ABUSE TRACKER

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

November 6, 2017

‘Their cross to bear’: The Catholic women told to forgive domestic violence

AUSTRALIA
ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

November 4, 2017

By Hayley Gleeson with Julia Baird
Illustrations by Rocco Fazzari

Pope Francis has denounced domestic abuse as “craven acts of cowardice”. But will the Australian Catholic Church have the courage to answer his call and root out the “shameful ill-treatment” of women in its midst? And is its all-male hierarchy, still reeling from revelations of child sexual abuse, capable of leading the charge?

Over the past three decades spent working for the Catholic Church, Maria George has been exposed to dozens of women who have survived intimate partner violence. The work of a pastoral associate often involves caring for vulnerable or distressed parishioners.

But the story of one particular woman’s abuse by her husband, a controlling man who raped his wife repeatedly over the decades of their marriage, has stayed with her.

“She endured something like 16 pregnancies, quite a few miscarriages, and the stillbirth of a baby,” Ms George, a senior pastoral associate at Melbourne’s St Kilda-Elwood parish, told ABC News.

She knew that being forced to have sex was wrong, and she often thought about leaving, Ms George said.

But, “her response to that [abuse] was, ‘this is my duty as a wife, for better or worse’, and ‘I said in marriage vows that I will stick with this’.” And she did.

Another woman, a mother of seven living in Melbourne who spoke to Ms George about her alcoholic husband’s physical, verbal and emotional abuse, sought the help of a priest.

He told her the violence was “God’s will” and that she must endure it because she’d promised in her marriage vows that she would, for better or worse.

“The [priest’s] attitude was that it was perhaps a moral failing by that man, but you have a duty to forgive,” Ms George said.

“That is what the Christian faith teaches us, that you must be forgiving, and basically forgive and go back and get more of the same treatment. That is what happened in the end.”

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.

November 5, 2017

Sacerdote es acusado de atacar sexualmente a una persona discapacitada

CHICAGO (IL)
Univision

November 3, 2017

[Google Translate: Priest is accused of sexually assaulting a disabled person. The alleged victim is a 39-year-old man who is paralyzed and suffering from an intellectual disability. Bail for the pastor was set at one million dollars.]

La presunta víctima es un hombre de 39 años que está paralítico y sufre de una discapacidad intelectual. Al pastor le fue fijada una fianza de un millón de dólares.

Un sacerdote católico de Kankakee, poblado localizado a 59 millas al suroeste de Chicago, fue acusado de agredir sexualmente a un hombre paralítico e intelectualmente discapacitado.

De acuerdo con las autoridades, una enfermera encontró al padre Richard Jacklin, de 65 años de edad, realizando un acto sexual con un hombre de 39 años en el Shapiro Development Center. Este es un centro residencial y de capacitación para personas con necesidades especiales.

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.

How the Church can help victims of sexual assault

UNITED STATES
Catholic News Agency

November 5, 2017

By Mary Rezac

It’s been a month since the New York Times first published an investigative report on Harvey Weinstein, a Hollywood film producer and studio executive who has been accused of sexually assaulting numerous women in the entertainment industry since the 1990s.

Already, the reports have been followed by a movement among women – both those who have made additional accusations against Weinstein and other celebrities, and women throughout the world who are sharing their own stories of sexual assault on social media, accompanied by the hashtag #MeToo.

The Catholic Church in the United States faced its own sex abuse crisis in the early 2000s, beginning with the Boston Globe’s report on extensive sexual abuse by clergy, particularly against minors. Since then, the Church has taken care to provide numerous resources to such victims, and develop robust child protection policies.

But what can the Church provide for adult victims of general sexual assault, whether committed by Church personnel or other people?

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.

Archdiocese releases names of priests, other members, accused of sexual abuse

ST. PAUL (MN)
KMSP-TV (Fox)

November 4, 2017

By Jack Highberger

[Includes video]

[See also the archdiocese’s statement and list: Statement Regarding Disclosure of Additional Names of Men with Substantiated Claims of Sexual Abuse Against Them.]

On Friday night, the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released the names of 19 men accused of sexual abuse. Each of the men served within the diocese at one time.

Though the names of the men wouldn’t be recognized in the average household, St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson said the names are not foreign to officials.

“The bad, and sad, news is these are all names that have been known to top officials for many, many years,” he told Fox 9 on Saturday.

Anderson represents many of the church sex abuse survivors. He told Fox 9 that the release only came because of pressure. In fact, 14 of the 19 have died.

“It’s the first time we’ve seen this sort of self-publication from the archdiocese,” Anderson said. “But it comes after years of investigation, pressure and pain.”

The publication said all 19 men have “substantiated claims of sexual abuse against them.”

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.

Despite child molestation charges, Rushville pastor still appears to lead church

RUSHVILLE (IN)
WISH-TV

November 4, 2017

By Eric Feldman

An Indiana pastor appears to still be the leader of his church despite the child molestation and solicitation charges he faces and his attempt to take his own life after additional charges came down on Friday.

Garry Evans is listed as pastor on the sign in front of Rushville Baptist Temple Church, and now people living doors away want to know why no one from the church is speaking out.

“It’s wrong. Pure evil. There’s evil in that church,” said Tim Guck, who lives next door.

The man the church says leads their worship has led the Rushville Police Department down a frightening path of child molestation allegations.

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

Time to change Canberra’s Catholic Church, faithful say

CANBERRA (AUSTRALIA)
Brisbane Times

November 5, 2017

By Tom McIlroy

A group of Canberra Catholic faithful have stepped up lobbying efforts for structural change they say will address deepening disillusion and disaffection in the church.

In a move welcomed by Canberra and Goulburn Archbishop Christopher Prowse, the Concerned Catholics group have presented a submission to senior clergy ahead of a proposed plenary council for the church in Australia in 2020.

It calls for church leaders to establish pastoral councils in the Canberra archdiocese, designed to give parishioners and lay partners an opportunity to participate fully in the response to next month’s final report from the landmark royal commission into responses to child sexual abuse.

The plan also calls for reforms of the church’s canon law and better promotion of the role of women in leadership positions.

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.

#MeToo movement brings women’s voices into open

NEW YORK
GoErie.com

November 5, 2017

By Brenda Martin

The social media moment has shown us how many women have experienced sexual harassment, assault or gender bias.

Emily Roll Moore was a young Fairview woman who struggled with life. She had a family, went to school, was a gifted writer and was the fashionista of her family. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife.

But she also had a past that haunted her, a series of events that she experienced in elementary school in upstate New York, that colored her days and nights.

She was sexually assaulted by a man connected to her grade school.

The assault changed her. It affected her relationships. It made her hurt herself.

Moore died several years ago at the age of 31 as a complication of anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder that Moore and her family believed was brought on by her childhood sexual abuse.

Her mother, Carolynn Roll, says #MeToo on behalf of her daughter, because her daughter can no longer say it herself.

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.

Lifting the veil of the Catholic Church and the Iglesia ni Cristo

PHILIPPINES
Rappler.com

November 5, 2017

The Catholic Church and the Iglesia ni Cristo are often left unchecked because of how they are revered as institutions. Rappler has pursued investigations of alleged abuses.

In Catholic Churches in the Philippines, the faithful often sit back and listen to what is presented as biblical truth. The Gospel readings often end with the declaration, “This is the word of the Lord.”

Because of this, faithful followers dare not question the priests who proclaim the gospel because they are seen as acting in the person of the head of the Catholic Church, Jesus Christ himself.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines counts at least 80,304,061 followers or 80% of the entire Philippine population, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Also in the millions is the home-grown Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) which has about 2.3 Filipinos followers.

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.

Attorney: Brouillard remained fairly sharp, did not show much emotion in 4-day deposition

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

November 5, 2017

By Haidee V Eugenio

Former Guam priest Louis Brouillard did not show much emotion and remained fairly sharp mentally when he provided, over a four-day period, more information about the “tragic circumstances that allowed him to have access to Guam’s children for so many years,” according to one of the attorneys involved in dozens of lawsuits accusing Brouillard of child sex abuse.

Brouillard’s Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 deposition in Pine City, Minnesota, where he lives, brought together attorneys for most plaintiffs and defendants from different parts of the nation.

Seattle-based attorney Steven T. Reich, a partner at the law firm Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala, said Brouillard was deposed over four days, and he “remained fairly sharp mentally, and cooperative throughout.”

“I asked Mr. Brouillard many pointed questions, and he appeared to make a genuine effort to provide honest answers. With regard to Mr. Brouillard’s demeanor, he did not show much emotion, and was rather matter of fact during his testimony,” said Reich, whose law firm works with Guam attorney Kevin Fowler in representing clergy sex abuse accusers.

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.

November 4, 2017

Statement Regarding Disclosure of Additional Names of Men with Substantiated Claims of Sexual Abuse Against Them

ST. PAUL (MN)
Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

November 3, 2017

Source: Tom Halden, Director of Communications

From Tim O’Malley, Director, Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment

In our continuing efforts to encourage healing, empower victims/survivors of sexual abuse to come forward, and promote transparency, we are adding to our website today the names of 19 men who have substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor against them. Eighteen of the men have been disclosed by their diocese or religious order based on alleged abuse outside of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, but had, at some point, served or spent time in this archdiocese. The other man served in the archdiocese until his death in the early 1960s and is being disclosed now based on recent interviews with victims/survivors who courageously came forward.

Disclosed by another diocese or religious order:

Cornelius DeVenster, OSC
John Gleason Michael Paquet, OSC
Othmar Hohmann, OSB
Paul Kabat, OMI
Thomas Meyer, OMI
James Moeglein, OSC
Dunstan Moorse, OSB
Orville Munie, OMI
John Murphy
Thomas O’Brien, OSC
Michael Paquet, OSC
James Phillips, OSB
David Roney
Urban Schmitt, OSC
Michael Skoblik
Charles Stark
Emil Twardochleb, OMI
Pirmin Wendt, OSB

Disclosed by the Archdiocese:
Vincent Worzalla

The assignment history for each man is located on our Safe Environment website.
If you or someone you know has been abused, the first call should be to law enforcement.

