ABUSE TRACKER

Senior pastor Greg Laurie didn’t say why two top leaders at his Riverside, California, church left suddenly in the early 2020s. No one acknowledged pastors Jeff Lasseigne and Brad Ormonde’s absences to the 15,000 people at Harvest Christian Fellowship’s three Sunday services, even though the pair had overseen the church’s in-person pastoral ministry. 

Instead, online bios, teaching videos and Facebook photos quietly disappeared. Some church staffers furtively tried to piece together facts. But when they asked questions, church leaders reportedly scolded them for gossiping and sternly warned volunteers not to talk about it.

But the hushed-up stories tumbled into public view last Friday in a 201-page federal court filing in an ongoing lawsuit against Laurie and Harvest. The March 6 filing consolidated the 23 lawsuits filed by survivors of alleged childhood sexual abuse by another former Harvest pastor, Paul Havsgaard. As reported previously…

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A mother delivered a victim impact statement in federal bankruptcy court in Buffalo last week, alleging that a well-known Diocese of Buffalo priest was connected to her 18-year-old son’s death by suicide in 2017 — the latest development in an ongoing case involving nearly 900 clergy abuse claims against the diocese.

Tracy Waring appeared on behalf of her son, Devin, who died by suicide in 2017. She claims his death occurred just hours after he went to confession with Father Joseph Gatto. Waring declined an interview request about her statement but said the priest “needs to be removed.”

Father Gatto is currently serving as senior vicar at St. Benedict’s Parish in Eggertsville. The Diocese of Buffalo confirmed he has not been placed on leave at this time.

The diocese says Bishop Michael Fisher has implemented its protocol for investigating allegations of clergy sexual abuse, and that the investigation will require…

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Myron Chorbajian and his wife Kathleen face charges for alleged abuses dating back to the 1980s

A former South Carolina pastor named Myron Chorbajian is accused of a range of disturbing child abuse allegations, including sexual abuse, forcing children to eat trash and bury a dog he killed, and other physical abuse. His wife Kathleen Chorbajian is also charged for allegedly knowing about some of the abuse and failing to intervene or report it.

Why it matters

These allegations against the Chorbajians highlight the ongoing issue of child abuse, especially within religious institutions and families, and the need for stronger reporting and accountability measures to protect vulnerable children. The case has also drawn attention to the challenges victims face in coming forward with abuse claims, particularly when the perpetrators are in positions of power and trust.

The details

According to arrest warrants, Myron Chorbajian is accused of sexually abusing his…

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The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, in collaboration with the Cyber Security Authority and National Security, has arrested a pastor in connection with offences involving a minor, including defilement and the production and possession of child sexual abuse materials.

The Director General of CID, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, made the announcement during a press conference on Monday, March 9, providing details of the joint operation and the ongoing investigation.

The suspect, Ebenezer Kondua, aged 45, is the lead pastor at Mahanaim Christian Centre in Ankaful, Cape Coast.

He was apprehended in Waraba, a suburb of Iguasi, during a joint intelligence-led operation in the early hours of March 6, 2026.

Investigations revealed that the suspect operates a Facebook profile under the name Reverend Dr. Kondua, where he presents himself as a trained gynaecologist and international marriage counsellor.

Evidence indicates that in August 2021, he invited a then 13-year-old…

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The case began with a lawsuit filed in 2021 by Darren Liptrot, a former Vancouver College student

A proposed $30-million settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit brought by former students at two Catholic schools in Metro Vancouver.

The agreement would resolve claims against Vancouver College Limited and St. Thomas More in Burnaby, according to a notice of settlement approval hearing.

The settlement was reached without a trial against the defendants and requires approval from the B.C. Supreme Court before any compensation can be paid.

If approved, the settlement will allow former students who attended St. Thomas More between 1976 and 1989 and Vancouver College between 1976 and 2013, and who claim to have experienced abuse by a current or former member of the Christian Brothers, to apply for compensation.

• More stories from Vancouver-South Coast
• Vancouver judge greenlights class-action lawsuit involving Mount Cashel abusers

How…

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Friday Roundup

Last night I was chatting with a friend who grew up in Amarillo, Texas. In a matter of minutes, he rattled off stories of three well-known child sexual abuse cases that were exposed during his growing up years in the Texas Panhandle town. All were so well-known that they were written up in Texas Monthly and other publications.

One involved a millionaire who was a known abuser of teenage boys. Another involved a doctor who took liberties with boys in his care. The third involved a millionaire civic leader who allegedly lured teenagers with drugs and alcohol.

In every case, local residents were shocked to learn the accusations against people they knew and revered. The stories were unbelievable. Yet they were true.

Hearing these accounts made me think of the years of whispering about Paul Pressler and his predilection for nude hot tub time with boys at his ranch. (Why are there always…

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A few paragraphs deep in a sworn statement filed in court last month was a curious admission by the former chief financial officer for the Archdiocese of New York:

The church had been briefed in late 2023 and early 2024 on communications and fundraising by an abuse victims’ advocacy group, the Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation, ex-CFO William Whiston acknowledged, without elaborating.

Since launching in 2023, the group had been publicly savaging the archdiocese’s insurer, Chubb Ltd., attempting to shame it into paying out sex abuse claims filed against the church.

It slammed Chubb in a full-page ad in the New York Times, sent protesters to the Chubb-sponsored US Open, flew a banner over another Chubb event in Florida, launched an anti-Chubb website, and enlisted TikTok influencers to assail the company.

Church leaders had previously denied any ties, and Whiston’s statement repeated they had no role in funding or…

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In a unanimous decision that could have far-reaching implications for religious institutions across the state, the Washington State Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the Attorney General’s Office has the authority to investigate whether the Catholic Church used charitable funds to cover up decades of alleged child sexual abuse by clergy.

The ruling reverses a lower court decision that had blocked the investigation, marking a significant legal victory for Governor Bob Ferguson, who launched the probe in 2023 while serving as Attorney General.

“As a Catholic, the church must do the right thing and engage in a public accounting of how the church handles allegations of child sex abuse,” Ferguson said in a statement. “This ruling is an important win for transparency. I am asking church leaders to reflect and pray about this unanimous court decision and stop fighting this investigation.”

Three-judge panel rejects church’s argument for categorical exemption

At…

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The move is due to pending court cases that could cost the church millions of dollars.

The Catholic Diocese of El Paso has filed bankruptcy to shield itself from massive potential liabilities in cases stemming from priest abuse of children stretching back to the 1950s.

In a filing Friday, the diocese sought chapter 11 bankruptcy, saying it had between $10 and $50 million in assets and owes as many as 200 creditors as much as $10 million. The move to declare bankruptcy while assets outweigh liabilities is due to pending court cases that may cost the church millions more to settle.

“The Diocese of El Paso financial resources are limited,” the Rev Mark Seitz, bishop of the diocese, said in a statement. “Chapter 11 will allow it to compensate abuse survivors through a single court-supervised process.”

The El Paso diocese was one of several church regions hit with…

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[See also Delcourt’s video presentation of the project.]

A major new artwork dedicated to the victims of spiritual and sexual abuse in the church is to be displayed at locations where disgraced priest artist Marko Rupnik’s mosaics are still exhibited. 

Rupnik, a former Jesuit, is accused of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse by more than 20 women, including a number of nuns. His work adorns high-profile sanctuaries in Lourdes in France, Fátima in Portugal, Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil, the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., the Sanctuary of St. John Paul II in Kraków, Poland, and the Vatican.

“Rebirth” is a monumental mosaic measuring 12.5 meters by 4 meters. It was designed by French artist Sister Samuelle, who alleges Rupnik abused her. Between 2008 and 2014, Samuelle lived at Centro Aletti, which Rupnik established in Rome to bring…

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[See also the report – part 1: the analysis and the all-important part 2: the account of credibly accused clergy with the rest of the appendices.]

The Attorney General (AG) of Rhode Island has finally issued his long report on clergy sexual abuse of children in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. He started this study in 2019. It is a long report of 283 pages, with another 371 pages to Appendix A, and 5 in Appendix C. The appendices name some clergy who were credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the diocese. The State lists 72 abusers in Appendix A, with another 11 in Appendix C who lived in Rhode Island yet committed abuse in another location.

The differences between state and church on abusers are clear on that topic. The AG identifies 75 total abusers, while the diocese lists only 55. This is a common feature of Catholic churches,…

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The Diocese of El Paso, Texas, filed for bankruptcy March 6, citing financial strain from claims related to sexual abuse alleged to have occurred decades earlier.

