ABUSE TRACKER

AUSTRALIA
ABC News

Supporters of Cardinal George Pell are being asked to contribute to his legal fund through a series of advertisements.

Some of the ads have appeared in the Catholic Weekly, the news journal published by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

In an article published on the Weekly’s website it also said: “When Cardinal Pell took leave from his role as Prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy to voluntarily return to Australia nearly 12 months ago to fight the charges, many supporters wanted to contribute to his legal costs.”

Cardinal Pell is fighting against historical sexual offence charges. He has pleaded not guilty.

Media reports estimate that each court day is costing Cardinal Pell tens of thousands of dollars.

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ARIZONA
Modesto Bee

BY PATTY GUERRA AND GARTH STAPLEY
pguerra@modbee.com
gstapley@modbee.com

May 10, 2018

Police investigators will lead a meeting to discuss allegations of sexual misconduct against a former Modesto pastor who went on to form a megachurch in Arizona.

The Rev. Les Hughey, who is accused of coercing female youth group members into sexual encounters during his time at First Baptist Church in Modesto four decades ago, resigned after the allegations came to light last month from the Scottsdale megachurch he founded 20 years ago.

Since The Modesto Bee’s initial story April 21, people who knew Hughey at churches where he served after leaving Modesto have come forward with allegations of their own.

One of those churches, Scottsdale Bible Church, will host the meeting on Tuesday.

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PENNSYLVANIA
York Daily Record

Brandie Kessler, bkessler@ydr.com

May 10, 2018

After nearly two years of investigating sexual abuse of children within six Catholic dioceses across Pennsylvania, a grand jury is getting close to issuing its report.

State Rep. Mark Rozzi, a survivor of clergy abuse and an advocate for statute of limitations reform, has told The Morning Call and PennLive that the grand jury investigation would be wrapping up this month or next.

Rozzi’s office did not respond to a request for comment on this matter.

The Rev. Thomas Doyle, who has worked with clergy abuse survivors for more than 30 years and who is familiar with the statewide grand jury report, said Wednesday that its release is “imminent,” though he didn’t know exactly when the report would be issued.

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MISSOURI
The Kansas City Star

BY MELINDA HENNEBERGER
mhenneberger@kcstar.com

May 10, 2018

Remember back in the bad old days, when the names of sex crime victims were made public? Earlier this week in Missouri, for instance.

On Wednesday, Judge Rex Burlison, the judge in the felony invasion of privacy case against Gov. Eric Greitens, ruled that the full name of the woman whose privacy he’s accused of invading can be used in court. She never asked for this, yet her privacy is being invaded all over again.

Burlison has yet to rule whether her sexual history may also be pawed over during the trial, which saw jury selection begin Thursday. It’s hard to know what purpose taking out her history and tossing it around in public could serve — Hey, look at this one! — beyond humiliating her even more.

A simple but highly effective method of shutting women up — and you know, the classics are rarely anything fancy — it’s a problem that this throwback move is even being considered.

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TEXAS
Denton Record-Chronicle

May 10, 2918

By Christy Thomas

Does God mind it when women get hurt by the men in their lives? It seems like a silly question, but recent events make it a realistic one. Yes, even as I write this, I can hardly believe we are still at this point.

As anyone who knows anything about religious news knows, Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has made it clear: He has nothing to apologize for by telling women to stay in abusive marriages and submit better to their spouses. A woman follows his advice and gets two black eyes? Patterson rejoices — the husband is finally coming to church, putting his butt in the pew for Patterson to count for “success” in ministry.

Jonathan Merritt, a longtime religion observer and writer, contends that the impact of the recent #MeToo movement will cause the Southern Baptist Convention to split if Patterson does not willingly step down as the keynote speaker at the next meeting. Too many women are finally speaking out in large numbers about the pervasive atmosphere of sexual harassment and intimidation they have long faced. To see abuse justified by a well-known religious leader appears to have crossed a line.

I think Merritt is wrong. The current outcry against Patterson’s words is only so much politically correct talk to polish the Baptist image in the eyes of those who are not part of that theological world. The truth: Patterson’s words are totally consistent with the core theology underlying the entire strain of Baptist/Calvinistic thinking.

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NEW YORK
Church Militant

by Anita Carey • ChurchMilitant.com

May 10, 2018

BUFFALO, New York (ChurchMilitant.com) – A sex abuse victim is calling out the diocese of Buffalo, New York for failing to be transparent in its handling of clerical misconduct.

“My abuser was simply moved to a nearby parish two months after I complained,” Stephanie McIntyre told Church Militant. “This has been a living hell for us.”

Father Fabian Maryanski allegedly began grooming McIntyre when she was 15, eventually getting her drunk on her 18th birthday and taking advantage of her. At age 22, she contacted the Buffalo diocese, and her complaint has been on file since 1995.

In spite of this, the priest has never been removed from active ministry — until this week, three days after The Buffalo News broke the story of McIntyre’s abuse. Now the bishop is re-opening the case. This comes in the wake of a sex abuse scandal that has rocked the diocese in recent months, with the bishop announcing a victims compensation fund to pay those harmed by priests.

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ASHLEIGH FORCE

May 11, 2018

Redress. The Anglican Diocese of Tasmania has included two local churches in a preliminary list of properties proposed for sale.

St Paul’s Church in Stanley and St Bartholomew’s Church in Forest are among the 108 properties proposed for sale by the Anglican Church in Tasmania to form a redress fund.

The fund will cover $8 million in liability payments to survivors of child sexual abuse in the church.

Reverend Richard Condie, Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, said the fund would be formed from congregation and church contributions as well as profits made from the sale of properties.

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CHILE
Yahoo!

Paulina ABRAMOVICH

May 11, 2018

Santiago (AFP) – Around 30 Chilean bishops have begun arriving in Rome for what is widely expected to be a dressing-down by Pope Francis over years of sexual abuse within the Chilean Church.

The bishops were joining Francis at the Vatican “with humility and hope,” the Chilean Bishops Conference said Thursday, ahead of talks beginning Monday that are likely to result in a major shake-up of the Chilean hierarchy.

Francis summoned the bishops to Rome in an April 12 letter saying he intended to discuss an investigation into an alleged cover-up by Bishop Juan Barros of abuse by pedophile priest Fernando Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s.

He requested their assistance in finding measures “to repair the scandal as much as possible and restore justice.”

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FLORIDA
Patch

By D’Ann Lawrence White, Patch Staff

May 10, 2018

PLANT CITY, FL – Hillsborough County Sheriff’s detectives are continuing to investigate accusations of sexual abuse by a Dover Baptist church deacon to determine if there are any other victims.

David Kenneth Buser Sr., 72, of 604 N. Forbes Road, Plant City, remains in jail in lieu of a $600,000 bond after he was arrested Monday, May 7, and charged with sexually abusing two teen girls over a 10-year period.

Buser is a former deacon and Sunday school teacher at New Hope Freewill Baptist Church in Dover. Both girls knew Buser when the abuse reportedly began, according to the sheriff’s office.

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NEW YORK
New York Post

By Larry Celona, Tina Moore and Max Jaeger

May 10, 2018

A major political donor and president of the Boro Park Shomrim safety patrol was arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, police said.

Cops nabbed Jacob Daskal, 59, at about 12:30 p.m. in his Brooklyn home, where he allegedly raped the teen between August and November of last year, police said.

Investigators are probing whether the abuse lasted longer, according to sources.

He is being charged with third-degree rape, forcible touching, sex abuse, criminal sex act and acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17, police said.

Daskal is the president of the politically connected Brooklyn South Safety Patrol which acts as a volunteer auxiliary police force in conjunction with the NYPD.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Tribune-Democrat

May 10, 2018

While Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is touting the fact that two Franciscan friars accepted guilty pleas on charges of endangering the welfare of children, we believe the punishment brought by the legal bargaining is too soft for these men who allowed children to be in the presence of a known pedophile.

The Revs. Robert D’Aversa and Anthony Criscitelli – of the Third Order Regular, Province of the Immaculate Conception – assigned Brother Stephen Baker to duties where he could be in contact with young people, even after learning that he had a history of sexual abuse.

Blair County Judge Jolene G. Kopriva sentenced Criscitelli and D’Aversa to

five years’ probation and fined them $1,000 each – the maximum for misdemeanor endangerment given the admissions they made.

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CHILE
Reuters

May 10, 2018

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s Roman Catholic Church said on Thursday that more than 30 bishops would meet next week with Pope Francis in Rome in an attempt to make amends for the damage caused by a sex abuse scandal that has long plagued the country’s clergy.

Days ahead of the meeting, Chile’s Episcopal Conference, a group of bishops that leads the Church, said in a statement that it felt the same “pain and embarrassment” expressed in April by Pope Francis after meeting with victims of Fernando Karadima, a former Chilean priest accused of pedophilia.

Chile’s bishops will travel to Rome from May 14-17.

“Pope Francis’ embrace [of these victims] serves as an example for the Church as it confronts accusations of abuse of conscience, sexual abuse and any other abuse of power that may have occurred in our communities,” the conference said.

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VATICAN CITY
NewsOK

By NICOLE WINFIELD

May 10, 2018

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Chilean bishops are arriving in Rome ahead of an expected brow-beating next week from Pope Francis, who says he was misled about a bishop at the center of the Chilean Church’s sex abuse scandal.

One top-ranked churchman is apparently not coming: Cardinal Javier Errazuriz, retired archbishop of Santiago who sits on Francis’ kitchen cabinet. Abuse survivors have laid much of the blame for the scandal on Errazuriz, whom they accuse of discrediting victims and covering up abuse rather than punishing pedophiles.

Errazuriz was quoted by Chile’s La Tercera paper as saying he wasn’t coming for personal reasons.

The executive committee of the Chilean bishops conference said Thursday the 30-plus bishops were coming with “humility and hope.” They praised Francis’ recent meetings with victims of the Rev. Fernando Karadima of Chile, saying his example “showed us the path that the Chilean church is called to follow.”

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NEW YORK
New York Daily News

By ROCCO PARASCANDOLA
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

MAY 10, 2018

An official with an influential neighborhood watch group in Brooklyn has been charged with raping a 16-year-old girl, police said Thursday.

Jacob Daskal, 59, who runs the Shomrim’s Brooklyn South Safety Patrol, a Hasidic neighborhood watch group, abused the girl between August and November of last year, police said.

Daskal was charged with rape and criminal sex act, plus three misdemeanors — forcible touching, sex abuse and acting in a manner injurious to a child.

Shomrim’s links to law enforcement have been a subplot in the ongoing federal probe involving two businessmen and a number of NYPD supervisors. In 2016, the FBI investigated what role the supervisors may have played in securing gun licenses for members of Shomrim.

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NEW YORK
WKBW

May 10, 2018

The recent reveals of Catholic priests who have been accused of sexual abuse show cases that date back decades.

But why did it take this long for the information to be made public?

Below are key figures in the Buffalo diocese dating back to the 1970s. Our I-Team has what they knew and when and the steps they took to keep the abuse out of the public eye.

