ABUSE TRACKER

A digest of links to media coverage of clergy abuse. For recent coverage listed in this blog, read the full article in the newspaper or other media source by clicking “Read original article.” For earlier coverage, click the title to read the original article.

March 3, 2018

The Nolan Show

BELFAST (NORTHERN IRELAND)
BBC

March 1, 2018

By Stephen Nolan

[Stream of 90-minute radio report and call-in show during which (at 48:40) it was revealed that Bishop McAreavey had concelebrated a Mass with Fr Malachy Finnegan in 2000. This revelation and the reaction to it prompted McAreavey’s resignation.]

Two weeks ago, BBC Spotlight exposed Father Malachy Finegan as a paedophile priest. Since then, victims have been contacting the BBC’s Mandy McAuley and the Nolan Show. Last night on Nolan Live, the story moved on. The Bishop of Dromore, Bishop John McAreavey, is now facing calls to resign immediately from his post. Last night, on Nolan Live, victims of the paedophile priest Malachy Finnegan were horrified to hear that despite knowing Finnegan was a paedophile, Bishop McAreavey made the decision to concelebrate mass, with the paedophile fully vested on the altar with him. Victims have now called for his resignation.

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

John McAreavey resigns as bishop amid abuser controversy

DUBLIN (IRELAND)
Irish Times

March 1, 2018

By Patsy McGarry

[Note from BishopAccountability.org: See also the McAreavey statement quoted in this article.]

People in Dromore diocese concerned that cleric said funeral Mass for alleged abuser

John McAreavey has resigned as Catholic Bishop of Dromore with immediate effect following controversy over his decision to officiate more than 15 years ago at the funeral Mass of a priest known to the diocese as a child abuser.

Dromore diocese includes parishes in counties Antrim, Armagh and Down.

Fr Malachy Finnegan served at St Colman’s College in Newry from 1967 to 1971 and was a teacher there from 1973 to 1976. He was president of the college from 1976 to 1987. Between 1994 and 2016, 12 allegations of abuse were made against him.

A BBC Spotlight programme on Finnegan was broadcast last month and included interviews with three of his alleged victims. It had been investigating allegations against the priest over recent months and how these had been handled by Catholic authorities.

Prior to the broadcast, Dr McAreavey issued a statement saying the first allegation against Finnegan came to light in 1994, some seven years after he left St Colman’s College.

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

All dioceses must now come clean on pervert clerics

BELFAST (NORTHERN IRELAND)
Belfast Telegraph

March 2, 2018

By Malachi O’Doherty

Like all members of the Roman Catholic clergy they have pledged themselves to obeying those above them in the hierarchy. Therefore, if they want to remain in good standing with Church authorities they seek permission from the Vatican to go.

And sometimes they get it. And sometimes they get the assurance that their departure is neither appropriate nor desirable.

There have been huge embarrassments for the Church around the disclosure that bishops and cardinals have failed to report abuse to the police.

The outstanding case was that of the former primate, Cardinal Sean Brady, who had debriefed two boys abused by Brendan Smyth, a priest in the Norbertine Order.

Cardinal Brady had sworn the boys to secrecy and had seen it as the fulfilment of his duty to report his findings to his bishop, even as the odious Smyth continued to abuse.

So Bishop John McAreavey’s decision to resign in the face of intense heat from the media is unusual both because it was prompt and because it appears not to have involved consultation with the Vatican.

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

PSNI establish task force to handle Father Finnegan abuse claims

BELFAST (NORTHERN IRELAND)
Belfast Telegraph

March 2, 2018

Police have set up a dedicated task force to investigate complaints about the paedophile priest Father Malachy Finnegan.

The priest who died in 2002 was accused of the sexual abuse of 12 children while at St Coleman’s College in Newry. He was a teacher at the school from 1967 to 1976 and was later its president for 11 years.

* * *

Detective Superintendent Deirdre Bones, PSNI Public Protection Branch said: “The PSNI has set up a dedicated team to investigate complaints of clerical and institutional abuse involving Father Malachy Finnegan.

“I would appeal to anyone who has been the victim of physical or sexual abuse to report it to the Public Protection Branch in PSNI, who will deal with their reports sensitively and confidentially.”

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

Bishop McAreavy facing calls to resign

LONDON (ENGLAND)
BBC

March 1, 2018

There have been calls for the Bishop of Dromore to resign amid claims he celebrated Mass alongside a priest he knew was a paedophile.

Malachy Finnegan, who died in 2002, has been accused of sex abuse by 12 people.

Fr Finnegan, a teacher at St Colman’s College in Newry from 1967 to 1976, is also accused of a catalogue of physical and emotional abuse against pupils.

Bishop of Dromore, Dr John McAreavey, has previously apologised for conducting Fr Finnegan’s funeral Mass.

Last month, Bishop McAreavey, who was chair of the board of governors at the school, told parishioners in the Dromore diocese that he first became aware of allegations against Fr Finnegan in 1994.

* * *

On Wednesday, Spotlight NI reporter Mandy McAuley told the BBC’s Nolan Live programme that six years later, Fr Finnegan was allowed to help Bishop McAreavey celebrate a Mass to mark the 150th anniversary of the Clonduff parish.

She said the paedophile priest was vested – robed in garments – at the Mass in 2000, although he was not the main celebrant.

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

El cura Alfredo Nicola, a cuarteles de invierno

PARANá (ARGENTINA)
El Argentino [Gualeguaychu, Argentina]

March 3, 2018

Read original article

Ni a la República Oriental del Uruguay ni a Villa Clara: el cura Daniel Rodríguez fue destinado por el obispo de Paraná Juan Alberto Puiggari para atender a la comunidad de la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Luján, como vicario

Rodríguez fue, hasta finales de diciembre, vicario en la parroquia Jesús Maestro y Señor y

Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Pompeya, de Oro Verde. Ahora, encontró nuevo destino. Pero

quien era párroco en Oro Verde, el sacerdote Alfredo Nicola, sigue sin destino.

La situación es, por lo menos, compleja. Hasta diciembre Alfredo Nicola era el párroco de “Jesús

Maestro y Señor y Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Pompeya”, de Oro Verde. Ahora decidió quedarse con la capellanía

en el Hospital Fidanza, de Colonia Ensayo: o sea, mantener el sueldo del Estado que le paga el Ministerio de Salud;

pero sin ejercicio pastoral de alguna parroquia.

El obispo Juan Alberto Puiggari ya dispuso varios movimientos y designaciones de sacerdotes,

pero en todas, el nombre de Nicola aparece ausente. Las últimas designaciones y corrimientos

las dispuso el jueves 1° de marzo, cuando aceptó la renuncia del párroco de Bajada Grande,

Mario Taborda, quien sin embargo mantiene su cargo -y su sueldo- de capellán en el Servicio

Penitenciario de Entre Ríos.

En Oro Verde, Puiggari nombró como párroco -en reemplazo de Nicola- al sacerdote Hernán

Arismendi, que asumió el 19 de febrero último. Como vicario -para suplir a Daniel Rodríguez- se

nombró a Héctor Rodríguez, que a la vez asumió como vicecanciller de la curia, consignó el sitio

digital Entre Ríos Ahora.

A finales de 2017 se conoció la decisión de Puiggari de designarle un reemplazante, aunque ni

entonces ni ahora se sabe cuál es el destino que se le dio a Nicola, cuyo nombre apareció

zarandeado en medio de denuncias periodísticas por supuestos casos de abuso.

Un docente de la Escuela Parroquial Jesús Maestro y Señor, que fundó Nicola, Gabriel Flores, fue

denunciado por un supuesto abuso a un alumno. Cuando supo que había sido denunciado, el

docente desapareció de Oro Verde en medio de la noche, abandonó su auto al costado del río, y

en el interior dejó una carta dirigida a sus padres –que viven en Misiones- y todos supusieron un

suicidio. Nada de eso. Nadó hasta una isla y de allá fue traído por un pescador, se presentó en la

Policía y entonces se anotició de la denuncia en su contra en la Unidad Fiscal de Violencia de

Género y Abusos del Poder Judicial.

En paralelo, se conocieron denuncias por abusos contra el cura Nicola.

Antes de que ganaran la luz pública esas denuncias, Nicola anunció por whatsapp que se tomaba

un tiempo de licencia por estrés, después de un acuerdo al que había llegado con Puiggari.

Pero al mes volvió, dispuesto a tomar su lugar que había quedado en manos del vicario Daniel

Rodríguez. El vicario se sorprendió cuando lo vio volver y estuvo a punto de renunciar por la

situación incómoda. Finalmente, no renunció y ahora se conoció que ni él ni Nicola siguen al

frente de la parroquia de Oro Verde, publicó Entre Ríos Ahora.

Casi un papelón

Antes de eso, Nicola se vio involucrado en la causa penal por abusos y corrupción de menores

que se sustanció en Tribunales contra el sacerdote Juan Diego Escobar Gaviria.

Los defensores de Escobar Gaviria, los abogados Milton Ramón Urrutia y Juan Pablo Temón, lo

citaron como testigo a Nicola, pero una intervención del arzobispo Puiggari evitó el papelón.

El fiscal Federico Uriburu, de la Unidad Fiscal de Nogoyá, que llevó adelante la instrucción de la

causa del cura Juan Diego Escobar Gaviria, pidió a Puiggari el legajo del sacerdote cuando éste

fue citado por la defensa en el juicio que se desarrolló en Gualeguay. Pero el arzobispo sacó un

as de la galera: impidió que Nicola declarase en el juicio, y al responder la petición del fiscal,

expresó que el mismo se había tornado “abstracto”, y dejó a buen resguardo los antecedentes del

párroco de Oro Verde.

Pasada la tormenta del caso Escobar Gaviria, el propio Nicola fue centro de todas las miradas.

Enterado de las denuncias que publicó la revista Análisis en su contra por supuestos abusos a

menores, Nicola corrió hacia el vicario general, Eduardo Tanger, y le pidió que le firmara un

salvoconducto.

“El que suscribe, Monseñor Eduardo Tanger, Vicario General del Arzobispado de Paraná, certifica

que en dicho Arzobispado no existe ningún expediente sobre abuso de menores referido al Pbro.

Alfredo Luis Marcelo Nicola (DNI 23.341.742). Se extiende la presente certificación en la ciudad

de Paraná, a los 11 días del mes de diciembre de dos mil diecisiete”.

De ese modo, buscó contrarrestar las denuncias en su contra.

Pero cuando todo parecía indicar que volvería al centro de la escena, echando a un lado las

denuncias, de buenas a primeras regresó a cuarteles de invierno. “No está en ninguna parroquia,

así que supongo que debe estar viviendo en su casa”, dijo una fuente de la curia paranaense.

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

Bishop John McAreavey resigns after revelations he concelebrated Mass with paedophile priest

BELFAST (NORTHERN IRELAND)
Irish News

March 2, 2018

By Bimpe Archer

One of the north’s most high-profile bishops has resigned amid controversy that he celebrated Mass alongside a paedophile priest.

In a brief statement released through his personal solicitor last night, Bishop of Dromore Dr John McAreavey (69) announced he was leaving his post.

“Following media reports which have disturbed and upset many people in the diocese and further afield I have decided to resign with immediate effect,” he said.

“I shall make further comment in due course.”

The resignation came amid growing calls for a public inquiry into clerical abuse in Northern Ireland.

Just weeks ago Dr McAreavey apologised for celebrating Requiem Mass for Fr Malachy Finegan a paedophile and former president at St Colman’s College in Newry.

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

Culture of cover-up should shame all involved

BELFAST (NORTHERN IRELAND)
Irish News

March 3, 2018

By Allison Morris

The resignation of Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey was swift and unexpected.

In the closed ranks of the Catholic Church it is rare for one man to take responsibility for what was an historical culture of silence when it came to the abuse of children by members of the clergy.

That the horrendous abuse, sexual, physical and emotional, experienced by young boys at the hands of Fr Malachy Finegan went unreported and unchecked for so long should shame all of those involved.

The testimony of victims, who have finally felt able to speak out, has painted a grim picture of what life was like for boys who came in contact with the savage, sadistic thug of a man who used his power as a Catholic priest to brutalise young children.

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

Northern Irish bishop resigns over claims he concelebrated Mass with abusive priest

LONDON (ENGLAND)
Catholic News Service via Catholic Herald

March 2, 2018

An Irish bishop resigned March 1 after increased criticism over how he dealt with revelations of an abusive priest.

Bishop John McAreavey of Dromore was criticised in a program on BBC Northern Ireland on February 28, after it emerged that he concelebrated an anniversary Mass with a priest he knew had stepped down after being sent for treatment following complaints of abuse.

In a statement from his lawyer released to journalists on March 1, Bishop McAreavey, 69, said: “Following media reports which have disturbed and upset many people in the diocese and further afield, I have decided to resign with immediate effect.”

Twelve people accused the late Fr Malachy Finnegan of sexual abuse. The priest, who taught at St Colman’s College in Newry, Northern Ireland, from 1967 to 1976, is also accused of physical and emotional abuse against students.

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

Push intensifies for passage of long-stalled Child Victims Act

BUFFALO (NY)
Buffalo News

March 2, 2018

By Tom Precious

Albany – If Rev. Norbert F. Orsolits had sexually abused what he’s described as “several dozen” teenage boys in Connecticut or Utah or even Guam instead of New York, the victims he molested four decades ago would today have a path in civil court to seek financial damages and perhaps some sense of justice.

