ABUSE TRACKER

SPRINGFIELD (MA)
The Republican

July 23, 2019

By Anne-Gerard Flynn

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has its own history in the global Church’s clergy sex abuse crisis dating back decades. And that history continues with its recent announcement that retired Superior Court Judge Peter A. Velis will investigate allegations of sexual misconduct involving the late Bishop Christopher J. Weldon.

The concern of lawyers defending the Springfield Diocese over time, as one put it back in 2003, has been showing that “the diocese didn’t have knowledge of any abuse that may or may not have been committed.” While this defense has largely succeeded, the allegations against Weldon and appointment of Velis open the door once again to questions of what diocesan hierarchy knew about the abuse of minors as far back as the 1950s when Weldon became bishop.

Many of the subsequently reported allegations of sexual abuse of minors occurred during Weldon’s 27 years as bishop, and the murder of an altar boy in which a former priest remains the only publicly identified suspect also occurred during his tenure.

In 2003, it was Judge Velis who ordered the release of documents filed in the investigation of former priest Richard R. Lavigne in the brutal 1972 killing of 13-year-old Daniel Croteau of Chicopee. The state Appeals Court overturned Velis’ ruling only to have the Supreme Judicial Court uphold it in 2004.

Buishop Rozanski was directed to provide the Apostolic Nuncio’s offices in Washington D.C. all information regarding this matter.

There have been allegations in such publications as E.J. Fleming’s 2018 book, “Death of an Altar Boy: The Unsolved Murder of Danny Croteau and the Culture of Abuse in the Catholic Church,” that Weldon obstructed justice in the police investigation.

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.

PROVIDENCE (RI)
GoLocalPro

July 23, 2019

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha announced the State of Rhode Island has signed an agreement to gain access to the Diocese of Providence’s records dating back to the 1950s in an effort to find additional cases of sexual abuse by church priests and staff.

As part of an ongoing review of allegations of clergy child sexual abuse within the Diocese of Providence, the Attorney General has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence.

“While this voluntary, additional disclosure by the diocese is an important step forward in our review, much additional work remains. We will not hesitate to take any additional steps that may prove necessary to fully determine the scope of misconduct here and take appropriate action,” said Neronha.

About MOU

This MOU expands on and supplements a 2016 Letter of Understanding between the Office and the Diocese dated August 30, 2016, by providing fuller access to historical records.

In October of 2018, GoLocal reported that the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a national non-profit, has called on Democratic candidate for Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha to commit to investigating the Diocese of Providence.

Alliance for Safe Communities, a Rhode Island-based organization advocating for the victims of diocesan sexual abuse, says it has reached out to former U.S. Attorney Neronha regarding his unwillingness to commit to an investigation of the Catholic Diocese sex abuse scandal.

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ST. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

July 24, 2019

Despite facing multiple accusations of sexual harassment and abuse, on Friday the Vatican declined to permanently remove a disgraced West Virginia bishop from the church, opting instead for a lesser punishment. This sends the message that cases of sexual abuse against adults are still not taken seriously by church officials.

Ex-Bishop Michael Bransfield has now been barred from participating in mass publicly or from living in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia, his old home. Such a punishment is the bare minimum for a prelate who is alleged to not only have sexually assaulted seminarians during his time as Bishop, but who also gave away lavish gifts and cash to curry favor with other church officials. And such a punishment underscores how little church officials at the Vatican understand or care about cases of sexual abuse.

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ST. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

July 24, 2019

Several major news organizations in North Carolina are going to court in order to unseal records related to two local cases of alleged clergy sexual abuse. We applaud this effort and hope that their request is successful.

The Charlotte Observer, WBTV, WCNC, and WSOC have filed motions asking for the release of documents from two separate lawsuits, saying that the information is of significant public interest, and that the Diocese of Charlotte did not prove that the narrow range of circumstances existed in which such documents can be sealed.

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter

July 24, 2019

By Brian Roewe

Advocates for survivors of clergy sexual abuse have urged the local bishop to bar from church functions two prelates with ties to Kansas City, Missouri, who’ve been central figures in the Catholic Church’s clergy sexual abuse scandal.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) sent a letter July 5 to Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop James Johnston requesting he use a new protocol created by U.S. bishops to block resigned Bishop Robert Finn and retired Bishop Joseph Hart from ministry and all church meetings and activities.

In a separate letter addressed to Pope Francis, SNAP urged he forgo a planned trial and immediately laicize Hart, 87, who from 1978 to 2001 led the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Last year, the diocese found credible accusations he sexually abused three male minors. Additional abuse claims date back to Hart’s time as a priest in Kansas City (1956-1976). Hart has repeatedly denied the allegations.

In 2012 Finn, 66, was found guilty of a misdemeanor for failing to report suspected child abuse. He served a two-year suspended sentence, in addition to meeting monthly for five years with a county prosecutor to avoid another charge. Finn resigned in April 2015 following a Vatican investigation of the diocese.

At their June assembly, the U.S. bishops approved the “Protocol Regarding Available Non-Penal Restrictions on Bishops.” That new policy permits a diocesan bishop to take measures against a bishop emeritus whose “resignation or removal was due to the sexual abuse of a minor, sexual misconduct with an adult or grave negligence of office” regarding the sexual abuse of minors.

Among available restrictions are barring a retired bishop from public ministry — including preaching and celebrating sacraments, which can extend to hearing confessions — and limiting his benefits, such as for travel. The protocol stipulates public notice of any restrictions, as well as informing the Vatican. It can be implemented by a bishop emeritus’ successor, the bishop of the diocese where he resides or seeks to minister, or the episcopal conference.

The protocol was in part sparked by outrage a year ago to reports of credible accusations against now-former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and whether fellow bishops knew of the allegations or any restrictions imposed on him. Before he was laicized, several bishops at their November meeting voiced that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops should censure and disinvite McCarrick from conference proceedings.

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.

DODGE CITY (KS)
Daily Globe

July 24, 2019

By Tim Carpenter

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s public appeal for people to step forward with allegations of sexual misconduct among members of the Catholic clergy prompted 74 investigations in 33 Kansas counties, officials said Tuesday.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt requested in November that the KBI initiate an investigation of victimization by members of the clergy, church employees and volunteers or any others in positions of authority within the four Catholic dioceses in Kansas.

Since the KBI went public in February, the agency received 119 reports from purported victims regarding sexual abuse by clergy members. More than half of those reports led to initiation of investigations by KBI agents assigned to a task force.

Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, said the organization encouraged the KBI to look into complaints of abuse. The dioceses in Kansas have an internal reporting system for alleged abuse, he said, but people uneasy about that system were directed to call law enforcement directly.

“The Catholic churches, all four dioceses, we welcome any and all investigations,” said Weber, a former state legislator. “We’ve been open to inquiries.”

Wichita resident Janet Patterson, who had a son who died by suicide in 1999 after abuse by a priest, said the KBI investigation was essential to sort out past crimes. She equated abuse at the hands of religious leaders to a “third-degree burn to the soul.”

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NEW YORK (NY)
New York Daily News

July 23, 2019

By Mikey Light and Larry McShane

Two Bronx sisters sexually abused by a trusted parish priest inside their home during the 1970s reached a settlement with the Archdiocese of New York over the childhood assaults.

“In bringing this into the light, the evil cannot hide and we can begin the healing process,” said Imelda Maldonado Davis, 54, at a Tuesday news conference outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral. “And we can protect all of our children.”

She was joined by her younger sister Mercedes, who was also targeted by the late Monsignor Charles McDonagh beginning back in 1972 and continuing for several years. McDonagh, then a Bronx parish priest, was later promoted to secretary to Terence Cardinal Cooke and his successor John Cardinal O’Connor.

The sisters, joined by Road to Recovery co-founder Robert Hoatson, declined to discuss the financial specifics of the settlement other than to say in was in the “five-figure range.”

Davis recalled how excited the family was initially when the priest came to visit their home. But their delight eventually turned to dread as the predatory priest would slip upstairs and into the girls’ bedroom.

“We would dread the sound of the stairs creaking,” recalled Imelda. “We knew what was coming. Father McDonagh would sit on our beds and proceed to talk quietly to us … then he would molest my sister and I.

“This has affected me in ways that are difficult and painful to articulate.”

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SANTA ROSA (CA)
San Francisco Chronicle

July 22, 2019

By Gwendolyn Wu

Bishop Robert F. Vasa knew something was amiss as the bags of cash started piling up.

First, it was the six security bags — used for collecting parish donations — found in a Santa Rosa priest’s car after the pastor was injured in an accident. Then it was the dozen sacks — both sealed and unsealed — in the same priest’s office, as well as a $10,000 stack of cash found in his desk drawer.

But a final trip to the Rev. Oscar Diaz’s home unveiled the extent of the money allegedly skimmed from five Northern California churches — at least $95,000 taken over the course of 15 years from well-intentioned parishioners, church officials said Monday.

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SIERRA VISTA (AZ)
Herald Review

July 18, 2019

By Lyda Longa

A former county jail chaplain accused of sexually assaulting female inmates will stand trial in Cochise County and will be prosecuted by the county attorney’s office, Superior Court Judge Laura Cardinal ruled Thursday.

Cardinal also said she would issue a ruling on whether to seal online information concerning the case against defendant Douglas Packer after his attorney Jacob Amaru stated that potential jurors could be influenced by the information.

“People can come to the hearings and listen to the case, they are open to the public, but seeing the information online could taint a potential juror,” Amaru said.

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LOUISVILLE (KY)
WDRB

July 15, 2019

St. X has released a list of brothers the school says were ‘credibly accused’ of abusing kids.

The list was created with the help of a retired FBI agent, who reviewed records going back decades.

Fourteen brothers once assigned to St. X were named, dating from the 1930s until the 80s. Of those, only the allegations against three happened during their time at the school.

The list is made up of dead or former brothers with a credible or established offense against children. That includes five whose cases couldn’t be fully investigated.

St. X says with the information becoming public, some of the brothers are confessing, repenting and asking forgiveness from the survivors of abuse.

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CHARLESTON (WV)
The Associated Press

July 23, 2019

West Virginia’s new Roman Catholic bishop vowed Tuesday to work toward restoring faith in the diocese after a scandal over the former bishop’s sexual harassment of adults and lavish spending of church money.

Pope Francis named Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Mark Brennan to lead the state’s Catholics. The 72-year-old Brennan replaces Bishop Michael Bransfield, who resigned in September after a preliminary investigation into allegations of sexual and financial misconduct.

“I want you to know how acutely aware I am of the deep disappointment and pain that you have experienced as a result of your former bishop’s misdeeds,” Brennan said at a news conference in Wheeling. “I’m not a magician. I’m not a wonder worker. I’m your brother in Christ. And I’m willing to work hard with you to make this corner of the Lord’s vineyard a place of faith as steadfast as the mountains, of hope as invigorating as fast-flowing streams, and of love as welcoming as the sun.”

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CAPE COD (MA)
Cape Cod Today

July 23, 2019

Secretary to two New York Cardinals…

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, best known for representing victims in the Boston Catholic priest sex abuse scandal, has issued a statement regarding two sisters who suffered abuse at the hands of a priest in Bronx, NY. The statement is reproduced verbatim below.

I represent two sisters who were repeatedly sexually abused for years by Fr. Charles G. McDonagh who was at the time assigned to Our Lady of Refuge Parish in the Bronx, NY. Fr. McDonagh later became Secretary to Cardinal Cooke and Secretary to Cardinal O’Connor.

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WHEELING (WV)
WTOV9

July 23, 2019

Pope Francis announced new leadership for the the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston on Tuesday morning.

The selection of Most Reverend Mark E. Brennan Mark E. Brennan was made official early Tuesday morning as the ninth bishop of the diocese.

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WHEELING (WV)
The Associated Press

July 23, 2019

The Latest on the leadership changes at West Virginia’s Roman Catholic diocese (all times local):

7News will be live streaming the official announcement of the new Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston at 9:00 a.m. on our Facebook page

8:03 a.m. The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston has released a statement regarding the announcement of Bishop Mark Brennan the leader of the Diocese

Pope Francis has named the Most Reverend Mark E. Brennan, currently Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Bishop Brennan, 72, was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington on May 15, 1976 by the then-Archbishop William W. Baum.

A Boston native, Bishop Brennan is the son of the late Edward Charles Brennan and Regina Claire Lonsway. He attended public schools in Massachusetts and Maryland before entering St. Anthony High School in Washington, D.C. Bishop Brennan graduated from Brown University in 1969 with a degree in history, and then entered Christ the King Seminary in Alleghany, New York for a year of philosophy before attending the Pontifical North American College in Rome for his theological studies.