The Chapter 11 filing was triggered by lookback laws in the adjacent state of New Mexico, in former diocesan territory that is now part of the Diocese of Las Cruces.

The case, brought before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in El Paso, involves 12 suits brought by 18 claimants who say they were “sexually abused as minors between 1956 and 1982 in southern New Mexico,” explained El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz in a video statement released in both English and Spanish March 6 and posted to the diocesan website.

Bishop Seitz video statement

In his video statement, Bishop Seitz said he took the decision to file for bankruptcy following prayer, discernment and consultation, “as the financial claims against the diocese far…

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Rhode Island’s attorney general has published a 284-page report on sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence, capping a six-year investigation that began in 2019 through a voluntary agreement with the diocese to survey records stretching back to 1950.

Released March 4, the report identified 75 credibly accused clergy — 61 diocesan priests and deacons, 13 religious order members and one extern priest — who allegedly abused more than 300 victims between 1950 and 2011.

Criminal charges have been brought against four current and former priests, with three awaiting trial amid presumed innocence pending a final verdict.

Also included in the report were specific calls for diocesan and legal reforms to prevent and address clergy sexual abuse.

Responding to the report in a video message provided through the diocesan website, Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski of Providence acknowledged, “What I share with you today is far from new, but each time…

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A priest, a part of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese, has voluntarily agreed to step away from parishes and ministries while the diocese investigates new allegations against him.

Father Joseph Gatto has been the senior vicar for the Northern Erie Family of Churches, including Infant of Prague and St. Aloysius in Cheektowaga, Christ the King in Snyder, St. Benedict Parish in Eggerstville and Saints Peter & Paul in Williamsville.

Bishop Michael Fisher has implemented a protocol for investigating the clergy sexual abuse allegations against Father Joseph Gatto.

Families at St. Benedict’s School in Eggertsville received an email from their principal on Thursday confirming Father Gatto has voluntarily agreed not to engage in any parish, school ministry or active ministry at this time.

Nandor Forgach, a St. Benedict’s School parent, told me about the email and expressed concern about the diocese’s response.

“A lot of people worry that it’s more of the…

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The Boston Globe headline was blunt: “Church allowed abuse by priest for years.”

This massive investigation into sexual abuse by Catholic clergy won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, forcing major newsrooms to cover a scandal that had festered for decades. The shockwaves continued in Boston and, more than a decade later, The Globe began a website — Crux (Latin for “cross”) — to cover Catholic news.

Reporter John L. Allen Jr. was a pivotal figure in that project since he was already an established expert on all the roads that lead to Rome. However, Crux quickly showed that the news was there, the readers were there but the dollars didn’t add up — yet.

Allen got the green light to create an independent Crux, which launched on April 1, 2016. The question was whether he could build a coalition of donors and organizations — the Knights of Columbus,…

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Rhode Island’s AG revealed a pattern of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. A lack of justice and accountability draws similarity with the Epstein files

A sweeping investigation released by the Rhode Island Attorney General has exposed decades of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in the state, identifying at least 75 clergy members accused of abusing more than 300 children since 1950 till 2011.

After a multiyear investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, Attorney General Peter Neronha issued the findings on Wednesday.

Neronha outlined the longstanding pattern in which church officials prioritized institutional reputation over the protection of children.

According to Neronha, it remains difficult to fully understand the extent of the clergy abuse issue in Rhode Island, the smallest state in the union with the biggest Catholic population per capita (almost 40%). He concurred with victims who say that despite the issue…

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Bishop Mark Seitz said nearly 20 lawsuits against the diocese led him to file for Chapter 11 reorganization.

The Diocese of El Paso will file for bankruptcy amid more than a dozen lawsuits over allegations of sexual abuse, Bishop Mark Seitz said this week.

In a message to the Texas diocese on March 6, Seitz said the diocese is facing “18 pending lawsuits” for alleged sexual abuse that occurred between 1956-1982.

The alleged abuse occurred “long before society or the Church was aware of the presence and extent of child abuse taking place within its institutions” and “long before the Diocese implemented the strong child protection policies and practices that exist today to guard against these crimes,” Seitz said in the message, which was accompanied by a video posted to YouTube.

Seitz said he decided to have the diocese file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after consultation with priests and diocesan…

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“If one wishes to learn the teachings of Jesus Christ, they should read the Bible,” Dr. Herbert Brennan said. “If one wishes to understand the Catholic Church, they need only to read this report.”

PROVIDENCE — Almost every victim of sexual abuse by priests feels shame, clergy abuse survivor Dr. Ann Hagan Webb said Wednesday.

“And it’s time for the diocese to feel ashamed,” Webb said after Attorney General Peter F. Neronha unveiled a report detailing how 75 clergy members in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence were credibly accused of abusing more than 300 Rhode Island children since 1950.

“They should be not only responsible legally,” she said. “They should be ashamed [about] the people — the children — that they put in harm’s way.”

In a video response released Wednesday, Bishop Bruce Lewandowski apologized to survivors.

“As the…

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“If only the Diocese over this course of history had taken the approach of that religious sister,” R.I. Attorney General Neronha said, “many children would have been spared this horrific abuse.”

PROVIDENCE — In a scathing new report about clergy who sexually abused children in Rhode Island and the bishops who allowed that abuse to continue, one story stood out: A single nun who pushed back.

The nun not only confronted the priest who had nude pictures in his bedroom and nine “young men” living in his rectory.

She also challenged the bishop who tried to keep her quiet, telling him, “Assurances are not enough. To do nothing is to permit situations to continue.”

The 288-page report released Wednesday identifies 75 clergy in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence who were credibly accused of abusing more than…

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• Watch Bishop Lewandowski’s Video Response in English: https://provd.io/agvideo
• Respuesta en video del Obispo Lewandowski en español: https://provd.io/videofg
• Text of Bishop Lewandowski’s Video Response in English & Spanish: Transcript [PDF]

Diocese of Providence Response to the Attorney General Report

Any abuse of children is an abhorrent sin and a terrible crime. It is a scourge on our society wherever it occurs—in homes, schools, sports, or our religious and civic organizations. When the abuse comes at the hands of clergy who betray their God-given ministry and violate the trust placed in them, it is all the more shocking.
  
The very existence of the Attorney General’s Report is the result of the Diocese of Providence’s unprecedented and voluntary agreement to extraordinary transparency. So, it is critical at the outset to state what the Report is, and importantly, what it is not. Despite how the Attorney General now…

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Many of the accused clergy, which includes priests and deacon, have since died. They worked in 36 Rhode Island cities and towns.

PROVIDENCE — The attorney general’s expansive report on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence included the names of 72 clergy members, including priests, deacons and others, who were credibly accused of sexually abusing children while working for the diocese between 1950 and 2011.

Three others — John Petrocelli, James Silva, and Kevin Fissette — were charged with child molestation during the investigation and are awaiting trial. (A fourth, Edward Kelley, was also charged but died before his trial.)

None of the credibly accused clergy are still working within the diocese, Bishop Bruce Lewandowski said. The report details the accusations against each priest and where they worked during which years. They were spread throughout 36 Rhode Island towns…

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Neronha said that former Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin had repeatedly sought leniency for credibly accused priests, recommending that the Vatican not remove them from the priesthood

PROVIDENCE — For more than two hours, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha stood at a podium, detailing credible reports about the sexual abuse of more than 300 children by priests in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.

And at times during the uncommon news conference, his outrage was palpable.

At one point, Neronha said that former Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin had repeatedly sought leniency for credibly accused priests, recommending that the Vatican not remove them from the priesthood. Rather, Tobin suggested “a life of prayer and penance” for each accused priest, he said.

Neronha ticked off examples — the Rev. Timothy Gordon in 2012, the Rev. Barry Meehan in 2013, the Rev. John Allard in 2013, the…

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Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha is urging state lawmakers to pass legislation that would hold the Diocese of Providence accountable for the actions of the 72 credibly accused priests revealed in his sweeping clergy sex abuse report.

The legislation was introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, whose sister, Dr. Ann Hagan Webb, is a clergy sex abuse survivor.

McEntee’s legislation would specifically establish that institutions, organizations and individuals can be held civilly liable for the negligent supervision or concealment of anyone who sexually abused a minor.

RELATED: AG report details generations of clergy abuse in RI

Her proposal would be retroactive up to 35 years, with a two-year revival window of action beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2028.

“I’ve tried for a long time to secure some form of justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse, and I will continue…

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A report released this week by the Rhode Island attorney general detailed decades of abuse inside the state’s Catholic Diocese of Providence, identifying 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950.