But New York is one of the most restrictive in the nation when it comes to allowing victims from long-ago abuse to file lawsuits against their alleged perpetrators, and so neither the former priest or the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo is liable for the acts he told The Buffalo News he committed long ago.

Now, people who say they were abused as children are pointing to the Orsolits case as the latest evidence for the need of a long-stalled bill called the Child Victims Act. It is a measure that would expand the criminal and civil statute of limitations in abuse cases. But it’s most controversial provision – and one that has stopped it from becoming law so far – would and create a one year “look back” period to allow victims over the age of 23 to file lawsuits against alleged perpetrators or the institutions where they worked or volunteered for incidents of sexual abuse dating back potentially decades.

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

Priest sexual abuse probe could involve more clergy, police say

FREELAND (MI)
Michigan Live

March 2, 2018

By Michael Kransz

The criminal probe into a Freeland priest accused of sexually assaulting two men could expand to encompass nearly a half dozen other area clergy, if sexual abuse allegations police are hearing prove credible, investigators say.

“We are getting tips on other priests,” said Tittabawassee Township Detective Brian Berg. “I would imagine when we verify some of the information we’re getting, that other priests will be under investigation.”

Berg stressed the allegations of sexual abuse involving five to six other area priests haven’t been verified. If they are, an official investigation will launch, the detective said.

Erin Looby Carlson, a spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, reiterated the diocese will cooperate with law enforcement investigations.

Tips and allegations of sexual abuse have flooded Berg’s department following the arrest of 71-year-old Rev. Robert DeLand Jr.

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

N.J. priest on leave after sex abuse allegations surface from time as Staten Island teacher in 1980s

STATEN ISLAND (NY)
Staten Island Advance

February 27, 2018

By Paul Liotta

[Includes informative portfolio of photographs.]

A New Jersey priest, who worked in Staten Island schools for more than 20 years as a layman, was put on a leave of absence Sunday after sexual abuse allegations connected to his time in the borough surfaced.

Rev. Patrick Kuffner “has been accused by three individuals of sexual abuse while they were minors,” according to a letter from Bishop James F. Checchio of the Diocese of Metuchen.

The allegations stem from Kuffner’s time as a layman and teacher on Staten Island more than 30 years ago, according to the letter.

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

In Vatican Magazine Exposé, Nuns Reveal Their Economic Exploitation

NEW YORK (NY)
New York Times

March 1, 2018

By Elisabetta Povoledo

Rome – Sister Marie told of nuns who worked long hours to cook and clean for cardinals and bishops, without being asked to break bread at the same table.

Sister Paule pointed out that many nuns did not have registered contracts with the bishops, schools, parishes or congregations they worked for, “so they are paid little or not at all.”

Sister Cécile said that “nuns are seen as volunteers to have available at one’s calling, which gives rise to abuse of power.”

These stories — told by sisters using pseudonyms — were revealed Thursday in an exposé about how nuns are exploited by the leaders and institutions of the Roman Catholic Church. The article, by the French journalist Marie-Lucile Kubacki, was published in the March edition of Women Church World, the monthly magazine on women distributed alongside the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano.

The stories amount to a distress signal about the unfair economic and social conditions many nuns experience, as well as the psychological and spiritual challenges that many face.

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

Law, politics and media make abuse scandals different in U.S. than Chile

DENVER (CO)
Crux

March 2, 2018

By Christopher White

New York – As Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta returns from his on-the-ground investigation of alleged sex abuse cover-up by Bishop Juan Barros of the Chilean diocese of Osorno, some American Catholics have likened this latest chapter of the Church’s clerical sex abuse scandals to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Following the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team’s devastating coverage in 2002 of years of sexual abuse and cover-up, the U.S. Catholic bishops adopted their Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in June of that year to standardize guidelines for reporting and responding to sexual abuse allegations within the U.S. Church.

Since that time, the American Church’s “zero tolerance” policy for sexual abusers has been considered by many as the standard for other countries to model their own programs. Given the recent controversies of the Barros affair, however, more than a few Catholics have wondered how a similar situation would play out in the United States today-both within the Church and outside of it.

In essence, the answer would seem to be that speaking strictly in terms of internal ecclesiastical procedures, it’s not clear there would be a major contrast between America and anywhere else in a case in which the accusation against a bishop is not abuse itself, but cover-up.

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

Bishop’s Letter to Parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Virgin

METUCHEN (NJ)
Diocese of Metuchen

February 25, 2018

By Bishop James F. Checchio

The following is a letter from Bishop Checchio to parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Virgin regarding the leave of absence of their pastor, Fr. Patrick J. Kuffner.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is with great sadness that I must inform you that your pastor, Fr. Patrick J. Kuffner, has been accused by three individuals of sexual abuse while they were minors. These charges date back more than three decades, to when he was a layman and teaching on Staten Island.

Three law enforcement agencies were initially involved in investigating these claims; two have determined that the statute of limitation has lapsed, the investigation by one agency is ongoing. Since it would not be right or possible for Fr. Kuffner to exercise his pastoral responsibilities toward you with these charges pending, he will be on a leave of absence and cannot function as a priest. I have appointed Fr. David Skoblow to serve as temporary administrator of the parish.

As I am sure you will be, I am deeply shocked and saddened at this development, and I have a heavy heart for the individuals who came forward after many years of having carried such a tremendous burden. With that said, I have rechecked our records and there was nothing whatsoever in the background checks required of all seminarians and priests, or in Fr. Kuffner’s behavior in his two priestly assignments, to suggest he could be capable of such horrendous actions. There has never been any indication of these types of actions during his time as a priest either. I, of course, take these charges extremely seriously.

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

Priest on leave after 3 claim sex abuse that happened decades ago

MIDDLESEX (NJ)
NJ.com

February 27, 2018

By Amanda Hoover

Three people have accused a priest of sexually abusing them as minors in cases that date back decades, to before the man was a priest, the Metuchen Diocese has announced.

In a letter released online Sunday to parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Virgin in Middlesex, Metuchen Bishop James Checchio announced the suspension of Father Patrick Kuffner while an investigation into the alleged abuse ensues.

“I am deeply shocked and saddened at this development, and I have a heavy heart for the individuals who came forward after many years of having carried such a tremendous burden,” he wrote.

The allegations stem from Kuffner’s first career as a teacher in Staten Island and are three decades old, the letter said.

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

Defrocked Long Island priest, sex offender found dead in Saratoga jail

ALBANY (NY)
Times Union

February 27, 2018

By Steve Hughes

Ballston Spa – A former Long Island Catholic priest and convicted sex offender was found dead in his Saratoga County jail cell after an apparent suicide on Tuesday, just days before he was to be sentenced to state prison for molesting a child.

Michael L. Hands, 51, admitted in September to twice molesting a child younger than 17 in July in Charlton.

He was set to be sentenced this week for two counts of third-degree criminal sex act. He faced up to eight years in prison.

Hands met the victim online and cultivated a relationship that ultimately led to the two meeting, where Hands victimized the child, according to Times Union archives.

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

Michael Hands, ex-priest convicted of abusing LI teen, dies in jail

MELVILLE (NY)
Newsday

February 27, 2018

By Zachary R. Dowdy

[Note from BishopAccountability.org: See the Suffolk County Grand Jury Report and the section on Fr. Michael Hands (Priest W in the report).]

Hands’ death comes just days before he was to be sentenced on a new child sex abuse charge.

Michael Hands, a former priest who served prison time for sexually abusing a 14-year-old Long Island boy in August 2000, was found dead of an apparent suicide in his jail cell upstate Tuesday while awaiting sentencing on new sex-abuse charges, authorities said.

A spokesman for Saratoga County said that Hands, 51, formerly of Greenwich, Connecticut was found dead in his cell at the county jail in Ballston Spa at 1:45 a.m. during a routine check of inmates and was believed to have killed himself. Saratoga County officials said an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death.

Hands was a key witness in a 2002 grand jury investigation, conducted by Suffolk County prosecutors, that led to a 182-page report alleging that priests in the Diocese of Rockville Centre abused children over decades. No indictments resulted from the probe, however, and the statutes of limitations for some of the offenses alleged had expired.

The state Commission of Correction, which looks into all in-custody deaths in the state, confirmed it is investigating Hands’ death at the Saratoga jail.

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

March 2, 2018

Abusive priest gave teens booze while leading ski trip, sources say

BUFFALO (NY)
The Buffalo News

March 1, 2018

By Lou Michel and Jay Tokasz

PORTVILLE – The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo made Rev. Norbert F. Orsolits get psychological treatment after receiving a complaint that he had sexually abused a child.

It was after that, Orsolits said, that the diocese assigned him to work for years in the mid-1980s in a rural parish in tiny Portville.

There, he led the church youth group and gave booze to underage boys while chaperoning the nearby Catholic high school’s ski club on a trip to Vermont, according to a former student and some parishioners. During his time in Portville, parishioners say, Orsolits was even charged with driving while intoxicated.

Worshipers at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Portville, where about 1,000 people live, are angry that the bishop in Buffalo never warned them in the mid-1980s that Orsolits had been treated at Southdown Institute, a mental health facility near Toronto, for abusing a child.

That didn’t come to light until this week, when Orsolits admitted to The Buffalo News that he had sexual contact with “probably dozens” of teenage boys.

“Obviously there’s something not connected in his head. There’s a separation from normal thinking,” said Bernard “Buz” Wenke, who worshiped at Sacred Heart while Orsolits preached there. “Somebody that does something like that should not be around children.”

At a news conference Thursday, diocesan officials said Orsolits was sent to Southdown after the diocese had received a complaint of child sex abuse, but they did not specify the dates they received the complaint or when he was treated.

“He was sent away and went to a facility for counseling and some form of rehabilitation to find out whether or not he was suitable for ministry. When he came back with a clean bill of health, advised that he was able to come back and serve, he did serve,” said Terrence M. Connors, a lawyer who represents the diocese.

Orsolits told The News that following his treatment, the diocese assigned him to the Portville church and to teach at Archbishop Walsh High School.

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

Retired Buffalo-area priest admits sexually abusing ‘dozens’ of boys

BUFFALO (NY)
The Buffalo News

Published February 27, 2018; Updated March 1, 2018

By Jay Tokasz and Aaron Besecker

A retired priest from the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo admitted Tuesday he had sexually abused “probably dozens” of teenage boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The Rev. Norbert F. Orsolits made the admission after a South Buffalo man publicly accused Orsolits of abusing him when he was a teenager during a ski outing more than 35 years ago.

Michael F. Whalen, 52, said Orsolits was his parish priest at St. John Vianney in Orchard Park when the abuse occurred.

Orsolits, 78, said he did not recall Whalen. But he described other incidents of sexual contact with teenage boys to a Buffalo News reporter who visited the priest Tuesday afternoon at his cottage home in the Town of Ashford.

He told The News that he was later sent for treatment at a psychological facility in Canada, before the diocese assigned him to work at a small rural church and school. He was removed by the diocese from ministry in 2003.

During a 10-minute interview, Orsolits talked casually of having had sexual contact with teenage boys, saying it had been fueled by alcohol. He admitted to having touched teenage boys sexually and having had them touch him.

He suggested that the contact was consensual and that he was “led on” by some. He also said that he never persisted with any sexual touching if a teenage boy resisted.

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

Sexual abuse allegations against rabbi divide Baltimore’s Orthodox Jewish community

BALTIMORE (MD)
The Baltimore Sun

March 2, 2018

By Alison Knezevich

Many in Baltimore’s Orthodox Jewish community thought the case against Rabbi Steven Krawatsky was closed.

A 7-year-old boy at a summer camp in Adamstown had accused the popular teacher of sexual abuse, and he was suspended from his job at the private Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School in Pikesville. Two other boys later came forward with similar allegations. Frederick County prosecutors said they did not have enough evidence to charge Krawatsky, and by early 2016, “Rabbi K” was back in the classroom, teaching Judaic studies to middle school students.

So it came as a shock in January when Beth Tfiloh fired Krawatsky and banned the 40-year-old father of four from the campus where he worked for nearly 15 years.

There had been no new allegations. Instead, school officials cited explosive details from the three cases published in January by a Jewish newspaper in New York.

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

Latest Statements regarding Father Robert J. DeLand

SAGINAW (MI)
Catholic Diocese of Saginaw

March 1, 2018

Community Gathers at St. Agnes Parish, Freeland
PRESS RELEASE MARCH 1, 2018

SAGINAW — In response to the needs and concerns of the community after criminal charges were issued against Father Robert (Bob) DeLand, a listening session was held at St. Agnes Parish Tuesday evening (Feb. 27) for members of the church and the greater Freeland community. Those gathered participated in a scheduled Stations of the Cross prayer event, and the listening session followed. It allowed those present to share and express deep feelings following the arrest of Father DeLand and the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

Youth were in the parish hall to share their own feelings and concerns. Their listening session was facilitated by the St. Agnes Faith Formation Director, Nicole Bakos, with support from the diocesan Director of Christian Service, Terri Grierson, and the Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the diocese, Mark Graveline, as well as a licensed counselor from Child & Family Services of Saginaw, Windi Sterling, LLMSW.