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KNOXVILLE (TN)
Associated Press

July 23, 2019

A Tennessee man has sued the Diocese of Knoxville, claiming he was sexually abused by a priest and bishop while serving as an altar boy in the 1990s.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports Michael Boyd filed the suit in Knox County on Thursday.

It claims Boyd was abused by Father Xavier Mankel and Bishop Anthony O’Connell. Both have since died. O’Connell later resigned after admitting inappropriate conduct with minors in other dioceses.

The suit also says music teacher William Lovelace tried to get Boyd to touch him inappropriately. The diocese has suspended Lovelace with “a presumption of innocence” until the allegations are investigated.

Boyd previously met with Bishop Richard Stika about the allegations against Mankle. In a letter issued to local Catholic leaders on Friday, Stika said diocese officials turned over materials given them by Boyd to an independent investigator.

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TUCSON (AZ)
KGUN 9

July 22, 2019

By Natalie Tarangioli

In May, a big change in Arizona law was made for reporting sexual assault. And less than two months later, a man filed a lawsuit against the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona and a Tucson church.

Charles Taylor filed the civil complaint in Pima County Superior Court on July 12.

The complaint states Grace St. Paul’s church staff ignored reports of sexual misconduct by an Episcopalian priest in the 1970’s.

Taylor says he filed a complaint in 1991, but it was tossed out, because it didn’t meet the statute of limitations.

At the end of May, a new law went into effect that expands the window for sexual abuse victims.

“I know that I deserve justice, and we are going to make sure that everyone in this state, under the new law will have justice and our day in court,” Taylor said at a press conference in downtown Tucson on Monday.

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CHARLOTTE (NC)
WSOCtv

July 23, 2019

By Allison Latos

Court records surrounding sexual abuse lawsuits against the Diocese of Charlotte have been kept confidential for years, but Channel 9 is working to bring those documents to light.

Dioceses nationwide have begun revealing the names of church leaders accused of abuse, but the Diocese of Charlotte has not released a full list of all priests with credible allegations.

Channel 9 has joined with other media outlets in filing a lawsuit to have the records unsealed.

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DE PERE (WI)
Associated Press

July 22, 2019

St. Norbert Abbey in Wisconsin has released the names of 22 priests who faced “credible” allegations of sexually abusing minors.

The abbey says an independent review deemed more than 40 allegations credible. About half came from the 1960s, and 12 Norbertine priests faced multiple allegations. All but five are dead. Two of the living have left the abbey and ministry; three others are restricted from ministry.

Abbot Dane Radecki says the names were released Friday in the spirit of accountability, but gave few details of the allegations.

The abbey serves St. Norbert College and some schools and parishes around De Pere.

The report came six months after the Green Bay Diocese named 46 priests with credible claims of sexual abuse against them but did not include priests from independent orders.

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HARRISBURG (PA)
Local 21 News

July 22, 2019

By Amanda Hoskins

More lawsuits against Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania are surmounting.

This time, victims are seeking damage for the dioceses committing fraud and conspiracy.

A new lawsuit being filed against the Harrisburg Diocese could continue to open the flood gates.

It comes after the attorney of a man who claims he is a victim of sexual abuse made significant gains in a similar case against the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.

While it lost in the court of common pleas, a June superior court decision reversed the ruling.

In the 2017 case, attorney Richard Serbin argued the church committed fraud, fraudulent concealment and civil conspiracy.

He argued the diocese had the obligation to tell the victim, his client, about the nature of the allegations and the cover-ups surrounding her perpetrator in the diocese. They argued she only learned about it through the grand jury report.

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NEW YORK (NY)
CNN

July 18, 2019

By Erica Orden

A federal judge on Thursday ordered Jeffrey Epstein, who is accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, to remain in jail pending trial, rejecting the multimillionaire’s request to return to his Upper East Side mansion under supervision.

In a court hearing, US District Court Judge Richard Berman described Epstein’s proposed bail package — which would have allowed him to return home accompanied by armed guards and a live-in, court-appointed trustee — as “irretrievably inadequate.” He said Epstein was both a danger to the community and a flight risk.

“Mr. Epstein’s alleged excessive attraction to sexual conduct with or in the presence of minor girls — which is said to include his soliciting and receiving massages from young girls and young women perhaps as many as four times a day,” the judge wrote in a 33-page decision filed with the court, “appears likely to be uncontrollable.”

Among the most important influences in the judge’s decision to deny bail, he wrote, were the victims of Epstein’s alleged crimes, including two who “movingly” testified at one of the bail hearings, telling the court they feared his release would result in their harassment and abuse. “The court is also concerned for new victims,” the judge added.

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CHARLESTON (WV)
ChurchMilitant.com

July 22, 2019

By Stephen Wynne

Critics slam paltry penalties for corrupt former West Virginia bishop

Amid an ongoing inquiry into financial malfeasance and sex abuse cover-up in West Virginia, the Vatican is imposing sanctions on Bp. Michael Bransfield, former head of the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.

In a July 19 communiqué, Wheeling-Charleston announced that based on the investigation’s findings, Pope Francis has decreed that Bp. Emeritus Bransfield is prohibited from residing in the diocese; is banned from presiding or participating in any public celebration of the Liturgy; and is obliged to “make personal amends for some of the harm he caused,” with “the nature and extent of the amends to be decided in consultation with the future Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.”

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NEW YORK (NY)
NBC News

July 18, 2019

By Jonathan Dienst, Adam Reiss and David K. Li

A federal judge in New York sided with prosecutors who argued that the financier poses a flight risk.

A New York federal judge on Thursday ordered Jeffrey Epstein held without bail, siding with prosecutors who argued the wealthy financier and accused sex trafficker posed a flight risk.

U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman said prosecutors showed “clear and convincing evidence” that Epstein was a flight risk.

“The government application for continued remand is hereby granted,” Berman said just minutes after the pretrial proceeding began.

The defense had proposed a $77 million bail package, with Epstein’s private jet and Manhattan mansion as collateral.

“I doubt any bail package can overcome” any danger to the community, Berman said.

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GUAM
Pacific Daily News

July 23, 2019

By Haidee Eugenio Gilbert

Two Barrigada men’s separate lawsuits alleging Father Louis Brouillard’s abused them in the late 1970s have been added to Guam’s clergy sex abuse claims, now at more than 230.

The plaintiffs are identified in federal court documents only by the initials I.V. and V.M. to protect their privacy. They are represented by attorney Michael Berman.

I.V., in his $5 million lawsuit, said Brouillard told him “not to worry” about the sexual abuses” because he was now a good boy and God will forgive all of his past sins and God will make sure he lived a good life.”

The lawsuits say the priest sexually abused I.V. and V.M. on church grounds and during Boy Scouts of America outings.

I.V. was attending the Barrigada parish from around 1978 to 1980 when he was about 9 to 11 years old. The abuses also happened after I.V. helped clean the church with a broom and a mop, the lawsuit says.

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HARRISBURG (PA)
WGAL News 8

July 23, 2019

In a lawsuit being announced today, two now-deceased priests at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, north of Selinsgrove, are accused of raping an altar boy.

You can watch the plaintiff’s news conference about the lawsuit above.

The suit names the Harrisburg Diocese former Bishop Kevin Rhoades and current Bishop Ronald Gainer.

The suit will challenge Pennsylvania’s Statute of Limitations for sex crimes.

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HARRISBURG (PA)
ABC 27

July 23, 2019

By Christine McLarty

The first of its kind lawsuit is being announced at the PA State Capitol Tuesday morning. We’re expecting the announcement of a lawsuit on behalf of a Catholic Clergy child sexual abuse survivor.

At 10:30 Tuesday morning a man who said he’s a survivor of child sex abuse from 2 priests is speaking out. The Plaintiff lives in Missouri but is back to present his case. As a child he lived in Milton, PA an hour north of Harrisburg. While serving as an altar boy he says he was repeatedly raped by 2 Harrisburg Diocese Priests at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church.

Up to this point, the statute of limitations prohibited many child sex abuse survivors from filing. But according to a new ruling, there’s a lawsuit loophole. On June 11th, the Pennsylvania Superior Court paved the way for child sexual abuse survivors to file lawsuits under certain conditions.

In that case Renee Rice vs. The Altoona-Johnstown Catholic Diocese, Rice sued over the cover-up of abuse, not the actual abuse. Local lawyers said this lawsuit loophole offers a glimpse of hope for others victims. “For those people who really want to get into discovery with the Diocese, ” said Sexual Abuse Attorney Nathaniel Foote, “Find out what documents the Diocese has on their abuser, or other abusers, this provides an avenue for that for them.”

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter

July 24, 2019

By Brian Roewe

Advocates for survivors of clergy sexual abuse have urged the local bishop to bar from church functions two prelates with ties to Kansas City, Missouri, who’ve been central figures in the Catholic Church’s clergy sexual abuse scandal.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) sent a letter July 5 to Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop James Johnston requesting he use a new protocol created by U.S. bishops to block resigned Bishop Robert Finn and retired Bishop Joseph Hart from ministry and all church meetings and activities.

In a separate letter addressed to Pope Francis, SNAP urged he forgo a planned trial and immediately laicize Hart, 87, who from 1978 to 2001 led the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Last year, the diocese found credible accusations he sexually abused three male minors. Additional abuse claims date back to Hart’s time as a priest in Kansas City (1956-1976). Hart has repeatedly denied the allegations.

In 2012 Finn, 66, was found guilty of a misdemeanor for failing to report suspected child abuse. He served a two-year suspended sentence, in addition to meeting monthly for five years with a county prosecutor to avoid another charge. Finn resigned in April 2015 following a Vatican investigation of the diocese.

At their June assembly, the U.S. bishops approved the “Protocol Regarding Available Non-Penal Restrictions on Bishops.” That new policy permits a diocesan bishop to take measures against a bishop emeritus whose “resignation or removal was due to the sexual abuse of a minor, sexual misconduct with an adult or grave negligence of office” regarding the sexual abuse of minors.

Among available restrictions are barring a retired bishop from public ministry — including preaching and celebrating sacraments, which can extend to hearing confessions — and limiting his benefits, such as for travel. The protocol stipulates public notice of any restrictions, as well as informing the Vatican. It can be implemented by a bishop emeritus’ successor, the bishop of the diocese where he resides or seeks to minister, or the episcopal conference.

The protocol was in part sparked by outrage a year ago to reports of credible accusations against now-former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and whether fellow bishops knew of the allegations or any restrictions imposed on him. Before he was laicized, several bishops at their November meeting voiced that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops should censure and disinvite McCarrick from conference proceedings.

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CHARLOTTE (NC)
Charlotte Observer

July 22, 2019

By Bruce Henderson

News outlets including The Charlotte Observer have filed joint court motions that seek to unseal documents in two lawsuits that claimed sexual abuse by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.

Both lawsuits were resolved in favor of the 46-county diocese. The media group argues that documents the diocese had asked to be sealed, as part of motions for summary judgment in the cases, are of significant public interest.

Television stations WBTV, WCNC and WSOC are also part of the group.

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BERKSHIRE (MA)
Berkshire Eagle

July 22, 2019

By Larry Parnass

A retired judge will review a Chicopee man’s allegation that former Bishop Christopher J. Weldon subjected him to sexual abuse in the 1960s.

The Springfield diocese announced Monday that Peter A. Velis, a retired Superior Court judge, will begin work immediately to investigate reports from a former altar boy that Weldon not only assaulted him, but facilitated his abuse and that of other children by other local clergy.

Mark Dupont, spokesman for the diocese, said the decision to seek outside help in assessing the allegations against Weldon stemmed in part from disagreement internally about the Chicopee man’s credibility.

“Given the recent public disagreement between this victim and the Diocesan Review Board about the description of the allegations and findings of the board, Bishop Rozanski felt that, in this situation, turning this matter over to an independent and outside party was both warranted and the most prudent course of action,” Dupont said in a statement.

Dupont said the Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski made the call to seek help from Velis.

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NEW YORK(NY)
Commonweal

July 22, 2019

By Paul Moses

One way Pope Francis could move ahead with his aim of curbing clergy sex abuse in the worldwide Catholic Church would be to insist that the Holy See comply with the international human-rights treaty it signed to protect the rights of the child. Since nearly every country in the world (other than the United States) has signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 1989 treaty sets a clear international standard for Catholic bishops everywhere.

