ABUSE TRACKER

SAN DIEGO (CA)
Union-Tribune

Sept. 18, 2019

By John Wilkens

Childhood victims of clergy sex-abuse in San Diego and five other Roman Catholic dioceses in California can file for compensation under a program that started accepting claims this week.

The Independent Compensation Program, announced in May, is being run by lawyers Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros, two experienced adjudicators who handled the 9/11 victims fund, among others. They are also administering claims programs for abuse victims in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Colorado.

Officials said the church will have no control over who receives compensation, or how much.

“No amount of money will provide closure to victims,” Feinberg said in a statement. “But the program is a small step in helping victims secure some degree of financial security.”

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.

ULTIMO (AUSTRALIA)
Australian Broadcast Company

Sept. 19, 2019

By Michael Collett

When George Pell lost his appeal against his child sex abuse convictions last month, the Vatican noted that he still had one legal avenue remaining.

“The Holy See recalls that the Cardinal has always maintained his innocence throughout the judicial process and that it is his right to appeal to the High Court,” it said after the Victorian Court of Appeal handed down its judgment.

On Tuesday, the Cardinal’s legal team officially launched its bid to have his convictions quashed by Australia’s highest court, but that’s not the only process still underway.

In February, the Vatican announced its own investigation into the case, giving the task to the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

That investigative body was founded in 1542 under a different name: the Sacred Roman and Universal Inquisition.

That’s why the Congregation’s history is tied up with the Inquisition (note: the Spanish Inquisition was a separate institution, though the Roman Inquisition achieved its own infamy with its trial of Galileo for his belief that the Earth revolves around the Sun).

But not long after its creation, according to the Vatican, the institution’s responsibilities were extended to include “everything relating directly or indirectly to faith and morals”.

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.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer

Sept. 19, 2019

By Maria Panaritis

It is time for life to cut Mike McDonnell a break — even if it’s 39 years overdue.

That time, it seems, may be nearer than ever.

Mike was 12 and serving as altar boy at St. Titus in East Norriton when the Rev. Francis Trauger sexually assaulted him. The parish at the time was a cesspool for priest predators in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. But rather than calling police as they learned about Trauger, church leaders moved him from parish to parish and kept it mum.

Mike was 38 when the same archdiocese got justice against Mike. He was prosecuted for taking $100,000 in church payments for therapy but spending it elsewhere. He went to only one of the 662 “therapy visits” he had claimed over several years, and submitted fake receipts for the rest. Mike was jailed in 2010 after failing to post any of his $110,000 bail. (By contrast: When his defrocked priest-abuser was arrested, only recently and for the first time in four decades, that guy didn’t have to post a penny of $250,000 in unsecured bail.)

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.

TAMIL NADU (INDIA)
The Hindu

Sept. 18, 2019

By Aswathi Pacha

Over 27 years after the suspicious death of Sister Abhaya, the case’s trial commenced at the Special Court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Thiruvananthapuram on August 26.

Yesterday, the CBI made a surprise move by producing a retired professor, who had taught Abhaya at BCM College for Women, Kottayam, as an offside witness for the prosecution. The witness, Thressiama, told CBI Special Court judge that the conduct of the priests often appeared to be predatory and several students had complained to her that they had felt uncomfortable. However, senior counsel for the defence, B. Raman Pillai, told the court that the CBI had produced Ms. Thressiama without prior notice.

The court has scheduled to hear the case again on October 1.

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.

MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA)
The Age

September 18, 2019

Yesterday morning I wept as I read the special investigation report, “Seminary Sins” (The Age, 17/9). As an elderly Catholic, I am terribly ashamed and grief stricken at what has happened to so many children and young men under the church’s watch.

For most of my life I, and so many others, had no idea of what was occurring but the church did. We were brought up to have absolute respect for, and trust in, the clergy who were supposedly above reproach and, thus, were never questioned. We can no longer plead ignorance, nor can we tolerate “business as usual” from an institution which is imbibed in secrecy, misogyny and denial.

I know many truly fine priests and I acknowledge with gratitude their ministry and friendship. Nonetheless I am choosing to “vote with my feet” and no longer regard myself as a Catholic. I now merely bestow upon myself the status of “freelance Christian.”

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.

FRESNO (CA)
KFSN TV

Sept. 18, 2019

By Jason Oliveira

The preliminary hearing for the Anglican priest accused in a series of sex crimes began in a Fresno County courtroom on Wednesday.

Jesus Serna was arrested back in February following a 13-month investigation.

Serna is facing a lengthy list of allegations for sexual misconduct involving at least three adult parishioners.

Dozens of supporters for the Anglican priest sat in attendance during Wednesday’s preliminary hearing.

Known to his followers as Father Antonio, Serna served from 2007 until 2017 at Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church in Fresno.

But it was during this time that law enforcement says Father Antonio would invite followers to his office where he would perform what he called a “healing ritual” that involved a massage table, oils and would more often than not lead to sexual contact.

One victim who was seeking marriage counseling testified Wednesday:
“He told me to take off all my clothes and said he was going to touch my penis. He told me it was part of the healing process”

According to police, Serna told his victims that this was a special ritual he learned while in India and that their semen needed to be examined to be healed.

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.

DOWNINGTOWN (PA)
CBS TV

Sept. 18, 2019

By Joe Holden

A priest accused of stealing from his own Chester County church came out of court swinging on Wednesday. Father Joseph McLoone told CBS3 that he wants his day in court.

“People who know me know who I am and that’s enough said,” McLoone said. “I’ve cooperated fully with the process from the very beginning, with the Archdiocese and legally, and I look forward to the day when the truth will come out fully.”

The former pastor of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Downingtown is accused of diverting more than $100,000 in church donations to an alleged secret account — one detectives claim only he controlled.

Court records show among other things that McLoone deposited donations made by parishioners in memory of their deceased loved ones. It’s claimed the account was opened for the sole purpose of concealing donations for what the church calls All Souls Day.

“One of the reasons to open the account was to use it as a vehicle to take the All Souls collection because he wasn’t allowed to take it,” Detective Ben Martin said.

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

NEW YORK
The New York Times

September 18, 2019

By Sharon Otterman

Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo is facing calls for his resignation over a growing clergy sexual abuse scandal.

Bishop Richard J. Malone kept a secret black binder in a closet with a list of Catholic priests accused of sexual abuse. He was recorded in a conversation expressing more concern about his own reputation than about removing a priest whom he called dangerous and a “sick puppy.” And some of the bishop’s own clergy are circulating a letter of no-confidence in him.

Numerous Catholic bishops across the United States have become involved in controversies over their handling of clergy sexual abuse. But perhaps none has become as embroiled in scandal over the past year as Bishop Malone of Buffalo, one of the largest dioceses in the Northeast.

In an extraordinary turn of events in the hierarchical church, Bishop Malone is approaching persona non grata status in his own diocese. Some organizations are canceling events that he was set to attend, and he is declining other invitations, local Catholics said.

“Collections are drying up in parishes,” said John J. Hurley, the president of Canisius College in Buffalo and a leader of a lay group that had been working with Bishop Malone but is now calling for his resignation. “People are walking out of the parishes saying ‘I’ve had enough.’”

But despite revelations from whistle-blowers and calls from lay leaders and priests for him to step down, Bishop Malone has declined to do so.

Before 2018, the Buffalo diocese, which has 600,000 Catholics, had largely avoided the kind of turmoil over clergy sexual abuse that has occurred elsewhere in the country.

But then an accuser went public, saying that a priest, who has since retired, had molested him as teenager. That led dozens of other accusers to come forward, saying that they had also been abused by current or former priests.

As the number of accused priests grew, Bishop Malone’s handling of the crisis was quickly called into question because he had promised transparency but, in case after case, appeared to be shielding priests who were accused of abuse, local Catholics said.

Hundreds of people have now filed sexual abuse claims against clergy with the Buffalo diocese, or lawsuits under New York’s new Child Victims Act. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the state attorney general’s office have opened investigations.

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.

ROME (ITALY)
The Washington Post

September 17, 2019

By Chico Harlan and Stefano Pitrelli

The Vatican’s criminal prosecutors have requested the indictment of a priest accused of abusing an altar boy at a youth seminary steps away from St. Peter’s Basilica — a rare case involving claims of abuse within the city-state’s walls.

A Vatican statement Tuesday said prosecutors were also seeking an indictment of the youth seminary’s former rector for “aiding and abetting” the alleged abuse.

The indictments indicate that the church is moving forward on a case reportedly covered up for years, though the Vatican did not say when a trial might begin, nor did it provide details about the accusations against the Rev. Gabriele Martinelli and the former rector, the Rev. Enrico Radice.

Critics of how the Catholic Church has handled abuse cases will be watching to see how transparent the Vatican process will be.

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.

BOSTON (MA)
Hollywood Reporter

September 18, 2019

By Eriq Gardner

The massage therapist was allowed to proceed anonymously in the case. No details yet on the circumstances of death.

An anonymous massage therapist who claims to have been sexually assaulted by Kevin Spacey has died, according to a notice filed in court by the actor’s attorneys.

The individual, suing as a “John Doe,” filed claims in September 2018 with the allegation of being forced to grab the actor’s genitals twice during a massage two years earlier at a private residence in Malibu. In May, a federal judge in California allowed the case to move forward despite Spacey’s objection that the plaintiff’s identity was being shielded.

Now, just a month after the parties came to a plan for proceeding in the suit that detailed prospective discovery and envisioned a seven- to 11-day trial, the plaintiff’s attorney has informed Spacey that the client “recently passed.”

No further detail is provided, and a request to the plaintiff’s attorney for more information has not been answered.

Spacey recently got out of another legal situation when criminal charges against him were dropped in Nantucket, Mass. In that case, Spacey pleaded not guilty to felony indecent assault and battery, and prosecutors withdrew charges after the accuser — a teenage busboy — stopped cooperating.

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.

BOSTON (MA)
Boston Magazine

September 18, 2019

By Alyssa Vaughn

Richard Stallman was defending Jeffrey Epstein associate Marvin Minsky.

Richard Stallman, a MacArthur genius grant recipient, Internet Hall of Fame inductee, and well-known computer scientist at MIT’s Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, has resigned from his post after defending MIT’s ever-expanding web of Jeffrey Epstein connections.

Specifically, Stallman leapt to the defense of the late Marvin Minsky, co-founder of MIT’s AI Laboratory. In an unsealed deposition revealed last month, alleged Epstein victim Virginia Guiffre named Minsky as one of the individuals she was instructed to have sex with. Minsky was 73 at the time. Guiffre was 17.

A Medium post written by an MIT alum last week revealed that Stallman replied to a female student’s email about an anti-Epstein protest with a long message in which he opts to defend Minsky in an odd and pretty sickening way—by arguing that sex with a child isn’t always assault. The full text of Stallman’s email, which was sent to a near-department-wide email list that included undergraduates, is as follows. It was published in the Medium post and later verified by Vice.

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.

UNITED STATES
Rolling Stone

September 17, 2019

By EJ Dickson

When it comes to assessing the prevalence of sexual assault, there’s still a lot we don’t know. We do know, for instance, that sexual assault is underreported, but we don’t know by how much — and that’s particularly true for incidents that fall in the “grey area” of sexual assault, such as coercive sex or partner rape. A new study, however, is attempting to shed light on the prevalence of one specific type of sexual assault, and in doing so underscores just how little we know about sexual assault rates in general.

According to the study in JAMA Internal Medicine — which surveyed more than 13,300 women between the ages of 18 and 45 across the United States, from 2011 to 2017 — approximately one in 16 women, or about 6% of women surveyed, reported that their first sexual encounter was not consensual (which the study refers to as “forced sexual initiation”). Of the women who said their first sexual encounter was not consensual, 56% said they were verbally pressured into having sex, while 25% said they were subject to violence. The study also indicates that women who reported their first encounter was nonconsensual were more likely to report issues with ovulation or menstruation, unwanted first pregnancy, and drug abuse. Perhaps most devastatingly, most of these women were quite young: of the women who said their first time was not consensual, the average age at the time of the encounter was just 15.