The listening session for adults was held in the church and facilitated by the coordinator of the Office of Child and Youth Protection for the Diocese of Saginaw, Sister Janet Fulgenzi, OP, PhD.

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Larry Nassar Accused of Sexual Abuse by Male Gymnast

UNITED STATES
The Cut

March 2, 2018

By Madeleine Aggeler

Jacob Moore, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Michigan and former member of the U.S. men’s junior national gymnastics team, has joined a lawsuit against ex–USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Moore is the first male athlete to come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Nassar.

Moore has accused Nassar of sexually abusing him in 2016, when he was only 16 years old. According to the complaint filed this week, Moore says he went to Nassar’s house seeking treatment for a shoulder injury. Once there, Nassar allegedly brought Moore down to his basement, where he proceeded to expose the boy’s genitals to a young female gymnast who was there, and then told him he would treat his shoulder injury “through acupuncture in his pubic area and in and around his genitalia.”

“There is no known medical connection between shoulder pain which can be treated through acupuncture in the area of a male’s genitalia,” the complaint reads.

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Diocese of Ogdensburg to offer compensation to those alleging they were abused by north country clergy while minors

OGDENSBURG (NY)
Watertown Daily Times

March 2, 2018

By Larry Robinson

The Diocese of Ogdensburg is allowing an independent, two-person panel to determine whether financial compensation will be given to those alleging sexual abuse as children at the hands of Catholic clergy across the north country.

The allegations of sex abuse of children date back decades, according to a spokesman for the church.

Catholic officials in Ogdensburg said Thursday that the Diocese of Northern New York has established an “Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program” to assist victims of clergy sex abuse.

In a statement, Bishop Terry R. LaValley said creating the independent reconciliation panel reflects the church’s “contrition to the victims who have reported clergy sexual abuse to the Diocese.”

James Crowley, chancellor and spokesman for the diocese, said the church has reached out to 38 victims. He said those alleging abuse at the hands of clergy received a letter from the bishop last week. He said the abuse allegations go back generations.

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Catholic priest in Indianapolis accused of domestic assault on his wife

INDIANAPOLIS (IN)
WTHR

February 27, 2018

By Sandra Chapman

A man who made history as the first married priest in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis faces six criminal charges tied to an assault last September involving his wife. Court documents state that part of the attack happened in the sanctuary of Holy Rosary Catholic Church where he worked.

According to court documents obtained by 13 Investigates, Father Luke Reese is accused of kidnapping, criminal confinement, battery and intimidation.

Reese is a Parochial Vicar at Holy Rosary Catholic church in Indianapolis, and according to the Archdiocese, has been placed on leave.

The court documents detail an encounter between Reese and his wife on a Sunday afternoon, September 24, when Reese said he found her in the back seat of a car with another man with whom she was having an affair.

The probable cause affidavit states that Reese hit and kicked the man and ordered his wife to leave with him. They left in separate cars and eventually met up together and got into Reese’s car. She told investigators he locked the doors and began hitting her while they were driving.

Investigators say Reese eventually drove to Holy Rosary Catholic Church on the near east side of Indianapolis and forced his wife inside to kneel at the altar. She told officers he demanded her cell phone password. She says Reese physically hit her in the church too.

The affidavit then states the two left the church and she gave up her password.

Investigators say they drove to Auburn, Indiana, where his wife was to “confess” about her adultery to her family members including her 90-year-old grandmother.

Reese’s wife details in the documents that her husband hit her several more times in the car. The grandmother told investigators that she noticed bruising and swelling around her granddaughter’s mouth and eye.

Reese then drove his wife back to Indianapolis, where, according to his wife, he forced her to go to bed while he cut up her clothing. She told officers he viewed her text messages and then sexually assaulted her.

It is WTHR’s policy to not name some assault victims.

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Abuse survivor calls for commission chair’s removal

NEW ZEALAND
Radio NZ

March 2, 2018

By Phil Pennington

A survivor of sexual abuse is calling for Sir Anand Satyanand to be removed as head of the new Royal Commission, after a survivor’s privacy was apparently breached.

He laid a complaint against Sir Anand with the Privacy Commission, only to find that it is legally unable to investigate a Royal Commission.

The man spoke out for the first time on Morning Report this week about the abuse suffered at the hands of a Catholic brother.

RNZ contacted Sir Anand about the survivors’ concerns and expressly asked for their names to be kept confidential.

“Please note we are NOT identifying these men and ask for their names to be held in confidence in this – thus I approach you directly and not through DIA or your office,” the email read.

But that email from RNZ, with the names still included, was then forwarded to staff helping Sir Anand at the Department of Internal Affairs.

The victim and his elderly father, who was also abused at a Catholic college, are campaigning for the Royal Commission to be expanded to cover non-state institutions such as churches.

“The Royal Commission is not a place for anything but absolute truth and openness,” he said.

He told RNZ Sir Anand not only breached the trust and confidentiality required by a Royal Commission but also their privacy by emailing personal details to the department when specifically asked not to do so.

He is calling for Sir Anand to be replaced and has written separately to the Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy asking her to remove the former Governor-General from the Commission.

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Indiana priest accused of kidnapping, battering wife for ‘talking to another man’

INDIANAPOLIS (IN)
The Associated Press/WISH

March 1, 2018

An Indianapolis Catholic priest faces charges after being accused of attacking his wife and holding her against her will.

The Rev. Luke Reese is charged with criminal confinement, kidnapping, domestic battery, battery resulting in injury and intimidation.

Reese locked his wife inside his car at Central Avenue and East 34th Street on Sept. 24 after finding her with another man, prosecutors say. While driving through the city, the 49-year-old slapped and yelled at her while blaring heavy metal music.

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Indianapolis priest accused of kidnapping, battering wife

INDIANAPOLIS (IN)
Dubois County Herald

The Associated Press

March 1, 2018

An Indianapolis Catholic priest faces charges for allegedly attacking his wife and holding her against her will.

The Rev. Luke Reese is charged with criminal confinement, kidnapping, domestic battery and other counts.

Reese allegedly locked his wife inside his car last September after finding her with another man. Prosecutors say the 49-year-old slapped her and later slammed her against a wall at Holy Rosary Church, where he’s an associate pastor.

Reese then allegedly drove her to northeastern Indiana. She told officers he wanted her to tell relatives “what she had done by talking to another man.”

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Local priest accused of violently attacking wife, kidnapping and assaulting her

INDIANAPOLIS (IN)
The Indy Channel (rtv6 ABC)

February 27, 2018

By Rafael Sanchez, Katie Cox

A local priest is accused of terrorizing his wife after he claims he discovered she was having an affair.

Reverend Luke Reese, 49, worked out of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church on Indianapolis’ south side. He was forced to step away from the pulpit on Sept. 27 after he disclosed that he was facing multiple domestic violence accusations against his wife.

Reese is an ordained Anglican priest which means that unlike Catholic priests, he is allowed to be married.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Reese said he discovered that his wife of 25 years was having an affair on Sept. 24.

Reese found his wife and another man in a car together. He demanded the man get out of the car, and when he did not, Reese opened the door and kicked the man in the face, according to the court documents. She got out of the car and into her own, then drove to a park as instructed by Reese, so they could talk.

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Call to smash Sussex ‘abuse’ clergyman’s headstone

ENGLAND
BBC News

March 1, 2018

By Colin Campbell

A relative of a clergyman accused of abusing an 11-year-old boy has called for his headstone to be destroyed.

Canon Dermod Fogarty, who died in 2012, is accused of subjecting Stephen Bernard to a four-year abuse ordeal in a book written by the Oxford academic.

Deirdre McCormack, Canon Fogarty’s next of kin, says the epitaph to a much-loved, wise priest – which she wrote – has been shown to be a “blatant lie”.

Ms McCormack has not yet had a response to her request.

Canon Fogarty worked in the Arundel and Brighton diocese for 67 years.

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Bishop Malone: ‘We are so very, very sorry for the pain of the abuse’

BUFFALO (NY)
The Buffalo News

March 1, 2018

By Aaron Besecker

Days after a retired priest admitted sexually abusing “probably dozens” of teenage boys, the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo on Thursday said it was taking steps to compensate other victims while attempting to address the pain its inaction has caused.

During an afternoon news conference at the Catholic Center downtown, officials announced the creation of a fund to settle claims of alleged sex abuse against clergy in the diocese, a move officials said promotes healing and would offer closure to victims.

“We are so very, very sorry for the pain of the abuse that has happened to you,” Bishop Richard J. Malone said during the news conference, addressing victims. “We’re sorry. I’m sorry. And we want to do everything we can going forward, reaching out to you who have come to us in the past.”

The announcement about the new program came two days after retired priest Norbert F. Orsolits admitted to The Buffalo News he sexually abused “probably dozens” of teenage boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s. But officials said the program had been in the works for months.

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The numerous parishes where Buffalo priest accused of sexual abuse served

BUFFALO (NY)
The Buffalo News

February 28, 2018; Updated March 1, 2018

By Mike McAndrew

The Rev. Norbert F. Orsolits, who admitted Tuesday he had sexual contact with “probably dozens” of teenage boys, was assigned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo to work in numerous parishes between 1965 and 2003, when Orsolits was removed from active priestly duties.

Orsolits was accused Tuesday by Michael F. Whalen, a South Buffalo man, of sexually abusing Whalen when he was about 14 years old in 1979 or 1980. Whalen said he was a student at St. John Vianney parish school in Orchard Park at the time, and Orsolits was a priest there.

Orsolits said Tuesday he does not remember Whalen’s name, but did not deny having sexual contact with him.

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Woman tells cops she had casino mogul Steve Wynn’s baby after he sexually assaulted her

LAS VEGAS (NV)
ABC News

February 28, 2018

By Sabina Ghebremedhin and Bill Hutchinson

Two women have told Las Vegas Police they were victims of sexual misconduct by casino mogul Steve Wynn, including one who alleges she had the billionaire’s baby in a gas station restroom in the 1970s after he repeatedly sexually assaulted her, according to reports obtained by ABC News.

The new allegations against the 76-year-old Wynn — the former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, who President Donald Trump has called a “great friend” — surfaced in the past month, according to Las Vegas Police reports.

Wynn was forced to step down from his gambling and resort empire on Feb. 6 after The Wall Street Journal reported that a number of women claimed he had assaulted or harassed them, including one who received a $7.5 million settlement from Wynn.

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2 massage therapists accuse Steve Wynn of sexual misconduct

UNITED STATES
The Associated Press

March 1, 2018

By Brady McCombs

Two massage therapists have claimed in new lawsuits that casino mogul Steve Wynn used his power to coerce them into sexual acts, making them the latest women to accuse the billionaire of sexual misconduct.

The unnamed 49-year-old woman and an unnamed 36-year-old woman made strikingly similar allegations in their separate lawsuits about what happened during their time as therapists working for Wynn Resorts.

Wynn forced the younger woman into sexual acts about 50 times over the course of about three years starting in 2006, she said in a lawsuit filed Thursday. She says Wynn gave her $400 “tip” after each massage and told her to never to talk about it.

The older woman said Wynn forced her sexual acts about a dozen times in 2011-2012, giving her a $1,000 “tip” after each massage and telling her to never to talk about it, according to her lawsuit filed Wednesday.

Both said the sessions took place in Wynn’s office with the door locked and security officers and dogs outside guarding the room. The women said they declined some of his sexual requests, but said they thought they would be fired if they did not agree to do certain things.

Wynn’s spokesman, Ralph Frammolino, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

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First male gymnast accuses Larry Nassar of sexual abuse

UNITED STATES
BBC

March 2, 2018

An 18-year-old university athlete has become the first male gymnast to say in a lawsuit that he was abused by convicted pedophile Larry Nassar.

Jacob Moore alleged as part of a joint civil lawsuit that Nassar touched his genitals under the guise of treating his shoulder injury with acupuncture.

The court filing came on the same day an Olympic gold medalist sued the US Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics.

Aly Raisman said her abuse “could have been prevented” by team officials.

Her lawsuit, filed in California, claims that both organisations “put their quest for money and medals above” her safety.

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First male athlete sues Larry Nassar over alleged sexual abuse

UNITED STATES
CBS NEWS

March 2, 2018

By Anna Werner

Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman is suing the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics for their alleged role in the Larry Nassar sexual abuse case. In the lawsuit, she claims both organizations could have done more to stop the former doctor’s abuse.

More than 260 women and girls have accused Nassar of sexual abuse.

The suit came on the same day a male victim alleged Nassar abused him in a different lawsuit. Jacob Moore claims he went to the former doctor for a shoulder injury in 2016, and was sexually abused and harassed.

Moore’s sister, Kamerin — who is a former U.S. National Team gymnast — told a court room in January she and her brother were sexually abused by Nassar under the guise of medical treatment.

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WHO IS RICK BUTLER? YOUTH VOLLEYBALL COACH ACCUSED OF RAPING TEENAGE GIRLS HUNDREDS OF TIMES

CHICAGO (IL)
Newsweek

March 2, 2018

By Christina Zhao

A prominent Chicago youth volleyball coach has been accused of raping at least six girls on hundreds of different occasions in the 1980s.

According to a 72-page suit filed to the U.S. District Court of Chicago on Tuesday, Rick Butler used his influence and power to rape young players. The class-action suit, filed by Laura Mullen, one of the alleged victims’ mothers, is seeking $5 million in damages from Butler; his wife, Cheryl; and Sports Performance Volleyball Club in Aurora, the club they own together.