The sound of the school nurse’s office door opening. Light reflecting off a stained-glass window. Tearful outbursts and fear of getting on the school bus.

For many survivors of clergy abuse, memories like these linger for decades.

A report released this week by the Rhode Island attorney general detailed decades of abuse inside the state’s Catholic Diocese of Providence, identifying 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950. The investigation drew on thousands of church records and years of interviews with victims and witnesses. Officials said the true number of victims is likely much higher.

But survivors say the numbers capture only part of the story. Behind each case, they say, are childhood fragments…

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A Guilford County judge set a $750,000 secured bond Monday for a former Vandalia Christian School teacher accused of using artificial intelligence and photo editing software to superimpose his students’ faces onto child sexual abuse material.

Richard Lynn Upright, 56, appeared in court for the first time following his Feb. 27 arrest on 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. A detective testified that investigators ultimately identified 111 confirmed images of child sexual abuse material tied to Upright across seven cyber tips submitted by Google to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

At the hearing, the judge acknowledged the emotional nature of the case but said the bond decision had to be grounded in law and evidence. Citing sentencing guidelines that recommend a secured bond range of $15,000 to $75,000 for a Class E felony — the classification that carries a maximum of 136 months in prison…

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A Canton pastor will spend three years in prison for a crime involving a 13-year-old girl.

Jesse Santos was sentenced by Ashland County Court of Common Pleas Judge David Stimpert Thursday afternoon.

Santos, pastor of Canton Seventh-Day Adventist Church, was arrested in February 2025 and charged with kidnapping, two counts of gross sexual imposition, and endangering children.

In January, Santos entered a guilty plea to the amended charge of abduction.

According to the police report, the crime happened at a campsite in the 3000 block of Ashland County Rd. at River Run Campground in Loudonville in September 2025.

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The Catholic Diocese of El Paso has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing mounting financial pressure from clergy sexual abuse litigation and ongoing operating deficits, according to a court declaration filed by Chief Financial Officer Gregory J. Watters.

The filing, submitted to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas, outlines the Diocese’s financial challenges and requests court approval to maintain operations and borrow new money.

Church officials said the primary reason for the bankruptcy filing is the financial strain caused by clergy sexual abuse claims.

The Diocese currently faces 18 plaintiff claims in 12 pending lawsuits in New Mexico related to allegations of sexual abuse of children by the hands of clergy that happened between 1956 and 1982.

Leaders warn that legal defense costs and potential settlements could reach tens of millions of dollars—far exceeding the Diocese’s available finances.

During a news conference Friday, Bishop Mark…

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The El Paso Catholic Diocese, faced with potential “astronomical” judgments in a dozen lawsuits alleging clergy sexual abuse, filed for bankruptcy reorganization Friday.

The 12 lawsuits involving 18 plaintiffs, filed between 2022 and 2025 in Las Cruces, allege sexual abuse by priests at a number of New Mexico parishes between 1956 and early 1982, when southern New Mexico was part of the El Paso diocese.

“First of all, let me say we don’t see it as a way to duck out of our responsibility,” El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz said in an interview with El Paso Matters. “It’s the only way, with the resources at hand, that we can begin to address this many claimants in an equitable way.”

A 59-year-old Las Cruces man who is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuits said the El Paso diocese is using the bankruptcy process to evade accountability.

“Today, just like in…

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Fresh accusations arise of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in addition to allegations made in 2024.

The Catholic Church in Luxembourg has referred a case of alleged sexual abuse within church structures to prosecutors.

According to a report by the diocese’s abuse officer, the case concerns a priest who allegedly sexually assaulted a minor in a parish in the 1970s. The Vicar General submitted the case to prosecutors.

A similar allegation was also reported to prosecutors in 2024. The alleged abuse took place around 50 years ago in a church-run children’s home.

Since 2010, the diocese has operated an internal service through which victims of sexual abuse by clergy or other diocesan staff can come forward.

Martine Jungers serves as the contact person and the church’s internal delegate for prevention.

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The Yandell v. Kanakuk lawsuit will proceed after requests for the case to be transferred to the Missouri Supreme Court, despite dismissal at the appellate level. The case was brought by former Kanakuk camper Logan Yandell in 2022 against Kanakuk Ministries and other related entities, who Yandell alleges engaged in fraudulent behavior.

Yandell claims members of Kanakuk leadership knew about extensive and pervasive sexual abuse committed by serial child sex abuser Pete Newman, who victimized Yandell and numerous other campers, but intentionally failed to make this knowledge known to survivors and their parents.

Yandell’s lawsuit, along with others that have come against the camp in recent years, alleges this information was left out of conversations to induce a settlement agreement with his family and avoid bringing the matter to trial, making the agreement fraudulent.

The original lawsuit was dismissed last January after Christian County Judge Raymond M. Gross ruled the claims had exceeded the…

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While the prosecution called eight people to testify against Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston in a court case alleging he concealed his late father’s sexual abuse of a young boy during the 1970s and shielded him from criminal prosecution, his wife, Bobbie, revealed that the defense could find no one except her husband to testify as a witness to his innocence.

“The Crown Prosecution presented eight witnesses. Our Defense presented one – Brian Houston. All evidence was heard, all evidence is recorded,” Bobbie Houston shared in an Instagram update on the case earlier this month. “Now the case is adjourned till June for oral & written summaries, final arguments & then the Magistrate alone will rule.”

The court hearings took place across 13 days in December.

The Hillsong Church founder’s wife of nearly 46 years said she vowed to her husband last year that if no one else…

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A former senior pastor at a Nampa church has entered into a plea agreement in a case involving child pornography charges.

Matthew Masiewicz, 53, was arrested in September and charged with 13 felony counts involving child sexually exploitive material: six for distribution, six for possession and one for generating “visual representation” using Artificial Intelligence.

Masiewicz, who was a pastor at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Nampa, originally pleaded not guilty to all counts. But on Feb. 5, he signed an agreement to plead guilty to three counts of distributing child sexually exploitive material and one count of possession, according to online court records.

Each count of distribution carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison; each count of possession up to 10 years; and the child porn AI charge could have had a sentence of up to 30 years, according to Idaho state law.

Masiewicz’s bond was…

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Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual violence against children.

Clarification: This story has been updated to reflect the status of the investigation by Tucscon police.

Tucson police are investigating allegations that a longtime member of the Golden Dawn Tabernacle molested a boy in 2012 and the church’s pastor covered it up.

The police investigation comes after the Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism team and the Arizona Daily Star reported that Golden Dawn pastor Isaac Noriega admitted he knew and did not go to police about the alleged sexual abuse of an 11-year-old at the hands of a congregant named Jose Mora, a man who was still in good standing in the church when the newspaper report was published in November.

Mora admitted in an interview with the newspaper team that he touched the genital area and buttocks of a boy from his church. Mora…

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We have learned today that the Court of Appeals, Div. 1, has affirmed the right of the Attorney General of the State of Washington to subpoena the records of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle relating to the clergy sexual abuse scandal.

This decision represents a great victory for survivors and members of the Catholic Church.  For years, Heal Our Church has requested the Archdiocese to make the files available for independent review.  It is only through the process of full disclosure that meaningful healing and authentic reconciliation can be found.  As the Court today indicated, no institution, religious or secular, can claim immunity from an inquiry into allegations of the abuse of minors and the coverup thereof.

It is our hope that the Archdiocese ends this ‘slow walk’ of accountability and cooperates fully with the Attorney General.  Further delays and appeals only serve to raise more questions about the good…

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A new report says Catholic clergy in Rhode Island abused hundreds of children for decades as church leaders minimized the scandal. According to the report, more than 300 children were molested and assaulted by at least 75 different clergy members over 70 years. William Brangham discussed the investigation with Ann Hagan Webb, a survivor of clergy sexual abuse and an advocate for other survivors.

Read the Full Transcript

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Geoff Bennett:

A new report out today says Catholic clergy in Rhode Island abused hundreds of children for decades, while church leaders minimized the scandal.

William Brangham has more.

William Brangham:

Geoff, according to the report, more than 300 children were molested or sexually assaulted by at least 75 different clergy members over 70 years. The abuses documented date back to the 1950s all the way…

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The diocese said it “willingly endured” more than half a decade’s worth of inquiries and records requests from the state government.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha on March 4 released a long-awaited report on child abuse in the Diocese of Providence, one that the diocese says reveals little new and is meant to function instead as a political document.

