ABUSE TRACKER

MAINE
Portland Press Herald

BY JOE LAWLOR
STAFF WRITER

The Maine House voted Tuesday to rescue a $2.2 million child abuse prevention program in an attempt to overturn efforts by the LePage administration to terminate it.

The bill to save the Community Partnerships for Protecting Children has attracted bipartisan support, with Democratic lawmakers joined by Republican Senate Majority Leader Michael Thibodeau and Republican Sen. Amy Volk of Scarborough. The measure was approved on a voice vote and will now go to the Senate.

The state is considering reforms in its child abuse protection system after a public outcry following the recent deaths of 10-year-old Marissa Kennedy of Stockton Springs and 4-year-old Kendall Chick of Wiscasset. The parents or caregivers of both children have been charged with depraved indifference murder in their deaths.

Maine Department of Health and Human Services officials announced in February that the child abuse prevention program would end in September. The bill would extend funding through Jan. 31 to give the incoming administration time to evaluate the program. Gov. Paul LePage is finishing his final term, and a new governor will take over in January. Democratic, Republican and independent candidates will vie in November to succeed LePage.

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MAINE
WABI

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) The Maine House has voted to save a child abuse prevention program that the governor planned to eliminate.

The Portland Press Herald reports the bill to save the $2.2 million Community Partnerships for Protecting Children program passed Tuesday with bipartisan support. The bill will continue funding through Jan. 31 after the new governor takes over.

Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s office had planned to end the program in September, saying the state’s existing child abuse and neglect councils provide similar services. The governor had experienced abuse as a child.

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SCOTLAND
BBC News

A man who was sexually abused by Catholic priest Paul Moore when he was just five years old has said the ordeal “poisoned my life”.

Andi Lavery, who was Moore’s youngest victim, has given BBC Scotland permission to publish a picture of him which was taken in May 1977.

He said: “I was assaulted that day. Moore was present when the picture was taken.”

Mr Lavery said the impact of the attacks was incalculable.

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ALABAMA
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Crystal Bonvillian, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

HOOVER, Ala.
An Alabama evangelist, public speaker and author was arrested Tuesday, accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy.

Paul Edward Acton Bowen, 37, of Southside, was booked on charges of sodomy, sexual abuse and enticing a child for immoral purposes, according to Jefferson County Jail records. He was released early Wednesday morning on $90,300 bail.

AL.com reported that an investigation into Bowen by the Hoover Police Department began about three weeks ago. An arrest warrant was issued on Monday.

The victim in the case is a family acquaintance between the ages of 13 and 15.

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UNITED STATES
New York Daily News

CARRON J. PHILLIPS

Jerry Sandusky and Larry Nassar were just the beginning.

Because the discussion surrounding the sexual assault and abuse that takes place in sports is nowhere near a conclusion.

On Tuesday, a report by the North Jersey Media Group detailed how Bergen Catholic School officials worked together to cover up a sexual abuse scandal inside the wrestling program at the all-boys school.

And according to reports, the abuse included coaches watching student-athletes as they stripped naked, the sharing of pornographic images, and inappropriate texts from coaches sent to athletes.

According to the 29-page, 12-count lawsuit, the school and Newark Archdioceses worked together to protect the coaches and not the students.

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VIRGINIA
Loudoun Times

By Veronike Collazo, vcollazo@loudountimes.com

Rev. Michael R. Duesterhaus, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington who previously served at churches in Loudoun County, was placed on administrative leave in March pending investigation of an allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor.

Duesterhaus is on leave from his assignment as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Winchester.

The alleged incidents occurred between 2001 and 2004, and Duesterhaus denies the accusation, according to a statement by the Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

The Diocese is fully cooperating with law enforcement and will continue to do so.

According to the statement, Duesterhaus — like all priests, diocesan employees and volunteers who work with children in the Diocese of Arlington — underwent criminal background checks during his service.

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ILLINOIS
Washington Post

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey

Prominent pastor Bill Hybels announced Tuesday he is stepping down from his Chicago-area megachurch Willow Creek, just weeks after the Chicago Tribune published allegations of misconduct from several women. Hybels, who with his wife co-founded one of the nation’s largest churches in 1975, was a spiritual adviser to President Bill Clinton around the time of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

He told the church publicly last year that he was planning to step down in October, but he resigned Tuesday, saying he would be a distraction to the church’s ministry. Some members of his congregation shouted “No!” and gave him a standing ovation following his address.

In March, the Chicago Tribune published allegations that he made suggestive comments, extended hugs, an unwanted kiss and invitations to a staff member to hotel rooms. The newspaper also reported allegations of a consensual affair with a married woman, and the woman who said she had an affair later retracted her allegations. Hybels has denied all the allegations and said on Tuesday again that the church’s investigations found no evidence of misconduct. However, he told his congregation he felt attacked and wished he had responded differently.

“I apologize to you, my church, for a response that was defensive instead of one that invited conversation and learning,” he said.

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ILLINOIS
Chicago Tribune

Manya Brachear Pashman and Jeff Coen
Chicago Tribune

Forty-two years after founding one of the nation’s most influential evangelical megachurches, the Rev. Bill Hybels told his congregation Tuesday night that he would step down from the helm of Willow Creek Community Church six months ahead of schedule.

His departure comes less than a month after a Chicago Tribune investigation disclosed that Hybels had been the subject of inquiries by church leaders into claims that he ran afoul of church teachings by engaging in inappropriate behavior with women in his congregation — including employees — allegedly spanning decades. The inquiries had cleared Hybels.

At times choking back tears, Hybels told the somber crowd at a hastily called meeting at the church’s main campus in South Barrington that, while he continued to enjoy support from within his congregation, the controversy was proving to be a distraction from the church’s mission and work.

Referring to his wife, he said, “It has been extremely painful for Lynne and I to see this controversy continue to be a distraction.”

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ILLINOIS
WGN

BY MEGHAN DWYER AND MELISSA ESPANA

SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. — A pastor at an Evangelical megachurch announced he is resigning six months ahead of schedule. The announcement comes after a Chicago Tribune investigation disclosed that the pastor had allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior with women in his church.

Rev. Bill Hybels told his congregation on Tuesday that he would be stepping down from his position at Willow Creek Community Church, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“The leaders of both our church and the Willow Creek Association need the freedom to get on with the task of carry out the important missions that God has given to them. Therefore, I have decided to accelerate my planned retirement date from October of this year to tonight,” he said to his congregation Tuesday evening.

According to the investigation, the alleged behavior included suggestive comments, extended hugs, an unwanted kiss, and invitations to hotel rooms.

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CALIFORNIA
NBC Los Angeles

A former pastor at a Carlsbad church who pleaded guilty to repeatedly molesting a child over the course of nearly two years was sentenced to 15 years in prison Tuesday.

Prosecutors said that 44-year-old Matthew Tague, a pastor at the North Coast Calvary Chapel at the time of his arrest, only turned himself in because his wife caught him abusing the young girl.

Tague was arrested on May 31, 2017, on 14 counts of lewd and lascivious acts on one minor victim. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) said Tague called deputies on Monday and reported the crimes himself.

He pled guilty to two counts of committing a lewd act on a child in February.

“This is very shocking to me,” Karen Graham told NBC 7 last June. She said the pastor mentored her son. “It’s like losing a close friend to my son, to my family. To have a man of this stature do something like that, it’s just unbelievable.”

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CALIFORNIA
San Diego Union-Tribune

Pauline Repard

A former assistant pastor at a large Carlsbad church got a 15-year prison sentence Tuesday for molesting a 13-year-old relative over the span of about a year.

Before hearing his sentence, Matthew Tague, 44, of San Marcos, once an assistant pastor at North Coast Calvary Chapel, apologized for his behavior. Reading a statement, said he was ashamed and remorseful.

“He said that he brought shame on his church and family and damage to the girl,” recounted his attorney, Richard Muir. “He said he will spend the rest of his life trying to rehabilitate from this.”

Tague was fired from North Coast Calvary Chapel last year when church officials learned of the allegations. Tague had ministries to families and to church members ages 30 to 40.

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ALABAMA
WSFA

MOBILE, AL (WALA) –
A Mobile County jury convicted pastor on rape and sex abuse of a child charges Tuesday.

Alvin McNeil was the pastor at Open Door True Worship Church in Mobile when he was indicted in 2016. He was arrested after a mother went to police after McNeil raped her 16-year-old daughter and she became pregnant. The mother also said McNeil molested her 11-year-old daughter.

McNeil’s bond was revoked and he was booked into Mobile County Metro Jail. He will be sentenced on May 24.

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ALABAMA
News 5

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) – The jury has found Pastor Alvin McNeil guilty of rape and sex abuse of a child under 12.

Judge Lockett revoked his bond and took the defendant into custody, the District Attorney’s office said.

56-year-old Alvin McNeil was a pastor of Open Door True Worship Apostolic Church.

The Prichard resident was booked into Mobile County Metro Jail back in September 2016. He was charged with child sexual abuse, first-degree rape, and first-degree sodomy, according to the jail log.

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AUSTRALIA
Armidale Express

Mark Russell

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has told a NSW court he lived with a pedophile priest but had no idea he was abusing young boys.

Wilson, who’s the most senior Catholic official in the world to be charged with concealing child sexual abuse, on Wednesday revealed he lived with James Fletcher, two other priests and the local bishop in the NSW Hunter region in 1983.

That was seven years after two former altar boys allegedly told Wilson they’d been abused by Fletcher.

Wilson told Newcastle Local Court he was never friends with Fletcher but thought he was a good bloke.

“I had no reason to suspect he wasn’t,” the 67-year-old said.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has declared under oath that two former altar boys never told him they had been sexually abused by a fellow priest.

Wilson, who has been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, gave evidence in his defence in Newcastle Local Court after magistrate Robert Stone rejected the clergyman’s bid to have the case thrown out.

