ABUSE TRACKER

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Today

Santiago, Dominican Republic.- The archbishop of Santiago on Wednesday apologized to the victims, their families and society for the reported cases of children abused by members of the Catholic Church.

“We refer to the statements made by the Archbishop of Santiago and La Vega Bishop Monsignor Antonio Camilo Gonzalez, who states, we apologize to those affected, their families, society and the common people for the times of the bad example and the lack of a consistent witness as servants of Jesus Christ, we have offended,” said a statement to the media.

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WISCONSIN
WTMJ

[with video]

By James Kust
CREATED SEP. 4, 2013

WAUWATOSA – Hundreds of dollars towards the Western Racquet Club, over a thousand dollars to a florist, and $57,000 worth of checks written to a Bank of America account. Those are just some of the expenditures Father James Dokos is suspected of spending from a trust fund that was intended to be used for charity.

“Yes those are checks the church council doesn’t believe were spent for church purposes,” said David Feiss, an attorney with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office, “But we need to investigate that further.”

Word that her former pastor of Annunication Greek Orthodox Church is suspected of theft was shocking to Nikoletta Mitchell.

“I was very surprised because he said that someone had donated to him.”

Father Dokos was the sole trustee of a fund left by a wealthy donor.

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CHICAGO (IL)
CLTV

Convicted sex offender and former priest Daniel McCormack, 44, is being accused, again, of sexually abusing one of the boys in his church.

Six years ago, McCormack, the pastor of St. Agatha Church, was removed from the priesthood and sentenced to five years in prison in 2007.

Now, a 21-year-old man is suing Francis Cardinal George, saying McCormack fondled him twice when he was a boy.

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NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph

BY COLIN FRANCIS – 05 SEPTEMBER 2013

Abuse allegations regarding two Londonderry homes run by the Sisters of Nazareth will be the focus of the first public hearings of a new inquiry.

The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry will look at allegations about St Joseph’s Home in Termonbacca and Nazareth House in Bishop Street.

The inquiry is due to report to the Stormont Executive in 2016.

It is probing the extent of child abuse in both Catholic church and state-run institutions in Northern Ireland.

Statements from people who claim to have been abused in the two Derry homes will be heard when inquiry members travel to meet them in Australia later this month. Another visit next year will be about other institutions.

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VATICAN CITY
Chiesa

The prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith and the founder of liberation theology are trying to conclude twenty years of polemics. But one of the most severe critics of this theological current has been precisely the current pope

by Sandro Magister

ROME, September 5, 2013 – Next Sunday, in the basilica of Saint Barbara in Mantua, the prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, and the Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez will present together the Italian edition of a book they have co-written dedicated to liberation theology, available starting Monday, September 9 in all bookstores:

G. Gutiérrez, G.L. Müller, “Dalla parte dei poveri. Teologia della liberazione, teologia della Chiesa”, Edizioni Messaggero-EMI, Padova, 2013, pp. 192, euro 15,00.

The book was released in Germany in 2004 without raising any particular stir, but this Italian reprinting has been hailed by some as an historic turning point: almost as if it were the signing of a peace treaty between liberation theology and the magisterium of the Church.

Gutiérrez is considered one of the fathers of liberation theology, and Müller was his pupil and admirer. So much so that when in 2012 Benedict XVI called him to head the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, many demonstrated surprise.

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NORTHERN IRELAND
BBC News

Public hearings of the inquiry into abuse at institutions in Northern Ireland are to start in January.

Two children’s homes run by the Catholic Church in Londonderry are to be investigated first.

However, there has been criticism that historical clerical abuse and Magdalene laundries in Northern Ireland are not being investigated by the state.

Northern Ireland programme director of Amnesty International, Patrick Corrigan, said it was a positive step.

“The Martin McAleese review into Magdalene laundry type institutions in the Republic only covered those institutions south of the border,” he said.

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CHILE
La Tercera

por Javiera Matus – 05/09/2013

Distintas posiciones manifestaron ayer los abogados consultados por este medio, acerca de los criterios utilizados por la jueza de garantía, Andrea Díaz-Muñoz, y la sala de la Corte de Apelaciones, para aplicar o no medidas cautelares en casos como el del sacerdote John O’Reilly, imputado por abusos.

Para el penalista Jorge Bofill, en el caso de los abusos sexuales -que dejan principalmente huellas sicológicas y no físicas, como en las violaciones- se debe verificar el peso que tienen los antecedentes de prueba que pueden acreditar la comisión de un delito: “Lo determinante son los relatos de las supuestas víctimas, la credibilidad de éstos, y eso es algo que se discute a través de peritos”.

Añadió que, en el caso O’Reilly, “llama la atención que la jueza de garantía haya tenido una opinión tan divergente con respecto a la de la corte. En este caso, la discusión se centró en la necesidad de la medida cautelar, respecto del peligro de fuga o la seguridad para la sociedad, y si concurren o no elementos que justifiquen la existencia y participación del delito”.

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CHILE
Terra

La Corte de Apelaciones de Santiago decretó este miércoles el arresto domiciliario total para el sacerdote John Joseph O’Reilly, de 66 años, acusado de presunto abuso sexual en contra de dos niñas del Colegio Cumbres.

La determinación la adoptó la Octava Sala del tribunal de alzada al estimar que “sí existen antecedentes suficientes en esta etapa procesal para estimar la efectividad del ilícito que se investiga, así como la participación que en tales hechos ha tenido el imputado” dice el fallo que leyó la ministra Marisol Rojas.

Además se decretó el arraigo del sacerdote, desestimándose la prisión preventiva solicitada por el Ministerio Público.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Listin Diario

Adolfo Paniagua Contreras
Constanza

El suspendido sacerdote Juan Manuel Mota de Jesús (Johnny) reiteró que es inocente de las denuncias de abuso sexual de menores formuladas a través de los medios de comunicación, cosa que dijo demostrará ante los tribunales, si es sometido a juicio.

Mota de Jesús recordó que hasta la fecha nadie ha presentado acusación en su contra respecto a abusos sexuales contra menores de edad que pertenecían a la Pastoral Juvenil y al coro de la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, de la cual hasta hace poco él era su párroco.

En rueda de prensa realizada ayer en la oficina jurídica de Bienvenido Concepción, quien junto a las abogadas Odilis Del Rosario Holguín y Mercedes Olalla formarán la barra de la defensa del religioso, éste, con ánimo tranquilo y a la vez retador, manifestó que espera que las personas que lo denuncian den la cara, y que el juez, llegado el caso, determine si es o no inocente de lo que califica de campaña mediática en su contra.

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SCOTLAND
BBC News

Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner has called for an independent inquiry into allegations of abuse at Fort Augustus Abbey Catholic boarding school.

A third Australian monk has now been implicated in a suspected paedophile ring, revealed by a BBC investigation.

The Scottish government said the allegations were matters for the Catholic Church in Scotland, and were for Police Scotland to investigate.

But Children’s Commissioner Tam Baillie said an inquiry was needed.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland he said: “I am actually appointed by parliament, not by the Scottish government, and the government has to listen to the lobby, if you like, the views, the judgement, and in my judgement this requires an independent inquiry.

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star

September 5
BY MARK MORRIS
The Kansas City Star

Calls to the child abuse ombudsman for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph jumped 35 percent in the most recent reporting year, according to a report released Thursday.

According to the study by the diocese’s Office of Youth Protection, ombudsman Jenifer Valenti received 107 reports of child abuse or boundary violations for the year ending in June. She received 79 reports the previous year.

But Valenti said she welcomed the increase, saying it was inevitable after the diocese instituted sweeping anti-abuse training programs in the last year.

“I attribute it to greater awareness of personal responsibility,” Valenti said. “I see the greater numbers coming from our training on mandated reporting. That’s a great thing.”

Bishop Robert Finn announced the new child protection measures after the 2011 scandal over his handling of a disgraced Catholic priest’s production of child pornography. The Rev. Shawn Ratigan will be sentenced in federal court in that case next week.

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CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Tribune

[Archive: Accused priest was rising star]

By Mitch Smith, Chicago Tribune reporter
September 5, 2013

Another person has come forward saying he was fondled by Daniel McCormack, a former Roman Catholic priest who was convicted of sexually abusing boys at his West Side parish.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court, an unidentified 21-year-old man alleges that, as a child, he was fondled twice by McCormack, who was the pastor at St. Agatha Catholic Church. The alleged victim was a student around 2003 and ’04 at St. Agatha, the lawsuit says. The plaintiff repressed memories of the abuse until this summer, according to the suit.

McCormack was considered a rising star in the Archdiocese of Chicago before boys from his parish came forward with abuse allegations. He was removed from the priesthood and sentenced to five years in prison in 2007. The archdiocese has since agreed to pay millions to settle civil claims regarding the former priest.

When McCormack came up for parole after serving 21/2 years of his sentence, the Cook County state’s attorney and the Illinois attorney general petitioned the court to have him committed under the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act, arguing that he remained a threat.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Irish Independent

EZEQUIEL ABIU LOPEZ AND NICOLE WINFIELD SANTO DOMINGO – 05 SEPTEMBER 2013

Authorities in the Dominican Republic will look into allegations of child sex abuse against the papal envoy to the Caribbean country, following his abrupt removal from his post by the Vatican, the attorney general said.

Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito was careful to note that his office is aware only of rumours about the papal nuncio, Archbishop Josef Wesolowski, and has not received any accusations.

A Vatican spokesman, the Rev Federico Lombardi, confirmed that Polish-born Dr Wesolowski had been removed from his post and that the church was conducting an investigation of him.