The plaintiff said the rapes occurred in his car, his apartment, his gym, on a train and in many other locations. One young woman claimed Butler impregnated her and forced her to have an abortion after many years of repeated sexual abuse and rape.

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New federal class-action suit against Rick Butler seeks to prevent him from interacting with minors

CHICAGO (IL)
New York Daily News

March 1, 2018

By Christian Red

It’s not enough for Laura Mullen that influential volleyball coach Rick Butler has been banned for life by USA Volleyball, permanently disqualified by the Amateur Athletic Union and indefinitely suspended from participating in any Junior Volleyball Association-hosted or insured events due to multiple women accusing Butler of years-long sexual abuse.

According to Mullen’s attorney, Jay Edelson (who is representing Mullen pro bono), the main objective behind Mullen’s explosive class-action civil lawsuit filed against Butler, his wife Cheryl, and the Sports Performance Volleyball Club and Great Lakes Center Butler started more than three decades ago, is to prevent the Butlers from ever interacting with minors.

“If we can prove our allegations — and we feel good about that — the objective is, we think, that Butler and his wife should not be around kids,” Edelson told the Daily News. “This is not about money.”

Mullen, the lead plaintiff and whose daughter played for Butler at Sports Performance, filed the complaint in Illinois federal court Tuesday. Mullen accuses Butler and his wife of “deceiving parents and youth volleyball players to become members of the Sports Performance Volleyball Club based upon false information and material omissions of fact regarding Defendant Butler’s sexual abuse of underage girls.”

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I’m Talking to My 5-Year-Old Son About Sexual Assault, and It’s Not Too Early

UNITED STATES
PopSugar

March 1, 2018

By Angela Anagnost Repke

[Note: First Published: January 25, 2018]

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were at a weekend gathering with food, friends, and a handful of kids running around. My 5-year-old son — the biggest one at the party — was chasing the other kids while playing Monster. The children ran around the kitchen yelling, “Don’t get me, monster!” and their happy and imagination-filled squeals nourished our souls. But then the cute squeals turned into a worry-filled, “Stop! No!” My son had jokingly tackled a 4-year-old girl. While he didn’t do any damage and genuinely thought they were all just playing, I knew I needed to act immediately.

Any other time, I would have taken my son aside and given him a quick but stern chat about being more gentle when playing with other kids. But this time, in this moment, I felt the heavy responsibility as a parent to do more. The Time’s Up and #MeToo movements have made me much more aware of the importance of teaching both my son and daughter about sexual assault. The courageous women who are using their voices to tell their stories have made me realize that teaching good, decent, and kind behavior starts the second kids are born, not when they’re already in high school. It’s never too early to build that foundation.

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Top Volleyball Coach Raped Girls Hundreds Of Times, Lawsuit Alleges

CHICAGO (IL)
The Huffington Post

March 1, 2018

By Dominique Mosbergen

Rick Butler, a youth coach for decades, has been banned by several sports organizations.

An influential youth volleyball coach is accused in a new federal class-action lawsuit of raping at least six girls in the 1980s on hundreds of occasions.

The Chicago-area coach, Rick Butler, used his position to manipulate young players and sexually abuse them, according to the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago and first reported Wednesday by the Chicago Sun-Times. One victim claimed she was raped repeatedly over several years and was impregnated by Butler, who she said forced her to undergo an abortion.

The 72-page lawsuit seeks more than $5 million in damages from Butler; his wife, Cheryl; and their training facility, the Sports Performance Volleyball Club in Aurora, Illinois. It was filed by Laura Mullen, the mother of a former player who trained under Butler.

The suit accuses Butler and his wife of concealing a history of alleged sexual abuse, as well as attempting to intimidate and discredit Butler’s accusers, several of whom are named in the document. The suit argues that had Mullen and other parents been aware of Butler’s history as an alleged “child sexual predator,” they never would’ve sent their daughters to train with the coach.

Christine Tuzi says in the lawsuit she was 16 when Butler raped her for the first time. He forced her into “hundreds of unprotected sexual encounters” over the next few years, the suit says, until she became pregnant with his child at the age of 19.

Tuzi told the New York Daily News in 2016 that Butler told her to “get rid of it” after learning she was pregnant. According to the suit, Butler took Tuzi to an abortion clinic, and immediately after the procedure, forced her to masturbate him in a hotel room.

Another young woman, Sarah Powers-Barnhard, says in the lawsuit that Butler began raping her when she was 16. She says the coach forced her to watch pornographic films so she could “learn” from them, and would secretly fondle her in public ― sometimes within “just feet” of her teammates.

Many of Butler’s victims were “rising stars” in youth volleyball who saw the coach as an influential someone who could help advance their sporting careers, the lawsuit says.

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Will NY extend statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes?

ALBANY (NY)
Democrat & Chronicle

February 27, 2018

By Natasha Vaughn

Advocates and survivors of childhood sexual abuse renewed their push Tuesday for the state Legislature to pass a bill that would increase the statute of limitations on child-sex-crimes in New York.

The bill, called the Child Victims Act, has received bipartisan support in the Assembly but has been rejected in the Republican-led Senate — where it has never been brought to the floor for a vote.

Supporters, though, were hopeful 2018 would be the year for the controversial measure, in part because Gov. Andrew Cuomo included it in his budget plan for the fiscal year that starts April 1.

“The impacts of sexual abuse are severe and long-lasting, and public policy should reflect a primary interest in promoting healing and facilitating justice,” said Deb Rosen, a child-abuse survivor and executive director of Bivona Child Advocacy Center in Rochester.

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Aly Raisman files lawsuit against USOC, USA Gymnastics over handling of Larry Nassar

UNITED STATES
ABC News

March 2, 2018

By Darren Reynolds

Olympic gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex abuse case.

In the suit filed Wednesday, but announced Friday morning, in Santa Clara County, California, attorneys representing Raisman say the USOC was “aware, at the highest levels of its organization, that Defendant Nassar had molested Olympic and National Team level gymnasts.”

The complaint says Nassar sexually abused Raisman at the Karolyi Ranch National Training Center in Walker County, Texas, at national and international competitions and during the London Olympics in 2012.

ABC News reached out to the USOC and USA Gymnastics for comment, but have not yet heard back.

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Vatican investigator meets survivors of Marist abuse in Chile

CHILE
The Associated Press

February 28, 2018

Archbishop Charles Scicluna held the meetings after recovering from emergency gallbladder surgery

The Vatican’s sex crimes investigator interviewed several victims of sexually abusive members of the Marist Brothers religious order Tuesday, suggesting that his mandate has expanded beyond investigating alleged abuse cover-up by a lone Chilean bishop.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna, tasked by Pope Francis with investigating Bishop Juan Barros, was forced to extend his trip in Chile by several days after having undergone emergency gall bladder surgery.

He and his colleague from the Vatican, Fr Jordi Bertomeu, have taken advantage of the extra time to add more interviews, including with victims of the Marist Brothers.

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Anglican priest David Norton pleads guilty to sexual abuse of boy

LONDON (ONTARIO, CANADA)
CTV London

February 28, 2018

A former Anglican priest pleaded guilty to sexual touching involving a boy under the age of 14 in a London court on Wednesday from incidents in the 1990s.

David Norton still faces further charges from alleged incidents from the 1970s when he was a priest at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church on the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation reserve near London. He was also lecturing at King’s University College.

Police said an investigation has found allegations of abuse involving First Nation boys, starting in 1977.

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Married Catholic priest from Houston accused of attacking wife

HOUSTON (TX)
KTRK

February 28, 2018

By Jessica Willey

A married Catholic priest who was ordained in Houston is facing felony charges, accused of attacking his wife for more than 18 hours.

Reverend Luke Reese, 49, was ordained at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham near Spring Valley in 2016. He then moved to Indiana where police say last September, he kidnapped, beat and terrorized his wife of 25 years.

Reese is a former Anglican priest who is now of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, a Houston-based Catholic religious order for former Anglicans in the United States. As such, they are allowed to be married. Reese and his wife had seven children.

According to court records, after he learned his wife was having an affair, he kidnapped her, “driving her all over the city,” “hitting her, yelling at her and blaring heavy metal music.”

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Michigan bill spurred by Nassar scandal concerns Catholic Church

LANSING (MI)
The Associated Press

February 27, 2018

By David Eggert

A Michigan bill inspired by the Larry Nassar scandal that would retroactively extend the amount of time child victims of sexual abuse have to sue their abusers is drawing concerns from the Catholic Church, which has paid out billions of dollars to settle U.S. clergy abuse cases.

Michigan Catholic Conference spokesman David Maluchnik confirmed Tuesday that extending the statute of limitations is “of concern” to the church’s lobbying arm, but he withheld further comment until the bill’s impact could be fully reviewed. He said the group supports other parts of a 10-bill package introduced Monday, including a measure that would add more people to the list of those who must report suspected abuse to child protective services.

A state Senate panel quickly passed the bills later Tuesday, a day after Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Jordyn Wieber and other Nassar accusers and victims helped unveil the legislation.

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More victims of St Coleman’s paedophile priest Fr Finnegan come forward

NORTHERN IRELAND
The Belfast Telegraph

March 1, 2018

More victims of paedophile priest Fr Malachy Finnegan have come forward after a BBC investigation into about his abuses.

Last month a BBC Spotlight programme revealed Father Finnegan, a former teacher at St Coleman’s College in Newry, had been accused of sexual abuse by 12 people.

The programme reported the allegations were reported to police in 1996, but he was not interviewed before his death in 2002.

He was employed in the college from 1967 until 1987, serving as a teacher from 1973 until 1976, and as president of the college from 1976 until 1987.

The Diocese of Dromore said it had been aware of the 12 allegations against its former teacher, with the first coming to light in 1994, and a second allegation being made in 1998.

No further allegations were made until after his death.

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Vatican sex abuse investigator wraps up his mission in Chile

SANTIAGO (CHILE)
The Associated Press

March 1, 2018

The Vatican’s sex crimes investigator has ended his mission in Chile, and Roman Catholic officials say he plans to deliver a report to the pope on a Chilean bishop who has been accused of ignoring sex abuse by a priest.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna closed his visit Wednesday with a message expressing gratitude for “the welcome of the Chilean people” and also thanking abuse victims for meeting with him.

The statement came a day after Scicluna interviewed several victims of sex abuse by members of the Marist Brothers religious order, a development that suggested his mandate had expanded beyond looking into allegations of a cover-up by Osorno Bishop Juan Barros.

Victims of pedophile priest Fernando Karadima have said that as a priest Barros witnessed and ignored the abuse. Barros denies that.

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Council of Cardinals considers creating regional tribunals for sexual abuse cases

VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter

February 28, 2018

By Joshua J. McElwee

The group of cardinals advising Pope Francis on reforming the Vatican bureaucracy has considered how the Catholic Church can speed up its investigations of clergy sexual abuse cases, discussing as one possibility creation of regional tribunals to deal with a backlog of pending inquiries.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said at a Feb. 28 briefing such tribunals were “one of the options” considered by the Council of Cardinals at its latest Feb. 26-28 meeting, but that the matter had not yet been decided.

Burke emphasized that final authority for abuse cases would still rest with the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is known to have a backlog of some 1,800 cases to investigate.

“It is not the simplest thing in the world,” the spokesman said about how to handle the backlog. “There are various options being studied.”

Beyond abuse cases, Burke said the Council of Cardinals also continued discussions on how there could be a “healthy decentralization” of authority across the wider Catholic Church. The spokesman said the prelates focused for some time in their latest meeting on the “theological nature” of the world’s episcopal conferences.

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Lawsuit filed against haredi Orthodox school in Jerusalem alleges physical and sexual abuse

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL)
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

February 28, 2018

A lawsuit filed against a venerated haredi Orthodox elementary school in Jerusalem alleges physical and sexual abuse within the institution.

The lawsuit was filed last week in Jerusalem Magistrates Court against Talmud Torah Kaminetz by a former student who is now an adult. He was assisted in preparing and filing the lawsuit by Din Ve’Cheshbon, a haredi organization that is fighting against sexual abuse cases and institutional coverups within the haredi sector.

Talmud Torah Kaminetz is held up as a standard-bearer in the Lithuanian stream of the haredi education system.

The lawsuit names a teacher, the principal and the institution as defendants. The incidents began about 18 years ago when the alleged victim was 9 years old and in the third grade.

A teacher who tested the students privately in Torah and other religious subjects allegedly repeatedly pinched the student’s private areas during the testing sessions. When the student started to skip the sessions, the principal allegedly called him to his office, where he would hit the boy, sometimes with a stick. On one occasion, according to the documents, it was with such force that the stick snapped in two.

In sixth grade, the student told a rabbi at the school about the incidents. The following day his mother received a call from the school accusing the child of spreading lies about the rabbis in the school. The mother said she was also told that she should be grateful that her son was accepted to the prestigious institution, even though the family is of Sephardic descent, and that if they continued to complain the boy and his brothers would be expelled from the school.