The 67-year-old is the most senior Catholic official in the world to be charged with concealing child sexual abuse.

Wilson told the court today he had known one of the former altar boys, Peter Creigh, and his family when he was an assistant priest in the NSW Hunter region in the mid-1970s.

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AUSTRALIA
news.com.au

Mark Russell

ADELAIDE Archbishop Philip Wilson has declared under oath that two former altar boys never told him they had been sexually abused by a fellow priest.

Archbishop Wilson, 67, who has been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, gave evidence in his defence in Newcastle Local Court after magistrate Robert Stone rejected the clergyman’s bid to have the case thrown out.

Archbishop Wilson told the court on Wednesday he had known one of the former altar boys Peter Creigh and his family when he was an assistant priest in the NSW Hunter Region in the mid-1970s.

But Archbishop Wilson said he had no memory of Mr Creigh telling him in 1976 how he had been sexually abused by priest James Fletcher five years earlier, when he was 10.

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AUSTRALIA
The Guardian

Australian Associated Press

Wed 11 Apr 2018

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has declared under oath that two former altar boys never told him they had been sexually abused by a fellow priest.

Wilson, who has been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, gave evidence in his defence in Newcastle local court after magistrate Robert Stone rejected the clergyman’s bid to have the case thrown out.

The 67-year-old is the most senior Catholic official in the world to be charged with concealing child sexual abuse.

Wilson told the court on Wednesday he had known one of the former altar boys, Peter Creigh, and his family when he was an assistant priest in the NSW Hunter region in the mid-1970s.

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GUAM
Pacific News Center

By Jolene Toves – April 11, 2018

Guam – Yesterday, a lawsuit filed in the District Court of Guam detailed accusations of sexual abuse against former Chancellor Father Adrian Cristobal, naming him for the first time as an alleged sexual predator.

In a statement from Archdiocese of Guam, Spokesperson Tony Diaz, he confirms, “Father Adrian is still a priest of the Archdiocese of Agana. However, he is off-island in mission at the Diocese of Phoenix.”

In light of the allegations, Diaz says Father Cristobal is being called back to the island.

Cristobal was the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Agana appointed by Archbishop Anthony Apuron. However, when Apuron was placed on leave in 2016 as a result of sexual allegations against him, the Vatican not only appointed Archbishop Michael Byrnes as a temporary administrator but Cristobal was also replaced as chancellor.

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GUAM
Radio New Zealand

Another Catholic priest is facing child sexual abuse allegations on Guam.

Adrian Cristobal, who is now a priest in Arizona, is accused in a lawsuit of molesting an altar boy at a parish from about 1995 to 1997.

In one case, the plaintiff claims he was abused right after a funeral mass.

Guam’s Archdiocese told the Pacific Daily News that it’s recalling Mr Cristobal to the island.

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NEW YORK
The Journal News

Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, jfitzgib@lohud.com

Alleged victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests have until April 15 to file their final claims with the Archdiocese of New York as part of a victims compensation program set up by the church.

The deadline is for individuals who filed an initial claim with the Archdiocese prior to Nov. 1, the end of the second phase of the compensation program.

Those individuals were given a packet that included a form to request financial compensation for the abuse. Those are the forms due by Sunday.

To date, more than 200 claims of abuse by priests have been filed under the diocese’s Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program, launched by Cardinal Timothy Dolan in 2016.

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SCOTLAND
BBC News

A Catholic priest has been jailed for nine years for sexually abusing three children and a student priest in crimes spanning more than 20 years.

Father Paul Moore, 82, committed the crimes in various locations in Ayrshire between 1977 and 1996.

The court heard how he abused one boy at a school, another at a leisure centre and a third on the beach at Irvine in the 1970s.

He was also found guilty of indecently assaulting a student priest in 1995.

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AUSTRALIA
Border Mail

Mark Russell

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson had acted in a way “designed to protect the reputation of the Catholic Church” in not reporting a fellow priest’s historical sexual abuse of altar boys, a NSW court has heard.

The claim was made as magistrate Robert Stone was preparing to rule on a last-ditch bid by Wilson, who’s accused of covering up child sex abuse, to have the case against him dropped.

Mr Stone told the Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday he hoped to decide on a submission by defence barrister Stephen Odgers SC that Wilson had “no case to answer” by noon on Wednesday. But the ruling could come as late as Thursday.

Mr Odgers made the submission after prosecutor Gareth Harrison formally closed the crown case against Wilson on Tuesday.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

The most senior Catholic official charged with concealing child abuse is awaiting his fate as a NSW magistrate decides whether to proceed with the case against him.

Two former altar boys claim they told then assistant priest Philip Wilson in 1976 that priest James Fletcher sexually assaulted them.

Fletcher was found guilty of child sexual abuse and died in jail in 2006.

The defence barrister for Wilson, now the Archbishop of Adelaide, said the case was circumstantial and there was no evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Wilson had been told about the abuse, believed it was true or remembered being told about it.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Reuters

David DeKok

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (Reuters) – One of 50 women to accuse comedian Bill Cosby of sexual molestation told a jury on Tuesday he gave her spiked wine that kept her stupefied for four days in 1984, and she awoke to find him naked and attempting to force himself on her.

Heidi Thomas, an aspiring actress who met Cosby for career coaching, testified in a Pennsylvania courthouse in Cosby’s retrial on charges of sexually assaulting another woman 20 years later.

Thomas was reading a monologue of a character who was drunk, so Cosby persuaded her to drink white wine. She said she recalled “only snapshots” of the next four days.

“The next thing, I remember waking up on a bed. I have clothes on, he did not. I was lying down. He was forcing himself in my mouth,” Thomas said.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Hollywood Reporter

Associated Press

Armed with a couple key rulings that could help the defense, the actor’s lawyer, Tom Mesereau, told jurors that Andrea Constand is a “con artist” who framed his client because she was after “money, money and lots more money.”

As Bill Cosby stands trial a second time over allegations he sexually molested a woman in 2004, his new, high-powered Hollywood lawyer took a far more aggressive tone toward the accuser in his opening statement Tuesday.

Armed with a couple key rulings that could help the defense, Tom Mesereau told jurors that Andrea Constand is a “con artist” who framed his client because she was after “money, money and lots more money.” Mesereau made the point repeatedly as he sought to cast Constand as the villain, and Cosby her victim.

Cosby’s lawyer for his first trial, by contrast, tried to undermine Constand’s credibility by focusing on what he said were her shifting accounts to police.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Variety

Emilie Lounsberry

NORRISTOWN, Pa. – After a defense opening that portrayed Bill Cosby as the victim of phony sexual assault accusations, a Colorado music teacher testified Tuesday that Cosby molested her back in 1984 when she was a struggling actress and he had agreed to mentor her.

The woman, Heidi Thomas, took the stand in Cosby’s retrial here in suburban Philadelphia as prosecutors sought to show that Andrea Constand – the woman whose accusation is at the heart of the criminal case against Cosby – was not the only woman assaulted by the entertainer.

Thomas testified that she traveled to Reno to meet Cosby and ended up staying with him at a ranch outside of town. He gave her a script and asked her to play an intoxicated woman, she said, eventually offering her some white wine. She then became woozy, she said, and woke up in bed with a naked Cosby “forcing himself” into her mouth.

Thomas, then about 24, said she felt sickened yet also felt that she must have done something to lead Cosby to believe she would engage in sexual activity. “I must have given some signal,” said Thomas, who said she later consulted a psychologist. “I did feel like I must have said something that was misunderstood.”

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AUSTRALIA
Illawarra Mercury

Sam Rigney

Magistrate Robert Stone has rejected a defence application to call two witnesses during the landmark hearing of Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson, which the defence said showed he had a tendency to report allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities.

Mr Stone found the evidence, two statements from people who had dealings with Archbishop Wilson during his time at Wollongong and Adelaide, didn’t have “significant probative value” because it did nothing to assist Mr Stone in understanding what the Archbishop’s personal belief was in relation to reporting matters of child sexual abuse.

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson leaving Newcastle courthouse on Tuesday after his defence made a ‘no case to answer application’ at the conclusion of the prosecution case. @newcastleheraldpic.twitter.com/nWeanBFJqT

At the conclusion of the crown case, Archbishop Wilson’s defence barrister, Stephen Odgers, SC, moved to have the case against him dismissed, making a ‘no case to answer’ application and handing up detailed written submissions.

If successful that would mean Archbishop Wilson would not be required to run a defence and the charge would be dismissed.

The case will resume at 2pm on Tuesday for argument on the application.

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NEW JERSEY
CBS News

ORADELL, N.J. — A former wrestler has sued his Catholic high school, claiming the New Jersey school and church officials conspired to cover up sexual and verbal abuse in its nationally recognized wrestling program, CBS New York reports. The suit filed Monday alleges Bergen Catholic High School wrestling coaches shared pornographic images with team members, watched wrestlers strip naked and sent athletes inappropriate text messages.

The lawsuit also claims school and Archdiocese of Newark officials worked to shield the coaches.

In a statement, Brother Brian Walsh, who is president of the school in Oradell, said the suit was “based on allegations that are unfounded, frivolous and untrue.” He said the school would vigorously defend itself.

School and archdiocese officials say they reported the abuse allegations to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office when they learned about them.

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MICHIGAN
National Catholic Reporter

Apr 10, 2018

by James Dearie

The Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan, canceled two events last week as it continues to deal with the fallout from sex abuse allegations against former priests, one of whom was arrested for the second time.

Local NPR affiliate Michigan Radio reported that Fr. Robert DeLand, the priest whose arrest in late February began the troubles in the diocese, was arrested again April 5 and charged with four new crimes, including two counts of felony sexual misconduct and one count of felony manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance.

DeLand had previously been arrested after two people came forward claiming to have been sexually assaulted by the priest. One of them, a 17 year old boy, cooperated with police in a sting operation that ultimately resulted in DeLand’s arrest.