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.

AUSTRALIA
The Age

September 18, 2019

By Farrah Tomazin, Chris Vedelago and Debbie Cuthbertson

Corpus Christi was where sexually repressed men could “act out” with each other, living double lives, then transfer their attentions to the most innocent in their flocks.

The altar boy sat firmly on the back of the motorbike, his skinny arms gripping the waist of the young priest as they weaved through the suburban streets leading to Victoria’s most prestigious Catholic seminary.

It was a Sunday afternoon around October 1976 and the priest was taking the boy to Corpus Christi, the training college whose alumni includes jailed Cardinal George Pell, the Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge, and the former Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart.

According to a civil lawsuit due to be filed in court this week, Father Russell Vears guided the 14-year-old boy, John Fells*, into the building, down a corridor with rooms on both sides, and to a communal area where four or five other boys were already sitting, waiting on a couch.

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)
Catholic News Service

September 17, 2019

By Brian Fraga

The Catholic Church in the United States has spent a staggering amount of money — close to $4 billion in the past 20 years — to investigate, adjudicate and prevent clergy sex abuse, and to compensate victims for the harm they’ve suffered.

And as those expenses have prompted dioceses to lay off staff, sell property and liquidate some assets, there is growing evidence that more Catholics across the country are deciding not to contribute to their bishops’ diocesan appeals because of the scandals.

“Clearly the leadership failures related to the abuse crisis are a major factor in some of the church’s financial problems,” said Kim Smolik, CEO of the Leadership Roundtable, a national Catholic organization.

At least 20 dioceses since 2004 have filed for bankruptcy protection to pay their bills and provide financial compensation for clergy sex abuse survivors. On Sept. 12, the Diocese of Rochester in New York became the latest to petition the federal courts for Chapter 11 reorganization.

“This is a very difficult and painful decision,” Bishop Salvatore R. Matano of Rochester said during a Sept. 12 news conference. The diocese is facing nearly 50 lawsuits filed in the wake of New York’s Child Victims Act, which took effect Aug. 14 and suspended the state’s civil statute of limitations in sex abuse cases for one year.

The Catholic Courier, Rochester’s diocesan newspaper, reported Bishop Matano as saying that filing for Chapter 11 was “the best and fairest course of action for the victims and for the well-being of the diocese, its parishes, agencies and institutions.”

“We believe this is the only way we can provide just compensation for all who suffered the egregious sin of sexual abuse while ensuring the continued commitment of the diocese to the mission of Christ,” Bishop Matano said.

The most recent figures compiled by BishopAccountability.org, a website that tracks the bishops’ response to the clergy sex abuse scandals, indicates the scandals to date have cost dioceses and religious orders in the United States more than $3.8 billion in total settlements.

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.

MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA)
The Age

Sept. 18, 2019

By Chris Vedelago, Farrah Tomazin and Debbie Cuthbertson

The psychologist who worked with the Catholic church for three decades to screen candidates for the priesthood once characterised child abuse as “seduction” that would do little lasting harm to its victims.

Ronald Conway, the Melbourne Archdiocese’s “consulting psychologist for religious vocations” tested applicants to the Corpus Christi seminary from 1969 to at least 2001, during which time 16 child abusers graduated as priests.

Mr Conway himself was later accused of historical sexual misconduct by former patients of his private practice, though never charged or convicted.

An investigation by The Age has exposed how some of the Catholic church’s worst paedophile priests shared victims, passed on details of vulnerable children, and worked together to conceal their crimes as part of informal networks of abuse. At the centre of a number of these clusters was Corpus Christi, where Mr Conway and psychiatrist Dr Eric Seal were the mental health gatekeepers.

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)
Kansas City Star

Sept. 18, 2019

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has referred the cases of a dozen former Catholic priests accused of sexually abusing minors to prosecutors after a year-long investigation.

That potential for justice for any of those so long denied is appreciated, though it’s impossible to say how many of the dozen men will be charged, much less convicted.

But charges can’t even be pursued against 46 other ex-clergy because the statute of limitations on the allegations against them has expired.

The AG’s inquiry found “credible allegations of 163 instances of sexual abuse or misconduct by Catholic diocesan priests and deacons against minors.” Eighty-three of those accused have died, and of the 80 who are still alive, 46 can’t be pursued without changing the law.

Across the decades and across the country, the Catholic Church has lobbied against such revisions, often successfully.

But knowing all we now know about abuse and how long child victims in particular can take to come to terms with it makes Missouri’s confusing mishmash of statute of limitations on various sex crimes committed during various time frames inexcusable.

This summer, Illinois became the latest state to remove all statutes of limitations on felony sex crimes. The others, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, are Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia.

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.

SAN JOSE (CA)
Mercury News

Sept. 18, 2019

By Martha Ross

Pollsters have ranked Prince Andrew as the least popular royal; he’s known for being boorish, self-centered and tone-deaf to criticism. Even a positive quality attributed to him — loyalty — has often gotten him in trouble, notably when it came to his desire to stay friends with Jeffrey Epstein.

In fact, Andrew stuck by the now-deceased Epstein even after the multimillionaire financier was first investigated for sex trafficking and was convicted in 2008 of solicitation of a minor.

“You’re such a puritan,” Andrew told a friend who urged him to cut ties with Epstein, according to a 2011 Vanity Fair report. “Leave me alone. Jeffrey’s my friend. Being loyal to your friends is a virtue. And I’m going to be loyal to him.”

It turns out that registered sex offender Epstein is not Andrew’s only longtime friend who was accused of sex crimes against minors. A 2017 investigative report by the Canadian magazine Maclean’s showed that the Duke of York also stayed loyal to an Anglican priest who was the chaplain at the elite prep school he attended as a teenaged exchange student 40 years earlier.

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)
Associated Press

Sept. 18, 2019

The Diocese of Providence says Catholic churches across the state have experienced a steep decline in the number of parishioners in recent years.

Rhode Island is one of the most heavily Catholic states. WPRI-TV reports the diocese released statistics from 2000 to 2018 earlier this month online in the diocesan newspaper.

The newspaper states that the number of parishioners dropped by about 200,000, to roughly 321,000 in 2018. Fewer people chose to get married, attend Mass or have their children baptized in the church. Fewer students attended Catholic schools and fewer men became priests.

Rhode Island’s population grew over that time period and the church faced sex-abuse scandals worldwide.

Bishop Thomas Tobin, who asked for the “pastoral profile,” says other dioceses face declining numbers, too, and it presents daunting challenges.

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 (NY)
Daily Gazette

September 17, 2019

By Stephen Williams

Retired Albany Catholic Diocese Bishop Howard J. Hubbard is denying the latest allegations leveled against him under the Child Victims Act, as the diocese continues to face new accusations of abuse by priests.

Hubbard is denying the allegations in two new lawsuits filed in state Supreme Court in Albany County last week. One alleges that he was directly involved in abuse of a young woman in a Schenectady church in the 1980s while he was bishop, the other that he was aware of a diocese priest having committed abuse and didn’t act.

“In response to the allegations of sexual misconduct that have been made against me under the Child Victims Act, I have stated before and I repeat that I have never sexually abused anyone of any age at any time,” Hubbard said in a statement through his attorneys, O’Connor First of Albany.

One case was filed on behalf of an anonymous 54-year-old Schenectady County woman, naming the Albany Diocese, Hubbard and Father Francis Melfe, the former pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Schenectady, which closed in 2010. Melfe, who was eventually laicized, faces a separate lawsuit brought by the children in an allegedly “secret” family he maintained while serving as a priest.

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

CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Tribune

Sept. 18, 2019

By Elyssa Cherney

Acting on concerns that more than 1,000 reports of possible sexual abuse by Catholic clergy may not have been properly reviewed by DCFS, the child welfare agency has opened 24 new investigations into alleged priest misconduct and hired a law firm to probe why the cases weren’t immediately addressed.

The reports were received by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services under a 2006 agreement with the Archdiocese of Chicago, requiring the church to notify DCFS every time it became aware of an abuse allegation, even if the accuser was no longer a minor. The measure went beyond state law, which does not require such cases to be reported to the agency because they don’t involve an underage victim.

DCFS Acting Director Marc Smith, who was appointed to lead the agency in March, said he was not aware of the policy or the existence of the reports until recently. Smith did not elaborate on how the problem came to his attention, but a DCFS spokesman later clarified that the protocol was discovered while looking into a specific case involving clergy abuse.

The 24 new DCFS investigations involve adults who came forward years after the alleged abuse occurred. In those cases, the department is working to determine whether the accused might still have access to children, through the church or in another setting.

Thompson Hine, a Cleveland-based law firm with Chicago offices, was hired to assess DCFS’ protocol for handling the archdiocese notifications, Smith said. A team of attorneys will be conducting the review under a contract that is capped at $225,000, according to the department.

In all, DCFS located 1,100 reports that it had received from the archdiocese since 2006. While DCFS staff went through the reports and flagged the 24 as needing further investigation, Smith said he had unanswered questions about whether the department properly reviewed all the notifications.

“At this point, it’s not clear exactly what happened with each of the 1,100 cases,” Smith said. “We’ve asked somebody to come in and do an evaluation to help us get a better picture of exactly what happened. We know that it’s best for us to take our time in these kind of scenarios to review exactly what happened.”

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

DENVER (CO)
Catholic News Agency

Sept. 17, 2019

By Ed Condon

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati has submitted a report to Rome, following criticism of the archdiocese’s handling of allegations of sexual abuse against a local priest.

Archdiocesan officials told CNA Sept. 17 that a complete file on the case of Fr. Geoff Drew has been sent to the apostolic nuncio in Washington, DC, for transmission to the relevant curial departments, expected to include the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

A spokesperson for the archdiocese told CNA that a “full report” was sent to Rome via the nuncio on Aug. 30, and that Archbishop Schnurr “anticipates that the Vatican may order a full investigation” into the handling of the case.

“Archbishop Schnurr takes any accusations of sexual abuse very seriously, as well as any possible lapse in internal procedures for handling allegations,” the spokesperson told CNA.

Fr. Geoff Drew was arrested August 19 on a nine-count indictment for sexual abuse. The charges date back 30 years to before Drew’s time in ministry, when he was a music minister at a local parish. The accusations concern abuse said to have taken place over two years, when the reported victim was 10 and 11 years old. Drew pled not guilty during an Aug. 21 arraignment hearing. If convicted, the priest could face life in prison.

At the time of his arrest, Drew had already been removed from ministry following a several of allegations of misconduct with teenage boys which came to light in July and August.

Despite a series of complaints raised over a period of years, Drew had been able to remain in ministry and allowed to transfer from the parish of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Liberty Township, OH, to the parish of St. Ignatius, which is attached to the largest Catholic school in the archdiocese.

The handling of Drew’s case by archdiocesan officials, and his ability to transfer to another parish, has drawn heavy criticism from the priest’s former parishioners, who have asked how it was possible that a series of complaints was made to Church authorities and forwarded to local law enforcement, but resulted in no action against Drew.

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)
Post Dispatch

Sept. 17, 2019

With the Catholic Church’s sordid history of enabling and covering up the sexual abuse of children by priests, and the long failure of government to confront those crimes, it’s tempting to cheer even minimal progress toward justice. That’s why, at first blush, last week’s news might have appeared promising: Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt forwarded the names of 12 former priests to local authorities for possible prosecution after an investigation that dredged up scores of previously unreported allegations against clergy in the state.

But a closer look suggests this progress toward justice is at best minimal.