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.

Archdiocese discloses 19 additional names of men accused of abuse

ST. PAUL (MN)
Catholic Spirit

November 3, 2017

By Maria Wiering

[See also the archdiocese’s Statement Regarding Disclosure of Additional Names of Men with Substantiated Claims of Sexual Abuse Against Them.]

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis added 19 men Nov. 3 to a list of priests and religious brothers who have served or spent time in the archdiocese and have substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor against them.

“Eighteen of the men have been disclosed by their diocese or religious order based on alleged abuse outside of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, but had, at some point, served or spent time in this archdiocese,” according to a Nov. 3 statement from from Tim O’Malley, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment.

The other man, Father Vincent Worzalla, served in the archdiocese until his death in the early 1960s. According to the statement, Father Worzalla’s name is now being disclosed “based on recent interviews with victims/survivors who courageously came forward.”

The men who served or spent time in the archdiocese and were disclosed by other dioceses and orders are Cornelius DeVenster, OSC; John Gleason; Othmar Hohmann, OSB; Paul Kabat, OMI; Thomas Meyer, OMI; James Moeglein, OSC; Dunstan Moorse, OSB; Orville Munie, OMI; John Murphy; Thomas O’Brien, OSC; Michael Paquet, OSC; James Phillips, OSB; David Roney; Urban Schmitt, OSC; Michael Skoblik; Charles Stark;?Emil Twardochleb, OMI; and Pirmin Wendt, OSB.

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.

Sex Assault Scandals Opening Up Conversations In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (MN)
WCCO (CBS Minnesota)

November 3, 2017

By Jennifer Mayerle

The difficult and often secret topic of sexual harassment and assault has been cast into the spotlight following claims against Hollywood heavy hitters.

It’s started a conversation in the Twin Cities.

“What is appropriate? Where are the lines when it comes to a power situation?” Teresa Thomas, director of Women in Networking, said.

Thomas says many members of WIN have experienced some type of sexual harassment or assault in the workplace.

“They’re realizing they’re not so alone in some of these situations they’ve had in their life. What they’re really hoping for is by having this issue come to light that we then address them and work on them and set higher standards and expectations for how we treat each other,” Thomas said.

Teri McLaughlin, executive director of MnCASA, which provides resources for sexual assault programs, believes what’s happening will impact the movement beneficially.

“We have an opportunity here to begin to change society to reduce the frequency of this going forward. I think this is a unique opportunity with the magnitude of reports right now,” McLaughlin said.

She says it’s predictable there are skeptics, but emphasizes we must believe victims that find the strength to come forward.

“When we start by believing, we absolutely create a space that safe for those victims,” McLaughlin said.

She believes we may be witnessing the beginning of what’s to come. McLaughlin compares what’s happening now to the Catholic sex abuse scandal.

“They didn’t come forward until they felt it was safe to do so when they saw somebody else wasn’t destroyed, wasn’t damaged that gives them some confidence to do so,” McLaughlin said.

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

Archdiocese compiling list of clergy with credible allegations of child sex abuse

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

November 4, 2017

By Haidee V Eugenio

The Archdiocese of Agana will compile a list of clergy with credible allegations of child sexual abuse against them, according to Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes.

The Catholic Church on Guam faces more than 140 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse decades ago by 16 different clergy members.

“It would be an important compliance to our own policy,” Byrnes said, as the Archdiocese of Agana rolls out revised policies on protecting young people, trains church workers and volunteers, and revives an independent review board on the investigation of alleged clergy abuses.

Because Guam clergy sex abuse accusers and defendants are pursuing mediation to try to settle the lawsuits, there is no telling yet how soon the archdiocesan list could be compiled and released to the public.

Seattle-based attorney Michael Pfau said releasing the names of the accused is a positive step, but the archdiocese should also provide complete files on abusive priests.

“Only then will the archdiocese show complete transparency,” Pfau said. “The people of Guam deserve to know the histories of abusive priests and the decisions of the church related to those priests.”

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

November 3, 2017

$1M bond set for priest

KANKAKEE (IL)
Daily Journal

November 3, 2017

By Lee Provost

KANKAKEE — Bond for Father Richard E. Jacklin, the Catholic priest accused for sexually assaulting a Shapiro Developmental Center resident Tuesday, was set at $1 million Thursday in Kankakee County Circuit Court.

In addition, it was stated during the bond hearing that the 39-year-old victim, identified in court only by his initials, has an IQ of 47 and has been a resident at Shapiro since 2010.

The victim also suffers from partial paralysis.

Jacklin, an ordained priest since June 1984, has provided written and verbal confessions, Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe said during the hearing.

It also was stated the victim told investigators this was not the first time Jacklin had sexual encounters with him. Authorities, however, do not have evidence to that statement as yet.

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.

Remembering Boise Bishop Michael Driscoll, Protector of Orange County’s Pedophile Priests

BOISE (ID)
LAist.com

November 2, 2017

By Gustavo Arellano

Catholics across Idaho are in mourning after the Oct. 24 death of longtime Diocese of Orange Bishop Michael Driscoll. Obituaries across the state noted the good deeds the 78-year-old Long Beach native (who will be buried Thursday) implemented in his 15-year term from 1999 to 2014: the introduction of the nonprofit Catholic Charities, an emphasis on tending to Idaho’s growing Latino population, and an increase in the number of priests and deacons.
But none of the Gem State’s newspapers bothered to mention Driscoll’s actual legacy: as an enabler, apologist and longtime keeper of secrets in the Diocese of Orange’s pedophile priest scandal.

I knew His Excellency well. From 2004 until about 2007, I was a one-man Spotlight against the Orange diocese for OC Weekly. In story after story, I showed how diocesan officials actively covered up priestly sex abuse, doing everything from shaming victims into silence to shuffling offending priests from parish to parish to not reporting them to law enforcement—and worse.
And during his 23-year career in Orange County, Driscoll was the conductor in the middle of it all.

He was named chancellor when the Diocese of Orange split from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1976. In the Roman Catholic Church, a chancellor acts as the record-keeper for his diocese, fielding all complaints against priests and reporting any findings to his superiors. That meant Driscoll dealt directly with all sex-abuse allegations from 1976 until 1986, when he became vicar general—the right-hand man of new Bishop Norman McFarland, and the person charged with disciplining wayward priests. He kept that role until 1989, when McFarland made Driscoll an auxiliary bishop in 1989.

Not a bad trajectory for a man who actively protected child rapists, right?
Space—even online—prohibits me from listing all of Driscoll’s sins, so I’ll just mention the most egregious examples, because they happen to involve bona fide monsters.

In 1976, Driscoll received a letter from Archbishop William Cousins of the Diocese of Milwaukee regarding Father Siegfried Widera, who was set to visit Orange County. Cousins asked Driscoll to give Widera a temporary assignment as a sign of “fraternal charity” even though Widera had “a moral problem having to do with a boy in school,” and that there had “been a repetition” severe enough that state psychiatrists gave the “strong recommendation that no immediate assignment be made in the environs” of Milwaukee for Widera.

Widera, in fact, had been convicted in 1973 of molesting a boy. Yet the Orange diocese fully accepted Widera, whose rape of young boys was so horrible that then-Bishop Tod D. Brown agreed to pay $17.7 million in 2005 to nine of Widera’s victims. That was part of a $100 million settlement with other victims—at that time the largest such payout in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. The Orange County Register noted at the time that Widera’s victims were among “the most grievously abused.”

“I don’t want to sound like I’m some kind of a monster, but … we perhaps never should have taken [Widera] in 1976,” Driscoll admitted in a 2002 deposition. “And I’m sorry about that today. But … you know, I can’t justify my actions. So I’m not going to.”

Driscoll didn’t just take in pedophiles, he also helped them resettle elsewhere. In 1985, he asked church officials in Liverpool, England, to take the Reverend Robert Foley, who had admitted to molesting an 8-year-old boy during a Boy Scouts camping trip organized by St. Justin Martyr in Anaheim. The boy’s mother, Driscoll wrote, “threatened to go to the police,” and Foley “is in jeopardy of arrest and possible imprisonment if he remains here.” Foley left the U.S. for England soon after; he never faced prosecution.

And in 1984, he wrote a letter praising Franklin Buckman, who had just left St. Polycarp in Anaheim for the remote Diocese of Baker in eastern Oregon. “He will be a blessing to you and your diocese,” Driscoll wrote to Baker officials, “and he is always welcome to ‘come home’ with us”—not revealing that Buckman was facing a sexual abuse allegation (the Orange diocese settled a case against the priest in 2005 for $1.9 million).

Widera, Foley and Buckman, however, didn’t compare to Eleuterio Ramos. Ramos was the worst pedophile priest in the history of the Orange diocese, admitting to molesting “at least” 25 boys during a career that started at St. Thomas the Apostle in Los Angeles 1966 and ended in Tijuana in 1991.

And Driscoll was there to cover up for Ramos every step of the way.

Upon becoming the Orange diocese chancellor, Driscoll would’ve learned about a letter in Ramos’ personnel file written by the Orange County District Attorney. Back in 1975, when OC parishes were still under the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the http://www.bishop-accountability.org/docs/orange/ramos/orange_50600006_PF_ramos.pdf District Attorney had suggested that Ramos see a psychologist “as a result of a recent incident.” As chancellor, Driscoll fielded multiple complaints from parents, teachers and even other priests about Ramos’ predatory ways as he moved from parish to parish. And it was Driscoll who helped Ramos leave to Tijuana in 1985 after the priest admitted to molesting yet another boy.

