— a grand jury report concluding that priests in the Altoona-Johnstown diocese abused hundreds of children is an impetus for the bill — but one that affects thousands of other victims across the county. Gonsman was abused by a neighbor.

“They have no idea how many people they are impacting,” she said.

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UNITED STATES
News Everyday

By R. Siva Kumar(writer@newseveryday.com)

David Clohessy was lured to a Missouri trip and abused by a Roman Catholic priest. It was only after decades that he became the director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.

Last Friday morning, he got frustrated after reading Pope Francis’ 264-page document—“Amoris Laetitia,” or “The Joy of Love,”—asking church leaders to open their arms in welcome to gay, lesbian, divorced or remarried followers, but not mentioning clergy abuse survivors.

The group is very upset over the Pope’s inaction. The members point out that Pope Francis tackles everything from climate change to Cuban diplomacy, but does not mention sex crimes and cover-ups in the church.

“It’s very tough for us to understand how seemingly every other issue takes precedence – especially because on everything else, the pope really is powerless,” said Clohessy, who lives in St. Louis. “But instead of taking real action that makes a real difference, he’s content to do, and, in fact is masterful at, these meaningless feel-good gestures that are essentially public relations maneuvers.”

“Amoris Laetitia” mentions the word “abuse” just six times, and does not refer to the sex scandal in the Catholic Church at all. The Pope merely mentions that “the sexual abuse of children is all the more scandalous when it occurs in places where they ought to be most safe, particularly in families, schools, communities and Christian institutions.”

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican Information Service – Bollettino

Vatican City, 11 April 2016 – Today at 10.30 a.m. a new hearing began in the ongoing trial for the dissemination of reserved information and documents in Vatican City State Tribunal, according to information provided by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. It was attended by the members of the Tribunal (Professors Giuseppe Dalla Torre, Piero Antonio Bonnet, Paolo Papanti-Pelletier and Venerando Marano), the Promoter of Justice (Professors Gian Pietro Milano and Roberto Zannotti), and the defendants Ángel Lucio Vallejo Balda, Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, Nicola Maio, Gianluigi Nuzzi, with their respective legal representatives Emanuela Bellardini, Laura Sgrò, Rita Claudia Baffioni and Roberto Palombi. The defendant Emiliano Fittipaldi was absent, but was represented by his lawyer Lucia Teresa Musso.

The hearing was dedicated fully to the interrogation of the defendant Nicola Maio by the President, the Promoter of Justice, his lawyer and then the counsels for the defence of the other defendants. Finally, the report of the examination was read and approved. The hearing ended at approximately 1.20 p.m.

The next hearing will take place on Wednesday, April at 10.30 a.m

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican News Service – Bollettino

Vatican City, 11 April 2016 – This morning the fourteenth meeting of the Holy Father with the Council of Cardinals took place in Vatican City. The work of the “Council of Nine” will continue until Wednesday, 13 April.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Frankfurter Allgemeine

[A Catholic priest under suspicion of abuse in the Fulda diocese. The 36-year old priest was suspended by the diocese. According to prosecutors, the events occurred on the night of Good Friday in the youth room of the parish in Mittelkalbach. There was a written statement from Vicar General Gerhard Stanke relating to “to acts with young people in connection with alcohol consumption”.]

Die Staatsanwaltschaft Fulda ermittelt gegen einen katholischen Pfarrer aus dem osthessischen Kalbach wegen des Verdachts des sexuellen Missbrauchs. Es werde geprüft, ob „Delikte aus dem Sexualbereich“ vorliegen, sagte Staatsanwalt Harry Wilke am Montag. Der Pfarrer habe sich am Donnerstag selbst angezeigt und über seinen Anwalt eine schriftliche Erklärung abgegeben. Details zum Fall und den Betroffenen machte die Staatsanwaltschaft nicht, um die Opfer zu schützen.

Der 36 Jahre alte Pfarrer wurde wegen des Missbrauchsverdachts bereits vom Bistum Fulda suspendiert. Laut Staatsanwaltschaft ereigneten sich die Vorkommnisse in der Nacht zum Karfreitag im Jugendraum unter der Pfarrei in Mittelkalbach. Dort kam es einer schriftlichen Erklärung von Generalvikar Gerhard Stanke zufolge „zu Handlungen mit Jugendlichen im Zusammenhang mit Alkoholkonsum“.

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AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

April 11, 2016

Shannon Deery
Herald Sun

CATHOLIC bishop Ronald Mulkearns has been buried, taking dozens of secrets and unanswered questions about his handling of child sexual abuse to his grave.

As bishop of Ballarat between 1971 and 1997 Bishop Mulkearns facilitated the abuse of hundreds of kids by shuffling paedophile priests around large diocese.

Under his watch some of Australia’s worst Catholic paedophiles, including Fr Gerald Ridsdale and Br Robert Best, abused scores of innocent children.

Bishop Mulkearns admitted, just weeks before his death, that he had failed the children, and failed as a bishop.

The admission, in what turned out to be his deathbed confession, followed years of silence about his handling of abuse and allegations of a widespread coverup.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Charlotte King

The Catholic bishop who presided over the Ballarat diocese during some of its worst years of child sexual abuse by priests has been laid to rest.

