ABUSE TRACKER

AUSTRALIA
9 News

AAP

Cardinal George Pell will not be ordered back to Australia to testify to the child abuse royal commission, a ruling met with scepticism by abuse survivor groups.

Cardinal Pell will remain in his new home at the Vatican in Rome, with commissioner Peter McClellan accepting an Italian doctor’s evidence he is too sick to fly to Australia.

The decision has been met with suspicion by lawyers for former Melbourne school principal Graeme Sleeman, who resigned in 1986 in frustration over diocese inaction about an abusive parish priest.

Barrister Paul O’Dwyer, for Mr Sleeman, asked Justice McClellan on Monday to make Cardinal Pell’s medical report public.

“One of the issues in this case is the fact the church and particularly Archbishop Pell has a continuous history of non-disclosure and we would contend that this report, this medical report, is more of the same,” Mr O’Dwyer said.

Justice McClellan made some of Cardinal Pell’s medical details public but refused to release them in full.

He revealed the Italian report said Cardinal Pell was suffering high blood pressure and ischemic heart disease complicated by a previous heart attack.

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AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

February 8, 2016

Shannon Deery
Herald Sun

CARDINAL George Pell says he wishes he could have returned to Australia to testify at the child abuse royal commission in person.

Instead Cardinal Pell, the third most senior figure in the global Catholic Church, will give his evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse from the Vatican.

It follows a ruling by commission chair Justice Peter McClellan that Pell could testify via videolink because of the cardinal’s poor health.

In a statement issued this morning from Rome Cardinal Pell said he was eager to respond to specific claims that have been made against him.

They include that he turned a blind eye to abuse and was involved in decisions to shuffle notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale between parishes. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

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OHIO
TV10

[with video]

By Maureen Kocot
Monday February 8, 2016

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – The group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, is calling on the Steubenville Catholic Diocese to go further to protect children after a seminary student was arrested by federal agents.

The Department of Homeland Security says 23-year-old Joel Wright tried to travel to Tijuana, Mexico to purchase three little girls, ages 1, 2, and 3, for sex.

Wright was sponsored by the Steubenville Diocese and a first year seminary student at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus.

The Diocese says Wright passed a stringent criminal background check, but SNAP wants to know why the diocese was unaware of a police report taken by Steubenville police that could have raised a red flag.

The report, obtained by 10TV, documents a Craigslist ad posted by a Joel Wright offering to pay parents $150 to babysit their children.

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PENNSYLVANIA
The Altoona Mirror

February 9, 2016

By Phil Ray (pray@altoonamirror.com) , The Altoona Mirror

JOHNSTOWN – A new sentencing date was set Monday for Father Joseph D. Maurizio Jr. of Somerset County, who was denied a new trial on charges that he sexually abused several Honduran children in an orphanage he helped support over the years.

U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson in Johnstown ruled the 71-year-old priest will be sentenced on March 2 for illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, possession of sexually explicit photographs of a minor and using money raised for the ProNino orphanage in El Progresso to pay for sexual services from the children.

Gibson, in a 48-page opinion, rejected a petition from Maurizio’s Altoona attorneys Steven P. Passarello and Daniel Kiss asking for a new trial because, the defense charged, the government withheld an impact statement in which one of the young victims denied Maurizio sexually abused him, which was contrary to the boy’s testimony during Maurizio’s trial last September.

“I am somewhat perplexed by the opinion,” Passarello stated Monday afternoon in reaction to the Judge’s decision.

The judge, he said, agreed with almost every point the defense raised: that the government had withheld a statement that showed Maurizio was innocent and that the statement was “material” in that it reflected on the credibility of the government’s testimony.

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INDIANA
Indiana Daily Student

By Austin Faulds

Michael Rezendes and Sacha Pfeiffer, journalists recently depicted in the Oscar-nominated film “Spotlight,” spoke to Media School students Monday about their experiences in journalism. af

Pfeiffer and Rezendes, along with other journalists on the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team, uncovered a series of child molestation scandals within Boston-area Catholic churches in 2002, which ultimately led to a major investigation and international reform within the Catholic Church. af

“This was the worst kept secret in town, maybe in the country, maybe in the world,” Rezendes said. af

In the film adaptation of their reporting, Pfeiffer and Rezendes were portrayed by Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo, respectively. af

Through the investigation, the number of Boston clergymen participating in the sexual assault rose from 13 clergymen to about 90.

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UNITED STATES
Evangelical Focus

AUTHOR José de Segovia

“If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one”, says the honourable lawyer played by Stanley Tucci in “Spotlight”.

It had been a long time since I had seen a character represent this profession with so much dignity. The same can be said of the journalists who are part of the investigative team of the newspaper that brought the shocking figures of child abuse in the archdiocese of Boston to light – around a thousand children for only 249 priests! –.

However, everything in it is so rigorous and contained, that even the catholic critics have taken their caps off to this film, which is probably the best that the industry has offered us in the last year.

Having already received a whole string of prizes, it is difficult not to talk about this film using superlatives. However, in these mediocre times, productions like this are so unusual that you might be forgiven for thinking that the clock had stopped ticking.

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KENTUCKY
Ledger-Independent

CHRISTY HOOTS christy.hoots@lee.net

VANCEBURG | A former Lewis County preacher who currently faces sexual abuse charges, was found to be competent to stand trial during a recent circuit court appearance.

Duncan Aker of Greensburg, Ind., and formerly of Vanceburg, was arrested in May 2015, and charged with five counts of sexual abuse and four counts of sodomy after a Lewis County grand jury handed down an indictment against him in April 2015.

According to the indictment, Aker allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse and sexual contact through forcible compulsion with a male under the age of 12 between October 2007 and March 2010.

The indictment also states that Aker allegedly committed some of the offenses in the church where he was minister.

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NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque Journal

By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Legal and professional costs in the Diocese of Gallup’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case exceeded $3.5 million through Dec. 31, new filings in the case show.

An Arizona law firm representing the diocese, Quarles & Brady LLP of Tucson, is seeking fees and expenses totaling $1,994,521, according to a disclosure statement filed this month.

A Los Angeles firm, Pachulski, Stang, Ziehl & Jones LLP, is seeking payment for $1,060,274 in fees and expenses. The firm represents 57 alleged victims of sexual abuse by priests who have filed claims in the case.

Most legal costs will remain unpaid until a reorganization plan has been approved by presiding U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

February 9, 2016

Nino Bucci
Crime reporter for The Age

EXCLUSIVE

A Catholic priest stood down amid child sexual abuse allegations has moved to Malaysia, where he is using a gay dating website to seek the company of “young Asian men” while on paid leave.
Father Peter Grasby, who is suspected of abusing boys from at least two Melbourne parishes during almost 40 years as a priest, also propositioned a former parishioner on a gay dating website, it can be revealed.

Father Grasby, the former parish priest of St Mary Magdalen in Jordanville, near Chadstone, was placed on administrative leave from the position when he was accused of abusing a boy aged 10 to 14 in another parish more than three decades earlier.

He was also accused in a Victorian parliamentary inquiry of allowing boys to sleep in his former presbytery at St Michael’s in North Melbourne and of surrounding himself with a concerning number of young Vietnamese boys at St Mary Magdalen.

The case of Father Grasby, who was placed on administrative leave in 2012, raises questions about the Melbourne Response, engineered by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne to handle sexual abuse complaints, and the role it plays in allowing suspected serial offenders to go free on paid leave without supervision, a victim’s support group says.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Joanna Menagh

A former student at a Catholic college in Western Australia has told a Perth court he never spoke to anyone after he was sexually abused 45 years ago because he was “too embarrassed”.

The man was giving evidence in the District Court at the trial of Catholic Bishop Max Davis, who is accused of sexually abusing five boarders at Saint Benedict’s College in New Norica between 1969 and 1972.

Davis was a teacher and a boarding master at the school and in 1971 was ordained a priest.

Most recently he was the Catholic Bishop of the Australian Defence Force but he stood aside from his duties when he was charged two years ago.

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OREGON
The Oregonian

By Ian K. Kullgren | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on February 08, 2016

SALEM — For the second time in as many years, lawmakers are considering changing the way officials prosecute sexual assault cases.

A bill in the Oregon Senate would create an exception to the 12-year statute of limitations for the most serious sex crimes — including rape, sodomy and child abuse — allowing prosecutors to bring charges if new concrete evidence emerges.

For example, they could reopen the case if multiple victims come forward with similar allegations or if new written evidence is discovered.

Senate Bill 1553 was inspired by high-profile rape cases, including the one involving Brenda Tracy, who reported being raped by four football players in Corvallis in 1998, and the one involving Bill Cosby, the former comedian facing a barrage of sexual assault allegations.

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OHIO
WTOV

[with video]

BY KENDALL FORWARD MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH 2016

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — Members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) are urging Steubenville’s Catholic Diocese to take action to notify potential victims of a former Franciscan student who was arrested in San Diego, CA by federal agents recently.