Mr Dominguez told reporters that he had designated a senior official to lead the investigation and co-ordinate with the Vatican.

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VATICAN CITY/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Hong Kong Standard

Pope Francis came under fire from victim groups following news that he had quietly sacked the Vatican’s envoy to the Dominican Republic over allegations of pedophilia.

“Like all of his predecessors, Pope Francis is acting belatedly, secretively and recklessly,” said Barbara Dorris, outreach director for the US-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

“Catholic officials act only when forced to do so by media pressure,” she said in a statement received by AFP.

“When they do act, they act secretively – in this case, by not disclosing the allegations, the suspension or the reason for the suspension.”

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VATICAN CITY
TVNZ (New Zealand)

The Vatican has recalled its ambassador to the Dominican Republic and relieved him of his duties pending an investigation, after local media accused him of paedophilia, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church said.

The Dominican Attorney General later announced that a special prosecutor had been appointed to investigate Archbishop Josef Wesolowski, who has been nuncio, or ambassador, in the capital Santo Domingo for nearly six years.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Holy See had started a probe of Wesolowski and that he had been recalled “in the last few weeks,” specifically over the paedophilia accusations.

“He has been relieved of his duties and the Holy See has begun an investigation,” Lombardi said when asked about allegations against Wesolowski in the local media.

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CITTA DEL VATICANO
euro news

[con il video]

Il Vaticano ha richiamato il nunzio, il proprio ambasciatore, dalla Repubblica dominicana. Il religioso è accusato di pedofilia.

Josef Wesolowski, questo il nome del diplomatico, è stato per quasi sei anni ann rappresentante della santa sede nel paese.

Lo scandalo è stato scatenato da un reportage televisivo che accusava il religioso di aver abusato sessualmente di almeno sette minori. Fra gli accusatori di Wesolowski c‘è Nunez Collado, rettore della università cattolica che ha preteso che l’uomo fosse rimosso dall’incarico e sottoposto a inchiesta a Roma.

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CITTA DEL VATICANO/REPUBLLICA DOMINICANA
Abuse Trackers (Italia)

[Excerpt in English: However that catches your eye while Cardinal of Santo Domingo and the Dominican authorities ignore where the monsignor, the Italian Catholic website Vatican Insider makes no secret that the archbishop is hidden in Rome, far from the Dominican judiciary and also the danger of extradition of Italy, which does not have a treaty with the Republic Caribbean.

And ‘now clear that the escape of the monsignor was organized by the Vatican just to prevent the archbishop contestategli face charges in the Dominican Republic.]

Roma 5 settembre 2013

Cambia il papa la prassi non cambia: sottrarre alla giustizia e proteggere gli ecclesiastici incriminati di abusi sessuali. (Notizia confermata 1 ora fa anche in Europa da Euronews)

Dalla stampa caraibica apprendiamo che l’arcivescovo Josef Wesolowski, ambasciatore del Vaticano in Repubblica Dominicana, Haiti e Porto Rico, è incriminato per pedofilia dopo essere stato sorpreso da una emittente tv dominicana aggirarsi in zona dedita alla prostituzione maschile. Dopo la messa in onda del servizio sono emerse le accuse di abusi sessuali su una decina di minori.

Le abitudini sessuali e l’alcolismo del nunzio vaticano erano in realtà note da tempo, ma le gerarchie vaticane nulla hanno fatto fino a ch il monsignore non è stato colto in flagranza. Finché hanno potuto hanno lasciato che il monsignore continuasse la sua condotta.

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UNITED STATES
Mennonite World Review

By Barbra Graber

I remember the Sunday morning two Mennonite Youth Fellowship friends who were dating were made to get up in front of the congregation to confess their sins. They were pregnant out of wedlock.

Meanwhile, John Howard Yoder, the most acclaimed Mennonite peace theologian, sexually assaulted and harassed untold numbers of women over decades and never publicly confessed.

Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and other Mennonite agencies that hired Yoder, were unable or unwilling to publicly censure him. Years of institutional silence ensued while files of complaint letters accumulated. In 1984, AMBS announced that Yoder had resigned to teach at Notre Dame. No warning of his sexually deviant behavior was issued, and students were left to wonder why their brilliant professor suddenly flew the coop. Since that time, the church at large has not explained or acknowledged the decades of apparent complicity by its agents and institutions. Quite the opposite.

After public exposure of his abuses in 1992, followed by a secretive disciplinary process, Yoder was declared reconciled with the church and encouraged to return to teaching and writing. The promise of a public statement of apology to the victims whose lives he upended, and the wider ecumenical community whose trust he betrayed, never materialized. Today Yoder continues to be lauded, his books roll off the presses, and there’s pressure from all sides to go back to business as usual.

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FLORIDA
The Ledger

By Jason Geary
THE LEDGER
Published: Wednesday, September 4, 2013

BARTOW | The mother of a girl who reported being molested at a school and church has filed a lawsuit against the Polk County School Board and First Assembly of God in Mulberry.

The lawsuit was filed Aug. 23 in circuit court and is seeking damages on behalf of the girl.

The Ledger is not identifying the girl, in keeping with its policy of not identifying victims of sexual assaults in most cases.

She is referred to as “Jane Doe” in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit’s allegations include that some instances of abuse took place at Mulberry Middle School in a classroom and at First Assembly of God in the parking lot and inside a room..

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CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles Times

By Melanie Mason
September 4, 2013

SACRAMENTO — A bill that would give some victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to file lawsuits narrowly passed the Assembly on Wednesday, following emotional appeals from lawmakers and nearly an hour of extended wrangling for votes.

The measure, by Sen. Jim Beall (D-San Jose), would lift the statute of limitations for one year to enable some abuse victims to sue private or nonprofit employers that failed to protect them from known molesters.

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) spoke of her own childhood abuse in advocating the bill.

“We cannot put a timeline on what triggers our ability to deal with an experience we had as a child,” Skinner said, adding that she did not confront her past until her daughter reached the age when Skinner’s abuse started.

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AUSTRALIA
Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay Weekly

By GOYA DMYTRYSHCHAK Sept. 5, 2013

A Catholic brother accused of sexually abusing an Altona Meadows woman as a child has been charged with 14 counts of indecent assault.

Brother Bernard Hartman, 73, was arrested at Melbourne Airport after arriving from the US yesterday morning.

Taskforce Sano detectives allege the offences happened at schools in the western suburbs of Melbourne during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Mairead Ashcroft, 48, went to the church nearly 15 years ago alleging that Hartman had abused her from the ages of eight to 11.

The Marianist Brother was the Ashcroft family’s babysitter and also saw Ms Ashcroft during Saturday classes at St Paul’s College in Altona North.

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VATICAN CITY
euronews

[with video]

The Vatican has recalled its ambassador to the Dominican Republic after he was accused of sexually abusing children.

Two local TV channels broadcast allegations of paedophilia against Archbishop Josef Wesolowski,who had been nuncio, or ambassador, in the capital, Santo Domingo, for nearly six years.

A spokesman for the Catholic church in the Dominican Republic, Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado, said that “The law is for everyone” and there was no excuse for anyone who violated the law, “not citizenship, not faith, not creed, not politics, not religion”, saying again “The law is for all.”

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CALIFORNIA
Digital Journal

A bill currently pending before the California Legislature would open up one-year window for adult victims of childhood sexual abuse to bring lawsuits.

September 05, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ — Childhood sexual abuse is one of the worst things a human being can be forced to endure. In addition to the immediate physical trauma, child sex abuse often inflicts emotional damage that can last well into adulthood. In too many cases, victims never fully recover from the horrors to which they have been subjected.

In California, victims of child sexual abuse have the right to sue their abusers and, in some cases, the institutions that enabled the abuse. However, many children are so frightened by the prospect of confronting their abusers that they do not tell anyone about the abuse until many years after it occurred. Others may repress memories of the abuse, only to have them reappear later in life. Unfortunately, this delayed reporting can sometimes prevent victims from being able to take legal action.

Under current California law, sexual abuse victims who are adults over the age of 26 are often barred from bringing suit over childhood sexual abuse.

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KENTUCKY
WAVE

Posted: Sep 04, 2013

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – A former pastor charged with sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy returns to court.

Prosecutors say Isrom Johnson abused the child on three separate occasions.

Johnson was the victim’s pastor at Prince of Peace Church in New Albany, but the alleged crimes happened in Jefferson County, Kentucky.

During the hearing, Charles Hagan, Johnson’s new attorney said he hasn’t seen the evidence. Hagan and Johnson’s former attorney have pointed fingers over whose hands that file is in now.

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VATICAN CITY
NBC News

By Philip Pullella, Reuters

The Vatican has recalled its ambassador to the Dominican Republic and relieved him of his duties pending an investigation, after local media accused him of pedophilia, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church said on Wednesday.

The Dominican Attorney General later announced that a special prosecutor had been appointed to investigate Archbishop Josef Wesolowski, who has been nuncio, or ambassador, in the capital Santo Domingo for nearly six years.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Holy See had started a probe of Wesolowski and that he had been recalled “in the last few weeks,” specifically over the pedophilia accusations.

“He has been relieved of his duties and the Holy See has begun an investigation,” Lombardi said when asked about allegations against Wesolowski in the local media.

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CHILE
The Sun Daily

Posted on 5 September 2013

SANTIAGO (Sept 5, 2013): An Irish-born priest was ordered under house arrest in Chile on Wednesday, amid a widening paedophilia scandal that has engulfed the religious order he belongs to.

Father John O’Reilly, a senior figure with the Legion of Christ in Chile religious order, was detained while authorities investigate the “credibility of the allegations” against him and others at an exclusive school run by the order in Santiago.