“We deeply regret the problems he has,” Driscoll wrote to Diocese of Tijuana Bishop Emilio Berlie (who ended up placing Ramos in a children’s ministry), “and hope that he may now completely come to grips with facing these problems and overcoming them.”

Yet when he was deposed in 1991 as part of a civil lawsuit filed by a Ramos victim, Driscoll claimed under oath during a deposition that he “didn’t received any complaints [about Ramos] specifically to me”—despite letters that lawyers dug up detailing Ramos allegations in Driscoll’s writing.

In a 2005 letter printed in the Idaho Catholic Register, shortly before thousands of pages of documents were released with his name all over them, Driscoll stated he was “deeply sorry that the way we handled cases [in Orange County] allowed children to be victimized by permitting some priests to remain in ministry, for not disclosing their behavior to those who might be at risk, and for not monitoring their actions more closely.”

And that penance worked—so much so that both the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register didn’t even bother to print an obituary about him (mostly because the editors and reporters who covered the sex-abuse scandal 12 years ago are long gone from the papers).
Such amnesia doesn’t sit well with John Manly. He was one of the lead lawyers in securing record-breaking settlements against the Orange diocese and Los Angeles archdiocese, and in recent years has represented victims in the Miramonte Elementary School sex-abuse scandal and gymnasts who say longtime USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar sexually abused them.

“Bishop Driscoll’s systemic protection of child molester priests not only allowed children of the Diocese to be savaged by predators,” says Manly, who served under Driscoll as an altar boy at St. Catherine’s Military School in Anaheim. “His conduct destroyed lives, families and took the innocence of thousands. It also decimated the moral authority of the Church to speak on social justice issues. No one listens to someone who protects child rapists. That’s his legacy. Good riddance.”

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.

‘Profoundly Disturbing.’ Prestigious Boarding School Staff Accused of Sexually Abusing Students Over Decades

CONCORD (NH)
TIME via the Associated Press

November 3, 2017

By Michael Casey

(CONCORD, N.H.) — Over several decades, former faculty and staff at a prep school are accused of singling out students, plying them with alcohol and then attempting to kiss, fondle and commit other acts of sexual misconduct with them, according to a report released by the school late Wednesday.

The allegations are part of an ongoing investigation by St. Paul’s School into its history of sexual abuse, and the focus of an investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

In May, St. Paul’s first reported detailed allegations against a dozen men and one woman who worked at the school between 1947 and 1999. An addendum released late Wednesday includes details from unnamed former students against five additional staff members, with allegations of abuse that happened as late as 2009.

The new report detailed 15 victims who had come forward to report abuse, while the May report did not provide information on victims.

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

Archbishop Charles Chaput: Media coverage of church sex abuse scandal is unbalanced

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philly.com

November 3, 2017

By Charles J. Chaput

In recent years the Inquirer has done a variety of valuable reporting and editorializing on sex abuse in the Catholic Church and past failures by the Church to root out abusers and to protect the innocent. The entire public — including Catholics — can be grateful for that.

I arrived in Philadelphia just months after a harsh 2011 grand jury report, and since then (but starting well before then) the archdiocese has worked hard to reform its victim outreach efforts, safety standards, handling of abuse allegations, and cooperation with law enforcement.

None of this has been window dressing. The suffering of past abuse victims is a deep scar on the witness of the Church, and one that will take generations to redeem. The priests, deacons, religious, and bishops of this diocese love their people and are committed to protecting them. The archdiocese, its ministries, and its resources are no more and no less than the people who sustain its parishes. They make Catholic services possible, and they — not some disembodied religious corporation — bear the burden of unjust penalties and laws.

Truth is always a good thing. So it’s been odd to notice that the Inquirer has often seemed less committed to reporting the history, roots, scope, and intractability of chronic sexual-abuse problems in our public schools, institutions, and society at large — and even less interested in what the Church has done and is doing to deal with the problem.

Since 2002, the archdiocese has committed more than $13 million to victim assistance for individuals and families, including counseling and other mental-health related services, help with medications, necessary travel, and child care.

Professionals in the victim advocacy field administer our archdiocesan Victim Assistance Program. The focus is on healing. It doesn’t matter when the abuse occurred, and no limit exists on how long the assistance is offered. Counselors and therapists, independent of the archdiocese, establish each person’s plan based on the unique needs of each individual. We’ve invested an additional $6 million in abuse prevention efforts that include educational programming for tens of thousands of children and adults in our schools and parishes, as well as screenings and background checks through state and federal law enforcement agencies. All of these efforts are ongoing.

Yet these facts have routinely been ignored or underreported by media in the public sphere. Despite ample evidence of the scope of the sexual-abuse problem beyond the Catholic Church, some continue to perpetuate the lie that the sexual abuse of minors is lopsidedly a “Catholic” problem and that the Church has done little to address it. This is flatly, demonstrably false. In a Nov. 1 editorial, the Inquirer even claimed that “the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the insurance industry have long fought efforts to hold abusers accountable for past crimes.” Again, this is flatly, demonstrably false. Any person who criminally abuses a child should be punished by law.

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

Archdiocese of NY: More than 200 claims of priest abuse

NEW YORK (NY)
lohud.com

November 2, 2017

By Jorge Fitz-Gibbon

The Archdiocese of New York said Thursday that more than 200 claims of abuse by Catholic priests have been filed under the church’s victim compensation program.

One day after the deadline for victims to file with the church, the Archdiocese said 172 claims were confirmed and financial compensation was accepted, while 21 victims have been offered compensation and 13 other claims are under review.

The Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program, or IRCP, was launched by Archbishop Timothy Dolan to offer settlements to victims of abuse by priests who are prohibited from filing legal claims.

Started last year, the compensation program began a second phase on March 1 to allow victims to file for compensation. That phase ended yesterday.

“The program was intended to bring a sense of justice and peace to those who did suffer abuse by priests or deacons of the Archdiocese of New York,” said Joseph Zwilling, the spokesman for the archdiocese.

The program gave victims a means to be compensated for the abuse they suffered because the statute of limitations in New York prohibits them from filing civil claims. Nearly all of the claims involve childhood abuse that happened years or decades ago.

The church does not confirm how much has been paid out in total compensation.

But earlier reports note that the church has paid millions in compensation, including $1.5 million to victims of priests who have served in the Lower Hudson Valley.

“We have been told often by victim survivors that they are not predominantly interested in money,” Zwilling said. “What they are looking for is an acknowledgement of what they went through, and a tangible sign of the church’s sorrow for what happened to them, for the church to say, ‘I’m sorry.'”

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.

Hollywood, here’s some advice on your sex-abuse scandals — from the Catholic Church

RALEIGH (NC)
The News and Observer

By Martha Quillin

November 2, 2017

The Catholic Church, which was riddled by sexual abuse scandals starting in the early 2000s, now could teach Hollywood a thing or two about how to protect children, a church leader said Thursday.

Edward Mechmann, director of public policy for the New York Archdiocese, told the Catholic News Agency that the church learned from its experiences that the key to combating abuse is combating the culture that allows it.

“In the area of child protection, the corporate culture is the most important element,” Mechmann said. “In the Church, we have successfully made child protection a key part of our regular course of business and we have made it unequivocally clear that any kind of sexual sin against minors is utterly unacceptable.”

He offered the advice as Hollywood and other industries respond to sexual harassment and assault scandals, including allegations made this week against “House of Cards” actor Kevin Spacey. Spacey is accused of making a sexual advance on Broadway and TV actor Anthony Rapp, who was 14 years old when the incident allegedly occurred 30 years ago. Since the accusations, Spacey has apologized for the encounter.

“We have put into place strong policies that are aimed to prevent any abuse,” Mechmann said. “These policies are taken very seriously by the leadership of the Church (laity and clergy alike) who have all demonstrated repeatedly that they are committed to the program. We have demonstrated over and over again that we are open to receiving complaints, we take all allegations seriously, we vigorously investigate them, and we are firm in correcting any problem,” he said.

More than 4,400 U.S. priests have been accused of abusing children between 1950 and 2002. The most notorious was John Geoghan of Boston, who was accused of molesting about 130 people, mostly young boys, between 1962 and 1995. Despite receiving a letter outlining allegations against Geoghan, Cardinal Bernard Law reassigned the priest to another parish. Geoghan was found guilty of molesting a boy in 2002 and was sentenced to prison. Law resigned his position in the church the same year.

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.

Report highlights pattern of sexual abuse at prep school

CONCORD (NH)
Associated Press

November 2, 2017

Over several decades, former faculty and staff at a prep school are accused of singling out students, plying them with alcohol and then attempting to kiss, fondle and commit other acts of sexual misconduct with them, according to a report released by the school late Wednesday.

The allegations are part of an ongoing investigation by St. Paul’s School into its history of sexual abuse, and the focus of an investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

In May, St. Paul’s first reported detailed allegations against a dozen men and one woman who worked at the school between 1947 and 1999. An addendum released late Wednesday includes details from unnamed former students against five additional staff members, with allegations of abuse that happened as late as 2009.

The new report detailed 15 victims who had come forward to report abuse, while the May report did not provide information on victims.

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.

Corey Feldman, Harvey Weinstein, James Toback, Roman Polanski And More Show Why Statute Of Limitations For Sexual Abuse Needs To Be Abolished

UNITED STATES
Celebrity Insider

November 2, 2017

By Charisse Van Horn

Hollywood is in an uproar after allegations revealing the widespread and rampant nature of pedophiles and sexual predators within the entertainment industry have come to light. Corey Feldman has been a vocal advocate for children within Hollywood warning people about the prevalence of pedophiles for years. Ronan Farrow’s explosive exposé has launched a social media movement that may be revolutionary in nature. Men and women across the globe are coming forward to share their stories of abuse, harassment, and assault at the hands of sexual abusers. While many are finding the path to healing by speaking out, some publicly for the first time, there are many cases that will never see justice in a court of law due to the statute of limitations.