A dozen possible prosecutions looks like a token next to the 74 criminal investigations underway in Kansas, which has less than half Missouri’s population. Could it be because the Missouri investigation left out the Jesuits and other orders that are home to a significant portion of Catholic clergy? Or that investigators contacted few if any of the Missouri activists and attorneys who have focused for years on clergy abuse and could have offered deep and relevant expertise?

Most problematic is Schmitt’s failure to investigate the church leadership’s protection of the priests, saying it wasn’t part of his “mandate.” Isn’t it always part of the attorney general’s mandate to confront criminal activity — which failure to report child abuse very much is? As Kansas City attorney Rebecca Randles, who specializes in these cases, told us: “There is no way to address this issue without addressing the cover-up.”

Schmitt inherited the investigation of Missouri’s four Catholic Church dioceses last year from his predecessor, former Attorney General Josh Hawley, who initiated it under pressure as probes in other states were turning up previously unreported cases of clergy abuse by the hundreds. These included Illinois, where then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan last year found 500 cases over decades that the church had failed to report, and Pennsylvania, where a grand jury put the number in that state at more than 1,000.

The common thread is the church hierarchy’s systematic obstruction, clearly designed to protect the priests and the institution at the expense of the victims. Yet Missouri’s investigation relied mostly on documentation voluntarily provided by the church itself.

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

Sept. 17, 2019

By Suzanne Titkemeyer

Just a quick one before I leave for the airport. This came up late last night on the Facebook page 19 Scandals and Counting. TLC’s the Duggar family went down to the Bahamas immediately after Hurricane Dorian to help with the clean up.

Good, right? So good I wasn’t going to mention it. I thought ‘Good for them helping out.’

A few days ago a reporter out of Jacksonville, Florida with WJXT , Vic Micolucci, posted photos of the Duggars in the Bahamas praising them for their help and arranging to get the family chicken from Chick-Fil-A. Smiles and chicken abound.

I had wondered at the time about what they were actually doing there, helping or hindering. Why? Because of my own personal experiences going down to Louisiana to help many times in the months after Hurricane Katrina. It was no garden party, or Chick-Fil-A picnic, just hard dirty work slogging through. Sleeping in a sleeping bag I brought on the floor of an abandoned church with others from churches. Eating whatever they served us.

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.

STRATFORD (CT)
Patch

Sept. 17, 2019

By Anna Bybee-Schier

A longtime Stratford priest has been added the list of Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport clergy who are credibly accused of sexual abusing minors, according to the diocese.

The Rev. Vincent P. Cleary is accused of two allegations of sexual abuse of a minor, both of which were found credible, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said in a post on the diocese’s website earlier this month. Cleary was the pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Stratford from 1963 until his death in 1989. The allegations date to more than 50 years ago.

Ordained in 1944, Cleary also served at St. Augustine Parish in Bridgeport, St. John Parish in Stamford and St. Joseph Parish in South Norwalk. A different the Rev. Vincent P. Cleary who was ordained in 1939 and died in 1965 also served in the diocese, and there are no allegations against him, the post said.

Also named as being recently found to be credibly accused was Monsignor William Genuario, who was accused in 2002 and 2004 and again more recently of sexual abuse dating back more than 30 years, according to the post. Genuario died in 2015, was the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish of Riverside and served in a number of senior roles in 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.

MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA)
Associated Press

Sept. 17, 2019

The most senior Catholic to be found guilty of sexually abusing children lodged an appeal in Australia’s highest court on Tuesday against his convictions in the molestation of two choirboys in a cathedral more than two decades ago.

The High Court registry confirmed that Cardinal George Pell had submitted a 12-page application for the seven judges to consider hearing his appeal.

A unanimous Victoria state County Court jury in December found Pope Francis’ former finance minister guilty of molesting two 13-year-old choirboys in Melbourne’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the late 1990s.

The Victoria Court of Appeal last month rejected his appeal in a 2-1 ruling.

Pell, 78, was sentenced to six years in prison in March and is no longer a member of Francis’ Council of Cardinals or a Vatican official.

The High Court is Pell’s final chance to overturn his convictions, but there is no guarantee that Australia’s final arbiter will hear his appeal. The court only agrees to hear around one in 10 of the appeals that are submitted.

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

Sept. 16, 2019

A Kansas priest who was accused of abusing a teen-aged girl had his trial end today in a hung jury. We hope that prosecutors will try this case again and continue working to keep children in Kansas safe from abuse.

The charges against Fr. Scott Kallal stemmed from abuse allegations from one girl, but during the trial at least two other girls testified. The family in this case is willing to go forward with another trial and we hope that Kansas City prosecutors will follow their lead and prosecute the case a second time. We applaud the bravery of this young woman and her family and are grateful for their efforts to protect others in their parish community.

Now more than ever it is critical that victims, witnesses, and whistle-blowers come forward to law enforcement officials and report any information or suspicions. We also hope that church officials in Kansas City, KS, will take steps to urge with their flock to share what they know with police and prosecutors.

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

Sept. 17, 2019

A priest accused of abuse who worked and lives in Sacramento is tilting at windmills by suing the bishop who publicly exposed him. In 30 years, we’ve never seen such a suit succeed, but we suspect the priest’s real goal is to deter other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers from speaking up.

Fr. J. Patrick Foley is apparently upset that San Diego’s bishop put his name on a list of credibly accused clerics last year. But so has the Sacramento bishop, yet Foley’s not suing him. Ditto with Oakland’s bishop. And Santa Rosa’s bishop. Fr. Foley also worked in Dubuque, but he is not yet listed there. When he is, we wonder if Fr. Foley will extend his suit to cover the prelate in Iowa.

We hope that this lawsuit fails and that important information about abusers continues to be made public by church officials in California. And we hope others with information or suspicions about Fr. Foley won’t be intimidated by these tactics and will find the courage to speak up and make a report today.

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)
America Magazine

Sept. 17, 2019

By Gerard O’Connell

Pope Francis has removed the statute of limitations to enable the prosecutor of the Vatican City State to ask its tribunal to send the Rev. Gabriele Martinelli, an Italian priest, for civil trial. He is accused of the sexual abuse of altar boys who served the papal Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica and who lived in a Vatican pre-seminary in the years before 2012. The prosecutors have also sent the Rev. Enrico Radice, the rector of the seminary during the years the alleged abuse took place, for trial on charges of abetment.

The Vatican broke the news in a press statement sent to the international media on Tuesday evening, Sept. 17. The Vatican said its investigation began in November 2017 after news of the alleged assaults “was divulged by press outlets.”

It went on to state that “the facts go back to the years in which the law in force at the time prevented the [judicial] process in the absence of a charge brought by the offended person that had to be presented within one year of the contested facts.” It said that “the sending for trial was made possible by virtue of a special provision of the Holy Father on July 29 last, that removed the cause of not-proceeding.” The pope’s decision to remove the statute of limitations prevailing in 2012 was essential to allowing the prosecution to proceed.

Italian television first broke the news, which was then carried by other media, including Il Fatto Quotidiano, which spoke to some of the victims. These media outlets allege that the priest, now 26 years old, abused altar boys in a pre-seminary within the Vatican.

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.

LANSING (MI)
WWMT Newschannel 3

Sept. 17, 2019

By Heidi Paxson

Attorney General Dana Nessel charged Vincent DeLorenzo, a former Genesee Count priest with the Lansing Diocese, with an additional Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC) charge.

Nessel’s office announced the additional CSC charge on Tuesday.

The additional charge accused DeLorenzo of sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy in 1987 after a funeral service he officiated for the boy’s family.

The Attorney Generals office wrote in a news release that Michigan’s statute of limitations is tolled when a defendant leaves the state for any reason within the statute of limitations and resumes if and when the defendant returns to the state.

The additional charge is a felony punishable by up to life in prison and a lifetime of electronic monitoring.

The 80-year-old former priest was one of the five priests charged by Nessel in May 2019.

“As we continue to review the millions of pages of documents our Department seized last year from the state’s seven dioceses, we are reminded that these charges only scratch the surface of what we believe to be years of crimes that were originally swept under the rug,” Nessel wrote in a news release.

DeLorenzo was previously charged with three counts of first-degree and three counts of second-degree CSC in the Department of Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse 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.

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

Sept. 17, 2019

They offer fliers to Wausau Catholic church-goers
SNAP: “Abusive clerics are still being hidden here”
Group blasts Wisconsin diocesan officials on abuse
It wants bishop to post ALL alleged offenders’ names online
“The real solution,” group insists, “is criminal prosecution & legislative reform”

WHAT
Handing leaflets to church-goers, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will disclose that five publicly accused predator priests were or are in central Wisconsin but have attracted little or no media or public attention before in the area.

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, they will also write the names of these credibly accused child molesting clerics on a sidewalk.

And the victims will call on local Catholic officials to
–post names of ALL accused priests on their diocesan website,
–include their photos, whereabouts and work histories, whereabouts and state photos, and
–join with victims in pushing for real legislative reform, like repealing Wisconsin’s “archaic, predator-friendly statute of limitations” so survivors can expose child molesters in court.

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

CHICAGO (IL)
WLS TV

Sept. 17, 2019

The names and faces of 48 known sexual abuse perpetrators who worked for the Archdiocese of Chicago were revealed Tuesday.

Over $80 million in court settlements with the Chicago Archdiocese involving 48 alleged perpetrators in the state of Illinois was revealed Tuesday.

The law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates said they have compiled over 160 survivors over the past two decades who said they were sexually abused by a Chicago Archdiocesan.

The law firm also announced a new lawsuit was filed on behalf of a man who said he was abused at Maryville Academy when he was a boy.

A list and photos of the 48 known perpetrators, as well as where the perpetrators worked were made public.

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

Sept. 17, 2019

The first child sex abuse and cover up lawsuit has been filed against a high-profile Chicago priest who had access to thousands of already-vulnerable children.

Fr. John P. Smyth headed a residential treatment facility called Maryville Academy in Des Plaines from 1970-2003. He was removed in 2003 after a resident’s suicide and allegations of abuse surfaced. From 2007-2014, The priest was president of Notre Dame College Prep in Niles 2007-2014. He was removed from ministry in January 2019 when allegations against him were reported to the Archdiocese of Chicago. Today he is being sued for reportedly molesting a child. We hope this development will spur others who may have information or suspicions about him to step forward.

In March, we included Fr. Smythe on our list of the 12 more potentially dangerous Chicago accused clerics. We considered him dangerous because he was clearly well spoken, able to win people’s trust and confidence, and had access to hundreds or thousands of already-vulnerable children, who are less likely to report if they are victimized by a powerful authority figure.

It is always hard to report abuse. It is even harder when the accused is a priest, and it is especially hard when that priest is powerful and popular. So we are very grateful to every person who is playing a role in this case and bringing critical information to light. We hope their courage will inspire others to speak up, too.

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)
Fox 4 News

Sept. 17, 2019

By Stephanie Graflage

A survivors group wants Missouri to do more to investigate claims of sex abuse in the Catholic Church.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests says an attorney general’s investigation into the problem is incomplete.

After about a year-long inquiry into sexual abuse allegations, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt on Friday said his office found 163 priests with credible accusations against them.

Schmitt has referred 12 priests for prosecution by county attorneys.

But SNAP believes this represents only the tip of the iceberg, because only one of the 400 victims in the group was interviewed as part of the state’s probe.

“We are on par, if not greater than Pennsylvania, because we are smaller,” said Rebecca Randles, an attorney who represents Catholic Church sex abuse survivors. “Yet I know of over 200 priests. When you put together the number of priests who have served in the state of Missouri with he number that even the attorney general has found, you are finding that about 10 percent of priests in Missouri are abusive. Every other state has found 3 to 6 percent. So we are talking about a big problem in state of Missouri.”

SNAP wants Missouri to enact new laws that would give the attorney general power to subpoena church records and convene a grand jury to investigate childhood sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Church.