The investigation, which began in 2019 and culminated in January when Neronha announced its completion, reveals what the prosecutor calls a “scourge of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Rhode Island,” one that has “plagued [the] state for decades, if not longer.”

“Not until now has there been a comprehensive review of this painful chapter in our state’s history, with a view towards offering transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms,” the attorney general said.

The report, published on March 4, includes a review of diocesan child abuse allegations…

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Catholic priests in Rhode Island preyed on hundreds of children for decades, and were protected by bishops more concerned with the church’s reputation than the victims, according to a new report on clergy sexual abuse that echoes findings elsewhere.

The report, released Wednesday by Attorney General Peter Neronha, follows a multiyear investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island.

Neronha said the full scope of the priest abuse problem in Rhode Island — the smallest U.S. state but the one with the highest Catholic population per capita, at nearly 40% — had long remained elusive. He agreed with victims who say not enough has been done to address the problem long after it was exposed in the nearby Boston diocese in 2002.

“If you’re the Diocese of Providence and you’re listening, this is a scandal you need to own and you need to fix,” Neronha told reporters Wednesday. “We can’t slow…

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A new investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, shows that an estimated 75 priests abused more than 300 children since 1950, with the state’s top law enforcement chief warning Wednesday that the scope of the abuse is likely much bigger.

The report was released by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, whose office has been investigating the diocese since 2019.

According to Neronha, the church could be doing more to address child sexual abuse. Yet diocese leaders have pushed back at the conclusions from the report, maintaining there are no “credibly accused clergy in active ministry.”

Here’s what to know about the investigation.

How the diocese handled reports of child abuse

The report described church records as “damning,” declaring that the diocese often failed to take the proper steps to protect children from sexual abuse. While clergy abuse has been widely exposed, up until Wednesday’s report, the scope…

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Diocese of Providence shared personnel files but declined interviews with State Police and AG officials during nearly seven-year investigation

For more than seven decades, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence concealed the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by over six dozen clergy members, according to a long-awaited report released Wednesday by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. 

A total of 72 deacons and priests faced credible accusations of abuse dating as far back as 1950, the 282-page report states. Only 14 of the men listed are still alive. 

Systemic sexual abuse by New England Catholic clergy was exposed over two decades ago. But the AG’s report, which took nearly seven years to complete, pieces together as complete a picture as possible of what happened in Rhode Island, home to the largest per capita Catholic population in the nation. 

“The numbers are staggering, shocking, astounding,” Neronha told reporters during a more…

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Content Warning: This Report contains detailed descriptions of allegations of sexual abuse and other sexual misconduct against children.  The Office of the Attorney General and the Rhode Island State Police urge victims and any other persons with information regarding possible child sexual abuse or related crimes to call the State Police Special Victims Unit’s dedicated clergy abuse hotline at 401-764-0142.

The sordid and shameful history of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church spans generations and has affected communities across the globe.  Despite its small size, our state is home to one of the largest Catholic populations per capita in the country, with over 39% of Rhode Islanders—more than any other state—self-identifying as Catholic. Victims of clergy sexual abuse in Rhode Island have come from every community, every ethnic group, and from all economic and social backgrounds. They are our neighbors, friends, and family members.  Generations of Rhode Island victims, their families, and others…

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Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today published the Office’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence. The report, which describes the Diocese’s handling of decades of clergy abuse, is the result of a yearslong investigation by the Office of the Attorney General, with assistance from the Rhode Island State Police. The investigation began in 2019 when, as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Attorney General and former Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, the Diocese agreed to voluntarily produce internal records relating to clergy abuse dating back to 1950.

“First and foremost, I want to offer my sincerest gratitude to the many survivors of child sexual abuse who came forward to share their stories for purposes of this investigation,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Each survivor we spoke with recounted unthinkable trauma at the hands of trusted religious leaders, and yet what stood out most was…

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Alleged victim reported being sexually assaulted on two occasions between 1996 and 1999, York Regional Police say

A Coptic Church priest from East Gwillimbury has been charged in connection with the historical sexual assault of a minor.

An alleged victim came forward to York Region Police last November to report they had been sexually assaulted on two occasions between 1996 and 1999.

At the time of the assault, the victim was under the age of 16, police stated in a news release.

Investigators have released the suspect’s photograph as they believe there may be more potential victims. 

Michelle (aka Michael) Shafik, 47, has been charged with sexual assault and sexual interference.

None of the allegations have been tested in court. 

A sexual assault includes any non-consensual contact of a sexual nature, police say.

York Regional Police encourages anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a sexual assault to come…

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A former Wake County teacher and youth pastor has been charged with multiple child sex offenses, and his wife, an assistant principal in Wake County, is facing felony drug charges, according to the State Bureau of Investigation.

Holly Springs police, with help from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, served arrest warrants Tuesday for Mikah Douglas Brondyke and Chloe Grace Brondyke. He’s a former teacher at Rolesville High and she’s currently an assistant principal at the high school.

Mikah Brondyke faces numerous charges including four counts of soliciting a child by computer, four counts of indecent liberties with a child, first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and 10 counts of disseminating obscenity.

According to arrest warrants, Mikah Brondyke sent explicit images to an undercover Holly Springs police officer posing as a 14-year-old female.

He is being held in the Franklin County Detention Center on $620,000 secured bail.

Both…

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According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Mikah Brondyke was arrested and charged with sex crimes against children. His wife, an assistant principal, is also facing drug charges.

A former Wake County Public Schools teacher and youth pastor is facing charges after he was accused of sex crimes against children, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Court documents showed that Mikah Brondyke sent explicit videos to a Holly Springs police officer acting undercover as a 14-year-old girl.

Brondyke, 36, was arrested on Tuesday and faces several charges, including: 

• Soliciting a child by computer
• Indecent liberties with a child
• Disseminating obscenity
• First-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
• Felony possession of a schedule 1 controlled substance
• Maintain a dwelling for a controlled substance

Brondyke’s wife, Chloe Bronydke, an assistant principal at Rolesville High School, was also charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled…

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Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha will release on Wednesday findings from a multiyear investigation into child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.

According to the attorney general’s office, the report will detail the diocese’s handling of clergy abuse over decades.

While the smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island is home to the country’s largest Catholic population per capita, with nearly 40% of the state identifying as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center.

Neronha first launched the investigation in 2019, nearly a year after a Pennsylvania grand jury report found more than 1,000 children had been abused by an estimated 300 priests in that state since the 1940s. The 2018 report is considered one of the broadest inquiries into child sexual abuse in U.S. history.

Neronha’s investigation involved entering into an agreement with the Diocese of Providence to gain access to all complaints and allegations of child sexual abuse…

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Mediator and court-appointed neutral Simone K. Lelchuk, Esq., has published a new article in The Judges Journal (Winter 2026) examining the evolving role of court-appointed neutrals in institutional abuse cases and the structural importance of well-designed processes in high-volume, high-sensitivity litigation.

The article, “The Critical Role of Court-Appointed Neutrals in Mass Institutional Sexual Abuse Cases: Why Every Voice Matters,” addresses the continued prevalence of institutional abuse allegations and the need for courts and organizations to respond with greater procedural clarity.

“Abuse affecting institutions across all sectors shows no signs of abating,” Lelchuk writes.

“Although organizations may grow weary of addressing these allegations, they remain an enduring reality that must be met with care and accountability. Reframing the response as an exercise in institutional learning – focused on continuous improvement – can reenergize leadership and strengthen how organizations respond when allegations emerge.”

In the article, she notes:
“Clarity can be a powerful…

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The digital revolution has reshaped childhood across Europe. Social media platforms, messaging applications, online games, and artificial intelligence tools have opened new horizons of learning, creativity, and communication.

Yet alongside these opportunities, a grave and escalating threat has emerged: the sexual abuse and exploitation of minors in digital spaces. What was once confined largely to physical environments now spreads instantly across borders, amplified by technology and sustained by complex online networks.

Recent data from the European Union highlights the scale of the crisis. In 2023, more than 36 million reports of online child sexual abuse material were recorded—the highest number ever documented. A significant proportion of this content has been hosted or detected within European jurisdictions, positioning the region as a central node in the global circulation of illegal material. While improved monitoring systems have increased detection rates, the dramatic rise also reflects the growing sophistication and reach of abuse…

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Mountain View Community Church, a Virginia multisite church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), is coming under scrutiny for employing a man convicted of child sex abuse. Joshua Bowen, who serves as director of the church’s Orange campus, was convicted in 2005 of the statutory rape of a 14-year-old. 