Officials said O’Reilly is barred from leaving his home and has been denied the right to leave the country.

He also has been relieved of all his priestly duties and forbidden from having contact with minors, while authorities probe allegations that he sexually abused such individuals.

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CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Sun-Times

BY LEEANN SHELTON Staff Reporter September 4, 2013

A former student at a West Side Catholic school is suing the Archdiocese of Chicago, claiming convicted former priest Daniel McCormack molested him 10 years ago.

McCormack pleaded guilty in 2007 to abusing five children while he was a parish priest at St. Agatha Catholic Church. He was removed from the priesthood in November of that year and sentenced to five years in prison.

The anonymous plaintiff claims McCormack fondled him on two separate occasions between 2003 and 2004, when the boy was between 11 and 12 years old, the suit said.

The plaintiff, who is now 20, was a student at a Catholic school affiliated with St. Agatha, the suit said. McCormack was appointed pastor of the parish in 2000, and also coached basketball and taught math.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/CHILE
Hong King Standard

(09-05 14:03)

The Dominican Republic is investigating allegations of child sex abuse against Polish-born papal envoy Archbishop Josef Wesolowski (pictured) following his abrupt removal by the Vatican, the attorney general said.

The news came as Irish-born priest Father John O’Reilly was ordered under house arrest in Chile, amid a widening pedophilia scandal that has engulfed the Legion of Christ in Chile.

O’Reilly, a senior figure in the order, was detained while authorities investigate allegations against him and others at an exclusive school run by the order in Santiago.

Officials said O’Reilly is barred from leaving home and has been denied the right to leave the country. He also has been relieved of all his priestly duties and forbidden from having contact with minors.

In the Dominican Republic, Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito said his office is aware only of rumors about the papal nuncio, Archbishop Wesolowski, and has not received any accusations.

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POLAND
The News

Polish archbishop Jozef Wesolowski has been recalled from his position as Vatican ambassador to the Dominican Republic after allegations of sexual abuse of minors were made against him.

“Archbishop Wesolowski has been recalled and dismissed from his post. He did not leave his post voluntarily,” Federico Lombardi has said.

National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso is quoted on the Dominican Today web site as saying that if found guilty, the Polish priest would have to face punishment on the island.

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CANADA
CBC News

A support group for people abused by priests says it is disappointed with the conditional sentence handed to a former Roman Catholic priest in Victoria who sexually touched a teenage boy.

Phil Jacobs will serve five months of house arrest, followed by two years probation.

A spokesperson for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said the sentence does not reflect the damage Jacobs has done.

Leona Huggins said the crime has shaken the faith of the victim, his family and members of St. Joseph’s the Worker Church in Victoria, where Jacobs was a parish priest from 1997 until 2001.

“I’m baffled that the courts don’t understand the nature of this crime,” she said. “This is a very minimal sentence, but it really shows a lack of understanding.”

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

The Anglican Diocese of Grafton is apologising to victims who suffered abuse at the North Coast Children’s Home in Lismore.

The Diocese received a number of claims in 2006 about abuse at the Lismore facility between the 1940s and 1980s.

Thirty-nine were settled, but two people did not accept the conditions, and seven others later came forward with similar claims.

In May this year the Right Reverend Keith Slater resigned as bishop.

He admitted to not passing on all complaints to the church’s professional standards director, saying legal liability questions clouded the issue.

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AUSTRALIA
Coffs Coast Advocate

THE Anglican Diocese of Grafton has apologised to children who suffered abuse at the North Coast Children’s Home in Lismore.

In an advertisement in The Northern Star today the diocese has apologised to victims of sexual abuse and to those who experienced hard punishment or did not receive “appropriate nurturing and care” while living at the North Coast Children’s Home.

A victim of physical and sexual abuse at the North Coast Children’s Home between 1948 and 1963, Richard “Tommy” Campion, said he had been trying to get a “truthful apology” for the past eight years.

He said the apology is a “huge step forward” and had “lifted a huge burden” off his shoulders.

“I think this apology is an important step in admitting that the church had responsibility and saying they will provide future care for children (who were abused),” Mr Campion said.

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UNITED STATES
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Devlin was a Jesuit of the California Province, ordained in 1955. He taught high school in San Francisco, San Jose and in Ogden, Utah. In 2002 the Salt Lake diocese announced that Devlin had been removed at some point due to an accusation of abuse. According to the Official Catholic Directory, Devlin left Utah in 1989, and returned to California in 1990. He died December 6, 2011.

Ordained: 1955
Died: Dec. 6, 2011

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
DFW Catholic

Vatican City, Sep 4, 2013 / 03:33 pm (CNA).- The Vatican has launched an investigation of the Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic, Polish Archbishop Joseph Wesolowski, in the wake of accusations of grave sexual conduct.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi announced on Wednesday that the Holy See has also accepted the resignation of the nuncio.

Speaking to Reuters, Father Lombardi said Archbishop Wesolowski “has been relieved of his duties and the Holy See has launched an investigation.”

The Vatican spokesman’s announcement followed statements made during a press conference today by the Attorney General of the Dominican Republic, Francisco Dominguez, who said no formal accusations have yet been made against the nuncio.

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CHILE
La Tercera

por Karen Soto – 04/09/2013

En la octava sala de la Corte de Apelaciones de Santiago, se discute a esta hora las medidas cautelares del sacerdote Legionario de Cristo John O’Reilly, formalizado por supuestos abusos sexuales a dos menores al interior del colegio Cumbres de Las Condes.

El religioso permanece en libertad y sin medidas cautelares tras ser imputado de los delitos, luego que la jueza del Cuarto Juzgado de Garantía de Santiago, Andrea Díaz-Muñoz desestimara la existencia del delito y la participación del imputado.

Los fiscales de la zona Oriente, Lorena Parra y Matías Moya recurrieron ante la Corte de Apelaciones por considerar que la medida cautelar de prisión preventiva es la única pertinente por la gravedad del delito, y la pena asignada a éste.

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CHILE
Terra

Chile: líder de Legionarios de Cristo bajo arresto por caso de abuso sexual

Un tribunal chileno ordenó este miércoles el arresto domiciliario del sacerdote John O’Reilly, líder de la orden religiosa de los Legionarios de Cristo en Chile, acusado de cometer abusos sexuales en un exclusivo colegio de Santiago.

La Corte de Apelaciones de Santiago determinó que “es posible dar por acreditado la existencia de los hechos y la presunta participación del imputado (O’Reilly) en los mismos”, por lo cual determinó su arresto domiciliario y le prohibió salir del país.

O’Reilly, de origen irlandés, fue denunciado en julio de 2012 por abuso sexual en el exclusivo colegio privado Cumbres, de la Orden de los Legionarios de Cristo. Tras la denuncia fue suspendido de sus funciones como capellán y asesor espiritual.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
El Nuevo Diario

La Conferencia del Episcopado Dominicano (CED) informó este miércoles que dará a conocer este jueves informaciones sobre los últimos escándalos en que se han visto involucrados algunos miembros de la Iglesia Católica.

La actividad se llevará a cabo a las 11:00 de la mañana, en la sede de la CED.

En los últimos días la Iglesia Católica Dominica se ha visto envuelta en varios escándalos que involucran a sacerdotes en abusos sexuales a menores.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
al Momento

SANTO DOMINGO.- La Conferencia del Episcopado Dominicano (CED), que preside el Cardenal convocó a una rueda de prensa este jueves para hablar sobre los últimos escándalos en los que están involucrados algunos miembros de la iglesia.

Será efectuada en la sede de la CED, en la Casa San Pablo, de la avenida Rómulo Batancourt casi esquina Núñez de Cáceres, según publicó el Diario Libre Digital.

Uno de los casos más sonados en el país es el del nuncio Jozef Wesolowski, quien fue destituido del cargo por el papa Francisco, por abuso de manores.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
7 Dias

La Conferencia del Episcopado Dominicano se referirá este jueves a los casos de pederastia en que se han visto envueltos más de un sacerdote, incluido el exnuncio Josef Weselowski, recientemente destituido por el papa Francisco.

El asunto será abordado por el organismo que aglutina a los obispos dominicanos en una rueda de prensa convocada para las 11:00 de la mañana, en su sede de la avenida Rómulo Betancourt casi esquina Núñez de Cáceres.

Además del Wesolowski, en los últimos días han sido escandalosos los casos del sacerdote Alberto Gil, de origen polaco, acusado de abuso sexual a menores y suspendido de sus funciones de párroco de la comunidad de Juncalito, en Santiago; pero además, el del padre Juan Manuel de Jesús Mota (Johnny), bajo las mismas imputaciones pero en el municipio de Constanza.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Panorama Diario

Santo Domingo.- La Conferencia del Episcopado Dominicano (CED) informó este miércoles hablará mañana sobre los casos de abuso sexual contra menores de parte de sacerdotes, que incluyen al exnuncio Jozef Wesolowski, quien fue destituido del cargo por el papa Francisco. Para tal efecto se convocó a una rueda de prensa para “dar a conocer informaciones sobre los últimos escándalos en los que se han visto involucrados algunos miembros de la iglesia”.

La rueda de prensa se efectuará en el la sede de la CED, ubicado en la Avenida Rómulo Betancourt casi esquina Núñez y de Cáceres.
La CED la preside monseñor Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez y el secretario es el padre Carmelo Santana Jérez.

El caso más resonante de pederastia en la iglesia dominicana es el exnuncio Wesolowski, de quien el rector de la Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, Agripino Núñez Collado dijo que durante su estada en el país de cinco años “andaba en malos pasos”.