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OPINION: Accused child rapist Malka Leifer must face charges

AUSTRALIA and ISRAEL
The Age

February 28, 2018

By Alex Lavelle

Natural justice demands that everyone deserves the presumption of innocence, and that it must be tested in a court. Natural justice also dictates that alleged victims of crime have the opportunity to be heard in court. In the extraordinary case of a former Melbourne school principal facing 74 charges of rape and other sexual abuse of young girls, natural justice has been unacceptably perverted for a decade.

Dual Australian-Israeli citizen Malka Leifer, who had been in charge of the Adass Israel School, fled to Israel with her husband and their eight children, and with the financial and logistic help of leaders of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community exclusively served by the school, within hours of the first allegations emerging. She lived with relative impunity until finally being arrested in 2014. She was released on bail after arguing she suffered anxiety and extreme panic attacks.

Thus began a legal strategy that many, including The Age, view with scepticism; every time she was scheduled to face extradition proceedings, her lawyers claimed she was too mentally ill to stand trial. Her case was frozen in 2016, after a judge said she was unfit to stand trial. But she was again arrested last month, with police arguing she was faking her mental illness, after undercover surveillance footage showed her living what appeared a normal daily life in an ultra-Orthodox West Bank settlement.

However, hopes she will finally face justice have been frustrated yet again. Despite a comprehensive psychiatric report stating she is well enough to face trial, her lawyer has delayed extradition, for the moment, on a technicality – that Jerusalem’s chief psychiatrist did not sign the report, and that the defence team has had insufficient time to study it. The report was prepared by two psychiatrists who have been observing Ms Leifer since her latest arrest two weeks ago at the urging of Australian officials.

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Archbishop, as Vatican sex abuse investigator, wraps up his mission in Chile

CHILE
The Associated Press

March 1, 2018,

The Vatican’s sex crimes investigator has ended his mission in Chile, and Roman Catholic officials say he plans to deliver a report to the pope on a Chilean bishop who has been accused of ignoring sex abuse by a priest.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna closed his visit Wednesday with a message expressing gratitude for “the welcome of the Chilean people” and also thanking abuse victims for meeting with him.

The statement came a day after Scicluna interviewed several victims of sex abuse by members of the Marist Brothers religious order, a development that suggested his mandate had expanded beyond looking into allegations of a cover-up by Osorno Bishop Juan Barros.

Victims of pedophile priest Fernando Karadima have said that as a priest Barros witnessed and ignored the abuse. Barros denies that.

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Failing to report child abuse would be a felony under bills approved by Senate panel

LANSING (MI)
MLive

February 27, 2018

By Emily Lawler

Note: This story has been changed to reflect that the proposed changes to the criminal statute of limitations are not retroactive.

An employee and mandated reporter who fails to report suspected child abuse would be guilty of a felony punishable by up to two years in prison under a package of bills approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

The bills, announced on Monday, are a reaction to the case involving ex-MSU Dr. Larry Nassar, who pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree criminal sexual assault. More than 250 women accused him of molesting them, and some told authority figures who failed to report their allegations.

As proposed, the package would have taken the punishment for an employee and mandatory reporter who failed to report child abuse or neglect from a 93-day misdemeanor to a 1-year misdemeanor.

But an amendment from Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, took the punishment up to a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and/or a fine of $1,000 to $5,000. For volunteers who are mandatory reporters and don’t report, it would be a one-year felony and/or fine of up to $1,000.

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St. Cloud Diocese to file for bankruptcy after abuse claims

ST. CLOUD (MN)
The Associated Press

February 28, 2018

The Diocese of St. Cloud plans to file for bankruptcy to help resolve lawsuits involving sexual abuse of minors.

A three-year window that lifted the statute of limitations on past allegations of clergy abuse in Minnesota ended in May 2016. The diocese received 74 civil claims during that time.

Bishop Donald Kettler says Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization is the best way to ensure that money will be distributed equitably to all victims and allow the diocese to continue normal operations. The St. Cloud Times reports he didn’t give a date for the filing.

St. Cloud is the fourth diocese in Minnesota to seek bankruptcy protection. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the dioceses of Duluth and New Ulm have also filed for bankruptcy amid abuse claims.

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The videos that show alleged Melbourne child sex abuser living ‘normal, healthy’ life in Israel

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL)
The Guardian

March 1, 2018

By Oliver Holmes

Private investigator who collected more than 200 hours of footage following Malka Leifer says videos build case for extradition

An Israeli private investigator has shared videos with the Guardian he says show alleged child sex abuser Malka Leifer living a “normal, healthy” life despite being declared unfit to be extradited to Australia.

Tsafrir Tsahi collected more than 200 hours of footage of the former school principal who is living in Israel but wanted in Australia on 74 counts of suspected sexual assault and rape at a Jewish ultra-Orthodox girls school in Melbourne.

Tsahi’s material has now been handed over the police, who subsequently conducted their own investigation and have since rearrested Leifer on suspicion of “obstruction of justice”.

“I put a crew there who would watch her from morning to evening,” said Tsahi. Deploying a surveillance team in the occupied West Bank settlement where Leifer lives, Tsahi says he has built a case that proves she is “a normal, healthy person”.

“We learnt she was speaking on the phone all day long,” said Tsahi, whose investigators disguised themselves as construction workers to track the woman in December.

One day, they saw her take the bus for a one-hour journey to a suburb in Tel Aviv where her children live.

“We followed her there because it was very important to see that she can go to the post office, she can go to the butcher, she can go to buy clothes, she can meet her kids there. She buys them things. They come to visit her on the weekend.

“She has a problem now because the videos show she is a normal person. She can’t go back again to being someone who cannot function,” Tsahi said.

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Former Catholic priest convicted in Bee County child rape case, sentenced to 60 years

CORPUS CHRISTI (TX)
Corpus Christi Caller-Times

March 1, 2018

By Eleanor Dearman

A former South Texas Catholic priest, convicted Wednesday of raping a 13-year-old girl less than a decade ago, will likely spend the rest of his days behind bars.

A Bee County jury sentenced Stephen Tarleton Dougherty to 60 years in prison for aggravated sexual assault Thursday, prosecutor Terry Breen confirmed. The trial began Feb. 20, he said.

He’s eligible for parole after half that sentence is served and must pay a $10,000 fine. The maximum punishment in the case was 99 years or life.

Dougherty, 61, was indicted in Bee County in June 2016.

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Vatican sex abuse envoy returns with more than he expected

SANTIAGO (Chile)
The Associated Press

March 1, 2018

By Nicole Winfield and Eva Vergara

[Note: For the Spanish language version of this article, see El experto del Vaticano en abusos sexuales parte de Chile]

The Vatican’s leading expert on clerical sex abuse wrapped up his fact-finding mission to Chile on Thursday and headed to Rome to brief the pope, concluding one of the most extraordinary months in the Catholic Church’s long-running saga of coming to terms with priests who rape children and the church hierarchy that protects them.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna plans to present not only a report about Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of witnessing their abuse and ignoring it. Scicluna is also bringing back testimony from Chilean victims of other abusers in the Marist Brothers, Salesian and Franciscan religious orders and how their accusations were mishandled, confirmation that the Chilean Catholic Church has a very big problem on its hands, and to date hasn’t handled it very well.

“In those situations that seem pertinent, Monsignor Scicluna will provide the respective background to the Holy See,” said the spokesman for the Chilean bishops’ conference, Jaime Coiro.

Expectations in Chile are high that something has to change, and that the problem isn’t just about Barros and Francis’ 2015 decision to appoint him as bishop of Osorno, Chile over the objections of many Chilean bishops. Barros had been a top lieutenant to Chile’s most prominent predator priest, the Rev. Fernando Karadima, but he denies victims’ accusations that he witnessed and ignored their abuse.

Victims say the Barros affair is merely emblematic of a culture in the Chilean church to cover-up for abusers, give them minimal sanctions or move them around rather than adopt the “one-strike-and-you’re-out” policy adopted by U.S. bishops after the sex abuse scandal erupted in Boston in 2002.

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March 1, 2018

Call for public inquiry into clerical sex abuse

NORTHERN IRELAND
Daily Mail

March 1, 2018

Amnesty International has called for a public inquiry into clerical sex abuse in Northern Ireland.

It follows revelations of abuse by Fr Malachy Finnegan, former president of St Colman’s College in Newry.

Fr Finnegan, who died in 2002, was accused of sex abuse by 12 people.

Amnesty’s Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said: “To date, clerical abuse victims here have been let down, not just by the church, but also by the authorities.”

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Amnesty International UK: Press releases

NORTHERN IRELAND
Amnesty International UK

March 1, 2018

Northern Ireland: Amnesty calls for clerical child abuse inquiry following latest revelations
Amnesty International has called for Secretary of State Karen Bradley to set up a public inquiry into clerical child sex abuse in Northern Ireland following revelations of abuse by Father Malachy Finnegan, former president of St Colman’s College in Newry.

Fr Finnegan, who died in 2002, was accused of sex abuse by 12 people. Victims claim that police in Newry were alerted to the allegations in 1996 but failed to interview the priest. The police say that a formal complaint was never made, but they did receive a report of historical abuse.

Amnesty maintains that the Fr Finnegan abuse scandal is the latest in a litany of such cases, and have again called for a full public inquiry which the human rights organisation first made in November 2012.

Reviews by the Catholic Church’s own safeguarding body have revealed that more than 100 priests in Northern Ireland are alleged to have been responsible for child abuse since the mid-1970s.

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Former youth pastor in Parker charged with sexual abuse of 3 underage girls

PARKER (CO)
KDVR

February 27, 2018

By Michael Konopasek

A former youth pastor at Crossroads Community Church in Parker was arrested Tuesday on complaints in Denver and Parker that he sexually assaulted three girls.

Crossroads leadership said the suspect, 35-year-old Joshua Clemons, was placed under arrest at Restoration Community Church in Denver where he was employed.

During a meeting with congregants on Tuesday night, Crossroads officials said the alleged abuse happened while Clemons was working as a youth pastor at the Parker campus.

Clemons was employed with Crossroads from 2006 to 2015. The alleged victims are high school-aged, according to Crossroads.

Church leaders admit they were told in December 2016 that Clemons had been in a relationship with an 18-year-old former youth group member after he left the church in 2015.

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More on #ChurchToo — Our expanded Q&A with Jimmy Hinton on sexual abuse in churches

OKLAHOMA CITY (OK)
The Christian Chronicle

March 1, 2018

By Bobby Ross Jr.

‘Survivors care for and support one another because they feel abandoned and betrayed by the church,’ Hinton says.

For Jimmy Hinton, there was no question: He had to do the right thing, even though it meant turning in his own father.

In 2011, a woman confided to Hinton that his father, John Hinton — who spent 27 years as the preacher at the Somerset Church of Christ in Pennsylvania — had sexually abused her when she was a young girl.

That report prompted an investigation that resulted in the pedophile preacher, now 69, pleading guilty to sexually assaulting and taking nude photographs of four young girls, ages 4 to 7.

While his father serves a 30- to 60-year sentence at a state prison, Jimmy Hinton works to create awareness far beyond Somerset.

In an interview with the The Christian Chronicle, Hinton discussed social media advocacy, the sexual abuse problem and steps churches can take to prevent abuse:

Question: How has social media changed the overall landscape for survivor recovery, advocacy and activism?

Hinton: Social media can make survivors visible and feel validated where they are otherwise emotionally invisible and silenced. In the past two years, I’ve seen more survivor support groups cropping up, which encourages me that they are finding alternative avenues for help.

Survivors care for and support one another because they feel abandoned and betrayed by the church. They understand each other because they all know the depth of wickedness that was perpetrated on other survivors.

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Woman Claims Pastor Abused Her As A Teen. He Continued Working With Youth For Years.

SEATTLE (WA)
The Huffington Post

February 28, 2018

By Carol Kuruvilla

Jennifer Roach wants to spark a conversation about how Protestant churches handle clergy sex abuse allegations.

A Washington woman is claiming she was molested by an evangelical youth pastor decades ago ― and that even though she told church leaders about the abuse, the man has enjoyed a long career in ministry ever since.

Jennifer Roach is a 47-year-old Anglican deacon and mental health therapist from Seattle. She said that in the mid-1980s, she was sexually abused by a pastor at the former First Baptist Church in Modesto, California. Roach said that when she brought up the accusations to the church community, she was first met with doubt and then pressured into forgiving her abuser.

Years later, Roach said she’s been inspired by the viral #MeToo movement and the related #ChurchToo movement, hashtags that people have used to demonstrate the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment.

“Seeing that anybody even understood or cared about this issue is incredible,” Roach told HuffPost about the #MeToo movement. “Those people were so few and far between for my entire adulthood, and it’s probably been that way forever.”

Roach hopes that speaking up about her experience now will contribute to the ongoing conversation about how allegations of sexual abuse are handled in American Protestant churches.

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Outcome for church abuse victims unclear after bankruptcy announcement

ST. CLOUD (MN)
St. Cloud Times

March 1, 2018

By Stephanie Dickrell

The outcome for victims of clergy sexual abuse as minors is uncertain after an announcement Wednesday the Diocese of St. Cloud plans to file for bankruptcy.

The diocese received more than 70 new claims of abuse after a state law temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for civil claims of sexual abuse against minors.

Other dioceses across the country have filed for bankruptcy facing similar sexual abuse claims, and outcomes for victims have varied, said Jeff Anderson. His firm, Jeff Anderson and Associates, specializes in civil litigation for victims of child sexual abuse.