The treaty requires this: “In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.” Responding to complaints from survivors of sex abuse in the United States, Mexico, Australia, and Western Europe, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child determined that the Holy See had violated that standard. “The Committee is particularly concerned that in dealing with allegations of child sexual abuse, the Holy See has consistently placed the preservation of the reputation of the Church and the protection of the perpetrators above the child’s best interests, as observed by several national commissions of inquiry,” it said in a 2014 report.

Five years later, the passage of time shows how deeply flawed the Vatican’s response was. The Vatican asserted that it had “carefully delineated policies and procedures designed to help eliminate such abuses and to collaborate with respective State authorities to fight against this crime.” It’s clear those policies were porous and follow-through was sluggish. Today, Vatican officials are still looking for the elusive “turning point.” Hopes are now pinned on February’s Vatican summit with the presidents of bishops’ conferences, and on subsequent measures Pope Francis has announced.

In the meantime, the Papal Commission for the Protection of Minors made the Convention on the Rights of the Child the foundation of guidelines that, in 2016, it sought for adoption by bishops’ conferences and religious orders around the world. But Marie Collins, a former member of the papal commission, said in an email interview that Vatican authorities would not permit the guidelines to be sent directly to the bishops’ conferences. “The Commission was told [the guidelines] could be put on the website and recommended as a resource,” she said, adding that this fell short of what the commission intended: that bishops be required to use the guidelines as a template for their procedures to protect children from sexual abuse.

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KNOXVILLE (TN)
Knoxville Sentinel

July 22, 2019

By Amy McRary

An East Tennessee man alleges he was sexually abused as a child by a longtime Catholic priest, the first bishop of the Knoxville diocese and others.

Attorneys for Blount County resident Michael Boyd are suing the Diocese of Knoxville in a Knox County Circuit Court lawsuit filed July 18.

While the Diocese is the only named defendant, the 20-page lawsuit claims the former altar boy was repeatedly abused in the 1990s by longtime Knoxville priest Xavier Mankel and at least twice by Bishop Anthony O’Connell.

The suit also alleged Mankel allowed visiting priests to have “inappropriate sexual conduct” with the child in a church sacristy.

O’Connell, who died in 2012, is the best-known figure named in the suit. He became the first bishop of the Knoxville diocese when it was formed in 1988. Ten years later, he became bishop of Palm Beach, Florida. He resigned in 2002 after admitting inappropriate conduct with minors in Missouri decades earlier and before he was in Knoxville.

The suit alleged that Mankel, a priest for 56 years, was Boyd’s main predator. Naming Mankel as an abuser is likely to shock many Knoxville Catholics. He hasn’t been named on lists of priests accused by abuse that have been released by Catholic authorities or survivor support groups.

Mankel, who died in 2017 at age 81, was a Knoxville native and a Catholic institution for decades. His positions included being pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral from 1987-1997.

He helped found the Knoxville diocese, serving as its first chancellor and vicar general. He was later given the title of monsignor.

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Julie Roys blog

July 21, 2019

The elders at suburban Chicago Willow Creek Community Church today released a “last statement” about the scandal involving church founder Bill Hybels, charging Hybels with “unchecked sin and intimidating behavior,” and addressing “specific harms” against Hybels’ accusers and their advocates.

In their statement, the elders said they had met with the women accusing Hybels of wrongdoing and their advocates over the past six months. And as a result, they had learned of how the church’s response had led to verbal and written attacks on the women. They said they also learned that a “narrative persists in identifying (the women) as liars and colluders,” despite apologies by the lead pastors and former Elders.

The elders stated that they “unequivocally support” the findings of an independent council, which concluded that the women’s claims of “sexually inappropriate” conduct by Hybels are credible. They added, “We ask anyone who participated in verbal and written attacks to prayerfully examine their actions, apologize for wrongdoing, and seek to mend the relationship.”

Similarly, the elders urged Hybels to “reflect on his years in ministry, repent where necessary,” and seek “reconciliation.” They said they had reached out to Hybels, but he had “chosen not to engage in dialogue at this time.”

In response, Vonda Dyer, one of the women who accused Hybels of sexual misconduct, today also released a statement, expressing gratitude “that the elders believe all of the women’s allegations.” She also praised the elders’ “posture of godly response to the magnitude and depth of Bill Hybels’ destructive behaviors toward me and toward other women spanning four decades.”

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HUDDERSFIELD (ENGLAND)
Examiner

July 22, 2019

By Nick Lavigueur

A former vicar who was sexually abused by a Bradford priest as a boy has said the church has never said sorry – despite the Archbishop of Canterbury claiming it has.

Matthew Ineson from Staincliffe, Dewsbury, has waived his right to anonymity to try and expose sexual abuse within the Anglican church.

Mr Ineson was raped by Bradford priest Trevor Devamanikkam in 1984 but he never saw justice after the accused killed himself rather than facing trial in 2017.

Last week Mr Ineson strongly criticised the archbishops of Canterbury and York while giving evidence at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in the Anglican Church.

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TOLEDO (OH)
Toledo Blade

July 21, 2019

By Anne Marie Abowd

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton has spoken in Toledo many times, at various venues in the past. Most notably during the U.S. attack on Iraq when he appealed for an end to the catastrophe responsible for the deaths of 1.5 million civilians and 5,000 Americans. It has been a war that has created turmoil that lingers in Iraq to this day and has inflamed ongoing chaos throughout the Middle East ever since.

I accompanied Bishop Gumbleton to Central Catholic High School School, where he spoke to students about immorality of that war.

Bishop Gumbleton has spoken several times at Corpus Christi University Parish pleading for an end to sanctions that were starving thousands of Iraqi children, many of whom he had witnessed on several trips to war-torn Iraq.

He has consistently advocated for social justice; for inclusiveness in the church, and for the protection of children, as Jesus preached.

For years he made regular trips to Haiti to help bring medical aid to the poor. In Detroit’s inner city, he instituted a free medical and dental clinic for the destitute. At St. Leo’s, his Detroit parish, he turned the rectory into classrooms where addicted mothers could be counseled with a day care for their children.

Ironically, he was black-listed by the Church as a punishment for his heroic opposition to the Statute of Limitations for pedophile priests.

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SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA)
Special Broadcast Service

July 22, 2019

By Avneet Arora

A 32-year-old Sikh priest was found guilty of six charges of sexual conduct with a child at an Auckland District Court last week.

Sajan Singh lured two children aged eight and twelve into quiet rooms inside a west Auckland gurdwara in 2017 and inappropriately touched their bottoms on separate occasions, the court heard.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, last month.

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SÃO PAULO (BRAZIL)
Crux

July 22, 2019

By Eduardo Campos Lima

Police in Brazil are investigating three Catholic priests accused of abusing several altar boys and seminarians. The former bishop of their diocese, who resigned in May, is also under investigation for having allegedly extorted money from them in exchange for his silence.

The lawyer of a group of victims said last week he intends to file lawsuits against the Catholic Church, seeking $530,000 in damages for each person.

The scandal in the Diocese of Limeira, in the State of São Paulo, was last week’s cover story in Revista Veja, a major weekly magazine, prompting the opening of new investigations. The Brazilian press has been covering the accusations against Father Pedro Leandro Ricardo, from the city of Americana, since January, when the police opened investigations against him for cases of sexual abuse and he was suspended from his parish.

In May, Bishop Vilson Dias de Oliveira of Limeira resigned after the police and press reports said the Vatican started investigating him for extortion, unjust enrichment and abuse cover-up. But Veja’s story, published on July 12, was the first to disclose details of Ricardo’s crimes and also revealed the alleged crimes of two other priests from the diocese of Limeira, Father Felipe Negro and Father Carlos Alberto da Rocha.

In the story, Ricardo was accused by six former altar boys and seminarians – all of them minors at the time of the alleged events – of having inappropriately touched them before or after Masses. The testimony includes graphic descriptions.

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LONDON (ENGLAND)
Catholic Herald

July 22, 2019

By Christopher Altieri

Comparing the fight against abuse with the war on drugs, the Pope said Don Bosco’s ‘preventive system’ has much to teach us

Pope Francis has released a video message to participants in a training course designed to teach them how to prevent the abuse of minors.

Under the direction of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Formation for the Protection of Minors (CEPROME), Catholic leaders including those responsible for seminary formation, diocesan vicars-general, religious superiors, and mental health professionals are gathered for three weeks on the campus of the Pontifical University of Mexico in Mexico City to focus on abuse prevention.

Speaking without notes and apparently off the cuff, Pope Francis begins his message by greeting participants, and acknowledging the gravity of the issue. “The protection of minors is a serious problem,” he says. “It is a problem, the shame of which we all know, that it has brought to the Church, that our members have intervened, have acted in these crimes,” Pope Francis goes on to say.

Pope Francis proceeds to frame the issue in terms of scandal, “[T]hat no one should keep them from reaching Jesus.” Francis goes on to say, “Any person — male religious, female religious, lay, bishop — anyone who prevents a child from reaching Jesus, must be stopped in their attitudes, corrected if we are on time, or punished if there is a crime involved.”

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SACRAMENTO (CA)
Truthout

July 20, 2019

By Stephanie Guilloud

What if firemen decided not to hose down certain buildings or go to certain neighborhoods based on their personal beliefs? What if paramedics could legally choose not to give someone life support because they are trans or using drugs in a way that offends their moral code?

These scenarios are possible and protected under new bills that declare individual morality and personal convictions paramount to federal and state regulations, local governance decisions and basic human rights.

Legislation passed in Texas protects “religious liberty and moral convictions” of individuals and businesses. SB 1978, signed into law on June 10, prevents government entities from taking actions that could adversely affect individuals or businesses based on their commitment to a religious or moral conviction.

It has been dubbed the “Save Chick-fil-A bill” because the San Antonio City Council voted to block the restaurant from the city-owned airport in solidarity with members of the LGBTQ community because of the company’s anti-LGBTQ positions and its funding of anti-LGBTQ institutions. Under the new bill, Chick-fil-A could now get the Texas attorney general to file for damages, and the Federal Aviation Administration is already investigating Chick-fil-A’s exclusion at U.S. airports.

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter

July 22, 2019

By Fr. Peter Daly

In the 2015 movie “Spotlight,” the voice of Richard Sipe (played by Richard Jenkins) says over the speaker phone, “If you really want to understand the crisis, you need to start with the celibacy requirement.” He continues, “That was my first major finding. Only 50% of the [Catholic] clergy are celibate. Now, most of them are having sex with other adults. But the fact remains that this creates a culture of secrecy that tolerates and even protects pedophiles.”.

Sipe, the former priest and psychologist, who died in August 2018, devoted much of his life to the psychological treatment of priests. He wrote extensively on priestly celibacy. In 1990, he published A Secret World: Sexuality and the Search for Celibacy. He estimated then that at any given time only 50% of priests, monks and bishops are actually celibate. This contributes to a culture of mendacity (lying).

In a 2016 letter to San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy, Sipe wrote:

Sooner or later it will become broadly obvious that there is a systemic connection between the sexual activity by, among and between clerics in positions of authority and control, and the abuse of children. … When men in authority — cardinals, bishops, rectors, abbots, confessors, professors — are having or have had an unacknowledged-secret-active-sex life under the guise of celibacy, an atmosphere of tolerance of behaviors within the system is made operative.

In other words, priests and bishops are not going to expose others because they may be guilty themselves. The recent cases of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Bishop Michael Bransfield of West Virginia prove this point. How could they rise so high and allegedly endure so long in their double lives? Perhaps because people who knew were also compromised by sexual activity.

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SAN JOSE (CA)
Mercury News

July 21, 2019

By Larry Quilici

The July 12 article by Thomas G. Plante entitled “Effort to break sacred seal of confession misguided” (Opinion section) makes a strong case for the sacred seal of the confessional regarding confessions of child abuse.

The reality is that the Catholic Church has lost its credibility with the public on this issue.

The Church has not solved this problem in its 2,000-year history. Reference the authoritative book, “Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes: The Catholic Church’s 2,000 Year Paper Trail of Sexual Abuse” by Thomas P. Doyle and A.W. Richard Sipe.

The earliest mention of forbidden sexual behavior in the literature is from the Didache, a very early theological text which is usually dated around 70 A.D. Following 2,000 years of failure, are we to believe that the problem is now resolved for all time? How can we even believe that when our children go to confession the person on the other side of the screen is not a child abuser trolling for victims?

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Patheos blog

July 21, 2019

By Hemant Mehta

In 2012, Ohio preacher Jason Brothers stayed at the home of a family in Georgia when he was giving a guest sermon at North Mt. Zion Church of God in Hiawassee. When the family’s 14-year-old girl got up for a drink of water that night, Brothers, who was in a wheelchair due to his cerebral palsy, asked her for a hug… then raped her.