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GALLUP (NM)
El Diario (Mexico)

Dallas— La Diócesis de Gallup, Nuevo México, informó que se declarará en bancarrota como resultado de más de una decena de demandas contra sus sacerdotes, acusados de abuso sexual.

El obispo James Wall dijo que se buscará la protección del capítulo 11 de la Ley de Bancarrota de Estados Unidos, porque éste es “el camino más eficaz a tomar, a la luz de las reclamaciones de los que fueron objeto de abuso”.

Wall, quien fue designado obispo en 2009, dijo que quiere tratar a todas las víctimas de abuso “de una manera justa, equitativa y más misericordiosa”, mientras continúan las operaciones de la diócesis.

La Diócesis de Gallup incluye una extensa área rural, integrada por condados ubicados al oeste de Nuevo México y al este de Arizona.

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CHILE
Radio UChile

Javier Candia | Martes 3 de septiembre 2013

Aludiendo responsabilidades institucionales, los tres profesionales que acusan al sacerdote Fernando Karadima de abusar sexualmente de ellos presentaron una demanda contra el Arzobispado de Santiago. En un breve comunicado, la autoridad eclesiástica metropolitana insistió en asegurar que ha colaborado permanentemente con la justicia.

Patrocinados por el abogado Juan Pablo Hermosilla, el médico James Hamilton, el periodista Juan Carlos Cruz y el filósofo José Andrés Murillo, presentaron una demanda que busca una reparación económica por los abusos cometidos por el ex párroco de El Bosque Fernando Karadima.

La acción es dirigida contra el Arzobispado de Santiago, puesto que califican a la Iglesia como una institución estrictamente jerárquica que actuó con negligencia sistemática e ignorancia deliberada en estos casos, recordando que la jerarquía es territorial.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Hispanically Speaking

Papal Nuncio, Ordained by Pope John II, Removed from Dominican Republican Amidst Pedophile Claims

The Vatican has removed and ordered back to Rome the papal nuncio in the Dominican Republic, Archbishop Josef Wesolowski.

The removal comes in light of the announcement today by the Dominican National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice that an investigation has been opened into the activities of the 65-year-old Vatican diplomat. Rumors of sexual abuse of minors had been swirling around Wesolowski for sometime but no official investigation until today.

A local news program aired allegations that he had paid for sex with minors in Santo Domingo and was connected to a Polish priest accused of sexually assaulting boys under the age of 14. News reporter Nuria Piera alleges Wesolowski was a regular vistor to the Zona Colonial area of Santo Domingo where he was seen drinking and paying for sex in open areas of the Zona.

Archbishop Wesolowski had been acting as nuncio (ambassador) representing the interests of the Vatican in DR for nearly six years. He was born in Nowy Targ, Poland and started as a Vatican diplomat in 1999 in Bolivia. Wesolowski has the proud distinction of having been ordained a priest by Bishop Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John II.

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CANADA
Sylvia’s Site

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Sylvia

Father Howard Chabot‘s court date has been adjourned to 01 October 2013: 9 am, courtroom #1, Pembroke, Ontario courthouse.

Father Chabot was in the courtroom, accompanied by a large number of supporters – at least 20, and at least two of whom were priests (wearing their collars). Father Proulx was also present, but he sat apart from the Father Chabot contingent.

On the heels of the news I’ve been receiving from Pembroke I was not at all surprised at the show of support. Several sources told me that the local Knights of Columbus has now become involved and was sending out emails conveying the message that Father Chabot has said he has a clear conscience and asking for prayers for himself and the complainant.

I had difficulty with that. I don’t believe the Knights should allow themselves to be used in a situation such as this. I don’t know about others, but I see that as being used. Granted, there was an option, was there not? Every adult is capable of saying “no.”

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CALIFORNIA
Fresno Bee

By LAURA OLSON — Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — The state Assembly on Wednesday narrowly approved legislation that would open a one-year window for some victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue religious organizations and other private or nonprofit groups that employed their abusers.

The bill from Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, is similar to a 2002 measure passed amid the Catholic Church sex-abuse scandal. It would lift the statute of limitations for a group of alleged victims who were 26 and older and missed the previous window to file lawsuits because of time and age restrictions.

The Catholic Church and victims’ advocates have lobbied heavily on SB131, and lawmakers said there were unsuccessful efforts in recent days to work out disagreements over the legislation.

Beall’s measure cleared the Assembly, 42-14, and now returns to the Senate for a final vote.

Catholic Church leaders and representatives of other organizations opposing the bill, such as private schools and the State Alliance of YMCAs, say the legislation is unfair because it does not include the ability for accusers to sue public institutions.

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CALIFORNIA
Sacramento Bee

By Victor Garza
Special to The Bee
Published: Wednesday, Sep. 4, 2013

“To create a distinction between private and public entities would make a mockery of the Legislature’s stated intent to ‘ensure that victims severely damaged by childhood sexual abuse are able to seek compensation from those responsible.’”

That’s a quote from a legal brief filed by Irwin Zalkin, one of the attorneys and co-sponsors of Senate Bill 131, authored by Sen. Jim Beall.

It’s doubly ironic, because discrimination against public victims of childhood sexual abuse is at the center of SB 131. It’s why the bill has developed such a broad and surprising coalition of opponents.

On the surface, SB 131 looks like serious legislation to deal with the rights of victims of child sexual abuse to sue their abuser by reviving claims that have died because the statute of limitations has expired. But scratch the surface and people should have serious concerns about how it addresses the problem. Why?

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CALIFORNIA
Sacramento Bee

By Paula Treat
Special to The Bee
Published: Wednesday, Sep. 4, 2013

It is perhaps a product of the times we live in that we are finally able to confront old demons in a public forum. Just a few years ago I would have been terrified to say out loud that I survived sexual abuse and molestation at a very young age. Recently, however, I made that revelation in front of my colleagues. I testified at a legislative hearing on a bill that will allow some victims of such abuse legal recourse to find some semblance of justice.

Surviving molestation does not come without cost. My life was changed instantly, terribly and dramatically when a trusted individual in authority decided to abuse a second-grader.

I have learned over the years that I am part of a painful sorority. Unfortunately, since the introduction of Senate Bill 131, by Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, I have learned that girls who were my age then still suffer from the effects of the abuse when we become women our age now. It is not unusual to hide the details from those closest to us, or suppress the memories to spare ourselves. The momentary sexual satisfaction of the abuser remains a lasting specter in the lives of the abused.

The stories are similar. They are unpleasant to repeat in polite company, yet they deserve to be told to set the record straight and to do everything possible to prevent them from being repeated.

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OHIO/CANADA
Columbus Dispatch

By JoAnne Viviano
The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday September 4, 2013

A priest who once worked in central Ohio was sentenced in Canada today to serve two months under house arrest on a conviction of sexually touching a teenager in British Columbia.

The Rev. Phil Jacobs, 63, then must spend three months under court supervision, which will include a curfew and limited outings, defense attorney Chris Considine said.

He will be on probation for two years after that, Considine said, and must meet criteria that include 50 hours of community service, counseling, limited contact with young people and registering as a sex offender.

Jacobs was found guilty in February of sexually touching a person between the ages of 14 and 18. The Saanich News reported that Justice J. Miriam Gropper said he could avoid jail time because he is a low to moderate risk to reoffend.

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CHILE
Santiago Times

WEDNESDAY, 04 SEPTEMBER 2013
WRITTEN BY MIMI YAGOUB

The three victims of sexual abuse by ex-priest Fernando Karadima have filed a civil suit against the Archbishop of Santiago, calling for the Church to assume responsibility.

The three men who were sexually abused between 1955 and 1980 by Fernando Karadima of the El Bosque Parish in Las Condes, Santiago, have filed a suit against Archbishop of Santiago Ricardo Ezzati demanding economic compensation for the crimes committed against them.

The men in question are Dr. James Hamilton, journalist Juan Carlos Cruz and philosopher José Andrés Murillo and are represented by lawyer Juan Pablo Hermosilla. They say that the suit is directed towards the archbishop in an attempt to make the Church assume responsibility as an institution that acted negligently during the cases that were brought forward against Karadima.

“We’re trying to break the cornerstone of sexual abuse — silence — and this is done through what we are doing now,” José Murillo told Radio Universidad de Chile. “Every time there is abuse there is damage done, and if the abuse was committed by someone who belongs to an institution … there is an institutional responsibility, and we want this to be established.”

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CANADA
Vancouver Sun

BY JEFF BELL, TIMES COLONIST SEPTEMBER 4, 2013

Philip Jacobs has been given a five-month conditional sentence, followed by two years probation, for sexual touching of a teenage boy while serving as a Catholic priest at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Saanich.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Miriam Gropper chose today to impose the condtional term rather than up to six months in jail as requested by the Crown prosecutor.

Gropper found the 63-year-old Jacobs guilty in March while acquitting him on three other charges, including two counts of sexual touching and a count of sexual assault. She said it was clear to her that Jacobs acted deliberately when rubbing a youth’s leg up to the groin and that it was not something accidental or absent-minded as Jacobs maintained.

Gropper said the situation that led to the offence, which had Jacobs and the youth (who cannot be named) alone for a study session, was “an aspect of grooming” by Jacobs for touching in a sexual way.

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star

PUBLIC EDITOR
September 4

This week, The Star published a story about Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. But this one had a very different focus from most news mentioning him in recent years.

Finn was the first American bishop to be convicted of failing to report a priest engaging in illegal sexual activity involving minors. The story in the FYI section this week was about a new endeavor he’s undertaking: learning to play the trombone.

“As a very strong Catholic, I am really, really offended that you would put something in the paper about this man,” said a caller this morning. “I think this article is just terrible. He should be shunned for not protecting children, and here (The Star goes) putting this big article out saying what a great man he is. I’m so angry about this.”