Each state in the U.S. has their own laws and rules regarding the statute of limitations. One thing that unites each of the stories of sexual harassment and abuse that are beginning to unfold is the time of the offense. Corey Feldman has spoken publicly about abuse that occurred in the 80s.

In the Harvey Weinstein and James Toback case, some of the allegations date back to the 90s. Roman Polanski has been accused of sexual crimes dating back to the 60s.

Many times cases are only picked up by state attorneys for prosecution if there is some legal loophole that will allow the case to move forward.

California tried to change their statute of limitation laws to help proceed with the Bill Cosby trial only to have those changes overturned.

During the height of the Catholic sexual abuse scandal, Massachusetts had to amend statute of limitation laws to allow adults who suddenly remembered the abuse the ability to prosecute.

There is no question about it. Statute of limitation laws in sexual abuse cases are absurd. They serve only to protect abusers from being prosecuted for crimes they committed.

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

Diocese: Guam priest’s house guest troubled church, led to his removal

GUAM
USA Today/Pacific Daily News

November 2, 2017

By Haidee V Eugenio

[Note: A somewhat different version of an earlier story.]

A priest accused of sexual abuse on Guam was sent to Minnesota for “help with personal problems” in 1981, and later barred from serving as a priest after questions arose about a house guest from the island, according to a statement from the Diocese of Duluth.

Louis Brouillard, 96, is accused of sexually abusing minors in 87 lawsuits. More than 140 sex abuse lawsuits have been filed against the Archdiocese of Agana, 16 clergy members and three others affiliated with the church since late last year.

Brouillard was a pastor, teacher and Boy Scout leader on Guam for 33 years and has admitted to molesting 20 or more boys on the island.

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.

The truth about the ‘celibate’ priests who father children – and then abandon them

LONDON (ENGLAND)
Telegraph

November 3, 2017

By Hugh Costello

At the age of 12, Sarah Thomas found out that the father she had never known was a Roman Catholic priest.

“I’d been told he was a lecturer, but being quite inquisitive I’d always suspected there was information I hadn’t been given,” she says. “My mother had been too fearful to tell me the truth.”

Her situation may sound unusual, but there is a global community of people who have been confronted with the fact that their ‘missing’ fathers were in fact priests who had taken a vow to remain celibate, while secretly fathering children they would never acknowledge. I travelled from Buckingham, where 39-year-old Sarah lives, to Uganda while making my BBC World Service documentary My Father the Priest, trying to understand why these men would break the vows they took – and the devastation their behaviour wrought.

When Sarah’s mother found out she was pregnant two years into the relationship, her then-boyfriend “was very upset and broke it off that day. He never spoke to her again on his own. There was always a senior priest who acted as his adviser.”

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.

Pope raises prospect of married men becoming priests

LONDON (ENGLAND)
Telegraph

November 2, 2017

By John Phillips

Rome – Pope Francis has requested a debate over allowing married men in the Amazon region of Brazil to become priests, in a controversial move that is likely to outrage conservatives in the Church, Vatican sources say.

The pontiff took the decision to put a partial lifting of priestly celibacy up for discussion and a possible vote by Brazilian bishops following a request made by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, the president of the Episcopal Commission for the Amazon, Il Messaggero newspaper quoted the sources saying.

Cardinal Hummes reportedly asked Francis to consider ordaining so-called viri probati, married men of great faith, capable of ministering spiritually to the many remote communities in the Amazon where there is a shortage of priests, and evangelical Christians and pagan sects are displacing Catholicism.

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.

Area priest’s bond to be set today

KANKAKEE (IL)
Daily Journal

November 1, 2017

By Jeff Bonty

Father Richard E. Jacklin, who assists with Masses at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Goodrich, is scheduled to be in court today for his bond to be set after he was arrested by Illinois State Police on Tuesday and charged with sexually assaulting a resident at Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee.

The 65-year-old Jacklin has been preliminarily charged by state police with criminal sexual assault by force and sexual misconduct of a person with a disability.

“We are still gathering information,” Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe told the Daily Journal on Wednesday.

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.

Priest charged with sexual assaulting resident at Kankakee developmental center

CHICAGO (IL)
Associated Press via Chicago Tribune

November 3, 2017

Bond has been set at $1 million for a Roman Catholic priest accused of sexually assaulting a resident of a developmental center outside Chicago.

The Rev. Richard Jacklin was arrested by Illinois State Police on Tuesday for the alleged assault on the resident at Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee.

Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe on Thursday told the judge a nurse walked in on Jacklin performing a sex act on a 39-year-old man. The alleged victim has been a patient at Shapiro since 2010 and is paralyzed and has an intellectual disability.

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.

November 2, 2017

Attorney: Brouillard ‘matter of fact’ about memories

GUAM
The Guam Daily Post

November 2, 2017

By Mindy Aguon

It’s been 38 years since Louis Brouillard left Guam after serving as a priest with the Archdiocese of Agana, but he has shown a “remarkable” level of clarity in his memory about his time and actions while on island, according to an attorney representing childhood sex abuse victims.

Brouillard, 96, has been undergoing several hours of questioning over the last few days in his hometown of Pine City, Minnesota, where depositions are being held.

Attorney Steven Reich, who represents former altar boys and Boy Scouts who allege they were sexually abused by Brouillard while he served at parishes on Guam for nearly four decades, said the retired priest has a “really sharp memory.”

While he wouldn’t comment on details of the retired priest’s testimony or if the priest showed any signs of remorse for his actions, Reich stated, “He was matter of fact about his memories, about what he recalls occurring.”

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.

Ex-Priest Molested Children In South Bay: Lawsuit

PALOS VERDES (CA)
Palos Verdes Patch

November 1, 2017

By Emily Holland

The former reverend had already been named in a 2015 child sexual abuse lawsuit, according to reports.

PALOS VERDES, CA – An ex-priest who served in Southern California molested at least four children at parishes in Redondo Beach, Palmdale, and Covina, according to lawsuits recently filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Former Rev. Chris Cunningham had already been named in a 2015 child sexual abuse lawsuit, according to The Daily Breeze. Civil complaints filed this year allege Cunningham sexually molested boys between ages 10 and 15 from the mid-1990s to early 2000s at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Palmdale, St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church in Redondo Beach and St. Louise de Marillac Catholic Church in Covina, according to The Daily Breeze.

The lawsuits name the churches and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as defendants and allege the archdiocese knew of the allegations against Cunningham, the San Gabriel Valley Times reported. The archdiocese didn’t investigate and opted to transfer the priest to various assignments and destroy the complaints, according to the court filings.

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.

Un’altra accusa per don Lucio Gatti: violenze e maltrattamenti nelle sue case-accoglienza

ITALY
Periodico Daily

November 2, 2017

Di Mara Boselli

[Google Translate: A new and terrible accusation weighs on Don Lucio Gatti’s shoulders , which until recently had the Caritas center of St. Fatucchio in Perugia. Already in January 2014, the pastor has been in custody for two years with suspended sentence for sexual harassment for the damage of some young guests in the communities he followed; now, the choc story of the aforementioned alleged violence , crystallized in a lawsuit filed by lawyer of the involved person, lawyer Cristiano Baroni of Network Abuse.The young man recalls, through the detailed story he has exposed before the Forces of the Order, the calvary experienced within the communities at just 12 years; sexual harassment and labor exploitation would not only affect his life, but also the endless and painful days of all the other guests]

“A 12 anni, io sfruttato e abusato”. La querela di un ex-ospite infanga il nome delle comunità umbre.

Questo articolo è stato letto: 91
Una nuova e terribile accusa pesa sulle spalle di don Lucio Gatti che, fino a poco tempo fa, gestiva il centro Caritas di san Fatucchio, nel perugino. Già nel gennaio del 2014, il parroco ha patteggiato due anni con pena sospesa per molestie sessuali ai danni di alcuni giovani ospiti nelle comunità da lui seguite; ora, il racconto choc dell’ennesima presunta violenza, cristallizzata in una querela depositata in procura dal legale del soggetto coinvolto, l’avvocato Cristiano Baroni di Rete l’Abuso. Il giovane ripercorre, attraverso il dettagliato racconto che ha esposto davanti alle Forze dell’Ordine, il calvario vissuto all’interno delle comunità, ad appena 12 anni; molestie sessuali e sfruttamento lavorativo avrebbero scandito non solo la sua vita, ma anche le interminabili e dolorose giornate di tutti gli altri ospiti.

Secondo la testimonianza del giovane, le violenze e lo sfruttamento sarebbero state la norma nelle strutture di accoglienza del prete umbro; raccolte nero su bianco, chi narra è ancora un ragazzino all’epoca dei fatti. E’ il 2004, infatti, quando don Lucio pare gli metta per la prima volta occhi e mani addosso: i servizi sociali, su richiesta della madre del giovane, si sono appena accordati con la san Fatucchio per inserirlo in comunità. All’inizio, si parla solo di periodo scolastico, e tutto pare filare liscio; nel 2008, però, quando l’ospite ha già 16 anni, viene trasferito nella casa-accoglienza della parrocchia di santa Maria Maddalena, a Cenerente, il cui parroco era proprio don Lucio che lo accoglie nonostante quella sia una comunità di persone adulte, non riservata ai minori e composta prevalentemente da tossicodipendenti, elementi con disturbi psichiatrici e problemi giudiziari.

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.

Obispo de Goya dijo que habrá cero tolerancia con los casos de abuso

ARGENTINA
Corrientes Hoy

November 1, 2017

[Google Translate: The Bishop of Goya, with diocesan jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Monte Caseros, Adolfo Ramón Canecín, was forceful yesterday, pointing out that “there will be zero tolerance for cases of abuse”, after the case of a minor was heard. 13 years, that was abused by a preceptor of the educational institution he attends.]