His firm and Michael Bryant, a Waite Park lawyer of Bradshaw & Bryant, represent the vast majority of people with claims against the diocese.

The diocese reported 74 additional claims in 2016. Previously, the diocese had seen less than a dozen cases. The claims named 31 clergy members who served in the diocese and 30 parishes.

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Coach Raped Teens While Wife Bullied Victims, Lawsuit Claims

CHICAGO (IL)
Daily Beast

February 28, 2018

By Olivia Messer

“Because I can.”

When one of Rick Butler’s young victims first asked why he was assaulting her, that was his answer, according to a new bombshell class-action lawsuit filed against the coach.

Butler was for years considered “most powerful coach in youth volleyball,” according to the 72-page complaint, which alleges that he used his position to rape at least six underage girls “hundreds” of times.

Butler, who had “the ability to place the teenage girls he coaches at top college volleyball programs,” even impregnated one of his alleged victims, the complaint claims.

“The victims were each at the top of their game; rising stars in need of a coach to propel them to the next level and help get them a scholarship to an elite college,” claims the lawsuit, which was first reported Tuesday by The Chicago Sun-Times. The complaint additionally notes that Butler used that “leverage” over the girls and their parents to manipulate them.

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Birmingham youth pastor fired amid child sex abuse charges

TUSCALOOSA (AL)
ABC3340

February 28, 2018

By James Franklin, Emma Simmons, and Jennifer Gonsoulin

A 36-year-old youth pastor is charged with sex abuse of a child under the age of 12 and second degree sodomy, according to Tuscaloosa authorities.

Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit says a 14-year-old told deputies that Christopher Cody Stutts sexually assaulted her over the past 3 years. Investigators found probable cause on Monday and Stutts is now being held on $40,000 bond.

Stutts was a part-time youth minister at Westwood Baptist Church in Birmingham. Church leaders tell ABC 33/40 he was terminated from that position after they learned of his arrest.

Pastor Steve Potts says they are blindsided and are addressing the situation.

“The people you think would never do something like that — may be responsible for things that may be shocking…He was just a very pleasant person, Very friendly. Not over the top. Seemed to have a heart to care for the kids…We saw no hint of this,” said Potts.

Christopher Stutts also passed a criminal background check. He was hired August 2017 as a part-time youth minister. His part-time status came with limited duties. Pastor Steve says Stutts taught youth on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. He and his wife also provided activities for the children.

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FRANCIS ACTS TO SPEED UP PRIEST SEX ABUSE CASES

VATICAN CITY
The Tablet

February 28, 2018

By Christopher Lamb

Pope Francis and his group of cardinal advisers are examining proposals over how to speed up the Church’s handling of priest sex abuse cases.

One option being considered by Francis’ cabinet – known as the C9 – is the creation of courts around the world to help deal with a huge backlog that has overwhelmed the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the body that deals with them.

The proposal for the new tribunals would see them work under the direct supervision of the Vatican and would help tackle the 1,800 cases still waiting to be processed.

C9 member Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the Archbishop of Boston and the president of the Pope’s child protection commission, has now been tasked to work on the proposal.

During a lunchtime briefing with reporters on Wednesday, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke explained the creation of courts was one of the proposals being considered and that the prime objective is reducing the time that cases take.

Since 2001, the Vatican’s doctrine congregation has had responsibility for canonically assessing all cases of priests accused of abuse, examining claims for their credibility and then recommending courses of action against a priest including laicisation or removal from public ministry.

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Church still refuses to provide answers on priest charged with having child porn

MASCOUTAH (IL)
Belleville News-Democrat

March 1, 2018

By Kaley Johnson

Almost two months after a Mascoutah priest was accused of possessing child pornography and drugs, parents and church members say they’re frustrated they haven’t received answers from the Belleville Catholic Diocese.

Specifically, they want to know whether any local children were abused — and to what extent the diocese knew about the Rev. Gerald Hechenberger’s troubled past when they assigned him to Mascoutah.

The community also asks why the diocese won’t provide answers.

“I’m going to raise some difficult points which I’m certain I’ll be chastised for within this small community,” former Holy Childhood member Kevin Kraljev said. “Hechenberger is a meth addict busted with 16 counts regarding child pornography — and he worked about 200 feet away from Holy Childhood School where my sons attended years ago.”

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At least 19 Buffalo priests publicly linked to sex allegations

BUFFALO (NY)
The Buffalo News

February 28, 2018

By Aaron Besecker

The Rev. Norbert F. Orsolits isn’t the only priest in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo who’s been publicly accused of inappropriate sexual conduct.

At least 19 priests who worked in the Buffalo area have been publicly accused in recent decades, according to a search of The News archives.

Some were arrested. Some were named in lawsuits. Some were accused of wrongdoing outside of Western New York.

They represent a fraction of the priests who have been the targets of complaints privately filed with the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

In 2004, the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo said 93 complaints alleging sexual abuse had been lodged against 53 clerics in the diocese since 1950. The diocese has refused to identify most of those men. At the time, those about whom complaints had been filed represented 2.6 percent of all clerics who served between 1950 and 2002.

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Vatican studying ways to speed up sexual abuse cases

VATICAN CITY
Reuters

February 28, 2018

By Philip Pullella

Pope Francis is studying how to speed up the handling of allegations of sexual abuse by clergy, the Vatican said on Wednesday, after a high-profile case in Chile put a new spotlight on the scandal.

The topic was a main point of discussion in three days of meetings between the pope and a group of nine cardinals from the around the world who gather four times a year at the Vatican to discuss reform, Church finances and other issues.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said they had discussed “various options” to shorten procedures in cases of abuse.

They are currently handled by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the Vatican’s doctrinal department.

Burke said that among the options discussed was to decentralize procedures by setting up regional tribunals that would hear cases under the auspices and guidance of the CDF.

The CDF hears canonical cases, applying Church laws that could lead to the defrocking of accused priests if found guilty. The Church procedures are distinct from criminal procedures in civilian courts in places where the crime is committed.

Cardinal Sean O‘Malley of Boston, the city where the worldwide crisis of sexual abuse first exploded, and a key adviser of the pope, is studying the decentralization proposal.

The proposal followed intense criticism of the pope for defending a bishop in Chile accused of covering up sexual abuse.

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Senior South Korean cleric apologizes after priest accused of attempted rape

SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA)
Reuters

February 28, 2018

By Heekyong Yang

One of South Korea’s top Roman Catholic clerics made a public apology on Wednesday after a woman parishioner complained that a senior priest had attempted to rape her, as criticism over the incident grows.

The global anti-harassment movement, #MeToo, has only slowly taken off in South Korea, where discussion of sexual misconduct has long been taboo, and gender equality was ranked 118th among 144 nations by the World Economic Forum last year.

Archbishop Kim Hee-joong is the most senior church official to comment after Suwon diocese, 40 km (25 miles) south of Seoul, the capital, suspended the priest last week over the alleged rape attempt during a religious mission to South Sudan in 2011.

“The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Korea somberly offers apologies to the victim and her family as well as those whom we have disappointed over the clerical sex abuse,” Kim, the head of the body, told a news conference.

The priest could not immediately be reached for comment. Reuters could not ascertain contact details for the woman.

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Alleged victims tell police Freeland priest had history of sexual abuse

FREELAND (MI)
MLive

February 28, 2018

By Michael Kransz

Investigators say nearly half a dozen people have come forward with stories of alleged sexual abuse, attempted or otherwise, at the hands of a Mid-Michigan priest charged this week with sexual assault.

Some of the new allegations against the Rev. Robert DeLand Jr., 71, date back nearly three decades, and all of them involve people who were minors at the time and accessed through DeLand’s role as a priest, said Tittabawassee Township Detective Brian Berg.

Apart from one female, most of the alleged victims are male, Berg said.

“We want to encourage these victims to know that we’re going to hear them, we’re going to listen and we’re going to leave no stone unturned,” Berg said. “No one is going to stand alone in this anymore.”

In addition to victim statements, Berg said police are receiving “dozens and dozens” of tips about the Freeland pastor since his arrest Sunday night, Feb. 25, at his Saginaw Township condominium on Mallard Cove.

“We’re trying to get our hands around the enormity of it and put it into some kind of logical order,” the detective said.

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Diocese says counselor available at Mass after priest accused of sexual abuse

FREELAND (MI)
MLive

February 28, 2018

By Michael Kransz

A counselor will be present for each Mass this weekend at the Freeland church whose priest was recently accused of sexually assaulting a man and a teen.

“She’s just there to listen, and if she can offer any help she will,” said Chris Pham, a spokesperson with the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw.

The counselor, Sister Janet Fulgenzi, is a clinical psychologist and the diocese’s victim assistance and safe environment coordinator. Masses this weekend are at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Fulgenzi and other counselors heard concerns and offered support to parishioners Tuesday evening, Feb. 27, at St. Agnes Church.

The meeting Tuesday came a day after the church’s priest, 71-year-old Rev. Robert DeLand Jr., was charged with three felonies related his alleged sexual assault of a 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old male in his Saginaw Township condominium.

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OPINION: Lessons on #MeToo from the strange case of Ryan Seacrest

WASHINGTON (DC)
The Washington Examiner

February 27, 2018

By Emily Jashinsky

Roughly one month after the start of the #MeToo movement last fall, an unspecified allegation of sexual harassment surfaced against Ryan Seacrest, leveled by a former personal stylist. In publicly announcing the allegations, Seacrest denied any misconduct, referring to her complaint as “reckless,” but pledged to cooperate with an investigation.

On February 1, E! News announced the end of its outside counsel’s investigation into Seacrest. The Associated Press reported the network’s inquiry found “insufficient evidence” to support the accuser’s claims. Four days later, Seacrest published an op-ed in The Hollywood Reporter headlined, “What Happened After I Was Wrongly Accused of Harassment,” calling the ordeal “gut-wrenching.”

But then on Monday, Variety published a detailed report about the allegations based on interviews with Seacrest’s accuser, Suzie Hardy, who claims the popular television host harassed her from 2007 to 2013. Hardy’s allegations are specific, often tied to dates and events, and corroborated in some cases by others with knowledge of their working relationship.

Hardy, who was interviewed thrice by E!’s investigators, believes the probe was rigged, saying, “I felt like by the third interview, it was obvious the investigator was whitewashing it for Seacrest’s side.” She also claims four witnesses who would corroborate the claims were not interviewed and disputes asking for any money.

This story is strange, but instructive.

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S. Korea Catholic church says ‘devastated’ by sex abuse scandal

SEOUL
AFP via The Straits Times

February 28, 2018

South Korea’s Catholic hierarchy on Tuesday (Feb 27) said it was “devastated” by allegations that a priest had tried to rape a woman, after she came forward to join the country’s burgeoning #MeToo movement.

The Catholic Church has been rocked around the globe by years of damaging clerical sex abuse cases as well as cover-ups by senior church officials who often ignored victims and protected predators.

Until now the church in South Korea had largely avoided such scandals.

But earlier this month, a female congregant took the rare step of appearing on television to accuse a priest of sexually abusing her in 2011, sparking widespread fury.

Announcing she was inspired by the global #MeToo movement to go public, Ms Kim Min Kyung said the unnamed priest sexually abused and tried to rape her during a volunteer mission in South Sudan.

On Tuesday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK) issued an apology – the second from church leaders in the last three days – while a top archbishop said the priest had been removed from his parish pending an investigation.

“All bishops leading the South’s Catholic church, myself included, have been left shocked, baffled and devastated by this incident,” Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee Joong, the president of the CBCK, told reporters, bowing deeply and apologising to the victim, her family and those left angry by the case.

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Gymnasts Say Michigan Too Easy On Sex Predators; New Nassar Probe

LANSING (MI)
Dearborn Patch

February 27, 2018

By Beth Dalbey

Education Department launches new Title IX probe on university’s handling of Nassar scandal as gymnasts say Michigan goes easy on predators.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is launching a Title IX investigation into Michigan State University’s handling of sexual abuse complaints against former sports medicine doctor Larry Nassar. DeVos announced the investigation Monday, the same day some Nassar abuse survivors — including 2012 Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Jordyn Wieber and Rachael Denhollander, the first gymnast to publicly accuse him — asked lawmakers in Michigan to pass sweeping reform of laws they say do little to stop child sex predators.

During Nassar’s recent sentencing hearings, many of the more than 265 girls and women who have accused him said Michigan State officials ignored repeated complaints that he was molesting them under the guise of medically necessary treatments. Repercussions have reverberated not only across Michigan State, but also USA Gymnastics, where Nassar was a team doctor for elite gymnasts, and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Public outcry also led to the resignation of Michigan State’s longtime president, Lou Anna K. Simon, in January. The NCAA, Michigan attorney general’s office and Congress also are investigating.

DeVos said the new investigation led by the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights will look at systemic issues in the university’s handling of the Nassar complaints and whether it was in compliance with Title IX federal requirements on the reporting of sexual crimes committed on college campuses. The Education Department already had open inquiries into MSU’s compliance with Title IX rules.