The victims’ rights group showed up at the Diocese office in downtown Steubenville on Monday. They’re concerned 23-year-old Joel Wright may have had contact with children in the area, and they are encouraging anyone who may have been victimized to speak up.

Wright was arrested on allegations that he was traveling to Mexico with the intention of adopting or buying a three-year-old girl and raping her.

Wright was studying to be a priest at a seminary college in Columbus, but had previously spent two semesters at Franciscan University.

A Steubenville police report also reveals that Wright was investigated for an online post seeking to pay people to babysit their children.

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MICHIGAN
Central Michigan Life

By Sydney Smith

For nearly two years, St. Mary’s University Parish Priest Denis Heames asked a Central Michigan University student to keep his sexual relationship with her a secret, according to a lawsuit filed in Isabella County’s 21st Circuit Court.

Senior Megan Winans is asking the court to consider whether she was abused by Heames, who was removed from St. Mary’s in June, during her work as a “media intern” at the church from 2012 to 2014. A civil lawsuit was filed Jan. 14 claiming battery, defamation, breach of fidiciary duty, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent supervision and retention.

Winans is suing for economic losses equivalent to $25,000 for each count and any other costs she may be entitled to.

Heames, who now resides in Canada according to the documents, was placed on leave for “boundary violations.” No other specific details were given in a press release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw other than to point out the violations had nothing to do with minors.

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UNITED STATES
The Morning Call

Bill White

David Clohessy, national director for the group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, likes to tell the story of the struggling early days of his organization — and when that changed, dramatically.

Clohessy, a victim of sexual abuse by a priest for about four years starting when he was 11 or 12, began volunteering for the support, information and advocacy group SNAP in the early ’90s. But as you saw if you’ve watched the Oscar-contending movie “Spotlight,” SNAP had a terrible time generating interest in the things it knew about child sexual abuse by priests and the way cases were covered up, in Boston and all over the country.

The movie dramatizes the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that exposed widespread child sexual abuse by Boston area priests and the massive coverup that allowed it to continue. It also depicted the frustration of New England SNAP founder/leader Phil Saviano, who had had no success in interesting the Globe in this larger story despite occasional individual reports of abuse by priests.

Clohessy said he had the same conversation every December with SNAP founder and fellow priest abuse survivor Barbara Blaine as they reviewed another frustrating year. “It went like this,” he said. “‘This is going nowhere. None of this will ever see the light of day. Why don’t we pack it up?'”

So it was in December 2001, just before the Globe story broke in early 2002. “I said to Barbara, ‘Well, these folks at the Boston Globe say they’re doing a big investigation. Let’s try it for one more year.

“Just a couple of weeks later, we felt like geniuses for not shutting the whole thing down.”

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PENNSYLVANIA
Tribune-Review

BY LIZ ZEMBA | Monday, Feb. 8, 2016

A Somerset County priest convicted of molesting boys at a Honduran orphanage will not receive a new trial.

U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson issued an order Monday denying the Rev. Joseph D. Maurizio’s request for a new trial and setting a sentencing hearing for March.

In the 48-page opinion and order, Gibson found that defense attorney Steven Passarello of Altoona failed to show that newly discovered evidence contained in a witness’ victim-impact statement would result in a not-guilty verdict at another trial. Gibson said he took into account other evidence at the September trial when rendering his decision.

“Given the substantial evidence that exists in this case, and the court having examined the evidence already weighed and considered by the jury in the defendant’s first trial, the court finds that it is unlikely that a jury at a second trial would acquit defendant,” Gibson said in the opinion.

Passarello, who noted that Gibson sided with him on several points he raised, said he is disappointed in the denial.

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PENNSYLVANIA
ABC News

By JOE MANDAK, ASSOCIATED PRESS PITTSBURGH — Feb 8, 2016

A priest who was convicted of sexually assaulting poor street children during missionary trips to Honduras and said federal prosecutors wrongly withheld evidence in his case won’t get a new trial, a judge ruled.

The priest, 70-year-old Joseph Maurizio, was convicted in the sexual tourism case in September.

U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson rejected his appeal, clearing the way for him to be sentenced on March 2, barring further appeals. The Johnstown judge found that an accuser’s statement was wrongly withheld but wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the priest’s trial.

“Given the substantial evidence that exists in this case … the court finds it unlikely that a jury at a second trial would acquit defendant,” he wrote in the ruling, issued Monday.

The appeal, which prompted a hearing before the judge last week, concerned a statement given by one of the accusers who told investigators he wasn’t “abused” by the priest.

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CONNECTICUT
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 8, 2016

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

A new book says that a high profile and controversial Connecticut-based Catholic religious order “invests in companies involved in the arms race, pornography and high-end real estate” and a Catholic journalist says this may make “a mockery” of Francis’ more progressive agenda. ­­­­­­­­­­

[National Catholic Reporter]

In The National Catholic Reporter, veteran investigative journalist Jason Berry reports that the Legion of Christ is pilloried in a new book. Berry calls the Legion “only marginally reformed.” We think that’s a generous assessment. We believe it’s still a secretive cult-like group more dedicated to enriching itself than protecting kids, exposing enablers, or ousting predators.

We urge Francis to denounce the Legion. We urge caring Catholics and citizens to boycott the Legion’s hotel and pontifical complex in Jerusalem (the Notre Dame Institute), its building company (the ECO Development Group, a.k.a. Equipo de Coordinación de Obras, SC), and its travel agency, New Gate Tours (a.k.a. Artic SA de CV) with branches in the USA, Italy and Spain.

We hope every single person who has seen, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes or cover ups in the Legion of Christ – whether by Legion founder Fr. Marcial Maciel or others – will speak up, expose wrongdoers, protect kids and start healing.

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UNITED STATES
Good Men Project

By Peter Pollard

I sat in a theater in New York’s Times Square recently, soaking in every nuance of the film Spotlight. I already intimately knew the story of the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team’s investigation of the Archdiocese of Boston’s cover-up of sexual abuse by scores of its priests. I knew most of the characters: the reporters, the survivors, the attorneys, the Archdiocese’s higher ups – I even caught a glimpse of the name of the priest who sexually abused me back in the mid-1960s on a list of priests under review.

But what moved me most was the two adolescent boys sitting near me in the theater. They were laughing at inappropriate places and nudging one another during some of the most poignant moments in the film. Just before I leaned over to reprimand them for their disrespect, I stopped, and considered the fact that they were there at all. Of 25 films showing that night in the multiplex, they’d chosen the one about sexual abuse by clergy.

The boys’ discomfort was palpable.

I realized then, that through the film, the Spotlight team’s tireless efforts were perhaps freeing two more souls from the belief that they were alone and powerless – just as the team’s long series of stories in 2002 had freed so many of us, who once felt hopeless that our experiences of betrayal by the Catholic hierarchy would ever come to light.

I remember clearly, twenty eight years ago this month, storming out of the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Boston, shouting over my shoulder “maybe I’ll go to the Boston Globe. “ My then-idle threat felt like the only leverage I had left after the Archdiocese refused to remove from active ministry the priest who had sexually abused me two decades earlier.

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MASSACHUSETTS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 8

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

We’re grateful to the Chicopee police for warning the public about ex-priest Richard Lavigne. We wish Springfield Catholic officials would likewise step up and alert and remind parents about this dangerous man.

[MassLive]

The mere passage of time doesn’t make child molesters less dangerous. We believe Lavigne is still a threat to kids. We hope that every single person who saw, suspected or suffered his crimes will find the courage to call police, expose wrongdoers and protect children.

And we hope that Springfield Catholic officials who recruited, educated, ordained, trained, hired, transferred and shielded Fr. Lavigne for decades will also aggressively seek out and support others who were hurt by him and beg them to call law enforcement. We hope that Bishop Mitchell Rozanski will lead this effort. But if he doesn’t, we hope that other church staff in the diocese will show real courage and use pulpit announcements, church bulletins and parish websites to do it.

Our hearts go out to the brave Crouteau family and everyone else who has been impacted by Lavigne’s crimes and church cover ups of those crimes.

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VATICAN CITY
Religion News Service

Rosie Scammell | February 8, 2016

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican commission on clerical sexual abuse has wrapped up a turbulent week-long meeting during which one of two victims on the panel was effectively ousted and Chilean Catholics upset that Pope Francis has not sacked a controversial bishop delivered protest letters.

But a statement released on Monday (Feb. 8) at the end of the biannual meeting of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors made no mention of its decision on Saturday that Peter Saunders, a clerical abuse victim from Britain, would take a “leave of absence.”

After that announcement, following a majority decision by the 17-member commission indicating they could no longer work with Saunders, he insisted that he had no intention of resigning.

The final statement by the papal commission on Monday instead cited progress on a range of issues and reiterated that its chief task is establishing policies that churches around the world should follow to protect children.