Three of the new charges are related to claims of the 17 year old, while the other comes from a new person, an 18 year old who claims he was assaulted by DeLand last May. His family claims to have reported the abuse to diocese, which never took subsequent action.

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NEW JERSEY
The Daily Beast

OLIVIA MESSER
04.10.18

A former wrestler claims that he was sexually and verbally abused by wrestling coaches at a Catholic high school in New Jersey—and that when he reported the misconduct to administrators, he was kicked off the nationally recognized team.

Coaches at Bergen Catholic High School shared pornographic images, watched students undress, and sent inappropriate messages to up to 100 athletes, according to a 29-page lawsuit filed by John Doe. The 12-count civil complaint was first reported on Monday by NorthJersey.com. It was filed on March 26 in state Superior Court in Bergen County.

The other 99 possible victims, who have not been identified, were mentioned in the complaint in the event other plaintiffs join the suit, Doe’s attorney told the news site. He said he expects “additional victims and witnesses to come forward” once the case receives media coverage.

The counts include sexual abuse of a minor, retaliation, emotional distress, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent hiring, breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, defamation, and civil conspiracy to endanger children, among other charges. Doe, who has demanded a jury trial, is requesting compensatory and punitive damages.

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UNITED STATES
Friendly Atheist

BY DAVID G. MCAFEE

This could certainly be a case in which the Catholic Church did the right thing regarding child sex abusers, but given their record, I’m skeptical.

A Catholic monsignor was arrested by Vatican police on suspicion of possessing child pornography, but that only came after the Vatican first denied a request to waive diplomatic immunity so the offender could be charged in the U.S.

Msgr. Carlo Alberto Capella was finally arrested after being recalled by the Church in August after the U.S. brought evidence of child porn abuse to the attention of Vatican authorities.

The State Department first notified the Holy See in August of a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images by a member of the Holy See’s diplomatic corps accredited to Washington, the Vatican said in September.

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NEW YORK
Buffalo News

By Dan Herbeck

A priest who taught students at two Buffalo-area Catholic high schools for more than a decade was suspended from any public ministry in 2014 after he was accused of sexually abusing a minor, The Buffalo News confirmed this week.

The Rev. Michael M. Lewandowski, now 71, was suspended after the allegation was made in May 2014, according to the Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pa.

The Franciscan priest lived in the Buffalo area and taught at St. Francis High School in Hamburg and at Cardinal O’Hara High School in the Town of Tonawanda at various times from 1976 to 1991, according to directories published by the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. While the complaint made against Lewandowski alleges that the misconduct occurred during the period of time when he was at the two Buffalo area high schools, Buffalo Diocese officials declined to say whether the alleged abuse took place in the Buffalo area.

“While it does appear that Fr. Lewandowski spent all of the 1980s here in WNY, I can not elaborate on any specifics as it relates to whether (or when) accusations were brought to our attention, and where any alleged activity would have occurred,” diocese spokesman George Richert told The Buffalo News in an email.

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NEW YORK
WGRZ

Author: Emily Lampa

While the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has recently released names of accused priests, it has still been largely “hands off” when it comes to acknowledging sexual abuse by religious order brothers, sisters and lay people. But now, a 2014 accusation made against a Franciscan friar prompts response from Catholic leaders.

The Buffalo News was the first to report Monday on 71-year-old Fr. Michael Lewandowski. In 2014 he was accused of sexually abusing a minor some time in the 1980’s.

A review of the official Catholic directories found that in the 80’s and early 90’s Lewandowski was assigned to Saint Francis High School in Hamburg, and Cardinal O’Hara High School in the Town of Tonawanda.

The Buffalo Diocese declined an on camera interview with 2 On Your Side, but a spokesperson sent us a statement which reads, in part:

“While it does appear that Fr. Lewandowski spent all of the 1980’s here in WNY I can not elaborate on any specifics as it relates to whether (or when) accusations were brought to our attention, and where any alleged activity would have occurred.”
The president of St. Francis High School also sent a statement by e-mail:

“I’m unable to comment because the allegation regarding Friar Michael Lewandowski did not involve a student or other person from Saint Francis High School.”

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MARYLAND
NBC Washington

By Scott MacFarlane

Maryland legislators ended their 2018 session without passing a high-profile bill to protect against child sex abuse in schools.

The bill would make it a criminal offense if educators fail to report suspected child abuse, punishable by up to six months in jail.

Although the bill was approved by the Maryland Senate, it did not clear the state House of Delegates before the end of the 2018 session Monday night. The bill was derailed in part by disagreements among supporters about the language it should include and the standards it should set for prosecutors to file a case.

Administrators with the Baltimore Child Abuse Center and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks advocated for new legislation to order criminal penalties for failure to report abuse. They cited the case of Deonte Carraway, a former Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School aide who pleaded guilty to sex offenses against students. A civil suit filed against the school system alleged the district missed warning signs Carraway was abusing children. The school district declined to comment on the suit.

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NEW JERSEY
NJ.com

By Matthew Stanmyre and Patrick Lanni

A 12-count lawsuit filed Monday in state Superior Court in Bergen County alleges coaches from the powerhouse Bergen Catholic High wrestling team engaged in sexual and verbal harassment of at least one wrestler while the school administration conspired to keep the abuse under wraps.

News of the lawsuit was first reported by northjersey.com.

The lawsuit alleges Bergen Catholic head coach Dave Bell “inappropriately undressed with minors and watched wrestlers, including Plaintiff, change in the locker room, which they were completely nude or partially nude.” It also claims assistant coach Dominick “Donnie” Spataro “showed pornographic and nude photographs of himself and others on his mobile phone to Plaintiff and other minor wrestlers, including photographs of his own nude body including his depictions of his penis.”

The complaint goes on to allege that members of the Bergen Catholic administration, including the school’s president, Brother Brian Walsh, principal Timothy McElhinney and athletic director Jack McGovern “knew or should have known about the harassment, abuse, intimidation and bullying of Plaintiff, especially after Plaintiff’s parents raised these concerns, which were expressed both verbally and in writing, on numerous occasions.”

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NEW JERSEY
Paramus Daily Voice

Cecilia Levine

The Bergen Catholic Wrestling program is being accused of sexual and verbal assault in a lawsuit filed in Bergen County Superior Court.

The complaint was filed on behalf of one former wrestler and 100 other unnamed victims, according to the suit , posted in an article by NorthJersey.com.

The 29-page suit says that head coach Dave Bell made inappropriate comments to the athlete, saying he was “shredded” and in emails and texts told him he loved him “as well as other highly inappropriate and sexual predatory behavior on a minor child,” the article says.

Bell’s lawyer, Sean Pena, allegedly sent a letter to The Record and NorthJersey.com threatening to take legal action if a story about the lawsuit was published, the outlet reports.

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NEW JERSEY
NorthJersey.com

Keldy Ortiz and Abbott Koloff, NorthJersey

Bergen Catholic High School officials conspired to cover up sexual and verbal abuse in its nationally recognized wrestling program that included the sharing of pornographic images, coaches watching wrestlers strip naked and inappropriate text messages sent to athletes, according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of a former wrestler.

The 29-page, 12-count lawsuit, which was filed in state Superior Court in Bergen County, also alleges that school and Newark Archdiocese officials worked to shield the wrestling coaches from “criminal detection” in a “conspiracy to endanger children.”

A former wrestler and his parents allege that the school’s president, Brother Brian Walsh, threw him off the team after he complained of abuse during this past wrestling season, according to the suit. The complaint alleges that the school did only a cursory investigation and never contacted authorities.

However, Newark Archdiocese spokesman Jim Goodness said Monday that the Oradell-based school notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. He couldn’t say when the notification was made.

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GUAM
Pacific News Center

Janela Carrera – April 10, 2018

Guam – Another sexual abuse lawsuit has been filed against the church, this time naming former Chancellor Father Adrian Cristobal.

The alleged victim is now 35 years old and is only known by the initials L.J.C. He alleges that Cristobal molested him when he was between the ages of 12 to 14 years while an altar boy at at the San Vicente Church in Barrigada.

According to the complaint, Father Cristobal grabbed his genitals when he was showing the teenager how to properly tuck in his shirt for mass and began to fondle him, asking him, “Do you like that?”

The inappropriate conduct continued, according to court papers. L.J.C. alleges that Father Adrian would hug and caress his ear. He also suspected that Father Adrian was sexually abusing other altar boys, noting that during a retreat at a private beach the boys were being summoned one by one into his tent and L.J.C. would overhear some of them yelling at Father Adrian, telling him, “Stop! You’re hurting me!”

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GUAM
KUAM

By Krystal Paco

A new priest stands accused of clergy sexual abuse. Father Adrian Cristobal is named in the latest filing in the District Court of Guam. The victim, 35-year-old L.J.C. is identified only by his initials to protect his privacy.

The former Barrigada parish altar boy alleges he was sexually molested and abused by Father Adrian on several occasions from 1995 to 1997. One incident occurred after mass.

Though the teen thought he would be scolded for not tucking in his shirt, he alleges Father Adrian told him to undo his pants so he could show him the proper way. Instead, the priest allegedly grabbed his penis and asked “Do you like that?” That’s when the priest allegedly masturbated the teen boy and continued to ask “Do you like that?”

The boy was able to push the priest off him and run home. In a separate incident, during a retreat at a private Ipan Beach, the teen reports Father Adrian called the altar boys one by one into a big tent.

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UNITED STATES
United States Department of Justice

note: To view the indictment click here.