Click on the people below to learn more about their role in covering up sexual abuse in the Catholic Church

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VATICAN CITY
Catholic Courier

05.10.2018

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The bishops of Chile will be at the Vatican May 14-17 for meetings with Pope Francis to discuss their handling of clerical sex abuse allegations and, as Pope Francis had said, “to repair the scandal as much as possible and re-establish justice.”

The pope called all the active bishops of the country to the meeting, but also invited retired bishops. However, the Chilean media have reported that Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, retired archbishop of Santiago and a member of Pope Francis’ international Council of Cardinals, will not attend.

The three Chilean abuse survivors who met Pope Francis at the Vatican April 27-29 accused the cardinal of covering up the abuse committed by Father Fernando Karadima, who in 2011 was found guilty by a Vatican tribunal and sentenced to a life of prayer and penance. The survivors also claimed the cardinal was an active participant in campaigns to cast doubts on their honesty and their motives in coming forward.

A statement published by the Chilean bishops’ conference May 10 confirmed the dates of the Vatican meeting, but did not provide details about how many of the bishops would participate.

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UNITED STATES
NPR

[with audio]

May 10, 2018

ALEX LEFF

In January, Pope Francis traveled to South America to spread peace and hope. Many cheered him on, but he also wound up causing emotional pain when he dismissed accusations that Chilean clergy had covered up sexual abuse.

In the weeks that followed, the Vatican’s leading sex crimes investigator looked into the allegations, and the pope did an about-face: He acknowledged making mistakes.

Now, Francis has been apologizing and listening to some of those he offended most.

Last month, three men who had been molested by a Chilean priest in their youth were invited to the Vatican by Francis so he could speak with them personally and ask their forgiveness.

One of the Chilean abuse survivors, Juan Carlos Cruz, now a communications professional in Philadelphia, describes how moving the experience was for him.

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CHILE
La Tercera

9 MAY 2018

[Bishop Juan Barros is in Europe and confirms that he will attend the meeting with the Pope.]

A medida que se acerca la fecha del encuentro de los obispos en el Vaticano, poco a poco los miembros de la Conferencia Episcopal han comenzado a trasladarse a Roma.

En ese contexto, hasta este miércoles la asistencia del obispo de Osorno, Juan Barros, seguía siendo motivo de dudas. Si bien algunos cercanos a la diócesis aseguraban que su participación en la reunión estaba confirmada, otras versiones sostenían que el obispo se excusaría de asistir, especialmente luego de que hace algunas semanas se informara, mediante un comunicado de prensa, que el obispo se encontraba con dificultades de salud.

Sin embargo, fuentes cercanas confirmaron a La Tercera que el prelado salió de Chile hace algunos días, que ya se encuentra en Europa y que estaría próximo a desplazarse al Vaticano.

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NEW YORK
WSKG

May 10, 2019

By Gabe Altieri

BINGHAMTON, NY (WSKG) – Some people abused as children by clergy in the Syracuse Roman Catholic Diocese must decide by Wednesday whether to participate in the diocese’s compensation program, or wait to see if state lawmakers pass a bill that would extend the statute of limitations, so they could sue later.

The Diocese of Syracuse includes the Binghamton and Cortland areas.

That bill is the Child Victims Act. Besides extending the statute of limitations for people abused as children to sue, it would also open a one-year window, so that those previously barred through the statute of limitations to bring their case to court could do so.

“But that’s not the law and so we’re stuck with what we have,” said Attorney Mike Reck, who represents victims in the Syracuse Diocese.

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CHILE
National Catholic Reporter

May 10, 2018

by Joshua J. McElwee

Under increasing scrutiny about the handling of clergy sexual abuse cases over decades, Chile’s Catholic bishops say that Pope Francis’ recent emotional meetings at the Vatican with three abuse victims “shows us the path that the Chilean Church is called to follow.”

In a May 10 statement from the standing committee of their bishops’ conference, the Chilean prelates also confirm they will be meeting with Francis over four days May 14-17. The pope called the bishops to Rome en masse last month.

The committee says it “wanted to declare by means of a statement the disposition with which [the bishops] answer the call of Peter.”

“We reiterate our union with Pope Francis in the pain and shame expressed about the crimes committed against minors and adults in church settings,” the bishops say.

“We value the recent meetings of the Holy Father with three of the victims of Fernando Karadima,” the prelates continue. “The attitude of Pope Francis to welcome them sets an example … to follow in the face of accusations of abuse of conscience, sexual abuse and, ultimately, against any abuse of power that may occur within our communities.”

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KENYA
Daily Nation

MAY 10, 2018

By KITAVI MUTUA

A Kitui court on Wednesday summoned several witnesses to testify in a case against a Catholic priest, who is alleged to have impregnated a student and attempted to kill her.

The witnesses were summoned after the prosecution expressed frustration that they were unwilling to testify despite having recorded statements with police over the incident.

Father Japheth Mwove Kimanzi is accused of assaulting and causing grievous harm to the girl and her child as he attempted to cover-up infidelity due to his celibacy vows.

ADJOURNED

Chief Magistrate Maryanne Murage summoned the witnesses after they failed to attend the hearing, making it to be adjourned to June 28. She warned of consequences if they disobey the court.

The witnesses include police officers and villagers who rescued the student and took her to hospital after the alleged attack by the priest, and doctors who treated her.

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CHILE
Commonweal

Francis, the Chilean Bishops & the Abuse Crisis

By Rita Ferrone

May 10, 2018

When Pope Francis appointed Juan Barros Madrid bishop of Osorno, Chile, in 2015, violent protests broke out in the streets and in the cathedral at his installation Mass. Barros was a protégé of the notorious priest Fernando Karadima, a charismatic and influential figure in the church of Santiago who had engaged in the sexual abuse of minors over the course of three decades. Karadima was sentenced by an ecclesiastical court in 2011 to a life of prayer and penitence. Yet four of Karadima’s favorites, who had turned a blind eye to his abusive behavior and defended him when he was initially accused, were later made bishops; Barros was one of those four. When Pope Francis proclaimed Barros’s innocence and expressed belief in his side of the story over the victims’, it immediately became an international scandal.

Much is at stake in this troubling case. It is not only about Pope Francis and his grasp of the abuse crisis, although this is very important. It is also about whether and how a local church hierarchy can credibly reform itself.

On April 28 and 29, Francis, in a spirit of “reparation,” met personally with three abuse survivors who’d blown the whistle on Karadima. They had called out Barros and other bishops early and often for their complicity in failing to stop the abuse. These were the victims whose voices Francis could have heard but didn’t at first because he was misled by informants who gave him a partial and biased account of the affair. Now, Francis has spent an extended period with these survivors, listening to their stories, expressing contrition for his own role in the problem, and seeking their advice.

This gesture, although necessary and heartening, was the easy part. The hard part comes in mid-May (14-17), when Francis meets with all the Chilean bishops in Rome.* It will be a day of reckoning for these bishops, and a lot depends on how it all plays out, because the deceit concerning clerical sex abuse, and the denial of responsibility for the culture that enabled it, go to the top of the Chilean hierarchy. This is not just about the fate of one bishop. It’s about the way the whole system works.

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NORTH CAROLINA
ABC 11

By Michael Perchick

Friday, May 04, 2018

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — A Durham rabbi has resigned following a complaint of a sexual nature, according to an attorney representing Judea Reform Congregation.

This is the second complaint against Rabbi Larry Bach over his career. Back in 2014, prior to joining Judea Reform Congregation, Bach was reprimanded by the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

Valerie Johnson, who is representing Judea Reform Congregation, said the Judea Reform Congregation Board found out about this latest complaint on April 6 and acted as quickly as possible to investigate.

In a letter to the Judea Reform Congregation, Rabbi Bach admitted that he did not follow the terms of his prior reprimand. He also said the complaint was made by a non-member of the congregation.

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NEW YORK
North Country Public Radio

by Brian Mann (Adirondack Bureau Chief) , in Ogensburg, NY

May 10, 2018 — Bishop Terry LaValley grew up in the Plattsburgh area and says the priest abuse scandal has been devastating. His decisions shape the experience of dozens of victims and define his own legacy.

Yesterday we heard from Bishop Terry LaValley about his decision not release the name of dozens of former Roman Catholic priests in the North Country who faced credible allegations of sexual misconduct.

This morning, we’re going to hear more from Bishop LaValley about how the Diocese of Ogdensburg is still coping with the clergy abuse scandal more than a decade after it erupted.

The Church has created a new program to compensate victims in the North Country, but Bishop LaValley is also opposing a measure that would make it easier for victims to sue in court.

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KANSAS
KSHB

Sam Hartle

, May 9, 2018

OLATHE, Kan. – The Reverend of the Divine Mercy Parish in Gardner has been charged with theft and computer crimes.

Johnson County, Kansas prosecutors charged Rev. Joseph Cramer with stealing at least $25,000 from the parish between Nov. 16, 2015, and May 2016. Cramer also faces two counts of computer crimes.

Cramer was booked into the Johnson County Jail Thursday and posted a $5,000 bond shortly thereafter.

One of his bond conditions is that Cramer is not allowed inside of a casino.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PETER SMITH
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

MAY 9, 2018

The Diocese of Erie’s past and present bishops are defending their supervision of a priest who was arrested Tuesday on charges of sexual abuse and who stayed in ministry for eight years after admitting his attraction to boys and to sending them sexually themed texts.

The statements came a day after the arrest of the Rev. David L. Poul­son of Oil City on charges of sexually abusing two boys between 2002 and 2010.

Both bishops sought to rebut Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s statement that “for years, the Diocese of Erie turned a blind eye to child abuse by Father David Poulson.”

Erie Bishop Emeritus Donald W. Trautman said in a written statement there “was no cover-up of sexual abuse.”

Current Bishop Lawrence Persico said it was the diocese itself, based on new information, that provided information to authorities in January 2018 that led to Father Poulson’s arrest.

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WISCONSIN
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

May 9, 2018

MADISON – Under fire for defending the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, candidate for governor Matt Flynn on Wednesday said he did not know at the time that a priest convicted of molesting a boy had gone on to get a license as a counselor.

“If I had known, I would have intervened with that licensing agency and said, ‘No way, why didn’t you do a criminal background check?’ ” Flynn told reporters Wednesday.

Flynn — one of 10 candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for governor — was responding to criticism from victims advocates for his handling of the church’s treatment of Father James Arimond, who was convicted of fourth-degree sexual assault of a teenager in 1990.

“Wisconsin deserves so much better than this,” said a statement from Sarah Pearson, co-chairwoman of Women’s March Wisconsin. “At minimum, Wisconsin’s next governor should be someone who can be trusted to protect children from abusers. Matt Flynn is not that person.”

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FLORIDA
CBS 12

May 10, 2018

by Jim Saunders/The News Service of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —
Saying judges cannot become entangled in church administrative decisions, an appeals court Wednesday blocked a Catholic priest’s defamation lawsuit against the Diocese of Palm Beach.

