ABUSE TRACKER

MINNESOTA
Grand Forks Herald

By Sarah Volpenhein Today at 4:29 p.m.

A Catholic priest who formerly worked in Minnesota dioceses in St. Paul and Crookston pleaded guilty to child sex crimes Friday.

Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, who is charged in two separate cases in Minnesota 9th District Court in Roseau with sex crimes involving minors, appeared in court today.

Jeyapaul filed a petition to enter a guilty plea in one of the cases, in which he is charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 15.

The priest was extradited from India to the U.S. in November to face the criminal charges that had been pending, in one of the two cases, since 2006.

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MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Friday May 22

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, davidgclohessy@gmail.com )

Fr. Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul – who worked in two Minnesota dioceses: St. Paul and Crookston – has pled guilty to child sex crimes. We’re glad that it’s now crystal clear to virtually everyone that he’s a dangerous man who should be kept away from kids.

But we’re deeply worried that he may soon be free and will likely be around unsuspecting families and assault more children. (He has yet to be sentenced.) And if that happens, the blame can squarely be put on US and Indian Catholic officials who have acted irresponsibly from the outset in this terrible case.

Few child molesters in history have been as widely exposed as Fr. Jeyapaul, thanks to the tireless and courageous prevention efforts of one of his victims, Megan Peterson. Still, most of his neighbors, relatives and colleagues likely know little or nothing about his crimes.

Megan has done almost everything possible – and more than perhaps any survivor we know – to protect kids from this monster. She filed a civil lawsuit, repeatedly cooperated with law enforcement, and even travelled to Geneva where she told a United Nations panel how Crookston Catholic officials acted recklessly, callously, hurtfully and deceptively in this case. She has courageously, generously and effectively taken worked hard and taken risks to make it much harder for Fr. Jeyapaul to hurt more girls or boys. We are incredibly proud of her and grateful to her.

When child sex abuse allegations against Fr. Jeyapaul surfaced, he quickly returned to India. We suspect that Crookston Catholic officials helped him flee. (According to BishopAccountability.org, Minnesota Catholic officials “knew of rumors about inappropriate behavior by Fr. Jeyapaul in 8/04” but Fr. Jeyapaul “suddenly returned to India in 9/05.”)

In India, Catholic officials gave him a job overseeing schools knowing full well that he was considered a fugitive from US criminal authorities.

Twice, United Nations panels have harshly criticized Vatican officials for their refusal to help law enforcement apprehend Fr. Jeyapaul, We worry now about the safety of girls in India near Fr. Jeyapaul. Now that his guilt has been proven, we call on Catholic officials in both the US and India to use their massive resources to warn police, prosecutors, parishioners, parents and the public about this dangerous cleric (using pulpit announcements, parish bulletins, church websites and other means).

Fr. Jeyapaul is one of an increasing number of accused predator priests who have been allowed to flee to other countries despite credible child sex abuse reports or sometimes arrest warrants. (A priest from India was just suspended in Toledo Ohio today because of allegations involving a child.)

[NBC24]

Besides Megan, at least one other brave victim of Fr. Jeyapaul has helped law enforcement too (and has filed a civil suit). We are grateful to her as well. (We suspect there are others who remain trapped in shame, silence, secrecy and self-blame.) And we are grateful to law enforcement – in the US and in India – for pursuing this dangerous predator.

It’s tragic that it took so much time and international pressure – from victims, journalists and law enforcement – to get Catholic officials to simply honor their legal obligation and get a predator priest back to America to face justice.

Bishops in Minnesota and India have protected and continue to protect this serial child predator, by paying him, moving him, and concealing records about him and his crimes. Shame on them.

And shame on every Vatican official who has refused to take action to safeguard children from Fr. Jeyapaul.

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

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Big Trial

By Ralph Cipriano
for Bigtrial.net

Thomas A. Bergstrom, the defense lawyer for Msgr. William J. Lynn, is seeking a return visit before a panel of three state Superior Court judges who previously ruled that his client should get out of jail immediately.

Bergstrom also is seeking permission to brief that Superior Court panel on other appeal issues that the defense lawyer hopes will get his client a new trial.

In response, top appeal lawyers for District Attorney R. Seth Williams argued that Bergstrom was “judge-shopping.” Furthermore, the D.A. asserted that the state Superior Court panel of judges that previously ruled on the Lynn case had made a “material misrepresentation of the law.” Because of that material misrepresentation, the district attorney argued in his brief, it would constitute an “appearance of impropriety” if the same panel were allowed to rehear the case.

On Wednesday, Bergstrom filed a reply brief that claimed the D.A.’s accusation of judge-shopping was “unfounded and insulting.” Regarding the alleged material misrepresentation of the law, Bergstrom wrote that the charge was “disturbing.” He argued that the Superior Court panel of judges was best-suited to rehear the Lynn case because they are already familiar with it.

Msgr. Lynn is the former secretary for clergy for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who was convicted three years ago by a jury on one count of endangering the welfare of a child [EWOC].

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

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer

Joe Slobodzian
POSTED: FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

It’s been three weeks since Msgr. William J. Lynn was sent back to prison after the state Supreme Court reinstated his 2012 conviction and sentence for child endangerment in the Catholic Church priest sex abuse scandal.

For the 64-year-old Lynn, the first church official convicted for a supervisory role over deviant clergy, it’s become a question of waiting behind bars or returning to house arrest while his lawyers continue appealing.

Thomas A. Bergstrom, Lynn’s lawyer, said Friday he plans to visit Lynn on Wednesday to discuss whether he wants to petition the Superior Court to free him on bail pending his new appeals.

For many people, this wouldn’t even be a question. But Bergstrom said that after already serving 18 months of a 3- to 6-year prison term, Lynn “is not enamored of the thought of becoming a jack-in-the-box: in and out and in and out and in again.”

Since Lynn was charged in 2011 on the recommendations of a county grand jury, he has been through a dizzying array of legal proceedings.

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

MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

By Stephen Montemayor Star Tribune MAY 22, 2015

A former Hastings priest testified Friday that he did not sexually abuse an altar boy more than 20 years ago.

“I’ve waited 18 months for this day,” Francis Hoefgen said inside a Dakota County courtroom.

During about 25 minutes of testimony, Hoefgen, 64, of Columbia Heights, said he didn’t remember the boy who said Hoefgen abused him at St. Boniface Church in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Hoefgen faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and is one of few priests to face criminal charges for alleged sex offenses that are decades old. As they have all week, about a dozen supporters sat behind Hoefgen in the courtroom.

The defense’s case concluded after Hoefgen’s testimony. The jury recessed for the holiday weekend and will return Tuesday to hear closing arguments and begin deliberating.

Hoefgen kept two white lilac blossoms in a Dixie cup at his table Friday. His attorney, Michael Colich, later said the flowers commemorated the anniversary of his mother’s death. Hoefgen told jurors that he is the youngest of 13 children who grew up in Michigan. He said he came to Collegeville, Minn., to study at St. John’s University, and joined St. John’s Abbey in 1972 “to lead a monastic life and seek God and community.”

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MINNESOTA
St. Cloud Times

David Unze, dunze@stcloudtimes.com May 22, 2015

HASTINGS – Fran Hoefgen took the witness stand Friday and repeatedly denied that he sexually abused an altar boy when he was a priest at a Hastings church.

Hoefgen also said during his testimony that he had no recollection of the altar boy who is accusing him of abuse more than 20 years after it happened.

“I have waited for over 18 months for this day,” Hoefgen said during his brief testimony Friday.

The prosecution and defense rested their cases Friday. Closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday after which jurors will begin their deliberations.

Hoefgen, 64, is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Dakota County. He is accused of sexually abusing the altar boy from 1989-92 when he was priest at St. Boniface Church.

Hoefgen was calm and looked at the jury as he answered questions.

“Absolutely not” was the response he gave when asked if he sexually assaulted the altar boy, who is now 36 and testified earlier in the trial.

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UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian

Steven Morris
Friday 22 May 2015

The former Archbishop of Westminster has admitted he was wrong not to insist Catholic schools run by abbots adopt the recommendations of a report on child abuse in the church.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor said he did not ensure that Benedictine schools accepted the measures set out in the report because bishops do not have authority over abbots.

Some of the most famous Catholic schools in the country, including Downside in Somerset and St Benedict’s in west London, have been embroiled in abuse scandals in recent years.

The Nolan report, commissioned by Murphy-O’Connor and published in 2001, made more than 70 recommendations and is credited with changing the nature of how the Catholic church in the UK deals with abuse.

Speaking at the Hay festival in Wales, Murphy-O’Connor said he should have made sure the report’s recommendations were adopted by monastic schools and regretted they were not. “I must have thought abbots could manage themselves,” he said.

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UNITED KINGDOM
Irish Times

Former Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor has admitted he is deeply ashamed of the way he handled sex abuse allegations concerning a Catholic Church priest in the 1980s.

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor told a festival crowd how, as the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, he allowed priest Michael Hill to become the chaplain of Gatwick Airport despite Hill confessing to him that he had abused young boys.

The cleric (82) said he sent Hill for therapy before moving him to a new parish after being given assurances he would have no contact with children.

However, while at his new airport post, Hill went on to sexually assault a young man with learning difficulties who had missed a flight. Hill was jailed in 1997 for a string of attacks and then again for another five years in 2002 after disclosing fresh abuse during a sex offender treatment programme.

Speaking at the Hay Festival in south Wales, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said he would have done things differently now.

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TEXAS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Friday, May 22

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

We are deeply skeptical of claims by officials at a Dallas church that they have “without exception” reported suspicions and knowledge of child sex crimes to law enforcement.” If they did, we doubt they did so promptly and fully. And we are deeply grateful to the brave woman who is exposing possible child sex crimes at the church.

[Christian Today]

A member of Village Church, Jordan Root, admitted viewing and having sexual images of children. But church officials disciplined his wife, Karen Hinkley, for taking steps to have their marriage annulled. Shame on them. And kudos to her for having the courage to expose this wrongdoing.

Pastor Steve Hardin and the church’s public relations director Kent Rabalais have a lot to explain.

Root spent time in East Asia. We worry he may have hurt kids there. We hope anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes or cover ups by Village Church staff will call police, expose wrongdoing, protect kids and start healing.

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CALIFORNIA
Indian Country Today Media Network

On May 30, the public is welcome to attend a discussion on the Sainthood of Junipero Serra and the real history of California missions hosted by the Barbareño Chumash Tribal ’Iyalmuwič Council and The American Indian Movement of Southern California.

The two organizations have brought together some of the Native community’s most notable academics and leaders to lead two panels at The Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara at 1535 Santa Barbara St., in Santa Barbara, California.

The first panel begins at 9:30 a.m. and will discuss the International Ramifications of Canonization. According to a release about the event, the canonization will affect the entire Western Hemisphere, and this panel will expose the iconic California Mission system, which has long been held by the Catholic Church as a golden era storyline. The second panel will be held at 1 p.m. and will discuss Catholics and Christians against Canonization, and how Serra’s impending sainthood should not be a “Natives vs. Catholic” issue. Panelists will discuss how sainthood is attained and how Serra met those requirements, as well how this situation involves historical trauma and self-determination.

Another event to oppose Serra’s canonization will be held May 31, this one will be an Honoring the Ancestors Ceremony at the Santa Barbara Mission at 1 p.m.

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VATICAN CITY
Religion News Service

Rosie Scammell | May 22, 2015

VATICAN CITY (RNS) More than 55,000 people have signed a petition calling for Cardinal George Pell to return to his native Australia and face a government commission on child sex abuse, after allegations that he tried to bribe the victim of a pedophile priest.

Addressed to Pope Francis, the Change.org petition calls for Pell — the Vatican’s financial chief and former archbishop of Sydney — to answer questions from Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Appearing in person at the government inquiry is necessary in order to “see and listen to the pain of the victims first hand and explain his actions and decisions,” the petition says.

Calls for the cardinal to testify in Australia follow allegations made earlier this week by the nephew of Gerald Ridsdale, an imprisoned abusive priest, who said Pell tried to silence him after he disclosed suffering sexual abuse.

David Ridsdale told the commission on Wednesday (May 20) that Pell tried to bribe him after hearing of the abuse over 20 years ago.

Some of those who have so far signed the online petition said members of their family had been abused by Gerald Ridsdale. “My father was one of his victims who lived a very tormented life, he passed away three years ago after years of drowning his thoughts with alcohol,” one person wrote.

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CANADA
Ottawa Citizen

[with video]

MARK KENNEDY, OTTAWA CITIZEN
Published on: May 22, 2015

WINNIPEG – The personal discovery came about three years after Justice Murray Sinclair had begun his work in 2009 as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

By then, Sinclair had heard heart-wrenching stories of cruelty and abuse from aboriginals who had spent their childhood in the residential schools established by the federal government and run by the churches.