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

BELFAST(IRELAND)
Irish Times

September 16, 2019

By Freya McClements

Alliance MEP Naomi Long calls for papers to be available on ‘systematic abuse’ at house

Closed files relating to the Kincora Boys’ Home in east Belfast must be released so allegations of abuse can be investigated, a former MP for the area has said.

“Systematic abuse took place at this house,” said Alliance MEP Naomi Long. “These papers need to be released so that abuse can be investigated properly and in a way which will bring truth and justice to the victims and survivors of Kincora.”

Northern Ireland’s Department of Communities said the files are closed to the public “because they contain sensitive personal data”.

Three former members of staff – Joseph Mains, Raymond Semple and William McGrath – were convicted of sexually abusing 38 boys at the home in the 1980s.

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.

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

September 15, 2019

Reverend Christopher D. Lucas has been found unsuitable for ministry based on a substantiated allegation that he sexually abused a minor in the early 1970s.

Today’s Announcement Regarding Reverend Christopher D. Lucas

In the fall of 2018, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia received an allegation that Reverend Christopher D. Lucas sexually abused a minor over 45 years ago. It was the first allegation of this kind lodged against Father Lucas. Father Lucas had neither been ordained nor had he yet entered a program of priestly formation when the abuse is reported to have occurred. In addition, the activity in question is alleged to have occurred when Father Lucas was himself a minor.

The allegation was referred to law enforcement on the same day it was received. The Archdiocese cooperated with authorities in the course of their work. No criminal charges were filed.

The required canonical (church) investigation of Father Lucas was launched after law enforcement declined to press charges. The Archdiocesan Office of Investigations (AOI) undertook that canonical process.

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

AUSTRALIA
Independent Australia

September 14, 2019

By Tess Lawrence

Contributing editor-at-large Tess Lawrence joins some barely visible dots, where preserving the “brand” is all that the Catholic Church seemingly cares about.

INVESTIGATIVE EXCLUSIVE

The Jesus v Rome case was dragged before the highest court in the land — and Governor Pontius Pilate washed his hands of it, inviting the blood-lusting crowd to decide between pardoning Barabbas or “the king of the Jews”.

The rest is biblical history.

Jesus seemingly lucked out, but he was a godman with a plan.

Thousands of years later, in Melbourne’s lofty CBD judicial precinct, in Court 15, Jesus was still being crucified for our mortal sins.

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)
Associated Press

September 13, 2019

By Jim Salter

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is referring 12 former clergy for potential criminal prosecution after his office completed a 13-month investigation of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church.

Schmitt on Friday released details of the investigation of religious leaders within the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the dioceses of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Springfield-Cape Girardeau and Jefferson City.

Missouri is among several states that launched investigations last year after a Pennsylvania report cited abuse of more than 1,000 children by hundreds of priests there since the 1940s, and efforts by church leaders to hide it.

The Missouri investigation began in August 2018 under then-Attorney General Josh Hawley. Hawley was elected to the U.S. Senate in November, and Schmitt, a fellow Republican, took over the investigation after he was appointed to replace him.

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.

Get Religion blog

Sept. 16, 2019

By Clemente Lisi

Political polarization is nothing new. What about religious polarization? When it comes to matters of faith, specifically the Catholic church and its doctrines, there’s plenty of it these days.

You wouldn’t think there would be much divergence here since adherence to what the church teaches — through the Catechism and centuries of tradition on an array of issues — is the basis for being a member of the Church of Rome. Instead, there is divergence and not just among those sitting in the pews. It’s become all too evident among members of the hierarchy.

To say that the church is at a crossroads isn’t an exaggeration. But fierce arguments between the doctrinal left and right on a host of issues — from Pope Francis’ recent choice of cardinals to how clergy address social issues — are as intense as ever.

But here is the headline right now: Pope Francis has even dared to use a ecclesiastical s-word.”

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.

WELLESLEY (MA)
The Swellesley Report

September 12, 2019

By Deborah Brown

Walter Johnson, a former Wellesley High School girls cross country coach and assistant indoor/outdoor track coach, was sentenced in federal court in Boston for possession of child pornography, according to a statement put out by Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling’s office.

Johnson pleaded guilty in federal court on June 10, 2019 to a single count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced on September 10, 2019 by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to three years in prison and five years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case.

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)
THE CITY

September 13, 2019

By Christine Chung

As hundreds of Child Victims Act lawsuits work their way through New York’s courts, defense lawyers for one Catholic religious order are pressing to expose the identities of plaintiffs who wish to remain anonymous.

Attorneys for the Northeast Province of the Jesuit Brothers have challenged plaintiffs’ anonymity in at least three cases in New York City — one involving the Loyola School in Manhattan and two at Fordham Preparatory School in The Bronx.

The three individuals are suing over “unpermitted sexual contact” they allege happened when they were under the age of 16.

Legal counsel for the Jesuits argued in court filings that the accusers’ anonymity violates the defendants’ constitutional right of due process, asserting: “The potential for public humiliation or embarrassment is not sufficient grounds for anonymity.”

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.

LITTLE ROCK (AR)
Bilgrimage blog

Sept. 16, 2019

By William Lindsey

The bishop of the Catholic diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, Michael Hoeppner, is now under canonical investigation for allegedly interfering with civil or canonical investigations of clerical sexual abuse of minors. As Jean Haselberger states in the report I have just linked, Hoeppner is the first sitting bishop to be investigated under new Vatican protocols for reviewing and disciplining bishops in such matters.

As I read this news, I keep flashing back to the open letter I wrote on this blog at Thanksgiving time in 2012. The letter addresses the Catholic people of the Crookston diocese. Crookston is the diocese in which my husband Steve grew up and has deep roots, deep Catholic roots.

Many of us like to imagine that the roots of the abuse horror show in the Catholic church run solely to rectories, chanceries, houses of religious communities, and the Vatican. In my view, however, these roots run much deeper, and my experience with my husband’s birth diocese, Crookston, over many years has helped convince me of this.

The corruption in the Catholic church that manifests itself in church leaders is shared by the laity, who have all too often sought to turn a blind eye to what they do not wish to see happening in their church, and who have also sought to find scapegoat groups — notably the LGBTQ community — to blame for the abuse crisis.

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)
THE CITY

September 17, 2019

By Yoav Gonen

Dozens of sexual harassment cases brought to the City Commission on Human Rights by employees at private firms have dragged on for years without resolution, data obtained by THE CITY shows.

Investigations of 44 complaints have stretched two years or more. The oldest open case dates to March 18, 2014 — nearly 5½ years ago, records indicate.

“It tells me if I wanted to come forward [with a complaint]… I wouldn’t expect to get justice through the city,” said Councilmember Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan), chair of the City Council’s Committee on Women and Gender Equity.

“Even understanding the complexity of cases … it should not take this long. And so in my mind’s eye, it’s a reflection of caseloads,” she added. “They need more resources so we can follow through on the promises that we’re making.”

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.

SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA)
Catholic News Service

September 13, 2019

By Michael Sainsbury

The Australian Catholic Church could face tens of millions dollars in compensation claims after the Diocese of Ballarat in Victoria state admitted, for the first time, it knew of the behavior of a pedophile priest yet continued to move him around from parish to parish.

Former priest Gerald Ridsdale, 85, is one of Australia’s most notorious pedophiles and is serving an 11-year prison sentence due to finish in 2028, the latest in a series of convictions for the abuse of 85 children. Ridsdale held 16 different appointments during 29 years as a priest, an average of 1.8 years per appointment.

The church’s admission was made in the case of JCB v. Bishop Paul Bird for the Diocese of Ballarat, in which a defendant with a pseudonym is suing the diocese for his rape, at age 9, by Ridsdale at the tiny country town of Mortlake in 1982. A mediation hearing will be held on Oct. 15 and, if this is unsuccessful, a 10-day civil trial will begin Jan. 29 to determine the amount of damages the church will pay the victim.

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

CHICAGO (IL)
Jeff Anderson & Associates

September 16, 2019

Archdiocese of Chicago Clergy Abuse Settlements to be Revealed Tuesday

Law Firm Has Represented Over 160 Survivors
Over the Past Two Decades

Total Amount of Settlements Paid to be Revealed

(Chicago, Illinois) – At a press conference Tuesday in Chicago, a sexual abuse survivor and the law firm of Jeff Anderson & Associates will:

• Discuss and reveal that more than 160 survivors represented by Jeff Anderson & Associates have settled clergy abuse cases against the Archdiocese of Chicago over the past two decades involving 48 Archdiocesan perpetrators, in the amount of _____.
• Provide a list and photos of the 48 known perpetrators that have worked in the Archdiocese of Chicago, as well as a map of locations where the perpetrators worked.
• Announce the settlement by 6 survivors of abuse by 4 offenders: Fr. John William Curran, Fr. Edward J. Maloney, Fr. Robert D. Craig, and Fr. Robert E. Mayer.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at 11:00 AM CST

WHERE: Residence Inn By Marriott Chicago Downtown/Loop
Daley 1 Room
11 South LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL 60603

LIVE-STREAM: The press conference will be live-streamed via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/andersonadvocates and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AndersonAdvocates/

Contact: Jeff Anderson: Cell: 612.817.8665 Office: 310.357.2425

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.

PHILADELPHIA (PA
WPVI

September 16, 2019

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has found a priest unsuitable for ministry after receiving an allegation he sexually abused a minor more than 45 years ago.

Reverend Christopher Lucas, 63, had not been ordained and was not a member of the priestly formation when the abuse was reported to have occurred in the early 1970s.

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.

MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA)
The New Daily

Sept. 17, 2019

Investigative journalist and writer Lucie Morris-Marr covered the entire Cardinal George Pell abuse case for The New Daily.

Her book, Fallen – The inside story of the secret trial and conviction of Cardinal George Pell, will be published by Allen & Unwin on Tuesday.

During her research for Fallen, Ms Marr uncovered a new victim who has just been awarded redress compensation for a disturbing incident involving Pell and convicted pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale.

Pell, whose legal team is expected to lodge an appeal with the High Court in coming days against his shock guilty conviction for abusing two choirboys, is being held at Melbourne Assessment Prison after he was sentenced earlier this year.

The New Daily understands he might soon be moved to Hopkins Correction Centre near Ararat, where Ridsdale is also incarcerated for his multiple crimes.

In this exclusive extract, Ms Marr reveals the sinister behaviour of Pell and Ridsdale while at a church in Swan Hill, Victoria.

Following his ordination, Pell went on to complete a doctorate in church history at Oxford University. While studying, he also served as a chaplain to Catholic students at Eton College. The future must have looked like a glittering and unhindered road map to the top.

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.

BELOIT (WI)
Daily News

Sept. 16, 2019

By Henry Redman

After Judge William Hue read the not guilty verdict in the molestation trial of former Janesville priest William A. Nolan on Friday, the packed courthouse erupted with cries of “God is good.”

Nolan had been accused of molesting a middle school-aged altar boy while he served at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fort Atkinson around 2007. The jury acquitted him on five counts of sexual assault of a child under 16.

In a weeklong trial that saw both the accuser and Nolan testify, the jury took four hours to decide the 66-year-old priest’s fate.

“Very, very stressful,” Nolan said about the trial. “I knew I was telling the truth. And I knew there were gaps and there were so many inconsistencies with the accuser’s stories. I felt that would eventually be discovered.”

During the trial, defense attorney Jonas Bednarek worked to poke holes in the accuser’s testimony and the prosecution’s case.

“I don’t believe any reasonable view of the evidence supports his claims,” Bednarek said in his closing remarks.

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 (NY)
The New Evangelist

Sept. 17, 2019

By Mike Matvey

Bishop Emeritus Howard J. Hubbard has been accused in a second lawsuit, alleging that he sexually abused a girl in the rectory of the Immaculate Conception Church in Schenectady along with two other priests in the 1970s.

Bishop Hubbard, who was previously named in a lawsuit alleging he sexually abused a teenage boy in the 1990s, released a statement Monday night reiterating again that he has “never sexually abused anyone.”