The lawsuit, filed by priest John Gallagher, came after series of events that started with allegations in early 2015 that another priest at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in West Palm Beach had shown child pornography to a 14-year-old boy. The other priest, Joseph Palimattom, was arrested, pleaded guilty and was ultimately deported to his native India, according to Wednesday’s ruling in the 4th District Court of Appeal.

After the incident involving the other priest, Gallagher was not offered the job of pastor of Holy Name and was reassigned to another parish, a transfer he did not accept. He alleged that the diocese tried to cover up the child-pornography incident and that he was reassigned for not going along, Wednesday’s ruling said. Gallagher, who is from Northern Ireland, also made accusations against the diocese during an interview on Irish radio.

In response, diocese officials made critical comments about Gallagher, who alleged that he had been defamed because of statements about him being a liar, unfit to be a priest and in need of professional help, Wednesday’s ruling said.

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GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Haidee V Eugenio, heugenio@guampdn.com

May 10, 2018

The Archdiocese of Agana on Thursday acknowledged the latest allegations of child sexual abuse and lawsuit filed against the church this week, which brings to 168 the total number of clergy sex abuse cases in local and federal courts since 2016.

Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes, in a statement, extended prayers for accuser A.A. and all people who have come forward recently with claims of sexual abuse by Guam Catholic clergy or lay person.

A.A., in his May 9 lawsuit, said the now deceased Father Antonio C. Cruz, layman James Untalan and an altar server sexually abused him while he was an altar boy at Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Tamuning around 1981 or 1982.

The archbishop asks all Catholics “to be ever vigilant in our duty to protect all children entrusted to the care of the Church.”

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PENNSYLVANIA
Go Erie

By Ed Palattella

May 10, 2018

Now-former bishop Trautman wrote 2010 memo on complaints about Rev. David Poulson, charged Tuesday with abusing two boys from 2002 to 2010. Bishop Persico, who took over in 2012, said he learned of memo in January.

On Tuesday, when he announced the filing of child sexual abuse charges against a 64-year-old priest in the Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro provided a rare look into how the diocese works at the highest levels.

On Wednesday, that look expanded.

The diocese’s current and retired bishops explained their involvement in the case of the priest, the Rev. David Poulson, accused of molesting two boys in separate and repeated incidents between 2002 and 2010.

As Bishop Lawrence Persico and retired Bishop Donald W. Trautman commented, they focused on what was one of the most explosive pieces of evidence that Shapiro disclosed against Poulson on Tuesday — a 2010 memo that Trautman wrote about complaints he had received about Poulson’s contacts with minor boys.

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NEW YORK
Buffalo News

By News Editorial Board

May 9, 2018

Entering into a fight is sometimes the only way to get what you want. Other times, it just leaves you with a black eye. That’s what is happening to the Catholic Church as it fights to keep some victims of sexual abuse from seeking redress.

A story in Monday’s Buffalo News detailed how the New York State Catholic Conference spent $1.8 million over six years on lobbying in Albany, including a push to stop the Child Victims Act, a bill that would make it easier for victims of child molestation to file lawsuits or bring criminal charges against their abusers.

The bill, which passed the Assembly last week but faces long odds for approval in the state Senate, would create a one-year window in which victims could file civil lawsuits for alleged abuse, bypassing the statute of limitations.

Why would a religious organization spend so much on trying to fight such a law? To find the answer, follow the money.

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UNITED STATES
Watertown Daily Times

WASHINGTON POST

MAY 9, 2018

WASHINGTON – The Boy Scouts of America, which acknowledged last year that it has taken a financial hit from settlements in child abuse cases, has lobbied against proposals in multiple states that would expose the organization to more lawsuits, according to victim advocates and proponents of the legislation.

The group retained lobbyists in Georgia and New York, where lawmakers say such action helped stall proposals that included “lookback” windows allowing adults to take legal action over decades-old claims. It has hired lobbyists in Michigan, where similar proposals are being debated. The bills would give adults who were abused as children a second chance to file suit if they missed their first opportunity under state law.

The Boy Scouts’ lobbying push comes as the 108-year-old group, an institution long associated with leadership training and outdoorsmanship for American boys, sees pressure on multiple fronts. In addition to declining membership, the group has faced financial uncertainty and public relations problems related to accusations of child sex abuse against former adult volunteers.

Those accusations have led to dozens of lawsuits against the Boy Scouts in recent years, some of which have resulted in expensive settlements. The group’s exposure to lawsuits over sex abuse has drawn comparisons with the Catholic Church.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Your Erie

May 09, 2018

Follow-up statement from Bishop Lawrence Persico regarding the Poulson case

Although I released a statement yesterday, I wanted to speak with you in person today regarding the charges that have been filed against Father David Poulson.

I announced on Feb. 13 that I had received credible allegations against Father Poulson regarding the sexual abuse of minors. Following our Policy for the Protection of Children, I immediately turned the matter over to law enforcement and have cooperated with the state attorney general throughout the process that led to yesterday’s arrest.

I want to state, unequivocally, that I was not aware of any concerns regarding Father Poulson until I received those allegations in January of this year. In addition, it was not until I received and acted upon the allegation earlier this year that I learned of the memo that had been written in 2010.

Let me give you a brief overview of what I knew and when:

I* came to the Diocese of Erie in late 2012. Among many initial responsibilities and priorities, I asked to be updated on any clergy abuse cases. Father Poulson’s name was not mentioned.

* Early in my tenure, I contacted District Attorney Jack Daneri to review our clergy files, so that I could be assured there were no cases that needed to be revisited. As you know, this process was then interrupted when the grand jury investigation began in September of 2016.

* Finally, when the grand jury was convened, I decided in addition to responding to the subpoena, I would ask K&L Gates law firm to do a thorough review of all of our files and procedures. They were still in the process of reviewing all our files from the last 70 years when I received the allegation regarding Father Poulson this past January and asked them to focus on him. It was at that time that they brought the memo to my attention.

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UNITED STATES
The New York Jewish Week

HANNAH DREYFUS

May 9, 2018

n anticipation of the first summer since the emergence of the national #MeToo movement, the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) — the largest Jewish camping umbrella organization — announced the launch of an initiative to help prevent sexual harassment, abuse and misconduct at camp.

Titled the Shmira (Hebrew for “guardian”) Initiative, the effort was unveiled in March at FJC’s biennial Leaders Assembly, in an effort to better equip camps to “address these issues head on, with immediate action in conjunction with parents and law enforcement authorities,” the organization announced via press release at the time. An initial $100,000 is intended to support the development of staff training and virtual learning opportunities for the foundation’s 300 member camps.

But in a recent interview with The Jewish Week, FJC’s chief executive, Jeremy Fingerman, suggested that the new effort, at least in its early stage, will address “changing camp culture” rather than focusing on solidifying camps’ “best practices” when it comes to handling allegations of sexual abuse and harassment.

The first organization to sign on to the initiative, Moving Traditions, a group that works with teens to challenge sexism and gender norms, does not deal with abuse prevention.

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Fabian J. Maryanski was ordained for the Diocese of Buffalo in 1971. He assisted in Buffalo and Lockport parishes until 1980, when his status was “Awaiting Assignment.” In 1981 he was assigned to assist at an Amherst parish until 1984, beginning what became an eleven-year stretch as sole priest at St. Patrick’s in Barker.

In 1995 Maryanski was investigated and removed from ministry after the diocese was informed of allegations that he had sexually abused a girl at St. Patrick’s in the mid-1980s, beginning when she was age 15. He was allowed to return to ministry in 2000, as an assistant in Cheektowaga, then in 2004 as pastor of St. Andrew’s in Sloan. He retired in 2014, continuing to minister, mostly at a parish in Clarence.

In May 2018 a news outlet reported that Maryanski had been investigated and removed in 1995. A day later he was once again placed on leave; Bishop Malone said the investigation into the allegations would be re-opened.

Ordained: 1971
Retired: 2014

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COLOMBIA
The Sun (UK)

9th May 2018

A PAIR of nuns have been arrested for torturing 65 children in their care by burning their hands and forcing their heads down toilet bowls.

The disturbing case took place in the city of Popayan, capital of the Colombian department of Cauca.

Director of the Santa Clara Rebirth Home, Sor Ines Perez, and her colleague Rosa Elvira Trochez Joaqui were both arrested following a police probe.

The authorities had been alerted to possible torture in the care home by neighbours who heard screams and cries from the kids who lived there.

Investigators found that the youngsters suffered physical and psychological torment in the care home with neighbours branding it as hell for the children, according to local media.

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ILLINOIS
Chicago Sun-Times

05/09/2018

Mitchell Armentrout @mitchtrout | email

Willow Creek Community Church elders on Wednesday issued an apology to women in their congregation who came forward with allegations of misconduct by the suburban megachurch’s founding pastor Bill Hybels.

“We have talked with several of them and are deeply saddened by the experiences they are sharing with us. We do believe we owe these women some apologies,” the elders wrote.

“We do not believe the stories were all lies or that all the people were colluding against him . . . Based on the conversations we have had to date, we believe at least some of Bill’s choices were inappropriate.”

Hybels, 66, abruptly announced his early retirement from Willow Creek in April, denying any wrongdoing but saying the distraction of the claims was “hindering our elders and church staff.

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ILLINOIS
Chicago Tribune

May 9, 2018

Manya Brachear Pashman
Chicago Tribune

The highest-ranking elder of northwest suburban Willow Creek Community Church told the congregation Wednesday that elders owe apologies to women who made allegations of misconduct against church founder Bill Hybels.

Pam Orr, the outgoing chair of the church’s elder board, said it has been the elders’ “top priority” to reach out to women who have come forward with allegations of inappropriate behavior.

“We have talked to several of them and are deeply saddened by the experiences they are sharing with us,” Orr told the congregation during a midweek worship service. “We do believe that we owe these women some apologies. The tone of our first response had too much emphasis on defending Bill and cast some of the women in an unfair and negative light. We are sorry.”

In a reversal, Orr also apologized for initial statements that called the allegations lies and castigated former senior leaders of the church who called for a more robust investigation.

“We do not believe that the stories were all lies,” she said.

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SCOTLAND
Glasgow Live

10 MAY 2018

A girl was sexually abused by a priest after she went to confession, an inquiry has heard.

The attack happened when the child went to show the priest a picture she had drawn of a chapel, the hearing was told.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) sitting in Edinburgh is currently examining children’s homes, no longer operating, which were run by the Catholic congregation the Sisters of Nazareth in Scotland.

A woman, who cannot be named, told the inquiry the incident happened shortly before she left Nazareth House in Glasgow’s Cardonald in the 1970s.

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GUAM
The Guam Daily Post

Mindy Aguon |The Guam Daily Post

May 10, 2018

Father Adrian Cristobal left the Diocese of Phoenix shortly after being ordered to return to Guam about one month ago, according to Diocese of Phoenix Director of Communications Rob DeFrancesco

Cristobal has yet to report back to the Archdiocese of Agana despite repeated directives for him to return home immediately.