And yet, there was one story he had never been told: that of his own father, Henry Sinclair, who died in 1994. One day while Sinclair was visiting his uncle, the truth emerged.

“He revealed during the course of our conversation that my father had been abused in residential schools. And I had no idea until he told me.”

Suddenly, says Sinclair, “everything clicked into place for me to explain why my father was the way he was.”

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CANADA
Ottawa Citizen

[with video]

MARK KENNEDY, OTTAWA CITIZEN
Published on: May 22, 2015

WINNIPEG – It was a failed social experiment stretching back to Sir John A. Macdonald that set the groundwork for decades of human misery.

The Canadian government, in line with a goal eventually described as a plan to “kill the Indian in the child,” established a system of Indian residential schools.

It began in 1883, when Macdonald passed a cabinet measure to create three residential schools in the West to be operated by the Catholic and Anglican churches.

The plan was announced in the House of Commons by Public Works Minister Hector Langevin, who said:

“In order to educate the children properly we must separate them from their families. Some may say that this is hard but if we want to civilize them we must do that.”

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OHIO
Toledo News Now

By Holly Tuey

TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) –
A Toledo Catholic priest has been placed on administrative leave following allegations that he violated the diocesan code on sexual abuse of minors.

Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) is conducting an investigation involving Reverend Samuel Punnoor, who has served in the Diocese of Toledo since April of 2011.

Bishop Daniel E. Thomas placed Father Punnoor on leave Friday, after he returned from visiting his home diocese in India. The diocese says it learned on May 6 of the allegation that Punnoor violated “Appendix A: Diocese of Toledo Code of Pastoral Conduct” of the diocesan “To Protect and to Heal: Policy on Sexual Abuse of Minors.” Father Punnoor was in India from April 26 until May 21.

Punnoor was placed on administrative leave, during which he is not allowed to exercise public ministry, administer any of the Sacraments, wear clerical attire or present himself publicly as a priest.

The diocese says this is the first time it has received any such allegation regarding Father Punnoor and it is cooperating with LCCS.

Punnoor was serving as parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish in Maumee since July of 2013. He previously served at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish and Corpus Christi University Parish, both in Toledo. He was also involved with St. Joseph schools and Central Catholic High School in Toledo.

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OHIO
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Friday, May 22

Statement by Claudia Vercellotti, SNAPtoledo@aol.com, 419 345 9291

For more than two weeks, Toledo Catholic officials kept silent about an allegation of misconduct involving a child. Even now, they refuse to give any details that might be helpful to parents, parishioners, police, prosecutors or the public. Shame on them.

[Toledo Blade]

Fr. Samuel Punnoor has been suspended. It’s now up to Bishop Daniel Thomas and his top aides to aggressively seek out others with information or suspicion about Fr. Punnoor and make sure they call law enforcement immediately.

Fr. Punnoor worked at Most Blessed Sacrament and Corpus Christi University parishes in Toledo, Central Catholic High School, Church of St. Patrick, Immaculate Conception Church (all in Toledo) and Saint Joseph parish in Maumee.

We urge every single person who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Fr. Punnoor or cover ups by his church colleagues to seek help form independent sources: police, prosecutors, therapists or support groups like ours. We also urge them to protect kids, expose wrongdoing, and start healing.

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AUSTRALIA
SBS

After harrowing stories of abuse from survivors, the child abuse royal commission will next week hear from Australia’s worst pedophile priest.

Source: AAP

Australia’s worst pedophile priest, Gerald Francis Ridsdale, will be grilled for at least two days at the child abuse royal commission next week.

A major focus of the commission’s Ballarat hearing is who was responsible for moving Ridsdale from parish to parish, allowing him to continue to offend, and why.

It may end up being Ridsdale who gives the commission much of the information it needs in its investigation.

Ridsdale will give evidence via video-link from jail on Wednesday and Thursday, and into Friday if necessary.

The royal commission’s investigation is far from over and yet senior counsel assisting, Gail Furness SC, has already indicated it has uncovered evidence that church figures knew of the abuse in the early 1960s.

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ILLINOIS
WICS

[with video]

A central Illinois priest who was removed as pastor over an abuse allegation is now speaking out.

Reverend Robert DeGrand says the church inquiry that led to his ouster resembled a witch hunt. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield removed DeGrand from four parishes earlier this month over alleged misconduct that happened in 1980 in Jacksonville.

Media reports show DeGrand says his removal was not directly related to the allegation, but instead, for refusing to move to a private home while on administrative leave after the complaint.

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ILLINOIS
WICS

[with video]

Bishop Thomas Paprocki, firing back after a former central Illinois priest said the church inquiry that led to his ouster resembled a witch hunt.

Robert DeGrand was removed from four parishes earlier this month over alleged misconduct that happened in 1980 in Jacksonville.

Media reports show DeGrant says his removal was not directly related to the allegation, but instead for refusing to move to a private home while on administrative leave after a complaint.

Bishop Paprocki released this statement Thursday that says, in part:

“Our Diocesan Review Board unanimously found that the allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor against Father DeGrand was credible and I accepted their finding. Father DeGrand was removed because he has refused to cooperate with the review board and declined the opportunity they offered to review their finding. As long as that finding stands, I cannot and will not return Father DeGrant to ministry.”

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OHIO
NBC 24

by Amulya Raghuveer

TOLEDO — A Toledo reverend has been placed on administrative leave after a claim was made alleging he violated the diocese’s policy on the sexual abuse of minors.

Reverend Samuel Punnoor, who has served in Toledo since April 2011, is said to have been reported to Lucas County Children Services by the Diocese of Toledo on May 6 while he was visiting his home diocese in India.

Specifics of the allegation against Father Punnoor have not been disclosed; however, diocese officials say parents and guardians of students at Most Blessed Sacrament, Saint Joseph schools, and Central Catholic High School have been advised of the situation.

While an investigation is underway, Father Punnoor has been placed on administrative leave and is not permitted to exercise public ministry, administer Sacraments, wear clerical attire or present himself publicly as a priest.

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

TOLEDO (OH)
Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo

For Immediate Release

Bishop Daniel E. Thomas today placed Reverend Samuel Punnoor on administrative leave following an allegation that he violated “Appendix A: Diocese of Toledo Code of Pastoral Conduct” of the diocesan To Protect and to Heal: Policy on Sexual Abuse of Minors. Upon learning May 6, 2015, of the allegation against Father Punnoor, the Diocese of Toledo immediately reported it the same day to Lucas County Children Services. At that time, Father Punnoor was visiting his home diocese in India from April 26-May 21. Therefore, it was only upon his return that Bishop Thomas and diocesan officials were able to meet with him today.

The Diocese of Toledo has never before received any such allegation regarding Father Punnoor. The Diocese of Toledo is cooperating fully with Lucas County Children Services as it conducts its investigation.

While on administrative leave, Father Punnoor is not permitted to exercise public ministry, administer any of the Sacraments, wear clerical attire or present himself publicly as a priest pending the outcome of ongoing civil and ecclesiastical investigations.

Father Punnoor, a priest of the Diocese of Pathanamthitta in India, has served in the Diocese of Toledo since April 2011. Upon his arrival, he produced a letter of suitability from the Bishop of his home diocese, passed the necessary background checks and successfully completed the required safe environment training. He has served as Parochial Vicar at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, Toledo (April 2011-July 2012) and Corpus Christi University Parish, Toledo (July 2012-June 2013) and as Parochial Vicar at Saint Joseph Parish, Maumee since July 1, 2013. In addition, Father Punnoor has served as a faculty member at Central Catholic High School, Toledo (September 2011-May 2012) and assisted periodically with Masses at Historic Church of St. Patrick, Toledo and Immaculate Conception Church, Toledo (May 2012-June 2013).

Notice regarding the allegation against Father Punnoor was communicated today to the parents/guardians of the students of Most Blessed Sacrament and Saint Joseph schools, as well as Central Catholic High School. An announcement will also be made at Masses this weekend (May 23-24) at Most Blessed Sacrament, Corpus Christi University and Saint Joseph parishes. While on administrative leave, Father Punnoor is not residing at Saint Joseph Parish.

The Diocese of Toledo continues to be committed to ensuring the protection of children and providing a safe environment for all young people as well as ensuring the dignity and integrity of the priesthood.

The Diocese of Toledo asks for prayers for all those involved in this matter. If you have any concerns or information to report, contact Lucas County Children Services at 419-213-2273 and/or Toledo Diocesan Case Manager Mr. Frank DiLallo at 419-243-2150.

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OHIO
Toledo Blade

For the second time this year, a Toledo Catholic priest faces allegations of misconduct involving a minor.

The Diocese of Toledo announced today that the Rev. Samuel Punnoor has been placed on administrative leave by Bishop Daniel Thomas after he learned of an unspecified allegation against the priest. Father Punnoor came to Toledo in April, 2011 from the Diocese of Pathanamthitta in India.

RELATED CONTENT: Diocese of Toledo letter about Rev. Samuel Punnoor

The diocese received the allegation May 6, and Lucas County Children Services was notified that day, according to a diocese statement.

Father Punnoor has served as Parochial Vicar at Most Blessed Sacrament and Corpus Christi University parishes in Toledo, and the Saint Joseph parish in Maumee. He’s also taught at Central Catholic High School, and occasionally assisted at Historic Church of St. Patrick and Immaculate Conception Church in Toledo.

Both Most Blessed Sacrament and Saint Joseph have affiliated parochial schools, and parents of students there and at Central Catholic were notified today of the allegations.

In describing the allegations, the diocese only said that Father Punnoor faced an allegation that he violated a diocesan code of conduct regarding sexual abuse of minors.

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UNITED STATES
Talking Points Memo

By CATHERINE THOMPSON
Published MAY 22, 2015

Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) on Friday rushed to the defense of Josh Duggar, the eldest child of the family made famous by TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” who is now publicly facing allegations that he molested young girls when he was a teenager.

“Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself, ‘inexcusable,’ but that doesn’t mean ‘unforgivable,'” Huckabee wrote in a Facebook post. “He and his family dealt with it and were honest and open about it with the victims and the authorities. No purpose whatsoever is served by those who are now trying to discredit Josh or his family by sensationalizing the story.”

The Christian, ultra-conservative Duggar family endorsed Huckabee during the 2008 election cycle and did so again when he announced his 2016 campaign this month, after backing former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) in 2012. Endorsements from parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar currently have top billing on Huckabee’s campaign website.

The allegations against Josh Duggar surfaced Thursday when tabloid magazine In Touch published a 2006 police report showing Duggar was investigated for sex offenses, including allegedly fondling five underage girls, that occurred from 2002-2003. Duggar, now 27, was 14 years old when he allegedly committed the offenses. He was never charged with any crime.

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OREGON
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Friday, May 22

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com )

We urge Portland’s religious leaders to shun officials at a local church and we urge local law enforcement to charge those church officials with obstructing justice, evidence tampering, witness intimidation or other offenses because of how they dealt with a predatory pastor.

[Oregonian]

“This was a worst-case scenario when it comes to a church and a pastor not cooperating.” That’s how Washington prosecutor Kevin Barton described officials at Bethel United Pentecostal Church in Hillsboro.

According to The Oregonian, in a recent child sex abuse case, the church’s head pastor

– “declined to speak with police without a briefing on their investigation,”

– “then declined unless his insurance agent could be present” and

– revealed to police that he had known about the abuse of one boy, told him to document it in a letter (but the boy didn’t speak English well and was incapable of writing a letter in English).

This pastor should be harshly punished. So should any other current or former Bethel United Pentecostal staffer who ignored or concealed child sex crimes by ex-youth minister Dylan Ritterman.

If that punishment can happen through the legal system, that’s ideal. We urge police and prosecutors to look long and hard at charging Bethel officials and prosecuting them vigorously.

If that punishment cannot happen through the legal system, we urge Portland’s religious community to publicly denounce Bethel staff and shun them. Ministers should not idly sit back while their colleagues – in any denomination – endanger kids, conceal crimes, rebuff police, and behave in ways that bring shame on people of faith.

When ministers do nothing while other ministers endanger kids, all churches become less safe.

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UNITED STATES
Rage Against the Minivan

I grew up in the church. My dad was a theologian and preacher. My husband was a pastor for almost a decade. I’ve seen the beauty of the church but also the dysfunction. Like any group of human people, church communities are unique and imperfect. It’s unfair to make broad strokes about all Christians based on the behavior of a few. But at the same time, when unhealthy patterns emerge, it’s important to talk about them so that these patterns don’t maintain damaging behaviors.

One pattern that has troubled me about some churches is the impulse to deal with child sexual abuse “in house.” I’ve seen many variations on this them but it usually involves a pastor or a group of elders who believe that they can “extend grace” and deal with the problem themselves. It often involves some disciplinary action and some kind of restoration process that is overseen by church leaders.