Luego de un caso de abuso en Monte Caseros

El obispo de Goya, con jurisdicción diocesana de la Iglesia católica en Monte Caseros, Adolfo Ramón Canecín, fue contundente ayer al señalar que “habrá cero tolerancia con los casos de abuso”, luego de que se conociera el caso de una menor de 13 años, que fuera abusada por un preceptor de la institución educativa a la que asiste.

La familia de la adolescente que concurre al Instituto Secundario “Presbítero Demetrio Atamañuk” de Monte Caseros, denunció al administrativo del establecimiento de haber mantenido relaciones con su hija. El hombre fue detenido el lunes por la tarde luego de ser citado por la Justicia a declarar.

En una entrevista realizada por el Canal 2 de esa localidad, el obispo Canecín afirmó en forma contundente: “La Iglesia tiene cero tolerancia en los casos de abuso según la consigna del papa Francisco, sea quién sea, obispo, sacerdote, laico o personal”, por lo que desde un primer momento aseguró que “se aceleraron todos los procesos para colaborar con la Justicia”. En tanto el rector del instituto secundario, Ramón Blanco, afirmó: “Lamentablemente es una situación muy dolorosa y afectó gravemente a la institución y repudiamos totalmente el accionar del victimario personal de la institución”. En la entrevista concedida a un medio local trató de llevar tranquilidad a la comunidad educativa y en especial a los padres, al recalcar: “Desde que tuvimos conocimiento del caso nos pusimos a disposición de la Justicia y queremos que se esclarezca el hecho que nos afecta a todos”.

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.

Obispo de Tacna y Moquegua: La muerte no es la solución al abuso sexual

PERU
La Republica

November 2, 2017

[Google Translate: Bishop Marco Antonio Cortez disagreed with the proposed death penalty for sexual violators . This initiative is promoted by some groups and political groups.]

PROPONE. Fortalecer la formación de valores cristianos en los niños y la participación de los padres en la educación de sus hijos.

El obispo Marco Antonio Cortez se manifestó en desacuerdo con la propuesta de pena de muerte para los violadores sexuales. Esta iniciativa es promovida por algunos colectivos y grupos políticos.

Cortez señaló que respecto a los actos de abuso sexual, existe de parte de la sociedad peruana una actitud de hipocresía. Sostuvo que son muchos los sectores que aprueban y promocionan una absoluta libertad para los menores y adolescentes sobre su educación y desarrollo sexual; sin embargo, cuando surgen problemas morales como los abusos se pide muerte para las personas que la sociedad ha formado.“Creo que es momento de reconocer que la sociedad es parte del problema también”, aseveró el obispo Cortez.

“¿Podemos decir que el desenfreno de las conductas ha generado eso (violencia sexual)? Sí. ¿Y quién ha generado eso? Un Estado que propicia el relativismo moral, que propicia conductas donde se dice ‘todo es posible’. Donde la educación en los colegios ya enseña ciertas cosas que solo los padres deben de enseñar”, declaró el obispo.

La propuesta de Cortez frente a un escenario de violencia sexual en el país es fortalecer la formación de valores cristianos en los niños y la participación de los padres en la educación de sus hijos. Esto último se está perdiendo, dijo.

“Lo que debería existir es la participación de los padres con respecto a la educación de sus hijos. El espacio es de ellos, no del Gobierno (…) El Estado propicia una situación así. Un Estado padre, que gobierna y rija todas las políticas”, sostuvo.

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.

Female clergy call for independent mediators into CofE abuse

ENGLAND
Premier

November 2, 2017

Woman church leaders are calling for sexual harassment and abuse claims in the Church of England to be reviewed by an independent mediator.

In a letter to the Guardian, Jayne Ozanne, a senior member of the general synod for the diocese of Oxford, said: “Abuse of power, particularly in relation to sexual misdemeanours, will never be dealt with by those within the same said power structures.

“The urge to protect one’s reputation is too strong.

“Make no mistake, the instances of sexual abuse and harassment within the church are manifold – at virtually every level of the hierarchy.”

Ozanne says that a bishop advised her not to report her claim that a priest had raped her in the 1990s.

“I trusted him because he was a priest,” she told Channel 4 News. “Shame and guilt is what kept me quiet and silent for so many years.”

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.

Lambeth Palace facing questions about accusations of abuse of woman in Church of England [with video]

ENGLAND
Channel 4 News

November 1, 2017

Presenter: Cathy Newman

Since accusations of sexual harassment and worse against the film producer Harvey Weinstein were revealed, many people from other industries have come forward with their own experiences – in part, fuelled by the Me Too campaign on social media, a hashtag created to invite others to share their experiences in the wake of the Weinstein scandal. One of those who used the hashtag is Jayne Ozanne, a founding member of the Archbishops’ Council and a senior lay member of the General Synod. Tonight she tells us exclusively why she, too, is a Me Too. She has told us that she was raped by a priest in the 1990s and claims a bishop advised her not to report the attack. A warning: this report contains details of a sexual nature.

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.

Pacific News Minute: Priest Who Admitted to Sex Abuse on Guam Gives Evidence [with audio]

GUAM
Hawaii Public Radio

November 1, 2017

By Neal Conan

So far, 141 suits have been filed in Guam alleging sex abuse by priests. The most recent just last week. This week, the man named in more than half those cases provides sworn evidence. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

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.

Pecados Imperdonables [with video]

AYACUCHO (PERU)
La Republica

November 2, 2017

Por: Melissa Goytizolo

[Google Translate: The young Ayacuchana ALL tells for the first time that Father Felix Pariona sexually abused her between 15 and 17 years of age in the San Cristóbal Seminary of Huamanga where her parents work. The priest denied the accusations.]

La joven ayacuchana A.L.L. relata por primera vez que el sacerdote Félix Pariona abusó sexualmente de ella entre los 15 y 17 años de edad al interior del Seminario San Cristóbal de Huamanga donde trabajan sus padres. El cura negó las acusaciones.

El sacerdote Félix Pariona Huacre llegó al Seminario San Cristóbal de Huamanga, en Ayacucho, el año 2005. En el claustro trabajaban como cocineros los padres de la joven A.L.L. Cuando Pariona se ordenó como sacerdote, en el 2014, empezó a acosar sexualmente a A.L.L., que entonces contaba con 15 años de edad.

De los tocamientos indebidos, Félix Pariona, quien vivía en el Seminario, al igual que su víctima, pasó a la violación sexual. La primera vez ocurrió en julio de 2016. Hasta diciembre de ese año, el clérigo asaltó sexualmente siete veces a la jovencita en su habitación asignada en el establecimiento religioso.

El sacerdote amenazó con lanzar a la calle a sus padres si A.L.L. denunciaba los abusos sexuales. “Yo soy el que manda aquí, gracias a mí tu mamá trabaja, gracias a mí a tu papá no lo hemos botado, gracias a mi ustedes comen”, le dijo Pariona, según la versión de A.L.L.

“Me decía que esto iba a quedar entro los dos siempre. ‘Yo no le voy a decir a nadie, tú no le avises a nadie’, me decía. Cada vez que me agarraba fuerte yo le decía por favor suéltame, y él lo sabe muy bien…. A mi cada vez que me agarraba se me ponía la piel rara”, declaró la muchacha.

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.

Healing liturgy at Kenmore acknowledges sexual abuse failures of the Church

BRISBANE (AUSTRALIA)
The Catholic Leader

November 2, 2017

By Emilie Ng

CATHOLICS from seven parishes in Brisbane’s west have acknowledged the Church’s failing of survivors of sexual abuse during a moving healing liturgy in Kenmore.

Parishioners from the Brisbane West deanery, which incorporates the parishes of Corinda Graceville, Darra Jindalee, Inala, Indooroopilly, Kenmore, St Lucia and Toowong, gathered at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Kenmore, on October 23 to acknowledge “the hurt and injuries inflicted upon the innocent” by members of the Church.

Brisbane West dean Fr Mark Franklin led the liturgy, which was an adaptation of the Archdiocese of Dublin’s Liturgy of Lament and Repentance for the sexual abuse of children by priests and religious.

Fr Franklin said he had adapted the liturgy for his previous parish in Noosa and recently discerned the need for the Brisbane West community to “acknowledge before God and before our brothers and sisters that we had failed as a Church”.

“Protecting our most vulnerable is not a part-time or stop-gap measure; we as a Church have broken that trust and we must now continue to work on healing and restoring people’s faith in us until this evil has been eradicated,” he said.

“We are all responsible for what’s happened.”

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.

Chicago archdiocese wins claim against false sex abuse allegations

CHICAGO (IL)
America Magazine

November 01, 2017

By Michael J. O’Loughlin

A Chicago man who filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Chicago alleging sexual abuse by a notorious former priest has been ordered to repay the church for the money it spent defending itself, a Cook County circuit court judge ruled earlier this month. Church officials in Chicago say that revelations regarding other fraudulent cases could be forthcoming, a prospect that both the archdiocese and victim advocates say will be a disservice to genuine victims.

The man, identified in court documents only as John J. Doe, said in a 2015 lawsuit that he had been sexually assaulted by Daniel McCormack, a former priest who was convicted in 2007 of molesting five boys associated with a Chicago Catholic school that was connected to the parish where he was pastor.

While serving time in prison, Mr. Doe discussed plans for the lawsuit on the telephone with several people, including a cousin who had previously settled with the archdiocese over abuse claims against Mr. McCormack. During the initial phase of the lawsuit, lawyers for the archdiocese subpoenaed more than 300 hours of audio recordings from those phone calls. The church then found evidence they claimed proved Mr. Doe was lying about the abuse.