Cristobal had been staying in Phoenix “on mission” temporarily from December 2017 to April. His faculties to celebrate the sacraments were removed on April 11 both on Guam and in the Diocese of Phoenix, immediately after learning of the first sex abuse lawsuit and allegation.

DeFrancesco said Cristobal did not have an assignment while residing in Phoenix. “There have been no reports of incidents or accusations during this time,” he told The Guam Daily Post. “There were no allegations against Fr. Cristobal prior to his arrival in Phoenix.”

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MICHIGAN
MLive

May 9, 2018

By Cole Waterman cwaterma@mlive.com

BAD AXE, MI — Nearly 20 years ago, a former priest of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw was investigated by police, and the same prosecutor now involved in a priest probe, after a young man accused him of grabbing him.

Though the allegation didn’t result in criminal charges, the priest ended up stripped of his holy title.

Now 72 and living in Indiana, the former Rev. Jack J. “Father Jack” Leipert is one of five former clerics the diocese has permanently removed from ministry due to credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors. The diocese announced the names in April in the wake of the arrest of the Rev. Robert J. “Father Bob” DeLand Jr. on sexual assault charges.

In November 2000, Leipert, then 54, was serving as the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Bad Axe. According to reports obtained by MLive from the Bad Axe Police Department via a Freedom of Information Act request, a 21-year-old man visited the police department on Nov. 9 to file a complaint against Leipert.

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NEW YORK
New York Daily News

By KENNETH LOVETT
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

MAY 10, 2018

ALBANY – A top state senator is set to introduce Thursday legislation she dubbed “a way forward” to finally making it easier for victims of child sex abuse to seek justice as adults.

Gary Greenberg, a vocal child sex abuse survivor who helped negotiate the bill with Sen. Catharine Young (R-Chautauqua County), hailed the measure as “a big step forward” while other advocates panned it.

The centerpiece of the legislation is the creation of a $300 million Child Victim Reconciliation and Compensation Fund that would be run out of the state controller’s office.

Rather than have individual abusers or institutions like the church, yeshivas, schools, the Boy Scouts of America, and the insurance companies pay the settlements, victims who no longer can bring lawsuits under current law would be eligible to seek restitution from the fund.

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ROME
Crux

Inés San Martín
VATICAN CORRESPONDENT

May 10, 2018

ROME – Even though he’s considered to be at the center of the current sexual abuse crisis in the Chilean Church, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz, who sits on the “C9” council of cardinals that advises Pope Francis, won’t be coming to Rome next week when the rest of the country’s bishops meet with the pontiff.

Citing “personal reasons,” Errázuriz, 86, will not travel, even though Francis asked that every bishop in the country come to the Vatican to address the crisis created by well-documented cases of clerical sexual abuse and accusations of its cover-up.

Errázuriz was last in Rome in April, to participate in a April 23-25 C9 meeting. Per his own statement, he’s already given Pope Francis a 14-page report of the ramifications of the case of Father Fernando Karadima, Chile’s most notorious clerical abuser.

Three survivors of Karadima, have accused Errázuriz of covering up for the priest. They met the pope at the end of April, and told the press that they “would love to see” the cardinal, together with the current archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, stand trial.

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NEW YORK
WIVB

By: Marissa Perlman

May 09, 2018

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – – Another person who claims sexual abuse by a member of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese is coming forward Wednesday.

But for the first time, we’re hearing from a woman, who says she was abused by a Priest in Buffalo in the 90’s.

“I didn’t think anyone would believe me.”

It’s been 25 years since Evelyn safe says she was sexually abused by Father Robert D. Moss.

For the first time, she wants to talk about it.

“I think it’s disgusting that somebody in power would do something like that.”

This is the same priest that officiated her own wedding ceremony. Safe, sought help from “Father Bob,” a friend of her family, and a Priest at Queen of Heaven Church in West Seneca.

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PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive

May 9, 2018

By Ivey DeJesus idejesus@pennlive.com

The bishop who was at the helm in the Diocese of Erie during the years in which state investigators say a priest was abusing two boys, even as the diocese knew about it, is saying there was no cover-up of sexual abuse.

Bishop Emeritus Donald Trautman on Wednesday said in a written statement that in 2010, he had received a fourth-hand allegation about Father David Poulson’s contact with a young adult man.

“There was no allegation of physical abuse or of contact with a minor,” Trautman said. “I contacted diocesan counsel. I then immediately tried to contact the young man. There was no response after many attempts of sending letters and telephoning. From the time of the complaint, until I retired, the diocese received no other complaints about David Poulson.”

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro on Tuesday announced the arrest of Poulson, 64, of Oil City, on charges he sexually assaulted two boys over the course of many years.

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CALIFORNIA
LA.com

MAY 9, 2018

A judge Wednesday ordered the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office to turn over part of the police investigative file related to the former athletic director of San Gabriel Mission High School, who allegedly seduced a girl and took her to Nevada in 2016.

Attorney Sonya Ostovar, who represents the young plaintiff in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, said Judge Elizabeth Allen White granted her substantially all the information she sought in her motion regarding the LAPD investigation of Ivan Barajas.

The judge issued her ruling after meeting in her chambers with Ostovar and lawyers for the archdiocese and the City Attorney’s Office. Deputy City Attorney Jeffrey Blumin asked that the meeting be held outside of public view because of the plaintiff’s age.

In response to an October subpoena for the LAPD investigative records from the plaintiff’s lawyers, the City Attorney’s Office responded that they could not be released without a court order.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Your Erie

May 09, 2018

Bishop Emeritus Donald Trautman, who was head of the Diocese in the dates recently put into question by Attorney General Josh Shapiro, has released a statement. The statement can be read in full below:

Statement from Bishop Emeritus Donald W. Trautman regarding David Poulson

First, I wish to express my prayerful support for all victims of sexual abuse. I abhor the evil of sexual abuse. Secondly, in relation to the arrest of David Poulson, I wish to emphasize there was no cover-up of sexual abuse. In 2010, I received a fourth-hand allegation about Poulson’s contact with a young adult man. There was no allegation of physical abuse or of contact with a minor. I contacted diocesan counsel. I then immediately tried to contact the young man. There was no response after many attempts of sending letters and telephoning. From the time of the complaint, until I retired, the diocese received no other complaints about David Poulson. Thirdly, I devoted a significant part of my tenure as bishop of the Diocese of Erie to the important issue of abuse within the church.

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CHILE
Ahora Noticias

[While the Chilean bishops are already beginning to arrive in Rome for the meeting they will hold with Pope Francis in the Vatican, the Archdiocese of Santiago confirmed that Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz will not attend the meeting.

According to the information given to AhoraNoticias.cl , the archbishop emeritus of Santiago will not appear in Rome to meet with Pope Francisco , but the reasons behind his decision were not specified.]

09 de Mayo de 2018

Mientras los obispos chilenos ya comienzan a llegar a Roma para la reunión que sostendrán con el Papa Francisco en El Vaticano, el Arzobispado de Santiago confirmó que el cardenal Francisco Javier Errázuriz no asistirá al encuentro.

Según la información entregada a AhoraNoticias.cl, el arzobispo emérito de Santiago no se presentará en Roma para reunirse con el Papa Francisco, pero no se especificaron las razones detrás de su decisión.

El Pontífice citó a los obispos chilenos en la Santa Sede, luego de que recibiera el informe del arzobispo de Malta, Charles Scicluna, quien recopiló los antecedentes sobre las acusaciones de encubrimiento del obispo Juan Barros acerca de los abusos sexuales cometidos por Fernando Karadima.

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UNITED STATES
Vox

By Tara Isabella Burton@NotoriousTIBtara.burton@vox.com

May 9, 2018

In 2014, Paige Patterson tells a joke.

The former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and current president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is giving a speech at an evangelical conference in Las Vegas. With a broad Texas drawl and a folksy glint in his eye, he tells the story of an irate woman he encountered during a church service.

“She was really unhappy with me,” he says, with exaggerated self-deprecation. “And giving me what for.”

Meanwhile, her sons are standing nearby. While the woman is yelling at Patterson, “a very attractive coed” walks by.

“She couldn’t have been more than 16,” Patterson continues. “But let me say — she was nice.”

One of the sons commented to the other, “Man, is she built.”

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CHILE
Catholic Culture

May 09, 2018

CWN Editor’s Note: Cardinal Francisco Errazuriz will not travel to Rome next week with a Chilean delegation to discuss the sex-abuse crisis in that country with Pope Francis. Cardinal Errazuriz, the retired Archbishop of Santiago—who remains member of the influential Council of Cardinals—has come under heavy criticism for attempting to discourage Vatican officials from hearing complaints of abuse in Chile.

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ALABAMA
WAAY

May. 9, 2018

Samantha Norman

A well known Alabama pastor is now faces brand new child sex charges in Jefferson County.

Acton Bowen was indicted after an investigation, according to a report, this time he is charged with Sodomy 2nd degree and Enticing A Child To Enter A Vehicle.

Bowen was already charged in Jefferson County on a separate charge of 2nd degree sexual abuse.

He remains in the Etowah County Jail on a $855,000 bond for separate charges there related to five other potential victims of sexual abuse.

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GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Haidee V Eugenio, heugenio@guampdn.com

May 9, 2018

The Diocese of Phoenix in Arizona and the Archdiocese of Agana on Guam stripped some of the priestly faculties of former chancellor Adrian Cristobal. He’s now prohibited from celebrating Mass publicly and hearing confession while child sex abuse allegations against him are being investigated.

Cristobal also faces penalties and sanctions for failing to follow repeated directives for him to immediately return to Guam in connection with allegations he sexually abused children, the archdiocese said.

The archdiocese on Wednesday said it believes Cristobal is in the vicinity of New York.

It also has notified the bishops at sites where Cristobal had received permission to be previously of the allegations against Cristobal, including the Diocese of Phoenix and Ottawa, Canada, where Cristobal was enrolled at St. Paul University to study canon law at one time.

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WISCONSIN
The Cap Times

May 9, 2018

By Jessie Opoien

Milwaukee attorney Matt Flynn is fighting off a call from a women’s group to end his gubernatorial campaign based on his work as an attorney representing the Archdiocese of Milwaukee against victims of sexual abuse by priests.

Wisconsin Women’s March co-chair Sarah Pearson called on Flynn to drop out following the publication of a story about his work with the archdiocese in the liberal, Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Gazette. In a brief interview on Wednesday, Flynn said “misinformation” would be a “polite term” to describe the arguments against him.

“The archdiocese is a great organization and the vast majority of priests are good men who devote their lives to people and don’t make very much money. They’re good people,” Flynn told reporters after a candidate forum in Madison. “And the handful of ones that committed these abuses, I was not their lawyer. I represented the archdiocese … I didn’t defend their conduct, neither did the archdiocese.”