“As I stated before and I repeat that I have never sexually abused anyone of any age at any time,” Hubbard said in the statement. “I do not assert that the individuals that have accused me have not been abused. Surely, the abuse they have described is horrific and heartbreaking.

“During my 37 years of episcopal tenure as Bishop of Albany, I met with many survivors of abuse and heard firsthand the pain that they suffered at the time of the abuse and its consequences over the years. As Bishop, I acted on every complaint of sexual abuse that I received and commissioned investigations of those allegations.

“I am confident that through these fair due process procedures truth and justice will prevail and I will be fully exonerated.”

Mary DeTurris Poust, director of communications, called the new allegations “deeply troubling” which will be investigated.

“The allegations contained in this lawsuit are deeply troubling and will be investigated without fear or favor. It is important to remember that, like anyone else, Bishop Emeritus Howard J. Hubbard enjoys the presumption of innocence until and unless proven otherwise. The Diocese of Albany will keep its focus on survivors and on trying to get to the truth of the matter in each and every case that is filed,” DeTurris Poust said.

“In this particular case, Bishop Scharfenberger is in the process of informing Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who serves as Metropolitan for our province, as well as the papal nuncio regarding the allegations as they relate to Bishop Hubbard, in keeping with the requirements set forward by Pope Francis in the document known as Vos Estis.”

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. CLOUD (MN)
St. Cloud Times

Sept. 16, 2019

By Peter Donohue

I have been hesitant to tackle this topic since June, when I read an article by James Carroll in The Atlantic. My indecision was immediately erased recently when I read the results of the investigation into the expenditure of diocesan funds by Bishop Michael Bransfield in West Virginia.

What seriously offended me was the bishop’s closure of Catholic schools as he spent $2.4 millionof diocesan funds on private jets, luxury hotels, limousines, jewelry and fine dining between 2005 and 2018.

Carroll describes the Catholic Church as “the largest nongovernmental organization on the planet, through which selfless women and men care for the poor, teach the unlettered, heal the sick, and work to preserve minimal standards of the common good.” He correctly points out that Vatican II, way back in the 1960s, defined the Catholic Church as the “People of God.”

The role of the clerical hierarchy in the church is that of servants of those people, not placed above them as rulers. Symbolic of this change brought about by Vatican II was moving the altar down from on high into the midst of the congregation.

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.

LOS ANGELES (CA)
CBS LA

September 17, 2019

Six California Catholic dioceses announced Monday a new compensation program that they said aims to support alleged child abuse victims of Roman Catholic priests — allowing victims to file for compensation without having to sue the church.

Victims of abuse within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and the Dioceses of Fresno, Orange, Sacramento, San Bernardino and San Diego have until Jan. 31 of next year to file a claim that will be assessed by a group of independent administrators who have previously handled victim compensation funds including one for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The six participating dioceses comprise more than 10 million Catholics, about 80% of the state’s Catholic population.

The fund is open for claims from people who allege they were abused by priests in any of these six dioceses as a minor. There is no time limit on when the alleged abuse occurred — even if the statute of limitations has already passed for criminal prosecution. Alleged victims do not need to proof of citizenship to file.

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.

MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA)
The Age

Setp. 17, 2019

By Farrah Tomazin, Chris Vedelago and Debbie Cuthbertson

Some of the Catholic church’s worst paedophile priests shared victims, passed on details of vulnerable children considered easy targets and worked together to conceal their crimes as part of informal networks of sexual abuse hidden in Australian seminaries, schools and parishes.

An investigation by The Age has identified for the first time that many priests involved in historical sexual abuse of children did not simply act as individuals but formed clusters, or paedophile rings, throughout Victoria, from the western district to the Gippsland region and in suburban Melbourne.

At the centre of a number of these networks was Melbourne’s seminary – Corpus Christi – which has produced about 1000 priests over almost 100 years, including jailed Cardinal George Pell and convicted child rapist Gerald Ridsdale. According to a conservative snapshot from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse, at least 75 convicted and alleged sex offenders emerged from Corpus Christi. The true figure is not known.

One Melbourne man alleges he was repeatedly abused between the ages of 12 and 14 by a network of three paedophiles coalescing around Corpus Christi Clayton in the mid-1970s: St Peter’s parish priest Ronald Pickering, assistant priest Russell Vears and then newly ordained Paul David Ryan.

In a statement of claim which lawyers plan to file in court this week, the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, alleges Vears took him to the seminary in October 1976 and left him to wait in a communal living room with four or five other boys. A second priest, Ryan, then allegedly picked the boy from the group, took him back to a bedroom and sexually assaulted him.

“I recall that seminarians would come out through the corridor into the sitting room and select a boy to go back with them,” said the former St Peter’s altar boy. “He selected me by pointing at me and ushering me to follow him.”

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)
Newsweek

Sept. 17, 2019

By Aila Slisco

A lawsuit by a former priest is seeking punitive damages for “severe humiliation, mental anguish, and emotional and physical distress” after being outed as an accused child molester by the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego.

J. Patrick Foley of Sacramento, California, claims that the Diocese promoted a “reckless disregard for the truth” in a September 12 filing with San Diego Superior Court. In 2018, Foley was one of eight men added to a list of Catholic clergy believed by the Diocese to be responsible for sexually abusing children. Foley’s lawsuit alleges that his inclusion on the list amounts to publishing “false and defamatory material.”

Foley is hardly the first priest from the area accused of child sex abuse. The San Diego Diocese previously settled a 2007 lawsuit claiming child molestation by a further 48 priests under their purview.

Foley was ordained by the San Diego Diocese in 1973, and remained “attached” to the Diocese after moving to the Sacramento area in 1991.

According to the website of the Diocese of Sacramento, Foley is accused of having abused two boys in the early 1990s while assigned to Christian Brothers High School. In 1995 he was “directed to not engage in ministry.” In 1997, his faculties were “formally denied” and he was told to withdraw from the Diocese.

NBC 7 San Diego reports that Foley was first accused of inappropriately touching a child in 1989 while providing emergency medical care.

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 (KS)
Fox Nine News

Sept. 16, 2019

By Karra Small

The trial of a KCK priest charged with child sexual misconduct has ended in a hung jury.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office said Monday that jurors couldn’t reach a verdict in the trail of Scott Kallal.

Kallal was charged with two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child stemming from an incident involving a young girl at St. Patrick’s School in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2015.

He was placed on leave from his duties at St. Patrick’s and Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Overland Park in 2017 after police began a criminal investigation.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney has not said whether they intend to retry Kallal.

The Survivor’s Network of those abused by Priests issued a statement saying they hope that charges will be refiled in the case.

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.

WARSAW (POLAND)
Crux

Sept. 17, 2019

By Jonathan Luxmoore

Polish Catholics participated in Masses and penance liturgies for recent scandals over sexual abuse by clergy and acts of vandalism and profanation at local churches.

“The vision of Christ’s suffering can transform human hearts, spurring recognition of sins and a request for forgiveness,” said Bishop Wieslaw Mering of Wloclawek.

“Today, we are being told to have fun, enjoy life, be ourselves and realize our desires. But the path to salvation doesn’t lead through egoism,” he said.

Preaching to 60,000 people at a Mass in Wloclawek Sept. 14, he said Poland and Europe needed “women and men with courage and love to stand under the cross of Jesus” and to show themselves to the world as “true witnesses to the Gospel.”

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.

PARIS (FRANCE)
LaCrois International

Sept 17, 2019

By Christa Pongratz-Lippitt

Benedict XVI has ignited new controversy by issuing a stinging. . .

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

Sept. 17, 2019

By David Clohessy

Three clerics were recently accused of child sexual abuse. (No, this isn’t the setup to a joke.)

The first guy’s boss said he “asked” the cleric to “step aside from ministry pending the outcome of an investigation.”

The second guy said he will be “stepping aside temporarily.”

The third guy said he will “temporarily reduce” his public presence for the foreseeable future.

(The three are Fr. George Clements of Chicago, Bishop Howard Hubbard of New York and Bishop Robert Guglielmone of South Carolina.)

Over the years, I’ve read – and read about – hundreds of Catholic church abuse policies. Usually, I see phrases like “when an allegation is made, the accused is immediately suspended.” Never have I seen the phrases “the bishop will ASK the accused to step aside,” “the accused will be stepping aside temporarily,” or “the accused will temporarily reduce his public presence.”

What other institution lets accused wrongdoers decide what they will do?

Before 2002, church officials admitted that “Every bishop deals with these cases in his own way.” So there was a ton of inconsistency. But starting in 2002, church officials claimed “Now we’ve got one national policy. We’re all doing this the same way.”

So why is there still a ton of inconsistency?

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.

ROCHESTER (NY)
WHEC TV

Sept. 13, 2019

By Andrew Hyman

Carol DuPre says she was molested by a priest while serving at St Gregory’s Catholic Church in Marion when she was just 14 or 15 years old.

“You know it happened, and it lives in the back of your mind,” DuPre said.

She says speaking these words are freeing, but at one time, were words only her mother believed. According to DuPre, her parents were going through a divorce, which she says, was uncommon in the 1960s. She says the situation left her vulnerable and a priest took advantage of that.

“It just shatters your image of a good, and loving God,” DuPre said.

Abuse survivors hope to have voice heard following diocese’s bankruptcy filing
So when she saw that New York State passed the Child Victim’s Act, she says, it gave her and other survivors the power to speak up.

But now, with the Catholic Diocese of Rochester’s decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, fellow child sex abuse survivor Pete Saracino says, a survivor’s voice could be robbed.

“That was a profound betrayal of children, catholic families, and their very mission to be the face of God on earth,” Saracino said.

Saracino says he was sexually abused by a priest in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Geneva, New York. The location is now a resort called Geneva on the Lake.

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.

WAUSAU (WI)
Wausau Daily Herald

Sept. 15, 2019

By Laura Schulte

Dozens of flyers fluttered under windshield wipers in the late morning breeze Sunday as parishioners left St. Michael Catholic Church in Wausau.

The flyers were neatly tucked there by David Clohessy, a member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. As parishioners began leaving the church, he handed them out, asking people to take them home and read them.

His goal, he said, was to bring awareness to the fact that the La Crosse Diocese still hasn’t released a list of credibly accused abusers, members of the clergy who sexually abused young children and are known by the church. He’s hoping that the flyers, which target five specific former priests, will cause the parishioners to go home and talk and even call the bishop, William Callahan, and demand more openness.

SNAP often holds events and advocates for changes in laws to protect victims, as well as recognition of abusive clergy by the Catholic Church. Clohessy has been working with the organization for years, including formerly as executive director. He’s no stranger to handing out flyers as people leave church, he said, having done it nearly 35 times in recent years.

He’s a victim himself, he said. He and three of his brothers were abused by a priest in Missouri, he said. He still gets emotional about it.

“I want to protect kids and heal victims,” he said. “I want to deter these crimes from happening again.”

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

September 15, 2019

By John L. Allen Jr.

Rome – Responding to a mini-fracas set off by his recent declaration that he considers it “an honor when Americans are attacking me,” Pope Francis told reporters during an inflight news conference Tuesday that the U.S. is not his only source of heartburn.

“Criticism comes not only from the Americans, they’re coming from all over,” Francis said.

The comment got me thinking: If we take the U.S. off the table, what are the other countries where criticism of this pope seems most robust?

*
Here’s a rundown of the other countries I considered.

Chile: Rocked by arguably the world’s worst clerical abuse scandal, many Chileans were initially angry at Francis for what seemed denial, then grateful for what seemed a change of heart, and now confused and frustrated over what they see as a lack of aggressive follow-through.

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.