At the time of the offense, Bowen was a 24-year-old teacher, and the victim was a student. Bowen pleaded guilty to second-degree statutory sex offense in exchange for several other charges being dropped. 

According to court documents obtained by The Roys Report (TRR), Bowen was sentenced to 48-67 months and was credited with time served for “confinement…while awaiting disposition in this matter.”

Court documents indicate that the fact that Bowen “voluntarily acknowledged wrongdoing…at an early stage of the criminal process” was a factor in his sentencing, as well as his “good character,”…

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The Brief

• Eric Crawford has resigned as pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Haslet after his son, a registered sex offender, was revealed to have been working at the church and related school.
• The church, which did not immediately name a replacement for Crawford, said they will review their security procedures to prevent a similar event from happening again.
• Caleb Crawford was arrested in late Feb. 2026 for failing to comply with his yearly registration as a sex offender.

A Haslet pastor has resigned after his son, a sex offender, was arrested for failing to register his status and was revealed to have been working at a local school.

Haslet pastor resigns

What we know:

Heritage Baptist Church released a statement on Monday, March 2, announcing that Eric Crawford has resigned his position as pastor at the church.

Crawford had been on leave since late Feb. 2026 after his son, Caleb…

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“This shows what can happen when a community chooses courage over silence. The work doesn’t end here,” Katie Thompson said.

The founding pastor of Heritage Baptist Church has resigned his position after his son, a registered sex offender, was terminated from employment at the church and private school before being arrested recently, according to a statement released Monday afternoon by the church.

Eric Crawford announced his decision Sunday in a move that takes effect immediately.

The church will vote to appoint an interim pastor within the next two weeks, the statement said.

Officials said they also plan to bolster the church’s hiring rules and regulations.

“The church is taking steps to review and reinforce campus procedures and security measures across all ministries,” the statement said.

The steps include auditing background checks when necessary and implementing a new visitor access system, according to the statement. Church officials also said…

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The state Attorney General’s Office can enforce subpoenas to determine whether charitable funds were used to cover up sexual abuse by clergy members, a Washington appeals court ruled Monday.

In May 2024, then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson launched an investigation into the Seattle Archdiocese, the Diocese of Spokane and the Diocese of Yakima, to find out “whether recent reforms publicized by the Church are being implemented and whether they are effective,” according to the appellate court ruling.

However, the Seattle Archdiocese refused to fully comply with subpoenas.

A King County Superior Court judge ruled in 2024 that the attorney general couldn’t force the church to hand over documents. Monday’s decision overturned that ruling.

In the new court opinion, a panel of three judges found the Archdiocese can only seek a religious exemption from specific laws when it’s truly necessary to protect religious freedom.

“This means the AGO’s subpoena is…

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Save Our Buffalo Churches, a parish preservation group in the Diocese of Buffalo, has petitioned the Vatican to investigate the leadership of Bishop Michael Fisher.

The campaign group has announced that it is sending a petition to the Holy See requesting an investigation into Bishop Fisher. The group says it is concerned about what it describes as possible mismanagement of the sexual abuse settlement process and the handling of related information provided to Vatican authorities.

This coincides with the final round of impact statements in the Chapter 11 case brought by survivors of clergy sexual abuse against the Diocese of Buffalo. The third session began on Wednesday, when victim-survivors addressed the court and described the lasting effects that abuse by members of the clergy has had on their lives. The bankruptcy filing was made seven years ago as the diocese faced mounting claims linked to historical abuse.

In a statement,…

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Clergy sex abuse survivors allege court maneuvering delays Archdiocese of Baltimore’s bankruptcy case

Lawyers for Catholic parishes are lobbying in federal court to come up with a process to weed out invalid claims as the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s bankruptcy case continues.

Creditors in the case, including some clergy sex abuse survivors, question the timing of bringing up invalid claims now; their attorney called it pointless since the 462 known, viable claims are worth in excess of $600 million — more than any amount the church is able to pay.

“It’s just delay, delay, delay; more of the same,” said Teresa Lancaster, an abuse survivor, advocate and attorney for the creditors.

“They’re willing for this to go on and on and on,” said Frank Schindler, an abuse survivor and advocate.

Among legal maneuvers dominating the discussion, Baltimore’s Catholic parishes are now seeking to be seen as separate from Baltimore’s…

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The victim was reportedly the daughter of the wife’s cousin.

Operatives of the Ekeki Division of the police command in Bayelsa have arrested a pastor and his wife over alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl in Yenagoa.

The state’s commissioner of police, Iyamah Edebor, confirmed the development to journalists on Monday.

He said the case had been transferred to the gender unit at the police headquarters for proper investigation and possible prosecution.

The arrest, effected during Sunday service, caused confusion as the pastor reportedly fled through a rear door.

He was said to have later presented himself at the police station after his wife was arrested.

Witnesses alleged that the offences occurred within the church premises and at the pastor’s residence.

The victim was reportedly the daughter of the wife’s cousin.

The girl alleged that the incidents occurred while she was sent on errands to deliver local bread, known…

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In short:

A former Riverina gym teacher has been jailed for sexually abusing students in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Victims of Christopher Charles Frost told the court they suffered ongoing trauma as a result of the abuse.

What’s next?

Frost will be eligible for parole in 2027.

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Former Riverina gym teacher Christopher Charles Frost has been sentenced to three years and two months in jail for sexually abusing students in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The 78-year-old Albury resident was sentenced for nine child sex offences against four victims under 16 years of age.

The victims were studying at St Michael’s Regional High School for boys in Wagga Wagga or the Wagga Wagga School of Gymnastics at the time of the offences.

They occurred over a five-year period and involved touching the genitals of three students and the use of force and threats to deter them…

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A Washington State Court of Appeals ruling has cleared the way for the Attorney General’s Office to investigate whether the Catholic Church used charitable funds to cover up allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy.

In a published opinion issued March 2, Division One of the Court of Appeals held that the Attorney General has statutory authority under the state’s Charitable Trust Act to subpoena records from the Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop of Seattle concerning sexual abuse allegations .

The case stems from an investigation initiated by then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson in 2023. The Attorney General’s Office issued a subpoena seeking records related to clergy accused or suspected of sexual abuse dating back to 1940, along with financial and policy documents. A King County Superior Court judge initially quashed the subpoena, ruling that religious corporations were categorically exempt from the Attorney General’s investigative authority under state law.

The Court…

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The Washington State Court of Appeals has ruled that the Attorney General’s Office can investigate whether the Catholic Church used charitable funds to cover up allegations of child sex abuse.

This decision comes after Governor Bob Ferguson, who initiated the investigation as Attorney General, pursued an appeal following an initial court ruling against the office.

“As a Catholic, the church must do the right thing and engage in a public accounting of how the church handles allegations of child sex abuse,” Governor Ferguson said in a release. “That’s why I started this investigation when I was Attorney General. This ruling is an important win for transparency. I am asking church leaders to reflect and pray about this unanimous court decision and stop fighting this investigation.”

The Attorney General’s Office had served a subpoena on the Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop of…

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A reporter ponders on how to repair a religious structure long thought of as good but supported by an evil underside

In 1965, just shy of my junior year at the Jesuit high school of New Orleans, with good potential as an offensive end, I had an epiphany in the muddy slog of August football practice: Why are you doing something you don’t like?

Soon after, I quit, and was trailed by guilt for a dereliction of duty. Jesuit vaunted student achievements of all kinds. I played on the golf team and did some pieces for the school paper. Jesuit fostered a fraternal culture, molding friendships I carry to this day.

For a writer, the Jesuits’ stress on Socratic thinking was a gift. Question seeks answer, answer sparks new questions, yielding synthesis as the wheel of learning turns. Picture cerebral basketball coach Kevin Trower, a layperson teaching Latin, pacing the floor…

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The book unpacks an extensive survey of American priests on everything from burnout to their relationships with their bishops.

In 2022, the National Study of Catholic Priests (NSCP) was released, the largest survey of Catholic priests in 50 years. A new book from the Catholic University of America (CUA) Press, Rebuilding Trust, Clergy Morale in the Wake of Abuse Crisis, invites readers to take a closer look at the results of this survey and its implications, including priesthood in the aftermath of the abuse crisis; the relationship between bishops and their priests; and the well-being of priests serving in the modern world.

The co-authors are staff at the Catholic Project, an initiative out of CUA that aims to be a place where, “laity and clergy can encounter one another and dialogue in a spirit of mutual respect and charity to address the most challenging issues the Church faces today.”…

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Rowan Maxwell Donoghue has admitted historic abuse at St Bede’s College between 1996 and 200

The college first became aware of the offending nearly 20 years ago, and an investigation is underway to review how it was handled.