There have been two instances brought to light this week that illustrate this pattern. First, a story broke that detailed the allegations of sexual abuse against Josh Duggar, the oldest brother of the Duggar family depicted in the reality show 19 Kids and Counting. Josh has since admitted to the sexual abuse. According to In Touch, both his father and his church failed to alert authorities in a timely manner. In fact, Josh’s dad told no one for a year following the first discovery, and there were repeated offenses in that year. Finally, things got bad enough that he went to the church:

Jim Bob then “met with the elders of his church and told them what was going on.” No one alerted the police or any other law enforcement agency. Instead they decided to send Josh to a program that consisted of hard physical work and counseling. James said that Josh was in the program from March 17, 2003 until July 17, 2003.

He said the program was a “Christian program.” Michelle Duggar later admitted to police that Josh did not receive counseling and instead had been sent during that time to a family friend who was in the home remodeling business.

There have also been some disturbing allegations this week in regards to the actions of elders and pastors at The Village Church in Dallas. Joshua Root, a leader in their church, admitted to repeatedly viewing child pornography. Possession of child pornography is a federal offense, and yet the church did not contact authorities. What’s worse, they placed his wife under church disciple for filing for an annulment upon learning about her husband’s pedophilia. An except from a letter the pastor sent to Joshua’s wife:

We have been perplexed by your decision to file for an annulment of your marriage without first abiding by your covenant obligations to submit to the care and direction of your elders. As I mentioned in my first letter, this decision violates your covenant with us – and places you under discipline.

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AUSTRALIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Friday 22 May, 2015

Media Statement by Nicky Davis, Leader, SNAP Australia (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)

nicky@nickydavis.com.au
0422 538 440

Pope Francis moved Cardinal George Pell to Rome from Australia. Now, the pontiff must force Pell to testify before a governmental panel.

Serious allegations against Pell have repeatedly been raised – both through sworn testimony and through media interviews.

Francis has said – and Catholics all know – that to move forward, the truth about this scandal must be disclosed. Pell’s participation in the governmental inquiry is crucial if this is to happen.

And for the healing of Australian Catholics and victims, Pell must be questioned under oath about child sex abuse and cover up cases in his home country.

The pope must act and act now.

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TEXAS
Christian Today

Mark Woods CHRISTIAN TODAY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 22 May 2015

The Village Church in Dallas, Texas, has been accused of controlling behaviour.

A Dallas megachurch is facing accusations that it has failed to deal with one of its members who viewed images of child abuse and instead made his wife a subject of church discipline.

The 10,000-member Village Church, whose lead pastor is Matt Chandler, supported two of its members, Jordan and Karen Root, in their work with the SIM USA mission organisation in East Asia. Jordan Root was found to have been viewing child pornography and his appointment with SIM was terminated following an investigation and his admission of guilt.

Jordan Root entered what the church called a “process of walking in repentance” and the church was told: “1 John 1:7 reminds us that he is washed clean of all unrighteousness, met with forgiveness, and granted fellowship with the body. Even with egregious sin, we are now called to reaffirm our love for him.” He was removed from ministry and reported to the authorities. He was allowed to attend worship at the church if he was accompanied by a member, and also forbidden to enter the church’s children’s ministry building.

Karen Root – now Karen Hinkley – took steps to have her marriage annulled and resigned her membership of the church. However, The Village Church has a strict ‘covenant’ membership policy which includes the commitment: “I will seek to preserve the gift of marriage and agree to walk through the steps of marriage reconciliation at The Village Church before pursuing divorce from my spouse.”

Hinkley received a letter from one of the church’s pastors, Matt Younger, acknowledging that Root’s conduct “must have inflicted a great wound upon you, one that we cannot fully understand” and saying, “We desire to care for you and lead you in a manner that is worthy of the gospel.”

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TEXAS
Echoes and Stars

Matt Bredmond

If you do not know what is going on, you need to go read the documentation.

1. At this point, there are very few facts to debate. The story comes from official documentation from The Village Church and the missions agency, SIM. To ask for another side of the story is to simply bury your head in the sand and not want to deal with the uncomfortable facts of the actual story.

2. A church (and its leaders) that places itself in the position of teaching and instructing men and women all over the world through conferences and resources will not be and should not be able to enjoy the luxury of avoiding criticism in its practice of discipline, especially when some of that instruction is on the subject of discipline itself.

3. One question The Village Church and its defenders will have to answer is, “Why is this not a biblical grounds for divorce if they do in fact have the biblical grounds to remove him from ministry indefinitely and feel the need to warn the parents of the church about this man and his exposure to children?”

4. If the use of child pornography is in fact pedophilia, then Karen, the wife has the biblical grounds to divorce/annul the marriage according to most evangelical position papers. The job of the elders is not to validate that decision but to support her.

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UNITED STATES
National Survivor Advocates Coalition

The National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) sent letters to 55 Bishops—Archbishops, Bishops, Auxiliary Bishops and Retired Bishops – in Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois in search of one who would preside in the place of convicted and now resigned Bishop Robert Finn at the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph scheduled May 23rd ordination of candidates for the priesthood.

We offered to pay the transportation expenses for any one of them willing to stand and prevent this travesty from happening.

We are publishing the full text of our letter at this end of this editorial.

Because we have watched the behavior of Bishops in the 13 years since the eruption of the Boston incarnation of the scandal and learned even more from their depositions and dealings with survivors and their families, we know better than to be hopeful that another Bishop will preside in Finn’s stead on Saturday.

For that reason, we included in our letter a second request of the 55 Bishops: that unwilling or unable to preside at the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph’s ordinations, the Bishops at least contact the temporary administrator of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Bishop Joseph Naumann and request that he change the time so that he could perform the ordinations or incorporate the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph seminarians into the ordination ceremony in his diocese (Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas).

Finn presiding at these ordinations is egregious.

For that, in addition to Bishop Naumann, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Archbishop Vigano, the Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio (ambassador) to the United States, both of whom approved of this arrangement at the time of Finn’s “voluntary” resignation, April 21, 2015, are responsible.

But ultimately, Pope Francis bears responsibility.

For all the lovely words that have been said about healing, protecting, getting it and moving on in the sexual abuse scandal, – the largest crisis in the Roman Catholic Church in 500 years – this action, allowed to stand, shows the Church’s true colors. …

TEXT of the LETTER SENT TO BISHOPS by NSAC:

May 15, 2015 Dear Excellency: We sincerely request that you replace Bishop Robert Finn as the ordaining Bishop for the May 23, 2015 ordination of seminarians to the priesthood in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. We understand Bishop Finn can perform the ordinations but we seek your assistance in preventing yet another blow to the survivors of sexual abuse by priests and members of religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church.

While another Bishop can replace Bishop Finn for this public ceremony, no one can replace a survivor. It is the survivors’ pain that we believe should be a concern of the heart and soul of the Church as these ordinations approach and are carried out by a Bishop who was and remains a central figure in this crisis. There is no way healing can be real and true if actions such as Bishop Finn presiding at ordinations on May 23 following his resignation nearly three years after his conviction are allowed to continue and are viewed as good decisions.

The National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) would be happy to pay your expenses and arrange for your transportation if it would assist you in being the presiding Bishop at the ordination ceremony.

If you choose not to be the presiding Bishop we ask for your action to contact Bishop Joseph F. Naumann, Bishop of Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas and the temporary administrator of the Diocese of Kansas City- St. Joseph and with fraternal love and in the spirit of fraternal correction vigorously prevail upon him to change the time of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph ordinations in order for his schedule to permit him to be the ordaining bishop or that the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph men who will be ordained priests be included in the ordination ceremony planned by his own diocese where he will be the presiding Bishop.

We appreciate your consideration of our requests.

Sincerely, Kristine Ward Chair, National Survivor Advocates Coalition

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OHIO
Cleveland.com

By John Harper, Northeast Ohio Media Group
on May 22, 2015

NORTHFIELD CENTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio — The sentencing of a former teacher and school board president on 15 child porn charges has opened old wounds for parents and former students at St. Barnabas School and church in Northfield Center.

Decades of child abuse at St. Barnabas and other catholic schools came to light 13 years ago when the Rev. Daniel McBride, the only priest indicted in a sweeping grand-jury investigation of sex-abuse complaints in the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. McBride was sentenced to three years’ probation for having sex with a teen prostitute last year

The diocese issued a statement saying McBride’s case was “a personal matter and was never connected with the exercise of his priestly ministry.”

Now the Rev. Ralph Wiatrowsky of St. Barnabas has asked a judge to reconsider sentencing former Nordonia Hills school board President Steve Bittel to prison after 67 child porn files were found on his computer. And the letter has some parents outraged.

Angela Mitchell was a student at St. Barnabas in the 1980s, and while she was never a victim of sexual abuse, she says she knows others who were. She is one of 1,600 local parents who have joined a private Facebook group to coordinate efforts asking the Diocese of Cleveland to reconsider Wiecowsky’s job.

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UNITED STATES
Think Progress

BY JUDD LEGUM POSTED ON MAY 21, 2015

Josh Duggar, a reality TV star on TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting and the oldest child of the Duggar clan, admitted that he sexually molested several young girls as a teenager. Duggar only owned up to his conduct after records of a police investigation were obtained by In Touch Magazine. He was never prosecuted because, by the time he was reported to the authorities, the statute of limitations had expired.

Prior to his admission on Thursday night, Duggar spent years crisscrossing the country as a spokesman for “traditional values.” Duggar took a job as executive director of the Family Research Council’s political arm in 2013. In that role, which he resigned on Thursday, Duggar argued that marriage equality and abortion rights — among other things — were destroying the values that he and his family embodied.

Here are nine of Duggar’s most sanctimonious moments:

1. When Josh Duggar argued that an LGBT nondiscrimination measure in Arkansas jeopardized the safety of children:

Enacting additional laws that are trying to protect one group of people over another is not really the solution and in fact it has the inverse effect on others…We have to make sure we’re standing up to protect the rights of privacy and protecting the well-being of women and children in our cities.

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SAN FRANCISCO (CA)
National Catholic Reporter

Dan Morris-Young | May. 22, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO “The religious fabric of the San Francisco archdiocese has been torn, and it did not need to happen. Intentionally or not, it has been wrenched,” said Thomas Sheehan, a Stanford University scholar who summarized what several observers shared with NCR.

Conflict has marked the tenure of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone since his arrival in San Francisco in 2012. In recent months, highly publicized events have made the archdiocese and Cordileone a staple of media coverage, and local Catholics have made their feelings known, from critics calling for Cordileone’s removal in a full-page ad in a major daily, to supporters rallying for the archbishop with a picnic, petitions and a website.

The Bay Area has become an epicenter for colliding visions of what being Catholic means, the role of conscience, church teaching on sex and sexuality, the core role of Catholic schools, the understanding of revealed truth, and how authority should be exercised.

In short, Catholic identity.

“I still think there is a possibility of reconciliation if both sides would just pause for a moment, if Archbishop Cordileone publicly announced as pastor of the archdiocese that he is willing to sit down and start from scratch. He arrived here running, landing with all four episcopal feet on the ground, and with an agenda,” Sheehan added.

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AUSTRALIA
news.com.au

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SETTLEMENTS WITH BALLARAT ABUSE VICTIMS

* Financial settlements with 42 victims
* $3.872 million paid out, average $92,000
* Initial payout total $2.958 million, average payout $70,000
* So far 11 claims re-examined with $914,400 in additional payments

WHAT CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SPENT DEFENDING THREE BALLARAT OFFENDERS

* Robert Charles Best – $1,527,949
* Edward Vernon Dowlan (Ted Bales) – $77,000
* Stephen Francis Farrell – $23,000

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CANADA
StarPhoenix

BY HANNAH SPRAY, THE STARPHOENIX MAY 21, 2015

A retired priest was released from custody after he appealed his sentence for a sexual assault he committed in 1978.

Omer Desjardins, 82, was sentenced in January to six months in jail, plus one year of probation, for sexually touching a 10-year-old girl in 1978 in a small community north of Saskatoon.

On April 16, having served just under four months of his sentence, Desjardins was released after a panel of three Saskatchewan Court of Appeal judges reduced his sentence to time served.

“The court of appeal essentially said they’re going to allow the appeal and sentence him to time served, as there were mitigating factors the judge didn’t take into account or give adequate weight to,” said Desjardin’s lawyer, George Green.

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MASSACHUSETTS
WCVB

BOSTON —For nearly 11 years now, parishioners have protested the closing of their church on the Massachusetts seacoast, keeping round-the-clock vigil there and holding Sunday services even though the Roman Catholic Church has de-consecrated the sanctuary.

Thursday, the Friends of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church continued to stand their ground, announcing plans to appeal a judge’s order to vacate the church by May 29. They also will appeal the judicial decisions leading up to the ruling and want the judge’s order suspended, pending a decision by the Massachusetts Appeals Court, said Mary Elizabeth Carmody, an attorney for the group.