Saunders, founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood in Britain, has frequently been critical of the Vatican’s handling of clerical abuse and the apparent slow working pace of the commission, which was created by Pope Francis nearly two years ago.

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ROME
Straits Times (Singapore)

ROME (AFP) – A British paedophilia survivor who has been asked to step down from a Vatican panel on the issue said Monday that he felt betrayed by Pope Francis.

“Of course Pope Francis has established he is part of the problem,” Peter Saunders said in an interview with AFPTV, during which he insisted he had not resigned and that only the pontiff himself could force him to quit the Vatican commission.

“That breaks my heart because when I met him 18 months ago I thought there was a sincerity and a willingness to make things happen, and I am afraid that has been dashed now.”

Saunders, the head of Britain’s National Association for People Abused in Childhood, was personally asked to join the panel by Pope Francis.

His involvement, along with fellow survivor Marie Collins, helped burnish its credentials as a symbol of the Church tackling the abuse head-on.

But Saunders now says he realises the commission was always going to be about “smoke and mirrors” and that he is convinced the Church will never act alone to cure the “cancer” in its midst.

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MASSACHUSETTS
The Republican/MassLive

By Patrick Johnson | pjohnson@repub.com
on February 08, 2016

CHICOPEE – Police on Monday released information on two registered Level 3 sex offenders residing in Chicopee as a way to alert the community of their presence.

Neither man is wanted for any crimes, and police warn against harassing either of them.

One of the two names, Richard Lavigne, is likely to be familiar to people in the area.

Lavigne, 74, is a defrocked Roman Catholic priest who was pleaded guilty in 1992 to two counts of molestation of a minor and was given a 10-year probation sentence.

He was also the only publicly identified suspect in the 1972 murder of Springfield alterboy Daniel Croteau. That slaying remains unsolved.

All people convicted of sex offenses are required to register with the state Sex Offenders Registry Board. The board then assigns a ranking based on the likelihood an offender will commit additional sex crimes. A level 3 offender is considered most likely to re-offend.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 8, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003,bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org)

Two more central Pennsylvania priests have been suspended because of child sex abuse reports. This means that 31 Altoona-Johnstown Catholic priests are publicly accused of sexually assaulting kids.

Fr. David Arseneault (AR’-sen-oh) and Fr. James Coveney are on leave due to allegtions that they molested kids.

Bishop Mark Bartchak’s announcement about this move was troubling.

First, he minimizes the horrors and promotes dangerous complacency by stressing that the alleged crimes happened years ago. That’s self-serving but wrong. He should be urging vigilance, not complacency.

Second, Bartchak says he must “re-examine” these abuse reports.” That suggests that he’s known about them for some time. Bartchack must honor his pledges of “openness and transparency” and reveal how long he’s been aware of these abuse reports and why he’s “re-examining” them now.

Third, he deceptively describes child sex crimes as “sexual misconduct involving young people.” Again, he’s mischaracterizing and minimizing sexual violence against children. Shame on him.

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NEW MEXICO
Washington Times

GALLUP, N.M. (AP) – Costs for the Diocese of Gallup’s bankruptcy proceedings have exceeded $3.6 million.

The figures, which come from quarterly billing statements submitted by attorneys, accountants and other professionals, do not include the more than $38,000 the diocese has paid the U.S. Trustee Program or other miscellaneous expenses, according to the Gallup Independent (http://bit.ly/1LbKdDK).

The majority of the expenses will not be paid until the diocese has an approved plan of reorganization.

A bulk of the diocese’ bill is owed to Tucson, Arizona,-based law firm Quarles & Brady LLP, which has a total post-petition legal bill of more than $1.9 million. A Tucson accounting firm is also asking for more than $431,000.

The diocese Albuquerque-based law firm billed about $303 between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, bringing their total bill to more than $12,000.

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ROME
Crux

By Inés San Martín
Vatican correspondent February 8, 2016

ROME — A day after announcing that one of two members who is a survivor of clerical sexual abuse is taking a leave of absence amid bitter criticism of the Church and the pope, a sexual abuse commission created by Francis sent a clear signal on Monday that its work will go on.

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors released a statement saying it is preparing to ask Pope Francis to remind all bishops of the importance of personal outreach to abuse victims, and also to institute a “Universal Day of Prayer” as well as a penitential liturgy for the crime of sexual abuse.

Led by Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, the commission was created in December 2013 to advise Francis on best practices in the fight against child sexual abuse. It’s an advisory body, with no authority to set policy or to judge specific abuse complaints.

In upcoming months, commission members say they’ll hold workshops on the legal aspects of the protection of minors with the goal of promoting more transparent Church trials and present recommendations to the commission’s next general assembly.

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MEXICO
National Catholic Reporter

Jason Berry | Feb. 8, 2016

ANALYSIS On Feb. 12, Pope Francis flies to Mexico, a vast land scarred by barbaric drug cartels and deep poverty that are pushing migrants to America — all front-burner issues for a papacy advocating mercy and justice.

Amid this, a new book, El Imperior Financierio de Los Legionarios de Cristo was published in December by Grijal-bo in Mexico City. There is no English translation as yet. Written by Raúl Olmos, an investigative journalist in Mexico, the book focuses on the Legionaries of Christ, a religious order founded by the late Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, a notorious pedophile dismissed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 to “a life of prayer and penitence.” The home base of the order is Mexico City, in the world’s second-largest Catholic country (after Brazil).

The investigation into the order began in 2004, ordered by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future pope, as an ailing Pope John Paul II praised Maciel and gave the Legionaries control of the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem.

The Legion operates a network of elite private schools and a major university in Mexico, with another university and house of studies in Rome. Among their many super-wealthy backers in Mexico is Carlos Slim, a telecommunications magnate and one of the world’s wealthiest men. He is the largest single investor in The New York Times, with a $100 million stock investment,according to Forbes.

In 2009, a year after Maciel’s death, the Legion disclosed that he had a daughter by a woman he never married; he supported both women in Madrid. In 2010, two men and a woman came forth, declaring themselves mother and sons of a second shadow-family in Mexico, which the Legion did not dispute. …

Fr. Pablo Perez, who left in 2012, after 39 years, tells Olmos: “They do not care about education or children — it’s the money. Legionaries do not waste their time with the poor or middle class. They choose their vocations among little white boys. We rent priests for your beautiful and expensive events, weddings, funerals, first communions.

“The son of Carlos Salinas de Gortari” — the former Mexican president, a figure disgraced by scandal, his brother in prison for corruption — “got married in April 2013. For his wedding, it was not a bishop or a cardinal, but a Legionary priest.”

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NORTH CAROLINA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 8, 2016

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

A Pennsylvania minister who is accused of molesting “at least three boys” at a Rhode Island school and reportedly admits molesting one in Canada is now being investigated by North Carolina police department for perhaps abusing a child in North Carolina.

[Providence Journal]

Rev. Howard W. White Jr. worked at two places in North Carolina. In the 1980s, Rev. White Jr. was headmaster of what was then the Asheville Country Day School in Asheville, North Carolina and was rector of Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville, North Carolina.

He now leads St. James Episcopal Church in Bedford, Pennsylvania and also worked at a school called Chatham Hall in Chatham, Virginia. But most of the accusations against him stem from his years in Rhode Island at St. George’s Episcopal School in Middletown.

A report issued by the school says that Rev. White — whom it refers to as “Employee Perpetrator #2” — had “inappropriate and potentially sexual misconduct with at least three male students.” School officials quietly “fired Rev. White in 1974 after a student’s parent reported the misconduct, which Rev. White admitted to the headmaster, but “the school never notified child-protection authorities — as required by the state’s 1974 mandatory reporting law,” according to the Providence Journal.

Waynesville police are investigating a new allegation of abuse against Rev. White.

We urge Episcopalian officials in all four states: North Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia and Pennsylvania, to use church websites, parish bulletins and pulpit announcements to aggressively seek out anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered Rev. White’s crimes and beg them to call police. This is the very least that church officials should do.

All too often, when clergy sex crimes emerge, church staff pretend to be powerless. They are not. They have both the resources and the duty to spread the word and actively help police and prosecutors build a strong case against predatory preachers.

We hope every single person who has information or suspicions about Rev. White will summon the courage to call law enforcement, expose wrongdoers, protect kids and start healing. Our hearts go out to the brave individuals who have already stepped up and spoken up and shed light on this serial child molesting cleric.

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ROME
The Tablet (UK)

08 February 2016 | by Christopher Lamb in Rome

Despite his popularity, the Pope is in danger of being blindsided by the Vatican’s reaction to victims

Is the Catholic church’s sex abuse crisis threatening to overwhelm Pope Francis?

Anyone who has seen the new Spotlight film detailing clerical sexual abuse and its cover-up in Boston will be reminded how damaged the Church, in particular its bishops and the clerical leadership system, has been by the scandal.