The girl only told her parents what happened after they caught her trying to end her own life.

This week, Jason Brothers was sentenced for his crime. The punishment involves no prison time, going back home to Ohio, and remaining on probation for another four years. In other words, nothing of any consequence even though he admitted to two counts of felony sexual battery on a minor.

The reason for that has everything to do with his attorney: Republican House Speaker David Ralston.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ralston took advantage of a legal loophole that allowed him to delay the trial as many times as he wanted as long as he said he was on state business.

Ralston did that at least eight times, dragging the case on for more than six years.

By the time a jury finally heard the victim’s story, she was a 21-year-old woman trying to recount a traumatic incident that happened several years earlier. Her memory wasn’t perfect. Same could be said of the other witnesses. The testimony would’ve been far more powerful if she was, say 15 or 16.

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Patheos blog

July 21, 2019

By Guest Contributor

It is the apparently tenuous question so much of the debate with the sex abuse scandals surrounds – Do victims matter?

I was just informed by the host of a popular podcast for Catholic women that we in fact don’t; at least, we don’t when it’s uncomfortable and inconvenient for other Catholics. I have followed this podcast for at least a year and was a subscriber on its email list. Yesterday morning, an email in my inbox from the podcast described this week’s episode (concerning the Church’s teaching on birth control). I skimmed to the bottom to see if I recognized the interviewee’s name, since I have a few times in the past. What I found instead made my stomach clench.

My alma mater, Franciscan University of Steubenville, was this episode’s sponsor. When I pointed out (both in private message and publicly on the podcast’s Facebook page) that having a university with an abusive past (and present!) was hurtful to victims, the response was sickening.

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ARLINGTON (VA)
Arlington Diocese

July 19, 2019

Following his death in 1992, reports of sexual abuse of minors by Msgr. William Reinecke in the late-1960s and early-1970s were first brought forward and were fully documented by national and local media. In some instances, it was alleged that abuse occurred during overnight trips that Msgr. Reinecke had taken with minors.

The abuse committed by Fr. Reinecke was a grave sin and horrendous crime. No person should ever be victimized, and the Church should be a place of peace and joy for all people, especially children. The Catholic Church—like all institutions that work with minors—operates very differently today than it did 50 years ago, and interactions between priests and minors are more controlled and limited than in the past. In particular, such overnight trips – apart from fully-chaperoned youth events – are explicitly prohibited.

Additionally, the Diocese has a comprehensive and thorough system of policies and protocols that aid in prevention of sexual abuse of minors and reports all allegations to legal authorities. Our protocols include background checks for all clergy, staff and volunteers, as well as a training program that helps people identify grooming activity and other concerning behaviors, whether in a church setting or elsewhere.

In September 2018, the Diocese of Arlington hired two former FBI special agents to examine all clergy files and information going back to the founding of the Diocese in 1974. They performed this thorough review to assist the Diocese in its publication of a list of priests who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. That list was published on February 13, 2019, and can be found at ArlingtonDiocese.org/ClergyAbuseList. The purpose of releasing the names of those credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor was to assist victims and survivors in their healing.

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RICHMOND (VA)
Richmond Times-Dispatch

July 15, 2019

By Bridget Balch

The head of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Bishop Barry Knestout, on Friday suspended a Norfolk priest who was previously placed on a leave of absence due to violating the diocese’s code of conduct with minors, the diocese announced Saturday.

The priest, Joseph Metzger III, had been placed on temporary leave from his assignment as pastor of Blessed Sacrament parish in Norfolk in December due to previous violations of the code of conduct with minors. The Diocese of Richmond said the misconduct was not related to an accusation of sexual abuse.

On July 1, Metzger was given an assignment working in the diocese’s administrative offices and celebrating Mass at elderly housing facilities and communities for religious women in the Richmond area.

Four days later, on July 5, the diocese received an additional complaint against Metzger regarding a recent violation of the code of conduct with minors, according to a news release.

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RAPID CITY (SD)
Rapid City Journal

July 21, 2019

By Arielle Zionts

Bishop Robert Gruss sat in his office Thursday afternoon, focusing on his computer and surrounded by stacks of books, a few decorations and packed boxes.

The 64-year-old bishop was still hard at work responding to emails and hosting back-to-back meetings before leaving Saturday after eight years with the Rapid City Diocese, which oversees churches and Catholic life across western South Dakota.

Departing Rapid City to serve as the bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw in Michigan is a “bittersweet” moment, Gruss said.

“Leaving a place that you come to know and love, it’s hard leaving,” he said. “I’ve made a lot of great friendships and good relationships. I love the people here. I love the land. I’ve really enjoyed being with and working with the Native American population.

“There’s kind of a holy sorrow to it in the sense that it’s what the lord has called me to, and I desire to do the will of God. And I really do feel that I’ve been called there, missioned there, to serve the people of Saginaw. So there’s deep gratitude in my heart for these eight years that the lord has given me here and there’s anticipation, I think there’s some excitement for me moving to the Diocese of Saginaw and ministering to the people there.”

Gruss was born in Arkansas and grew up in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Wisconsin, according to his biography on the diocese website. He worked as a pilot and flight instructor for nine years before he began studying religion and preparing for the priesthood. He was ordained in 1994 and served various roles in the United States and Vatican City before becoming Bishop of Rapid City in 2011.

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NEW YORK (NY)
Daily News

July 20, 2019

By Jami Ganz

The West Virginia attorney general is adamant that the Catholic church stop “covering up” allegations of sexual harassment brought against a former bishop.

Patrick Morrisey ordered the church Friday to “come clean” with information it has regarding sexual harassment allegations against former bishop Michael Bransfield of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, USA Today reports.

The declaration followed Pope Francis’ decision earlier that day to ban Bransfield from both the public ministry and living in a West Virginia diocese. The pope said Bransfield “has the obligation to make personal amends for some of the arm he caused.”

On Facebook, Morrisey said this was “only one step” in the right direction and went on to slam the diocese for “decades of covering up and concealing the behavior of priests as it relates to sexual abuse.”

“It is time for the Diocese to come clean with what it knows and release the Bransfield report and any other relevant materials,” he wrote. “The public shouldn’t have to wait any longer for transparency.”

In March, Morrisey filed a suit against both Bransfield and the diocese claiming it knew it was employing pedophiles and did not conduct proper background checks for employees working at schools and camps. In an amendment, he also alleged the diocese knew of child sex abuse by a teacher in 2006 and decided against publicly disclosing it.

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SAGINAW (MI)
WNEM TV

July 21, 2019

By Austen Burks

The Diocese of Saginaw has named multiple priests from two religious communities who were credibly accused of abuse of a minor.

The Capuchin Order provided names of the following clergy who were involved in ministry in the Diocese of Saginaw. The Capuchins noted that the allegations against the following clergy did not arise in the Diocese of Saginaw. One additional name, John S. Rabideau, OMV (Oblates of the Virgin Mary) was also added to the diocesan website. Rabideau was never assigned to ministry in the Diocese of Saginaw.

Benedict Adams, OFM Cap, deceased
Baldwin Beyer, OFM Cap, deceased
Art Cooney, OFM Cap
James LaRéau, OFM Cap, deceased
John Steven Rabideau, OMV (Oblates of the Virgin Mary)
Austin Schlaefer, OFM Cap, deceased
Ken Stewart, OFM Cap
Elmer Stoffel, OFM Cap, deceased

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DENVER (CO)
Westword

July 21, 2019

By Terry Kelly

For thirty years, the Catholic Church has been rocked by a steady roar of sexual abuse revelations. Some of its priests have been serially sexually abusing its children. Many of its bishops have been “covering up” these crimes. The massiveness of these crimes — they occurred in significant numbers in every corner of the Catholic world — has dulled our senses to the personal pain of each story. (To get over the numbness, watch the recent Polish documentary, Tell No One.) This is a universal story that continues in many forms. A few weeks ago, Colorado announced a new chapter.

Colorado’s Roman Catholic bishops, the Colorado Attorney General and a former Colorado U.S. Attorney recently informed us that they were going to cooperate in the preparation of a report concerning the sexual abuse of children by Colorado diocesan Catholic priests. This joint report promises to disclose the results of a review by former U.S Attorney Robert Troyer of records of alleged abuse of minors by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church in Colorado since 1950.

The “independent review” apparently will be made of file records maintained by the three dioceses. The report will identify “substantiated allegations of abuse [of minors]” set out in these church records, and also review “the Dioceses’ current policies and procedures for preventing abuse and responding to allegations of abuse.”

As publicly announced by Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, the review and report will be performed by Troyer. This is based upon an agreement between the three Colorado Catholic diocesan bishops (Aquila, Sheridan, Berg), Attorney General Phil Weiser, and Troyer. Troyer’s $300,000 “Special Master” services are being paid for by the three Catholic dioceses ($150,000) and anonymous donors solicited by former attorney general Cynthia Coffman ($150,000). These are “donors” who refuse to be identified.

When you look at all the facts, it is doubtful that the bishops, the attorney general and Mr. Troyer can produce a valid report.

First, the Catholic bishops and the Colorado attorney general have fundamental differences regarding the report’s purpose. Within the past few months, ex-Pope Benedict XVI published an article addressing the sex abuse “crisis” in the Catholic Church. Benedict’s supporters, including Archbishop Aquila, gave the article wide and enthusiastic distribution. Benedict sees the evil, the “bedrock” sin of the sexual abuse of children by clergy, as a sacrilege, a “befouling” of the perpetrator priests’ vows — a sin against the Catholic faith. Benedict’s personal theology, and that of his followers, primarily experience these horrors in the self-referential analysis of how the misconduct injures their Church.

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ROME (ITALY)
Daily Beast

July 20, 2019

By Barbie Latza Nadeau

The Vatican banned West Virginia bishop Michael J. Bransfield from public ministry over credible accusations of sexual and financial misconduct, but stopped short of defrocking him. The measure was outlined in a letter authorized by Pope Francis to the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, which states that the disgraced prelate now has “the obligation to make personal amends for some of the harm he caused.”

Bransfield resigned in September after an underling exposed years of sexual and financial misconduct, including how the bishop bought influence by giving cash gifts to senior Catholic officials to keep his crimes quiet. The Washington Post reported that Bransfield spent more than $2.4 million on luxury hotels and private jets and racked up bills of $182,000 on fresh flowers. The bishop also employed a personal chef, chauffeur and carried out more than $1 million in renovations to his private residence. He is also accused of giving more than $350,000 in cash gifts to young seminarians and priests he allegedly sexually harassed.

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ST. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

July 19, 2019

The release from the Norbertines includes the names of 22 priests that church officials, including the current Abbot and several former Abbots of the religious order, knew had sexually assaulted children in the Green Bay diocese.

By Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests – Jul 19th, 2019 05:59 pm
Today, the Norbertine Religious Order have finally released a list of priests publicly accused of abuse. We believe that this release – and others by other church officials in Wisconsin – should be reviewed and investigated by the state attorney general.

The release from the Norbertines includes the names of 22 priests that church officials, including the current Abbot and several former Abbots of the religious order, knew had sexually assaulted children in the Green Bay diocese. This long-overdue move comes as twenty state attorney generals around the United States have opened investigations into the abuse of children and subsequent cover-up by church officials since last summer’s release of the explosive Grand Jury Report in Pennsylvania.

Other states that have issued preliminary findings of their investigations show the same pattern of abuse and cover up that was dramatically demonstrated in Pennsylvania. Specifically, where church officials have claimed to release full lists of credibly accused clerics those lists have been found to dramatically under-count the actual number of accused clerics and yet another attempt to mislead the public and law enforcement. In Illinois, for example the Attorney General recently found that over 500 credibly accused priests were not reported, fully two-thirds of all accused clerics.

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MIDLAND (TX)
Midland Daily News

July 20, 2019

By Richard Luczak

To the editor:
My Catholic Church is in a deep crisis over sexual abuse. To stabilize the Church and help to restore confidence and to protect adults and children, I propose the following: All deacons, priests and bishops should be required to submit to a psychological exam (MPPI or better), polygraph testing, drug testing and periodic police background checks in order to stay in active ministry.

The basis for this is last year’s police sting that caught 72-year-old the Rev. Robert DeLand, Diocese of Saginaw, in an illegal sexual assault, which has landed him in prison. As I recall, DeLand was in parish ministry and youth counseling at a local high school, and he was on the diocesan marriage tribunal. There you go — neither age nor stature nor years of service nor popularity, etc., is any barrier to a sexual predator. Hence, I urge the message get out to start demanding this universal testing of church clerics.