“There were a number of decisions that handcuffed us at trial,” Carmody said.

The motions were filed in Norfolk Superior Court, where Judge Edward Leibensperger held the one-day trial earlier this month. The trial focused on the question: Who holds title to the church land?

Leibensperger said the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston owns the property in Scituate and he declared the parishioners trespassers. He declined to address church law issues raised by the protesters, who now argue that he didn’t properly consider their arguments.

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CANADA
CBC News

BY DENNIS GRUENDING | MAY 21, 2015

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) will hold its closing events in Ottawa between May 31 and June 3, 2015. The TRC was established in 2008 as a part of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement in order to inform Canadians about the history and legacy of such schools. For more than 130 years, the institutions were operated by the government and by Canadian churches on the government’s behalf. A second portion of the TRC mandate is to inspire a process leading toward reconciliation within Aboriginal families, and between Aboriginal peoples and non-Aboriginal communities, churches, governments — and Canadians in general.

Here are some facts about residential schools that shouldn’t be forgotten:

• In 1879, politician Nicholas Flood Davin visited the U.S. to observe residential schools and recommended them for Canada.

• In 1883, Canadian government minister Hector Langevin said, “In order to educate the [Indian] children properly we must separate them from their families.”

• Also in 1883, the Canadian government began to provide funding to church-run residential schools.

• 132 residential schools in total were created.

• Residential schools did not exist in Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

• An estimated 60 per cent of church-run residential schools were operated by Roman Catholics; 25 per cent by Anglicans and 15 per cent by the United Church of Canada. Several others were operated by Presbyterians and other churches.

• 150,000 children were removed from their families and communities and placed in residential schools.

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CANADA
CBC News

As the process to compensate Indian residential school survivors who suffered severe abuse winds down, efforts are being made to reach out to former students who started claims and have not followed up.

Anyone who suffered sexual or severe physical abuse at one of the schools First Nations children across the country were forced to attend could make a claim for compensation under the Independent Assessment Process or IAP.

That compensation is over and above the one-time common experience payment all former students received under the 2007 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Making an IAP claim also precluded survivors from suing any of the parties involved with the schools.

But now that the IAP is starting to wrap up, the search is on for hundreds of former students who have not completed their claims, known as “lost claimants.”

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AUSTRALIA
SBS

Almost four years after his last sentence for abusing children, the Christian Brothers have still not moved to kick Robert Best out of the order.

Source: AAP

The Christian Brothers have still not made any move to expel convicted pedophile Robert Best from the Catholic order, four years after his latest conviction.

Best has not asked from his jail cell to be removed from the Brotherhood and no-one in the order has taken any initiative to kick him out, the child sex abuse royal commission has heard.

Christian Brothers Oceania Province leader Brother Peter Clinch, who has been in the role since July, said he has not raised the issue of Best’s dispensation process with Rome.

“The matter has not come to my attention yet because he’s still in prison and it hasn’t come to my attention to take it further at this stage,” he told the commission on Friday.

He said Best will be in his 80s when he gets out of jail.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC Ballarat

By Margaret Burin

Ballarat locals have decorated a Catholic school fence with colourful ribbons, a campaign called Loud Fence, aimed at showing support for child abuse victims who were silenced.

After days of horrific evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, community members have begun tying bright ribbons onto the fence of the former St Alipius Boy’s School where some of the abuse took place.

One of the organisers, Maureen Hatcher, says it is the community’s way of letting survivors know that Ballarat is behind them.

“The idea is that it’s a loud fence and that’s because there’s just been too much silence,” she said.

“That’s been the crux of this whole disaster, that children weren’t listened to and they just weren’t supported, so it’s time to support them now and give them a voice.”

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MINNESOTA
Duluth News Tribune

By Tom Olsen on May 21, 2015

Attorneys representing alleged victims of clergy sex abuse were in court Thursday asking a judge to grant broader access to internal documents kept by the Diocese of Duluth.

The diocese in December 2013 publicly released the names of all priests it considered “credibly accused” of abuse, but officials have combated advocates’ efforts to examine decades’ worth of files.

“These documents are the secret documents that Bishop (Paul) Sirba has under lock and key at the diocese headquarters,” attorney Mike Finnegan said. He claimed that the documents “show what the bishops knew, when they knew it and how they sealed and covered up child sex abuse for years.”

At a Thursday afternoon hearing, Finnegan asked 6th Judicial District Judge Shaun Floerke to order the diocese to turn over all of its files on child sex abuse — a request that a diocese attorney likened to a “fishing expedition.”

The request was brought in a lawsuit filed against the diocese by “Doe 28,” an anonymous man who claims he was sexually abused by a Duluth priest in the 1970s. Attorneys are in the pre-trial discovery phase, working to exchange relevant information to prepare for trial.

Susan Gaertner, the Minneapolis attorney representing the diocese, argued that the discovery request was excessive.

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UNITED STATES
New York Daily News

Josh Duggar accused of sexually abusing 5 underage girls as minor; admits he ‘hurt others, including my family and close friends’

BY ETHAN SACKS , KIRTHANA RAMISETTI

The Duggar family is digging out from a shocking scandal.

Josh Duggar, 27, eldest son of the uber-religious Arkansas clan featured in “19 Kids and Counting,” has admitted to molesting multiple girls when he was a teen.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” Duggar said in a statement to People on Thursday. “I confessed this to my parents, who took several steps to help me address the situation.”

Duggar admitted fondling the breasts and genitals of at least five girls, sometimes as they slept. He has resigned his position as a lobbyist with the Family Research Council (FRC), an organization dedicated to preserving family values in America.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” the star of “19 Kids and Counting” said in a statement to People magazine. “I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation.

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UNITED STATES
The Daily Beast

Emily Shire

‘19 Kids and Counting’ star Josh Duggar resigned Thursday from the Family Research Council for acting ‘inexcusably’ as a teenager. Reports allege he molested younger girls—and the family knew.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably,” Josh Duggar stated Thursday night in his formal resignation from the conservative Christian Family Research Council. “Inexcusably” is, perhaps, one of the greatest understatements when it’s made in reference to the allegation that you molested five girls—including allegations, as TMZ reports, from some of your sisters.

In the last day, a stream of increasingly upsetting details have been revealed about the eldest Duggar child in the popular TLC reality series, 19 Kids and Counting.

In Touch uncovered a police report that was filed regarding Duggar in 2006, in which he was accused of molesting multiple female minors in 2002 and 2003 when he himself was 14-15 years old.

The report, filed in December 2006 by the Springdale Police Department in Arkansas, reveals disturbing details about the allegations against Duggar. James (better known to TLC fans as Jim Bob) Duggar told police that in March 2002, he was tipped off by an alleged victim that Josh had been “sneaking into” a room at night and “had been touching… the breasts and vaginal areas.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

MAY 22, 2015

Jared Owens
Reporter
Canberra

Bill Shorten has urged the Catholic Church to treat sex-abuse victims “with respect, not just legal strategy” as it considers interrogating survivors to prevent an adverse royal commission finding against its most senior Australian cleric, George Pell, and other senior clergy.

The move would represent an abrupt reversal of its previous decision not to cross-examine victims and follows warnings from commission chairman Peter McClellan that the probe into institutional responses to child sexual abuse will likely be asked to make findings about claims that Cardinal Pell dismissed complaints by two victims of pedophile priests.

Cardinal Pell has repeatedly denied these allegations, issuing a statement from the Vatican yesterday attacking “false and misleading headlines” and pledging complete co-operation with the royal commission.

The Opposition Leader today cautioned the church is being judged by how it deals with abuse survivors.

“The whole Church isn’t judged by the standards of some, the errant clergy who have done this are terrible and wicked people. But it’s how we deal with the harm once we know it’s happened, that’s what judges an institution, that’s what judges all of us,” Mr Shorten said in Melbourne.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

May 22, 2015

Jane Lee

Church lawyers will not recall witnesses for cross-examination on allegations Cardinal George Pell tried to bribe a victim to silence him and ignored another’s reports children were being sexually abused.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council told media outside of the the royal commission into child sexual abuse that “we have determined that regardless of the position the commission is taking that it is not in the best interests of witnesses or anyone else that they be cross-examined”.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

May 22, 2015

Jane Lee

The Christian Brothers have done nothing to remove offender Robert Best from its order since he was convicted of multiple sexual offences against children.

Best was convicted in 2011 of sex crimes against 11 boys at schools in Ballarat, Box Hill and Geelong and is currently serving a 14 year, nine-month sentence.

Brother Peter Clinch, leader of the Christian Brothers Oceania Province, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Friday that Best was still a Christian Brother.

Asked why by Counsel Assisting the Commission Gail Furness, SC, Brother Clinch – who became leader last July – said: “Because he hasn’t gone through the …dispensation, and he has not requested that. And as far as I’m aware at this early stage of my leadership, the congregation hasn’t taken any initiative in that area.”

Brother Clinch could not say why the leadership had not taken any action. The Christian Brothers’ policy in Nairobi was that “any Brother who offends from now on will no longer be a member of the congregation. Prior to that, that means prior to 2013, there is no legislation, in our constitutions for that to happen,” he said.

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UNITED STATES
RH Reality Check

by Jodi Jacobson, Editor in Chief, RH Reality Check
May 22, 2015

Josh Duggar, oldest son of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, the family profiled in the reality TV juggernaut 19 Kids and Counting, resigned his position as Executive Director of the Family Research Council today after reports surfaced that as a young teen he had fondled the breasts and genitals of several girls, including his own sisters, over an unknown period of time beginning in at least 2002.

The Duggars rose to fame based on their brand of “biblical family values,” which as described by writer Vyckie Garrison, are based on the premise that “God designed males and females to fulfill distinct roles [in which] men are to be leaders, teachers, initiators, protectors and providers. Women are created to be “helpmeets” to the men in authority over them (husbands, fathers, older brothers) ~ they are to be submissive and yielding.” The Duggars home-school their kids, place very heavy emphasis on chastity—couples don’t even hold hands before they are engaged to be married—and the “proper” role of women and girls, and eschew birth control, and strongly embrace other so-called Christian conservative values.

The Duggars quickly became big business. Based primarily on the size of their family and the apparent willingness of Michelle and Jim Bob to keep getting pregnant irrespective of the documented dangers to both Michelle and the babies she carries, the cable channel TLC gave them a reality show from which they make a reported $25,000 to $40,000 per episode. From that show grew incessant coverage of the Duggars in People magazine and a range of tabloids, which have documented ad nauseum the weddings of the three oldest Duggar children and the subsequent and, in turn, the rapid birth of their own kids. Add to all of this money from book sales, promotional appearances, and their other family businesses, including real estate, and the Duggars are making a considerable income peddling their values.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By court reporter Peta Carlyon

The head of the Christian Brothers’ Oceania chapter has told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse there are no plans to remove paedophile Robert Best from the order.

Best is one of three Christian Brothers who worked in Ballarat in regional Victoria, who have been convicted of abusing children under their care.

He is currently in prison, but is expected to be released when he is aged in his 80s.

Fellow Christian Brother and notorious paedophile Edward Dowlan, now known as Ted Bales, is also in prison and was removed from the order.

But Brother Peter Clinch indicated there were no plans to stop Best from using the Brother title on release.

The commission heard he is not using it in prison.

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UNITED STATES
Washington Post

By Mary DeMuth
May 22

It’s never simply over.

Yesterday was hard for me. I opened my computer to the news of several instances of sexual abuse reported (within the church), including the claims about Josh Duggar’s gross indiscretions and his subsequent confession. And something in me sunk, particularly because of this statement by his parents: “Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God.”

While I’m grateful that this travesty produced fruit and closeness, as a victim of sexual abuse, I am skeptical. Though we may not know the details of recovery during these years, it’s easy to sweep something away by pointing to God in a statement.

But it’s not so simple to get over sexual violation. Recovery takes years of stops and starts, and forgiveness is not a one-time easy decision, particularly if it’s demanded or expected right away for the sake of peace and putting something shameful behind you.

Often we see in communities of faith that victims are admonished to be grace-like, offering instant forgiveness to their abuser as if it could be dolled out like a trinket or candy. And when someone is pressured to “be like Jesus” and forgive swiftly, often this pressure causes harm.

Sexual violation cuts deeply. It eats away at worth, esteem and personhood. I believe it is one of Satan’s greatest weapons against humanity, paving the road for future self-destructive behavior, suicidal thoughts, feelings of utter worthlessness, sexual dysfunction, guilt, shame and any manner of disorders. And moving beyond it is excruciating, long and sometimes debilitating.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – PM

PETER LLOYD: Australia’s most senior Christian Brother has condemned the crimes of his colleagues in the Victorian city of Ballarat.