The Justice Department today announced the seizure of Backpage.com, the Internet’s leading forum for prostitution ads, including ads depicting the prostitution of children. Additionally, seven individuals have been charged in a 93-count federal indictment with the crimes of conspiracy to facilitate prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce, facilitating prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce, conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering, international promotional money laundering, and transactional money laundering.|

The seven defendants charged in the indictment are Michael Lacey, 69, of Paradise Valley, Arizona; James Larkin, 68, of Paradise Valley, Arizona; Scott Spear, 67, of Scottsdale, Arizona; John E. “Jed” Brunst, 66, of Phoenix, Arizona; Daniel Hyer, 49, of Dallas, Texas; Andrew Padilla, 45, of Plano, Texas and Jaala Joye Vaught, 37, of Addison, Texas.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange for the District of Arizona, U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna of the Central District of California, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chief Postal Inspector Guy Cottrell and Chief Don Fort of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

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IRELAND
Irish Examiner

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Liam Heylin

A 79-year-old priest who got a suspended jail term last month for sexually assaulting a girl throughout her First Confession in West Cork pleaded guilty yesterday to carrying out similar assaults on three other girls in the mid-1970s

ohn Calnan who is now living at The Presbytery, Roman St, Cork, was formally arrested and charged yesterday by Detective Garda Maurice Shanley.

As soon as Calnan was charged and cautioned by the detective, he replied “guilty” to each of the charges.

Inspector Daniel Coholan then told Judge Olann Kelleher at Cork District Court that the DPP had directed that all cases should be dealt with by indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Joseph Cuddigan, defence solicitor, said there would be no requirement for the preparation of a book of evidence as the accused was prepared to enter signed pleas of guilty to the charges.

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OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Watch

By Jennifer Palmer

A Catholic priest is accused of sexual misconduct on the campus of St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee and former students and faculty have questioned whether officials at the now-shuttered college failed to properly investigate complaints.

Two women have filed a lawsuit against the university, which closed and filed bankruptcy in December, and St. Gregory’s Abbey, where the priest resides.

The university investigated complaints of sexual misconduct involving the Rev. Nicholas Ast, and he was cleared of wrongdoing, according to an attorney for the abbey and the former university board president. No criminal charges have been filed.

The women, Dana Bucko and Cara Judd, allege in the lawsuit the university and the abbey were indifferent to their complaints and failed to properly investigate the allegations.

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PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive

By Ivey DeJesus idejesus@pennlive.com

Advocates for victims of clergy sex abuse are bracing for what they say is certain to be stunning findings out of the most current investigation into abuse across six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania.

One of those advocates, Shaun Dougherty, himself a childhood victim of sexual abuse by a priest, warned that the findings expected out of the grand jury investigation could be extremely troubling.

“There’s some graphic things coming,” Dougherty told PennLive during a phone interview from his home in New York. “If they report reflects the reports I’m hearing, yes some parts are going to make the Altoona-Johnstown report look like Disney World. This is huge.”

Dougherty, who is part of a social media network of victims of clergy sex abuse, has met with scores of victims, including individuals who have testified before the current grand jury investigation.

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PENNSYLVANIA
The Guardian (UK)

Ed Pilkington in Norristown, Pennsylvania @edpilkington

Bill Cosby paid $3.4m to buy the silence of a young woman he had previously drugged and then sexually assaulted, a prosecutor alleged on Monday as the comedian’s retrial got underway in Pennsylvania in the first major courtroom drama of the #MeToo era.

Kevin Steele, the district attorney for Cosby’s home county of Montgomery, revealed a secret that has remained hidden for the past 12 years – the amount of money that the TV star formerly known as “America’s Dad” was prepared to pay to keep his detractor quiet. The $3.4m was allegedly paid in 2006 to Andrea Constand, a Canadian massage therapist, to bring to a close a civil suit she had brought against him claiming he had persuaded her to take relaxant drugs before molesting her while she was unconscious.

The disclosure of the settlement amount came in Steele’s opening statement to the jury in Montgomery county court of common please in Norristown, a small, run-down Pennsylvania community struggling from industrial decline. For the second time in 10 months the town has become inundated with media and protesters drawn to the trial of one of America’s most famous – and once beloved – comedians.

Before the trial proper began, the courthouse was momentarily engulfed in drama of another sort: a black woman protester who ran towards the entrance of the building topless, with “Women’s Lives Matter” scrawled in red paint across her chest. Nicolle Rochelle, 39, had appeared on The Cosby Show in several episodes when she was a teenager, but now was streaking in solidarity, she said, with the star’s victims.

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UNITED KINGDOM
BBC News

A former choirmaster has been jailed for sexually abusing two boys in the 1980s and 1990s.

Richard Lucas, 68, met the victims at All Saints United Church in Longwell Green, South Gloucestershire.

He was convicted of 11 counts of indecent assault and sentenced to eight-and-a-half years at Bristol Crown Court.

Police said he had “robbed his victims of their childhoods”.

The Diocese of Bristol said it was “deeply saddened and shocked” by his actions.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Danny Tran

A former Victorian police officer who was drummed out of the force for trying to bring a notorious paedophile priest to justice is living a meagre existence and struggling to make ends meet, supporters calling for him to be compensated say.

Denis Ryan, 86, lives in a rented flat in Mildura and, despite clocking up about 20 years of service with Victoria Police, is not on a police pension.

“You certainly can’t live lavishly or anything like that,” he said.

To the fury of his friends in the north-west Victorian town, he gets by on an aged pension instead.

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OHIO
WLWT

CINCINNATI —
A St. Xavier High School priest has been fired for inappropriate communication with a student, school officials said.

School administrators said they were made aware of the situation on Feb. 15. Following an investigation, the priest was terminated from the high school on Feb. 23.

No criminal charges have been filed, and WLWT is not naming the priest at this time.

According to a short statement from school officials, the priest was immediately placed on administrative leave and the student’s parents were notified.

“We notified the Springfield Township Police Department and presented them with all information known to us,” school officials said. “The safety of our students remains our highest priority.”

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OHIO
Cincinnati Enquirer

Hannah Sparling and Sharon Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer

A St. Xavier High School priest has been removed from the school faculty after he was accused of soliciting a student for sex.

Father John Ferone was, until recently, St. Xavier’s Director of Adult Faith and Ignatian Programming. Officials with the school refused to comment, saying only that Ferone no longer works at St. Xavier.

But Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said the priest was accused of soliciting sex from a student via a text message.

Deters would not talk about what the message said specifically, but he said early indications are that it was inadvertently sent to the student.

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UNITED STATES
Teamsters Local 362

The #MeToo movement has taken the world by storm and to say it has been polarizing would be an understatement with some calling it a revolution and others a witch hunt. No matter which end of the spectrum you fall, it is clear that the way we understand feminism is changing and this means navigating new territory for a lot of men.

This isn’t always as easy as it sounds though. With any social change there are different points of view and decades of history behind it. As a man, saying you are a feminist or trying to navigate the new feminist movement can seem daunting. Here are a few ways men can be better #MeToo allies in the workplace and beyond.

1. It’s Complicated

Like many other social issues, feminism is complicated. This is a huge movement with different schools of thought, opinions and voices. You don’t have to become an expert, but it is important to acknowledge that feminism is intersectional and that patriarchy impacts women differently depending on factors such as race, income and location.

2. Ask Questions And Listen

This is one of the most important parts of being an ally to any marginalized group. Don’t be afraid to ask women a lot of questions about their thoughts on feminism and discrimination, but make sure you listen. One of the obstacles women face is not having their voices heard, so take time to listen to what they have to say, whether you agree with that point of view or not.

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PENNSYLVANIA/OREGON
Erie News Now

Mercyhurst University will be removing all honors and tributes to former president Dr. William Garvey from its campuses, its president and chair of the board announced Monday.

Garvey was named by the Erie Catholic Diocese Friday as a former lay teacher and coach credibly accused of sexual abuse.

He spent 43 years at Mercyhurst University, including 25 years as the university’s longest-serving president from 1980 to 2005.

The University intends to remove Garvey’s presidential photograph from the library and remove the name Garvey Park as its first course of action.

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UNITED STATES
Times of Israel

Michael J. Salamon

It is an established socio-psychological principle that the culture a child is reared in has an impact on how they perceive the world. There is evidence that culture impacts play, social engagement and emotional understanding. It stands to reason that childhood experiences may also have an impact on brain development. A recent line of research supports that notion.

A study documented in the journal Neuropsychologia reported that individuals who have a strong belief in religious fundamentalism tend to have brain damage linked deformities. These abnormalities appear to occur in a region of the brain called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). While the initial study was performed on individuals who suffered a documented traumatic brain injury other more recent studies have found similar results in larger samples of people. These studies provide insight into portions of the brain involved in processing emotions, questioning, and cognitive flexibility. If these correlational studies are borne out the link between damage and fundamentalism is a finding with interesting implications.

All people have a belief system. Even atheists and agnostics have strong beliefs. Their beliefs revolve around skepticism of the existence of a higher power and nonexistence of god. Religious fundamentalists, on the other hand, tend to reject progressive thoughts or doubts about what they believe. Somewhat paradoxically the current state of the research indicates that those who question have more intact vmPFC areas than fundamentalists even though they also have beliefs.

There is more that science has revealed about this area of the brain. Brain function researchers have found that the vmPFC, in addition to mediating beliefs, is linked with the processing of ones’ sense of self. People with damage to the vmPFC tend to make bad decisions, they show poor judgement and are often socially detached. The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), where the vmPFC resides, if damaged, is also linked to violence. Most importantly, this region of the brain is highly integrated with the limbic system, that system of structures in the brain that include the amygdala and hippocampus which are the structures that mediate emotions and memories.

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IRELAND
Irish Independent

Cormac McQuinn

The remaining properties promised by religious orders under the redress scheme for victims of abuse should be handed over to the State in advance of the Pope’s visit, members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have said.

It comes after a report by the powerful Dáil committee criticised the Department of Education’s approach to the property transfers, saying there is a “lack of determination” to bringing the process to a conclusion.

The report also said: “After 16 years, the ongoing delay is not acceptable.”

It recommended that the department “urgently concludes the transfer of property from religious organisations”.