RICHARD LUCZAK
Bay City

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Patheos blog

July 19, 2019

By Msgr. Eric Barr

Becoming CEOs of the institution and ceding the Church to lawyers rather than to the Gospel was mistake number one. Severing the sacramental connection between priest and bishop was mistake number two. However, the most egregious mistake the bishops have made throughout the entire clergy sexual abuse crisis is the third. The bishops committed the capital sin of sloth. We think of sloth as laziness, but it is not. It is self-pity, a sorrow for oneself that embraces a guilt leading to apathy. The bishops chose to become powerless to fight against the evil of sexual abuse and the abuse of episcopal authority. Out of despair or indifference, they left the battlefield to lawyers, the press, and an outraged laity.

The McCarrick Affair Revealed The Powerlessness Of The Episcopacy
The McCarrick affair and the way the institutional Church handled it shows this clearly. Outsiders still marvel at how such a person as the former cardinal could live such an evil lifestyle in plain sight of his fellow churchmen. All bishops were at least aware of his predilection for seminarians. As the Vicar for Clergy for a midwestern diocese, I knew of the rumors since 2005.
I remember a Bill O’Reilly show on Fox News where the erstwhile commentator threatened to go public with a horrendous accusation against a highly placed Catholic official the next night. Surprisingly, he never revealed that name, but at the time, I knew that if I had to guess, it would be McCarrick. Rumors are not facts, but there were priests, like Fr. Boniface Ramsey who tried many times to inform the Vatican what he knew as fact: that the cardinal was a serial predator. But the Vatican took no notice. Nor did other bishops. All bishops were aware of the rumors, but there were many who knew the facts and did nothing. The explanation goes that the Church simply did not have the structures present for bishops to discipline each other. Everything rested on the pope’s intervention and three popes appear to have been kept in the dark of the actual facts though they too had heard the rumors.

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.

DENVER (CO)
National Catholic Register

July 20, 2019

By Msgr. Andrew Baker and Father Carter Griffin

Many Catholics, understandably, have grown skeptical of seminary formation. After all, it is priests and bishops who have caused the scandal of clergy sexual abuse, and every one of them is a product of seminaries.

Sometimes it is presumed that little has changed in seminaries since the time, decades ago, when the vast majority of those abusive priests were formed. Professor Janet Smith recently published a commentary that rightly asks whether seminary reforms are authentic and lasting or simply “window dressing.”

As the rectors of two seminaries forming men for the priesthood today, we would like to offer our own perspective in order to throw some light on the present situation — because, in fact, a great deal has changed.

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.

WINNIPEG (CANADA)
Winnipeg Free Press

July 19, 2019

A fall trial for disgraced former priest Ronald Leger has been adjourned after it was disclosed he is in failing health and in palliative care.

“At this stage he is only periodically conscious and is in the latter stages of palliative care,” Leger’s lawyer, Saul Simmonds, told court Friday.

In February 2016, Leger, now 81, was sentenced to two years in jail after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three boys in the 1980s and early 2000s.

Leger was rearrested in October 2016 after several men came forward and accused Leger of sexually assaulting them when they were youths.

In 1980, Leger founded Teen Stop Jeunesse, a teen drop-in centre, also known as Ron’s Drop-In. He became a priest of the Holy Family Parish on Archibald Street in 1995.

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.

Patheos blog

July 20, 2019

By David Gee

The former leader of West Virginia’s Catholic diocese spent millions of dollars on personal travel and $350,000 on gifts for young priests — including some he’s accused of sexually harassing — yet Pope Francis has decided not to defrock the bishop.

The pope said he wouldn’t revoke Bishop Michael J. Bransfield’s status with the Roman Catholic Church, but did issue sanctions, which were announced following the investigation into accusations of sexual harassment and financial misconduct:

The sanctions, ordered by Pope Francis and detailed in a letter posted to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s website, prohibits Bransfield from public ministry and from residing in his former West Virginia Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Bransfield also has “the obligation to make personal amends for some of the harm he caused,” the nature of which will be decided by the new bishop.

Bransfield stepped down in September when an aide came forward with an inside account detailing years of sexual and financial misconduct, including a claim that Bransfield sought to “purchase influence” by gifting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to senior Catholic leaders. News of the allegations rocked parishioners in Wheeling-Charleston diocese, which Bransfield has led since 2005, and left other Catholics in the state feeling betrayed.

So, Bransfield is banned from public ministry, banned from living in a specific church house, and will be asked to make amends for the harm caused. In other words, it’s all about the optics.

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.

WASHINGTON (DC)
USA TODAY

July 20, 2019

By Doug Stanglin

Despite new disciplinary action by Pope Francis, West Virginia’s attorney general called on a Catholic diocese to “come clean” with what it knows about alleged allegations of sexual harassment and financial improprieties by a former bishop.

The pope on Friday banned former bishop Michael Bransfield from the public ministry or even living in the Wheeling-Charleston diocese based on the findings of a church investigation of “allegations of sexual harassment of adults and of financial improprieties.”

The pope’s declaration, which stopped short of defrocking Bransfield, was posted on the website of the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. It also requires Bransfield, who resigned in December, to make amends “for some of the harm he caused.”

That probe had earlier found Bransfield guilty of sexual harassment of adults and misuse of church funds, spending them on dining, liquor, gifts, personal travel and luxury items.

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.

MUSCATINE (IOWA)
Muscatine Journal

July 19, 2019

The Iowa State Attorney General’s office has established a toll-free hotline for survivors of child sex abuse crimes, especially by clergy or spiritual leaders.

This is a step to ensure justice, prevent future abuse and provide the support victims deserve.

Anyone experiencing current or ongoing abuse should call local law enforcement immediately.

To report past sexual abuse, Iowans can call 855-620-7000 to speak with a trained advocate, or they can submit the online form at IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov/Report-Clergy-Sex-Abuse.

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LAKE CHARLES (LA)
Lake Charles Advocate

July 19, 2019

By Ben Myers

The Diocese of Lake Charles joined its six Louisiana counterparts three months ago in releasing a list of clergymen from its jurisdiction who have been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors. The lists were intended to answer nationwide public demands for accountability and transparency.

But although the Lake Charles list named predatory priests, it did so in a way that was less than transparent.

Church officials learned of the abuses of two priests, Gerard Smit and Mark Broussard, years before the dates shown on the new list, records show. The discrepancies conceal periods in which the bishop at that time, Jude Speyrer, and others were aware of allegations and helped abusers continue their pastoral careers.

Current Lake Charles church leaders say the “dates allegations received” entries reflect when victims put accusations in writing. That threshold was intended to ensure a consistent standard and not to deceive the public, church officials told The Advocate. But it also overlooks clear evidence that the bishop and others knew of abuses and failed to act.

Speyrer, for example, acknowledged in a 1986 letter that he had recently received a complaint that Smit “had been involved in some improper fondling of some small girls about twenty years ago” — in the mid-1960s, in other words — and that Smit did not deny it.

So Speyrer sent Smit to a Catholic-run psychological treatment center in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, and then referred Smit to the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, the next year “in good standing.”
Nonetheless, the diocese’s list says it first received allegations against Smit in 2002, making no mention of the allegations Speyrer received 16 years earlier.

In 1988, two years after Smit was treated in New Mexico, Broussard, the other of the two priests, was shipped to the same facility. That’s the year Broussard has said repeatedly that he admitted his abuses to diocesan officials.

However, the new diocesan list says church officials first received allegations against Broussard in 1994, six years after he was sent away for treatment. During that six-year span, Broussard worked as a Lake Charles hospital chaplain and as pastor at St. Eugene Church in Grand Chenier.

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.

DENVER (CO)
Crux

July 19, 2019

By John L. Allen Jr.

Rome – When the Vatican announced Thursday that Pope Francis had named a new spokesman, most early reaction suggested the move didn’t exactly inspire confidence about an upgrade in the role of the press office.

The pope tapped a 43-year-old Italian layman who’s worked in the press office for the last decade, and who’s known primarily for his organizational chops, his charm, and his command of languages (including a flawless British-accented English.) While those are all good qualities, it struck most observers as an option for a competent functionary rather than a genuine power broker.

Yet just to play devil’s advocate, I’d like to offer a brief refresher in the recent history of Vatican communications.

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.

DENVER (CO)
Crux

July 18, 2019

By Inés San Martín

Buenos Aires – Pope Francis has appointed British-born Italian layman Matteo Bruni as the new director of the Holy See Press Office.

Interim spokesman Italian layman Alessandro Gisotti, the longtime Vatican Radio journalist who’d been on the job since the sudden resignation of American Greg Burke on Dec. 31, will continue to work for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.

“On 21 July my responsibility as ‘interim’ Director of the Holy See Press Office will conclude,” Gisotti told reporters in a statement. “I am grateful to the Holy Father for the privilege he gave me in being his spokesman during such an intense period of his Pontificate, and for now offering me the opportunity to continue in his service as Deputy Editorial Director of the Vatican’s media.”

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.

LONDON (ENGLAND)
BBC

July 20, 2019

By Adam Easton

Warsaw – Marek Mielewczyk was a 13-year-old altar boy when a priest asked him to come to his presbytery.

“This is where I was abused for the first time,” he says.

He is one of several victims, now adults, featured in a documentary about Polish priests who sexually abused children.

Tomasz and Marek Sekielski’s film, Don’t Tell Anyone, was watched 20 million times in the first week of its digital release – and prompted an unprecedented challenge to Poland’s Roman Catholic Church.

More than 90% of Poles identity themselves as Catholics. For many, the Church and its rituals do not just provide spiritual comfort: they are part of a national identity.

That might explain why Poles have been slow to question the behaviour of some of their own priests, despite sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church in Ireland, the USA and neighbouring Germany.

Monika, 28, did not appear in the film. But she told the BBC about years of abuse during supposed exorcisms by priests around Poland when she was a teenager.

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.

LONDON (ENGLAND)
The Guardian

July 11, 2019

By Harriet Sherwood

Justin Welby said he felt ‘shame and horror’ about way C o E handled child abuse cases

The archbishop of Canterbury has thrown his weight behind calls for the government to make the reporting of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults mandatory.

Justin Welby told the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA): “I am convinced that we need to move to mandatory reporting for regulated activities.”

Regulated activities cover areas where professionals come into routine contact with children and vulnerable adults, such as teaching, healthcare and sporting activities. In a church context, this would cover clergy and youth leaders.

Survivors of clerical sexual abuse have argued that mandatory reporting of allegations or suspicions of abuse to statutory authorities is a vital component of effective child protection. They argue that a failure to comply should lead to criminal sanctions.

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.

DENVER (CO)
Catholic News Agency

July 19, 2019

By Andrea Gagliarducci

The first declarations that followed the new appointments in Vatican media departments showed a series of clues that might disclose how the Vatican communication will develop. Like everything in the Vatican, hints need to be interpreted and understood.

Right after the new appointments, Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for the Communication, stressed in a release that “the direction of the Holy See Press Office, to be completed with the deputy director, is now in its almost final composition.”

The fact that a deputy director was not appointed is food for thoughts. It seemed that everything was settled. The new appointments were supposed to be out on July 15, and deputy director was supposed to be Cristiane Murray, from the Portuguese section of Vatican News. This appointment never took place.

There are rumors, within the Holy See, that the Secretariat of State gave its “non-placet” to the appointment of Murray after further scrutiny on her life and career. Since the appointment did not take place, the Dicastery for Communication is still hunting the new deputy director.

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

KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter from Religion News Service

July 18, 2019

By Thomas Reese

In appointing seven women to the Vatican congregation that oversees religious orders July 9, Pope Francis achieved a double win. In one stroke, he has advanced both the role of women in the church and the reform of the Vatican Curia. This is significant because his efforts so far in these areas have been mediocre.

The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL), colloquially known as the Congregation for Religious, is responsible for setting policy for Catholic nuns, brothers and consecrated lay people. Acting like a board of directors, members are appointed by the pope for terms of five years to review major policy recommendations before they are approved by the pope.

Six of the women were elected superiors by their religious orders, indicating the respect they have in their communities. They are experienced and knowledgeable on the issues facing religious. The seventh is the president of a group of consecrated lay people.

Of all the Vatican offices, CICLSAL is the one that most directly impacts religious women. This is the office that instigated an infamous investigation of American nuns in 2008. It is crucial that the congregation have diversity in its membership. For example, with women religious at the table, it will be impossible to ignore the issue of sexual abuse of sisters by 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.