Asked by Pearson about a particular priest mentioned in the Gazette story, Flynn said the article was “fundamentally untrue in many, many respects,” and told Pearson to watch for a statement from his campaign. Pearson posted a video on Facebook of their conversation, which took place after a candidate forum in Madison on Sunday.

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WISCONSIN
Bristol; Herald Courier

SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press

May 9, 2018

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A defiant Matt Flynn, who became the first Democratic candidate for governor to submit nomination signatures Wednesday, had a simple message for those calling for him to drop out because of his past work defending the Milwaukee Archdiocese: “Jump in the lake.”

Flynn, a retired attorney and former chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, represented the archdiocese against allegations of sexual abuse by priests between 1989 and 2004.

The Madison and Wisconsin chapters of the National Organization for Women, along with Women’s March Wisconsin, this week called for Flynn to drop out of the race because of his work for the archdiocese. Peter Isely, a founding member and former Midwest Director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, has also been critical of Flynn’s candidacy.

Flynn was having none of it.

“My response to anybody who thinks I should get out of the race is: Jump in the lake. That’s my response,” Flynn said, moments after he turned in 4,000 signatures on his nomination papers.

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WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Gazette

By Louis Weisberg, staff writer

May 3, 2018

Upon the news that Matt Flynn was running for the Democratic nomination for governor, a state GOP spokesperson said, “Matt Flynn has sought to cover-up the crimes committed against those who are most vulnerable.”

Even as some progressive donors line up behind the 71-year-old former Wisconsin Democratic Party chair, the GOP accusation is, if anything, an understatement.

If Flynn were to win the nomination, GOP attacks on this front would be a daily occurrence.

While an attorney for Quarles and Brady — the tony law firm that counts the Archdiocese of Milwaukee among its most important clients — Flynn became lead defender in the sex-abuse case with the nation’s fourth-largest number of alleged victims.

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WISCONSIN
Chicago Tribune

May 9, 2019

Associated Press

Milwaukee attorney Matt Flynn plans to submit the required signatures to get on the ballot for governor as a Democrat, even as he faces more questions over his past work defending the Milwaukee Archdiocese against priest abuse victims.

Flynn planned to submit his nomination papers on Wednesday, making him the first Democrat to compete that step.

The move comes after Women’s March Wisconsin on Sunday called for Flynn to drop out of the race because of his work for the Archdiocese. The Wisconsin Gazette last week published an article quoting victims of priest abuse who said they were “appalled” by Flynn running.

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SCOTLAND
Glasgow Live

9 MAY 2018

A girl was sexually attacked by a man she was told was her father after being taken away for the day from a children’s home, an inquiry has heard.

A witness told the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) she was around nine years old when she was assaulted by the man who was a “stranger” to her during her time as a resident at Nazareth House in Cardonald, Glasgow.

“I’d like to know why he was allowed to come and take us,” she told the hearing.

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PITTSBURGH (PA)
Fortieth Statewide Investigating Grand Jury
In the Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

May 8, 2018

On February 28, 2018, Victim 1 was interviewed by OAG Special Agent Steve Adametz (“Agent Adametz”). Victim 1, who is presently 23-years old, was born in Wisconsin and his family moved to Pennsylvania when he was seven or eight years of age. Upon arrival in Pennsylvania, the Catholic Church played a major role in his family’s life because they were new to the area. Victim 1 related that his parents believed that the local priest, a young man in his late 20s, would be a good role model for their children. That priest was Poulson. Victim 1 became very close with Poulson and viewed him as a friend who would take him places, buy him things, and go camping with him. Poulson was a welcomed and frequent visitor to his family’s home.

Victim 1 informed Agent Adametz that Poulson began to sexually molest him when he was approximately eight-years-old. The abuse continued until he was 16. The abuse involved Poulson kissing Victim 1’s lips, kissing his neck, and sucking on his ear lobes. Poulson also fondled Victim 1’s genitals and penis, to include masturbation. Victim 1 reported that on several occasions he was made to reciprocate this behavior on Poulson. The abuse occurred on a biweekly basis from 2002 to 2010. Poulson made Victim 1 go to confession and confess the sexual abuse to Poulson in his capacity as a priest.

Victim 1 stated that his parents encouraged him to spend time with Poulson at the church rectory and at Poulson’s camp. He revealed that he was sexually assaulted by Poulson at the rectories at St. Michael’s in Fryberg and at St. Anthony’s in Cambridge Springs. The abuse at the rectories usually occurred on Sundays, after the victim served as an altar boy at mass. When asked to estimate the number of times that he was assaulted at the rectories, Victim 1 stated that it occurred in excess of 20 occasions. With respect to Poulson’s camp, Victim 1 advised Agent Adametz that he was assaulted at that location between five and 10 times. He described this hunting camp as being in a very remote location in either Clarion or Jefferson County and that it took approximately 10 minutes to reach it after turning off the road. According to Victim 1, the cabin was a small, one-room, one-floor structure that was approximately 16 feet long by eight feet wide. It was made of rough cut pine and had no heat, electricity or water. Victim 1 further described a rocky fire pit in the front of the structure and a covered front porch that could fit two rocking chairs. He advised Agent Adametz that the camp was always In good shape and “new looking.” [Excerpt from pp. 4-5]

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PITTSBURGH (PA)
Pittsburgh Post Gazette

May 8, 2018

By Peter Smith

[Includes full video of AG Josh Shapiro’s press conference.]

Eight years ago, the Rev. David L. Poul­son ad­mit­ted to his bishop that he was aroused by a boy, had sent sex-themed texts to mi­nors and was spend­ing time alone with them in vi­o­la­tion of di­oc­e­san rules, ac­cord­ing to a grand jury re­port ac­com­pa­ny­ing the Roman Cath­o­lic priest’s ar­rest Tues­day.

The now-re­tired Bishop Don­ald Traut­man “ad­mon­ished” Father Poul­son and told him to “cease and de­sist” from such be­hav­ior, ac­cord­ing to an in­ter­nal church memo cited by the grand jury.

Bishop Traut­man, how­ever, kept Father Poul­son in par­ish min­is­try, where he stayed un­til this year. Bishop Law­rence Per­sico, cur­rent head of the 13-county Erie di­o­cese, said nei­ther his pre­de­ces­sor nor any­one else told him of any con­cerns about the priest af­ter he took of­fice in 2012.

The grand jury — which has been in­ves­ti­gat­ing sex­ual abuse in six Roman Cath­o­lic di­o­ceses across Penn­syl­va­nia — ob­tained the memo from the Erie di­o­cese more than a year ago.

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POLAND
Associated Press

May 9, 2018

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski says the #MeToo movement that sheds light on sexual misconduct of powerful men in Hollywood is “collective hysteria” and “total hypocrisy.”

Polanski made the comment to the Polish edition of Newsweek in a recent interview given just days before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stripped him of his nearly 50-year membership, citing a case in 1977 in which he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor.

The interview was published this week and the footnote said it was done before the May 3 Academy decision.

In his interview Polanski said that to him, #MeToo is a “collective hysteria of the kind that sometimes happens in the society.”

“Everyone is trying to sign up, chiefly out of fear,” he said, comparing it to North Korea’s public mourning for its leaders when everyone cries so much that “you can’t help laughing.”

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NEW YORK
WBFO

May 9, 2018

[with audio]

EILEEN BUCKLEY

The State Senate has passed a bill that would protect students from sexual abuse. WBFO’s senior reporter Eileen Buckley says this bill calls to close a loophole preventing private schools from reporting abuse and will require training.

Listen Listening…2:09 WBFO’s senior reporter Eileen Buckley says this bill calls to close a loophole preventing private schools from reporting abuse and will require training.
Three area republican senators co-sponsored the bill. Senators Chris Jacobs of Buffalo, Michael Ranzenhofer of Amherst and Patrick Gallivan from Elma.

Gallivan tells WBFO News the senate legislation calls to expand the types of education ‘settings required to report child abuse’ and increases required training in identifying and reporting abuse.

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MINNSOTA
Pioneer Press

May 7, 2018

A former Roman Catholic priest was sentenced to 10 years of probation after pleading guilty to sexual contact with a Mendota Heights woman during a private Mass, according to Dakota County prosecutors.

Jacob Andrew Bertrand, 35, who had been a priest in San Diego, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in January. The probation sentence was announced Monday by Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. If Bertrand violates any of its conditions, he could be sentenced to four years in prison.

Backstrom praised Assistant County Attorney Heather Pipenhagen, who prosecuted the case.

”The plea agreement in this case was entered into after considerable discussions with the victim and upon receiving her consent,” Backstrom said in a prepared statement. “We are pleased that Mr. Bertrand has been held accountable for his actions.”

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CALIFORNIA
San Diego Union-Tribune

Peter Rowe

May 7, 2018

A chance encounter in Rome led a Minnesota woman to seek spiritual solace from a San Diegan studying for the Roman Catholic priesthood, Jacob Bertrand.

She received his prayers — and a sexual relationship that Bertrand later described as “the second holiest sacrifice next to Jesus and Mary on Calvary.”

In a Minnesota courtroom Monday, Bertrand was sentenced to 10 years probation and a $1,000 fine for criminal sexual conduct. He was also ordered to complete an assessment as a sex offender and then undergo any recommended therapy.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, Bertrand would face up to four years imprisonment if he violates the terms of his probation.

“The plea agreement in this case was entered into after considerable discussions with the victim and upon receiving her consent,” said the prosecutor, Dakota County Attorney James C. Backstrom. “We are pleased that Mr. Bertrand has been held accountable for his actions.”

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NEW JERSEY
Daily Record

Peggy Wright, @PeggyWrightDR

May 8, 2018

MORRISTOWN — A non-practicing Catholic priest charged with fondling a 13-year-old girl’s buttocks under her skirt will be admitted into Morris County’s Pretrial Intervention program for first-time offenders.

Marcin A. Nurek, 39, made no admissions of wrongdoing and will be supervised under the program for 18 months. He must undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation, abide by any recommendations and cannot have unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18.

Nurek was admitted by Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor into PTI on the recommendation of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. If he successfully completes its terms, charges of criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a minor will be dismissed and he will not have a criminal record.

A month after ordination, according to the charges, Nurek followed a group of girls down a street in Boonton, reached a hand under a 13-year-old’s skirt, and groped her buttocks over her underwear and told her she was “sexy.”

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GUAM
KUAM

May 09, 2018

By Krystal Paco

Another complaint of clergy sexual abuse has been filed against the local Catholic Church. The latest one filed on behalf of a 48-year-old Tamuning resident, identified only as A.A.

The victim alleges he was sexually abused in the early 80’s when he was around 11 or 12 years old serving as an altar boy at Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church in Tamuning.

A.A. identified his perpetrators as now-deceased priest Fr. Antonio C. Cruz; James Untalan, who was active in the parish at the time; and another altar boy.