The child sex abuse royal commission has heard evidence of the brutal sexual and physical abuse of children by Christian Brothers in the city in the ’60s and ’70s.

But Brother Peter Clinch told the commission there has been no attempt to remove one of the worst offenders, jailed paedophile Robert Best, from the congregation.

Samantha Donovan reports from Ballarat.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Christian Brothers Robert Best, Edward Dowlan and Stephen Farrell have all been convicted of sexually abusing children in the Ballarat area.

The commission heard today Robert Best remains a member of the congregation even though he’s serving a 14 year jail sentence for his crimes against 11 boys.

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OREGON
The Oregonian

By Emily E. Smith | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on May 21, 2015

A youth pastor admitted Thursday to sexually abusing two boys in the Hillsboro congregation of the Bethel United Pentecostal Church.

Dylan Ritterman, 28, pleaded guilty in Washington County Circuit Court to two counts each of attempted first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree sexual abuse.

Circuit Judge Kirsten Thompson imposed the sentence outlined in his plea agreement, which sends him to prison for six years and eight months.

Before the hearing began, Ritterman, who was out of custody, sat in the back of the courtroom with his wife. Later, he joined his attorney, Anne Tracey, at the defense table.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

May 22, 2015

Marissa Calligeros

One of Victoria’s most senior Catholic priests has called on Cardinal George Pell to return from the Vatican to front the royal commission into child sexual abuse.

The commission is sitting in Ballarat this week as it investigates the church’s many failings in recognising and dealing with the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests and clergymen in the Victorian town dating back to the 1960s.

Geelong’s Father Kevin Dillon said Cardinal Pell should return to Australia to answer allegations he tried to bribe one abuse victim to keep quiet, ignored complaints and was complicit in moving a notorious paedophile priest to a different parish.

“Given the enormous focus on Ballart, given the enormous impact of all this, it would be helpful … for the Cardinal to return to face questions in person,” Father Dillon said.

“Certainly, the widespread public opinion seems to be that the issue will be determined the best if he were to return.”

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MINNESOTA
Fox 21

[with video]

Stef Manisero, Reporter, smanisero@kqdsfox21.tv

DULUTH, Minn. –
A new court order has been filed against the diocese of Duluth.

Attorneys representing a man who says he’s a survivor of clergy abuse, appeared in St. Louis County Court in Duluth Thursday.

The person identified as Doe 28, asked a judge to release all documents and files regarding all clergy accused of child sexual abuse.

Doe 28 says he was abused by Father Robert Klein, who was assigned to The Sacred Heart Church in Duluth, in the 70s.

The hope is the documents will provide a clearer picture of the diocese’s practices regarding abusive priests.

“Those are things that show what the bishops knew, when they knew it, and how they concealed and covered up child sex abuse for years,” said Mike Finnegan, the Prosecuting Attorney on the case. “Those are things that the public has never seen, and until the public gets those, kids in this community are at risk.”

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AUSTRALIA
Daily Mail

The real-life Angel: The rebel priest who has helped more than 80 victims of church paedophiles deal with the trauma of abuse at the hands of evil clergy

By JOHN CARNEY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Even as a royal commission exposes sickening details of a paedophile ring involving Catholic clergy in the Victorian town of Ballarat, one priest is picking up the emotional and physical wreckage wrought by the evil side of a religion he has given his life to.

Father Kevin Dillon, priest for St Mary of the Angels parish in Geelong, south of Melbourne, for the past 15 years, will accompany eight victims to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse inquiry who have been physically and sexually abused by priests and Christian Brothers.

He is a confidante and spiritual guide for more than 80 people from all over Australia who endured child abuse at the hands of the clergy.

It is a role he never planned for, but which now provides essential support and trust to the victims.
It all began in 2008 on Neil Mitchell’s 3AW radio show in Melbourne. A live phone-in was taking place about the Foster family.

Christine and Anthony Foster had three daughters. Two of them, Emma and Katie, were sexually abused at a young age by a Catholic priest.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

MAY 22, 2015

Gerard Henderson
Columnist
STOP PRESS

THE INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE OF SOME JOURNALISTS CONCERNING GEORGE PELL

The abysmal ignorance of some Australian journalists has seldom been more evident than in the coverage of the hearings of the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse which are currently underway in Ballarat. Especially in Fairfax Media, the ABC, The Guardian Australia and Sky News’ Paul Murray Live. Here are some “highlights”.

Last night on Paul Murray Live, presenter Paul Murray seemed unaware that Cardinal George Pell had already appeared twice before the Royal Commission as a witness and that the Royal Commission has been advised that he is willing to co-operate with it as required. Cardinal Pell appeared as a witness on one occasion in Sydney and via video-link from the Vatican on another occasion. Yet Paul Murray, in his ignorance, called on Cardinal Pell to front up before the Royal Commission.

Then the following exchange took place:

***
Paul Murray: … I just believe that all of the people involved in these organisations — and there are some phenomenally important organisations, like the Salvos, who had to own up to terrible things in their past that have nothing to do with how they currently deal with things. But they had to front, they had to explain how they’ve learned, how they’ve changed. He [George Pell] has to do this as the most visible leader of the Australian Catholic Church.

Dee Madigan: Not only the most visible leader but someone who, according to the testimony this week, was quite complicit in it. Frankly, I think he should be back and facing charges. And I say that as a Catholic. Probably not a very good one [laughs].

***
This is hopelessly wrong. There was no new testimony before the Royal Commission this week concerning George Pell. The allegations made against him by victims David Ridsdale and Tim Green — concerning George Pell’s (alleged) responses to their complaints — are old. The David Ridsdale matter is referred to in Tess Livingstone’s George Pell (2002) and the David Ridsdale and Tim Green matters are referred in David Marr’s The Prince (2014).

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AUSTRALIA
The Guardian

Associated Australian Press
Friday 22 May 2015

Australia’s most notorious paedophile priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale admitted he was out of control and “went haywire” in the Victorian town of Mortlake where he was believed to have abused every boy in school.

A series of letters and documents published by the royal commission into sexual abuse website reveal details of Ridsdale’s abuse and the response from the Catholic church, including Ballarat bishop Ronald Mulkearns.

Ridsdale has been convicted for abusing more than 50 children over three decades, dating back to his ordination in 1961.

After parents complained to then Ballarat Bishop James O’Collins about Ridsdale in 1961, O’Collins told him: “If this thing happens again then you’re off to the Missions” and sent him to Mildura.

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AUSTRALIA
Daily Mail

Cardinal George Pell should return home to give evidence before the royal commission into child sex abuse, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten believes.

Victims have called for Australia’s most senior Catholic figure to return from Rome to face allegations made during hearings of the commission in Ballarat this week.

“I do believe that George Pell should help the royal commission and if that means coming back to Australia to co-operate with the royal commission he should,” Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

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MINNESOTA
CBS Minnesota

Esme Murphy

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has launched a new criminal investigation into how top officials at the Twin Cities Archdiocese handled the case of a convicted pedophile priest.

Curtis Wehmeyer is currently serving a five-year prison term for molesting a child, exposing himself to another child and possessing child pornography while he was a pastor at St. Paul’s Blessed Sacrament Church. He also faces sexual assault charges in a separate case in Wisconsin.

In January 2014, the Ramsey County Attorney announced there would not be any charges against top church leaders over how they handled the Wehmeyer case.

But WCCO sources now say the County Attorney has been re-interviewing witnesses in recent weeks about Wehmeyer’s activities at a church he worked at before Blessed Sacrament.

From 2001 to 2006, Wehmeyer was an associate pastor at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, which also has a school in West St. Paul.

For much of that time, his supervisor and pastor was Father Lee Piche — now Bishop Piche, the No. 2 official in the Twin Cities Archdiocese.

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AUSTRALIA
Daily Mail

AAP

The new kids at school were warned who to avoid, boys were molested at the back of classrooms or even while sitting up front on the teacher’s lap and children were raped on church properties.

In some cases every boy in class knew their turn to be abused would come. At one town’s school, every boy aged 10 to 16 was molested.

What went on for decades in the deeply Catholic Ballarat diocese was blatantly obvious – as one victim put it – and widespread, yet no one stopped it.

Pedophile clergy got away with destroying so many lives for so long, and now its come back to haunt the Catholic Church and its most senior Australian figure Cardinal George Pell.

Cardinal Pell is a long way from Ballarat as he presides over the Vatican’s finances in Rome. But victims in his home town are looking to the former parish priest for answers.

So too is the child sexual abuse royal commission as it investigates the church’s many failings in recognising and dealing with what went on in Ballarat. Current Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher describes it as the worst story in the church’s history in Australia.

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AUSTRALIA
The New Daily

May 22, 2015
JACKSON STILES Advisor
Editor

The Catholic archbishop of Sydney has declared the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by church employees at schools in Victoria to be the worst in the nation’s history.

The nation’s royal commission into child abuse has been holding public hearings in Ballarat as part of its inquiry into past allegations of abuse in the regional town.

“It’s probably the worst story I think in the history of the Catholic Church in Australia,” Archbishop Anthony Fisher told ABC radio on Friday morning.

The testimonies given this week by former Ballarat students who attended Catholic schools ‘sickened’ the clergyman.

“It sickens me. It brings me to tears to hear how the victims have been so damaged, and how priests have betrayed their trust, and how leaders have failed in their supervising,” Archbishop Fisher said.

“We’ve got to do things better in the future.”

Some of Australia’s most notorious abusers, including Gerald Ridsdale, Robert Best and Edward Dowlan, were part of a paedophile ring operating in and around Ballarat during the 1960 and 70s.

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MICHIGAN
The Raw Story

JOAN SHIPPS
21 MAY 2015

A Michigan mother says Matthew Makela — former pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church and School in Midland — told her son he would go to hell for being gay. Ashamed of his sexuality and fearful of eternal damnation, the then 17-year-old child came to suffer from depression and thoughts of suicide, WNEM reports.

Makela stepped down from his post at St. John’s earlier this week after Queerty provided photographic evidence of the married father of five — who was prone to saying hateful things about gay people online — seeking out male companionship on the popular hookup app, Grindr.

Jennifer Kish tells WNEM reporters that Makela “nearly drove [her son] to suicide.”

In an interview with the Saginaw-based news outlet, Kish says she “moved to Midland specifically to go to this church,” referring to St. John’s. But then Pastor Makela began harassing her son online.

Using social media, Makela warned the teenage boy of homosexuality-induced hell fire in the afterlife, putting the child in a hopeless mindset. “If he’s going to hell for being gay,” Kish describes her son’s state of mind with tears in her eyes, “then he might as well commit suicide.”

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MICHIGAN
Daily Kos

That Michigan pastor who was outed on Grindr? He nearly shamed a gay teen into committing suicide

Jen Hayden

Yesterday we covered Pastor Matt Makela, the anti-gay Michigan pastor who was outed on Grindr.

Today a young man and his mother have stepped forward with their own story about Pastor Matt Makela. Tyler Kish was a teenage boy struggling to come to terms with his sexuality and sought counsel from Pastor Makela. His advice nearly caused Tyler to commit suicide:

“If he was going to go to hell for being gay then he might as well go to hell by committing suicide,” Jennifer Kish said, regarding what Makela told her son.

He didn’t stop there:

Jennifer Kish said the pastor also became vocal on social media about how he felt her son being gay was wrong and that as a parent she shouldn’t support him.

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UNITED KINGDOM
The JC

Yehudis Goldsobel
By Yehudis Goldsobel
May 21, 2015

After considerable deliberation and a thorough re-examination of all the evidence, the retrial of Todros Grynhaus concluded this week with a conviction.

There is one less sex offender on our streets, and his many victims – now adults – can now begin their long journey of healing without fear of encountering their attacker on the street, in a local shop or in the synagogue.

As the founder and director of Migdal Emunah, a support service for Jewish victims of sexual abuse and their families, I am proud of the community for standing up against Grynhaus.

I am proud of the victims who filed a police complaint and went through the painful process of giving testimony, and I am also proud of the rabbis who supported the victims in their reporting.

Unlike previous cases of victims being shunned by their community, it is clear that attitudes are beginning to change.

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UNITED STATES
Forward

May 21, 2015

By Elana Sztokman

One of the most infuriating responses to the Freundel scandal I‘ve heard is the argument, “But it wasn’t rape.” As if to say, what he did was not such a big deal — after all it’s not categorized as a “violent” crime. In one really frustrating exchange I had, a radio host kept insisting that the requested 17-year prison term was too long because “it wasn’t rape,” he said, “I would rather be watched than penetrated.”

This comment is absurd in that it assumes that victims have a choice about how to be violated and that one is “better” than the other, but more dangerously it belies the very real and powerful impact of this category of so-called “non-violent” sexual assault. This is a type of assault that we need to understand better, because in this digital age, it is likely to increase.