Other readers have offered similar sentiments. But I’ve also heard from Finn supporters, one of whom told me she “appreciate(d) showing another side of him. We’re told to forgive, so this might show other people he is human too.”

The story does mention the sex-abuse scandal prominently. And in fact, you could argue that it’s the framing device for the story itself, ending with a subtle parallel between the bishop’s getting past his musical slip-ups and his legal transgressions.

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ST. LOUIS (MO)
Berger’s Beat

September 4, 2013 11:17 am | Author: berger

K.C. top prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker, is reportedly considering a run for attorney general if/when AG Chris Koster seeks governorship. Baker is the only prosecutor to successfully convict a Catholic prelate, Bishop Robert Finn, (who hails from our town) on charges of refusing to turn over child porn photos taken by a priest to the police. . .

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PUBLICA DOMINICANA
UPI

Publicado: sep. 4, 2013

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, sep. 4 (UPI) — Dominicana presta atención hoy a las acusaciones que señalan al nuncio apostólico Joséf Wesolowski, recientemente destituido del cargo, como un violador sexual de niños.

Según el rector de la Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, monseñor Agripino Núñez, tal comportamiento motivó el fin de la misión en este país del religioso, cuyo paradero se desconoce actualmente, indicó Prensa Latina.

El Papa tiene bien claro el daño que eso puede causarle a un infante, por lo tanto cuando hay casos así la justicia dominicana debe actuar sin importar quien sea, manifestó Núñez a reporteros en el Palacio Nacional.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
National Catholic Reporter

Ezra Fieser Catholic News Service | Sep. 4, 2013

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The Dominican Republic’s top prosecutor said Wednesday he plans to investigate claims of sexual abuse allegedly committed by the apostolic nuncio to the Dominican Republic, just a day after the Vatican confirmed its own investigation into the allegations.

Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, appointed as nuncio in 2008, was removed from the post Aug. 21. A Dominican bishop confirmed in early September that the dismissal was due to the sexual abuse scandal unfolding in the Caribbean country.

Days after Wesolowski’s removal, a television news program aired allegations that he had paid for sex with minors and was connected to a Polish priest accused of sexually assaulting at least 14 underage boys.

The program, Nuria, claimed Wesolowski regularly visited Santo Domingo’s historic center, where he allegedly drank alcohol and paid for sex with underage boys in an abandoned monument nearby.

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CALIFORNIA
Orange County Register

By JIM BEALL / For the Register

I introduced Senate Bill 131 because I do not believe an organization that knowingly protects employees who sexually abuse children in the workplace should escape responsibility for the harm it caused. SB131 is about justice. This bill seeks to give the adult survivors of childhood molestation their day in court against the institutions that enabled their abusers.

I introduced SB131 after listening to victims plagued with depression and anger fueled by the heinous crime inflicted upon them as innocents. For these victims, their agony is compounded because a quirk in the law denies them the opportunity to obtain justice against their abuser.

Our laws must work for victims of crimes, not against them. That’s why SB131 is supported by health care professionals such as the California Nurses Association and by law enforcement agencies such as the Peace Officers Research Association, the California Association of Chiefs of Police, and prosecutors, including the district attorneys of Santa Clara and San Diego counties.

“This bill will allow those who have suffered for years in private the public support they need to come forward and seek compensation,” San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis wrote in support of SB131. “This bill gives a voice to those who have suffered in silence way too long.”

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CHILE
The Journal (Ireland)

AN IRISH-BORN priest has been ordered under house arrest in Chile, amid a widening pedophilia scandal that has engulfed the religious order he belongs to.

Father John O’Reilly, a senior figure with the Legion of Christ in Chile religious order, was detained while authorities investigate the “credibility of the allegations” against him and others at an exclusive school run by the order in Santiago.

Officials said O’Reilly is barred from leaving his home and has been denied the right to leave the country.

He also has been relieved of all his priestly duties and forbidden from having contact with minors, while authorities probe allegations that he sexually abused such individuals.

The Legion of Christ, a group of priests and seminarians founded in Mexico in 1941, became embroiled in scandal in 2005 when its founder and leader, Marcial Maciel, stepped down amid sexual abuse allegations.

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UNITED STATES
BIshopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: A Jesuit of the Oregon Province ordained in 1932, Endal lived and worked in remote Alaskan villages from 1936 until 1987, when he retired to an assisted living facility in Anchorage. He died in 1996. In a 2011 settlement, Endal was named one of the Jesuits’ top ten worst alleged offenders, with 25 claims of child sexual abuse against him. He has been accused of abusing both boys and girls. From about 1959 through mid-1975 a volunteer, Joseph Lundowski, worked closely with Endal, traveling with him from village to village. Lundowski is said to have targeted native Alaskan boys; at least 60 have come forward with accusations against him. Some accusers have said that Endal knew of Ludowski’s abusive behavior, and told the children that to tell would be a mortal sin. Endal also reportedly told a little girl he abused that if she told, she would go straight to hell. At least one reported Endal victim, a girl, is said to have later taken her own life.

Ordained: 1932
Died: Nov.15, 1996

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CALIFORNIA
The Worthy Adversary

Posted by Joelle Casteix on September 4, 2013

Senate Bill 131 – The California Child Victims’ Act – just passed an Assembly floor vote, 42-14.

The bill give victims of child sexual abuse a one-year window to come forward and use the civil court system to get justice and accountability. It is also a huge step forward for ALL victims of abuse—the more we expose abuse in private institutions, the easier it will be to pass legislation that eliminates sovereign immunity (the legal barrier to suing public institutions for crimes like child sexual abuse).
The bill now goes back to the Senate for a final floor vote.

Remember – we would know little to nothing about the criminal activity of men like Cardinal Roger Mahony were it not for the 2003 window. Statewide, more than 250 predators—dozens in Orange County—were exposed (with supporting documents and evidence to go with it!). Men like Denis Lyons and Michael Baker would never have seen a day behind bars, and and the crimes at places like Mater Dei High School would never have been exposed.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Wednesday, Sept. 4

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com )

The pope’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic has been recalled after child sex abuse allegations against him surfaced in news accounts. But like all of his predecessors, Pope Francis is acting belatedly, secretively and recklessly.

[CNN]

It’s the same old, same old…

Catholic officials act only when forced to do so by media pressure. When they do act, they act secretively – in this case, by not disclosing the allegations, the suspension or the reason for the suspension. (According to CNN, “The Vatican confirmed Wednesday that Jozef Wesolowski was removed from his post and that an investigation is under way, but did not say what allegations were made.”)

Catholic officials claim they’ll act with “openness and transparency” in clergy sex cases. But they don’t. They claim they’re “learning” and “reforming” in clergy sex cases. But they aren’t.

The new pontiff has raised many people’s hopes by his personal warmth and simple gestures and more down-to-earth style. Tragically, however, one of that has translated into any significant change in the hurtful and self-destructive patterns of irresponsible action by the church hierarchy in child abuse and cover up cases.

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CHILE
GlobalPost

AFP

An Irish-born priest was ordered under house arrest in Chile on Wednesday, amid a widening pedophilia scandal that has engulfed the religious order he belongs to.

Father John O’Reilly, a senior figure with the Legion of Christ in Chile religious order, was detained while authorities investigate the “credibility of the allegations” against him and others at an exclusive school run by the order in Santiago.

Officials said O’Reilly is barred from leaving his home and has been denied the right to leave the country.

He also has been relieved of all his priestly duties and forbidden from having contact with minors, while authorities probe allegations that he sexually abused such individuals.

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REPUBLICA DOMINIANA
Acento

[con video]

SANTO DOMINGO, República Dominicana.-La periodista Nuria Piera denunció que el hasta hace poco embajador del Vaticano en Santo Domingo, Joséf (o Joseph) Wesolowski, era un habitual visitante de la Zona Colonial, lugares donde tomaba alcohol y luego pagaba a niños para sostener relaciones sexuales en el abandonado monumento a Fray Antón de Montesinos, en el malecón de Santo Domingo.

Joséf Wesolowski, polaco, fue destituido por el papa Francisco el pasado 21 de agosto, sin que oficialmente se haya dado ninguna explicación.

Una versión de un periódico italiano asoció la caída de Wesolowski a sus contradicciones con el arzobispo de San Juan, Puerto Rico, Roberto González Nieves.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Noticias A Tiempo

[con video]

Nuria Piera presentó vídeo del embajador del Papa en Santo Domingo tomando bebidas alcohólicas en la Zona Colonial

SANTO DOMINGO, República Dominicana.-La periodista Nuria Piera denunció que el hasta hace poco embajador del Vaticano en Santo Domingo, Joséf (o Joseph) Wesolowski, era un habitual visitante de la Zona Colonial, lugares donde tomaba alcohol y luego pagaba a niños para sostener relaciones sexuales en el abandonado monumento a Fray Antón de Montesinos, en el malecón de Santo Domingo.

Joséf Wesolowski, polaco, fue destituido por el papa Francisco el pasado 21 de agosto, sin que oficialmente se haya dado ninguna explicación.

Una versión de un periódico italiano asoció la caída de Wesolowski a sus contradicciones con el arzobispo de San Juan, Puerto Rico, Roberto González Nieves.

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VATICAN CITY
BBC News

The Vatican has recalled its envoy to the Dominican Republic and launched an investigation after local media accused him of sexually abusing children.

Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski had been the Apostolic Nuncio in Santo Domingo for nearly six years.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told the Reuters news agency he had been “relieved of his duties” and the Holy See had “begun an investigation”.

Archbishop Wesolowski had been recalled “in the last few weeks”, he added.