Mr. Doe eventually withdrew his case for reasons unrelated to the tapes, but he said he planned to refile. In July, the archdiocese filed its own suit against Mr. Doe, alleging that under an Illinois statute, the church was entitled to receive compensation for costs associated with defending itself against a bogus claim. Earlier this month, Judge Kathy M. Flanagan agreed with the church, ruling that based on “unrebutted and uncontradicted evidence,” the allegations were “not well-grounded in fact.”

John O’Malley, a lawyer for the archdiocese, told America that there is “a very difficult balance” in trying to be “good stewards” of the church’s financial resources, some of which is used to assist victims, while avoiding re-victimizing or re-injuring “the people coming forward” by questioning their allegations too rigorously.

Another lawyer representing the archdiocese, James C. Geoly, said that all cases brought against the church are subject to scrutiny but that in certain instances, there is “a healthy skepticism” because of the length of time that has passed since alleged abuse took place, as well as a plaintiff’s thin connections to the school, parish or neighborhood.

Church officials also said they had an ethical obligation to alert the court of potential fraud.

Paula Waters, chief communications officer for the archdiocese, said that Mr. Doe’s suit was “an affront to real victims.” She said some people have asked why the archdiocese appears to be “going after victims,” but she said that in Mr. Doe’s case, “We’re going after fraud.”

The managing director for SNAP, an advocacy group for victims of sexual abuse, told America that false allegations of clerical sexual abuse, which she noted are very rare, ultimately harm victims.

“When you want to report sexual abuse by a respected member of the community, it’s very difficult,” Barbara Dorris said. “Anything that makes it harder for a survivor or a child to report sexual abuse is a bad thing.”

“We want to make it easier for survivors to come forward, not harder. This is going to make it harder for victims to come forward,” she said.

Several people interviewed for this story said that they were unaware of similar cases in which a diocese was awarded money by courts from individuals who had made false accusations. But church officials and victims rights advocates agree that instances of fraud in abuse cases are rare.

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.

What society can learn from the Catholic Church regarding child protection

DENVER (CO)
CNA/EWTN News

November 2, 2017

By Mary Rezac

One month after an avalanche of sexual assault accusations were lobbed against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, another Hollywood scandal broke.

This week, actor Anthony Rapp accused actor Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him as a minor. Spacey apologized, but said he didn’t remember the encounter, and also took the opportunity to come out as gay.

In the early 2000s, the Catholic Church in the United States was also reeling from a sex abuse crisis when the Boston Globe broke the story of a former priest who was accused of molesting 130 minors, mostly young boys, over the course of more than 30 years. This led to a large-scale uncovering of thousands more allegations of abuse in dioceses throughout the country.

Since then, the Church has put into place numerous policies and practices to protect children from sexual abuse, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Charter for Child and Youth Protection.

The charter, implemented in 2002, obligates all compliant dioceses and eparchies to provide resources both for victims of abuse and resources for abuse prevention. Each year, the USCCB releases an extensive annual report on the dioceses and eparchies, including an audit of all abuse cases and allegations, and recommended policy guidelines for dioceses.

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.

Fin al castigo del sacerdote Cristián Precht tensiona visita del Papa Francisco

CHILE
ADN Radio

November 1, 2017

Por Valeria Vargas

[Google Translate excerpt: In December, the five-year sanction against priest Cristián Precht for sexual abuse of minors will be carried out.]

“Se deja libre a un depredador de la infancia”, acusó James Hamilton sobre este cura, declarado culpable por abuso sexual a menores.

En diciembre se cumplirá la sanción de cinco años contra el sacerdote Cristián Precht por abuso sexual a menores.

Pese a que autoridades de la Iglesia Católica reiteraron que continuarán con su política de tolerancia cero frente a los abusos, existe incertidumbre sobre si el clérigo volverá a dirigir misas.

La fecha es clave, porque coincide con la visita del Papa Francisco a Chile un mes después de que el sacerdote cumpla castigo por la sentencia del Vaticano que lo declaró culpable por conductas abusivas contra feligreses mayores y menores de edad.

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.

Imputan al sacerdote de Monte Vera por acosar a una chica vía Instagram

MONTE VERA (SANTA FE)
Casilada Plus

November 2, 2017

Escrita Por: Redaccion Rosario Plus

[Google Translate: It happened in Santa Fe, in the town of Monte Vera, near the provincial capital. For the first time, a Catholic priest receives a specific criminal accusation about the technological variant of sexual abuse, the crime of grooming, this is besieging a person through the internet for sexual purposes. And even worse, in this case the victim was a teenager, a minor.]

Ocurrió en Santa Fe, en la localidad de Monte Vera, cercana a la capital provincial. Por primera vez, un sacerdote católico recibe una imputación penal concreta sobre la variante tecnológica del abuso sexual, el delito de grooming, esto es asediar a una persona a través de internet con fines sexuales. Y peor aún, en este caso la víctima fue una adolescente, menor de edad.

El fiscal Estanislao Giavedoni imputó este miércoles al párroco Walter M. de grooming, quien hasta mayo pasado se había desempeñado como cura párroco de la iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Merced, en ese pueblo del departamento La Capital. El delito está descripto en el artículo 131 del Código Penal de la Nación. Giavedoni consideró comprobado que el religioso contactó el 22 de mayo a una chica de 16 años de ese pueblo a través de la red social Instagram. “Le escribió un mensaje en el que usó adjetivos calificativos para referirse a las imágenes que la adolescente tenía compartidas. Además, le preguntó por su lugar de residencia”, argumentó el fiscal.

M. tiene 42 años, y su agresión partió desde el usuario @w_mgg. “Por su parte -prosiguió el fiscal-, la víctima le preguntó al imputado su edad. Cuando el hombre le respondió, la adolescente fue contundente y rechazó cualquier tipo de vínculo”, agregó.

La adolescente se lo contó a los padres y de allí surgió la denuncia penal. Y la sorpresa devino cuando las averiguaciones dieron con que el acosador era el cura del pueblo. Antes de que la policía lo detuviera, el arzobispado de Santa Fe apartó al párroco de su función y cargo.

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.

RVC man claims St. Agnes priest sexually abused him

ROCKVILLE CENTRE (NY)
LI Herald

November 2, 2017

By Ben Strack

Recalls alleged incidents as a teenager from 1983 to 1993

“He asked me if I could help him, and I said sure, that sounds innocent enough,” said a Rockville Centre man who claimed that he was sexually abused for 10 years by a priest at St. Agnes Cathedral.

“That’s how it began,” said the 48-year-old man, who asked the Herald not to reveal his identity, “and then it went from there to if I could go into the shower with him and help him so that he wouldn’t fall down.”

The man, who was raised Catholic in Rockville Centre and still lives in the village, was an altar boy for several years. In 1983, he met the Rev. John J. McGeever, who he claims abused him until McGeever died in 1993.

The man is being represented by Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston lawyer who has handled hundreds of sexual abuse cases and was portrayed in the Oscar-winning film “Spotlight,” about the Boston Globe’s exposé detailing abuse allegations against priests in Boston. The man filed his claims on Oct. 25, in an application as part of the Diocese of Rockville Centre’s Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program.

The program, modeled after those created in the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn over the past year to help victims of abuse by priests and deacons gain some form of closure, launched last month. It is designed to grant financial settlements to victims who cannot file child sexual abuse lawsuits against the church due to New York’s statute of limitations.

“There isn’t any amount of money a sexual abuse victim wouldn’t exchange for not being sexually abused,” Garabedian told the Herald. “The monetary amount is only validation.”

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.

Bitterroot polygamous sect divided after sex abuse accusations against Utah leader

PINESDALE (MT)
Great Falls Tribune

November 1, 2017

By Kristen Inbody

PINESDALE – A split among members of the Apostolic United Brethren, a polygamist Mormon fundamentalist sect, is playing out in a Bitterroot Valley town of fewer than a thousand west of Corvallis and US Highway 93.

The church has been torn apart since daughter Rosemary Williams, who is on the television show “My Five Wives” and two nieces accused the church president Lynn Thompson of Bluffdale, Utah of molesting them.

Some Pinesdale AUB members have established a Second Ward, marriages have been strained even to separation and the congregation’s Pines Academy private school has seen declining enrollment, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

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.

Priest criticizes Vatican over Indonesian bishop case

JAKARTA INDONESIA
UCA News

November 1, 2017

By Ryan Dagur

British cleric fires broadside at closed-door tribunals, calls for tranparency in disciplinary matters, appointing prelates

A British-born priest who has served in Indonesia for more than 40 years has called on the Vatican to end its tradition of keeping disciplinary cases involving the clergy confidential and demanded changes to the way bishops are appointed.

In an opinion piece published in Hidup, a weekly magazine published by the Jakarta Archdiocese, Divine Word Father John Mansford Prior, a missiology lecturer at the Catholic School of Philosophy in Maumere on the Catholic majority island of Flores said the handling of moral cases involving clergy must be “completely transparent, just like in the state system.”

“If the Holy See compels a bishop to withdraw, the results of the trial [of a bishop] must be officially announced,” he argued.

Father Prior, who also works at the Candraditya Center for the Study of Religion and Culture in Maumere is a former consultor of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC).

His article, published in the Oct. 29 edition of Hidup, specifically addressed the resignation of Bishop Hubertus Leteng of Ruteng.

Pope Francis approved Bishop Leteng’s resignation on Oct. 11 after an investigation into allegations of misappropriating more than US$100,000 of church funds and an illicit relationship with a woman.

In its official announcement, the Vatican did not give a reason for Bishop Leteng’s resignation.

Father Prior told ucanews.com on Nov. 1, that in addition of transparency, the church should also encourage due process.

“If there were credible accusations, the clergy, whether it’s a priest or bishop being accused, should be immediately discharged, certainly with innocent prejudice,” he said.

The church is not credible in handling such cases, he argued because “priest investigates priest, bishop investigates bishop and it is done in private.”