WASHINGTON (DC)
Washington Post

July 19, 2019

By Michael Brice-Saddler

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2019/07/19/vatican-bans-wva-bishop-accused-sexual-financial-misconduct-public-ministry/

The Vatican on Friday announced sanctions against retired West Virginia bishop Michael Bransfield, but stopped short of defrocking him, after investigating accusations of sexual harassment and financial misconduct.

The sanctions, ordered by Pope Francis and detailed in a letter posted to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s website, prohibit Bransfield from public ministry and from residing in his former West Virginia diocese. Bransfield also has “the obligation to make personal amends for some of the harm he caused,” the nature of which will be decided by the new bishop.

Bransfield stepped down in September when an aide came forward with an inside account detailing years of alleged sexual and financial misconduct, including a claim that Bransfield sought to “purchase influence” by giving hundreds of thousands in cash gifts to senior Catholic leaders. News of the allegations rocked parishioners in Wheeling-Charleston diocese, which Bransfield has led since 2005, and left other Catholics in the state feeling betrayed.

The Friday statement, under the letterhead of the Apostolic Nunciature United States of America, said the sanctions were determined based on the findings of the investigation of “allegations of sexual harassment of adults and of financial improprieties by Bishop Bransfield.”

The Washington Post previously reported that senior Catholic leaders in the United States and the Vatican had received warnings about Bransfield as early as 2012. In letters and emails, parishioners claimed that Bransfield was abusing his power and misspending church money on luxuries such as a personal chef, a chauffeur, first-class travel abroad and more than $1 million in renovations to his residence.

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.

DENVER (CO)
Crux

July 17, 2019

By Inés San Martín

Buenos Aires, Argentina – An abuse survivor in the pontiff’s native Argentina has called on Pope Francis to back a push in the country’s senate to eliminate a statute of limitations on sexual crimes against children in Argentine law.

The bill was introduced just days after Chile’s congress voted July 6 to remove the statute of limitations on child abuse from its own criminal code. An earlier effort in Argentina to lift the statute of limitations in 2011, known as the “Piazza law” for fashion designer Roberto Piazza who was sexually abused by an older brother, was subject to diverse legal interpretations and, observers say, has not been widely implemented.

Speaking with Crux, survivor Ricardo Benedetti, who says he was abused by a priest when he was 8 years old, and who is today the main force behind the new bill, said it’s important to have the support of his fellow Argentine, the pope.

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

NEW YORK (NY)
New York Times

July 14, 2019

By Marc Tracy

St. Paul – On a fall day in 2015, Madeleine Baran and Samara Freemark went for a walk through the extensive skyway that threads through the buildings of downtown St. Paul.

They were new colleagues at APM Reports, a division at American Public Media where investigative reporters and radio producers had been “smushed together,” as its editor in chief, Chris Worthington, put it.

Strolling above the city, Ms. Baran and Ms. Freemark talked about ideas for their first project.

* * *

Ms. Baran, the no-nonsense reporter who hosts the show, resisted the podcast convention of introducing herself by name at the start of each episode. (Ms. Freemark had to talk her into it.) After considering a career in social services, she joined Minnesota Public Radio in 2009 as a part-time web writer. Within a year, she had a full-time job, and later was the lead reporter on “Betrayed by Silence,” a Peabody-winning audio documentary that exposed a cover-up of abusive priests by the Twin Cities’ archdiocese.

At the conclusion of the first season of “In the Dark,” Ms. Baran put out a call to listeners for Season 2 story ideas. Thousands of suggestions came via email and social media. One, sent by a woman in Mississippi, seemed especially promising: a simple message claiming that Mr. Flowers had been tried six times for the same crime. The woman added that she believed he might be innocent.

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WHEELING (WV)
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

July 17, 2019

By Archbishop William E. Lori

On Monday, I met with members of the Diocesan Finance Council to continue our ongoing conversation about the financial health of the Diocese and ways to best address issues raised during the investigation into the allegations against Bishop Bransfield. I am most grateful to them for their generous service to the Diocese and for sharing their expertise and wisdom for the good of this local Church. Following that meeting I want to update you, the faithful of the Diocese, on the progress that is being made and to address important questions that have been raised over these past weeks and months.

A number of important decisions were taken by the Council, including the engagement of a new independent auditing firm, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP), which has been tasked with conducting the most recent fiscal year ends full audit. This audit is to be published on the diocesan website once it is completed and received. In addition, the Council continues to review best practices underway in other dioceses to determine what policies and procedures might be adopted in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston that will advance our commitment to implementing robust and effective financial controls. Further details will be communicated as the Council continues its important work in a spirit of openness and with the goal of restoring your confidence and trust.

From my visits and communications with people from throughout the Diocese I clearly understand that the Church has a long way to go to regain your confidence and trust. Reports about the former bishop’s excessive spending and extravagant lifestyle and the credible allegations that he harassed young priests and seminarians have been a source of great pain and caused many to rightly ask: How could such behavior go unchecked for so long a time? Is there a process in place to check a bishop’s behavior when he takes advantage of his co-workers or when he misuses diocesan funds that should be dedicated to the Church’s mission?

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WASHINGTON (DC)
Apostolic Nunciature

July 19, 2019

On September 13, 2018, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, accepted the resignation of Bishop Michael J. Bransfield from the Office of Bishop of the Diocese of WheelingCharleston. At the same time he nominated Archbishop William E. Lori, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston with the authorization to conduct a preliminary investigation into allegations of sexual harassment of adults and of financial improprieties by Bishop Bransfield.

Based on the findings of the investigation, the Holy Father has decided the following
disciplinary measures for Bishop Emeritus Bransfield.

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WHEELING (WV)
Associated Press

July 19, 2019

Pope Francis has issued disciplinary action against a former West Virginia bishop, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston said Friday.

The diocese posted the pope’s decision on its website, saying former bishop Michael Bransfield can’t live within the diocese, can’t participate in any public celebration of the liturgy and must make amends “for some of the harm he caused.”

A church investigation found sexual misconduct accusations against Bransfield to be credible. It also found that Bransfield misused church funds, spending them on dining, liquor, gifts, personal travel and luxury items.

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.

CROOKSTON (MN)
Our Northland Diocese

July 17, 2019

[See also the diocesan press release and the bishop’s letter.]

The Diocese of Crookston has reached a $5 million settlement with victims/survivors of clergy sexual abuse, announced in a statement July 17. The settlement resolves 15 lawsuits for sexual abuse claims filed between April 2016 and May 2017 because of the Minnesota Child Victims Act. The legislation lifted the statute of limitations on abuse cases in Minnesota, opening a three-year window that allowed victims an opportunity to file civil claims.

“To all victims and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, as the Bishop of Crookston I apologize for the harm done to you by those entrusted with your spiritual care. Although you can never be fully compensated for your suffering, we are thankful this litigation has now come to a good end and are hopeful this settlement offers you justice and will be helpful for healing,” Bishop Hoeppner said in a letter to Catholics of the diocese.

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.

LONDON (ENGLAND)
BBC

July 19, 2019

A council has paid out nearly £3m to people sexually abused as children while in their care.

Nottinghamshire County Council said it had paid £2.96m to 161 people who made claims, while Nottingham City Council gave nearly £350,000 in compensation to 64 claimants.

Both authorities apologised for failings, which were the subject of an inquiry last year.

Victims and survivors have called for more support.

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter from Catholic News Service

July 18, 2019

By Janelle C. Gergen

Crookston MN – The Diocese of Crookston announced July 17 it has reached a $5 million settlement with victims/survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

The settlement resolves 15 lawsuits for sexual abuse claims filed between April 2016 and May 2017 because of the Minnesota Child Victims Act. The legislation lifted the statute of limitations on abuse cases in Minnesota, opening a three-year window that allowed victims an opportunity to file civil claims even on cases alleged to have happened decades ago.

“To all victims and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, as the bishop of Crookston I apologize for the harm done to you by those entrusted with your spiritual care. Although you can never be fully compensated for your suffering, we are thankful this litigation has now come to a good end and are hopeful this settlement offers you justice and will be helpful for healing,” Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner said in a letter to Catholics of the diocese.

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.

DE PERE (WI)
St. Norbert’s Abbey

July 19, 2019

By Abbot Dane Radecki, O. Praem.

[This letter links to the list and supporting materials. Note that the list does not include the most notorious Norbertine abuser, Fr. Brendan Smyth, O.Praem., who abused during assignments in North Dakota in 1979-1982 and Connecticut in 1965-1968.

Dear Confreres & Friends of the Abbey,

Several dioceses and religious communities across the United States have made public lists of clergy with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors. In the spirit of accountability, I have decided to release these names from St. Norbert Abbey. My hope is that the ‘release of names’ will assist in the healing process for victims and survivors. I profoundly apologize and ask forgiveness from those abused by the Norbertines of our Abbey.

Beginning in 2018, I turned over personnel files to Praesidium, Inc. for an independent review. Praesidium, Inc. is based in Arlington, Texas, with national and international clients. They specialize in abuse risk assessment and management for secular and religious organizations. Their professional team is comprised of psychologists, social workers, lawyers and human resource personnel.

The purpose of the file review was to identify any Norbertine with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor. The reviewed files covered the years 1966 through 2018. Praesidium identified 19 Norbertines from St. Norbert Abbey. In addition, 3 other priests from different Norbertine foundations were identified. Their superiors have been notified.

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GREEN BAY (WI)
WBAY

July 19, 2019

De Pere – The abbot of St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere says an independent review identified 22 Norbertines who had credible accusations of sexually abusing minors.

Rev. Dane Radecki says their superiors have been notified about the findings by Praesidium Inc., which reviewed personnel files from 1966 through 2018.

Nineteen of the priests were from St. Norbert Abbey. The other three were from other Norbertine organizations but were assigned to De Pere at some time.

The report says 17 of the priests are dead, three are restricted from ministry, and two left the abbey and the ministry.

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GREEN BAY (WI)
Press Gazette

July 19, 2019

By Haley BeMiller

De Pere – St. Norbert Abbey has identified 22 Norbertine priests who sexually assaulted minors over six decades.

The abbey on Friday released the list of names after an investigation into abuse allegations conducted by an outside organization. Rt. Rev. Dane Radecki, abbot of St. Norbert, said in a letter that he chose to publish the findings “in the spirit of accountability.”

“My hope is that the ‘release of names’ will assist in the healing process for victims and survivors,” Radecki wrote. “I profoundly apologize and ask forgiveness from those abused by the Norbertines of our Abbey.”

Norbertines, also known as Premonstratensians, are part of an independent order of Catholic clergy that differ from diocesan priests. They’re based locally at an abbey in De Pere and serve Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and Holy Cross, among other parishes. Their priests also work at four Catholic schools, including St. Norbert College.

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LONDON (ENGLAND)
BBC News

July 19, 2019

By Jon Ironmonger

Hundreds of former members of the Jesus Army are seeking damages for alleged abuse inside the religious sect.

Ex-members have told the BBC how children suffered sexual, physical and emotional abuse on a “prolific scale”, with most claims relating to incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Baptist sect is to close but is the subject of a renewed police inquiry.

The Jesus Army has apologised to anyone “who experienced harm in the past” and urged victims to contact police.

Ten people from the Jesus Fellowship Church – later known as the Jesus Army – have been convicted for various sex offences.

‘Beaten with rods’
Launched in the manse of a small chapel in Northamptonshire in 1969, the Jesus Army grew quickly in wealth and number.

At its peak the JFC had more than 2,000 members, hundreds of whom lived together in close-knit communal houses throughout central England.

It offered homeless or vulnerable people and god-fearing families the promise of “new creation” through a devout, all-encompassing way of life.

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OLEAN (NY)
Olean Times Herald

July 19, 2019

By Tom Dinki

Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone called his listening session last month in Olean “the most powerful” one yet, according to meeting notes from a group of lay people working with the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

The embattled Malone spoke to and listened to local parishioners for two hours June 29 at Archbishop Walsh Academy as part of his listening sessions about the diocese’s clergy sexual abuse crisis.

While media was not permitted in the session, the Movement to Restore Trust, an initiative of lay people that is hosting the listening sessions, posted its own notes from the session on its website.

According to the notes, Malone, who has faced widespread calls for his resignation in light of his handling of allegations against clergy, apologized to a mother whose son was abused by a priest, said he could have done better but did not, and promised to continue to change the diocese’s leadership culture.

“Of the four listening sessions I have attended, all designed for me to listen to the parishioners, this is the most powerful,” Malone is quoted as saying.