But he did not give details about the allegations.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/VATICAN CITY
ABC News

By EZEQUIEL ABIU LOPEZ and NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

Authorities in the Dominican Republic will look into allegations of child sex abuse against the papal envoy to the Caribbean country following his abrupt removal from his post by the Vatican, the attorney general said Wednesday.

Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito was careful to note that his office is aware only of “rumors” about the papal nuncio, Archbishop Josef Wesolowski, and has not received any accusations that would prompt a formal investigation under Dominican law.

A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, confirmed that Wesolowski had been removed from his post and that the church was conducting an investigation of him. He did not specify the nature of the accusations against the Polish-born prelate.

A nuncio is the pope’s ambassador to a country and such an abrupt removal is rare.

Dominguez told reporters at a news conference that the investigation was in its initial stages and largely in response to media reports of allegations of sexual misconduct by Wesolowski as well as a friend and fellow priest. He said that he had designated a senior official to lead the investigation and coordinate with the Vatican.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/VATICAN CITY
CNN

From Diulka Perez, For CNN
updated 2:26 PM EDT, Wed September 4, 2013

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (CNN) — The pope has pulled out the Vatican’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic, a move a local church representative says is linked to child abuse allegations.

The Vatican confirmed Wednesday that Jozef Wesolowski was removed from his post and that an investigation is under way, but did not say what allegations were made.

Wesolowski had been an apostolic nuncio, the Vatican’s official representative in the Dominican Republic.

But he was recalled last month after an internal church report connected him with child abuse and pedophilia, according to Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado, the rector of a Catholic university and spokesman for the church in the country.

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ILLINOIS
Kane County Chronicle

BY DAVID GIULIANI – dgiuliani@saukvalley.com
Created: Wednesday, September 4, 2013

ST. CHARLES – A former Dixon priest has returned to the ministry after law enforcement authorities cleared him of wrongdoing in a computer usage investigation, the area’s Catholic bishop said.

In March, the Diocese of Rockford relieved the Rev. John Gow of St. Patrick Parish in Dixon as a result of the investigation, Bishop David Malloy of Rockford said in a statement. It was done as a precaution while Gow and the diocese cooperated with authorities, the bishop said.

Gow has now been assigned as associate pastor at St. John Neumann Parish in St. Charles. He started Sunday.

“Father Gow is returning to the full exercise of his priestly duties and deserves the total restoration of his good name and reputation,” Malloy said. “The information that prompted the investigation was baseless.”

Malloy’s statement was read Sunday during weekend Masses at St. Patrick.

“I wish to thank the parish family of St. Patrick in Dixon for your support of Father Gow during these difficult months,” Malloy said. “In addition, I am grateful to Father Gow for his cooperation and patience during this time.”

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CANADA
Victoria News

By Staff Writer – Victoria News
Published: September 04, 2013

Former Saanich priest Phil Jacobs has been handed a five month conditional sentence, which includes two months of house arrest, during a sentencing hearing today in Victoria.

He also has two years of probation following the sentence.

In February, Justice Miriam Gropper found Jacobs has guilty of touching a young person for a sexual purpose, but not guilty on three other counts of molestation.

Three young men and former students of St. Joseph the Worker School testified that Jacobs molested or sexually touched them during his tenure as parish priest at the Saanich Catholic school in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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AUSTRALIA
lewisblayse.net

The Anglican Archbishops are different from the Catholic ones in that the Anglicans are elected by clerical and lay members of the church. They therefore tend to be more aware of their images ad more skilled at currying favour and attention (of the right sort, of course). This makes them a bit more dangerous.

The Sydney guy, Glenn Naunton Davies, who has only been in the job since last month, campaigned for his position with all the skill of a veteran politician, to come from behind and win the plum job, over his rival Richard Smith.

In the past, Davies has been quick to enter into traditional political discussion. This week, he criticized Prime Minister Rudd for his interpretation of the bible. He has been vocal in opposing secular ethics classes in NSW schools. He also punches for his church over the Catholic, whose numbers passed his in 1986 to become the dominant religion in Australia. Davies is reported as casting “doubt” on Mary MacKillop’s “alleged miracles” saying (concerning the miracle cures) that “”Even if they prayed to Mary MacKillop, what evidence is there that it was Mary MacKillop’s intercession that healed them?”

His big problem was the recent resignation of his Grafton bishop, Keith Slater, for failings to do with a children’s home. Davies, somehow, avoided having to comment in the media.

The guy with the real problems is the Adelaide Archbishop, Jeffrey Driver who took over after the resignation of the disgraced Ian George. George had “mishandled” abuse cases, particularly at Adelaide’s prestige school, St. Peter’s. He got into more hot water when the church went back on its promise not to have a “service of recognition” for Mr. George.

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VATICAN CITY
GMA News (Philippines)

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican has recalled its ambassador to the Dominican Republic and relieved him of his duties pending an investigation, after local media accused him of paedophilia, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told Reuters that the Holy See had started an investigation into Archbishop Josef Wesolowski, who has been nuncio (ambassador) in Santo Domingo for nearly six years.

“He has been recalled. He has been relieved of his duties and the Holy See has begun an investigation,” Lombardi said when asked about allegations against Wesolowski in the local media.

Lombardi said Wesolowski was recalled “in the last few weeks” specifically over the paedophilia accusations.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
al Momento

SANTO DOMINGO.- El rector de la Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), monseñor Agripino Núñez Collado, declaró que tan pronto el Sumo Pontífice se enteró de que el nuncio apostólico en Santo Domingo, monseñor Joseph Wesolowski, andaba “en malos pasos” lo destituyó.

Dijo que es una situación que realmente avergüenza y lastima la conciencia de todos los católicos.

“Una persona puede tener sus debilidades si se quiere, pero los abusos con los menores, con los niños, son cosas imperdonables; eso no cabe en una cabeza normal y por lo tanto nadie puede aprobar eso”, sostuvo.

Recordó que el papa Francisco fue el que aumentó los castigos para los sacerdotes pederastas.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
La Opinion

Por: Panky Corcino⁄Corresponsal EDLP

PUBLICADO: SEP, 4, 2013

Santo Domingo – La Fiscalía del Distrito Nacional abrió una investigación en contra del destituido representante del Vaticano en República Dominicana, el polaco Jósef Wesoloswski, a raíz de las denuncias periodísticas que vinculan al diplomático con casos de pederastia.

La fiscal Yeni Berenice Reynoso informó que abrió la investigación a raíz de los rumores difundidos en la televisión por Nuria Piera, quien a su vez se apoya en un reporte anterior de la periodista Addy Burgos sobre el sacerdote polaco Wojciech Gil Nojache (Alberto) denunciado ante la Justicia por violación de al menos 14 menores de edad en la comunidad Juncalito, Santiago (noroeste).

Berenice Reynoso asegura que además tomó en cuenta las declaraciones del líder religioso monseñor Agripino Núñez Collado, rector de la Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), quien aseguró que el destituido Nuncio Apostólico de su Santidad “andaba en malos pasos”.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Today

Santo Domingo. – Monsignor Agripino Nuñez on Tuesday confirmed that Pope Francis recalled papal nuncio Jozef Wesolowski from the country, after a report linking him to child abuse.

He said the Vatican has begun an investigation and as an ambassador, the nuncio’s case must be treated from government to government.

He said Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez sent the report to the Vatican. “Nobody is above the law and everyone who commits a crime, which I consider shameful, must accept the consequences.”

Nuñez, speaking in the Chamber of Deputies, said the Polish priest Alberto Gil Nojache should be subjected to the same consequence for his alleged abuse of minors in the town of Juncalito, Janico, Santiago.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
GlobalPost

AFP

The Vatican’s envoy to the Dominican Republic has been sacked amid an investigation in Rome into accusations he had sex with children, a spokesman was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Monsignor Josef Wesolowski, a 65-year-old Pole, has been the papal nuncio in Santo Domingo for over five years, the I.Media news agency on Vatican affairs reported quoting the spokesman.

The Dominican press said the diplomat had sex for money with underage boys in the “Zona colonial”, the historic centre of Santo Domingo.

The cleric was ordained in 1972 by the then archbishop of Krakow, cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who later became pope John Paul II.

John Paul II appointed him nuncio to Bolivia, his first posting. Wesolowski also worked in several countries in Central Asia and was appointed to the Dominican Republic by Benedict XVI in 2008.

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MILWAUKEE (WI)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

By Annysa Johnson of the Journal Sentinel Sept. 4, 2013

Lawyers for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s $50 million-plus cemetery trust say efforts to force a federal judge to set aside his recent decision in favor of the church and recuse himself from the case border on frivolous and amount to judge shopping, according to a new brief filed in the lawsuit.

The brief, filed this week by attorneys for Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki, the trust’s sole trustee, says U.S. District Judge Rudolph T. Randa has no financial interest in the cemeteries — contrary to claims by the archdiocese’s bankruptcy creditors — and that the issue is moot because the case is already headed to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

“The pending motions targeting Judge Randa are a thinly disguised attempt to shop for a new district court judge who will agree with the (creditors) committee on the merits,” attorneys Jennifer Vandermeuse and Brady Williamson argued in the brief.

“The Court of Appeals will ultimately decide for itself whether the committee has any… right to pursue the trust funds,” they said.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Today

Santo Domingo.- National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso on Wednesday announced an investigation into Vatican ambassador in Dominican Republic, Josef Wesolowski, in the heels of alleged sexual abuses of minors, just 24 hours after bishop Agripino Nuñez Collado confirmed the diplomat’s dismissal.