ALBUQUERQUE (NM)
Albuquerque Journal via Military.com

September 14, 2019

By Colleen Heild

Santa Fe – Former Albuquerque priest Arthur Perrault is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison for aggravated sexual assault of an altar boy in the early 1990s, after a riveting hearing Friday in which a federal judge imposed a 30-year sentence and insisted Perrault stand and face one of the multiple victims he abused decades ago.

“I have to say Mr. Perrault that this is the worst case that I have ever handled and ever seen,” said U.S. District Judge Martha Vazquez, noting that she has presided over many sexual abuse cases in her 26 years as a judge in Santa Fe. “I’m glad you are looking at me, because it is extremely difficult to speak to someone and to try to explain one’s sentiments and have that person not give you the respect of looking at them.”

In a rare federal criminal prosecution, Perrault was convicted by a jury in April of seven counts of sexual abuse related to a former altar boy at St. Bernadette’s parish in Albuquerque who once considered the priest his “best friend.”

The sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Martha Vazquez is considered a life sentence due to Perrault’s advanced age of 81. The term was the maximum he could have received after his jury conviction in April in U.S. District Court in Santa Fe.

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.

WICHITA (KS)
Associated Press via WKSN

September 13, 2019

By Morgan Lee and Mary Hudetz

Santa Fe, NM – A former Roman Catholic priest who fled the country decades ago was sentenced Friday in New Mexico to 30 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of sexually abusing an altar boy at a veterans’ cemetery and military base.

In ordering the sentence, U.S. District Judge Martha Vazquez said it was the worst case of child sex abuse she has handled over the course of 26 years.

At one point, the judge demanded that 81-year-old defendant Arthur Perrault look a woman in the eyes as she testified about being abused by him.

The judge also condemned Perrault for only being concerned about his sexual needs.

“You chose as a profession the life of being a priest. It was supposed to be your job to help, not destroy,” she said.

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

JEFFERSON CITY (MO)
Office of the Attorney General

September 13, 2019

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office identifies 12 cases for potential criminal prosecution, more than any other state attorney general.

[This press release includes a link to the AG’s report.]

St. Louis, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt held a press conference to announce the findings of the investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by clergy members in the Roman Catholic Church. After an extensive review of the records of thousands of clergy members and conducting interviews with victims, the Attorney General’s Office will refer 12 former clergy members for potential criminal prosecution, the most of any state attorney general probe, and laid out suggested guidelines for the Catholic Church moving forward.

“Since I took office, one of my top priorities has been conducting a thorough, exhaustive review of allegations of abuse by clergy members in the Roman Catholic Church. Today, as a result of that review, we are announcing that we will refer 12 cases of alleged abuse to local prosecutors for further investigation and possible prosecution – more referrals than any other state attorney general.” said Attorney General Schmitt during the press conference.

Schmitt continued, “In cases in which local prosecutors should seek our assistance, we stand ready and willing to help. Additionally, we’ve provided concrete recommendations to the Catholic Church moving forward. I also want to thank the brave victims who have come forward to share their stories. To the victims: you didn’t deserve any of this. None of what happened to you was your fault. This report, our referrals for criminal prosecution, our aggressive and substantive suggestions for reform, will not change what happened in the past. But, they can change the trajectory of the future and ensure that this never happens again.”

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.

IRONDALE (AL)
Catholic News Agency via National Catholic Register/EWTN

Eric Schmitt’s report said that Catholic dioceses have less oversight over religious priests than their secular counterparts.

St. Louis – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt referred 12 former clerics for potential criminal prosecution in a report released Friday on his investigation into sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy in the state.

“Since I took office, one of my top priorities has been conducting a thorough, exhaustive review of allegations of abuse by clergy members in the Roman Catholic Church. Today, as a result of that review, we are announcing that we will refer 12 cases of alleged abuse to local prosecutors for further investigation and possible prosecution — more referrals than any other state attorney general,” Schmitt, who is a Republican and a Catholic, said Sept. 13.

He added that his office will assist any local prosecutors who want to pursue charges.

“Additionally, we’ve provided concrete recommendations to the Catholic Church moving forward,” he added. He noted that his “suggestions for reform” are “aggressive and substantive.”

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.

PORTAGE (WI)
WKOW

September 13, 2019

Madison – The Madison Diocese has named an eighth priest “credibly accused” of sexually abusing a minor following a review by an outside firm.

The external review of diocesan personnel files, which was launched in June, adds one more priest to the seven previously named as having substantiated abuse allegations against them.

The Diocesan Sexual Abuse Review Board deemed accusations against John Eberhardy credible, making him the eighth priest on the list. Eberhardy died in 1992, according to the diocese. The diocese has previously named seven clergymen that had accusations of child sexual abuse substantiated by the diocesan Sexual Abuse Review Board: Archie Adams, Curtis Alvarez, J. Gibbs Clauder, Kenneth Klubertanz, Michael Trainor, Lawrence Trainor and Gerald Vosen.

All have either died or been removed from the priesthood.

But the organization Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, claimed Friday four additional former priests who have worked within the Madison Diocese have been either credibly accused of abuse by other dioceses or criminally convicted.

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.

COLUMBUS (OH)
WOSU

September 13, 2019

By Steve Brown

The Catholic Diocese of Columbus says it placed a priest on administrative leave after an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor. A diocese press release says the leave for Father Kevin Lutz, 69, is effective September 11, three days after he retired.

According to the diocese, the accusation was reported to the Chancery office one day after his retirement from St. Mary Parish in Columbus.

The accusation reportedly dates back to Lutz’s tenure at St. Christopher Parish between 1982-1986.

“A meeting of the Diocesan Board of Review for the Protection of Children will be convened in the near future to assess the results of the preliminary investigation and advise the Bishop as to whether or not it appears to be credible,” the release says. “If an allegation is determined to be credible, the Diocese of Columbus will execute the necessary judicial and administrative processes. A determination of credibility is never to be considered proof of guilt.”

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.

COLUMBUS (OH)
Columbus Dispatch

September 15, 2019

By Danae King

In the six months since the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus released a list of priests whom it deemed had been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors, it has added 14 more names and started a task force to study its policies and make recommendations to the bishop.

The task force, which was formed in May and still is being established, will have 12 to 15 members, including a parish priest and people in the fields of law enforcement, civil law, canon law and mental health. It will review all diocesan policies and procedures related to the sexual abuse of minors, Bishop Robert Brennan said.

“We want to rely on the best advice we can get,” Brennan said. “We want to involve laypeople; we want to involve a lot of people. It’s not just me sitting in a room.”

Regina Quinn, director of the diocese’s safe environment office and chairwoman of the task force, said her goal is to get all members of the task force in place this month.

Judy Jones, Midwest regional leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), calls the idea “typical.”

“They’ll start a task force or they’ll make a new policy,” Jones said. “They say all these things. We want to see some action.”

Brennan said, “We want to do things well,” which is why he decided to start by forming a task force instead of just making changes himself.

“I just need professionals to define it for me; I need to know exactly how these things (work). This isn’t my area of expertise,” he said.

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

BRIDGEPORT (CT)
Connecticut Post

September 9, 2019

By Daniel Tepfer

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport has acknowledged for the first time that a prominent cleric, who according to court documents played a major role in hiding cases of abuse by priests, was “credibly accused” of abusing a child.

Monsignor William Genuario, who died in June 2015, had been the vicar general of the diocese and reviewed accusations of sexual abuse against priests. Genuario also was a prominent priest in Greenwich for almost 20 years.

The diocese also stated that another dead priest, the Rev. Vincent Cleary, was determined to have a credible allegation of abuse against him.

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.

TORONTO (CANADA)
Catholic News Service via Catholic Register of Archdiocese of Toronto

September 13, 2019

By Mike Latona

In the wake of nearly 50 lawsuits filed against it since New York’s Child Victims Act took effect Aug. 14, the Diocese of Rochester filed for reorganization Sept. 12, under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

“This is a very difficult and painful decision,” Bishop Matano said in a video and letter to parishes released Sept. 12. The bishop read the letter at the beginning of a news conference held late that day at the diocesan pastoral center in Gates.

“But after assessing all reasonable possibilities to satisfy the claims, reorganization is considered the best and fairest course of action for the victims and for the well-being of the diocese, its parishes, agencies and institutions,” he said. “We believe this is the only way we can provide just compensation for all who suffered the egregious sin of sexual abuse while ensuring the continued commitment of the diocese to the mission of Christ.”

According to the United States Courts website, Chapter 11 is a voluntary action taken by organizations to settle claims on which they owe while remaining intact.

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.

ROCHESTER (NY)
WHEC

September 13, 2019

By Berkeley Brean

This weekend, hundreds of thousands of Catholics will go to Mass in the Rochester Diocese wondering what’s going to happen to their church now that the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. News10NBC is finding answers from a place that already went through this.

Starting in 2015, four dioceses in Minnesota filed for bankruptcy. The largest — Minneapolis, St. Paul — reached a settlement last year. So I contacted a former Rochester journalist and reporter at our sister station in Minnesota, Kevin Doran, to find out what happened.

Doran and his KSTP news team covered the story of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis, St. Paul when it filed for bankruptcy and emerged three years later.

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.

ROCHESTER (NY)
Rochester Beacon

September 13, 2019

By Will Astor

[This article links to Fr. Daniel J. Condon’s affidavit.]

In a long anticipated move as it faced an inevitable tide of claims by individuals seeking compensation for alleged sexual abuse, the Catholic Diocese of Rochester has asked court protection from creditors while it reorganizes.

A rash of sex-abuse claims against the Rochester Diocese began to pour in to local state courts last month when the Child Victims Act took effect. Signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo Feb. 14, the act partially lifts a state statute of limitations that previously required victims claiming abuse to seek compensation before their 23rd birthday.

The partial lifting of the statute of limitations is temporary. The 2019 act, which extends the claimants’ window to file civil abuse claims to their 55th birthday, sunsets in August 2020. In the time (less than month and a half) that previously barred claims have been allowed, nearly 100 have filed or announced their intention to file civil sex-abuse charges against the Rochester 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.

ROCHESTER (NY)
WHAM

September 13, 2019

by Tanner Jubenville

Most the lawsuits filed under the newly enacted Child Victims Act name the Diocese of Rochester, which is much of the reason why it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Thursday.

That law, which went into effect last month, opened a year-long window for sex abuse victims to file lawsuits against their alleged accusers. That included the Catholic Church.

But Thursday’s filing has changed how proceedings against the diocese will move forward.

“So all the cases that have been filed in state court, our cases, all the cases being drafted – all those need to be consolidated, and will be consolidated before the bankruptcy judge,” said attorney James Marsh, who is representing survivors of clergy 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.

WHITE PLAINS (NY)
Journal News

September 12, 2019

By Joseph Spector and Jon Campbell

https://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/albany/2019/09/12/child-victims-act-sponsor-rochester-diocese-its-their-own-fault/2298998001/

Supporters of the Catholic Church in New York feared the Child Victims Act would force dioceses across the state into financial ruin.

On Thursday, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester became the first diocese in New York to file for bankruptcy protection, claiming it faces massive judgements for past sexual abuse within its organization.

Supporters of the Child Victims Act, which went into effect last month, had little sympathy for the diocese and others who may also go the bankruptcy route.

Victims “have every right now to go to court and seek justice, and if the institutions find themselves in financial difficulty, what I could say is: It’s their own fault,” Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, said Thursday.

The law revived previously expired claims from child sexual abuse victims, who have a one-year window to seek judgments against their abusers and the institutions who harbored them regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.

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 (NY)
Times Union

September 12, 2019

By Cayla Harris

Institutions seek help from insurers after Child Victims Act went into effect Aug. 14

The Department of Financial Services on Thursday pushed insurers across the state to quickly resolve claims stemming from cases filed under the Child Victims Act.

The guidance, issued at the direction of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, notes that insurance companies may be liable for some damages awarded to survivors who pursue legal action under the CVA’s recently enacted one-year look-back period. The window temporarily eliminates the state’s statute of limitations, allowing survivors of all ages to pursue civil claims against their alleged offenders, reviving cases that are sometimes decades old.