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LONDON (ENGLAND)
BBC News

July 19, 2019

A man who claimed a priest sexually abused him when he was a pupil at a boarding school has a conviction for fraud, a court has heard.

Michael Higginbottom has been accused of abusing the man while he was a pupil at the now-closed St Joseph’s College in Upholland, Lancashire, in the 1970s.

Burnley Crown Court was told the man was “a person who is prepared to lie and to commit fraud to get money”.

The 76-year-old, from Newcastle, denies serious sexual and indecent assault.

The jury was told the man had been found guilty of a fraud and had had an appeal against that conviction rejected, with a judge describing him as “not credible”.

Asked about the case, the man said he “was not guilty of it then and I am not guilty of it now”, adding that he “took a fall for a friend”.

Jason Pitter QC, representing Mr Higginbottom, said the man had made up the abuse claims in the hope of getting compensation.

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. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

July 19, 2019

The North-Dakota-based First Nations Women’s Alliance is supporting a woman who reports having been assaulted by a Fargo priest. We echo their view and call on North Dakota Catholic officials to do outreach to find others who may have seen, suspected, or suffered crimes by clergy within North Dakota.

We applaud Kateri Marion for suing the Fargo diocese over the abuse she says she suffered in 2016 at the hands of Fr. Michael Wight. We hope her courage will inspire others with information or suspicions about Fr. Wight to call police, prosecutors, therapists and other independent sources of support.

Fargo church officials gave Fr. Wight access to ND Catholics. Now, it is their duty to go beyond the bare minimum and to actively seek out others who may be suffering in shame, silence and self-blame because of his actions.

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. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

July 19, 2019

They start leafleting effort at & near churches
Group ‘outs’ 5 more ‘credibly accused clerics’
It’s upset because archbishop ‘refuses to act’
SNAP: ‘He should be helping KS Bureau of Investigation’
Instead, organization says, he’s ‘irresponsible & timid’
‘Archbishop: Teach your flock how to act,’ SNAP says

WHAT
After a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hand out fliers door-to-door announcing that
–they’re mounting an “aggressive, grassroots outreach campaign” in eastern Kansas to “find and help more victims, witnesses and whistleblowers” because the KC KS archbishop “won’t come clean and won’t reach out,” and
–they’ve found five more credibly accused abusive priests who worked in the archdiocese but have been left off the official archdiocesan ‘accused’ list and have attracted virtually no attention in the area (and their names will be on the fliers).

They will also
–beg victims, witnesses and whistleblowers with information or suspicions about accused priests to call law enforcement, especially the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which is looking into clergy sex crimes and cover ups in the state, and
–prod the KC KS archbishop to post the names of ALL alleged predator priests, along with their photos, whereabouts and full work histories and teach his flock how to react with compassion and open-mindedness when their priests are accused of abuse.

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

ST. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

July 19, 2019

We are grateful that Lansing’s bishop has “prohibited a priest from raising funds in his diocese.”
Bishop Earl Boyea has also notified the priest’s direct supervisors in a Toledo-based religious order, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. (It’s headed by Father Ken McKenna, 419-724-9851, mckenna@oblates.us. The Lansing diocese is at 517-342-2440.)

Lansing church officials say they’ve gotten reports of concern about the “finances and activities” of Fr. William Auth and his nonprofit, Maya Indian Missions. “From time to time, Fr. Auth has lived within the diocese and has solicited on behalf of Maya Indian Missions within the diocese,” the bishop writes, while also disclosing that he “has withdrawn (Fr.) Auth’s faculties to serve as a priest within the diocese. Additionally, the diocese has forwarded the concerns regarding Maya Indian Missions and Reverend Auth to the Michigan Department of Attorney General for further investigation.”

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.

FARGO (ND)
Valley News Live

Jul 11, 2019

By Joshua Peguero

A woman is speaking publicly for the first time Thursday accusing a former North Dakota priest of sexual assault.

Kateri Marion, 33, was emotional inside the law offices of O’Keeffe, O’Brien, Lyson, and Foss describing what she says was a sexual assault in July of 2016 in Belcourt, N.D.

“It is time that we unite. It is time that we stand together and stand strong. Stop these priests from doing this, stop the church from hiding this,” Marion said.

In a lawsuit she filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo, she accuses Father Michael Wight of violating the relationship they had developed.

Her suit details several allegations, including that when she complained to the St Ann’s Catholic Church in Belcourt of the assault she was blamed for it.

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.

DEVIL’S LAKE (ND)
First Nations Women’s Alliance

July 19, 2019

First Nations Women’s Alliance (FNWA) stands with Kateri Marion in her efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and empower other victims and survivors of sexual abuse; in this case at the hand of a trusted clergy member.

Not every victim of clergy sexual abuse will be comfortable or safe coming forward publicly. Each survivor seeks healing in her/his own way. However, Kateri’s incredibly brave public actions compel each of us to work for justice by encouraging ND legislators to loosen the statute of limitations on bringing criminal charges and civil suits against sex offenders, and maintaining pressure on the Fargo Diocese and other church bodies to release information on “credibly accused clergy” in order to encourage the victims to seek healing and to protect future potential victims.

Violating any person’s physical body is a devastating crime. Exploiting someone’s trust and violating someone’s spirit by using one’s power as a spiritual leader is reprehensible. Kateri’s sexual abuse in the confessional was acknowledged by the Church, and the priest was removed.

This is not enough, however.

There has also been a level of victim blaming in this case and victim blaming is never acceptable.

FNWA encourages everyone to find ways to support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable, whoever they may be. Resources are available. Contact FNWA at 701-662-3380, and we will help connect you with local service providers or share action opportunities. Help for victims and survivors is also available by calling toll free helplines: StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1-844-7NATIVE (1-844-762-8483); or RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-4673.

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

KANSAS CITY (MO)
National CAtholic Reporter

July 19, 2019

By Peter Feuerherd

A lay group that urged West Virginia Catholics to withhold support for their diocese claimed victory after Archbishop William Lori announced July 17 that the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston will undergo an independent financial audit.

“I clearly understand that the Church has a long way to go to regain your confidence and trust,” Lori, archbishop of Baltimore who is also serving as administrator for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, wrote to West Virginia’s Catholics. Lori disclosed that the diocese would engage the services of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP for a full audit of its finances.

Lay Catholic Voices for Change sent Lori a July 9 letter signed by more than 800 West Virginia Catholics urging the archbishop to institute an audit. The group had urged Catholics not to donate to diocesan causes this weekend. It said it is now calling off its “Not a Dime for the Diocese” campaign.

“This is an important first step in a long process of reform,” said Charles DiSalvo, a member of the group’s Steering Committee. “It is a basic structural change that will help bring about a healthier distribution of power between the hierarchy and West Virginia Catholics. Up to now, the diocese has kept the laity in the dark regarding its actual income and expenditures. With this increased measure of information, West Virginia Catholics will be that much more empowered to see that the funds they entrust to the diocese are spent properly.”

The diocese, which covers the entire state, has been rocked by a scandal involving Bishop Michael Bransfield, who retired in 2018. Bransfield was accused of reckless spending and sexually harassing priests and seminarians, charges deemed credible in a report authorized by Lori released in June.

A July 3 story in The Washington Post said U.S. and Vatican officials had for years received complaints from those concerned by Bransfield’s spending.

Media accounts indicated that Bransfield spent more than $4.6 million on his residence, $2.4 million on travel and $350,000 on financial gifts to other church leaders, some of whom, including Lori, later investigated him.

Those expenses included a thousand dollars a month in liquor and daily fresh flowers delivered to the diocesan office, costing up to $182,000 over 13 years, and $350,000 in gifts to priests, bishops and cardinals spread around the country and at the Vatican. Among those who received gifts was Lori.

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.

TAOS (NM)
Taos News

July 19, 2019

By Cody Hooks

When the June 17 deadline to file sexual abuse claims against the Archdiocese of Santa Fe passed, 340 people had submitted paperwork to be part of the bankruptcy settlement.

Now, the bankruptcy process is moving along and the claims are being reviewed.

The participants in the bankruptcy proceedings are “close” to identifying a mediator for settlement discussions, according to Jim Stang, a lawyer representing the creditors’ committee, a group of eight survivors or the parents of survivors.

A corporate arm of the archdiocese, which manages some of its endowment, should also be responding to requests for disclosure of documents, he said.

After decades of sexual abuse lawsuits and millions of dollars in payouts to survivors of alleged clergy abuse, the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in December in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for New Mexico. The archdiocese has about $49 million in assets, according to the court documents.

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.

GILBERT (AZ)
3TV/CBS 5

July 19, 2019

By Eric Zott

The wife of a Gilbert man arrested last week on child abuse charges will now face charges herself for not reporting his crimes.

Gilbert Police Department Sgt. Bill Balafas said Leslie Little was arrested today around 9:30 a.m.

In a recent interview with Arizona’s Family, Leslie Little said she and George Little grew up together and have been married for 12 years.

George Little volunteered to work on occasion at Vineyard Community Church with elementary aged kids in the children’s ministry.

Balafas says Leslie Little is being charged with four counts of failure to report abuse and one count child abuse.

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

CONROE (TX)
Houston Chronicle

July 18, 2019

By Nicole Hensley

A priest accused of molesting three children at a Montgomery County parish returned to court Thursday for the first time since his indictment on a new charge of indecency with a child.

Manuel La Rosa-Lopez entered a plea of not guilty on the latest charge as his day in court was pushed back to September, with a lawyer for the former Sacred Heart Catholic Church priest saying the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office was still sifting through a trove of subpoenaed records from the Archdiocese of Galveston Houston.

Assistant District Attorney Wesley LeRouax said the priest waived a formal arraignment by signing off on resetting the appearance.

The 61-year-old priest, flanked by his defense team, said nothing as he left the courtroom through a side door and out a back alley into the sweltering heat in downtown Conroe. He ran a rosary through his hands as he crossed a street.

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. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

July 18, 2019

The independent and respected website BishopAccountability.org lists 22 publicly accused KC KS archdiocesan clerics: John Brayley, William Bruning, Thomas F. Cawley, Lambert Dannenfelser, William A. Finnerty, James A. Forsythe, Lawrence Ginzkey, William M. Haegelin, Martin Juarez, Scott James Kallal, Steven Lamping, Adrian Lickteig, Finian Meis, Anthony Putti, Barry Richardson, Edward F. Roberts, Christopher Rossman, Frank Shepers, Dennis E. Schmitz, John Henry Wisner, Jr., Norman Charles Wolfe and Camillus Wurtz.

In addition to these names, here are some others on the official KC KS archdiocesan website listed as ‘credibly accused’ abusers: John Fiala, Dave Gottschalk, John J. Harrington, David Imming, Marvin Justi and Donald Redmond.

(To see where they worked, go to the archdiocesan website – archkck.org – and type in “substatiated allegations” into the search box at the top right hand side of the home page.)

The archdiocese claims that abuse allegations against William Haegelin are ‘unsubstantiated.’

–Since January, SNAP has discovered and disclosed these credibly accused abusive priests who were in the KC KS archdiocese but are NOT on the official archdiocesan ‘accused’ list (even though Catholic officials elsewhere have deemed nearly all of them ‘credibly accused’ child molesters). They are: Fr. Gilbert Stack, Fr. Placidus Kieffer, Fr. Thomas S. McShane, Fr. Philip D. Kraus, Fr. Anthony D. Palmese, Fr. Roger A. Sinclair, Fr. Eugene A. Maio, Fr. John C. (Fidelis) Forrester, Fr. Norman J. Rogge and Fr. Gregory Beyer.

–Four others are allegedly predatory Jesuits who were at St. Mary’s College in St. Mary’s, KS: Fr. Francis W. Callan (from 1942 – 1943), Fr. John A. Coughlin (from 1931 – 1935), Fr. Richard J. Pauson (from 1956 – 1959) and Fr. Patrick J. Conway (from 1931 – 1934). Their names appear on the Jesuits’ credibly accused list released in December.

http://jesuitswest.org/Assets/Publications/File/JW_List_1207_English.pdf

–In a 2006 church publication (The Leaven), archdiocesan officials made public the names of two clerics who have sexually abused, exploited or harassed adults. (We suspect there are many more.)

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

KANSAS CITY (MO)
KCTV

July 18, 2019

By Emily Sinovic and Zoe Brown

A priest in the Kansas City, Kansas Archdiocese has been charged with possession of child pornography.

Some are calling for the archbishop to do more to protect parishioners from predator priests.

Father Christopher Rossman was first ordained back in 2007 in the KCK Archdiocese.

Rossman, still currently a priest within the KCK Archdiocese, has been charged in federal court with possessing child pornography.