PAC chairman Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming said he wants to see the remaining properties transferred “fully signed and sealed before Pope Francis comes to Ireland”.

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GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Haidee V Eugenio, heugenio@guampdn.com

Former Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron may have been charged with solicitation in the confessional and child sexual assault as part of his secretive canonical trial, but his penalty seems to match that of being found guilty of solicitation, a canon law expert said.

“For civil legal reasons, I guess they backed off of child sexual abuse and proceeded on solicitation because it gets the same final result but also does not trigger civil liability back in the hundreds of cases in Guam,” said canon law expert Patrick Wall, a former Catholic priest and Benedictine monk who left the ministry in 1998.

Apuron is one of dozens of named defendants in more than 160 Guam clergy sex abuse cases filed against the Archdiocese of Agana.

A Vatican tribunal, comprised of five judges, on March 16 found Apuron guilty of certain accusations and removed him from the position of archbishop and from the local archdiocese

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GUAM
Pacific News Center

By Janela Carrera

Guam – Former Archbishop Anthony Apuron may have a chance at overturning a guilty verdict against him by a Vatican tribunal.

A canon law expert says the potential reversal could result from a process the Vatican refers to as “second instance,” in which the very merits of the case can be re-examined. This contradicts what most believed: that only the procedure of the canonical trial can be appealed.

Even before the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reached a judgment in the canonical trial of former Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron, most experts said the penalty or judgment is not appealable and that only the process can be challenged.

It’s what Archbishop Michael Byrnes said, in a previous press conference, that he understood as well.

But PNC spoke with an expert in canon law, Msgr. Frederick Easton, a judicial vicar with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis who was also the former president of the U.S. Canon Law Society. He says Guam has been misinformed. Apuron can file an appeal on the merits of the case. In fact, he says, it’s happened before.

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UNITED KINGDOM
Christian Today

The archbishop of York and four other bishops are facing a police investigation for failing to report allegations of child sexual abuse, according to the Times.

Matthew Ineson, a former priest, says he was raped by Rev Trevor Devamanikkan at the age of 16 in Bradford in the the 1980s.

A memo from June 2013, seen by Christian Today, reveals that John Sentamu received Ineson’s allegation but recommended ‘no action’ be taken. Instead he replied to Ineson offering his prayers ‘at this difficult time’. Devamanikkan went on to live in Witney, Oxfordshire, before eventually being charged with three counts of buggery and three counts of indecent assault last year. However he committed suicide the day before he was due in court in June last year.

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GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Haidee V Eugenio, heugenio@guampdn.com April 9, 2018

Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes has made further changes in the Archdiocese of Agana, including naming Father Jeffrey C. San Nicolas as interim administrator of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña, effective noon April 16.

Father Paul A.M. Gofigan, the current rector of the Cathedral-Basilica, has been assigned as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Yigo, effective April 16.

Gofigan will be taking over the Yigo church’s leadership, which was previously assigned to Father Julio Cesar Sanchez Malagon, one of three priests associated with the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, or the Neocatechumenal Way, who were reassigned in January this year.

Byrnes also assigned Father Edwin Bushu as chaplain of the Chaplaincy Team of Guam Memorial Hospital, Guam Regional Medical City, Department of Corrections, and Department of Youth Affairs. The appointment also takes effect on April 16.

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AUSTRALIA
The herald

SAM RIGNEY

THE high-powered legal team of Philip Edward Wilson are seeking to call evidence from two people, including one of Australia’s most influential clerics, to prove the accused Adelaide Archbishop had a tendency to report allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities.

The landmark hearing into allegations Archbishop Wilson concealed child sexual abuse allegations against Hunter priest Jim Fletcher resumed in Newcastle Local Court on Monday, four months after it began with the revelation that the Adelaide Archbishop had been given a “working diagnosis” of Alzheimer’s disease.

Barrister Stephen Odgers, SC, who represents Archbishop Wilson, the most senior Catholic cleric in the world to be charged with concealing child sex allegations involving another priest, sought an “advanced ruling” from Magistrate Robert Stone to tender the statement of two people, including Senior Catholic priest Monsignor David Cappo, to show he had a tendency to report allegations of child sexual abuse and not conceal them.

Crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison opposed the defence application and said that if Mr Stone allowed it he would seek to call evidence from three people that he said showed the Archbishop had a tendency to protect the church.

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NORTH DAKOTA
Washington Post

Writer MaryAnne Golon April 9

On the Spirit Lake Sioux reservation in North Dakota, victims of recurrent sexual abuse turn to spiritual and traditional healing to overcome their pain. The majority of the sex crimes go unpunished, and tribal council authorities do not provide law enforcement or prosecute the offenders. Photographer Rena Effendi’s haunting portraits and interviews called “Spirit Lake” explore the effects of trauma and the cycle of abuse in a place where poverty, chronic unemployment, addiction, depression and suicide rates are startlingly high. The National Institute of Justice reports that 4 out of 5 Native American women experience violence in their lifetime, and more than half have experienced sexual violence.

Effendi is the $20,000 winner of the 2018 Alexia Foundation professional photography grant to continue her work. The Alexia Foundation, committed to supporting visual storytellers who educate and expose social injustice, has been awarding these grants to top professionals and students for more than 25 years. Each spring at New York’s Syracuse University, a panel of industry professionals considers scores of proposals in the highly competitive contest.

“I feel so very privileged to be offered this opportunity to go back and continue uncovering these important stories buried under layers of stigma. As a woman and photographer from Azerbaijan who came here looking for answers, I am proud to say these women know now that they can trust me.” Effendi told In Sight. “I hope other survivors will be emboldened to step up and break the taboo. I am also happy and proud to be part of the impressive roster of visual contributors who benefit from the incredible support of this foundation.”

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NEW YORK
Buffalo News

By Dan Herbeck | April 9, 2018

A priest who taught students at two Buffalo-area Catholic high schools for more than a decade was suspended from any public ministry in 2014 after he was accused of sexually abusing a minor, The Buffalo News confirmed this week.

The Rev. Michael M. Lewandowski, now 71, was suspended after the allegation was made in May 2014, according to the Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pa.

The Franciscan priest lived in the Buffalo area and taught at St. Francis High School in Hamburg and at Cardinal O’Hara High School in the Town of Tonawanda at various times from 1976 to 1991, according to directories published by the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. While the complaint made against Lewandowski alleges that the misconduct occurred during the period of time when he was at the two Buffalo area high schools, Buffalo Diocese officials declined to say whether the alleged abuse took place in the Buffalo area.

“While it does appear that Fr. Lewandowski spent all of the 1980s here in WNY, I can not elaborate on any specifics as it relates to whether (or when) accusations were brought to our attention, and where any alleged activity would have occurred,” diocese spokesman George Richert told The Buffalo News in an email.

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ISRAEL
Forward

April 8, 2018 By Aiden Pink

A prominent Israeli rabbi who is also a convicted sex offender was allowed during Passover to drive his car directly into the Western Wall plaza — an honor that is only permitted for the religion’s greatest leaders.

Rabbi Eliezer Berland, accompanied by dancing and praying followers running alongside him, was driven through security checkpoints and directly onto the plaza. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation has in the past allowed vehicular access for prominent, elderly rabbis with health difficulties.

Berland, 81, was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2016 after being convicted of two counts of indecent assault against women and one count of assault for beating up the husband of one of the women he abused. Berland only served five months in jail and six under house arrest because of his age and medical conditions.

Multiple female former students had accused Berland of sexually assaulting or raping them. Berland and his most devoted followers fled the country in 2013 but returned a few years later to accept his plea deal. Leaked audio uncovered by Israel’s Channel 2 revealed Berland seemingly admitting to raping one of his victims.

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SOUTH AFRICA
Sowetan Livel

BY KARABO LEDWABA – 09 April 2018

The alleged victims of Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso have warned people not to fall prey to “fake pastors”.

Sheryl Zondi, 22, and twins Anele and Nelisiwe Mxakaza, 22, spoke at the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL) dialogue for abused people in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, last week.

The girls told of the alleged abuses they suffered at Omotoso’s home in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal.

They gave testimonies to warn other young people from falling into the same trap as they had.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Reuters

Joseph Ax

(Reuters) – When Bill Cosby’s retrial on sexual assault charges begins on Monday, the man once known as “America’s Dad” will face the same judge and district attorney in the same Pennsylvania courtroom as he did last June when a hung jury failed to reach a verdict.

But the familiar trappings cannot disguise the reality that Cosby’s second trial on charges that he assaulted a former friend in 2004 will have significant differences from his first.

Cosby’s second trial will also play out against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, which last autumn prompted a wave of sexual assault and misconduct accusations against dozens of powerful men in Hollywood, business and politics.

The movement has also stirred a national dialogue about the way society treats people who step forward to tell stories of sexual abuse.

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UTAH
Salt Lake Tribune

By The Associated Press

St. George • A new exhibit unveiled at Dixie State University on Monday showcases clothes that sexual abuse victims were wearing at the time of their assaults to dispel the myth that a person’s clothing justifies or condones acts of violence.

The clothing items featured in the “What Were You Wearing?” exhibit range from denim shorts to pajama pants to a toddler’s size 2 nightgown, which represented the clothes worn by a woman who said she was assaulted by her father as a child, the Spectrum reported.

The clothes are attached to tall, gray panels with a short narrative describing what happened from the victim.

“It’s not about what people wear, who they are, where they were at time, what their identities are, or even about their decisions or decisions they didn’t make — it’s about who caused the harm,” said Florence Bacabac, director of Dixie State’s Women’s Resource Center and an associate professor of English.

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AUSTRALIA
The Guardian

Australian Associated Press
Mon 9 Apr 2018

The Catholic archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, wants the case against him involving claims he covered up child sex abuse by a priest thrown out of a New South Wales court.