Rector Jon McDowall’s confirmed the school also knew of allegations against a second priest.

He says the issues are distressing and the school’s focused on responding with clarity, care, and integrity.

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“You look so beautiful,” the pastor wrote his 26-year-old bookkeeper on a party napkin at a church wedding back in 2004.

At the time, Rachel thought he was just being a friend. She wanted to work at Christian Assembly, a charismatic congregation in the northern Virginia suburb of Vienna. The pastor, Denis Roy, then 34, was married with three young children and Rachel trusted him.

[Article continues here.]

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[VIDEO]

The mother of a middle school boy sexually abused by Marcus Kendall Turner is sharing her story of betrayal and recovery. Turner, a former leader at Worship with Wonders Church in Cobb County, was sentenced last week for the 2023 abuse. While the family finds some closure, the mother describes the long-term emotional damage caused by the grooming and betrayal of trust within the church.

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The retired bishop also appeared to dispute certain conclusions made in the report on his handling of the scandal

Justin Welby, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has been seeing a psychiatrist to help him come to terms with his “failure” in handling the Church of England’s abuse scandal.

The 70-year-old stepped down from his position in November 2024, shortly after an independent report exposed how senior Church figures, including himself, had maintained what investigators described as a “conspiracy of silence” regarding prolific abuser John Smyth.

Smyth, who died in 2018 aged 75 without facing justice, subjected over 100 boys and young men to physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks across five decades.

“I’ve been seeing a psychotherapist for a considerable period of time. And a psychiatrist. Very helpful,” the retired bishop admitted.

“It’s not about saying, ‘oh, it didn’t matter,’ or anything like that, quite the reverse – how does…

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The Diocese of Syracuse, New York, has formally closed out its long-running bankruptcy, funding a victims’ trust with more than $176 million to settle claims.

The move concludes a “journey of reparation” begun in June 2020 to “provide compensation for the pain and mistreatment experienced by survivors/victims of sexual abuse at the hands of those entrusted with their care,” wrote Syracuse Bishop Douglas J. Lucia in a Feb. 25 letter to diocesan faithful.

He noted that Chief Judge Wendy Kinsella of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York, had approved the final decree in the nearly six-year case that same day.

The bishop said the diocese had “conveyed its commitment” to the agreed-upon victim’s trust fund, with $76.1 million provided by insurance and $100 million from what he called “our ‘Catholic family’” — parishes ($45 million), the diocese itself ($50) through “a combination of investments and loans,”…

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A longtime Bellaire High School teacher and coach has been arrested in Belmont County following an investigation into the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material.

On Thursday, the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit, alongside the Bellaire Police Department, conducted a search warrant on Rosser Avenue after receiving a tip regarding the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material. As a result of the search, 49-year-old Shawn Mark Valloric was arrested.

“Our Criminal Investigation Unit did a fantastic job. They received the information from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children yesterday, and within less than 8 hours they investigated, gathered enough evidence, and took Mr. Valloric into custody,” Belmont County Sheriff Zusack said.

Valloric was booked into the Belmont County Jail on 10 counts of felony 2 pandering obscenity involving a minor.

Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said no arraignment date has been set yet.

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Survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Syracuse are set to receive a $176.1 million settlement, a judge has ruled.

Judge Wendy Kinsella, who oversees federal bankruptcy cases in upstate New York, said in August that she would approve the plan after hearing from survivors and clergy. The collective compensative payment will be issued through a trust fund.

The diocese later confirmed in a statement that the judge has now formally approved the plan. Bishop Douglas Lucia, who leads the Syracuse diocese, has repeatedly apologised to survivors and said the legal process has been “significant burden” on claimants.

Bishop Douglas has invited survivors of sexual abuse to attend a “Blue Sunday” Mass at the diocese’s cathedral in Syracuse on April 26, to recognise survivors of child abuse.

In 2019, the diocese agreed to a $12,493,093 settlement to compensate victims of child sexual abuse, which was funded entirely through the…

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Police in Dauphin County have charged Michael McMullen in relation to multiple assaults over several decades.

A Dauphin County man is accused of sexually abusing several underage victims over several decades. 

Last November, Susquehanna Township Police charged 68-year-old Michael A. McMullen Sr. with unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and indecent assault of someone under the age of 16. Those charges stem from an incident on Sept. 9, 2025.

At the time, McMullen served as a pastor at St. John AME Church in Lebanon. He was named the Chief Marshall of the First Episcopal District – AME Church last February, according to a post on the district’s Facebook page.

FOX43 has reached out to St. John AME Church and the First Episcopal District for comment on whether McMullen is still associated with the church — but has not heard back as of Thursday evening. 

Following…

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• A former Peoria pastor pleaded not guilty to charges of sending an illicit photo to a minor.
• Michael S. Ritchason is accused of sending a picture of his genitals via Snapchat to someone he believed was a minor.
• Ritchason resigned from his role at Riverside Community Church after being formally charged in December.

The former pastor of a Downtown Peoria church pleaded not guilty Thursday in Tazewell County Circuit Court to charges that he sent an illicit photograph of his genitals to a minor last August.

Michael S. Ritchason, 48, pleaded not guilty to a single count of distributing harmful material to a minor. He is accused of sending a photograph of his genitals over Snapchat to a person he believed to be a minor last August. Ritchason was the former pastor at Riverside Community Church in Peoria, where he resigned from his role last December after he was officially charged.

Ritchason…

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The Brief

• A convicted sex offender who was working a a Haslet school was registered to work in Fort Worth since at least 2021, an arrest affidavit shows.
• The arrest warrant document also states parents told police that several staffers and teachers knew about Caleb Crawford’s status, but were told not to tell parents.
• Crawford was arrested last week for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. His father, the pastor at Heritage Baptist Church, has temporarily stepped down.

Arrest warrant documents reveal the timeline that led to the arrest of a convicted sex offender working for a Haslet church and school after he failed to report his status.

Timeline of the arrest

Timeline:

Caleb Crawford was released from prison in 2018, and was required to register annually as a sex offender with the Fort Worth Police Department.

According to the affidavit, Crawford has reported his work address in Fort…

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Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.

On Thursday, United States District Judge Anna M. Manasco, sentenced Wisam Sharieff, 44, of Euless, Texas, to 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Sharieff was also ordered to pay a $135,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act (AVAA). In June 2025, Sharieff pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sexual exploitation of children, conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, and sexual exploitation of children.

In October 2025, Sharieff’s co-defendant Blake Miller Barakat, also known as “Hamna,” 50, of Shelby County, Alabama, was sentenced to 840 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. Barakat was also ordered to pay a $30,000.00 AVAA special assessment. In June 2025, Barakat pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children,…

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Conviction comes over two years after Jewish community fired him following allegations of abuse going back nearly 2 decades

A Berlin district court has found a local rabbi guilty of “sexual assault and sexual coercion by exploiting a moment of surprise,” a misdemeanor under German law.

The criminal case was brought by the Berlin public prosecutor and by one of multiple women who have accused the rabbi of a range of sexual abuses dating back almost two decades. Anyone with a complaint may press charges, Michael Petzold, a press spokesman for the public prosecutor, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Many of the women — including the co-plaintiff in this case — have said they thought they were his only victim, until news reports of his misconduct emerged following his firing by the Jewish community in Berlin on June 1, 2023.

The saga proved significant because it marked a rare instance…

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Senior clerics in the Church in Wales knew a vicar was accused of sexually assaulting a child, but did not act and still allowed him to be promoted to Bishop of Brecon and Swansea, according to a critical review.

An independent review commissioned by the Church found that several members did not act and did not follow up on concerns when an allegation of sexual assault was made against the former Bishop, Anthony Pierce, in 1993.

The review says the Church’s handling of Pierce’s case at the time was “wholly inappropriate and inadequate”.

Among those referenced in the review are several Archbishops of Wales, including John Davies, Barry Morgan and Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury.

Those most seriously criticised in the 131-page document include Bishop Dewi Bridges, Archdeacon Brian James, Archdeacon Wynford Rees and former Archbishop of Wales Alwyn Rice Jones, all of whom have since died.

The…

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Amendment would clarify terms and allow clergy to be charged for exploiting spiritual authority.

Senate Bill 542 was introduced on the Senate floor on Tuesday (Feb. 24) and moved to the Judiciary Committee for review. One day later, the committee voted unanimously to advance it to a vote on the Senate floor.