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Catholics, ACLU push back as Michigan bills to protect children from sex assault advance

LANSING (MI)
Detroit Free Press

February 27, 2018

By Kathleen Gray

A Senate panel unanimously passed a package of 10 bills Tuesday geared toward protecting children from sexual assault, but the vote belied some concerns about the bills from both the Michigan Catholic Conference and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Included in the bills is an extension of the statute of limitations for both civil and criminal cases of sexual assault against children to 30 years beyond a person’s 18th birthday. And the sticking point for the two groups is that the bill makes that extension retroactive for civil cases back to 1993.

“There are constitutional implications on the retroactivity on the statute of limitations,” said Kimberly Buddin, an attorney with the ACLU of Michigan. “This makes illegal an act which was legal when it was committed. … And the Supreme Court has held that increasing statute of limitations retroactively is a violation.”

While the Michigan Catholic Conference supported the bulk of the bills, David Maluchnik, spokesman for the conference, said it still has concerns about the retroactivity.

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Police warning people to be on alert after fake rideshare driver arrested in serial sex attacks

LOS ANGELES (CA)
ABC News

February 28, 2018

By Bill Hutchinson and Jennifer Harrison

An arrest made in a series of sexual assaults in Southern California allegedly by a man posing as a rideshare driver prompted authorities today to warn people to be on alert and double check the car they hailed.

The warning came a day after the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed a 27-count complaint against Nicholas Morales, 44, stemming from the sexual assaults of at least seven women he allegedly lured into his car by masquerading as rideshare driver.

Morales, who is married and lives in Santa Clarita, California, is being held on $10.3 million bail, prosecutors said.

“There may be people out there who are potentially seeking victims who use these agencies. People just need to be alert about the cars they get into, especially when they’ve been to a club and they’ve been drinking,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Guillermina Saldana told ABC News.

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Lawsuit claims Google failed to prevent sexual harassment

SAN FRANCISCO (CA)
Engadget

February 28, 2018

By Daniel Cooper

Loretta Lee, a former rising star at the company, recounts tales of serial sexual harassment.

Google’s allegedly hypermasculine internal culture enabled serial sexual harassment of a female engineer, according to a new lawsuit. Loretta Lee, a developer at the search engine between 2008 and 2016 asserts that she was the subject of constant groping, touching and inappropriate conduct. Worse, is that Google, intentionally or negligently, allegedly failed to tackle her complaints, which left her feeling isolated and unprotected. Her performance suffered and she was fired at the start of 2016, even though the documents say that she was considered an excellent performer and a rising star in the company.

Lee claims that she was subject to harassment on a near-daily basis, including her colleagues making lewd comments about her. In addition, she asserts that her drinks were spiked with whiskey, her desk was regularly pelted with balls and she was sent messages by male colleagues asking if she wanted a “horizontal hug.” Another reportedly showed up at her home, unannounced, with a bottle of liquor and then refused to leave when asked.

Just before her dismissal, a male employee is said to have hid underneath her desk and, when she approached, jumped out. The desk-lurker then exclaimed “you’ll never know what I was doing,” leading Lee to believe that they may have installed surveillance equipment. A day later, and another co-worker is alleged to have toyed with her breasts in public, which led to a prolonged discussion with HR, although officials found the claims “unsubstantiated.”

The document then explains how Lee’s fear of being cast out was coming true, as colleagues would no longer approve her work. That, in turn, led to her being labeled as a poor performer and her eventual dismissal. Lee alleges that Google has a problem with identifying and properly tackling sexual harassment in the workplace. She is looking for in excess of $25,000 in damages for wrongful termination and discrimination,

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‘Bro Culture’ Led to Repeated Sexual Harassment, Former Google Engineer’s Lawsuit Says

SAN FRANCISCO (CA)
Gizmodo

February 28, 2018

By Kate Conger

Loretta Lee, a software engineer who worked at Google for seven years before being fired in February 2016, is suing Google for sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination she says she experienced at the company. Lee says in her lawsuit that the company’s “bro-culture” led to continuous harassment and that Google did nothing to intervene.

Lee’s lawsuit follows more than six months of Google grappling with the fallout from a memo written by a former employee, James Damore, in which he argued that women were biologically less fit for careers in tech than men. Damore’s memo, which was published by Gizmodo in August, received both support and condemnation from other Google employees and spurred internal debate about sexism, racism, and diversity within the company.

Throughout her time at Google, Lee was routinely sexually harassed, according to her lawsuit. She says her male coworkers spiked her drinks with alcohol and shot nerf guns at her regularly, and she says one male coworker messaged her to ask for a “horizontal hug.” At a holiday party, Lee’s lawsuit says, a male coworker slapped her across the face while he was intoxicated.

In one particularly alarming incident detailed in Lee’s lawsuit, she says she found a male coworker hiding under her desk when she returned after a short break. He refused to say what he was doing, the lawsuit says. “The incident with the co-worker under her desk unnerved her. Plaintiff [Lee] had never spoken to that co-worker before. She was frightened by his comment and believed he may have installed some type of camera or similar device under her desk,” the lawsuit says.

Google’s human resources department pressured Lee during a series of meetings to make a formal complaint about the incident, she says. But she was frightened that a complaint would only generate retaliation from her coworkers, she says—and video had emerged of the incident, her lawsuit states, so she didn’t think that she should be required to make a complaint. When she refused, HR cited her for “failing to cooperate,” her lawsuit states. Lee says she finally relented and made a complaint, which Google then failed to investigate, the lawsuit states.

Lee’s male coworkers retaliated against her after the complaint, her lawsuit says. They refused to approve her code and stalled her projects, she says, making it more difficult for her to succeed at work.

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Google’s ‘bro-culture’ meant routine sexual harassment of women, suit says

SAN FRANCISCO (CA)
The Guardian

February 28, 2018

By Julia Carrie Wong

Former employee alleges she was subject to ‘lewd comments, pranks and even physical violence’ on daily basis

Google has a “bro-culture” that allowed the daily sexual harassment of a female software engineer, a new lawsuit from a former employee alleges.

Loretta Lee, who worked for Google from 2008 to 2016, filed suit this month against the Silicon Valley giant for sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and wrongful termination in California state court.

In the complaint, which was first published by Gizmodo, Lee alleges that she was subject to “lewd comments, pranks and even physical violence” on a daily basis, including having male colleagues spike her drinks with alcohol, shoot Nerf balls at her, send her sexually suggestive messages and, in one case, slap her in the face.

Lee was especially disturbed by an incident when she found a male co-worker on all fours beneath her desk and “believed he may have installed some type of camera or similar device under her desk”, the complaint states. The suit alleges that Google’s treatment of Lee was “consistent with a pattern and practice of ignoring sexual harassment in the workplace, making no significant efforts to take corrective action, and punishing the victim”.

“We have strong policies against harassment in the workplace and review every complaint we receive,” said Ty Sheppard, a Google spokesman, in a statement. “We take action when we find violations – including termination of employment.”

Lee’s is the latest in a string of lawsuits that have targeted the company over workplace issues involving harassment, speech and diversity over the past year, and especially since an internal controversy over James Damore’s controversial memo about gender burst into the open in August.

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Sean Kirst: A vulnerable child, an abusive priest – and lasting scars

BUFFALO (NY)
The Buffalo News

February 28, 2018

By Sean Kirst

What Michael Whalen remembers, when he thinks back on it, is the orange jacket.

He wore it almost 40 years ago, along with a pair of children’s snowpants, when the Rev. Norbert F. Orsolits, a priest at St. John Vianney in Orchard Park, took Whalen and two other boys on what was supposed to be a weekend ski trip to the Bluemont Ski Area in Yorkshire, south of Buffalo.

Whalen’s family, at the time, didn’t have a lot of money. When you had a coat, you kept it until you outgrew it. At Bluemont, the staff attached one of those tickets for a ski lift to the zipper.

Whalen, now 52, said he was wearing the orange jacket when Orsolits began sexually abusing him in a cottage not far from the ski area, a cottage where Orsolits still lives. Whalen saw no choice except to keep using the jacket in the months afterward, despite the memories it unleashed.

He could not bring himself to explain to his mother what it meant.

“I thought about it every time I saw that ski tag,” Whalen said.

Tuesday, Whalen went public in Buffalo with his account of being abused by the priest when Whalen was “13 or 14 years old.” He was accompanied at his news conference by Robert Hoatson, a former priest who advocates for abuse survivors. Whalen immediately braced himself for cynics, for people who would remember some of his struggles in life and insist he was lying.

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February 28, 2018

Two police officers sentenced for sexually assaulting women while on duty

LOS ANGELES (CA)
The Independent

February 27, 2018

By Jeremy B White

‘I’ve gained a lot of unnecessary hatred for law officers, and I’ve gained so much regret for not being able to fight back,’ victims says

A pair of former Los Angeles police officers were sentenced to 25 years behind bars after pleading no contest to charges of sexually assaulting multiple women.

Luis Valenzuela and James Nichols abusing their authority to prey on vulnerable women, luring them into their car and warning of repercussions if they did not perform sex acts on them, prosecutors from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said.

The abuses often occurred when the pair was on duty, they told Los Angeles County Superior Court.

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Providence’s Fr. McGrath Allegedly Had Naked-Boy Photos: Police

NEW LENOX (IL)
New Lenox Patch

February 19, 2018

By John Ferak

New Lenox Police told Patch on Friday that Father McGrath refused to cooperate with their investigation of him.

Father Richard McGrath, who abruptly retired in December as president of Providence Catholic High School, will not face criminal charges regarding allegations involving his cell phone, New Lenox Police Chief Bob Sterba told Patch on Friday afternoon. New Lenox Police spent the past two months investigating McGrath, 71.

The Augustinian Catholic priest had served as either the high school principal or president of Providence Catholic since the mid-1980s. In December, Providence announced McGrath’s retirement effective immediately and school officials removed all photos and biography material of Fr. McGrath from their school’s website at that time.

New Lenox’s police chief told Patch on Friday that McGrath refused to be interviewed by the New Lenox Police Department about the recent ongoing probe. McGrath also refused to provide the detectives with his cellular phone, the device that allegedly contained inappropriate images.

Patch obtained the entire 14-page police report surrounding the investigation of McGrath. According to the key events, on Dec. 8 a girl who was at a Providence High School wrestling match approached an adult affiliated with Providence Catholic. The adult told New Lenox Police how the girl “came back (and) she was visibly shaking.” The adult asked the student “what was wrong and (the student) said that she had just seen Father Richard McGrath’s phone, which he was looking at, and there was a naked boy on it,” New Lenox Police reports state.

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Queens teacher removed from yeshiva post amid child molestation accusations

NEW YORK (NY)
New York Daily News

February 24, 2018

By Reuven Blau and Christina Carrega

A veteran yeshiva teacher was removed from his position as prosecutors continue to investigate accusations that he sexually assaulted a little girl for over a year, the Daily News has learned.

Stanley Kleinman was arrested in December for molesting a then 11-year-old’s breast and vagina with his hands and inserted his finger inside her body on more than two occasions, according to the criminal complaint.

Kleinman, 62, is a fifth grade Jewish studies teacher at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway and is better known as Rabbi Yisroel Kleinman.

“He’s an excellent teacher,” said Yakov Bender, dean of Darchei Torah, where Kleinman is employed for 30 years.

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Opinion: It’s Time For The #MeToo Movement To Start Talking About Children

UNITED STATES
Forward

February 26, 2018

By Sara Kabakov

hen the #MeToo movement began, I watched, stunned. While in despair to learn of so many high profile predators using their power to intimidate and abuse women, I was also exhilarated; finally the world was opening its blind eye. Maybe my daughters will be able call out men who try to sexually intimidate them, and be believed.

But there was also a place inside me that could not feel anything, an empty place with no words, and no sound. A place I inhabited when I was a child, alone, trapped with a terrible secret, with no solution I could see, for getting out.

When I was 13 and 14 years old, a student rabbi in my community repeatedly molested me. He told me that if I told, no one would believe me and I would be blamed. And he was right. When I did tell, I was blamed. The well-meaning adults in my world were not attuned to the signs of sexual abuse, and did not know how to respond.

Tragically, the number of children who are at this moment, living through the imprisonment of child sexual abuse I did, is staggering. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, every eight minutes, Child Protective Services substantiates or finds evidence for a claim of child sexual abuse.

That is one hundred and eighty times a day.

Worse still, many cases of sex abuse are unreported, meaning this astronomical number is just a drop in the bucket; the scope of this problem is astounding. Meanwhile, groundbreaking studies of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) show the lifelong deleterious health effects on children who have endured physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

MeToo has taught us the importance of listening to adult survivors. Now we must apply the same principle to children when they disclose abuse.

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ISRAELI COURT DELAYS DECISION ON EXTRADITION OF ALLEGED CHILD SEX-OFFENDER

AUSTRALIA and ISRAEL
The Jerusalem Post

February 27, 2018

By Tamara Zieve

Malka Leifer to remain in custody in a psychiatric hospital.

he Jerusalem District Court postponed a decision about extraditing Australian suspected child sex-offender, Malka Leifer, until the end of next month.

Police arrested Leifer earlier this month after an undercover investigation indicated that she had been feigning mental illness to avoid extradition.

The judge ruled on Tuesday that Leifer will remain in custody in a psychiatric hospital until the district psychiatrist can provide an assessment on her state, accepting the defense’s complaint that the new evaluation was not signed by the district psychiatrist, but by two other doctors.

The judge also ordered the prosecution to hand all its evidence to the defense.

A new hearing is scheduled to take place next month.