What is the damage that is caused to a victim of voyeurism? That is the question that prosecutors in this case were trying to quantify. The prosecutor’s brief, followed by victim testimony in court, painted a portrait of sexual and spiritual trauma. It included victims who are afraid to get undressed, who are having difficulty resuming their intimate relationships, who have trouble trusting rabbis, who cannot walk into synagogue, who cannot walk into a mikveh, who are questioning their entire Jewish identity and religious practice.

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WASHINGTON (DC)
Haaretz

By Allison Kaplan Sommer | May 21, 2015

Watching a downcast Rabbi Barry Freundel being led away to face incarceration immediately after he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on May 15 may not have healed the trauma and pain of his victims, but it marked a milestone for many of them.

Two of the many women in the courtroom who knew they had been videotaped naked by the rabbi while were preparing for their ritual immersions in the mikveh said they had been deeply worried the judge might heed his plea for leniency. They said they were emotionally prepared to see him receive a minimal term or no prison time at all, as Freundel’s defense team had requested.

“There was a lot of fear in the group that he would get nothing or basically nothing,” Kate Bailey, 28, said in a telephone interview shortly after the sentencing.

Bethany Shondark Mandel, 29, said she had tried to keep her expectations low so as not to be disappointed. “I kept saying to myself, as long as it’s more than a year, that will be okay.” When the sentence was finally announced, she said, “I was shocked. We were all anticipating hearing that he would only get six months.” Ultimately, she said, “I think nearly everyone was relieved to hear the sentence. I think people wanted the sentence to make it clear that while this wasn’t rape, it was incredibly traumatic for his victims and total betrayal of trust.”

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GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Written by
Steve Martinez

Regarding the letter from Joaquin “Danny” Santos of Piti in the May 5 Voice of the People, it is unfortunate that he views sex abuse prevention as an adversarial issue. Shouldn’t we all demand our leaders to make every effort possible to protect our children?

Both the Church and the civil authorities require clergy file a report whenever they believe a case of sexual abuse has taken place. That is what I did in my first letter to Archbishop Apuron and CPS. A failure to do so would have been a failure to protect the children of our island. Danny’s condemnation of my actions is quite shocking to concerned parents.

Unfortunately, Santos has no alternative suggestion on what should have been done. There are important, unanswered questions regarding the allegations against Father Camacho. These answers could either exonerate him, or provide a basis for Church sanctions. Sadly, Santos chooses to attack the messenger rather than confront the real issues.

Santos points out that a canonical investigation has been started. It has been seven weeks since the incident occurred and we have heard nothing from the archdiocese on the status of their investigation. We know that the archdiocese is required to promptly investigate, and that, per Deacon Claros (sex abuse response coordinator, or SARC), Monsignor David has been appointed by Archbishop Apuron to conduct this investigation.

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AUSTRALIA
The Courier

By FIONA HENDERSON May 22, 2015

AFTER Paul Tatchell was raped by Brother Edward Dowlan at St Patrick’s College, he turned around and started belting the brother and wouldn’t stop.

“He (Dowlan) was crying on the floor. I was so angry for me and so angry for the other kids. I stormed out of the room,” Mr Tatchell told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

“I said ‘come with me you bastard’ and I went into the main area where all the other brothers who were dorm masters slept.

“I kept kicking at the door and eventually a couple of brothers got up to see what the racket was and then I just started swinging at them.”

Mr Tatchell left St Patrick’s College and went to Monivae College where he would attack any brothers abusing other students.

“I was taking my laundry down to the basement and the brother in charge of the laundry … was in there with another kid.

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CALIFORNIA
Religion News Service

David Gibson | May 21, 2015

(RNS) The San Francisco priest who sparked controversy earlier this year by barring altar girls has been replaced as chaplain of the church’s Catholic grade school.

The Rev. Joseph Illo also made news in February when he gave students at Star of the Sea School a form to prepare them for confession, asking whether they had masturbated or advised anyone to have an abortion.

Illo later said the confession form was a mistake, but the controversies added to the clamor surrounding San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, an outspoken conservative and opponent of gay marriage who is embroiled in a dispute with teachers at several Catholic schools about morality clauses in a new handbook.

Illo’s removal as school chaplain was made quietly, appearing April 29 in a listing of personnel changes in the archdiocese that named the Rev. Vito Perrone as the new chaplain. Typically the pastor will serve as chaplain of a school that is attached to a parish, but another person can be designated for the role.

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NEW JERSEY
NJ.com

By Bill Wichert | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on May 21, 2015

SOUTH ORANGE — A church official on Thursday refuted allegations that a priest is being removed as director of campus ministry at Seton Hall University as a result of a pro-LGBT Facebook post he made.

Rev. Warren Hall claimed in a tweet posted on Friday that he was “fired from SHU for posting a pic on FB supporting LGBT ‘NO H8.’ I’m sorry it was met with this response. I’ll miss my work here.”

But Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark, said in a statement on Thursday that Hall’s pending removal was not in response to the Facebook post.

“There are always many factors that go into evaluating whether a particular assignment is a good fit for a priest,” Goodness said.

“It is unfortunate that the tweet from Fr. Hall garnering so much media attention has been interpreted to suggest that the decision to assign another priest to the position of Director of Campus Ministry at Seton Hall was in response to Fr. Hall’s advocacy of tolerance for men and women with same-sex attraction. That could not be farther from the truth.”

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AUSTRALIA
Daily Mail

By LEESA SMITH FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

‘I continue to regret the misunderstanding between us’: Australia’s highest-ranking Catholic clergyman George Pell denies claims he tried to bribe the nephew of rampant paedophile priest to keep quiet

Cardinal George Pell refutes allegations that he attempted to bribe a victim of pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale.

David Ridsdale, the nephew of Australia’s worst pedophile priest, said at a royal commission hearing into child sex abuse on Wednesday that he told Cardinal Pell in 1993 about the abuse at the hands of his uncle.

However, Cardinal Pell, who is a family friend, released a statement later that evening, denying that such a conversation ever took place and expresses his regret for the misunderstanding between the pair.

Mr Ridsdale told the inquiry that Cardinal Pell asked him: ‘I want to know what it will take to keep you quiet.’

Mr Ridsdale said Cardinal Pell then started talking about his growing family and that he may soon have to buy a car or house.

He said his response was ‘f*** you George and everything you stand for’.

Cardinal Pell said the matter required an immediate response as it was important to correct the record, particularly given ‘the false and misleading headlines.’

‘At no time did I attempt to bribe David Ridsdale or his family or offer any financial inducements for him to be silent,’ the statement said.

‘At the time of our discussion the police were already aware of allegations against Gerald Ridsdale and were investigating. Then, and now, I supported these police investigations.’

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UNITED STATES
Salon

PATRICIA MILLER

The big news out of the new Pew poll on Americans and religion was the precipitous drop in the number of Americans calling themselves “Christian” and its potential impact on the Christian Right and future religion itself in the U.S.

But there’s another number lurking in the poll that may prove just as consequential: there are 3 million fewer people calling themselves Catholic today than in 2007, the last time Pew conducted their extensive poll. As a result, the share of the U.S. population that identifies as Catholic dropped from approximately 24 percent to 21 percent.

Why is this such big news? Because despite unpopular popes and still-simmering pedophilia scandals, the percentage of Catholics in the U.S. has remained remarkably steady for decades. The relative stability of the Catholic population allowed many on the Catholic right to dismiss calls for reform in the church and gave the Catholic bishops political clout when it came to opposing things like no-cost contraception in the Affordable Care Act in the name of “Catholics.”

But now it appears that the Catholic Church is in a demographic free-fall, as it sheds adherents faster than any faith other than the mainline Protestant denominations, which have been in decline for decades. Nearly one-third of all American adults were raised Catholic, but a stunning 41 percent—four in ten of those who marched to the alter in their little white First Communion dresses and suits—no longer identify with Catholicism.

Why is the Catholic Church suddenly crashing? The reality is that the Catholic Church has been shedding adherents for a long time. But it was gaining new parishioners just as fast, thanks to the dramatic increase in Hispanic migration to the U.S. The influx of Hispanics, who are overwhelming Catholic, helped make up for the departing white, native-born parishioners and masked their continued defection from the church. As a result, one-third of Catholics in the pews today are Hispanic.

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AUSTRALIA
The Standard

By JARROD WOOLLEY May 22, 2015

AUSTRALIA’S worst paedophile priest admits he went “haywire” during an 18-month stint at Mortlake, evidence tendered to a royal commission has revealed.

It shows Ridsdale first realised he “needed help” during his time in Warrnambool in the 1970s and that he spoke to a psychologist at the Brierly Mental Hospital during a visit to give communion to patients.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has been told that Ridsdale later molested up to 30 boys at Mortlake’s St Colman’s Primary School while he was parish priest between 1981 and 1982.

Transcripts of interviews between Ridsdale and Catholic Church Insurance investigators have been tendered to the commission during hearings in Ballarat which began this week.

The commission aims to discover who was responsible for moving the disgraced priest from parish to parish, allowing him to continue to offend, and why. Ridsdale is expected to give evidence via video link from prison next Wednesday.

Ridsdale told investigators he was molested as a young child and before entering the seminary he “had a big problem with masturbation”.

He first remembered “having the guts” to speak up during a stay in Warrnambool.

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MINNESOTA
St. Cloud Times

David Unze, dunze@stcloudtimes.com May 21, 2015

HASTINGS – A former altar boy at a Hastings church testified Thursday that Fran Hoefgen raped him numerous times in a room behind the altar at a Hastings church where Hoefgen was a priest in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

That former altar boy is now 36, lives in Red Wing with his wife and three children, and testified that he still harbors anger toward Hoefgen, a former St. John’s Abbey monk who was laicized from the priesthood in 2011.

Hoefgen, 64, faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Dakota County.

The man testified Thursday that Hoefgen was at first a nice man who listened to him and helped him with problems that arose in his life. He liked and trusted Hoefgen, he told jurors.

Then he told Hoefgen that he had been touched inappropriately by a family member when he was a young child.

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MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

By Stephen Montemayor Star Tribune MAY 21, 2015

The man accusing a former Hastings priest of sexual abuse in the 1980s and 1990s took the stand in a Dakota County courtroom Thursday and told how summer break from the parochial school at St. Boniface Church also meant an escape from Francis Hoefgen.

The former altar boy, now 36, broke years of silence to report the alleged sexual abuse to police in 2013. Thursday morning was the first time the man and Hoefgen, 64, had been in the same room since Hoefgen left St. Boniface in 1992.

“I wanted something done,” the man said when asked why he decided to come forward to Hastings police in 2013. “I wanted him to pay. I want him to go to prison.”

Hoefgen, who has left the priesthood and lives in Columbia Heights, faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. While dozens of priests have been accused of sexual misconduct, Hoefgen is one of the few to face criminal charges for alleged offenses that date back decades.

During more than an hour of testimony Thursday, jurors listened as the man detailed how Hoefgen’s alleged abuses progressed when the victim was in fourth, fifth and sixth grade at the parochial school at St. Boniface. The Star Tribune is not naming the man because he is the victim of an alleged sexual assault.

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AUSTRALIA
Sky News

Cardinal George Pell is unlikely to again appear before the abuse royal commission despite child sex abuse victims’ calls for him to return from Rome to answer allegations against him.

Three other Catholic Church leaders will front the royal commission hearing in Ballarat, starting with Christian Brothers Oceania province leader Brother Peter Clinch on Friday.

But the indications are that Australia’s most senior Catholic figure won’t return from the Vatican to answer allegations about what he knew regarding widespread abuse by clergy in the Ballarat diocese.

Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan has made it clear that Cardinal Pell will have to answer the serious claims, some of which have been aired previously.

But it’s expected he will do that in a statement, rather than appearing in person.

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FLORIDA
New Times

BY CHRIS JOSEPH
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

A 41-year-old man who served under a Catholic Priest in a Pembroke Pines Parish as a boy in the 1980s has filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Miami for sexual abuse. The civil lawsuit claims that several boys at the parish were also abused, and that while the abuses were reported to the Archdiocese of Miami, the reports went ignored.

The priest, now retired, is Father Harry Ringenberger, who served at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, was eventually re-assigned to a new parish within the Archdiocese of Miami, and then worked at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale until he retired in 2014.

The lawsuit, filed in Broward County court this week, claims that Ringerberger, who is now 89, befriended the victim, identified only as John Doe, when the boy was 14. One evening, Ringerberger took John out to dinner, and then brought him back to his home which was located in the church rectory at St. Maximilian Kolbe. There, Ringerberger allegedly stripped naked and the two began to wrestle.

The suit claims that Ringerberger then had John lay on top of him, while “Ringerberger rubbed his penis against John’s until Ringerberger ejaculated.” The suit goes on to say Ringerberger then continued to sexually abuse John.