If passed, the bill would amend the state’s criminal code to define terms related to clergy sexual abuse and allow clergy members to be charged with certain sexual offenses when exploiting spiritual authority. First-degree violations would carry prison sentences ranging from one to 25 years. Cases involving minors or repeat sexual felony offenders could bring enhanced penalties.

Republican Sen. Randy Robertson introduced the bill to the Senate with 23 other co-sponsors.

“What we’ve experienced for many, many years here in the state of Georgia, is we have seen members of the clergy exploit their power and…

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A group petitions the Pope to investigate alleged abuse mismanagement, challenging Bishop Fisher’s leadership the Buffalo Catholic Diocese.

Thursday wraps up the final round of impact statements in the bankruptcy case against the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

The third session started Wednesday, where survivors shared how clergy sexual abuse has affected their lives.

This comes seven years after the Buffalo Diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The group ‘Save Our Buffalo Churches‘ on Thursday says they are sending a petition to the Pope, requesting he investigate Bishop Michael Fisher, and his executive team,  about how the sexual abuse cases and crisis settlements were handled. They say they’re specifically concerned about possible mismanagement and misrepresentation.

In a statement, the group says in-part,

“Save Our Buffalo Churches (SOBC) has made the decision to pursue a Papal petition requesting the Holy See to investigate Bishop Fisher and his…

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Local religious advisor George Giorgetti was arrested and charged with sexual assault and indecent assault in December, according to arrest records obtained by KFOX14/CBS4.

Giorgetti was arrested on Dec. 17 for one count of sexual assault and released the same day. He was then arrested on Dec. 24 on an indecent assault charge and released the same day.

The charges against Giorgetti come after a civil lawsuit was filed last April, which accused a local recovery program and Giorgetti of sexually abusing five men enrolled in a court-mandated treatment program, according to court documents previously obtained by KFOX14/CBS4.

However, it is unclear whether the charges against Giorgetti are connected to the lawsuit.

In a statement to KFOX14/CBS4, Giorgetti’s attorney said his client maintains his innocence.

“My client maintains his innocence and intends to vigorously defend himself against the pending allegations. While we respect the seriousness of the charges and the…

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A prosecutor said that a report on the categorisation of the images was still outstanding, and when that is received, the full file would be ready

A solicitor for a former Inishowen Parish Priest facing sexual communication charges and indecent images of children has said that each review into the case “seems to get longer and longer.”

Fr Edward Gallagher (58), of Orchard Park, Lifford, had been charged with one count of attempted sexual communication with a child on dates between April 2 and April 17, 2025.

He was also charged with seven further offences, including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to watch sexual activity, as well as charges of possessing indecent images of children.

At the latest hearing at Derry Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, February 26, a prosecutor said that a report on the categorisation of the images was still outstanding, and when…

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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse will establish a “Victims Trust Fund” for survivors of sexual abuse within the diocese, it announced in a press release Wednesday.

The announcement comes after Wendy Kinsella, Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of New York, approved a final decree closing the Diocese’s Chapter 11 case, which sought bankruptcy protection to compensate survivors of sexual abuse, according to a Wednesday release.

The legal journey began on June 19, 2020, after over 100 sexual abuse lawsuits were filed against the Diocese.

The trust fund totals $176.1 million, which will be awarded to survivors by an independent arbiter.

The judge’s issued reorganization plan utilizes a channeling injunction, making it that all claims against the Diocese are resolved through the shared trust fund instead of individual legal actions.

The Diocese said they are training and conducting criminal background checks on 52,000 people to…

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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse announced that $176.1 million will be going toward survivors of sexual abuse, it announced on Wednesday.

Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of New York Wendy Kinsella approved the diocese’s final decree to get it out of the Chapter 11 reorganization.

The diocese said the$176.1 million will be awarded through an independent arbiter.

Specifically, $76.1 million will be provided by the diocese’s insurance carriers. $100 million will be contributed from the “Catholic Family,” including $45 million parishes, $5 million from other diocesan entities, and $50 million from the diocese itself via investments and loans.

The diocese said that the organization plan will utilize a channeling injunction to ascertain that all the claims against it is resolved through the shared trust fund.

“Words cannot adequately express my feelings and sorrow regarding such heinous behavior,” said Bishop Douglas J. Lucia in a news release….

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The former worship pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church who was arrested Monday on multiple sexual abuse charges took his own life Thursday morning, according to the Kentucky State Police.

In a news release, KSP said “The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office and Daviess County Coroner’s Office responded to the apparent suicide of Mr. David Rodgers around 9:45am yesterday morning near his Utica residence.”

David Rodgers, 40, had been charged with third-degree rape, second-degree sodomy involving a position of authority, first-degree sexual abuse, procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means and possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under the age of 12.

He was arrested and later released on $75,000 full cash bond.

The KSP initially received the complaint in early January 2026, but the incidents are alleged to have begun 10 to 11 years ago and continued for four to five years.

…

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A federal judge has approved the final order that allows the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse to emerge from bankruptcy.

That will start the process of distributing $176 million to hundreds of people who were sexually abused by clergy and other church staff.

Wendy Kinsella, chief U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge for the Northern District of New York, signed off on the agreement to close the case on Wednesday.

An independent arbiter will award $176.1 million to the sexual abuse survivors. The money that makes up that compensation fund comes from:

• $76.1 million provided by the Diocese’s insurance carriers
• $100 million contributed from the “Catholic family,” including $45 million from parishes, $5 million from other diocesan entities and $50 million from the Diocese itself via investments and loans

Bishop Douglas J. Lucia issued a letter to the church community on Wednesday.

“Beyond doubt, my heart continues…

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Denis Roy committed clergy sexual abuse resulting in significant harm—harm to victims, harm to families, and harm to this congregation. What is described in the report represents a serious abuse of pastoral authority and trust. We grieve the pain that was caused, and we are truly sorry this happened within a Vineyard church.

We also want to acknowledge, with deep gratitude and respect, the victims and survivors who came forward. We recognize that sharing experiences of harm requires immense courage, vulnerability, and strength. These victims have done so at great personal cost, carrying emotional, relational, and spiritual weight that few will ever fully see.

Their voices have brought truth into the open. By speaking up, they have made it possible for what was hidden to come to light, for accountability to begin, and for meaningful change to take root. We grieve the pain they have endured, and we honor the…

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A Malden High School employee is facing two counts of felony rape of a high school student, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan confirmed.

Scott Marino, 54, of Stoneham, was arrested Wednesday and is accused of sexually assaulting and giving alcohol to an 18-year-old who was known to Marino on Feb. 18, in Stoneham.

Marino is a Linden School educator and the head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Malden High School, Malden Public School Superintendent Timothy Sippel said.

According to Sippel, the incidents allegedly occurred outside of working hours and involved a Malden high school student.

A woman who played under Marino for four years on the girls’ basketball team told NewsCenter 5 that she could not believe the allegations.

“Very, very shocked,” she said. “It’s something that I would have never expected at all because I knew him for four years and he was somebody that I looked…

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A Malden teacher and high school girls basketball coach was arrested Wednesday, accused of giving alcohol to an 18-year-old student and sexually assaulting her, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Stoneham Police Chief James O’Connnor.

Scott Marino, 54, of Stoneham, is charged with two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and battery, and one count of furnishing alcohol to a person under the age of 21. He is the head coach of the girls basketball team at Malden High School, and also teaches at the Linden STEAM Academy.

On February 18, Ryan said Marino provided alcohol to and sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman who was known to him in Stoneham. Malden Public Schools Superintendent Timothy Sippel said the incident occured outside of working hours and involved one of their high school students.

In a statement, Sippel wrote, “Mr. Marino was immediately placed on leave from the…

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What is the greater scandal: crime and sin, or drawing attention to it?

The Vatican announced this week that the former bishop of the Ivory Coast’s Diocese of Man has been transferred to an auxiliary position in another diocese. A move which appears to draw to a close a simmering two year dispute.

Since 2008, the diocese had been led since Bishop Gaspard Béby Gnéba, 63.

But the bishop had been at odds with local clergy since January 2024, when he published a letter to Catholics in which he asked that they denounce priests living in concubinage, maintaining illicit families, or committing other crimes of sexual or financial abuse.

The response was uproar among local clergy, leading to a standoff with the bishop, an apostolic visitation ordered by Rome, the temporary sidelining of Gnéba, and the appointment of a caretaker bishop later that year.

This month, Pope Leo XIV…

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Very little progress was made yesterday in a novel lawsuit filed by five former residents of St Dominic’s Children’s Home, who allege they suffered physical and sexual abuse while living there.