Abuse and how it was handled dogged the papacy of Benedict XVI and it could also wound Pope Francis. At the weekend it was announced that Peter Saunders, a British abuse survivor, was no longer working with the pontifical child protection commission. Mr Saunders, a founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), disputed his enforced “leave of absence” saying he was seeking a meeting with Pope Francis about the matter.

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VATIKAN
Kerknet

De Commissie voor de Bestrijding van Seksueel Misbruik schorst Peter Saunders na een vertrouwenstemming, maar hij wil voorlopig geen stap terugzetten.

De Brit Peter Saunders, een voorvechter van de strijd tegen seksueel misbruik en als kind zelf misbruikslachtoffer van twee katholieke geestelijken, maakte dit weekend bekend dat hij zijn taak bij de Vaticaanse Commissie voor de Bestrijding van Seksueel Misbruik niet zomaar tijdelijk neerlegt.

Saunders werd vrijdag geschorst na een vertrouwensstemming binnen de commissie. Daarna werd een communiqué verspreid waarin werd aangekondigd dat Saunders een rustperiode neemt om na te gaan op welke manier hij zich het best ten dienste kan stellen van de commissie. Dat moet hem tijd geven voor een bezinning, nadat hij had getracht om persoonlijk tussen te komen in concrete misbruikdossiers.

17 leden tellende commissie

Saunders zei zaterdag dat hij verontwaardigd is over de verspreiding van het communiqué zonder zijn inspraak en weigert zich bij de schorsing neer te leggen: Ik heb mijn taak niet neergelegd en ben dat ook niet van plan. Ik werd persoonlijk door de paus benoemd en wil enkel met hem overleggen.

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CANADA
Global News

By Leslie Young
Investigative Reporter Global News

Jim White has six scars – three on each shoulder – left over from his time at a residential school in the early 1950s.

He’s not sure what they are, though he remembers how he got them.

He was told to report back to the nurse the next week to have the bandage changed. “By the time the week arrived to see the nurse, the smell that came off this was just, it was horrendous. It smelled like rotten food, is what it smelled like. And it went on until these openings closed up which took about a month or two.”

He was told nothing about why he was cut as a young child, he said.

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PENNSYLVANIA
The Morning Call

Bill White

It’s rare to see a movie in which reporters and their work are depicted in a realistic way.

The most notable exception was “All the President’s Men,” although most of us don’t look like Robert Redford. It offered a nice feel for a real newsroom and the kind of dogged digging that produces great stories

The results were so momentous and the movie’s portrayal of those events so compelling that they inspired a generation of journalists, not just to become reporters but to more vigorously embrace the role of a diligent press in a free society. I know I found it exhilarating.

To that short list of uplifting but realistic depictions of journalists, we now can add “Spotlight,” the Oscar Best Picture contender that dramatizes the Boston Globe investigation that exposed the horrible depth of child sexual abuse by Boston area priests and the massive cover-up perpetrated by Boston’s religious, legal and government establishment.

It’s a great movie, and it’s been gaining momentum throughout this awards season. But I had a special interest in it even before I knew how well it told this story.

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VATICAN CITY
Voice of America

Associated Press
February 08, 2016

VATICAN CITY—
Pope Francis’ sex-abuse commission stressed Monday that its sole purpose is to propose initiatives to protect children from pedophiles, after it effectively suspended a member who advocated a more activist role.

On Saturday, the commission told Peter Saunders, a British survivor of abuse, to take a leave of absence after he criticized the slow pace of progress and pressed to have the commission intervene immediately in individual cases, rather than just craft long-term policies to fight abuse.

In a statement Monday, the commission cited from its founding documentation that its “specific task” is to provide the pope with proposals to protect children and help local churches take responsibility for the problem.

It didn’t mention Saunders in the statement concluding its weeklong plenary meeting.

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VATIKAN
domradio

[The Vatican Child Protection Commission intends to propose to Pope Francis introducing a World Day of Prayer for victims of abuse. This could include a penitential liturgy.]

Die vatikanische Kinderschutzkommission will Papst Franziskus die Einführung eines Weltgebetstags für Missbrauchsopfer vorschlagen. Darüber hinaus könne über eine Bußliturgie nachgedacht werden.

Sechs Arbeitsgruppen hatten sich in der Vorwoche in Rom zu einer Bestandsaufnahme getroffen und mögliche Richtlinien und Vorschläge für die Zukunft erarbeitet, die dem Papst präsentiert werden sollen, wie aus einer am Montag veröffentlichten Presseerklärung des vatikanischen Gremiums hervorgeht.

Vorgeschlagen wurden auch Workshops zu rechtlichen Aspekten sowie zu mehr Transparenz bei den Verfahren, die unter Beteiligung externer Berater noch dieses Jahr stattfinden sollen. Das Gremium kündigte zudem den Start eines Universitätskurses zum Schutz von Minderjährigen an der Gregoriana in der nächsten Woche an.

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VATIKAN
Radio Vatikan

Die päpstliche Kommission für den Schutz von Minderjährigen setzt sich für die Einführung eines „Welttags des Gebets“ und einer „Bußliturgie“ ein. Sie sollen die Aufmerksamkeit für die Rechte Minderjähriger und gegen Missbrauchsfälle in der Kirche wachhalten. Außerdem betont die Kommission, alle Verantwortlichen in der Kirche müssten „Opfern, die sich an sie wenden, eine direkte Antwort geben“.

Das steht in einer Schlusserklärung der Kommission, die nach ihrer einwöchigen Tagung im Vatikan veröffentlicht wurde. Im weiteren Verlauf des Jahres will sich die von Papst Franziskus 2014 eingesetzte Kommission u.a. mit der Frage beschäftigen, wie bei kanonischen Prozessen gegen Missbrauchs-Täter „größere Transparenz“ hergestellt werden kann. Eine Webseite soll bald auf „Best Practice“-Beispiele aus aller Welt beim Kinderschutz aufmerksam machen.

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VATICAN CITY
Juan Carlos Cruz – via BishopAccountability.org

[includes copy of the letter to Pope Francis. incluye copia de la carta a Papa Francisco]

From: Juan Carlos Cruz

Rome – February 7, 2016 – At noon today Juan Carlos Cruz delivered two letters to Pope Francis with the help of Pontifical Commission member, Peter Saunders. The letters were given to Cardinal Sean O’Malley who is to personally deliver them to his Holiness. The letters are from the organization of lay Catholic people of Osorno, Chile, and another one from the clergy of the same city. Both letters plea with the Holy Father to remove Bishop Juan Barros who is causing an unprecedented division in the diocese because of his implication in the cover-up of sexual
abuse in Chile.

Osorno is the community of faithful Pope Francis called “dumb” and “leftist” last year because of their refusal to accept the imposition of a bishop involved in the most emblematic case of child sexual abuse in Latin America.

Excerpt from the letter to Pope Francis from organization of lay members of the diocese of Osorno; “The frustration that your decision has caused us, Pope Francis, does not resist more silence or omission. During this year we have knocked on every door including the nuncio, the cardinals and the bishop’s conference and have received nothing but mockery.”

According to Juan Carlos Cruz, “We can never give up when it comes to protecting children and this is not the message being sent by Pope Francis appointing Bishop Barros to Osorno. This bishop witnessed my own abuse and that of many other boys over a period of 35 years. With the help of Peter Saunders, this is what I expected to tell the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors at their meeting in Rome this weekend. Previously, Commission member Marie Collins told me that they were going to investigate and talk about the issue. Sadly, the commission attempted to silence Peter Saunders instead and thereby avoided my presence and all the inherent questions about my situation.”

“The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has become another Vatican corner of secrets and lies while children are still being abused all over the world and many bishops remain silent,” continued Cruz. “Apparently there is more to the emails between Cardinals Errazuriz and Ezzati who influenced the removal of my name as a prospective Commission member. This has been denied by Cardinal O’Malley during a phone call he made to me.

However, it contradicts Cardinal Errazuriz’s statement under oath where he said, “In fact it is true that I intervened so that he was not appointed.”
Cruz will remain in Rome until Tuesday speaking to the media and meeting with relevant individuals.

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UNITED STATES
Bilgrimage

William D. Lindsey

Silences such as Christian involvement in child abuse, anti-Semitism, slave-owning, demand constant rupture. On such noise does the health of Christian society depend.
~ Diarmaid MacCulloch, Silence: A Christian History (NY: Penguin, 2013), p. 216.

Some things appear not to change, don’t they? Just as I had finished reading Diarmaid MacCulloch’s Silence, news broke that abuse survivor and member of the Vatican commission on abuse Peter Saunders had been pushed off the commission — apparently, because he has been too outspoken. As Paddy Agnew reports for The Irish Times, Saunders has recently been vocally critical of Pope Francis for reneging on a promise to attend meetings of the commission and address commission members’ questions about his handling of the abuse crisis in the Catholic church.