AFP reported that Leifer’s attorney, Yehuda Fried, told journalists after the hearing that he was confident the debate over whether Leifer could be extradited would take “years.”

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Israeli court told alleged sex offender Malka Leifer is fit to stand trial in Australia

AUSTRALIA and ISRAEL
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

February 27, 2018

By Sophie McNeill

Key points:
– Ms Leifer is accused of faking mental illness
– New psychiatric assessment found Ms Leifer fit to stand trial
– Israel court has further delayed extradition

An Israeli state attorney says a new psychiatric assessment of a former Melbourne school principal wanted on 74 charges of child sexual abuse has found she is fit to stand trial.

But a Jerusalem judge has further delayed Malka Leifer’s extradition hearing, saying her defence team needed more time to review the evidence and that a new medical report had to be signed off by the city’s chief medical psychiatrist.

On February 12, Israeli police arrested 54-year-old Ms Leifer, accusing her of faking mental illness for the past three years in order to avoid extradition to Australia following an undercover police investigation.

Ms Leifer had been the principal of the Adass Israel girls’ school in Melbourne before she fled to Israel after allegations of abuse were first raised against her in 2008.

At the last court hearing on February 14, a judge ordered her to undergo a new in-depth psychiatric assessment.

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Ex-student sues Lake Forest Montessori school over ‘illegal sexual relationship’ with teacher who’s now in prison

LAKE FOREST (IL)
Chicago Tribune

February 27, 2018

By Matthew Walberg

A former student from the Montessori School of Lake Forest has sued the school, saying a teacher engaged in a long-running “illegal sexual relationship” with him that included her sending him nude photographs of herself.

That ex-teacher is now in prison on a conviction of criminal sexual assault of a minor.

The former student filed the suit anonymously in Lake County last week, saying school leaders should have known that his teacher, Celina Montoya, was grooming him, according to a copy of the lawsuit. It claims school officials allowed Montoya to have prolonged periods of time alone with the student, which she used to “manipulate” him into “in an inappropriate and illegal sexual relationship.”

The suit also claims school officials learned of the inappropriate relationship in 2013 but failed to terminate her immediately or report the claims to the Department of Children and Family Services.

A school representative could not be reached for comment.

Montoya, 43 was convicted in 2016 to criminal sexual assault of a child between the ages of 13 and 17 and was sentenced to four years in prison, according to Lake County Circuit court records. She is currently serving time at the Logan Correctional Center near Springfield.

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Monica Lewinsky says MeToo has made her rethink whether she could consent to relationship with Bill Clinton

NEW YORK (NY)
The Independent

February 28, 2018

By Clark Mindock

Ms Lewinsky says that the #MeToo movement has inspired her

Monica Lewinsky says that her perspective on the scandal that consumed her life and the United States in the late 1990s has continued to shift in light of the #MeToo movement, and she now is not sure that she could have consented to a relationship with former President Bill Clinton while she was a White House intern.

In an essay in Vanity Fair, Ms Lewinsky described that evolution — which, in some respects, she describes as a life-long struggle for peace — and how the stories of brave women coming forward in recent months to tell their stories of sexual assault, harassment, or the misuse of power has made her rethink the affair she had with the President of the United States more than 20 years ago.

Ms Lewinsky does not cede her agency in the matter — she has long said that the relationship was consensual, that she was a willing participant. But, she says she is now considering the fact that there was an inherent power differential between a White House intern and the president.

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Rabbi on the Run: CBC News investigates alleged Winnipeg sex offender on the lam [Video]

WINNIPEG (CANADA)
CBC News

February 24, 2018

Winnipeg Rabbi Yacov Simmonds has been on the run for months, after police charged him with sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching. But the story only went public this week, after an investigation by CBC News reporter Kristin Annable. Watch The Investigators Saturdays at 9:30 pm ET and Sundays at 5:30 pm ET on CBC News Network.

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Meghan Markle says women ‘don’t need help to find their voice’ as she urges Royals to harness Time’s Up and Me Too campaigns

LONDON (ENGLAND)
The Telegraph

February 28, 2018

By Hannah Furness

Meghan Markle has said women do not “need to find their voice”, as she urged the Royals to harness the Time’s Up and Me Too sexual harassment campaigns.

She might not yet be a member of the Royal family, but she has joined Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on stage as they set out their charitable vision for the future.

Using her first official platform to argue the Royals should harness the movements to shine a light on women’s voices, Ms Markle said they “need to feel empowered”.

Lining up with William, Kate and Harry as the trio spoke about their Royal Foundation and how it has developed over the years, Ms Markle said: “Women don’t need to find their voice, they need to feel empowered to use it and people need to be encouraged to listen.

“Right now with so many campaigns, Me Too and Time’s Up, there is no better time to really continue to shine a light on women feeling empowered and people really helping to support them, men included in that.”

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Meghan Markle Shows Her Support for #MeToo, Time’s Up and Women’s Empowerment

NEW YORK (NY)
Harper’s Bazaar

February 28, 2018

By Erica Gonzales

“There is no better time to continue to shine a light on women feeling empowered.”

Meghan Markle has a long history of being an ardent feminist (she was battling sexist advertising at the age of 11) and now she’s using her new royal platform to promote women’s rights and women’s empowerment around the world.

During her appearance at the Royal Foundation Forum today (her first official engagement with Kate Middleton and Prince William), the former actress spoke passionately about encouraging women to use their voices, using anti-sexual harassment movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up as examples.

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DENVER MAYOR APOLOGIZES AFTER POLICE DETECTIVE ACCUSES HIM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

DENVER (CO)
Newsweek

February 28, 2018

By Chantal Da Silva

Denver’s Mayor has issued an apology after a veteran police detective accused the politician of sexually harassing her while she was a member of his security detail six years ago.

Denver police detective Leslie Branch-Wise said Mayor Michael Hancock made inappropriate comments and repeatedly sent her text messages during 2012—his first year in office. The detective went public with her allegations in an interview with Denver7 on Tuesday.

In one text, shown to the news broadcaster, Hancock complimented Branch-Wise’s haircut and wrote: “You made it hard on a brotha to keep it correct every day.”

In another message, the politician told Branch-Wise “you look sexy in all that black,” after spotting her on television in the crowd at a Denver Nuggets game.

The veteran police detective said the mayor also sent her an inappropriate message about pole dancing: “So I just watched this story on women taking pole dancing classes. Have you ever taken one? Why do women take the course? If not have you ever considered taking one and why? Your thoughts?”

Branch-Wise said she did not respond to the mayor’s provocative messages, but alleged he kept going, writing: “Be careful, I’m curious. LOL!”

When asked how she interpreted the text message about pole-dancing, Branch-Wise said it signalled that Hancock did not respect her as an employee.

“It was a hard time in my life,” Branch-Wise said. “I didn’t have anyone to tell, I didn’t have anyone to talk to. That’s my boss,” Branch-Wise told Denver7.

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Retired priest admits to sexually abusing boys

BUFFALO (NY)
WGRZ

February 28, 2018

A local, retired priest has admitted to sexually abusing dozens of boys.

BUFFALO, NY – A retired priest from Western New York has admitted to The Buffalo News that he sexually abused dozens of boys.

Reverend Norbert Orsolits tells the paper the sexual encounters he had with teenage boys were fueled by alcohol.

He admitted to what he did after a South Buffalo man said he abused him 35-years-ago.

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Man says he was abused as teen by Buffalo-area priest

BUFFALO (NY)
The Buffalo News

February 27, 2018

By Aaron Besecker

A South Buffalo man is alleging he was sexually abused by a Buffalo-area Catholic priest when he was a teenager nearly 40 years ago.

Michael F. Whalen Jr., 52, said the alleged abuse occurred during a weekend ski trip south of Buffalo in 1979 or 1980 when he was about 14 years old.

Whalen named the Rev. Norbert F. Orsolits as his abuser. The Diocese of Buffalo on Tuesday would not answer specific questions about the allegations made against Orsolits, but said in a written statement that he was removed from the ministry in 2003.

“Since 1990, the Diocese of Buffalo has had policies to address sexual abuse,” George Richert, a spokesman for the diocese, said in the statement. “Every complaint that we receive is addressed pursuant to a protocol that is designed both to protect children and to respond to victims.”

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February 27, 2018

Middlesex priest accused of sex abuse

MIDDLESEX (NJ)
My Central Jersey

February 26, 2018

By Suzanne Russell

MIDDLESEX BOROUGH – The pastor of Our Lady of Mount Virgin Parish has been accused of sexual abuse by three people when they were minors more than 30 years ago, Diocese of Metuchen Bishop James F. Checchio said in a letter to parishioners Sunday.

Checchio said the Rev. Patrick J. Kuffner is on a leave of absence and the Rev. David Skoblow will serve as temporary administrator of the parish.

The accusations relate to when Kuffner was a layman and teaching in Staten Island, New York, according to Checchio’s letter.

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Catholic sex abuse in Northwest isn’t new. Diocese bankruptcies started here.

BOISE (ID)
Idaho Statesman

February 26, 2018

By Michael Katz

It started in Portland.

The Catholic Church there — as similar allegations spread worldwide — faced accusation after accusation of child sexual abuse by clergy. Then the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland reached financial strain it could no longer withstand.

A total of 54 victims accused Maurice Grammond, a priest who worked at a handful of parishes from 1950 to 1985, of abuse. They sued, costing the church $33.4 million in settlements, according to the Oregonian.

The church eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2004, having paid more than $53 million in settlements, according to The Washington Post. A total of 175 victims alleged abuse from the Portland church; their bankruptcy claims were settled for $75 million in 2007, according to Reuters. In the process, it became the first diocese in the country to declare bankruptcy due to sexual abuse cases.

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Victims of Fr Finnegan urged to come forward

NORTHERN IRELAND
Lurgan Mail

February 27, 2018

Victims of paedophile priest Malachy Finnegan have been urged to come forward after the Diocese of Dromore revealed it was aware of 12 allegations against the former teacher.

Hundreds of boys from Lurgan and the vicinity travelled daily to St Colman’s College in Newry to attend school during the period in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s when Fr Finnegan taught and was President.

Last week parents at four Co Down primary schools have said they do not want the Bishop of Dromore, Dr John McAreavey to officiate at their children’s confirmation after he said Requiem Mass for Finnegan. Bishop McAreavey admitted earlier this month that he had made an “error” by officiating at Finnegan’s funeral in 2002. He described the former teacher’s actions as “abhorrent, inexcusable and indefensible”.

It had been revealed recently that the Diocese of Dromore had settled a claim for sex abuse by Finnegan, who was accused of abusing pupils at St Colman’s College in Newry.

The diocese said it was aware of 12 allegations against the former teacher, who worked at the school from 1967 to 1976. Finnegan was never prosecuted. The first allegation against him came to light in 1994, with the then Fr McAreavey providing pastoral support to the victim, according to the Irish News.

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Bishop Barros testifies before abuse cover-up investigation

CHILE
The Associated Press

February 26, 2018

The bishop is accused of witnessing and covering up abuse. He denies the claims

The Chilean bishop accused of covering up sex abuse by a paedophile priest has testified before a Vatican mission looking into the allegations, a priest involved in the interviews said Friday.

Bishop Juan Barros has been among those interviewed by the team, said Fr Jordi Bertomeu, who has been handling recent interviews in the investigation. But he did not say when the interview occurred, or whether Bishop Barros appeared voluntarily or was summoned.

Bishop Barros has been accused by survivors of witnessing and ignoring the abuse of young parishioners by Fr Fernando Karadima, who was removed from ministry and sentenced to a lifetime of “penance and prayer” in 2010.

Bishop Barros has denied knowing of the abuse.

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Uniting Church mulls asking congregations to fund abuse compo claims

QUEENSLAND (AUSTRALIA)
Starts At 60

February 26, 2018

The Uniting Church of Australia in Queensland has suggested having congregations put more in the collection plate, or church schools hike their fees, to help fund compensation for child sexual abuse victims.

The Courier Mail reported that the Queensland Synod had published a consultation document looking at options for funding claims that may come in in the future, having paid out almost $5 million in just the past 12 months to 31 people who were abused while in the care of the church.

One of the options for funding future compensation could be to ask church members and associated entities such as schools and hospitals to pay a levy to cover future compo claims, the Courier Mail reports the consultation paper as suggesting. The levy could be covered by fund-raising drives by congregations, or an increase in the fees charged by schools, the newspaper said.

Another other option for funding compensation was to sell some of the church’s assets, which includes 19 schools and colleges, numbering among them the prestigious Brisbane Boys College, 250 churches, and four hospitals including the Wesley and St Andrew’s in Brisbane.

A third option would be for the church entity where the abuse occurred to fund the compensation, rather than the synod. The entities attached to the church include UnitingCare Queensland and Wesley Mission Queensland.

The synod referred Starts at 60 to a statement by the Reverend David Baker, who’s the Queensland synod’s moderator, which said that the Courier Mail‘s report was misleading to infer that the church would not be able to meet its obligation to abuse survivors.

“This is categorically not the case,” Baker said in the statement. “We have the resources to meet our commitments to the redress scheme.” Instead, the consultation document was intended to encourage consultation among congregations over future funding options, he said. “No decisions about any of the options have been made, nor are they likely to be made in the foreseeable future,” Baker added.

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