Defence barrister Stephen Odgers SC told Newcastle local court on Monday that a detailed “no case to answer” submission would be made at the end of the prosecution case against Wilson.

Prosecutor Gareth Harrison provisionally closed the crown case against Wilson after nearly two hours of legal argument on Monday, saying more evidence could be called depending on a number of rulings to be handed down by the magistrate Robert Stone.

The trial, which had been adjourned from December, will continue on Tuesday.

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ARGENTINA
Pagina 12

[Throughout the day yesterday the loaded clouds settled on the city with promises of rain. At times, the sky rebelled and spilled some rain, sometimes it was just a drizzle. Those dark clouds, however, did not prevent the first national meeting of the Network of Survivors of Ecclesiastical Sexual Abuse, which took place this Saturday in Paraná and which will continue on Sunday, just days before the trial of priest Justo José Ilarraz, and with the aim of visualizing a problem that is widespread in the world.]

Por Juan Cruz Varela

Durante todo el día de ayer las nubes cargadas se posaron sobre la ciudad con promesas de lluvia. Por momentos, el cielo se rebelaba y derramaba algún chaparrón, de a ratos era solo una llovizna. Esas nubes oscuras, sin embargo, no impidieron el primer encuentro nacional de la Red de Sobrevivientes de Abuso Sexual Eclesiástico, que tuvo lugar este sábado en Paraná y que continuará el domingo, a días del comienzo del juicio contra el sacerdote Justo José Ilarraz, y con el objetivo de visibilizar un problema extendido en el mundo.

Referentes de ocho provincias argentinas, muchos de los cuales se vieron en forma personal por primera vez, echaron a andar una Red de Sobrevivientes de Abuso Sexual Eclesiástico, algo así como la unión de distintas historias que desde hace cuatro años empezaron a conocer por teléfono, a través de las redes sociales o por correo electrónico y que ahora quieren formalizar en una asociación civil. En el colectivo hay sobrevivientes –hoy adultos que fueron víctimas de abuso–, familiares, psicólogos, abogados y también ex sacerdotes, que eligieron Paraná como sede del encuentro fundacional como un modo de brindar un apoyo explícito a las víctimas del cura Ilarraz.

“La idea de empezar a juntarnos surgió hace cuatro años con el objetivo de visibilizar una problemática que casi siempre está oculta, como es el abuso sexual eclesiástico de niños y adolescentes, y a la vez para explicitar que no somos casos aislados y que los abusadores no son manzanas podridas, como quieren hacerle creer a la gente”, cuenta Julieta Añazco, impulsora de la organización y denunciante del cura Héctor Ricardo Giménez en La Plata.

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ROME/CHILE
Cruz

John L. Allen Jr.
EDITOR

News Analysis

ROME – So far, there’s been relatively little uproar outside Chile about a picture surfacing showing Pope Francis shaking hands with the late Brother Mariano Varona, considered a key figure in the burgeoning sexual abuse scandals rocking the Marist order in the country, at the end of Francis’s mid-January visit to the country.

The brief encounter came as the pope was saying goodbye to people who live in the vicinity of the Vatican ambassador’s residence where he’d been staying, and Varano has subsequently died.

The story seemingly had all the elements to become a Kim Daniels Affair 2.0, referring to the fracas that broke out after Francis met the controversial Kentucky county clerk who defied a federal court order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, in a brief greeting along with many other people during his September 2015 trip to the United States.

While details remain contested of how the Davis meeting came about, and how much the pope had been briefed on her background, it seems clear Francis wasn’t aware of how controversial the encounter would be, perhaps especially among his most ardent supporters.

Then as now, the obvious questions are: Did the pope really know who this person was? And, was the meet-and-greet intended to make some sort of statement?

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ARGENTINA
Crux

Inés San Martín
VATICAN CORRESPONDENT

ROSARIO, Argentina – Months after his rocky trip to Chile in mid-January, Pope Francis’s visit to the Latin American country is still grabbing headlines, mostly related to the way he’s handled the country’s clerical sexual abuse scandals. The latest: News broke on Tuesday that while in Chile, he met with a Marist brother who’s charged with covering up abuse cases in the country.

The Chilean website The Clinic published a picture showing Francis meeting the recently deceased Brother Mariano Varona, who passed away on Sunday, and is considered one of the key figures in the coverup of cases of child sexual abuse within the Marist congregation.

A Vatican spokesman told Crux on Tuesday, however, that Varona was part of a large group of people who greeted the pope during his farewell to the country, and was invited only because the Marist residence is located in front of the papal embassy where Francis stayed.

“There was no private meeting with Mariano Varona in Chile, nor any private conversation,” Vatican spokesman Greg Burke told Crux. “As happens always on the last day of a trip, a large number of people are invited for a baciamano during the farewell in the official residence,” Burke said, using the Italian phrase for the act of kissing the pope’s ring, and which informally simply means a greeting.

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VATICAN CITY
Telegraph (UK)

Our Foreign Staff
8 APRIL 2018

The Vatican said on Saturday a monsignor who was a former adviser at its US embassy in Washington has been arrested on suspicion of watching child sex abuse.

A Vatican statement said that an arrest warrant had been issued for Carlo Alberto Capella, which was carried out by the Vatican Gendarmerie.

“The accused is being detained in a cell in the barracks of the Gendarmerie Corps, available to the judicial authorities,” the statement said.

The arrest warrant was issued by the investigating magistrate of the Vatican City State Tribunal. Msgr Capella, who was in office until last year, was recalled from Washington last September by the Vatican.

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican Information Service – Bolletino

Testo in lingua italiana

Questa mattina, su proposta del Promotore di Giustizia, il Giudice Istruttore del Tribunale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano ha emesso un mandato di cattura a carico di Mons. Carlo Alberto Capella. Il provvedimento è stato eseguito dalla Gendarmeria Vaticana.

L’imputato è detenuto in una cella della caserma del Corpo della Gendarmeria, a disposizione dell’autorità giudiziaria. L’arresto giunge al termine di un’indagine del Promotore di Giustizia.

Il Giudice Istruttore ha ordinato il provvedimento sulla base dell’articolo 10, commi 3 e 5, della legge VIII del 2013.

[00558-IT.01] [Testo originale: Italiano]

Traduzione in lingua inglese

This morning, at the request of the Promoter of Justice, the investigating Magistrate of the Vatican City State Tribunal issued an arrest warrant for Msgr. Carlo Alberto Capella. The provision was carried out by the Vatican Gendarmerie.

The accused is being detained in a cell in the barracks of the Gendarmerie Corps, available to the judicial authorities. The arrest comes at the end of an investigation by the Promoter of Justice.

The investigating Magistrate ordered the provision on the basis of Article 10, paragraphs 3 and 5, of Law VIII of 2013.

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NEW YORK
Independent Recorder

By Alexander John

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) – “I just tried to be, you know, someone who was good and attended Mass and went to confession.”

It was after that confession decades ago that an 11-year-old altar boy in Lewiston says he was abused by a Diocese of Buffalo priest.

“I had asked to have a confession, and after the confession he sexually abused me,” said the man, who was identified Thursday as “John Doe” at a news conference in Buffalo, where he spoke by telephone to reporters.

The church was St. Peter in Lewiston. The priest: Father Joseph Rappl. That 11-year-old altar boy is 48 now. Even decades later, he is too ashamed to give his name.

“It’s very difficult to talk about,” he said. “I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I didn’t know how people would respond. You know, it took this long for me to have the courage to come forward and speak about this.”

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NEW YORK
Post-Journal

KATRINA FULLER
County Reporter
kfuller@post-journal.com

The Child Victims Act has not passed this year — but the question remains, what happens next?

The bill was included inside a New York State Assembly budget proposal this year, but was not included in the final spending plan.

Currently, victims of child sex abuse in New York state can only seek civil penalties against their abusers until the age of 18. The Child Victims Act, which aims to extend that age to 50, would also open a “look-back” period of a year for those who were abused at any time. Despite originally being included with the state budget this year, it was removed before the budget passed late last week.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, bringing awareness to a topic that is usually hidden in the shadows.

However, statistics on child sexual abuse are staggering — the numbers show that one in 10 children will be sexually abused in the county before the age of 18. Ninety percent of the victims will know their perpetrator and 30-40 percent will be related.

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SCOTLAND
The Gusrdian

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the disgraced former head of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland who died last month, asked in his will for forgiveness from those he offended.

Mourners at his funeral were told by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, who led the service, that O’Brien wrote in his last will and testament, “I ask for forgiveness for all I have offended in this life”.

O’Brien died in hospital in Newcastle following a fall which caused a head injury and a broken collar bone. He received the last rites on his 80th birthday.

He was forced to resign as archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh in February 2013 after serious allegations of sexual misconduct emerged following an investigation by the Observer.

Three priests and a former priest accused him of improper sexual conduct in relation to a series of incidents in the 1980s.

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VATICANO
Settegiorni

Vaticano ecco perché la Santa Sede ha ordinato l’arresto

Rischia fino a 10 anni di carcere monsignor Carlo Capella. Ecco i motivi del suo arresto. La Santa Sede ha ordinato il provvedimento sulla base dell’articolo 10, commi 3 e 5, della legge VIII del 2013 che stabilisce, al comma 3, che chiunque, con qualsiasi mezzo, distribuisce, divulga, trasmette, importa, esporta, offre, vende o detiene materiale pedopornografico, o distribuisce, divulga notizie o informazioni finalizzate all’adescamento o allo sfruttamento sessuale di minori, è punito con la reclusione da uno a cinque anni e con la multa da euro duemilacinquecento a euro cinquantamila. E al comma cinque che questa pena è aumentata “ove il materiale sia di ingente quantità”. L’imputato è detenuto in una cella della caserma del Corpo della Gendarmeria, a disposizione dell’autorità giudiziaria.