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MICHIGAN
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Thursday, May 21

Statement by SNAP leader Bill McAlary ( 616-514-0654, bllmack1@gmail.com )

We’re grateful that a child molesting Catholic school teacher has pled guilty to more crimes and we hope she’ll get a very stiff sentence that keeps her away from kids for a long time.

[Daily Reporter]

Katheryn Ronk taught – and abused – at Bishop Foley High School in the Oakland County city of Madison Heights. She also faced charges in Macomb County, where some of her crimes took place.

All too often, child molesters are prosecuted in several jurisdictions but after one guilty plea, the other charges are dropped. This saves time for law enforcement officials but means that predators get out of prison sooner and can hurt more kids. We’re glad this didn’t happen with Ronk.

And all too often, child sex crimes by female predators are treated lightly. This is unwise, unhealthy and hurtful. Any time an adult – of any gender – assaults a child, it’s very devastating. And that adult should be punished harshly, along with anyone else who may have seen or suspected such crimes and kept silent or hid them.

Along those lines, we hope that law enforcement officials look hard at whether any current or former Catholic school staffers may have known about or suspected Ronk’s crimes and concealed or ignored them. This has happened in thousands of cases of abuse by Catholic church and school officials. It may have happened here.

We urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes or cover ups in the Detroit archdiocese – whether in a school or a parish, whether by a cleric or lay person – to call police, expose wrongdoers, protect kids, and start healing.

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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

May 22, 2015

Cathy Kezelman

The testimony given to the royal commission sitting in Ballarat provides further insight into the unconscionable human cost of child sexual abuse. The inquiry has revealed that 12 boys have died, allegedly by suicide from a single class of 33 at St Alipius school and 40 suicides related to child sexual assault have occurred within the Ballarat community. This community has been crushed to its core.

One after another, victims are continuing to come forward courageously breaking their silence. It has been asserted that there were schools in which no child was safe, with periods during which every teacher was an alleged sex offender.

With no safe place or person to tell, these children lived in constant fear of the next assault, powerless and helpless, as those charged with their care abused their power and betrayed them time and again. The possibility of “fight or flight”, a normal physiological response to danger was not available. Where was their community of nurture, care and compassion? And why did no one intervene to protect them?

These survivors, now men, have related heartbreaking stories of lives ruined by disability, welfare dependency, mental illness, substance abuse and relationship breakdown. Many of those who have not paid the ultimate price are living a life sentence imposed by the predatory behaviour of paedophile priests and sealed by a system which protected its own at all costs.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

MAY 22, 2015

John Ferguson
Victoria Editor
Melbourne

The Age newspaper was forced to apologise yesterday to Australia’s most powerful Catholic after its Facebook page urged the death of Cardinal George Pell.

For about an hour yesterday the Melbourne newspaper’s Facebook page carried the words: “Die Pell.’’

The Age’s editor-in-chief Andrew Holden apologised, blaming an unknown hacker.

The paper’s Facebook page later contained a prominent retrac­tion but an ugly and defam­atory debate continued on the page about the merits of apologising for the offensive remark.

The retraction read: “The Age would like to apologise to readers and Cardinal George Pell for an offensive remark posted on our Facebook page this morning. The post was deleted as soon as staff became aware of the problem.’’ One reader declared: “Why would you apologise to a scheming dirty Catholic priest?’’ Other highly defamatory posts remained on The Age’s Facebook site until well into the afternoon.

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AUSTRALIA
news.com.au

Vatican assures ‘guilty will be punished’ as Cardinal Pell urged to front sex abuse inquiry

THE Vatican has vowed to take a tough stance against anyone found guilty of child sex abuse or covering up criminal activity within the Catholic Church as Cardinal George Pell denies claims he sought to protect paedophile priests up to 40 years ago.

In a lengthy personal statement yesterday the Australian Cardinal Pell claimed as false and misleading reports he attempted to bribe a victim of child sex abuse, ignored pleas for help or protect an accused paedophile.

In his statement issued from his office in the Vatican, Cardinal Pell said he was preparing to make another formal statement to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse about the latest claims.

The Vatican stood by their senior official but said anyone found guilty would be exposed and treated by law.

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AUSTRALIA
Border Mail

By BEVAN SHIELDS Oct. 18, 2012

A FORMER Catholic priest arrested this morning has been charged with 25 serious sexual crimes against three girls, one as young as five.

The 59-year-old man appeared in court this afternoon after officers from Strike Force Glenroe apprehended him in an early-morning operation at his home in Armidale, in northern NSW, today. He was refused bail.

Police allege the man sexually abused three girls in the 1970s and 1980s. The charges include indecent assault, acts of indecency and sexual intercourse without consent. The girls were aged between 5 and 18 years old when the alleged crimes were committed.

The trio contacted police earlier this year, the commander of the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad, Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, told reporters in Sydney today.

He would not say if the alleged victims were related to the former priest, or to each other.

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AUSTRALIA
Financial Review

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declined to endorse calls for Cardinal George Pell to return from Rome and answer allegations about his covering up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, saying that was a decision for the cardinal to make.

Mr Abbott, who is close to Cardinal Pell, said it was not for him to say what Australia’s most senior Catholic should do, following allegations being made by victims to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

“Look, these are properly matters for the royal commission, properly matters for the royal commission and for him,” Mr Abbott said.

He said the statement that Cardinal Pell released overnight on Wednesday responding to the allegations “has dealt with those issues” and whether he chose to appear was “ultimately a matter for him”.

But Mr Abbott’s stance did nothing to quell calls from victims for Cardinal Pell to appear in person and defend himself against allegations concerning a church paedophile ring which operated in the Ballarat Diocese.

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AUSTRALIA
3AW

Leading Melbourne lawyer says Cardinal George Pell risks reputation by avoiding royal commission into child abuse

Leading Melbourne lawyer David Galbally says Cardinal George Pell risks being accused of “trying to hide” if he doesn’t respond to allegations at the royal commission into child abuse.

Pressure is mounting on Cardinal Pell to front the commission and answer claims he tried to bribe the nephew of a paedophile priest to stay quiet about the abuse.

Mr Galbally told Tom Elliott on 3AW Drive the royal commission did not have the power to compel Cardinal Pell into giving evidence.

But the leading QC said it was in his best interests.

“I would think that he would have to know that if he was seen to shirk the issue, that would not count in his favour,” Mr Galbally said.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – 7.30

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 21/05/2015
Reporter: David Mark

Cardinal George Pell is under growing pressure to appear before the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse after allegations he tried to bribe a victim to stay quiet, claims that he denies.

Transcript

LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: The allegations against Australia’s most senior clergy at the Vatican, Cardinal George Pell, continue to mount at the Royal commission into child sexual abuse.

David Ridsdale, the nephew and victim of notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale, has claimed Cardinal Pell tried to bribe him to stay quiet, something Cardinal Pell denies, saying the two men had a misunderstanding.

Cardinal Pell’s under growing pressure to appear before the commission, as David Mark reports.

DAVID MARK, REPORTER: For David Ridsdale, even returning to Ballarat’s St Alipius is painful.

DAVID RIDSDALE: From the age of 11 and 12, after Gerald did that, I used to have lie and pretend I was going there. I used to stand at the back till some – one of the gossips saw me and then I’d climb that tower up there. And every Sunday, I sat up there for probably four years.

DAVID MARK: For those four years, between the ages of 11 and 15, he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by his uncle, the notorious paedophile and parish priest, Gerald Risdale.

At the age of 25, David Ridsdale finally got up the courage to report his abuse to the most powerful man he knew in the Church, the former Catholic Archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne, George Pell.

DAVID RIDSDALE: At 9 am on 2nd February, 1993, I rang George from my home in Bentleigh. My partner at the time was sitting in the room when I made the call.

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UNITED STATES
Las Vegas Review-Journal

By BARBARA GOLDBERG
REUTERS

NEW YORK — A “Saturday Night Live” skit about a male student having sex with his female high school teacher painted the relationship as every teen boy’s dream, but drew a firestorm of criticism on social media.

The reaction to the comedy sketch reflected a growing view among law enforcement and victims’ advocacy groups that it is no laughing matter when a woman educator preys on her male students.

In U.S. schools last year, almost 800 school employees were prosecuted for sexual assault, nearly a third of them women. The proportion of women facing charges seems to be higher than in years past, when female teachers often got a pass, said Terry Abbott, a former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education, who tracked the cases.

This year’s numbers are already slightly ahead of last year with 26 cases of female school employees accused of inappropriate relationships with male students in January compared to 19 cases the previous January.

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MICHIGAN
International Business Times

By Philip Ross

A former Catholic high school Spanish teacher in southeastern Michigan has pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct for having sex with a 15-year-old student last year. Kathryn Ronk, 30, originally faced first-degree charges and already was serving time in prison when she appeared before a court Wednesday to plead to the lesser charges, according to the Associated Press. She had originally rejected the plea agreement in March.

Ronk had been sentenced to six to 15 years in prison in March for her crimes, having pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges, but will face new sentencing on July 1. “You’re really very smart, an intelligent woman,” who had to have known what she was doing was wrong, Judge Nanci Grant told Ronk during her sentencing two months ago, according to The Detroit News.

Grant went on to address what she said was the “double standard” in sexual misconduct cases. “If this was a male teacher who had been involved with a 15-year-old female, there would be people here hanging from the ceiling trying to get every drop of blood,” said Grant, according to the Detroit News. “But because it is a woman, there seems to be a winking about what happened.”

Ronk was originally charged with five counts of criminal sexual conduct, including rape. Law enforcement said Ronk had engaged in sexual misconduct with a male student in classrooms at Bishop Foley High School in Madison Heights, Michigan.

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MICHIGAN
Detroit Free Press

Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press

A former Spanish teacher at Bishop Foley Catholic High School in Madison Heights pleaded guilty today to lesser charges in Macomb County, where she is accused of having a sexual relationship with a male student.

Kathryn Ronk, 30, of Birmingham is to be sentenced July 1 in Macomb County Circuit Court on two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The guilty pleas came on the day her case was set for trial. She initially rejected the plea agreement in March. After today’s hearing, her attorney, James Thomas, said “we have no comment.”

Ronk appeared in court in a blue and pink prison jumpsuit. She answered yes or no to questions posed by Judge Mary Chrzanowski. She looked into the audience when the lawyers talked with the judge.

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MICHIGAN
Wall Street OTC

MAY 21, 2015 BY KEN BECK

An ex-Spanish teacher at the Michigan Catholic high school, already imprisoned on third-degree sexual conduct charges, has plead guilty on Wednesday to lesser charges.

The former teacher is accused of having had sexual relations with a male student.

Kathryn Ronk initially refused the plea, however, on Wednesday, she pleaded guilty to two separate counts of criminal sexual conduct.

The woman had already been facing first-degree counts as well as other charges involving a 15-year-old student.

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NEW MEXICO
Gallup Independent

Published in the Gallup Independent, Gallup, N.M., May 18, 2015

Church to stay open, new priest assigned

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Independent correspondent
religion@gallupindependent.com

GALLUP – Although Bishop James S. Wall hasn’t agreed to meet with parishioners from Gallup’s St. John Vianney Parish, he has apparently heard their voices loud and clear.

Wall and his chancery officials spent the last several days backpedaling on several unpopular diocesan decisions concerning St. John Vianney that left parishioners upset, frustrated, banding together and requesting to meet with the bishop. As of Sunday, several of those controversial decisions had been reversed.

The controversy erupted over Mother’s Day weekend when parishioners were stunned to learn their popular priest, the Rev. James E. Walker, was being abruptly transferred to Bloomfield and their parish was being reduced to a chapel. As a mere chapel, they were informed, they would have no resident priest, only two weekend Masses, no religious education program for children, and the loss of sacraments such as baptism, reconciliation, confirmation and marriage.

Parishioners, many of whom gathered for an impromptu parish meeting Monday, feared this was the diocese’s first step toward closing down their parish.

Chancery officials said the abrupt decision was made because Walker was needed to replace the Rev. Bob Mathieu, who resigned because of “some incidences of imprudence in the use of social media — Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.”

St. John Vianney parishioners were dismayed by Walker’s transfer and upset that their thriving church was being stripped down to a chapel.

In an interview Wednesday, parish member Lawrence Andrade, a local physician, credited Walker’s pastoral leadership for the church’s growth and cited the church’s full attendance, increased collections, growing religious education programs and a much needed expansion of the church parking lot as evidence of the parish’s vitality.

Andrade bluntly said he believed chancery officials made the decision out of “jealousy and anger” because St. John Vianney’s attendance and collections were increasing while the bishop’s Sacred Heart Cathedral, with its “conservative, overly reverent pre-Vatican II” style services, was experiencing dwindling attendance and collections.

During Saturday and Sunday Masses, St. John Vianney parishioners learned Wall was backing down on some of the decisions affecting their church. Although Walker was still being transferred, the church will continue as an active parish, not a chapel.