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ISRAEL
YNet News

A year after 80-year-old Eliezer Berland’s release from prison after being convicted of sex offenses against women from his congregation, the rabbi’s business is thriving. Three Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynet investigative reporters infiltrate the Shuvu Banim community, get a glimpse into the financial empire he built at his poor followers’ expense, and find out just how far his supporters are willing to go to defend him.

Ariela Sternbach, Nina Fuchs

05.04.18

It’s the early evening in Eliezer Berland’s residence in “Shomrei Hahomot” (Guardians of the Walls), his small territory at the end of Mea She’arim, on the way to the Musrara neighborhood. The afternoon prayer comes to an end, and a young woman spots me and screams, “She’s a reporter.” Now’s the time to make myself scarce.

“She’s not allowed to be here,” I hear people cry out. Three men with cameras move closer in an intimidating manner. “Don’t worry,” they say, “we’ll expose your identity.” The police are already on the line, as I hear angry shouts in the background: “It’s the last time you come here.”

A group of Hasidim chases me up the narrow alley. “She posts things against the rabbi,” one of them says. “Get out of here, shiksa!” An older woman approaches me, spits and shouts, “You b*tch, don’t you dare come anywhere near here.”

The woman who started the commotion by identifying me as an investigative reporter tries to help me now. “Go into the gas station,” she instructs me. “I have to run back to the prayers.”

Meanwhile, the men around me keep offering blessings, their way. “She smells like rabies,” one of them shouts. “She’s recording everything, beware.”

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Robert P. Conlin was ordained for the Buffalo diocese in 1956. He spent his first year after ordination as the sole priest at a small East Otto parish, assigned there through the diocese’s Missionary Apostolate program. He went on to assist in Batavia, Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Albion parishes until 1977, when he was named pastor of St. Mary’s in Pavilion. Conlin remained at St. Mary’s until his death at age 66 in 1997.

In March 2018 a man came forward publicly to allege that Conlin sexually abused him in 1980, when he was a 15-year-old parishioner and Conlin was pastor of St. Mary’s in Pavilion. He said he was from a single-mother home, and that Conlin groomed him as if he were “his son.” He said he told his mother about the abuse when she found him crying in his bed.

Born: June 17, 1931
Ordained: 1956
Died: December 9, 1997

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Joseph A. Schuster was ordained for the Diocese of Buffalo in 1966. His first year in ministry he was the sole priest at St. Isadore’s in East Otto, via the diocese’s Missionary Apostolate. He then assisted in Buffalo and Niagara Falls parishes, and taught mathematics at the Diocesan Preparatory Seminary. He was also a boy scout camp chaplain. Schuster was well-known for his social justice activism and involvement with the poor and disenfranchised. In 1972 he lead the establishment of a Catholic Worker House in Niagara Falls, where he spent the remainder of his priesthood. In early 1991 Schuster announced that he was taking a leave of absence; he did not return to active ministry as a priest. He went on to marry a man and adopt three sons. He died in 2007 at age 68.

On March 30, 2018 – at 3pm on Good Friday – a man held a press conference on the steps of St. Peter’s Cathedral to announce that in 1968, at age 13, he was the victim of sexual assault by Schuster. The man said that after an event at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Niagara Falls it had gotten too dark out to ride his bike home, so Schuster invited him to stay overnight at the rectory. The man said Schuster instructed him to sleep in his bed, then proceeded to molest him.

Schuster’s accuser had come forward to the diocese on March 12, 2018. The diocese released a list of credibly accused priests and lay employees and volunteers on March 20, but it included only those who were deceased if they had more than one known accusation against them. Schuster’s name was not included on the list.

Born: February 12, 1939
Ordained: 1966
Died: July 23, 2007

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Joseph P. Rappl was a Buffalo diocesan priest, ordained in 1978. He assisted at parishes in Lewiston, West Seneca, Holley and Hulberton until 1989. There is an unexplained gap in his work history 1989-1990. During 1990-1999 he was an Army chaplain in California, New York, Washington DC and North Carolina. Beyond that he appears to have left the priesthood, settling in North Carolina where he becamed married and performed sacraments as a “Roman Catholic priest” who was “no longer in the clerical state.” He also was a volunteer at a youth camp for the Buffalo diocese.

On March 19, 2018 a 48-year-old man filed a complaint with the diocese, accusing Rappl of having sexually abused him as an 11-year-old altar boy in 1981, at St. Peter’s in Lewiston. The man said he had asked Rappl to hear his confession and that the abuse occurred afterward, outside the confessional. On March 20, 2018 the diocese released a list of names of credibly accused priests and lay volunteers and employees. Rappl’s name was not included.

Ordained: 1978

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Michael M. Lewandowski was ordained in 1975 for the Conventual Franciscans of Our Lady of the Angels Province in Ellicott City, MD. He worked as a teacher and athletics coach at two high schools in the Diocese of Buffalo until 1991, after which there is an unexplained gap in his assignment history. In 1992 Lewandowski was assigned to assist at a Springfield MA parish before assuming the role of pastor of another in 1994. He moved in 1997 to the Altoona-Johnstown diocese where he began a 17-year run as pastor at St. Anne’s in Davidsville.

Lewandowski was removed from public ministry in May 2014 after his Order received an allegation that he had sexually abused a minor in the 1980s.

Ordained: 1975

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PENNSYLVANIA
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Michael J. Amy was ordained in 1978 for the Diocese of Erie. For most of his career he was assigned to high schools while residing in parishes in Erie, Johnsonburg, St. Mary’s and Bradford. In 1990 he was made lead priest of St. Callistus in Kane; he was reportedly removed in 1992 and eventually resigned from the priesthood.

Amy’s name was included on the diocese’s list released April 6, 2018 of priests, lay employees and volunteers accused of sexually abusing minors.

Ordained: 1978

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NEW YORK/PENNSYLVANIA
Buffalo News

By Mike McAndrew

May 8, 2018

A priest in the Diocese of Erie was charged Tuesday with committing sex crimes against two boys, and the Pennsylvania attorney general said the diocese covered up the priest’s sexual predator tendencies for six years.

The Rev. David Poulson, 64, of Oil City, Pa., a priest in the Erie diocese for four decades until earlier this year, was charged with indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. His victims were 8 years old and 15 years old when the abuse started, according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

The Diocese of Erie knew since at least May 2010 of Poulson’s sexual predator tendencies but did not report him to authorities until September 2016 when it received a subpoena from a grand jury, Shapiro said. The diocese had kept secret a May 2010 memorandum in which diocesan leaders confirmed complaints had been made about Poulson’s inappropriate contact with minors and Poulson admitted being “aroused” by a boy, and sharing sexually suggestive texts with other boys.

The Erie Diocese was led by Bishop Donald W. Trautman – a former auxiliary bishop of the Buffalo Diocese and a Buffalo native – for 22 years until he retired in 2012.

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Fred G. Fingerle was a priest of the Diocese of Buffalo, ordained in 1963. After a year at St. John of the Cross in Whitesville for the diocese’s Missionary Apostolate, Fingerle assisted in Tonawanda, Buffalo, Angola, and Hamburg parishes. In 1983 he was again assigned to St. John’s in Whitesville, as well as to Blessed Sacrament in Andover, remaining at both as sole priest until his death in 2002.

Fingerle’s name was included on the diocese’s list released March 20, 2018 of clergy removed, retired, or having left ministry after allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. The list included deceased priests only if they had more than one allegation against them.

Ordained: 1963
Died: January 25, 2002

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: Dennis G. Riter was ordained for the Buffalo diocese in 1971. Early on he assisted in Lackawanna, Springville, Dunkirk and Buffalo parishes, later pastoring in Buffalo, Batavia and Dunkirk. During the 1980s Riter worked as a hospital chaplain in Dunkirk and he was involved with the diocese’s Spanish Apostolate. In the 2000s he was a vicar and a member of the diocesan council of priests.

On March 26, 2018 Riter was placed on leave after allegations surfaced that he had sexually abused two altar boys at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Buffalo, where he was then pastor. One of the alleged victims stated publicly that he was ages 10-13 when abused, and that he witnessed the abuse of the other boy, who has since died. He said Riter would invite him to play games with him in the rectory after mass, “and then the touching and all that would just start.” He disclosed the alleged abuse to his aunt in 2007. The other boy’s mother said her son told her at age 12 in 1997 that Riter tried to “play with” him underneath his robe on the altar during mass. She said she reported the abuse to a cousin who worked for the diocese, and that the cousin said “we’ll look into it.” The cousin claimed in 2018 that she did not recall the conversation. Riter’s name was not included on the list released March 20, 2018 of priests removed, retired or having left ministry after allegations of sexual abused of a minor.

A diocesan spokesperson said the District Attorney had been notified.

Ordained: 1971

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MASSACHUSETTS
Durso Law

May 8, 2018

A Suffolk Superior Court Judge today allowed a civil suit brought by 8 groups of parents and their 10 children to proceed against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Judith Ritacco, arising out of claims the children were sexually abused while attending the Children’s Center, a daycare facility at Bridgewater State University (BSU). The Attorney General’s office filed an opposition to the amended suit, but Judge Christine Roach allowed the additional claims to proceed, and ordered the parties to appear in Court on June 6th, with a plan to move the case expeditiously.

The present claims arose out of an unusual discovery suit which was filed on behalf of three families in 2015 for the purpose of viewing BSU’s records of the events which occurred at the Children’s Center when a BSU student-employee, Kyle Loughlin, was accused of indecent assault and rape of children attending the Center, when they were in his care. Loughlin was charged and pleaded guilty in April, 2017, and was sentenced to 7 ½ years in jail. Judith Ritacco, the Director of the Center, was charged with reckless endangerment of a child, and failure to make a mandated report of child abuse. She admitted to sufficient facts for a guilty finding in September, 2017.

A copy of the Amended Complaint is available upon request.

For more information, contact:

Carmen Durso
DURSOLAW
LAW OFFICE OF CARMEN L. DURSO
175 Federal Street, Suite 1425
Boston, MA 02110-2287
Tel: 617-728-9123 – Fax: 617-517-3822
carmen@dursolaw.com
www.dursolaw.com

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UNITED KINGDOM
The London Economic

Ben Gelblum

May 8, 2018

Child abuse survivors who grew up in “hellholes” run by the Home Office and other institutions have been “ignored,” their “complaints and accounts sidelined,” the Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales (IICSA) heard today.

The Home Office, local authorities, their insurance companies, police and social workers who disbelieved abused children, all came under fire.

The inquiry set up by Theresa May as Home Secretary heard how these institutions had all failed shockingly to protect many of Britain’s most vulnerable children who were in their care. Testimony was heard of how children reporting and fleeing appalling abuse at children homes, were disbelieved by police officers and social workers. How they were returned to “the hands of their abuser.”

The preliminary hearing of the IICSA Inquiry Accountability and Reparations Investigation heard accusations that these institutions failed to keep children safe from sexual abuse. A failure compounded by accusations of “collusion” by institutions to protect themselves when as grown-ups, survivors wanted answers.