Rossman was a priest at Prince of Peace in Olathe during his first two years but has since been all over the diocese including parishes in Topeka, Holton, Mayetta, Holton, Baldwin City, and Lapeer.

In September of 2016, the diocese suspended Rossman,

The KCK Archdiocese released a statement on Thursday, that said in part:

“On Sept. 9 the archdiocese received information indicating that father Rossman had accessed inappropriate content on his computer; the archdiocese then reported the matter to police. . . Father Rossman was immediately suspended. . . The archdiocese will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”

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ALBANY (NY)
WNYT Channel 13

July 18, 2019

Shortly after NewsChannel 13 brought you Michael Harmon’s story of alleged priest sex abuse in Albany in the 1980s, the Albany chapter of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests or S.N.A.P contacted NewsChannel 13’s investigative team. Albany SNAP Leader Nancy Fratianni has a message for survivors in the Capital District.

Nancy Fratianni S.N.A.P. leader for Albany, “For people to reach out who don’t know where to go. They don’t know what the first step is, they may not want to go back to the church to somebody because they’re uncomfortable with that. They’re afraid to go to the police, they’re afraid to talk to friends or family.”

NewsChannel 13 is digging deeper, taking a closer look at the list of the Diocese of Albany’s Credibly Accused while serving in the Diocese. Those included have been removed from ministry and those who were deceased or resigned prior to a finding of reasonable grounds by the Diocesan Review Board due to sexual misconduct with a minor according to the Albany Diocese.

Several ex-priests within the Diocese of Albany have been named in civil lawsuits over the years. Some court records WNYT found show the cases were discontinued. No civil records are kept on file out of court settlements. Some former priests locally have been convicted criminally for crimes against children. One of them managed to walk away a free man.

Nancy Fratianni with S.N.A.P. in Albany told NewsChannel 13, “Every time one survivor comes out and says something, it makes it easier for others as well.”

Not long after 49-year-old Michael Harmon went public with his accusations against ex-priest with the Albany Diocese Father Edward Pratt, emails from viewers started coming in to WNYT.

Nancy Fratianni added, “I wanted him to know that he was supported and that we care. We’re here for him and other survivors like him, and how very brave that was to speak openly about his experience.”

In June, Michael Harmon told NewsChannel 13, “I had to be at his mercy, because he told me if I ever stopped him that I would be taken away from my mother.”

Pratt declined to speak with 13 Investigates. One of 47 clergy listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Albany and removed from ministry. Less than-two dozen are alive today, including ex-priest Father Joseph Romano.

NewsChannel 13 found Romano living at an apartment in Clifton Park.

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.

LONDON (ENGLAND)
The Telegraph

July 18, 2019

Sir Anthony Hart, who has died aged 73, was a retired judge of the Northern Irish High Court who in 2012 was appointed to chair the biggest child abuse inquiry ever held in Britain; he went on to show that abuse in children’s homes and other institutions on the island of Ireland was not a problem confined to the Irish Republic.

The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIAI) was set up in May 2012 by the Northern Irish Assembly to investigate allegations of abuse in 22 institutions between 1922 and 1995.

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
Faith Matters blog

July 10, 2019

By Bill Tammeus

A decade or two ago many Americans were under the impression that the only religious group dealing with charges of sexual abuse was the Catholic Church.

Shambhala-Thangka-fullThat has turned out to be wrong on many counts. For example, this summer’s national gathering of Southern Baptists devoted a lot of time to how to handle sexual misconduct charges in various Baptist congregations and institutions.

And just this week, The Denver Post published this story about abuse among Buddhists in Colorado who are part of what’s called the Shambhala movement. It also published this backgrounder about Shambhala.

As the story noted, “Shambhala, the Boulder-born Buddhist and mindfulness community, for decades suppressed allegations of abuse — from child molestation to clerical abuse — through internal processes that often failed to deliver justice for victims, The Denver Post found through dozens of interviews with current and former members and a review of hundreds of pages of internal documents, police records and private communications.

“That suppression came in the form of worshipful vows students said they were told to maintain to the very teachers they alleged abused them; in explicit and implicit commands not to report abuse; and through a cultish reverence that served to protect Shambhala’s king-like leaders, according to interviews and third-party reviews commissioned by Shambhala itself.”

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NEW YORK (NY)
Commonweal

July 18, 2019

By Massimo Faggioli

One of the effects of the sex-abuse crisis is the current moment of institutional iconoclasm—the temptation to get rid of the institutional element of the Catholic Church. The failures of the church’s institutions are now on full display, even more so than after the revelations of the Spotlight investigation. It is hypocritical, however, to interpret the abuse crisis as a clerical abuse crisis rather than a Catholic abuse crisis. Obviously, the clergy had a unique role in the crisis, but the moral and legal responsibilities do not belong exclusively to those wearing a Roman collar. We are still reluctant to acknowledge the systemic nature of this crisis as something that affected the entire Catholic world and not just its ordained ministers. We would like to contain it neatly within the hierarchy so as to exempt ourselves from the burden of critical self-reflection.

American Catholicism has not yet found its way out of the blame game for the abuse crisis. One sees this on both sides of the ideological spectrum. Recent attempts to use the crisis as a pretext for abolishing the priesthood are just a liberal version of conservative attempts to blame sexual abuse on gays or the sixties. All such strategies spare lay Catholics the bother of having to ask “What did I do wrong?” The abuse itself damaged the lives of the victims and their families, friends, and communities. Now, the shortcomings of our response to the abuse crisis—our failure to deal with its root causes—is causing another kind of damage. When prominent scholars of Catholicism publicly display their “disgust” for Catholicism, it is clear that the abuse crisis has blurred the line between an ecclesially engaged Catholic theology and the more dispassionate, agnostic religious studies of Catholicism. The abuse crisis has produced two kinds of counter-evangelization: first, the counter-evangelization of the hierarchical church, whose example scandalizes the faithful and repels outsiders; second, the counter-evangelization of those who have used this crisis to self-righteously declare their liberation from what they describe as a morally corrupt institution. There is a prefabricated quality to at least some of these declarations. They seem less like honest reckonings with new information than shrewdly timed expressions of old resentments. There will always be an appreciative audience for “Why I Left” pieces.

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.

ALBANY COUNTY (NY)
Altamont Enterprise

July 18, 2019

Last year, we used this page to call for passage of the Child Victims Act, and we were glad when this year — with two Democratic houses — the legislature finally passed the act, extending the statute of limitations for civil suits alleging sexual abuse up to the age of 55 with a look-back year so suits, for one year, could be filed regardless of a victim’s age.

But even we weren’t prepared for the emotions unleashed when we published a front-page story last week on a priest who had served in our community — in Altamont and in the Hilltowns — being accused of raping boys in his care.

In our April 2018 editorial, we had referenced a podcast we’d produced, interviewing Richard Tollner of Rensselaerville who told us how, when he was at the tender age of 15 and 16, he was sexually molested by a priest he had trusted at the seminary he attended.

“It affected who I was; it affected my confidence; it affected my opinion of people. It affected my sexuality. I wasn’t sure — was this my problem?” he told us.

When Tollner was 17, his father died in a car crash. He realized then that he had to take care of himself, he said, and soon after reported the abuse three times — to another priest, to a teacher, to the head of the seminary. Nothing happened.

It was the mid-1970s, before The Boston Globe’s 2002 exposé on priests abusing children, before such matters were openly discussed.

Tollner says he came to realize, “I’m not the bad guy. I never was the bad guy.” But that journey for him was long and painful.

Here’s how Tollner described it: “With children, it’s not like an attack. It’s more like grooming that child for a relationship so they do not realize due to the immaturity and the trust in the person.” Many sexually abused children feel guilty and even complicit.

“A lot of victims don’t even realize it was criminal until years, decades later when they realize, ‘Oh, my gosh, that was not only wrong but it was criminal,’” said Tollner.

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.

LONDON (ENGLAND)
The Guardian

July 18, 2019

By Arifa Akbar

The #MeToo movement has inspired a number of plays giving voice to the victims of sexual predation. Now comes drama tackling the inner lives of sex offenders themselves, the most prominent of these being Downstate, a Steppenwolf and National Theatre co-production, and David Mamet’s current West End play, Bitter Wheat.

Marietta Kirkbride’s Our Church is far quieter and more English than either of these. It is set in a fictional village that could be the backwaters of Ambridge. Three church committee members eat Hobnobs and discuss parish matters, from dwindling volunteers (“We need fresh blood”) to a diseased pear tree, a renegade cow and a game of croquet for villagers.

It is only when June (Kirsty Cox) nominates a churchgoer called Tom to be part of the group that their conversation becomes charged. Tom is a convicted sex offender who was caught with downloaded images of underage girls. Now elderly, the sustained suspicion towards him in the village is aired by Michael (Robert East, who doubles excellently as Tom) and Anne (Susan Tracy).

Kirkbride’s script is a blend of convincingly naturalistic dialogue with comic edges and thorny conversations tackling the difficulties around rehabilitation and Christian forgiveness, particularly between Tom and Anne, who has her own history of abuse and is played by Tracy with a dialled-down spiky nervousness.

While it does not have the dramatic complexity of Downstate, Nik Partridge’s production captures the awkward reckoning and reconciliation process between abuser and abused. At times, it treads a fine line between potent drama and debating society rhetoric but it never slips into judgment, and Tom’s argument – that he can only do good in society if that society begins to trust him again – is a powerful one.

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

PARRAMATTA (AUSTRALIA)
Catholic Outlook

July 18, 2019

The Catholic Church is developing new national policy guidelines to strengthen and standardise Church authorities’ responses to historical and contemporary concerns and allegations of abuse of children and vulnerable adults.

Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said the development of the guidelines is a critical step forward in the Church’s ongoing response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

“The bishops are following through on our commitments made last year, and having a consistent approach to the management of allegations of abuse of children and vulnerable people is central to our reforms,” he explained.

The Implementation Advisory Group, set up in May 2018 to monitor and advise Catholic leaders on the Church’s response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations, is overseeing the development of the policy guidelines.

The guidelines will serve as a public commitment to integrity and accountability in responding to allegations of abuse. They will make clear the obligations of all Church authorities to respond with processes that are fair and effective, and which comply with all Australian laws.

The assessment and management of risk to children will remain paramount throughout the new national guidelines. Prioritising children’s safety and wellbeing will ensure that Church authorities’ responses to concerns or allegations effectively address existing risks and do not create further risk to children.

The guidelines will be considered in conjunction with the new National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, approved and launched by Catholic Professional Standards Ltd earlier this year.

“The national guidelines and the Safeguarding Standards will become two focal points for the Church’s work in protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and ensuring survivors are at the centre of our response to allegations that arise,” Archbishop Coleridge said.

The guidelines will address all forms of child abuse, including sexual, physical and psychological abuse, and neglect and maltreatment. The development of the guidelines will include extensive consultation, inviting abuse survivors and their supporters to participate.

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WHEELING (WV)
The Intelligencer

July 17, 2019

Lay Catholic Voices for Change on Wednesday agreed to suspend its campaign asking parishioners not to tithe to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston after Archbishop William Lori said the diocese had hired a new auditor and would publish full financial reports moving forward.

In its July 9 letter to Lori, the group demanded that the diocese hire a new auditor, disclose the audit’s results to the public, and announce a timetable for the completion of the audit and the release of information.

The diocese has agreed to all three demands.

“This is an important first step in a long process of reform”, said Charles DiSalvo, a member of the LCVC Steering Committee. “It is a basic structural change that will help bring about a healthier distribution of power between the hierarchy and West Virginia Catholics. Up to now, the diocese has kept the laity in the dark regarding its actual income and expenditures. With this increased measure of information, West Virginia Catholics will be that much more empowered to see that the funds they entrust to the diocese are spent properly.”

LCVC member Frances Brownfield says, “I am very encouraged by the response from our diocese and look forward to future opportunities for diocesan and lay dialogue. This is a first step in the restoration of trust within our community of faith.”

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PITTSBURGH (PA)
KDKA

July 16, 2019

By Andy Sheehan

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is not declaring bankruptcy, but it must take several steps to avoid it.

That is the message that Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik told nearly all of the priests and deacons in the diocese at special meeting held at St. Paul Seminary.

The bishop revealed that since the grand jury report on child sexual abuse, Mass attendance is down nine percent and collections are down 11 percent.

“For me, to lose even one parishioner is severe enough, but the trends have been going that way for the last 20 years,” Zubik said.

While donations are down, the diocese underestimated the number of claims that would be filed under its victim’s compensation fund.

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