Retired Bishop Ronald Mulkearns spent 26 years heading up the Ballarat diocese between 1971 and 1997, but his funeral went almost unnoticed.

Around 30 friends and family attended the small service at the chapel adjoining his Ballarat nursing home, Nazareth House.

The bishop died last week from cancer at the age of 85.

The clergy presence was purposefully minimal but Father John McKinnon, a close friend of the retired Bishop, emerged shortly after the service.

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PENNSYLVANIA
We Are Central PA

Altoona, Blair County, Pa.

The fight to abolish the statue of limitations for child sex abuse crimes continues. Tomorrow, a group will rally in Harrisburg as part of Crime Victim’s Advocacy Day.

“There’s no statute of limitations on murder because murder is heinous. and I don’t know anything more heinous than sex abuse.” Said Michele Gonsman.

She is a survivor of child sex abuse. Gonsman’s made it her mission to bring survivors together and to abolish the statute of limitations.

“My abuser goes free because of the statute,” she said.

Gonsman is contacted daily by other victims wanting to share their stories. On Monday, she and 30 others will take their fight to Harrisburg. There, they will rally for Crime Victim’s Advocacy Day.

Their bus will leave from Ebensburg, and stop at Logan Valley Mall, before traveling to Harrisburg. Gonsman says her fight is not with the Catholic church but rather with the institutions who cover up these crimes.

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NEW YORK
New York Daily News

BY KENNETH LOVETT NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF

Sunday, April 10, 2016

ALBANY — State Senate Democrats are introducing a bill that would not only eliminate the time limits for child sex abuse victims to bring criminal or civil cases, but also make it easier for them to sue public institutions like schools, the Daily News has learned.

Sponsored by Senate Democratic Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Sen. Brad Hoylman, the bill would be the most comprehensive in the Legislature in making it easier for victims and law enforcement to go after predators.

“This is a crucial step to ensuring that all victims of child sex abuse get their day in court and that the predators at fault are held criminally and civilly responsible,” said Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers). “We must protect victims no matter where or when the heinous crime took place.”

The legislation borrows components from several bills that are already out there to address the issue.

But it also goes further by doing away with a requirement that kids abused at public institutions like schools or the foster care system file an intent to sue the government entity within 90 days of the incident occurring.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Verdict

11 APR 2016

MARCI A. HAMILTON

As the Pennsylvania House gets closer than it has ever been to meaningful statute of limitations reform for child sex abuse victims, it is interesting to watch how prosecutors across the state are acting. As I discussed in my last column, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and Pennsylvania Attorney General have issued a series of scathing grand jury reports on seriatim and systematic child sex abuse in major trusted institutions, like Penn State, the Philadelphia Archdiocese, and the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. In a related though not identical arena, the Montgomery County DA’s race became a referendum on failure to prosecute Bill Cosby for rape, with the win going to the candidate who sided with the rape victims.

Other Pennsylvania district attorneys have hewn to the increasingly outdated position that they owe allegiance to the Catholic bishops, with the Allentown DA most recently expressing this sentiment.

Sadly for the vast majority of sex abuse survivors, the DAs’ discussions about whether to prosecute or to change the statute of limitations have mostly been about the Catholic bishops’ cover up. I say “sadly,” because there are other institutions putting children at risk, and they get swept away in the loud and persistent denunciations of SOL reform by the Catholic Conference.

For this reason, I will examine the strange position Bucks County DA David Heckler has taken with respect to child sex abuse and sex assault victims. His office has a pending grand jury that, if a report were issued, would make the case for SOL reform for child sex abuse victims beyond the Church. Yet the grand jury, which was initiated in the fall of 2014, has yet to issue a report, leaving many victims wondering why.

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

NEW YORK
New York Daily News

Thanks to some long-overdue moral fortitude by Senate Democrats, maybe, just maybe, time is running out on New York’s absurdly restrictive statute of limitations covering sexual abuse of minors.

New York is a national outlier — and moral disgrace — with respect to abused minors being able to seek justice in either criminal or civil courts. Under current law, the criminal and civil statutes of limitations for a young man or woman to pursue justice expires when they turn 23.

Which gives people haunted by crimes committed against them as children far too little time to reckon with the horror of being victimized.

For a victim seeking redress against an institution that enabled a predator, the deadline is even earlier: The victim must act by the time he or she turns 21. Reform has been blocked thanks to a dastardly pair of only-in-Albany excuses: The Republican-controlled Senate won’t move, they say, because the Democratic-controlled Assembly refuses to do away with a crazy rule protecting public institutions alone from these suits unless notice to sue is filed within 90 days.

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.

SOUTH AFRICA
Eyewitness News

Mia Lindeque

JOHANNESBURG – Fugitive rabbi, Eliezer Berland, is recovering in a Johannesburg hospital after he was rushed to a doctor from the Sandton police station.

The rabbi is wanted in Israel for a number of sex crimes, and has been on the run for over four years.

He was arrested this week, when he was admitted to hospital due to his medical condition.

Rabbi Berland is under strict police guard in hospital.

ER24 could not confirm the identity of the man whom they treated at the Sandton Police Station, saying only that a suspect suffered from a medical condition and needed urgent attention.

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.