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ROME
National Catholic Reporter

May 8, 2018

by Joshua J. McElwee

ROME — Abuse survivor advocates are expressing alarm after a Catholic archbishop accused of molesting young men, who was recently convicted in a canonical trial, appeared on a stage with other prelates at an event in Rome with Pope Francis.

Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron was seen at a May 5 event for the 50th anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way, a popular adult formation movement. He was sitting alongside dozens of other prelates behind Francis as the pontiff took part in a meeting with some 100,000 members of the community in a field on the edge of Rome.

A Guam native who has led the U.S. territory’s only diocese since 1986, Apuron was placed on leave by the pope in June 2016 after a series of accusations about abuse of young men in the 1960s and 70s were made public.

A Vatican tribunal announced in March that the archbishop had been found “guilty of certain of the accusations” against him, but, due to the secrecy of the canonical proceedings, it remains unclear if he was convicted of sexual abuse or of other charges.

Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of abuse tracking website BishopAccountability.org, called it “disturbing” that Francis would appear on stage near Apuron.

“Does he not realize that Apuron has been accused by at least five people of child sexual abuse?” Doyle asked in a comment to NCR. “Is he callous or is he uninformed? Either explanation is unacceptable.”

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KENTUCKY
Fox 19

May 8th 2018

Frankie Jupiter, Reporter

COVINGTON, KENTUCKY (FOX19) –
Kentucky’s attorney general joined teachers and students Tuesday in northern Kentucky to honor a 32-year employee of the Covington Independent School District.

After his December 2015 passing, Alvin Randlett donated his estate, more than $175,000, to the Office of the Attorney General’s Child Victims’ Trust Fund. The donation helps to protect children from abuse, a cause Randlett embraced while serving as a janitor at the Sixth District Elementary School.

Randlett worked at the school for 32 years as a janitor.

“How amazing is that example of pure selflessness and generosity, putting others before yourself. And it’s an honor to honor him today,” said Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear.

One of Randlett’s best friends, Jeff Siska, says if a child or a teacher was in need, Randlett was there. Randlett only had a fifth-grade education, but friends say he was smart, kind and just fun to be around.

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NEW YORK
Spectrum News

By Rochelle Alleyne

May 8, 2018

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Billboards calling out several local senators for allegedly not supporting the Child Victims Act have popped up along the 190 in South Buffalo.

The woman behind them is Kat Sullivan, a New York City based survivor of childhood sexual abuse that has been following this law for more than a decade.

The billboards specifically target state senators Pat Gallivan, Chris Jacobs and state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan.

Sullivan says she selected those leaders because they’re opposed to keeping a clause that’s present in the recently passed Assembly version of the bill.

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NEW YORK
BishopAccountability.org

Summary of Case: A native of Poland, Benedict P. Barszcz was ordained in 1990 for the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallotines). By 1993 he was with the Order in North Tonawanda, NY, in the Diocese of Buffalo. Barszcz assisted at parishes in the Brooklyn diocese during 1994-1998; in October 1998 he was assigned to assist back in Buffalo, at St. Peter’s in Lewiston.

On July 20, 1999 Barszcz was arrested and charged with public lewdness after he allegedly exposed himself to two girls, ages 14 and 15. He reportedly was sitting in a car masturbating in front of the girls, then drove away; the girls and their parents flagged down two detectives, who pulled the priest over. The diocese removed him from public ministry and he was returned to his Order in North Tonawanda.

Barszcz is last known to have been working in Poland in 2001, as a port chaplain in Szczecin.

Ordained: 1990

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NEW YORK
Buffalo News

May 8, 2018

By Siobhan M. O’Connor

“Bishop Malone’s Office, Siobhan speaking – how may I help you?” Over the last two months, a multitude of callers have been on the receiving end of my phone greeting. I’ve talked to distressed citizens who express anger over church cover-ups and silence, to concerned Catholics whose faith has been shaken by the priest abuse scandal, and to the victims of this abuse themselves. These latter individuals often share their stories, which are heartbreakingly horrible to hear. Even being on the periphery of their pain has been deeply disturbing. Yet remarkably, it is their strength more than their suffering that has most resonated with me.

It was my privilege to speak with the mother of two abused children, who said she would be praying for the abusing priest because he needs prayers more than anyone. I have spoken to a victim who began to console me when I broke down while speaking to him. Another time a victim shared his story of returning to God and how he found peace and joy through regaining his faith. Often I am overcome by the forgiveness, compassion and resiliency of these individuals.

Yet I’ve also spoken with people who literally mock victims and accuse them of being “out for money” or “making up stories.” Believe me, you can’t make this kind of horror up. The victims’ descriptions are too detailed, their pain is too raw and their memories are too powerful for them to be frauds. To suggest so is a slap in the face to these brave individuals, who have had the courage to speak of the traumatic abuse they suffered when they were young and innocent. Also, not one victim I’ve talked to is “in it for the money.” In fact, one repeatedly told me that “money can’t buy me peace, health, healing or happiness.”

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NEW JERSEY
NJ.com

May 8, 2018

By Michaelangelo Conte
The Jersey Journal

JERSEY CITY — Jurors could not reach verdict Tuesday afternoon, forcing a mistrial to be declared in the trial of the North Bergen “sexorcist” accused of using his stature as a “prophet” to sexually assault a young man 10 years ago.

Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mirtha Ospina set June 5 as the tentative date for the retrial of Gregorio Martinez, 50, who faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

The former North Bergen pastor, who was convicted in 2015 of molesting a 13-year-old boy and faces two more trials on sex charges, appeared to be pleased by the declaration of a mistrial as he was led from court in handcuffs this afternoon.

Martinez, who is said to speak in tongues, is already serving four years in prison for the molestation and five years for bail jumping. The terms are consecutive.

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NEW JERSEY
Associated Press

May 8, 2019

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — A mistrial has been declared in the sexual assault trial of a former New Jersey church pastor who is already serving prison terms for assault and bail jumping.

NJ.com reports that Hudson County jurors reported a deadlock Friday and were asked to keep deliberating, but told the judge Tuesday they were unable to reach a unanimous decision.

Prosecutors said they would retry 50-year-old Gregorio Martinez, who is accused of assaulting an 18-year-old man. Defense attorney Daniel Gonzalez argued that no evidence corroborated the allegations.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Your Erie

Tiarra Braddock

May 08, 2018

Father David Poulson was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly sexually assaulting two minors.

“Well, sexual abuse is wrong no matter who it is and regardless if you are a priest or an individual creeper,” said Erie resident, Melvin. Also shocking to some is the Attorney General’s allegation that the Erie Diocese knew about Poulson for years. Samantha Jones has friends who went to Poulson’s church. “Makes you really think about your church and what’s going on and why cover it up if you’re so into God, why cover it?” said Cambridge Springs resident, Samantha Jones.

Even people outside of Erie County expressed their relief with Poulson being charged. Judy Jones is with SNAP, The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. She is based out of the St. Louis area. “Many times priests get away with it, in fact, it sounds like he’s gotten away with it for quite a while,” said Judy Jones. The Erie Diocese issued a statement following Poulson’s arrest and it reads in part:

“We are committed to assisting victims on the long road to healing and wholeness, and this means offering and following a transparent, logical process.”

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ARIZONA
azcentral

Jerod MacDonald-Evoy, The Republic | azcentral.com

May 8, 2018

A priest on sabbatical in Phoenix is accused of sexually abusing a boy more than 20 years ago in Guam, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court Monday.

The claim against Adrian Cristobal is the second in two months. The latest lawsuit was filed by a 33-year-old man who accuses Cristobal of abusing him from the age of 11 to 25.

Cristobal came to Phoenix in December 2017 on sabbatical and did not have an assignment, the Phoenix Diocese said in a written statement to The Arizona Republic. He arrived with a letter of good standing, officials said. The Phoenix Diocese has since removed his faculties, or his ability to perform church sacraments.

“Anyone who has been a victim of abuse or who may have information concerning this situation is encouraged to call a local law enforcement agency,” the Diocese statement said.

Cristobal returned to Guam at the request of the Archdiocese of Agana, according to the Phoenix Diocese.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Erie News Now

May 8th 2018

In announcing sexual abuse charges against retired Diocese of Erie priest, David Poulson, 64, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said the grand jury heard from nine other men who had contact with father Poulson when they were minors.

Erie News Now talked with one of those nine, James VanSickle, 54, of Pittsburgh who voluntarily came forward to testify before a state grand jury in March. “And when I heard the new accusation, I was in a little bit of turmoil deciding what to do, but I didn’t want this kid to be the only voice,” VanSickle said.

He told the grand jury that Father Paulson groomed him, then abused him beginning in 1979 when the priest was his English teacher and chess team coach at Bradford Central Christian High School.

VanSickle said chess team dinners, progressed to private dinners where alcohol was introduced, and that led to wrestling in the rectory, and in a hotel room on a trip. “He changed into his pajamas and wanted to wrestle…obviously became aroused, which I was very aware of, he began to wrestle, and obviously it was a task to get him off of me, so it did end in a physical confrontation,” VanSickle said.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Meadville Tribune

Bishop Lawrence Persico issued this statement on Tuesday:

The Diocese of Erie learned today that Father David Poulson, 64, former pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Cambridge Springs, has been charged with one felony count of indecent assault; one felony count of endangering the welfare of children; one felony count of corruption of minors; two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault; and several misdemeanors. Father Poulson was arraigned on the charges in Jefferson County by District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak, and was placed in the Jefferson County Prison on $300,000 bond. The diocese learned of the conduct that provides the basis for these charges in January 2018 and immediately notified law enforcement. Moreover, I directed K&L Gates law firm to assist in producing to the Attorney General’s office any and all evidence they uncovered to assist in this prosecution.

I announced on Feb. 13 that I had received credible allegations against Father Poulson regarding the sexual abuse of minors. Following our Policy for the Protection of Children, I immediately turned the matter over to law enforcement and have cooperated with the state attorney general throughout the process that led to today’s arrest.

In February, I also accepted Father Poulson’s permanent resignation as pastor of St. Anthony Parish, removed him from all other assignments, and prohibited him from any public ministry and from any contact with minors.

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NETHERLANDS
JTA

May 8, 2018

AMSTERDAM (JTA) – Following an investigation, the umbrella group of Dutch Jewish communities dismissed accusations that a local rabbi molested children in the United States.

The Organization of Jewish Communities in the Netherlands, or NIK, last week announced the findings of its four-month probe of Rabbi Mendel Levine of Brooklyn, New York, who began serving the community of the eastern city of Nijmegen in 2009.

The probe followed an article in De Telegraaf daily in January reporting on accusations against Levine from 2011.

That year, Meir Seewald, a Crown Heights activist against accused child molesters in religious Jewish communities, published an online account of the alleged abuse he says he suffered in 2000 as a boy attending a summer camp belonging to the Chabad-run Gan Israel Camping Network, where Levine had worked as a counselor.