More than 95 percent of the more than 600 cases filed in the state since the statute went into effect last month target institutions, primarily the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts of America, who have invoked insurance policies to help cover settlements, according to attorneys familiar with the matter.

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.

ROCHESTER (NY)
Diocese of Rochester

September 12, 2019

By Doug Mandelaro

[The Diocese of Rochester also posted a letter from Bishop Salvatore Matano.]

Faced with multiple legal claims under the New York State Child Victims Act that exceed its resources to settle or litigate, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester today filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

The parishes of the Diocese and the agencies of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester are not part of the Chapter 11 filing. The 86 parishes are separately incorporated under New York State’s Religious Corporation Law. Charitable entities such as Catholic Charities are separately incorporated under New York’s Not for Profit Corporation Law. Their ministries and operations of parishes should not be directly affected by the Diocese’s Chapter 11 proceeding.

“This is a very difficult and painful decision,” Bishop of Rochester Salvatore R. Matano said in a Letter to the Faithful and video message today. “After assessing all reasonable possibilities to satisfy the claims, reorganization is considered the best and fairest course of action for the victims and for the well-being of the Diocese, its parishes, agencies and institutions. We believe this is the only way we can provide just compensation for all who suffered the egregious sin of sexual abuse, while ensuring the continued commitment of the Diocese to the mission of Christ.”

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

CHICAGO (IL)
CBS 2 Chicago

Sept. 13, 2019

By Brad Edwards

The CBS 2 Investigators made a remarkable discovery about the statue of once-beloved Fr. John Smyth, the disgraced longtime leader of Maryville Academy in Des Plaines.

The bronze statue came to symbolize pain for grown men who have accused Smyth of sexually abusing them when they were children.

CBS 2 Investigator Brad Edwards sat down with the attorney representing a dozen accusers, and then he went to see the statue.

Smyth was a captivating figure. He was a star on the University of Notre Dame’s basketball team and selected by St. Louis in the 1957 NBA draft. He chose the priesthood instead. He was assigned to Maryville after ordination in 1962 and became its executive director in 1970 — a position he held until it was shuttered in 2004.

Smyth could have been a star in the NBA, yet he decided to take over a rundown orphanage in Des Plaines.

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)
Vox News

Sept. 13, 2019

By Jane Coaston

Jerry Falwell Jr. — president of Liberty University (one of the world’s largest Christian universities) and a prominent supporter of President Trump — has made headlines many times before. Most recently, however, the headlines have focused on a slow-moving series of scandals that threaten to bring down, or at least sully the reputation of, one of evangelical Christianity’s most famous families.

Earlier this week, Politico published a story connecting him and his wife Becki Falwell to a host of questionable real estate deals; possible self-dealing efforts to financially benefit members of the Falwell family; online poll manipulation; and visits to Miami nightclubs. (Liberty University forbids students from attending dances.) According to employees of the University, Falwell Jr. runs a “dictatorship” at Liberty, but said that speaking out about his conduct was necessary.

Falwell’s concerning behavior reportedly also includes his communications with students. As detailed by Reuters this week, Falwell described students at Liberty as “physically retarded” and “social misfits” in emails, the latter stemming from concern from students who wanted to work out at a Liberty-owned off-campus gym (which Falwell wanted to be kept private for Liberty executive use only).

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.

BILLINGS (MT)
Associated Press

Sept. 14, 2019

An attorney for the Jehovah’s Witnesses is asking the Montana Supreme Court to reverse a $35 million verdict against the church for not reporting a girl’s sexual abuse to authorities.

Last year, a jury awarded $4 million in compensatory damages and $31 million in punitive damages to a woman who says she was abused as a child in the mid-2000s.

The abuse was by a member of the Thompson Falls Jehovah’s Witness congregation who was previously accused of abusing two other family members.

Attorney Joel Taylor said Friday during oral arguments that church elders handled the allegations internally in accordance with church practices. He says state law exempts clergy following church doctrine or practice from reporting.

The woman’s attorney, Jim Molloy, says the church doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

The court did not make an immediate ruling.

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 ORLEANS (LA)
Associated Press

Sept. 14, 2019

A Louisiana court’s recent dismissal of a lawsuit against the NFL over officiating at a January playoff game is now being cited by attorneys for the Catholic Church as they fight civil lawsuits over alleged sex abuse by clergy.

A Tuesday filing by church attorneys quotes from the Supreme Court’s Sept. 6 decision dismissing a suit filed by attorney and Saints fan Antonio LeMon. LeMon and three others had sued the NFL for alleged fraud after officials failed to call blatant pass interference and roughness penalties during a key play in a Saints playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

“Just as it is ‘not the role of judges and juries to be second-guessing the decision taken by a professional sports league purportedly enforcing its own rules,’ it is certainly not the role of judges and juries to adjudicate whether or not a religious entity such as the Archdiocese has complied with its own rules, doctrines, or policies,” the filing says. “Moreover, the right of religious entities to govern themselves is guaranteed by both the United States and Louisiana Constitutions, while professional sports leagues have no similar constitutional protection.”

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

Sept. 13, 2019

By Hemant Mehta

For more than a year now, ever since the Pennsylvania grand jury report was released, several state attorneys general have been investigating their own Catholic dioceses, looking into allegations of sexual abuse covering a span of decades.

Missouri’s AG Eric Schmitt announced yesterday that he’s now referring 12 priests’ names for prosecution (since, by law, he can’t prosecute them himself) from the list of 163 priests accused of wrongdoing. About half of them have died since their alleged crimes. For many others, the statute of limitations has run out. Another 16 were already referred to local prosecutors. All told, Missouri may be going after more priests than any other state in the country… so far.

In one case being referred for prosecution, a priest is reported to have shared a bed on “numerous instances” with young children before the diocese placed him on leave in 2016, according to the report.

In another, a priest was allowed to return to ministry after a 2015 allegation of “detailed unwanted and inappropriate hugging and kissing of an elementary school aged child.” The priest apparently left the country this year, the report says.

Some victims’ advocates say Schmitt hasn’t gone far enough. He may be prosecuting predator priests, but he has not yet gone after the Church leaders who knew about their crimes but never did anything about it. It’s unclear if there’s a clear path for him (and enough evidence) to pursue those charges in court.

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.

COLUMBUS (OH)
Columbus Dispatch

Sept. 13, 2019

By Danae King

The Rev. Kevin Lutz, a priest in Columbus and central Ohio for four decades who recently retired from St. Mary parish in German Village, has been placed on administrative leave following an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.

Lutz, 69, was placed on leave Wednesday by Bishop Robert Brennan of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus as part of a diocesan investigation into the allegation, according to a release from the diocese.

Lutz, who did not respond to a request for comment Friday, on Sunday announced his retirement from St. Mary, where he recently supervised a years-long renovation of the historic building. A day later, the accusation that Lutz had sexually abused a minor in the 1980s during his time at St. Christopher Parish on the Northwest Side was reported to the diocese, according to the release.

The abuse is alleged to have occurred from 1982 to 1986. The diocese said it reported the allegation to Columbus police on Monday, the same day it found out about it, and also told Lutz.

A Columbus police report, dated Friday, states that the victim was a 14-year-old male and that the incident occurred in 1984. No specific date or location was given.

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.

JEFFERSON (WI)
Associated Press

Sept. 14, 2019

A Wisconsin jury on Friday acquitted a retired Catholic priest on charges alleging that he had sexually assaulted an altar boy over several years, starting in 2006.

The Jefferson County jury found William Nolan, 66, not guilty of five counts of sexual assault following a weeklong trial.

The 26-year-old accuser, who lives in California, alleged that Nolan had sexual contact with him as many as 100 times, starting in 2006 when he was a middle school student at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fort Atkinson, which is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of Milwaukee. Nolan was the parish priest there. The accuser said the abuse continued into his high school years.

Nolan testified that he did not have any physical contact with the boy other than a friendly hug one time, WKOW-TV reported. He said that when he heard of the allegations from police in 2018, he was “mad, angry because it didn’t happen.”

The accuser testified that he had sexual contact with Nolan in his church office, behind the church altar, at his home and during a school cross-country team practice.

Nolan testified that the boy could not have gone to his office undetected by staff and others.

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.

BALTIMORE (MD)
Archdiocese of Baltimore

Sept. 13, 2019

By Christopher Gunty

Clergy sexual abuse survivor Marie Collins kicked off a five-city U.S. speaking tour on “The Catholic Tipping Point” in Baltimore Sept. 10, noting that she is disappointed with the results of the Vatican summit on child protection and efforts toward accountability and transparency.

Collins, who was one of the original members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, resigned from that group in 2017 because she was concerned that promised reforms were not being implemented and Vatican leaders were impeding the commission’s work.

Collins also met before her talk with Archbishop William E. Lori and members of the child and youth protection staff of the archdiocese and a few key members of the Independent Review Board that advises about child protection policies and procedures.

Speaking to a crowd of about 100 people at the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore, Collins said the abuse crisis has brought the church to a tipping point.

“The church has come to a crossroads,” she said. “It’s got to decide where it’s going to go next because if it doesn’t change, it’s going to lose everything.”

That would be a shame, she said, because the church does a great deal and there are many good people in the church. She said she no longer depends on whether the leadership of the church can effect change and that it is time for the laity to act.

Before the talk, Collins told the Catholic Review she was disappointed in the outcomes of a Vatican summit on child protection in February. “We had been told it would be about responsibility, accountability and transparency,” she said.

“What we saw come out of it was a (promise of) handbook for bishops — that has not come out yet — and a safeguarding policy for Vatican City, which if you look at it is nothing to boast about, because this is 2019. They should have had a safeguarding policy in position decades ago.”

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.

RUTLAND (VT)
Rutland Herald

Sept. 7, 2019

By Gordon Dritschilo

Editor’s note: A recent report issued by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vermont listed 40 members of the clergy who had been accused of sex abuse and also served in parishes around Vermont during the past 50 or so years. Our ongoing coverage of the fallout of that long-awaited report and the years of abuse across the state, will include occasional stories of victims.

Dan Gilman said he was already at one of the lowest points in his life when he was molested by his now-defrocked priest, Edward Paquette.

“I had broken my neck in July 1972,” said Gilman, now 62. “I dove into an above-ground swimming pool … broke my neck at the C4 level and was instantly paralyzed from the shoulders down. I was 15 at the time.”

Gilman said everyone at Rutland Regional Medical Center told him he wouldn’t get out anytime soon, and he overheard a doctor saying his life expectancy was only nine years.

“I just shut down mentally,” he said. “Then, all of a sudden, Father Paquette waltzes into my life a week or so later.”

The priest gave Gilman communion, Gilman said, and told him that God could heal his injuries.

“The abuse started at the hospital while I was in traction — in bed with with weights attached to my skull,” he said. “He took credit for each little improvement and lack of pain that happened with the little rituals he did. … I fell for it hook, line and sinker.”

Gilman said Paquette molested him from August 1972 to October 1974, continuing to visit him when he moved home from the hospital. Then, one day, Paquette stopped coming. Gilman said nobody told him why.

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

NEW YORK (NY)
Huffington Post

Sept. 13, 2019

By Carol Kuruvilla

While preaching to his new Florida congregation last Sunday, Pastor Tullian Tchividjian spoke at length about how God offers unconventional, unconditional and sometimes, downright “infuriating” grace to everyone ― even those society considers outcasts.

Tchividjian referred to a biblical story about Jesus interacting with a group of men with leprosy, people who were outcast from their communities as a result of the illness.

“You could no longer work at the job that you had, you could no longer be around the people that love you, you were basically living with this death sentence,” Tchividjian told his Palm Beach Gardens church, describing the experiences of people with leprosy during Jesus’ time.

But then, the Bible says Jesus healed the men ― restoring them to their old lives.