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VATICAN CITY/CANADA
Hamilton Spectator

Windsor police issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for Monsignor Carlo Capella last September

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Saturday arrested a diplomat recalled from Washington last year amid investigations in Canada, the United States and the Vatican for possession of child pornography.

A Vatican statement said that Monsignor Carlo Capella was being held in gendarmerie barracks inside the Vatican, and that his arrest follows a Vatican investigation.

Police in Windsor, Ontario, said Capella allegedly uploaded child porn to a social networking site while visiting a place of worship from over the 2016 Christmas holiday. In the statement, Windsor police accused Capella of accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography.

Windsor police issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for Capella last September. They say they were alerted by the RCMP in February 2017 and launched an investigation, eventually getting judicial permission to access relevant internet records.

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VATICAN CITY
South China Morning Post

The Vatican said its police had arrested a monsignor who worked as a diplomat at its embassy in Washington and is suspected of possessing child pornography in the United States and Canada.

A statement identified the accused as Carlo Alberto Capella and said he was arrested earlier on Saturday in the Vatican after a warrant was issued by the Holy See’s chief magistrate at the end of an investigation.

The Vatican statement said Capella, who was recalled from the Vatican embassy in Washington last August, was arrested according to articles of a 2013 law signed by Pope Francis. The articles cited by the statement related to child pornography.

If indicted, the monsignor will have to stand trial in the Vatican and faces up to 12 years in jail.

The scandal is the latest blow to the Catholic Church as it struggles to overcome repeated sex abuse cases among its clergy.

Francis has declared zero tolerance over abuse scandals that have beset the Church for decades, but critics say he has not done enough, particularly to hold bishops responsible for mishandling or covering up abuse.

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VATICAN CITY
South China Morning Post

The Vatican said its police had arrested a monsignor who worked as a diplomat at its embassy in Washington and is suspected of possessing child pornography in the United States and Canada.

A statement identified the accused as Carlo Alberto Capella and said he was arrested earlier on Saturday in the Vatican after a warrant was issued by the Holy See’s chief magistrate at the end of an investigation.

The Vatican statement said Capella, who was recalled from the Vatican embassy in Washington last August, was arrested according to articles of a 2013 law signed by Pope Francis. The articles cited by the statement related to child pornography.

If indicted, the monsignor will have to stand trial in the Vatican and faces up to 12 years in jail.

The scandal is the latest blow to the Catholic Church as it struggles to overcome repeated sex abuse cases among its clergy.

Francis has declared zero tolerance over abuse scandals that have beset the Church for decades, but critics say he has not done enough, particularly to hold bishops responsible for mishandling or covering up abuse.

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VATICAN CITY
New York Daily News

BY LARRY MCSHANE

A former top Vatican diplomat was jailed Saturday for his alleged Christmas season downloads of child pornography while visiting a Canadian church, officials said.

Msgr. Carlo Capella’s arrest came eight months after his recall to the Vatican from a diplomatic post in Washington.

He was put inside a cell at the barracks of the Vatican police force, according to a Vatican press release.

Police in Windsor, Ontario, accused Capella of accessing the repugnant images from a social networking site during his holiday visit to an unidentified local church.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported the incidents occurred between Dec. 24 and 27, 2016. Capella was also cited for distributing the downloaded pornography, officials said.

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LOUISIANA
USA Today

Arne Sorenson, Opinion contributor

In the early morning hours in one of our hotels in New Orleans last March, a safety and security associate at the hotel noticed a 12-year-old boy in the company of two men buying snacks. The associate overheard one man say to the other, “I may take this one home.” Trained to notice signs of human trafficking, the associate thought the situation didn’t look right to her, and the overheard statement was an alarm bell. Following her training, she alerted her supervisor, and they called the police.

When the police arrived and questioned the men and the little boy, they confirmed our associate’s suspicions. Things were definitely not right. The young boy had been missing for three days. Thanks to the quick actions of the associate, this story has a good ending.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Last year, over 40 million people worldwide were trapped in some form of slavery, according to the International Labor Organization. This is a staggering number, equal to the entire state of California. Most of them are women and children. They can end up as forced laborers, victims of sex trafficking, or worse.

At $150 billion a year, human trafficking is one of the largest global criminal enterprises.

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NEW YORK/OREGON
New York Times

By EMILY FLITTER

Over 15 years, four women in Lake Oswego, Ore., a wealthy Portland suburb, sought police protection against the same man, court filings show.

“He threatened to burn down my house with me in it,” one woman wrote in her application for a restraining order. “I don’t know what he’s going to do next,” a second wrote. “He choked me so hard it left a mark on my throat,” wrote another. “He is scaring my children and me,” a fourth woman said.

Yet the man, Douglas E. Greenberg, remains one of Morgan Stanley’s top financial advisers — and a celebrated member of the wealth management industry.

For years, Morgan Stanley executives knew about his alleged conduct, according to seven former Morgan Stanley employees.

Morgan Stanley received a federal subpoena related to one abuse allegation, according to a lawyer for one of the women. In another instance, a Morgan Stanley manager alerted his superior when Mr. Greenberg was charged with violating a restraining order, according to three former employees. Another manager at the firm liked and replied to a Facebook post by one of Mr. Greenberg’s ex-wives in which she described his abuse. On yet another occasion, an official from the bank’s New York headquarters flew to Portland to investigate, two former employees said.

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NEW YORK
New York Times

By EMILY FLITTER

Morgan Stanley said Tuesday that it had fired a star financial adviser who has been accused by multiple former wives and girlfriends of physical abuse and stalking.

The New York Times reported last week that Morgan Stanley executives for years had known about the allegations against the financial adviser, Douglas E. Greenberg. The Wall Street firm placed Mr. Greenberg, who worked in Portland, Ore., on administrative leave last week after being contacted by The Times.

In a statement on Tuesday, a Morgan Stanley spokeswoman said the bank needed to “do better” at handling such employee misconduct issues.

“We believe that our employees should behave in a manner consistent with our firm’s values and the trust our clients place in us, both of which include treating women, and indeed everyone, with dignity and respect,” the spokeswoman, Christy Jockle, said. “We have undertaken steps in recent years to ensure that issues such as this are properly escalated. However, in light of current events we must and will do better.”

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SOUTH AFRICA
Times LIVE

“Forgive us for our sins… Our sins… And wash us with the blood of Jesus Christ‚” he would say.

Three of the pastor’s victims shared their torment and pain at the hands of the pastor at a dialogue hosted by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural‚ Religious and Linguistic (CRL) Communities on Thursday.

The group was holding a discussion with survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of religious leaders and traditional healers. The victims told their stories in the hope that others who were abused in the same way would seek help.

They described living as if under a spell‚ afraid that they would die if they went against the pastor’s wishes.

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SOUTH AFRICA
Eyewitness News

Katleho Sekhotho

JOHANNESBURG – Several victims of sexual abuse allegedly at the hands of religious leaders have given statements at the CRL Commission in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Three women have given harrowing accounts of how Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso allegedly abused them while they lived with him in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal almost eight years ago.

The commission has been holding a dialogue which aims to launch a support structure for young people who have been sexually abused by religious and traditional leaders.

There have been heartbreaking scenes at the CRL Commission where three young women have told their stories of abuse, allegedly perpetrated by Omotoso when they were just 14-years-old.

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ALASKA
News-Miner

FAIRBANKS — Bishop Chad Zielinski, the Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska, will offer a Mass of Healing at noon Thursday for the victims of any kind of child abuse. Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral, 1300 Peger Road. Everyone is invited to attend. There will be an opportunity for private prayer, fellowship and a light lunch after the Mass.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has encouraged every diocese in the country to offer a Mass of Healing in April for victims of child abuse. In 1983, President Reagan proclaimed the month of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

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GUAM
KUAM

By Krystal Paco

He’s the leader of Guam’s faithful. Archbishop Michael Byrnes was appointed to the Archdiocese of Agana two years ago. At the time there were only a handful of clergy sexual abuse lawsuits. Though the count is now upwards of 160-lawsuits, he’s worked tirelessly to prevent future cases. And his efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.

He’s the recipient of this year’s Visionary Voice Award. Earlier this week, Archbishop Byrnes accepted the award during a proclamation signing to commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center award recognizes those around the country who have committed to ending sexual violence. Why was Archbishop Byrnes nominated?

Clinical Psychologist and past Visionary Voice Award winner, Dr. Juan Rapadas, explained, saying, “With the aim to ensure transparency and accountability 0237 while addressing the issue of clergy sexual abuse on Guam, Archbishop Byrnes has facilitated review of and updates to the archdiocese policies on protecting our young people. He also initiated training of church workers and volunteers and has revived an independent review board on the investigation on alleged clergy abuse.”

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ARGENTINA
The Tribune

BY LUIS ANDRES HENAO
Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Argentina’s Football Association said Wednesday that it will closely monitor boarding houses where youth players live following a sex abuse scandal involving minors at two of the country’s most popular and powerful clubs.

River Plate said earlier this week that it will collaborate with authorities after a local NGO reported minors were allegedly abused in the club’s youth divisions from 2004-11. The abuse accusations come just days after police arrested a referee for his suspected involvement in a child prostitution ring with players from the Independiente youth club.

“We want this to be investigated,” said Dante Majori, the president of Argentine Football Association’s youth and children’s committee.

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ARGENTINA
ADN

Diario El País 07/04/2018

Los curas bajo el mandato del Arzobispado de Paraná, en la provincia argentina de Entre Ríos, deberán cumplir un protocolo de buena conducta elaborado por las autoridades eclesiásticas para prevenir abusos sexuales.

La normativa es una solución de emergencia ante la sucesión de hechos de pedofilia grave en esa arquidiócesis del interior del país, donde se agrupa casi medio millón de fieles.

Dentro de las prohibiciones se expresa que no pueden tener contacto físico con niños, tienen prohibido compartir con ellos habitaciones de hotel o cualquier otro sitio y cuando escuchen sus confesiones tendrán que dejar la puerta de la sacristía abierta. Si deben viajar en auto con un menor, el sacerdote procurará la presencia de otro adulto.