During a virtual hearing, High Court Judge Carol Gobin declined to give case management directions until a former employee of the home, named as a defendant, is properly served with court documents.

“I cannot proceed until he is served,” Gobin said.

Attorney Christlyn Moore, leading the claimants’ legal team, explained that the man was previously on remand facing charges of buggery, attempted buggery, and serious indecency. Attempts to serve him at a police station, as part of his bail conditions, were unsuccessful.

“He is no longer in prison. We were not able to track him at the police station,” Moore said.

During the hearing, Senior Counsel Gregory Delzin, representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which manages the home, noted that…

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A bill that would make members of the clergy ‘mandatory reporters’ of child abuse passed the Kansas House of Representatives last week,but it has a long road ahead before it can become a law.

The bill, House Bill 2352, passed by a vote of 111 to 5. It now moves to the Kansas Senate.

Senators say that there is no opposition to the bill on religious grounds, since there is an amendment that exempts private confession. However, senators say they are seeing opposition from insurance companies that represent churches.

Related Story: Bill to make Kansas clergy mandatory reporters of child abuse faces opposition for fourth year

Joe Cheray, a sexual abuse survivor, said it was unbelievable to witness the bill pass in the house. Cheray was abused as a child and has been pushing for this bill for four years.

She said she had almost given up hope before seeing…

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A former pastor is being accused by numerous victims of inappropriate conduct while in a leadership position at the church in Owego, according to a statement from the church on Friday.

According to a statement from the Owego Church of the Nazarene, Pastor Jarrod Geistdorfer was removed from his position on Feb. 1.

One alleged victim, who wished to remain anonymous due to the ongoing investigation, said she was contacted in November by the church’s director for a statement regarding Geistdorfer’s alleged misconduct.

“In November, the director of Nazarene reached out to me, and she said, ‘Someone gave me your name and said they heard something had happened to you. Do you mind giving me a statement? You would be number 12,’” the alleged victim said.

She described a series of encounters with Geistdorfer that she said escalated over time.

“The first or second time was really weird. I told…

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OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY

District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway

Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, Cherokee County

90 North Street, Canton GA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former Cobb County Church Leader Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Crimes, Sentenced to 25 Years Without Parole

State vs. Marcus Kendall Turner

District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway announces that Marcus Kendall Turner, 34, of the Acworth area of Cherokee County, pled guilty on February 9 to sex crimes involving a teenage child. Turner admitted to all 11 counts he faced, including:

• 2 counts of aggravated child molestation

• 2 counts of child molestation

• 1 count of enticing a child for indecent purposes

• 1 count of obscene internet contact with a child

• 4 counts of sexual exploitation of children

• 1 count of cruelty to children in the first degree…

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The number of Christians in Germany is declining, and society is divided. However, Heiner Wilmer, the new chairman of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference, is calling for unity and dialogue.

The new chairman of the Catholic German Bishops Conference, Heiner Wilmer, is four days older than his predecessor, Georg Bätzing: almost 65 years old. This is not what one would call a generational handover.

But Bishop Wilmer of Hildesheim, a town in northern Germany known for its historic churches, is different from most of the 55 German bishops. Wilmer belongs to the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an order with around 2,200 members active in some 40 countries worldwide. From 2015 to 2018, he was their superior general, with offices in Rome. In this role, he regularly traveled around the world. He also met the former Pope Francis at the Vatican on several occasions.

Some aspects of…

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A former teacher and a retired priest, who both were previously brought before Manitoba criminal courts on sex crime charges, have been accused in separate lawsuits over historical sexual abuse allegations.

Retired Catholic priest Arthur Masse and former teacher Kenneth MacKinnon Mealey have been accused of sex assaults in lawsuits recently filed in the Court of King’s Bench by a Vancouver law firm that specializes in alleged sex abuse cases, Prezler Law.

Masse was acquitted in 2023 of a charge of indecent assault, which was alleged to have occurred on a schoolgirl more than 50 years ago at Fort Alexander Residential School. He was 93 at the time of his acquittal.

It’s unclear whether he’s still alive. The lawsuit names the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate — a religious order of which Masse was a member — and its administrative non-profit, OMI Lacombe, as…

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Church advocates fear move could affect ongoing police investigation into alleged abuse at Maumere nightclub

An Indonesian governor has personally escorted alleged trafficking victims rescued by Catholic nuns from a nightclub in eastern Indonesia back to their home province.

West Java Gov. Dedi Mulyadi visited the Humanitarian Volunteer Team for Flores (TRUK-F), a Catholic Church-backed advocacy coalition based in Sikka Regency on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, on Feb. 23.

There he collected 12 victims and flew back with them to West Java — where most of them are from — later the same day.

Before leaving, Mulyadi said he would facilitate their continued legal proceedings in the case being handled by the Sikka Regency police.

“They’re going back to their hometowns today. They’ll be back and forth, and we’ll help them,” he said.

Holy Spirit Sister Maria Fransiska Imakulata, chairwoman of TRUK-F, said she was surprised because…

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Four educational institutions, including three seminaries, remain partnered with Kanakuk Institute, an eight-month program aimed at equipping post-graduate students with “biblical skills for a lifetime of ministry” with connections to Kanakuk Kamps.

Three of these schools are Baptist affiliated.

Over the past three years, Baptist News Global has covered litigation and legislative lobbying efforts related to the prolific childhood sexual abuse that occurred at Kanakuk Kamps for decades at the hands of serial sex abuser Peter Newman, despite leadership’s knowledge of his misconduct long before he was terminated. Now, survivor advocates are pointing out what they believe are harmful connections between Kanakuk-related ministries and theological education.

The same leaders who enabled and covered up Newman’s abuses remain in charge of the Missouri camping enterprise.

Kanakuk Institute is advertised as an educational program that offers students credit toward certain master’s degrees, such as a master of divinity and other degrees related to…

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Jesuit Father Hans Zollner is urging Catholics to make prayer for abuse victims a central focus this Lent, saying the Church’s spiritual response to sexual abuse remains underdeveloped. The director of the Institute of Anthropology at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University said that while safeguarding policies and research have grown, prayer for victims and secondary victims is often overlooked.

Recent global headlines surrounding abuse cases in Europe

Father Zollner spoke to OSV News as cases of abuse made global news with abuse survivor Gisèle Pelicot meeting Queen Camilla Feb. 23, and with two high profile figures — Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Peter Mandelson, former British ambassador to the U.S. — arrested due to their connections with Jeffrey Epstein.

Pelicot was drugged by her now-former husband and raped in their French home by strangers while she lay unconscious. Her book, “Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides,” was launched in London, where…

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A Bergen County man says Paramus Catholic High School and church officials failed to stop an employee who sexually abused him there 40 years ago.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Essex County Superior Court, is the third in recent months alleging abuse by former gym teacher and coach Bernard Garris.

The suit was filed against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, the Brothers of the Christian Schools and Paramus Catholic High School.

It claims Garris “engaged in a calculated series of manipulation, grooming, and abuse,” and that the defendants failed to properly supervise employees or implement sufficient policies to protect students.

The complaint further alleges that school and church officials knew or should have known about Garris’ conduct but failed to stop it.

“My client believes that other coaches, teachers and Christian brothers were aware and witnessed some of the…

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In short:

The WA government is under pressure to broaden the scope of proposed institutional child sex abuse laws so they do not just apply to religious institutions.

Governments around the country moved to update their laws following a “retrograde” High Court decision which made it harder for some victims to seek compensation.

What’s next?

But the WA Attorney-General says the government won’t be amending the bill, leading to a stalemate.

Efforts to close a legal loophole which allows some organisations to escape paying compensation for institutional child sexual abuse have been delayed after upper house MPs could not agree on how far the law should reach.

The debate traces back to 2024, when the High Court of Australia ruled the Catholic Church was not liable for a priest sexually abusing a five-year-old boy because the priest was not considered an employee of the church.

It left state and territory governments…

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A pastor at a Lake Zurich church and school who has been accused of sexually abusing minors three separate times has been permanently replaced even as the archbishop continues to praise him.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, wrote in a recent letter to the community at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish in Lake Zurich informing them that Father David F. Ryan would no longer be with the parish.

“I first of all want to thank you for your unwavering patience over the past few years when legal matters have required your pastor, Father David Ryan, to temporarily step away from ministry. These occasions have not be [been] easy for you or for him,” Cupich said.

Father Steven Lanza is the current interim administrator of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish.

“At the same time, you deserve to know that there is little likelihood that the accusations against…

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