But a special commission set up by the NIK could not verify the account in dozens of conversations, the organization said.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Sharon Herald

May 9, 2018

By KEITH GUSHARD Meadville Tribune

A priest of the Catholic Diocese of Erie has been charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse against two young boys over a period of eight years.

David L. Poulson, 64, of Oil City, has been arraigned on a total of eight counts involving boys who were ages 8 and 15 at the time when the abuse started, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in announcing the charges Tuesday.

Poulson was an active priest in the Erie diocese for four decades until earlier this year, including serving as pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Cambridge Springs until February.

The charges were recommended by a statewide investigating grand jury, which found that Poulson sexually assaulted the boys while employed in active ministry as a priest by the Erie diocese, Shapiro said.

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SCOTLAND
Evening Times

May 9, 2018

Stephen Naysmith
Social affairs correspondent

A WOMAN has told how a nun in a home run by the Sisters of Nazareth in Glasgow used to take her to visit a nearby farm and leave her to be raped by the farmer.

The anonymous witness, known as Margaret at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, said the regular trips were on the pretext of gathering eggs, but she said she never carried any eggs and was “100 per cent sure” the nun knew about the rapes.

“I didn’t know that was what he was doing at the time,” she said. “But the nun also sexually assaulted me. She didn’t penetrate me but she mauled me all over my body on a regular basis.”

In a written statement which was read into the inquiry record, the woman said she was living at Nazareth House, in Cardonald, Glasgow, from the age of two, in 1943, and was told her mother had died giving birth to her.

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CHILE
London School of Economics and Political Science

May 9, 2918

Pope Francis’ attempts to move the Catholic Church beyond the conservative sexual agenda of his predecessors have been undermined by abusive sexual practices within the Church itself, writes José Manuel Morán (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET).

• n.b. republished courtesy of Sexual Policy Watch; Creative Commons licence does not apply

Things did not turn out as expected in Chile.

Pope Francis, whose image as a charismatic leader sharply contrasts with that of his predecessor Benedict XVI and who often deploys discourses that distance themselves from those promoted by John Paul II in his obsession with sexuality, was not as successful in connecting with Chilean people as on previous visits to Latin America.

The Pope was harshly criticised, even by local Catholic communities, in particular due to his lack of empathy towards victims of sexual abuse committed by Chilean priests. To many observers, the Pope’s visit to the country was the worst Francis has undertaken since he took office.

The Chilean context

What happened in Chile? Why didn’t the Pope attract religious people in the same way as in other Latin American countries?

Chile, while sharing a common history with the rest of the region, has certain peculiarities that differ from other regional contexts, which may underpin the failure of the papal visit in January, 2018.

At least two factors can be mentioned:

1. The impact that the clergy’s sex-abuse scandals had on people’s religious identification with the Church seems to be different from the rest of Latin America.
2. Francis’ marked disconnection with the “popular world” and Chilean social movements seems to be unprecedented in the region.

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HARRISBURG (PA)
Attorney General of Pennsylvania

May 8, 2018

Church Knew of Predator Priest’s Behavior for Eight Years

[Note: Includes a list of Poulson’s assignments and the informative presentment with more assignment details.]

Erie – Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced criminal charges against a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Erie for sexual abuse committed against two young boys over a period of many years. One of the victims was 8 years old when the priest began abusing him. The second victim was 15 when the abuse started.

Father David Poulson, 64, of Oil City, a Catholic priest in the Erie diocese for four decades until earlier this year, was arrested this morning and charged with indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. Three of the counts against Poulson are felonies. The charges were recommended by a statewide investigating grand jury, which found that Poulson sexually assaulted the boys while employed in active ministry as a priest by the Erie diocese.

“Poulson assaulted one of his victims repeatedly in church rectories,” Attorney General Shapiro said at a news conference at the Erie County Courthouse where Poulson’s arrest was announced. “He made that victim go to confession and confess the abuse – to Poulson. This was the ultimate betrayal and manipulation by Poulson. He used the tools of the priesthood to further his abuse.”

According to the grand jury’s presentment made public today:

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ERIE (PA)
GOerie.com

May 8, 2018

By Ed Palattella

The Rev. David Poulson resigned in February as pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Cambridge Springs. The diocese had called the allegations against him credible.

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General on Tuesday charged a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Erie with indecent assault involving two boys.

Criminal charges were filed in Jefferson County on Tuesday morning against the Rev. David L. Poulson, 64.

He faces one felony count of indecent assault, person less than 13 years old from February 2006; two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault, involving one person less than 16 years old and one person less than 13 years old, in January 2002; a felony endangering the welfare of children charge, from January 2002; a felony corruption of minors charge, from December 2010; and misdemeanor counts of indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors, from January 2003, according to the court docket.

Poulson was arraigned on the charges in Jefferson County by District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. and was placed in the Jefferson County Prison on $300,000 bond.

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GUAM
Pacific Daily News

May 8, 2018

By Haidee V. Eugenio

The Archdiocese of Agana said it is investigating the allegations against former Chancellor Adrian Cristobal, who has been ordered to immediately return to Guam from his mission in the Diocese of Phoenix in Arizona.

Cristobal is now twice accused of sexual abuses, from 1995 to 2013, based on lawsuits filed on April 10 and May 7.

The archdiocese did a preliminary investigation regarding the first allegation against Cristobal and the findings were forwarded to the independent review board in accordance with strengthened sexual abuse policy, according to Tony Diaz, director of communications for the archdiocese.

Diaz said the board itself is not involved in conducting investigations.

“Rather, the independent review board serves as a confidential, consultative body. Its duty is to objectively review the findings of the investigation and advise the archbishop in his assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors,” Diaz said.

The same process will be applied in the second allegation against Cristobal, who studied canon law in Ottawa, Canada.

“The archdiocese takes all allegations of sexual abuse seriously. With this new allegation against Father Adrian, the archdiocese will follow the same steps outlined in our policy,” Diaz said.

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KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter

May 8, 2018

By Brian Roewe

Bishops’ conference announces request for proposals for firms to conduct 2020-22 annual audits

The search process has begun for the next compliance auditor for the U.S. bishops’ clergy sexual abuse policies.

In a press release April 30, the National Review Board of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced a request for proposals for firms to conduct the 2020-2022 annual audits of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, also known as the Dallas Charter.

Since its adoption in June 2002 at the bishops’ meeting in Dallas during the peak of the church’s clergy sexual abuse crisis, the charter has called for an audit process as part of an annual public progress report issued by the conference’s Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection. The audit has been conducted each year since 2003.

The 2016 audit, the report most recently released, was conducted by StoneBridge Business Partners, an auditing firm based in Rochester, New York. StoneBridge has audited the charter since 2011 report, and is under contract to oversee the next three-year cycle (2017-2019), as well.

James Marasco, a founding partner at StoneBridge, told NCR the firm, whose contract expires in 2019, has been invited to submit a bid for the next audit cycle, but has yet to make a decision. The deadline for letters of intent is June 10, with final proposals due by Aug. 30, followed by an interview process in the fall.

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ERIE (PA)
Penn Live

May 8, 2018

By Ivey DeJesus

As early as this month, the findings of a grand jury investigation into clergy sex abuse across six Pennsylvania dioceses could be released by the state’s Office of Attorney General.

The findings into the abuse of children by priests and church workers in the dioceses of Harrisburg, Scranton, Allentown, Greensburg, Pittsburgh and Eric would mark the latest chapter into the decades-old clergy sex abuse scandal in this country.

This three-minute video helps broadly explain the some of the key developments in this country, particularly out of Pennsylvania.

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ERIE (PA)
The Meadville Tribune

May 8, 2018

A priest in the Catholic Diocese of Erie has been charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse against two young boys over a period of eight years.

David L. Poulson, 64, of Oil City, has been arraigned on a total of eight counts involving boys who were ages 8 and 15 when the abuse started, according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who announced the charges this morning.

Poulson was an active priest in the Erie diocese for four decades until earlier this year, including serving at churches in Cambridge Springs and Saegertown.

The charges were recommended by a statewide investigating grand jury, which found that Poulson sexually assaulted the boys while employed in active ministry as a priest by the Erie diocese, Shapiro said.

Poulson had served as priest at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Cambridge Springs and St. Bernadette Church in Saegertown.

Anne-Marie Welsh, director of communications for the Catholic Diocese of Erie, said a statement would be issued later today.

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MANHATTAN (NY)
NBC Chicago

May 8, 2018

By Melissa Russo, Jonathan Dienst and Andrew Siff

The women accusing Eric Schneiderman said seeing him speak out on sexual misconduct issues was part of the impetus in them coming forward

The Manhattan district attorney’s office said early Tuesday it had opened an investigation into the allegations of physical abuse four women made against Eric Schneiderman, accusations that prompted a resignation from the state attorney general within hours of publication in an expose by The New Yorker.

A spokesman for Cy Vance confirmed the investigation in an early morning statement, but provided no further detail.

Schneiderman, who had been running for re-election and had taken on high-profile roles as a women’s issues advocate, said in a statement late Monday he contested the women’s accounts, but “while these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office’s work at this critical time.”

He said he would resign at the close of business on Tuesday. Barbara Underwood will step in as acting attorney general. She has been the state’s Solitictor General since 2007. Before that she served as Chief Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. She has also worked in the Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn district attorney offices. She got an undergraduate degree from Harvard and law degree from Georgetown.

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ERIE (PA)
Trib Live

May 8, 2018

By Megan Guza

A Catholic priest in the Diocese of Erie sexually abused two boys for years and forced one of the children to confess to the sex acts during confession, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Tuesday in announcing charges against the priest.

Father David Poulson, 64, of Oil City, is charged with indecent assault, corruption of minors and child endangerment. Poulson served the diocese for 40 years.

“Poulson assaulted one of his victims repeatedly in church rectories,” Shapiro said in a press release. “He made that victim go to confession and confess the abuse – to Poulson. This was the ultimate betrayal and manipulation by Poulson.”

The victims were 8 years old and 15 years old at the time of the alleged abuse.

Shapiro charged that the diocese knew of Poulson’s predatory tendencies since at least 2010 but did nothing for more than six years.

A grand jury subpoena to the Erie diocese turned up a secret memo dated May 24, 2010, in which a bishop noted complaints about Poulson’s contact with children. The memo stated that Poulson admitted during an interview that his text messages with some boys were “suggestive to sexual advances,” according to the grand jury.

The bishop wrote in the memo that he admonished Poulson and told him to stop.

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ERIE (PA)
The Morning Call

May 8, 2018

A Catholic priest in the Diocese of Erie has been charged with the sexual abuse of two young boys over a period of many years, forcing one boy to confess the abuse to him, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced today.

In a news release, Shapiro said one of the boys was 8 years old when Father David Poulson, 64, started abusing him. The second boy was 15 when the abuse started, Shapiro said.

Poulson, a Catholic priest in the Erie diocese for four decades until earlier this year, was arrested this morning and charged with indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. Three of the counts against Poulson are felonies.

A statewide investigating grand jury recommended the charges.

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