Last week, the film “Spotlight” was screened at the Vatican for the abuse commission. Pope Francis conspicuously did not attend the screening of the film, a “silence” widely reported by media outlets around the world.

And because he refused to keep silent about Pope Francis’s obvious (to all of us with eyes to see) unwillingness to confront the abuse crisis forthrightly and transparently, Peter Saunders has now been silenced. As Rosie Scammell and Stephanie Kirchgaessner report for The Guardian (first link above), following his sacking by members of the abuse commission, Peter Saunders told the media,

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PENNSYLVANIA
WJAC

The Bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has announced that two priests have been placed on leave.

Rev. David J. Arseneault, 70, and Rev. James B, Coveny, 79, have been placed on leave from the public ministry.

Arseneault served as Pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Huntingdon since 2000 and Coveny was ordained to the Priesthood in 1964 and retired in 2011.

The Bishop, Mark L. Bartchak, said it is a precautionary measure while the Diocese takes a further into the allegations of sexual misconduct that dates back over 20 years.

The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown said that they will continue to cooperate with law enforcement to resolve the issue.

“I remain committed to doing everything I can to ensure the protection of young people in this

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UNITED KINGDOM
Spiked

CHARLOTTE GILL
WRITER

There are bad things in the world. But not every bad thing needs a film about it.

Someone should have told the producers of Spotlight, a piece of Oscar bait that’s dull, uninspiring and does little more than tell you that something bad happened.

It’s based on the true story of a group of journalists who, while working for the Boston Globe in 2001, began a campaign to expose the extensive child abuse carried out by Roman Catholic priests in the Boston area. The plot is as follows: the journalists expose the paedophiles. Everyone is horrified. The end.

That really is just about all there is to Spotlight. In fact, nothing much happens in it at all, other than the journalists tracking down the Catholic priests, interviewing them and documenting their crimes.

Of course, people should be able to make films about bad things. But there has to be something else to it – intellectual analysis, parallels in the plot and nuanced editing. It is not enough simply to record, like a documentary, a series of events; the writing and direction must also bring something more out of the material. Otherwise it doesn’t really do justice to true events.

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AUSTRALIA
Mercury

February 8, 2016

REX GARDNER
Mercury

THE moment you mention the church and child abuse, people turn off. They’re suffering overload.

After years of hearing about institutional betrayal of young people and their parents, many want something more palatable and uplifting in their lives than these grubby stories. It’s understandable we want to turn away, because our trust and lifelong belief in people and places that deliver moral and spiritual guidance is taking a hammering — probably more than at any time in this nation’s history.

The church at the end of the street doesn’t stand for what it used to.

The brands and reputations of our major churches and some educational institutions are close to being smashed, and irretrievably so.

Their ongoing message — however meaningful — will simply bounce off people who have lost faith and trust. We’re not listening and believing the message any more, no matter what you say.

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has released a communiqué at the end of its week-long Plenary Assembly at the Vatican. Dated February 8, 2016, the statement details the focal points and proposals that emerged from the six Working Groups of the session, including a request for Pope Francis to remind all authorities in the Church of the importance of responding directly to victims and survivors who approach them, the finalization of a Universal Day of Prayer, and a penitential liturgy.

The communiqué goes on to list upcoming activities of the Commission and partner organizations, including workshops on the legal aspects of the Protection of Minors with a view to to establishing greater transparency around canonical trials, and the development of a website to facilitate sharing of best practices for the protection of minors around the world.

Below, please find the full text, in its official English version, of the communiqué from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

***************************************
News Release
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
8 February 2016
TO BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has had seven full days of meetings in Rome. Meetings of the six Working Groups focused on updates for current projects, and developing and drafting proposals. Outside collaborators who assisted the Working Groups included the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD), and an expert in Penal Canon Law. Draft proposals were presented to the Plenary Assembly for further discussion and decision about policies to propose to the Holy Father. Policies endeavor to recognize the diversity of information and guidance currently available to the Church around the world.

Examples of proposals being finalized for Pope Francis’ consideration include: a request for him to remind all authorities in the Church of the importance of responding directly to victims and survivors who approach them; the finalization of a Universal Day of Prayer and a penitential liturgy.

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VATICAN CITY
ANSA

(ANSA) – Vatican City, February 8 – The Catholic Church should respond “directly” to victims of child sex abuse by clergy, according to a recommendation by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors announced on Monday. Other proposals to be submitted to Pope Francis for consideration following seven days of meetings in Rome include establishing a universal day of prayer and creating a penitential liturgy, the Vatican said in a statement.

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors came into being in 2014 as part of a drive by Pope Francis to rid the church of the scourge of child abuse and help victims. It is mandated to advise the pope on how the Catholic Church should protect children and help victims of sexual abuse by the clergy.

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UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian

Michael White
Monday 8 February 2016

It looks as if the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, is edging towards an apology to Field Marshall Lord Bramall (92) over unfounded allegations of child sex abuse and that some kind of further apology is coming to the family of the late Leon Brittan. It’s too late to do him much good, as it is to former prime minister Edward Heath, also caught up by some wildly improbable allegations.

Today’s report by senior Dorset police officer James Vaughan into the Met’s handling of the Brittan allegations shows how complicated such historic claims can be.

Vaughan’s report says detectives were “fully justified” in pursuing a “fairly compelling account” of rape in 1967, but only made to police in 2012, though procedural mistakes were made.

Newspapers that made hay with separate lurid claims of sexual abuse and worse, made by someone known as “Nick” and others, later switched sides, as their reporting of Vaughan confirms today.

His report did not say Brittan would have been cleared, only that an acquittal was more likely than a conviction.

It’s worth noting in passing that Vaughan concluded that a key police officer in the Brittan case misunderstood the law on consent and it would have been reasonable to arrest the former cabinet minister, which nearly happened but didn’t. As so often, loose ends need tidying up.

But is (arguably) the most distinguished of all those accused, George Bell, Bishop of Chichester (1929-58) – a saint by some reckonings – being quietly traduced by the Church of England to cover its own back?

I’ve made some inquiries, but don’t claim to know the definitive answer. Others are furious in his defence. One of them, ex-Telegraph editor and formidable Thatcher biographer, Charles Moore, thinks that Bell has been stitched up by the police and his church. This case is again bubbling this week thanks to a scoop in the Brighton Argus – of which more later.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Washington Times

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) – A central Pennsylvania bishop has placed two priests on leave over child-sex abuse allegations more than 20 years old.

Altoona-Johnstown Bishop Mark Bartchak says he’s put the Revs. David Arseneault (AR’-sen-oh) and James Coveney on leave while the diocese “re-examines allegations of sexual misconduct involving young people.” The priests could not immediately be located for comment Monday.

The 70-year-old Arsenault has been pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Huntingdon since 2001. Coventry, who is 79, has been retired since 2011.

The bishop isn’t detailing the allegations other than to say they date back more than 20 years.

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VATICAN CITY
Buenos Aires Herald

VATICAN CITY — A man who says he was sexually abused by a priest on multiple occasions delivered two letters yesterday addressed to Pope Francis from Chilean Catholics, asking the pontiff to remove a Chilean bishop accused of protecting a notorious paedophile.

Juan Carlos Cruz delivered the letters with Peter Saunders, a prominent and outspoken British member of a papal advisory commission on sexual abuse by the clergy. Saunders on Saturday refused to step down from his position despite a no-confidence vote, and said only the pope could dismiss him, raising tensions.

The letters were left for Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, the president of the commission, at a Rome guest house where the commission was meeting. O’Malley was asked to give them to the pope.

The letters involve Juan Barros, who was installed last year as bishop of Osorno. The appointment outraged many parishioners, legislators and abuse victims who said Barros had protected a priest accused of having been one of the nation’s most notorious sexual predators.
The priest in question has denied he abused Cruz and the bishop has denied knowledge of wrongdoing.

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AUSTRALIA
Huffington Post

By Eoin Blackwell

Survivors of abuse at Catholic orphanages say they are bitterly disappointed by a decision by the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse to allow Cardinal George Pell to give evidence via video link.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Monday excused Pell from giving evidence in person, instead allowing him to appear before the inquiry via video link from Rome.

He is expected to give evidence on church abuse and the management of abusive priests in Ballarat.

Commission Chair, Justice Peter McClellan, said he accepted medical evidence there would be a risk to the 74-year-old’s health if he is forced to fly to Australia to give evidence.

“There is a risk to his health if he undertook such travel at the present time,” McClellan said while delivering his ruling on Monday.