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ARGENTINA
Telesur

The main objective of the new legislation is to “take care of the children and not fall back into the ways of the past.”

Priests in Argentina are now banned from touching children under new guidelines intended to help curb pedophilia in the Catholic church, but relatives of survivors say the move doesn’t go far enough.

New ecclesiastical legislation from Archbishop of Parana Juan Alberto Puiggari, in the province of Entre Rios, rules that priests must refrain from all physical contact; must leave the sacristy door open while hearing confessions; must be accompanied by another adult during road trips with minors, and are prohibited from sharing a hotel room with children.

Additionally, priests will have to relinquish all pornographic material, cease displaying any such materia; and abandon any topics bordering on inappropriate gifts, “sexual advances, comments, or jokes.”

Physical or humiliating punishments are also prohibited, while hugs must be brief and in public. Any secret or overtly sexual conduct with minors is also prohibited. These rules are extended to all members of the clergy, Catholics and lay adults occupying space on archdiocese property.

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PENNSYLVANIA
The Bradford Era

By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER Era Associate Editor marcie@bradfordera.com

Michael Amy, Salvatore Luzzi, Samuel Slocum, Joseph Jerge, Giles Nealen, WIlliam Presley, Stephen Jeselnick, David Poulson — these natives of, or former leaders of congregations, in the region are members of the list released Friday by the Erie Diocese of priests with “credible accusations” against them of abusive conduct.

Bishop Lawrence Persico released the list of 34 priests — 20 of whom are deceased — and 17 lay men and women, two of whom are deceased.

He expressed his sorrow for and apologies to the victims.

“I have met with victims and listened to the pain they and their loved ones experienced. It is appalling to learn what they went through,” Persico said. “Abuse is traumatic enough — but it’s earth-shattering when it’s perpetrated by someone who is in a position of trust. I have a profound personal respect for survivors of abuse.”

A six-year investigation by the diocese, which ended when the state attorney general’s office subpoenaed records in 2016, found abuse claims dating back to 1944, Persico said.

“I know people stand firmly on both sides of whether or not releasing the names of these individuals is the right decision,” Persico said. “Some will say that it has taken far too long to publish these names. Others think we shouldn’t do it at all. They say we are not showing mercy.

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PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive

By Teresa Bonner tbonner@pennlive.com

The bishop of The Diocese of Harrisburg is addressing reports of a grand jury investigation into possible child sexual abuse by clergy through a statement being read by priests at masses in the diocese this weekend.

In the statement, Bishop Ronald W. Gainer says that news media are speculating on when the results of the investigation will be revealed. He said protecting the secrecy of the grand jury is paramount, and assured parishioners that as soon as he is able to make any information public, he will do so.

State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, who testified before the grand jury, and other sources say the investigation of six diocese across Pennsylvania is nearing its end. Harrisburg is one of the diocese under investigation.

Another is the Diocese of Erie, whose bishop on Friday announced it was updating its policy on the protection of children and making public a list of 51 clergy and lay people against whom there are credible allegations of misconduct. That misconduct, he said, ranged from use of child pornography to sexual assault.

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VATICAN CITY
Axios

Haley Britzky

The Vatican arrested a former U.S. embassy diplomat on Saturday, after he was recalled from the U.S. last year following the State Department saying “he may have violated child pornography laws,” Reuters reports.

The details: The Vatican didn’t specify the charges Monsignor Carlo Alberto Capella was arrested on, but this adds to numerous of sex abuse scandals from the Catholic Church. If Capella is indicted, he will stand trial in the Vatican, per Reuters. When the State Department notified the Holy See of the possible violation last year, the Vatican “refused” to allow him to be prosecuted in the U.S. by waving diplomatic immunity.

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VATICAN CITY
HuffPost

By Mary Papenfuss

Vatican police have arrested a priest on suspicions of possessing child pornography, according to Catholic church officials. The priest had worked as a diplomat in the United States before being recalled last year by the Holy See.

If charges against Italian Monsignor Carlo Alberto Capella go to trial, it would be the first time a Vatican City courtroom has addressed a child pornography case.

The arrest came amid investigations in both the United States and Canada, in addition to the Vatican. A 2013 Vatican law penalizes anyone who “distributes, disseminates, transmits, imports, exports, offers or sells child pornography.” If convicted, Capella could face up to 12 years in prison, according to Reuters.

Capella was being held in a cell in the gendarmerie barracks in the Vatican on Saturday, according to a statement from the Holy See press office.

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MICHIGAN
WSGW

By John Hall

The Saginaw County Prosecutor’s Office is responding to what it calls verbal attacks against reported victims in the on-going investigation of alleged sexual assaults possibly involving priests from the Saginaw Catholic Diocese.

County Prosecutor John McColgan calls those attacks unfounded.

Defense Attorney Allan Crawford who represents Reverend Robert DeLand who’s now facing additional charges called the investigation a witch
hunt.

But McColgan explained those charges are based in part on audio/visual police recordings.

McColgan vowed that any attempts to discourage other victims from coming forward by letting them know they too will be publicly attacked will also be addressed.

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NEW YORK
Union-Sun and Journal

By Rick Pfeiffer and Philip Gambini rick.pfeiffer@lockportjournal.com

By the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo’s own admission, the parish of Sacred Heart in Niagara Falls was a troubled place in the the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The parish was home to a pair or priests who the diocese now admits were subjects of “credible allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors.”

In the case of Father Michael R. Freeman, at least one of his victims has come forward. Paul Barr has publicly spoken out about his encounter with Freeman in the parish rectory in 1980.

While Barr tried to speak out about his abuse at the time it occurred, confronted by a mother who blamed him and not the priest, he simply kept what had happened a secret.

“I let it go. I didn’t tell anybody about,” Barr said.

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VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter

Joshua J. McElwee

ROME — Vatican officials have arrested an Italian monsignor who was recalled from service at the apostolic nunciature in Washington in August 2017 under suspicion of possessing or distributing child pornography.

In a brief note April 7, the Vatican press office said the city-state’s prosecutor had issued an arrest warrant that morning for Msgr. Carlo Capella, who was subsequently detained by the Vatican Gendarmerie.

The note said Capella is being held under the authority of a set of 2013 Vatican criminal norms that specify that those who possess or distribute child pornography be subject to up to five years imprisonment and 50,000 Euro in fines.

The press office said Capella is being held under an article in the norms that state the penalty for the offense can be increased “if a considerable quantity of pornographic material is involved.”

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VATICAN CITY
WTOV

by ASSOCIATED PRESS

VATICAN CITY (AP) —
The Vatican on Saturday arrested a diplomat recalled from Washington last year amid investigations in the United States, Canada and the Vatican for possession of child pornography.

A Vatican statement said that Monsignor Carlo Capella was being held in gendarmerie barracks inside the Vatican, and that his arrest follows a Vatican investigation.

Police in Windsor, Ontario, said Capella allegedly uploaded child porn from a social networking site while visiting a place of worship from over the 2016 Christmas holiday. In the statement, Windsor police accused Capella of accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography.

The Vatican recalled Capella, the No. 4 in its Washington embassy, after the U.S. State Department notified it on Aug. 21 of a “possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images” by one of its diplomats in Washington.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Catholics4Change

APRIL 7, 2018 ~ SUSAN MATTHEWS

It’s confusing and sickening that the horrific abuse and coverup revealed in previous Grand Jury reports hasn’t been enough to cripple the lobbying efforts of the insurance industry and Catholic Church. Pennsylvania laws are not where they need to be in order to protect children and offer justice to victims.

How many more graphic details of child rape and molestation will it take? How many shredded memos and clandestine clergy transfers? I guess we need a hashtag, t-shirts and a celebrity. #KidsToo

Many victims and advocates hope the tipping point will be a Grand Jury Report to be issued later this Spring.

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican News

On Saturday morning at the request of the Vatican Promoter of Justice, the investigating Magistrate of the Vatican City State Tribunal, an arrest warrant was issued for Msgr Carlo Alberto Capella.

According to a statement from the Vatican Press Office, the former Vatican Diplomat is now being held in a cell in the barracks of the Gendarmerie in the Vatican.

This arrest comes at the end of an investigation on the part of the Vatican’s Promoter of Justice. The investigation in the Vatican was opened in the fall of 2017 after Canadian police accused Msgr Capella of possession and distribution of child pornography allegedly downloaded while he was in Canada. At the time, the accused was a functionary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, DC.

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VATICAN CITY
DW

Monsignor Carlo Capella once worked as a diplomat at the Vatican’s embassy in Washington. He was recalled last year after the US State Department said he may have violated child pornography laws.

Vatican police said Carlo Alberto Capella had been arrested on Saturday but gave no details of the specific accusations against him.

Capella is being held in a gendarmerie barracks inside the Vatican. His arrest comes after an eight-month investigation by the Holy See, which was first informed of a potential problem by the US State Department last year.

Capella was arrested Saturday after a warrant was issued by the Holy See’s chief magistrate.

If indicted, he will have to stand trial in the Vatican and faces up to 12 years in jail.

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VATICAN CITY
U.S. News

BY PHILIP PULLELLA

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican said on Saturday its police had arrested a monsignor who worked as a diplomat at its embassy in Washington and is suspected of possessing child pornography in the United States and Canada.

A statement identified the accused as Msgr. Carlo Alberto Capella and said he was arrested earlier on Saturday in the Vatican after a warrant was issued by the Holy See’s chief magistrate at the end of an investigation.

The Vatican statement said Capella, who was recalled from the Vatican embassy in Washington last August, was arrested according to articles of a 2013 law signed by Pope Francis. The articles cited by the statement related to child pornography.

If indicted, the monsignor will have to stand trial in the Vatican and faces up to 12 years in jail.

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