“Who can really believe in the results of such a process?”

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

Settlement reached in Vanceburg church lawsuit

VANCEBURG (KY)
The Lewis County Herald via The Ledger Independent

October 31, 2017

By Dennis K. Brown

Members of Vanceburg Christian Church learned Sunday that a civil lawsuit filed against the church nearly a year ago has been settled.

Clayton “Buddy” Lykins Jr., an elder at the church, told those attending services Sunday morning about the development and added the agreement prohibits the general disclosure of the terms of the settlement agreement.

“In December of last year, as many of you know, our church was the target of a lawsuit filed by a teenage boy, alleging that our former pastor, Duncan Aker, sexually abused him. The incident occurred a number of years ago,” Lykins told those who had gathered for Sunday morning services at the church. “Mr. Aker has not been associated with our church for the last seven years.”

Aker was the minister at Vanceburg Christian Church between 2006 and 2011.

“Also, last year, Mr. Aker pled guilty to sexual abuse of the young boy, which opened up the church to possibly be liable to the youth in a civil lawsuit,” Lykins said.

“No one at Vanceburg Christian Church had any reason to believe that Duncan Aker was engaging in any improper contact with this young person, or with any other person,” Lykins said. “However, because the sexual abuse apparently happened, and we could say this because Mr. Aker pled guilty, the church could possibly be liable for not supervising Mr. Aker’s actions.”

Aker was arrested in Greensburg, Ind., in May 2015 on a nine-count grand jury indictment. He was listed as a minister for Greensburg Christian Church at the time of his arrest.

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.

Father Niland accused of raping boy during confession

GUAM
Pacific News Center

November 1, 2017

By Janela Carrera

The victim is seeking $5 million in damages.

Guam – As church sex abuse cases continue to be filed, this latest allegation comes from a 48-year-old man who says he was raped while giving confession at the Agat Parish.

The complaint was filed by a man with the initials J.C. who says he was only 10 years old at the time of the abuse. J.C. became an altar boy in 1979 with the Mt. Carmel Church where now-deceased priest Father Jack Niland served as a Capuchin priest.

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.

Disgraced ex-Bronx priest cleared of charges of using $1M in church funds for S&M sex

Bronx (NY)
New York Daily News

October 30, 2017

By Laura Dimon

An investigation into a former priest who was accused of taking $1 million from a city church found no evidence to back up the allegation, the Bronx District Attorney said Monday.

Peter Miqueli, 54, was at the center of a scandalous civil lawsuit parishioners filed in 2015. They alleged the priest, who worked at St. Frances de Chantal Church in the Bronx and St. Francis Cabrini on Manhattan’s Roosevelt Island, used the cash to pay a hunky boytoy for S&M sex.

The Bronx DA did not investigate the salacious sex claims, but the Archdiocese did, a Church official said, and found “nothing has been brought forward to substantiate them.”

Bronx DA Darcel Clark launched an investigation into the parishioners’ allegations of financial misconduct and concluded they were unsubstantiated. As part of her probe, Clark looked at the civil case.

Miqueli was never criminally charged.

Clark did find, however, that St. Frances de Chantal Church improperly doled out more than $22,000 in reimbursements to Miqueli from parish accounts. The ex-priest was ordered to return the funds, Clark said.

“This investigation by the Economic Crimes Bureau found that Father Miqueli was improperly reimbursed for personal expenses,” Clark said. “The Archdiocese has reimbursed St. Frances de Chantal Church for the funds, $22,450 of hard-earned money donated by parishioners for the betterment of the parish. We have made recommendations to the Archdiocese and they have agreed to more oversight.”

In a letter that was disseminated to parishioners, the Most Rev. Gerald Walsh, vicar for clergy, said that, while $22,000 is a “significant sum,” it is a “far cry” from the $1 million Miqueli was accused of looting.

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.

Fact check: the churches joining child abuse redress scheme

AUSTRALIA
Eternity News

November 1, 2017

By Tess Holgate

Churches and institutions are being called upon to join the Federal Government’s national scheme to financially compensate victims of child sexual abuse.

In early 2015, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended the establishment of the national redress scheme. This included a call for churches to come up with a national response to the proposed national redress scheme.

The scheme is opt-in, meaning that any state, institution or church which does not want to sign up to compensate victims with payments of up to $150,000, will not be obliged to do so. The scheme also includes the provision of access to counselling and psychological services and a direct personal response from each participating institution responsible for the abuse, if requested by the survivor.

The Royal Commission estimated that about 60,000 children were sexually abused in institutions, but only approximately 1000 of them in Commonwealth institutions. For the scheme to provide compensation to the majority of survivors, state governments, institutions and churches will need to sign on to it.

Legislation to establish the scheme was tabled last week. If it passes, survivors will be allowed to apply for compensation from July 1, 2018.

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 report identifies additional 15 victims of sexual misconduct at St. Paul’s School

BOSTON (MA)
Boston Globe

November 2, 2017

By Danny McDonald

[See also the report.]

St. Paul’s School has identified 15 additional victims in an ongoing investigation into sexual misconduct at the elite Concord, N.H., school, and five faculty members who are newly suspected of improper conduct, according to a report issued to the school community Wednesday.

The report, the second in six months detailing misconduct at the school, lists allegations of what school officials termed “profoundly disturbing” sexual behavior at the school over a span of 53 years, from 1956 to 2009, according to the letter to the school community.

The new report presents investigators’ findings relating to the alleged sexual misconduct of 16 former faculty members and staff. Of that number, five were reported for the first time, 11 were previously known to investigators.

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.

St. Paul’s School Releases New Accounts of Sexual Misconduct

CONCORD (NH)
New Hampshire Public Radio

November 1, 2017

St. Paul’s School in Concord has notified parents and the wider community that there have been new accounts of sexual misconduct at the school.

The accounts are published in a supplemental report, released by the school Wednesday, by the law firm Casner and Edwards. St. Paul engaged the firm to investigate past sexual abuse and misconduct by faculty and staff. The results of the initial investigation were released in May.

Since then, the law firm says it has interviewed 43 people – including current and former faculty and former students — many of whom said they were inspired to come forward after reading the first report. They told stories of abuse by St. Paul teachers taking place over a span 53 years, with one incident as recent as 2009.

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.

Ex-Priest Molested Children In South Bay: Lawsuit

PALOS VERDES (CA)
Patch

November 1, 2017

By Emily Holland

The former reverend had already been named in a 2015 child sexual abuse lawsuit, according to reports.

An ex-priest who served in Southern California molested at least four children at parishes in Redondo Beach, Palmdale, and Covina, according to lawsuits recently filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Former Rev. Chris Cunningham had already been named in a 2015 child sexual abuse lawsuit, according to The Daily Breeze. Civil complaints filed this year allege Cunningham sexually molested boys between ages 10 and 15 from the mid-1990s to early 2000s at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Palmdale, St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church in Redondo Beach and St. Louise de Marillac Catholic Church in Covina, according to The Daily Breeze.

The lawsuits name the churches and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as defendants and allege the archdiocese knew of the allegations against Cunningham, the San Gabriel Valley Times reported. The archdiocese didn’t investigate and opted to transfer the priest to various assignments and destroy the complaints, according to the court filings.

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.

Attorney: Brouillard cooperative, making an effort to answer difficult questions

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

November 1, 2017

By Haidee V Eugenio

Former island priest Louis Brouillard was cooperative and appeared to make an effort to answer difficult questions during the first day of his deposition in Minnesota, according to one of the attorneys involved in the dozens of lawsuits accusing Brouillard of child sex abuse.

Brouillard, who has admitted to abusing boys decades ago on Guam, this week is providing additional sworn evidence related to more than 80 lawsuits accusing him of sexually abusing or raping Guam children. As of this week, Brouillard is named in 87 lawsuits.

Seattle-based attorney Steven T. Reich, a partner at the law firm Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala, said Brouillard has a “fairly decent memory, despite being 96 years old.”

Brouillard, “appeared to make an honest effort to answer the difficult questions put to him,” Reich said after the first day of Brouillard’s deposition, which lasted three hours. The deposition is in Pine City, Minnesota, where Brouillard now lives.

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.

Area priest arrested for sexual assault

KANKAKEE (IL)
Daily Journal

November 1, 2017

By Jeff Bonty

Father Richard E. Jacklin, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Goodrich, was arrested by Illinois State Police on Tuesday and charged with sexually assaulting a resident at Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee.

The 65-year-old Jacklin has been preliminarily charged by state police with criminal sexual assault by force and sexual misconduct of a person with a disability.

“We are still gathering information,” Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe told the Daily Journal this morning.

That is all Rowe would say as the investigation is ongoing.

Jacklin will either be in court today or Thursday to have his bond set.

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.

Church: Brouillard removed as Minnesota priest in 1985 because of questions about Guam guest

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

November 2, 2017

By Haidee V Eugenio

A priest accused of sexual abuse was sent from Guam to Minnesota for “help with his personal problems” in 1981, and later barred from serving as a priest after questions arose about a house guest from the island, according to a statement from the Diocese of Duluth.

Louis Brouillard, 96, is accused of sexually abusing minors in 87 lawsuits filed since the beginning of the year. He served as a pastor, teacher and Boy Scout leader on Guam, and he has admitted to molesting 20 or more boys here.

In three recent lawsuits, he is accused of paying to bring boys from Guam to Minnesota, where he continued to abuse them. One of the lawsuits alleges he moved a boy into a two-bedroom retirement home apartment where he lived with his elderly parents.

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.

November 1, 2017

Former priest accused of sexually abusing minors at Covina, Redondo Beach and Palmdale churches

LOS ANGELES (CA)
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

October 31, 2017

By Stephanie K. Baer

A former priest who served in Southern California and was named in a 2015 child sexual abuse lawsuit allegedly molested at least four additional children at parishes in Palmdale, Redondo Beach and Covina, according to lawsuits recently filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Civil complaints filed in July and October allege former Rev. Chris Cunningham sexually molested boys ages 10 to 15 from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Palmdale, St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church in Redondo Beach and St. Louise de Marillac Catholic Church in Covina.