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CHILE
El Mostrador

[Phil Saviano. The first whistleblower who uncovered cases of sexual abuse in the Church.]

por ALEJANDRA CARMONA 8 febrero 2016

Phil Saviano llega hasta las oficinas del Boston Globe con una caja. En ella hay recortes de pequeñas notas de prensa y fotografías. El eco de su voz ignorada por años. Pruebas en las que pocos medios de esa ciudad habían querido ahondar. Un cargamento de pistas que llevaron a la unidad de investigación de ese periódico, Spotlight, a revelar una serie de abusos cometidos por sacerdotes en Massachusetts, no solo ignorados por otros medios sino también por la propia Iglesia Católica.

Ese Phil Saviano, el de la caja, es en realidad un actor que interpreta a Saviano. Pero no se distancian mucho porque el propio Phil ayudó con sus relatos al guionista Josh Singer. Una historia que podría ser la misma que escuchamos desde hace años –insistentemente– en Chile. “Es también un abuso espitirual”, dice –en una de las escenas de la película– Phil, el actor que lo interpreta con su mismo nombre.

Para el propio Saviano (63), esas líneas del guión son lo mismo. O peor.

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AUSTRALIA
The West Australian

Tim Clarke
February 8, 2016

The Catholic Bishop to Australia’s Defence Forces has gone on trial in Perth accused of sexually molesting five boys while he was teaching at a Benedictine boarding school in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Max Leroy Davis has denied six charges of gross indecency relating to five different boys aged between 12 and 15 at the time they say they were all assaulted while pupils at St Benedict’s College in New Norcia.

The five victims, who are all now in their 50s, alleged remarkably similar abuse while boarding at the school – and all say it was Mr Davis who abused them.

The 70-year-old was at the time a Dorm Master, and dean of discipline at the school, which was run under the Benedictine order of monks who still reside in the town north of Perth.

A jury at Perth District Court was told the boys will all give evidence they were touched on the genitals by Mr Davis in their beds, in the school’s infirmary, or in Mr Davis’ quarters in the school.

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AUSTRALIA
WA Today

The former head of the Catholic Church’s military diocese has been wrongly accused of being a child sex abuser while two other clergymen may have been responsible, a Perth court has heard.

Bishop Max Leroy Davis is charged with six counts of being grossly indecent with five boys under the age of 15 between December 1968 and October 1972 at St Benedict’s College in New Norcia, northeast of Perth.

Davis, 70, was the dorm master and in charge of discipline and corporal punishment at the boarding school at the time, the West Australian District Court heard on Monday.

In his opening address, prosecutor Mark Nicol said the boys were touched sexually under the guise of medical examinations in their bed or infirmary, or while seeking clarification on sex education.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Pamela Medlen

The former head of the Australian Defence Force’s Catholic diocese allegedly abused five students under the pretence of giving them medical examinations, a charge he denies, a Perth court has heard.

Max Davis is accused of six counts of indecent dealings with male children between 1969 and 1972 when he worked at a St Benedict’s College in New Norcia.

The prosecution alleges Davis performed indecent acts on five students aged between 13 and 15 years old.

One of the alleged victims told the court he had gone to the school infirmary with a sore stomach and that Davis prodded his abdomen before grabbing his genitals.

In his opening statement, Davis’ defence lawyer said he would not dispute the men had been sexually abused while at the college.

However, he told the jury there were two other religious men who were known to have been involved in inappropriate behaviour with boys, and that the victims could have mistaken them for Davis.

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AUSTRALIA
Sky News

The former head of the Catholic Church’s military diocese, who is accused of sexually abusing boys more than 40 years ago, is a victim of mistaken identity, a Perth jury has heard.

Bishop Max Leroy Davis, 70, is charged with six counts of being grossly indecent with five boys under the age of 15 between December 1968 and October 1972 at St Benedict’s College in New Norcia, northeast of Perth.

Davis was the dorm master and in charge of discipline and corporal punishment at the boarding school at the time, the West Australian District Court heard on Monday.

In his opening address, prosecutor Mark Nicol said all the victims were touched sexually under the guise of medical examinations or while seeking clarification on sex education.

After touching one boy, Davis allegedly told him he would ‘grow up to be a powerful man’.

The court heard the boys were shocked and uncomfortable, but did not discuss what happened to them with anyone at the time.

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ROME
The Tablet (UK)

08 February 2016 | by Christopher Lamb in Rome

Despite his popularity, the Pope is in danger of being blindsided by the Vatican’s reaction to victims

Is the Catholic church’s sex abuse crisis becoming a headache for Pope Francis?

Anyone who has seen the new Spotlight film detailing clerical sexual abuse and its cover-up in Boston will be reminded how damaged the Church, in particular its bishops and the clerical leadership system, has been by the scandal.

Abuse and how it was handled dogged the papacy of Benedict XVI and it could also wound Pope Francis. At the weekend it was announced that Peter Saunders, a British abuse survivor, was no longer working with the pontifical child protection commission. Mr Saunders, a founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), disputed his enforced “leave of absence” saying he was seeking a meeting with Pope Francis about the matter.

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AUSTRALIA
The New Daily

MICHELLE BROWN

Cardinal George Pell has been excused from giving evidence in person to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Cardinal Pell will appear before the inquiry by video link from Rome to give evidence on church abuse in Ballarat.

Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan said he accepted medical evidence that the 74-year-old would be at risk of heart failure if forced to fly to Australia to give evidence.

“Although people with the conditions that Cardinal Pell has may fly long distances, it is apparent from the medical report that in the case of Cardinal Pell there is a risk to his health if he undertook such travel at the present time,” Justice McClellan said.

“Having regard to the nature of his aliments it could not be expected that his health is likely to improve and remove those risks.”

“Although it remains preferable that he gives evidence in Australia, when the alternative that he give evidence by video link is available the Commissioners are satisfied that course should be adopted.”

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NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque Journal

By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer
Published: Monday, February 8th, 2016

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A consultant last week agreed to review limited financial records provided by an insurer for the Diocese of Gallup and make a “thumbs-up or thumbs-down” decision whether to oversee a trust fund to handle future claims that may be filed by alleged victims of clerical sexual abuse against the diocese.

Settlement talks in the 26-month-old Chapter 11 bankruptcy case stalled last month after Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America, a church-owned nonprofit, declined to turn over extensive financial records demanded by the consultant, Michael P. Murphy, the managing director of Michigan-based AlixPartners LLP.

Murphy was hired last year to represent the interests of sexual abuse victims who may file claims in the future.

Murphy on Wednesday told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma of Albuquerque that he would view Catholic Mutual’s financial statement early this week, then decide whether to oversee a future-claims trust fund to distribute money paid by Catholic Mutual. Attorneys say the future-claims trust fund is a vital part of a settlement in the case.

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AUSTRALIA
Central Chronicle

Agency, Sydney

The Vatican’s Australian finance controller was cleared today to testify at a child abuse inquiry in his homeland via videolink because of a heart condition, a ruling bound to frustrate victim groups who wanted him to appear in person. Cardinal George Pell, once seen as a contender to become pope, was scheduled to testify at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on December 16 but asked to give evidence by videolink instead.

The judge chairing the inquiry said he accepted a January 29 medical report saying the former archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne had hypertension and ishcemic heart disease complicated by a previous heart attack, and said he could testify remotely. “Although people with the conditions that Cardinal Pell has may fly long distances, it is apparent … that in the case of Cardinal Pell there is a risk to his heath if he undertook such travel at the present time,” the judge, Peter McClellan, told the inquiry.

“Having regard to the nature of his ailments, it could not be expected that his health is likely to improve and remove these risks,” McClellan said, effectively reversing his December statement that he wanted Pell to testify in person. McClellan said Pell must testify from Rome via videolink on February 29. The inquiry heard testimony last year that priests suspected of abuse in Pell’s former diocese were moved between parishes and put in church-appointed rehabilitation instead of being reported to police. Pell, 74, has denied those allegations.

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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

February 8, 2016

Rachel Browne
Social Affairs Reporter

Cardinal George Pell will not return to Australia to give evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse despite abuse victims’ calls for him to appear in person.

Commission chairman Peter McClellan​ ruled that while it would be preferable for the Vatican-based cardinal to appear in person, he accepted medical evidence that a long-haul flight posed a serious health threat to the 74-year-old.

A hearing held in Sydney on Monday was told Cardinal Pell suffered from a number of heart troubles.

Part of a medical report from an Italian specialist was read out at the hearing.

The medical report found Cardinal Pell suffered from hypertension, ischemic heart disease, complicated by a previous myocardial infarction, and cardiac dysfunction related to the arterial hypertension.

“The undertaking of a long journey could induce an episode of heart failure and were this to occur during a flight it would also be difficult to treat,” the report concluded.

Justice McClellan accepted the findings of the medical report, telling the hearing there would be a risk to Cardinal Pell’s health if he flew to Australia to give evidence about alleged child sexual abuse in Diocese of Ballarat and the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Michelle Brown

Cardinal George Pell has been excused from giving evidence in person to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Cardinal Pell will appear before the inquiry by video link from Rome to give evidence on church abuse in Ballarat.

Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan said he accepted medical evidence that the 74-year-old would be at risk of heart failure if forced to fly to Australia to give evidence.

“Although people with the conditions that Cardinal Pell has may fly long distances, it is apparent from the medical report that in the case of Cardinal Pell there is a risk to his health if he undertook such travel at the present time,” Justice McClellan said.

“Having regard to the nature of his aliments it could not be expected that his health is likely to improve and remove those risks.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Guardian

Melissa Davey
@MelissaLDavey
Sunday 7 February 2016

Australia’s most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, will give evidence about child sex abuse that occurred within his parishes via videolink following a ruling by the chair of the royal commission into institutional responses into child sexual abuse, Justice Peter McClellan.

Child sexual abuse victims have been waiting to hear whether Pell would appear in person since December, when his lawyers told the commission days before he was due to give evidence that he was too unwell to make the flight from Rome to Melbourne.

At the time, McClellan refused Pell’s request to instead appear via video link, saying the issues that Pell was due to give evidence on were complex and his answers would be better delivered in person. He said the commission would wait until February to see if Pell’s health had recovered enough to allow the flight.

On Friday, Pell’s lawyer, Allan Myers QC, tendered medical documents to the commission that indicated Pell was still too unwell to fly. After hearing from lawyers for the victims, who largely argued that Pell’s medical condition was “very common” to anyone of the cardinal’s age, 74, McClellan adjourned to consider his position.

On Monday McClellan revealed that the conditions were hypertension and ischaemic heart disease. While it would be preferable that Pell fly to Australia to give evidence, McClellan said the commissioners were satisfied doing so would pose a risk to Pell’s health and that his condition was unlikely to improve.

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CHILE
Telesur

The appointment of Juan Barros as bishop of Osorno in 2015 sparked controversy as the cleric is accused of protecting a notorious child-abusing priest.

Outraged Chilean Catholics asked Pope Francis to fire a controversial bishop accused of shielding a pedophile priest in a pair of letters delivered on Sunday by one of the victims of the Chilean priest’s sexual abuse.

The letters addressed to Pope Francis were delivered by Juan Carlos Cruz, a Chilean sexually abused by a Catholic priest as a teenager, and Peter Saunders, a British member of an advisory committee to the pope on sexual abuse in the church. The two left the letters with a cardinal to be delivered to the Pope.

Catholics in Chile wrote to the Holy See to demand that Juan Barros, controversially appointed bishop of Osorno, be removed from his post. Hundreds outraged by the appointment protested in southern Chile last year to try to block Barros from being ordained, but Pope Francis dismissed the outcry, claiming the accusations against Barros had been invented by a bunch of “leftists.”

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MISSOURI
Berger’s Beat

FORMER ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROF Larry Stukenholtz has passed away. He was suspended in 2007 after SNAP had disclosed he’d been sued for child sex crimes at a Catholic school in Orange County, CA

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AUSTRALIA
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

[live stream]

The Royal Commission has called a directions hearing to be held in Sydney on Friday 5 and Monday 8 February 2016.

The purpose of the directions hearing is to consider Cardinal George Pell’s capacity to attend the third part of the public hearing into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat.

This will be immediately followed by a directions hearing to consider Bishop Ronald Mulkearns’ capacity to attend the third part of the public hearing into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat.

Stage 3: February 2016

This public hearing will be continued from 22 – 26 February 2016.

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CHILE/CIUDAD DEL VATICANO
24 Horas

[Juan Carlos Cruz sends letters to Pope Francis to remove the Bishop Barros.]

El denunciante del caso Karadima, entregó las misivas a un miembro de la comisión que asesora al Santo Padre en temas de abusos sexuales por parte del clero.

Juan Carlos Cruz, envió dos cartas al Papa Francisco pidiéndole que remueva al obispo Juan Barros, acusado de proteger a Fernando Karadima.

El denunciante del caso Karadima, envió las cartas a través de Peter Saunders, un prominente miembro británico de la comisión de asesoramiento papal sobre abusos sexuales de parte del clero.

Las cartas quedaron en una casa de huéspedes de Roma, donde se reúne la comisión, para que fueran recogidas por el cardenal de Boston Sean O’Malley, presidente del cuerpo, a quien se le pidió que las misivas llegaran a manos del Papa.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Charlotte King

Australia’s most high-profile Catholic Cardinal George Pell will learn this afternoon whether he will be able to give evidence to the child abuse royal commission from Rome.

Access to Cardinal Pell’s two-page medical report was given to counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse at Friday’s hearing, on the condition the details were not published.

His lawyers applied for the 74-year-old to be able to appear via an audio visual link at hearings of the inquiry dealing with abuse in Ballarat.

A Ballarat victim of child sex abuse criticised Cardinal Pell, saying he was demanding more from the royal commission than had been offered to survivors.

Abuse survivor David Ridsdale said there needed to be transparency surrounding the reasons given for the Cardinal not wanting to appear in person.

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CIUDAD DEL VATICANO/CHILE
Bio Bio

Tras la separación de Peter Saunders de la Comisión Papal de abusos sexuales, quien había invitado a Juan Carlos Cruz para relatar situación de Obispo Juan Barros en Osorno, el Movimiento de Laicos de la comuna dijo que esto demuestra que los abusos dentro de la iglesia “siguen siendo un tema tabú”.

Recordemos que la invitación nace de Saunders, luego que Juan Carlos Cruz haya sido excluido de integrar dicha comisión que aborda los abusos sexuales ocurridos en iglesias. Según explicó el denunciante de Fernando Karadima, cuando estaban almorzando y comentando lo que se iba a exponer en dicha instancia, entre eso la situación de Barros, Saunders fue avisado de su separación de la comisión.

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CANADA
Edmonton Journal

CLAIRE THEOBALD
KEITH GEREIN, EDMONTON JOURNAL

Published on: February 7, 2016

A former bishop of Edmonton’s Anglican diocese says he has no recollection of ever meeting a priest accused of sexually assaulting teen boys at a city youth jail in the 1980s.

Ken Genge, who served as bishop from 1988 to 1996, said Sunday he read news of the arrest of Father Gordon William Dominey, but it didn’t trigger any memories. Pictures of the priest published over the weekend also failed to register.

“His name is vaguely familiar, but I don’t remember him,” Genge said from his home in Langley, B.C. “Obviously, it’s a very serious thing.”

Edmonton police say two people came forward in September saying they had been sexually assaulted by a priest employed at the Edmonton Youth Development Centre in the 1980s.

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CANADA
CTV

North Vancouver churchgoers say they were stunned to learn their priest is facing five historic sex assault charges against children in Edmonton.

“It’s horribly shocking,” said Evan Jennings, who attends St. Catherine’s Capilano Anglican Church. “It’s awful. The poor guy…poor all the people, I guess.

Father Gordon William Dominey, 63, allegedly sexually assaulted five youth while he was employed at now-closed Edmonton Youth Development Centre from 1985 to 1989. He was working at the time as a priest in the Diocese of Edmonton.

In September 2015, Edmonton police say they began investigating reports of sexual assaults that occurred at the facility in the 1980s.

Police say the victims were between 14 and 17 years old.

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CIUDAD DEL VATICANO
swissinfo

Por Philip Pullella

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (Reuters) – Un chileno que dijo haber sufrido abuso sexual de parte de un sacerdote envió dos cartas al Papa Francisco pidiéndole que remueva al obispo Juan Barros, acusado de proteger a un reconocido pedófilo en el país sudamericano.

Juan Carlos Cruz envió las cartas a través de Peter Saunders, un prominente miembro británico de la comisión de asesoramiento papal sobre abusos sexuales de parte del clero.

Las cartas quedaron en una casa de huéspedes de Roma, donde se reúne la comisión, para que fueran recogidas por el cardenal de Boston Sean O’Malley, presidente del cuerpo, a quien se le pidió que las misivas llegaran a manos del Papa.

Las cartas refieren a Barros, quien fue nombrado el año pasado como obispo de Osorno, lo que generó indignación entre muchos católicos, legisladores y víctimas de abuso sexual, que dicen que el ahora obispo protegió al padre Fernando Karadima, uno de los pedófilos más notorios del país.

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CHILE
Terra

[A group of lay and pastoral staff of different parish communities in the Diocese of Osorno, southern Chile, today called on Pope Francis to dismiss Chilean Bishop Juan Barros for his connection with the concealment of sexual abuse.]

Un grupo de laicos y agentes pastorales de distintas comunidades parroquiales de la diócesis de Osorno, en el sur de Chile, pidieron hoy al papa Francisco que destituyera al obispo chileno Juan Barros por sus vinculaciones con el encubrimiento de abusos sexuales.

A través de una carta que un miembro de la comisión pontificia se encargará de entregar personalmente al sumo pontífice, la organización de laicos y agentes pastorales solicitó al papa destituir al obispo Barros, quien, según la misiva, “está causando una división sin precedentes dentro de la diócesis”.