Despite that the announced probe comes before any complaints filed by alleged victims, Reynoso citing the country’s Penal Code, noted that prosecution is the exclusive competence of the criminal courts

Speaking to local media, the official said Wesolowski, aside from potential sanction in the Vatican, would be investigated and if guilty, punished in the country. “Sexual abuse against children and adolescents is a felony with a terrible aftermath usually marking a human being’s life forever.”

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Listin Diario

Ramón Pérez Reyes
Santo Domingo

Monseñor Agripino Núñez Collado confirmó hoy que el nuncio apostólico Józef Wesolowski fue retirado del país por orden del papa, luego que un informe lo relacionara con abuso de menores.

Dijo que el Vaticano ha abierto una investigación y por tratarse de un embajador y por la figura dentro del orden eclesiástico su situación debe ser tratada de gobierno a gobierno.

Cuando se le preguntó qué persona o institución remitió el informe al Vaticano, consideró que habría sido el cardenal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez.

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REPUBLICAN DOMINICANA
Periodista Digital

El Papa destituye al Nuncio de República Dominicana acusado de abusos

Habría sido el cardenal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez quien comunicó al papa Francisco “los malos pasos” en que andaba el nuncio apostólico en el país, Joseph Weselowski, y que obligaron a su retiro por la Santa Sede. Lo cuenta 7 dias, el diario de la República Dominicana.

La presunción, que no afirmación, la hizo este martes monseñor Agripino Núñez Collado, quien confirmó que el nuncio Joseph Wesolowski fue retirado del cargo por las denuncias de pederastia en su contra.

Núñez Collado, que espera que el retirado tenga “su propio castigo personal” a la luz del endurecimiento del Código Penal vaticano introducido recientemente por Francisco, calificó de inadmisible la conducta del prelado.

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CIUDAD DEL VATICANO/REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
El Rioja

Ciudad del Vaticano, 4 sep (EFE).- El nuncio apostólico de la República Dominicana, Josef Wesolowski, ha sido destituido del cargo y existe una investigación en curso sobre las acusaciones que pesan sobre él en relación con varios casos de supuestos abusos de menores, confirmó hoy a Efe el portavoz vaticano, Federico Lombardi.

La confirmación de la Santa Sede llega después de que Agripino Núñez Collado, rector de la Universidad Pontificia Católica Madre y Maestra, fuera ayer el primer alto jerarca de la Iglesia dominicana en informar del caso.

El religioso dominicano señaló que nadie está por encima de la ley y que todo aquel que comete un delito, que él considera “bochornoso”, debe asumir las consecuencias.

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CITTA DEL VATICANO
Vatican Insider

Josef Wesolowski, l’ex delegato apostolico in Porto Rico, è stato allontanato dallo stesso Papa Francesco

ANDRÉS BELTRAMO ÁLVAREZ
CITTÀ DEL VATICANO

L’ex nunzio apostolico nella Repubblica Domenicana è stato allontanato dal suo incarico, ma non per lo scontro con l’arcivescovo di San Juan (Porto Rico). Josef Wesolowski ha dovuto lasciare tempestivamente qualche giorno fa per le pesanti denunce contro di lui. Il Vaticano ha aperto un’inchiesta per abusi sessuali a danni di minori.

Mercoledì scorso la sala stampa della Santa Sede ha confermato a Vatican Insider che l’ex delegato apostolico in Porto Rico non ha lasciato il suo posto, volontariamente ma è stato allontanato dallo stesso Papa Francesco. E ha confermato anche l’esistenza di un’inchiesta ufficiale sul suo caso.

Nonostante le fonti ufficiali si siano rifiutate di confermare le motivazioni dell’inchiesta, in questi momenti la vicenda è diventata uno scandalo nazionale nella Repubblica Domenicana, dopo che una trasmisione televisiva aveva mandato in onda un reportage nel quale si mostravano delle immagini del nunzio apostolico in una zona della capitale domenicana nota per l’esercizio della prostituzione maschile.

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REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
El Nuevo Dia

Por Agencia EFE

El nuncio apostólico de la República Dominicana, Josef Wesolowski, ha sido destituido del cargo y existe una investigación en curso sobre las acusaciones que pesan sobre él en relación con varios casos de supuestos abusos de menores, confirmó hoy a Efe el portavoz del Vaticano, Federico Lombardi.

La confirmación de la Santa Sede llega después de que Agripino Núñez Collado, rector de la Universidad Pontificia Católica Madre y Maestra, fuera ayer el primer alto jerarca de la Iglesia dominicana en informar del caso.

El religioso dominicano señaló que nadie está por encima de la ley y que todo aquel que comete un delito, que él considera “bochornoso”, debe asumir las consecuencias.

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VATICAN CITY/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Today

Vatican City (EFE). – The apostolic nuncio in the Dominican Republic, Josef Wesolowski, has been removed from office and there’s an ongoing investigation into allegations in his connection with several cases of alleged child abuse, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told Efe.

The confirmation comes just hours after senior bishop Agripino Nuñez Collado, head of the Catholic University (PUCCM) on Tuesday was the first senior official of the Dominican Church to cite the case.

“No one is above the law and anyone who commits a shameful crime must bear the consequences,” the Dominican bishop said.

Journalist Nuria Piera, in a TV report resulting from a year-long investigation, alleges that Wesolowski paid for sex with minors in the Dominican Republic. “The fact is that we already had news that in the Colonial Zone (in the Dominican capital) they knew him very well, for going to look for minors.”

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Today

The Vatican’s confirmation that its ambassador in the Dominican Republic has been pushed out of office in the wake of a pedophilia scandal subjects the local Catholic Church to its biggest test since the 30-year reign of terror from the dictator Rafael Trujillo.

I had a chance to speak with the Vatican’s representatives when he first arrived in the country, and he struck me as a decent, open and hard-working priest.

But now, Josef Wesolowski, together with another Polish priest, Alberto Gil Nojache, and several similar cases reflects the Catholic Church’s battle with the specters of child abuse that erode its credibility and faith among the nation’s overwhelming majority of Catholics.

The depth of the scandal also became evident when bishop and Catholic University (PUCCM) president Agripino Nuñez Collado stumbled on a reporter’s question about who alerted The Vatican on the alleged abuses.

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IOWA
Clayton County Register

By Molly Moser

Pastor Shane Anderson and Youth Leader Kyle Jaeger, of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Guttenberg, hosted a public child abuse prevention program titled Safe in the Sanctuary: Learn Skills to Protect Your Kids last week. Pastor Darrel Gerrietts and Rev. Mark A. Anderson, assistants to the Bishop of the Northeast Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, led the presentation.

This program comes on the heels of charges against Roger Carrier, 49, of Guttenberg, alleging five counts of sexual abuse in the third degree. Shane Anderson noted that Carrier was involved in many activities at St. John’s, and commented, “We want to address the issue and raise awareness.”

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NEW MEXICO
National Catholic Reporter

Joseph J. Kolb Catholic News Service | Sep. 4, 2013

GALLUP, N.M. When Bishop James Wall was installed by the Vatican as bishop of the diocese of Gallup in 2009, he knew there were festering issues regarding allegations of priest sex abuse, but not to the extent that has brought the sprawling Southwestern diocese to the doors of U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

At Masses throughout the diocese over the weekend, parishioners were read a letter from Wall that said in the face of insurmountable lawsuits, the diocese intends to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Wall set no date for the court filing in his letter. He could not be reached for comment.

Seven other U.S. dioceses have filed for bankruptcy protection in the aftermath of sexual abuse lawsuits.

“While some of the claims relate to times when the diocese had some insurance, many relate to times when the diocese does not appear to have had insurance or the insurance is limited and not likely to cover the damages for which the diocese might be found liable,” Wall wrote. “Given the financial circumstances of the diocese, I have come to the conclusion that the only fair, equitable and merciful way to balance these obligations is by filing a Chapter 11 reorganization.”

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Catherine Clifford

A barrister has told Armidale Local Court online comments made about a former priest facing multiple child sexual abuse allegations amount to “a threat to kill”.

Barrister Peter Hamill, SC appeared for the Defendent, who’s been charged with nearly 140 counts of alleged abuse against 10 children in the 1970s and 1980s at various locations in Moree, Narrabri, Inverell and Armidale.

Mr Hamill tendered evidence of blog posts, among them two that read, ‘The Church can’t stop him so we must …’ and ‘All paedophiles should be castrated …’.

He described these comments as vitriolic, without restraint and a threat to kill and urged Magistrate Stafford to keep in place an order stopping the media from identifying the accused.

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CANADA
The Daily Observer

By Tina Peplinskie, OBSERVER MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST
Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The matter of a retired Catholic priest facing two charges in relation to an incident alleged to have occurred in 1985 has been adjourned for a month.

Father Howard Chabot, 73, was arrested July 29, 2013 and charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of gross indecency. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP Crime Unit, which began after a complainant came forward earlier this year.

Chabot was serving at Holy Name Parish in Pembroke at the time of the alleged incident. He was ordained in 1968 and retired from full-time ministry in 2005 at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish because of health problems. In 2009, he was honoured for more than 20 years service as chaplain for the Pembroke Police Service when he stepped down from the position.

At the time of Chabot’s arrest, the Diocese of Pembroke indicated it will continue to offer its complete co-operation with civil officials as the process unfolds and will encourage and support the healing process for all parties concerned following the resolution of the case.

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FLORIDA
Pensacola News Journal

[statement from the diocese]

[statement from Msgr. Cherup that appeared in the parish bulletin]

Written by
Rhema Thompson

A former Pensacola priest has been removed from his duties after allegations that he sexually abused a minor, the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee said in a news release.