The lawsuits, which name the churches and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as defendants, also allege the archdiocese knew of the allegations against Cunningham.

The archdiocese did not investigate, opting instead to transfer the priest to various assignments and destroy the complaints, according to the court filings. None of the plaintiffs is named in the lawsuits.

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.

Child abuse documentary Hollywood ‘didn’t want you to see’ goes viral

LOS ANGELES (CA)
The Guardian

November 1, 2017

By Rory Carroll

The film An Open Secret died upon release in 2015, but is seeing a renewed interest online amid a cascade of allegations against Hollywood’s elite

When the documentary An Open Secret tried to lift the lid on child abuse in Hollywood, it billed itself as “the film Hollywood doesn’t want you to see”. The marketing tagline did not exaggerate.

The film died upon release in 2015. There was no theatrical release to speak of, no television deal, no video-on-demand distribution.

“We got zero Hollywood offers to distribute the film. Not even one. Literally no offers for any price whatsoever,” said Gabe Hoffman, a Florida-based hedge fund manager who financed the film.

It did not seem to matter that it was directed by an Oscar-nominated director, Amy Berg, or that it uncovered damning evidence of the sexual abuse of teenage boys by figures in the film industry.

“There was nowhere to see it,” said Lorien Haynes, the film’s writer. “I don’t think it impacted at all. Nobody saw it. We released a film that didn’t [seem to] exist.”

Now, two years later, multiple “open secrets” of predatory behaviour are detonating across Hollywood and the documentary that blew the whistle is getting millions of viewers – but still no distribution deal.

Hoffman released the film for free on the video-sharing website Vimeo this month after reports about Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual assaults set off a chain-reaction, with James Toback, Tyler Grasham and Kevin Spacey among those accused of harassment and worse.

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.

Retired priest charged with child porn has Ossining ties

BRONX (NY)
lohud.com

October 31, 2017

By Jorge Fitz-Gibbon

A 96-year-old retired Catholic priest was charged Tuesday with more than 70 counts of possession of child pornography, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office said.

Monsignor Harry Byrne, who celebrated weekend masses at St. Ann’s Church in Ossining during the 2000’s, was charged after a five-month investigation that determined he surfed online for images of young girls, prosecutors said.

Byrne was arraigned on 37 counts each of possessing obscene sexual performance by a child and possessing a sexual performance by a child.

A resident of St. John Vianney Center for Retired Priests in the Bronx, Byrne was released after the arraignment and is due back in court in January.

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.

Church of England urged to tackle sexual abuse within its ranks

UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian

November 1, 2017

By Harriet Sherwood

Prominent women in church say it should acknowledge prevalence of sexual harassment and establish independent process for raising concerns

The Church of England should take a lead in tackling sexual harassment by acknowledging its prevalence within its ranks and by establishing an independent process for raising concerns, according to prominent women in the church.

As the ripple effect of the Harvey Weinstein revelations spreads across Westminster, the arts world and the media, one senior lay figure said sexual harassment and abuse within the C of E was “manifold” at almost every level of the hierarchy.

A number of female clergy and lay members of the church have used the #MeToo hashtag on Twitter, indicating that they have experienced sexual harassment or assault, including Jo Bailey Wells, bishop of Dorking.

Rachel Treweek, bishop of Gloucester and the only female bishop to sit in the House of Lords, said the past few weeks had shown how widespread sexual harassment was in society.

She told the Guardian: “I think it’s an issue in society and therefore it would be strange if it wasn’t also an issue in the church. The danger is when we imagine that the church is somehow an elite group of people. Yes, we are trying to be followers of Jesus Christ and therefore we should be aspiring to living our lives differently. But actually we are all human beings.

“The danger is if we begin to think it doesn’t exist in the C of E. Of course it does. We need to ensure we have conversations to ensure people can come forward and will be taken seriously.”

Some female clergy and lay members are now calling for an independent mediation service to deal with sexual harassment and abuse claims. They say the church’s instinct to protect its reputation should not outweigh the need for redress and a change in culture.

In a letter to the Guardian, Jayne Ozanne, a senior member of the C of E synod, or governing body, said: “Abuse of power, particularly in relation to sexual misdemeanours, will never be dealt with by those within the same said power structures. The urge to protect one’s reputation is too strong.”

She added: “Make no mistake, the instances of sexual abuse and harassment within the church are manifold – at virtually every level of the hierarchy.”

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.

Four years on, questions continue to be asked of report into Magdalene Laundries

IRELAND
Irish Examiner

November 01, 2017

By Conall Ó Fátharta

An academic who had access to one diocesan archive reports accounts of physical abuse and medical neglect and argues that the files are not accurately reflected in the McAleese Report into the Laundries, writes Conall Ó Fátharta.

MORE than four years after its publication in February 2013, the McAleese Report on the Magdalene Laundries continues to generate headlines, but for all the wrong reasons.

It has been criticised by survivors, advocacy groups, the human rights community, and the United Nations.

The reaction of the Government to it has been rather odd. It continues to cite the report as the essential narrative of the Magdalene Laundries, a narrative which states that the “ill-treatment, physical punishment, and abuse” prevalent in the industrial school system was not something the women experienced in the Magdalene Laundries. Yet, it is surprised that, based on a reading of the McAleese Report, religious orders have refused to contribute any money to the redress bill.

Despite the report confirming what was known for years — that the State was involved in all aspects of the Magdalene Laundries — and despite the then taoiseach, Enda Kenny, admitting the same and apologising to the women, the Government is now claiming, repeatedly, that the report made “no finding” in relation to State liability with regard to Magdalene Laundries.

In July, an examination of Ireland’s second periodic review, by the UN Committee Against Torture (UNCAT), raised more issues relating to the McAleese Report and its findings.

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.

Muscoy United Methodist Church pastor convicted on 32 counts of sexual child abuse

SAN BERNARDINO (CA)
The Sun via Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

October 31, 2017

By Stephen Ramirez

The pastor of the Muscoy United Methodist Church, charged with multiple counts of child molestation involving boys who attended the church, was found guilty by a San Bernardino County jury last week, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office said.

Stephen James Howard, 58, was convicted Friday, Oct. 27, of 32 counts of sexual abuse, including lewd acts upon a child, oral copulation of a person under 16 years old and sodomy of a person under 18, court records showed. He is being housed at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga with no bail, according to jail records.

Howard is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 29 in San Bernardino.

Howard was arrested and charged in March 2014, according to court records. Detectives had investigated reports that month that Howard had molested boys at several locations, including San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana, San Bernardino County sheriff’s officials have said.

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

Lawsuit #141: ‘Best altar boy’ was non-Catholic youth priest abused

GUAM
USA Today Network

October 30, 2017

By Haidee V Eugenio

HAGÅTÑA, Guam —Father Louis Brouillard in 1979 allegedly allowed a non-Catholic youth to serve as an altar boy, sexually abused him, and later gave him a medallion for being the “best altar boy” at the Tumon parish, a lawsuit filed in federal court on Monday states.

The plaintiff, identified in court documents only as M.S.M. to protect his privacy, said in his lawsuit that Brouillard was aware the child was not Catholic, but still allowed him to serve Mass.

The $10 million lawsuit states M.S.M. lived across from the Tumon parish, so he served Mass as an altar boy almost every night and on weekends. He was around 12 years old at the time.

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

Former Thornton pastor sentenced in sex assault case

THORNTON (CO)
9 News NBC via KUSA-TV

October 31, 2017

By Amanda Kesting

THORNTON – A former Thornton assistant pastor has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for sexually assaulting a girl at the church where we worked.

Robert Duane Wyatt, 51, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted first-degree assault and sexual assault on a child.

Prosecutors claim the abuse started when the girl, whose family attended Agape Bible Church, was 12, and lasted for nearly two years.

According to a release from the District Attorney’s Office, Wyatt first gained access to the girl by home schooling her at his house.

She reported that during this time, the sexual abuse began with inappropriate touching.

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.

Pedophile priest’s tale cries for day in court for long-ago victims| Editorial

PHILADELPHIA
The Inquirer

November 1, 2017

by The Inquirer Editorial Board

The sordid tale of how former priest James Brzyski raped and molested more than 100 boys from Philadelphia-area parishes again underscores the long overdue need for Pennsylvania lawmakers to abolish the statute of limitations for child-sex-abuse crimes and expand the legal window for victims to file lawsuits against their abusers.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the insurance industry have long fought efforts to hold abusers accountable for past crimes. But the decades-long sexual abuse scandal continues to torment victims and their families. Efforts to heal, let alone restore any trust, cannot occur until the crimes are confronted.

Brzyski’s gruesome story was told in vivid detail by staff writer Maria Panaritis, who conducted more than 40 interviews to document the behavior of Brzyski, who during the 1980s is believed to have sexually assaulted dozens of boys, many from St. Cecilia’s Parish School in Fox Chase and St. John the Evangelist School in Lower Makefield.

His trail of heinous destruction continues to haunt a generation of victims, including Jim Cunningham, who hanged himself in February, and Jimmy Spoerl, raped by Brzyski as an altar boy, who died in March 2016 after battling addiction.

The Rev. James Gigliotti told church officials that Brzyski was molesting boys, some as young as 11 years old. The church’s response was to send Brzyski for treatment in Maryland, where a clinician declared him a pedophile.

Brzyski admitted to “several acts of sexual misconduct,” including with a 7th grader, church records show. Cardinal John Joseph Krol, archbishop of Philadelphia, privately called Brzyski a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” But what happened next is not just sad, it’s frightening.

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.