“The one thing that seems to annoy people the most about God is his willingness to love, forgive and restore those whom we have decided deserve the exact opposite,” Tchividjian preached.

He could very well have been thinking about his own story.

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.

ALBUQUERQUE (NM)
Reuters

Sept. 13, 2019

A former Roman Catholic priest who fled to Morocco before he was returned to the United States and convicted of sexually abusing an altar boy in New Mexico in the 1990s, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The US district judge, Martha Vazquez, imposed the sentence on Arthur Perrault, 81, a onetime Air Force chaplain and colonel.

“There are few acts more horrific than the long-term sexual abuse of a child,” said the US attorney, John Anderson, in a statement. “At long last, today’s sentence holds Perrault accountable for his deplorable conduct.”

Perrault was convicted by a federal jury in April on six counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact with a minor in 1991 and 1992 at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque and at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, prosecutors said.

The victim, now an adult, testified that Perrault befriended him when he was 9 years old, showering him with gifts and trips before sexually assaulting him, prosecutors said.

Although he was convicted of abusing just one victim, prosecutors alleged in court filings that Perrault was a serial child molester who abused numerous young people over more than 30 years as a priest in New Mexico and Rhode Island.

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

ST. LOUIS (MO)
MissouriNet

Sept. 13, 2019

By Ashley Byrd

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is referring twelve former clergy members accused of sexual abuse for prosecution. Schmitt’s office has concluded a year-long investigation into the four Catholic dioceses in the state.

In a Friday press conference in St. Louis, Schmitt said, “For decades, faced with credible reports of abuse, the church refused to acknowledge the victims and instead focused their efforts on protecting priests.”

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office must refer the cases to local prosecutors.

“In cases in which local prosecutors should seek our assistance, we stand ready and willing to help, he said Friday. “To the victims: you didn’t deserve any of this. None of what happened to you was your fault. This report, our referrals for criminal prosecution, our aggressive and substantive suggestions for reform, will not change what happened in the past. But, they can change the trajectory of the future and ensure that this never happens again.”

Schmitt, who is also Catholic, also outlined recommendations for church leaders: “Diocese [sic] should assume greater responsibility and oversight over all religious order priests and priest visiting or relocating from other dioceses; number two, the diocese should ensure that their independent review boards are composed entirely of laypeople and that the determinations of credibility and sanctions will be given authoritative weight with respect to the ability of the offending priest and minister in its 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.

MADISON (WI)
Wisconsin State Journal

Sept. 14, 2019

By Logan Wroge

The Madison Diocese has named an eighth priest “credibly accused” of sexually abusing a minor following an outside review, but a support group of those abused by priests claims there are other abusive priests left off the list.

The external review of diocesan personnel files, which was launched in June, adds one more priest to the seven previously named as having substantiated abuse allegations against them. The diocese has also begun investigating recent accusations against another Catholic clergyman, while a retired Madison priest was acquitted Friday on charges of sexual abuse in Jefferson County.

“While on the one hand, I am encouraged by and grateful for past efforts to be thorough and transparent in these matters, the addition of even one priest to the list of those credibly accused of such horrible acts and sins is one too many,” Bishop Donald Hying said in a statement last week.

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.

COLUMBUS (OH)
WCMH TV

Sept. 13, 2019

A Columbus priest has been placed on administrative leave after an accusation of sexual abuse of a minor.

According to the Diocese of Columbus, an accusation was made against Father Kevin Lutz, 69. The incident allegedly occurred during his time at St. Christopher Parish in the Grandview area from 1982-1986.

Lutz announced his retirement from the ministry at St. Mary Parish in German Village, effective September 8. The diocese received the accusation the next day.

According to the diocese:

The same day, Diocesan officials had the allegation reported to Columbus Police and notified Father Lutz of the allegation. On September 11, the details of the allegation were reviewed with Father Lutz, he was formally placed on leave, and he was advised about the steps the Church would follow as a result of the allegation.

The diocese says the placement on administrative leave is not an indication that it has determined the allegation is credible. The investigation into the accusation has just begun.

Priests on administrative leave are prohibited from the public exercise of their priestly ministry. They cannot publicly celebrate sacraments, wear clerical attire, be housed at any parish or on diocesan property, or identify themselves as a member of the clergy.

Father Lutz has been a priest in the Diocese of Columbus since 1978.

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.

MISSOURI
CNN

September 13, 2019

By Daniel Burke

Cases date from 1945 to present day

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt on Friday said he is referring 12 cases of alleged sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy to local authorities for possible prosecution.

The announcement came as Schmitt released a 185-page report detailing his review of 2,000 priests’ personnel files, dating from 1945 to the present day.

The attorney general’s office said it reviewed the records of more than 300 deacons, seminarians and religious women who served in the state’s four Roman Catholic dioceses: the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau and the Diocese of Jefferson City.

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)
The Associated Press

September 12, 2019

By Nicholas Riccardi

A federal jury has found that the Knights of Columbus broke a promise to a small technology firm. But jurors awarded far less than that company sought in its lawsuit.

The jury on Thursday found the Knights breached its contract with List Interactive in not designating them its vendor for websites. But the jury awarded the three-man company just $500,000 in damages, well below the $100 million the plaintiffs sought.

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.

BUFFALO (NY)
Spectrum Local News

September 12, 2019

By Mark Goshgarian

A month after the Child Victims Act look-back window opened, a lawsuit has been filed against Fr. Art Smith, a priest who was removed from ministry by Bishop Edward Kmiec and returned to ministry by Bishop Richard Malone.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Erie County Court by a victim who wishes to remain anonymous at this time. It comes from when he worked at Saint Bernadette Church in Orchard Park.

Fr. Smith has been accused of assault by several people, including his nephew Ryan Cooley and whistleblower Fr. Ryszard Biernat.

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.

ROCHESTER (NY)
The Associated Press

September 12, 2019

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester filed for bankruptcy protection Thursday amid a wave of lawsuits over alleged sexual abuse of children, becoming the first of the state’s eight dioceses to do so and the 20th nationwide. Cayuga County falls into the Rochester Diocese.

New York passed a law this year giving victims of childhood sexual abuse one year to file lawsuits that had previously been barred because the allegations were too old. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against churches and other institutions since the law took effect last month.

“We’ve come to the conclusion that we cannot minister to every victim that comes forward and help them out if we did not go this route,” Bishop Salvatore Matano said during a news conference.

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)
The Kansas City Star

September 11, 2019

By Judy L. Thomas

The Diocese of Cheyenne in Wyoming announced this week that it has substantiated three more allegations of sexual abuse of a minor lodged against a former Kansas City priest.

Three new individuals have come forward in the past year, accusing Bishop Joseph Hart of sexually abusing them in the 1970s and 1980s, the diocese said Tuesday.

“The allegations have been reported to the civil authorities, and the Diocese of Cheyenne has cooperated fully with the police,” the diocese said.

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

MINNEAPOLIS (MN)
Associated Press

September 11, 2019

By Steve Karnowski

The Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Wednesday that he has opened an investigation – which is believed to be the first of its kind under a new Vatican protocol – into allegations that a bishop in northwestern Minnesota interfered with investigations into clerical sexual misconduct.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in a statement posted on the archdiocese’s website that the investigation targets Bishop Michael Hoeppner of the Crookston diocese. Hebda said the allegations are that Hoeppner “carried out acts or omissions intended to interfere with or avoid civil or canonical investigations of clerical sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Crookston,” but he gave no further details. He said law enforcement has been informed.

This is the first known investigation by one bishop into another under a groundbreaking church law issued by Pope Francis in May aimed at holding the Catholic hierarchy accountable for failing to protect their flocks. Among other things, it outlines procedures for conducting preliminary investigations of bishops accused of sexual misconduct or cover-ups.

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.

WESTFIELD (NJ)
TAP Into

September 12, 2019

By Matt Kadosh

When the Archdiocese of Newark released its list of priests credibly accused of sex abuse earlier this year, Westfield resident Michael Mautone distinctly recognized one name on the list: the man he recalls abused him when he was 16 years old.

The church lists “child pornography” next to the name of that man, Kevin Gugliotta, and shows seven parishes in New Jersey Gugliotta served at following his ordainment as a priest in 1996 and prior to his being “permanently removed” from the ministry.

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.

EAST HAMPTON (NY)
The East Hampton Star

September 12, 2019

By Christine Sampson

Years-old allegations point to 2 former priests

Sag Harbor’s St. Andrew parish is among about 170 parishes around the state named in a widespread sex abuse complaint brought by people who say they were abused, as children, by clergy at those parishes and in some cases their schools.

St. Andrew Catholic Church and its former elementary school, the St. Andrew School, employed two priests who allegedly abused a man who is now an adult living with his family in New Jersey.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre, which oversees Catholic churches and schools on Long Island, was served Aug. 28 with lawsuits and formal discovery requests that are said by attorneys to begin the process of revealing many decades of “secret files” containing evidence of child sex abuse.

The process began last month when hundreds of complaints were filed under New York State’s Child Victims Act, which went into effect on Aug. 14 and opened a one-year window for “all cases for anyone of any age” to file suit, according to Jennifer Freeman of the Marsh Law Firm. Ms. Freeman said more than 550 childhood sex abuse survivors have done so.

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.

VERMONT
Seven Days

September 11, 2019

By Molly Walsh and Derek Brouwer

John “Jack” Kenney happened to be standing in his front yard when a reporter drove up the long dirt drive to his two-story home in West Glover last Thursday.

The 91-year-old ex-priest is among those “credibly accused of sexual abuse” according to a recent report from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington.

Kenney had little to say when asked about the list of alleged perpetrators Bishop Christopher Coyne released last month.

“I’m not interested in it, thank you very much,” Kenney said initially, as he stood in the September sunshine.

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.

BROOKLYN (NY)
ABC News

September 10, 2019

By Meghan Keneally

The number of people suing the Catholic dioceses in New York over abuse they allegedly suffered as children continues to grow.

Ten new lawsuits were filed on Monday, adding to the list of cases that have mounted against the diocese of Brooklyn in the wake of New York’s Child Victim’s Act, a new law that took effect Aug. 14 and allows a one-year window for victims to file civil claims in connection to child abuse no matter the statute of limitations.

The 10 lawsuits filed Monday are being handled by the law firm of Jeff Anderson and Associates. Mike Reck, an attorney for the firm, told ABC News that they have filed nearly 300 lawsuits across New York state since the Child Victims Act window opened.

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)
Catholic News Agency

September 11, 2019

By Jonah McKeown

Amid calls for his resignation, Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo remains firm in his conviction not to step down from office, even as Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York assesses whether to open an investigation into Malone’s alleged mishandling of abuse cases.

“Cardinal Dolan has been following the situation in Buffalo very carefully. He is aware of his responsibilities under Vos estis lux mundi, he has been consulting extensively both with individuals in Buffalo, including Bishop Malone, clergy and laity,” Joseph Zwilling, communication director for the New York archdiocese, told CNA in a Sept. 10 interview.

“He has been in touch with the nuncio, and with the Holy See. So he has been remaining on top of it, and I expect that we will hear something, some development sometime in the near future,” Zwilling continued.

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.

STATEN ISLAND (NY)
SI Live

September 10, 2019

By Kyle Lawson

Former Staten Island baseball and basketball coach Tony Sagona is now named in three lawsuits claiming he targeted, groomed and sexually abused players.

In a complaint filed this week in state Supreme Court, St. George, the latest accuser claims he was abused from 1975 to 1977, during his time as a player in the Great Kills Babe Ruth League. The New Jersey-based parent organization also is named in the lawsuit.

“I had dreams of being a pro ball player, and I had the ability to do it, (but) things went downhill,” said the complainant, Timothy Morey, in a recent telephone interview with the Advance.

Morey grew up on Staten Island and had a home address in the borough until he recently moved to North Carolina.

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.