In a letter inserted into the church bulletin, the Rev. Kevin H. Finnegan, the current chancellor and vicar general, announced he has been assigned as pastor of the church.

“Please be assured and take comfort that the viability of St. John Vianney Parish will continue under my pastoral care,” Finnegan wrote.

Most of the weekly Masses will now continue to be offered, as will the religious education program for children. Because of Finnegan’s physical disabilities, he will not move into the parish rectory at this time but will continue to live at the bishop’s House of Discernment.

Although Finnegan’s letter stated the parish’s third weekend Mass was to be cut, that decision had also been revoked by Sunday morning.

Walker, addressing parishioners at the 11:30 a.m. Mass, which was the Mass slated to be cut, said Finnegan had telephoned that morning and said the third weekend service would continue. Parishioners then burst into applause at the announcement.

Finnegan’s decision to eliminate youth altar servers at the parish did not elicit a similar positive response. Church leaders frequently cite youth altar server programs as a positive method of promoting religious vocations. Finnegan, however, is asking for adult volunteers to replace the parish’s youth servers.

The future of weddings and funeral services at St. John Vianney has yet to be determined.

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MISSOURI
isitenough15

[resignation letter]

LAW OFFICES OF
AL W. JOHNSON
112 SOUTH HANLEY
SUITE 200
CLAYTON, MISSOURI 63105
AL W. JOHNSON E-MAIL: AJOHNSON@AWJ-LAW.COM
LICEN SED IN MISSOURI AND ILLINO IS PHONE: (314) 726-6489 WEBSITE: WWW.AWJ-LAW.COM
FACSIMILE: (314) 726-2821

May 20, 2015

It is only under very unusual circumstances that we release a press statement on behalf of one of our clients. However, the remarkable events of the past several months surrounding Doug Lay and his interactions with his former church, First Christian Church of Florissant (“FCCF”), and its pastor, Steve Wingfield, present such a situation. The continuing pattern of misinformation and deception that has characterized the tragic situation with the former FCCF youth leader, Brandon Milburn, requires us to respond directly and firmly. This pattern of misinformation has included a frivolous lawsuit filed on April 16, 2015 by Steve Wingfield and FCCF against Mr. Lay and three other individuals, Kari and Titus Benton and Dawn Varvil, filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court and styled Steve Wingfield and the First Christian Church of Florissant v. Douglas Lay, Titus Benton, Kari Benton, Dawn Varvil and Jane Doe (aka “Annie Shankin” and “Reform FCCF”), Cause Number 15SL-CC0132.

The most recent series of misrepresentations has surrounded the so-called “dismissal” of the lawsuit. Mr. Wingfield, his attorney, and his elders at FCCF are telling their congregation and others that they dismissed this lawsuit as a good-faith gesture because they have offered an “independent Christian mediation process” to resolve their differences with Mr. Lay and the 2 other defendants. These representations are untrue on multiple counts. In actuality, the lawsuit was dismissed 48 hours before a court hearing was scheduled on Mr. Lay’s motion to dismiss the case in St. Louis County Circuit Court. We believe there was a 90% likelihood that the motion would be granted as the petition that was filed in this case did not contain a single valid claim against any of the defendants. The plaintiffs’ so-called “dismissal” of the lawsuit, which is attached, is really not a finalized dismissal. Rather, Mr. Wingfield and his attorney have dismissed the case without prejudice, which means they can refile it again anytime within the statute of limitations. This maneuver allowed them to avoid the near certainty that the trial judge would dismiss their case with prejudice, which would have eliminated their ability to ever refile this case again.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – The World Today

ELEANOR HALL: But we begin today at the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse in Ballarat.

The head of the commission has put the Catholic Church on notice that the allegations made against Cardinal George Pell will be investigated.

A witness yesterday gave evidence that Cardinal Pell had tried to bribe one victim in the 1990s to keep quiet about his abuse.

Another victim alleged that he told George Pell in the 1970s of the abuse at St Patricks College in Ballarat.

Overnight, Cardinal Pell denied those claims.

Samantha Donovan is at the hearings in Ballarat and joins us now with the latest.

Samantha, what exactly did the royal commission chairman say about these allegations made against Cardinal Pell?

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Well, the Catholic Church, Eleanor, at these Ballarat hearings has instructed its lawyers not to challenge the survivor witnesses about their accounts of abuse at the hands of priests and nuns at institutions in Ballarat and when those serious allegations were made against Cardinal Pell yesterday it was clear the royal commission chairman, Justice Peter McClellan was surprised that the church’s lawyers weren’t going to cross-exam those two witnesses on their accounts and Justice McClellan has raised those concerns again this morning and he emphasised that the royal commission is conducting an investigation and will be making findings.

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AUSTRALIA
The JC

By Danny Ben-Moshe, May 21, 2015

When Manny Waks went public in 2011 with the revelation that he was a victim of child sex abuse in Melbourne’s Chabad Yeshiva, he could not have foreseen the consequences: three court cases and convictions of paedophiles, including one extradition; a Royal Commission hearing into actions of the Yeshiva; the resignation of senior rabbis; and parents in the Chabad community seeking a new governance structure for their school.

Four years on, the tragic Australian experience remains a constantly unfolding story that continues to make the headlines. Rabbis and other Yeshiva stalwarts still cling to their posts, victims of abuse and their families continue to be shunned, and the Yeshiva now faces civil class action and, potentially, criminal prosecution.

As Britain confronts its own Orthodox child sex abuse case, what are the lessons from Australia?

Firstly, deal with the issue from the outset. Waks went to the Yeshiva leadership on several occasions in private, but they declined to deal with this matter. That was the first of their many mistakes – the Yeshiva leadership dug itself into a deep hole as it prioritised the institution over the individual.

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UNITED KINGDOM
The JC

By Jonathan Kalmus, May 21, 2015

The conviction of paedophile Todros Grynhaus will encourage more victims to report abuse to police, according to a senior figure in the strictly Orthodox community.

Grynhaus is facing a “substantial” jail sentence after being found guilty of seven charges of sex abuse against two teenage girls this week.

The 50-year-old teacher-turned-businessman is a well-known figure in Salford’s Charedi community.
A communal leader, who wished to remain anonymous, said the case was a game-changer.

The guilty verdict would now “encourage victims that they will be believed”, he said. The case had shown for the first time that “some senior rabbis are prepared publicy to support victims of abuse through a trial”.

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CALIFORNIA
CBS San Francisco

San Francisco Catholic School Teachers Protest Revised Morality Clauses Offered By Archbishop

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — After months of heated debate, San Francisco Catholic school teachers said they are no closer to a contract deal with the archdiocese.

Teachers from four high schools operated by the Archdiocese of San Francisco rallied Wednesday afternoon in front of the Chancery office, calling for a rejection of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s latest revision of the teacher handbook.

The proposed handbook requires strict adherence to the church’s teachings on things such as homosexuality and contraception, both in and out of the classroom.

Protestors said the latest draft of the handbook is a little softer in tone, but the substance is the essentially the same.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By David Mark

A victim of sexual abuse by his uncle, a Catholic priest in Ballarat in the 1970s, says Cardinal George Pell has complicated his case.

David Ridsdale yesterday gave evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutionalised Sexual Abuse that George Pell had tried to buy his silence when he told the cardinal he had been abused by his uncle, notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale.

“If he’d just said he didn’t remember it might have been one thing, but he chose to add layers of nonsense,” David Ridsdale told the Royal Commission yesterday.

“I told George that I had been abused by Gerald.

“George then began to talk about my growing family and my need to take care of their needs. He mentioned how I would soon have to buy a car or house for my family.

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AUSTRALIEN
Spiegel

George Pell soll einem Missbrauchsopfer Anfang der Neunzigerjahre Schweigegeld geboten haben. Das hat ein Betroffener unter Eid ausgesagt. Der australische Kardinal, inzwischen Leiter der Finanzbehörde im Vatikan, bestreitet das.

Von den Vorwürfen gegen sich will George Pell nichts wissen: Er habe nichts falsch gemacht, er habe keinen Missbrauchsfall in der katholischen Kirche vertuschen wollen, teilte der australische Kardinal mit. Die Anschuldigungen gegen den Leiter der Finanzbehörde im Vatikan kommen von einem Betroffenen.

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USA
kath.ch

Chicago/Seattle, 19.5.15 (kath.ch) Das katholische Erzbistum Chicago zahlt einem Missbrauchsopfer 1,25 Millionen US-Dollar (1,16 Millionen Franken) als Entschädigung. Man wolle damit einen Prozess abwenden, erklärte das Erzbistum laut US-Medienberichten am Montag (Ortszeit). Das Opfer, ein Mann Ende 20, war seinen Angaben zufolge als Grundschüler über einen längeren Zeitraum von dem Priester Daniel McCormick sexuell missbraucht worden. Der Geistliche ist bereits in fünf anderen Fällen wegen Missbrauchs verurteilt.

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AUSTRALIA
Sky News

If he has nothing to hide, Cardinal George Pell should come home and face the music, according to a man who was abused at the hands of Christian Brothers during the 1940s.

A man abused by Christian Brothers says Cardinal George Pell should come back to Aust and testify at the royal commission.

Brutally raped, beaten and emotionally abused by 10 Brothers at a Bindoon boys’ home for five years, John Hennessy said Cardinal Pell must come home to face the child abuse royal commission.

Claims that Cardinal Pell had been involved in moving a known pedophile, ignoring a victim’s complaint and bribery were made at the Ballarat hearings this week.

‘He needs to come home, come clean and go to the royal commission,’ Mr Hennessy told AAP on Thursday.

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AUSTRALIA
The Guardian

Oliver Milman in Melbourne and Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome
Wednesday 20 May 2015

A senior Vatican official, who is also Australia’s highest ranking cleric, has been accused of attempting to bribe a victim of child sex abuse to keep quiet about the molestation he suffered from a paedophile Catholic priest.

The victim, David Ridsdale, told an Australian royal commission into child sexual abuse that he called Cardinal George Pell in 1993 to report being abused by his uncle Gerald Ridsdale, a former priest who is in prison after committing more than 130 offences against children as young as four between the 1960s and 1980s.

David Ridsdale said Pell had a “terse” response to being told of the abuse, before offering him money to buy his silence.

“George then began to talk about my growing family and my need to take care of their needs,” Ridsdale told the royal commission hearing. “He mentioned how I would soon have to buy a car or house for my family.

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AUSTRALIA
Irish Independent

Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney

George Pell, an Australian Cardinal who is one of the most senior figures in the Vatican, has been accused of ignoring and covering up child sex abuse claims during his service in Australia, including allegedly trying to bribe a victim of a paedophile priest to remain silent.

In dramatic testimony at Australia’s royal commission into child sex abuse, David Ridsdale said he was abused by his uncle, Gerard Ridsdale – a notorious paedophile and defrocked priest – and phoned Cardinal Pell, who tried to silence him.

Mr Ridsdale said he spoke to Cardinal Pell in 1993 but the priest did not appear shocked and instead attempted to bribe him. Cardinal Pell has previously denied the claim.

“George then began to talk about my growing family and my need to take care of their needs. He mentioned how I would soon have to buy a car or house for my family,” Mr Ridsdale said.

Mr Ridsdale said he recalled “with clarity” the last three lines of the conversation:

“Me: ‘Excuse me, George, what the **** are you talking about?’

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MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

By Stephen Montemayor Star Tribune MAY 21, 2015

Francis Hoefgen was a priest more than 20 years ago at St. Boniface Church in Hastings.

Now the 64-year-old is on trial in Dakota County, accused of sexually abusing an altar boy at the parish in the late 1980s and early ’90s.

Hoefgen, who has left the priesthood and lives in Columbia Heights, faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. While dozens of priests have been accused of sexual misconduct, Hoefgen is one of the few to face criminal charges for alleged offenses that date back decades.

In opening statements, attorneys outlined a case that hinges on the passage of time and the recollection of the former altar boy, who is now 36. St. Boniface merged with the Guardian Angels parish in 1987 to become St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

“The church is gone, but his memories of abuse are still here. That testimony is what this case is about,” said Assistant Dakota County Attorney G. Paul Beaumaster.

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AUSTRALIA
news.com.au

CARDINAL George Pell will co-operate with any requests made by the Victorian royal commission into child sex abuse, according to a close friend.

AMID calls for Cardinal Pell to front the hearings currently being held in Ballarat, Greg Craven, from the Truth, Justice and Healing Council, says he expects his friend to be compliant.

There have been claims Cardinal Pell had been involved in moving a known pedophile, ignoring a victim’s complaint and bribery.

“He has a long record of co-operation and compliance with investigations similar to this,” Mr Craven told 3AW radio on Thursday.

“He’ll cooperate with the royal commission.”

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