Msgr. Michael Cherup, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach, is being investigated by the State Attorney’s Office for the reported abuse which took place 20 years ago while he served as pastor of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola, according to Diocese spokeswoman Peggy DeKeyser.

The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee was informed July 19 of the allegations stemming from an incident in August 1993 when the victim was 15 years old.

After learning of the victims accusations, the Diocese stated the victim was encouraged to report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement and to the Florida Department of Children and Families Abuse Hotline. An internal investigation into the victim’s claims determined them to credible, according to the Diocese.

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IOWA
Dyersville Commercial

Wed Sep 4, 2013.
By Will Cushman
Staff Writer • will.cushman@wcinet.com

A law firm representing sexual abuse victims of priests in the Archdiocese of Dubuque and the Archdiocese itself revealed last Wednesday that the Archdiocese paid $5.2 million to 26 victims in a recent settlement.

Chad Swanson, of Dutton, Braun, Staack and Hellman law firm in Waterloo, said in a press release that the claims came from 22 men and four women who were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of 10 Archdiocese priests from the 1940-70s. In addition to the monetary payments, the Archdiocese agreed to pay for up to 12 counseling sessions for each of the victims.

“The settlement is significant and the amount of money included in the settlement may appear substantial, but on a per person basis, it will never be sufficient to compensate these claimants for all of the years of living with the shame, embarrassment and stigma of the abuse,” Swanson said in a press release. “The injuries to this group of survivors cannot be overstated. The settlement does offer the opportunity for each survivor to continue or start their personal healing process.”

In its own release, the Archdiocese offered a public apology to the victims.

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ARGENTINA
Analisis

La Santa Sede pidió que el vicario de justicia del Tribunal Interdiocesano de Santa Fe, con jurisdicción sobre la Diócesis de Paraná, el sacerdote Alejandro Bovero, inicie una investigación previa sobre las acusaciones por abuso de menores contra el cura Justo José Ilarraz. Ya escuchó el testimonio de una víctima, que antes declaró en la Justicia de Entre Ríos; aunque por delante podrían incorporarse tres nuevos testimonios. “Esta causa viene derivada directamente de la Santa Sede. No es un caso más del tribunal interdiocesano, que nosotros juzgamos. Además, esto no es un juicio. Es una instrucción previa”, aclaró el sacerdote, párroco de la Sagrada Familia, de Santo Tomé, docente en el Seminario de Santa Fe y en la Universidad Católica.

Ante la consulta de si es común este tipo de investigaciones ordenadas por el Vaticano, el sacerdote respondió: “Está contemplado en el Código de Derecho Canónico. La Santa Sede o el mismo obispo del lugar pueden encomendarle al tribunal o a otro sacerdote esta instancia de investigación previa”.

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NEW JERSEY
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Wednesday, Sept. 4

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

Trenton’s Catholic bishop has kept silent for months about another predatory priest who has been just been publicly exposed thanks to a brave victim and a compassionate attorney.

[The Republic]

The cleric is Fr. Vincent Inghilterra, who, according to the Associated Press, “was chaplain at Trenton State Teachers College when he allegedly abused a minor in the 1970s.”

In May, Trenton Catholic officials found the charge against Fr. Inghilterra credible and suspended him. But apparently, Bishop David M. O’Connell told no one.

Bishop O’Connell, like his brother bishops, has repeatedly promised to be “open” in clergy sex cases. But he has apparently done nothing to disclose four things:

–the accusation,
–the “credible” determination,
–the priest’s suspension, or
–the settlement with the priest’s victim(s).

That’s not openness. That’s secrecy. And that’s irresponsible. It’s what enables more abuse to happen.

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NORTHERN IRELAND
Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry

4th September 2013

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the third public session of the HIA Inquiry.

As some time has passed since the last public session of the Inquiry I want to take this opportunity to explain some of what we have been doing; and to announce a number of important matters that will have a bearing on the work of the Inquiry over the coming months. In addition, you will hear from one of the members of the Acknowledgement Forum and from senior counsel to the Inquiry. They will describe some of the aspects of our work in greater detail. Read more …. (PDF 476 KB)

Press Release

Issued 22nd August 2013 for immediate use.

Forthcoming public hearing and Australia visit

The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry will be holding its third public hearing at 11am on Wednesday, 4th September, 2013.

At the hearing, the Inquiry’s Chairman, Sir Anthony Hart, will provide an update on the work of the Inquiry to date. He will also speak about proposed timelines, and will deal with associated procedural issues which will be of interest to institutions and applicants. The hearing will take place at the Ramada Encore, St Anne’s Square in Belfast.

To date, 355 individuals have made a formal application to speak to the Inquiry. Most of the applications (224) have come from individuals residing in Northern Ireland. However, there have also been 57 applications from Australia, 47 applications from Great Britain, 17 applications from the Republic of Ireland and 5 from other countries.

The Inquiry’s Acknowledgement Forum has now met with 173 applicants, while its legal team has interviewed 60 potential witnesses to help prepare witness statements.

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.

NORTHERN IRELAND
UTV

The chair of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry has revealed the list of the 13 institutions which are currently under investigation in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Sir Anthony Hart said the inquiry will not accept witness applications past Friday 29 November this year.

The deadline has been put in place to ensure the first public hearings into cases will begin in January.

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NORTHERN IRELAND
Irish Examiner

Two children’s homes run by the Catholic Church will be investigated first as part of a major inquiry into institutional abuse in the North, it has been revealed.

St Joseph’s Home, Termonbacca and Nazareth House Children’s Home in Bishop Street, both of which were run by the Sisters of Nazareth in Derry, are among 13 residential facilities currently under investigation.

Anthony Hart, chairman of the inquiry, told the third public hearing in Belfast that investigations into a number of other institutions had been dropped because the small number of allegations or allegations of a less serious nature could not be regarded as amounting to systemic failings.

He said: “In those cases we have decided that at the present time we would not be justified in subjecting the institutions to further investigation, and we have informed them. However, I want to emphasise that we have made it clear to those institutions that this decision will be reviewed if further allegations come to light at a later stage of our investigations. If that should happen, then we have reserved the right to re-open our investigations.”

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NORTHERN IRELAND
BBC News

Two Londonderry homes runs by the Sisters of Nazareth will be the focus of the first public hearings of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry.

Allegations of abuse at St Joseph’s Home, Termonbacca, and Nazareth House Children’s Home in Bishop Street will be considered in January.

Statements from alleged victims from the homes will be heard when inquiry members visit Australia this month.

Another visit to Australia next year will hear about other institutions.

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UNITED KINGDOM
Littlehampton Gazette

A Roman Catholic priest from West Sussex has appeared in court charged in relation to alleged historic sexual abuse at a children’s home.

Father Anthony McSweeney, 66, was in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court with a former manager at the home, John Stingemore, 71.

The men, who face child sex charges, were sent to Southwark Crown Court, where they will appear on September 18.

McSweeney faces three counts of indecent assault, three of making indecent images of a child, one of taking indecent images of a child and one of possessing indecent images of a child, following an investigation into abuse alleged to have taken place at Grafton Close Children’s Home in Hounslow, west London.

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UNITED KINGDOM
Norwich Evening News

Former chaplain at Norwich City Football Club who officiated Frank Bruno’s wedding in court on child sex charges

A former chaplain at Norwich City Football Club appeared in court today with the former manager of a children’s home accused of sexually abusing boys in the 1980s.

Father Tony McSweeney, 66, and John Stingemore, 71, allegedly molested children as young as nine from the now closed Grafton Close Children’s Home in Hounslow, west London.

They are accused of abusing the children between 1980 and 1981 while Stingemore was in charge of the council-run home and McSweeney was a local trainee priest.

McSweeney, who officiated at the 1990 wedding of boxer Frank Bruno and his former wife Laura, and was once the part-time chaplain at Norwich City, is facing three counts of indecent assault on young boys.

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IRELAND
Irish Times

Patsy McGarry

Tue, Sep 3, 2013

Redemptorist priest Fr Tony Flannery said he believes the Vatican’s silencing of him last year was really about dismantling the Association of Catholic Priests, of which he is co-founder.

“If they could sideline the current leadership, they would frighten off any others who might take our place, and in this way crush the whole movement,” he has said in a new book, A Question of Conscience, to be published on September 12th.

‘Lack of justice’

He has written the book to “let people know the methods they [Rome] were using in this investigation and their lack of justice and fairness,” he said.

It also explains how the Redemptorists’ Irish provincial warned each of Fr Flannery’s colleagues, when it came to supporting him publicly, “that if even one of them spoke out of turn, he [the provincial] would be forced to resign”.

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UNITED KINGDOM
ITV

Last updated Wed 4 Sep 2013

A Roman Catholic priest from Norfolk is due to appear in court this morning over allegations of sex abuse more than 30 years ago.

Father Tony McSweeney, 66, of Old Brighton Road North, Pease Pottage, is charged with a number of sex offences.

They include indecent assault, taking indecent images of a child, and making indecent images of a child. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.

The offences involve seven alleged victims aged between nine and 15 during the 1970s and 1980s.

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AUSTRALIA
Armidale Express

By VICTORIA NUGENT Sept. 4, 2013

An Armidale magistrate has upheld a gag on the identity of a defrocked priest charged with historic child sex offences.

Magistrate Karen Stafford reviewed the non-publication order in court today and decided to uphold it on the grounds that lifting the gag “would be an objectively magnified risk” to his personal safety.

The 59-year-old man was present in court as Magistrate Stafford reviewed an order put into place by Magistrate Richardson in November and a further application for a non-publication relating to charges laid since then.

The former priest faces a total of 139 charges and has not yet entered a plea.

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