El obispo de la diócesis de Osorno, ciudad ubicada a 940 kilómetros al sur de Santiago, es acusado de encubrir los abusos sexuales cometidos por el sacerdote chileno Fernando Karadima.

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ROME
Telegraph (UK)

By Andrea Vogt in Bologna 07 Feb 2016

The outspoken British member of a papal advisory commission on sex abuse has demanded a meeting with Pope Francis over what he says is a Vatican attempt to silence him.

The Vatican press office announced on Saturday that Peter Saunders, head of Britain’s National Association for People Abused in Childhood, had been asked to take a leave of absence from the commission he was invited by Pope Francis to join when it was set up in 2014. It was established to lay down “best practices” for tackling sex abuse in the church.

In a hastily-called press conference Saturday, Mr. Saunders said that despite a near-unanimous vote of no-confidence against him, he would not step down.

And in an interview on Sunday he told The Telegraph that he would consider himself still a member of the commission until the pontiff who hand-picked him for the role told him otherwise.

“It was suggested I take some time out to consider my options,” he said. “But I said the only one who can dismiss me is the man who appointed me, and so I have requested a meeting with the pope.”

Mr Saunders said he planned to leave Rome and return to his family in the UK next week while awaiting a response. Since going public about the commission’s decision, he has received dozens of emails of support, as well as menacing warnings from observers suggesting he watch his back. Survivor support groups that track sexual abuse by clergy quickly spoke out in his defence.

“The apparent attempt by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to eject an outspoken survivor raises serious doubts about its integrity and independence,” Anne Barrett Doyle, co-founder of BishopAccountability.org said. …

“Someone in the commission said, ‘You know Rome wasn’t built in a day, don’t expect the church to change overnight’,” he said. “My response was, ‘It only takes a few seconds to rape a child and that child’s life is changed forever.’ We know abuse in the church is rampant. We need more action now.”

Mr Saunders said he was particularly disturbed by the story of two Italian priests who told a member of the commission about a colleague known to be abusing children.

They had gone to their bishop but said they had been told to stay quiet. They had then gone to the local police, who asked if they had spoken to their bishop.

Mr Saunders pressed the commission for action, but was rebuffed, as it was deemed inappropriate to address individual cases.

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ROME
Irish Times

Paddy Agnew in Rome

UK child sex abuse lobbyist Peter Saunders, who was given a “leave of absence” from his role in the Holy See’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, has said that the “Vatican system” seems “essentially corrupt and unwilling to do the right thing”.

After a commission meeting on Saturday, the Holy See announced “it was decided” that Mr Saunders would take a leave of absence in order to “consider how he might best support the commission’s work”.

According to Vatican sources, this was prompted by concern among members that Mr Saunders had a conflict-of-interest created by his dual role as a campaigner with the UK child sex abuse lobby Napac and as a policy consultant on the Vatican commission.
In particular, Mr Saunders surprised fellow commission members last week by criticising Pope Francis.

Appointment of bishop

He claimed Pope Francis had reneged on a promise to attend commission meetings to answer questions about his handling of the sex abuse issue.

He also criticised the pope’s appointment last summer of controversial Chilean bishop Juan Barros to the Diocese of Osorno. Bishop Barros has been accused of covering up the sex abuse crimes of Fr Fernando Karadima, a Chilean priest.

Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Mr Saunders said he was “shell-shocked” and disappointed at the manner in which the “inquisition” had expressed a vote of no confidence in him.

As far as he is concerned, he has not taken a leave of absence, while he says the only person who can sack him is Pope Francis. He argues that “nothing significant” is happening at the commission, adding: “I had great hope for Pope Francis . . . but so far there has been no real change”.

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VATICAN CITY
Daily Mail (UK)

By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY, Feb 7 (Reuters) – A man who says he was sexually abused by a priest on Sunday delivered two letters addressed to Pope Francis from Chilean Catholics asking him to remove a Chilean bishop accused of protecting a notorious paedophile.

Juan Carlos Cruz delivered the letters with Peter Saunders, a prominent and outspoken British member of a papal advisory commission on sexual abuse by the clergy. Saunders on Saturday refused to step down despite a no-confidence vote, and said only the pope could dismiss him.

The letters were left for Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, the president of the commission, at a Rome guest house where the commission was meeting. O’Malley was asked to give them to the pope, Saunders and Cruz said.

The letters involve Juan Barros, who was installed last year as bishop of Osorno. The papal appointment outraged many parishioners, national legislators and abuse victims who said Barros had protected a priest accused of having been one of the nation’s most notorious sexual predators.

The priest in question has denied he abused Cruz and the bishop has denied knowledge of any wrongdoing.

“The devastation that your decision has caused us, Pope Francis, cannot withstand any more silence or omission,” said one of the letters, signed by about 30 representatives of parishes in Osorno. “We have knocked on every door … and have received nothing but mockery.”

Cruz, 51, sent a copy of one of the Spanish-language letters along with a statement in English to reporters. The other was a private letter to the pope from clergy in Osorno, Cruz said.

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ROM
Spiegel

Er wurde selbst von einem Priester vergewaltigt, kämpft seit vielen Jahren gegen Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche und wollte in der vom Papst eingesetzten Kinderschutz-Kommission für bessere Aufklärung sorgen. Doch damit soll nun Schluss sein.

Auf einer Sitzung der päpstlichen Kommission wurde entschieden, dass der Brite Peter Saunders beurlaubt sei, damit er darüber nachdenken könne, “wie er die Arbeit der Kommission am besten unterstützen könnte”. Danach, ergänzte Vatikansprecher Federico Lombardi, wolle man entscheiden, ob Saunders in der Kommission verbleibe oder “von außen” seinen Beitrag leisten werde.

Die Kommission wirft Saunders vor, Kampagnen zu betreiben und zu oft mit den Medien zu sprechen – dabei sei es doch Aufgabe der Kinderschützer, dem Papst vernünftige Maßnahmen zur Missbrauchsbekämpfung vorzuschlagen, und nicht, Urteile zu verbreiten.

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AUSTRALIA
The Courier

By Melissa Cunningham
Feb. 7, 2016

Days before a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will decide whether terminally ill former Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns is well enough to give evidence, he was reportedly seen walking around the grounds of a nursing home unassisted.

On Friday the inquiry heard Bishop Mulkearns was extremely frail, had colon cancer, was in chronic pain and was terminally ill with a life expectancy of months.

Recent photos believed to be of Bishop Mulkearns, show him walking around the gardens of a nursing home, using a walking frame and without any medical assistance.

Other photos show him reading a book outside believed to be over a period of about two hours.

David Grace QC, acting for the bishop told the inquiry on Friday Bishop Mulkearns wished to give evidence but medical advice recommended he did not attend court in person.

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INDIA
The Times of India

Jaideep Shenoy | TNN | Feb 7, 2016

MANGALURU: Mangaluru City Police has arrested a widower assistant priest of a muzrai temple in Kateel on charges of sexually abusing a teenager from his neighbourhood who performed household chores at his house. Police named the accused as Harishchandra Rao alias Appu Bhatta who offered tirtha to devotees visiting the temple. Harishchandra, 56, had recently lost his wife, a psychiatric patient and he was residing at their house with his two daughters.

Police said the teenager and her brothers grew up in the same neighborhood as the accused and the families knew each other well. Owing to financial condition in her family, the teenager carried out odd jobs at the house of Harishchandra. The incident, according to the teenager took place in September last and the accused had coerced her in to having sexual intercourse on at least six different occasions since then and this act made her pregnant as well, police said.

Incidentally, Bajpe police, with whom a case has been registered under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation), said they had received an intimation from Lady Goschen Hospital some four months back when the teenager had gone there for treatment. However, since she had not to given any statement or desisted from lodging a complaint about the sexual assault then, police had to back down. The victim has since come forward to lodge a complaint, police said.

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AUSTRALIA/NIGERIA
Broken Rites

By a Broken Rites researcher, article posted 7 February 2016

The Brisbane Catholic Archdiocese, which has been bringing priests from Nigeria to help solve a shortage of priests in Australia, has announced that one of Brisbane’s imported priests (Father Malachy Onuoha) has been stood down by his home diocese in Nigeria. The Nigerian diocese is investigating misconduct allegedly committed in Nigeria by Father Onuoha some years ago. In the Brisbane archdiocese (which covers south-east Queensland), Fr Onuoha has been serving as the parish priest in charge of two parishes (Gatton and Laidley, situated between Ipswich and Toowoomba), helping to solve Australia’s shortage of Catholic priests.

Brisbane archbishop Mark Coleridge stated on 7 February 2016 that Fr Onuoha was stood aside while in Nigeria on holidays. He will remain in Nigeria while the Nigerian diocese investigates the allegations.

Research by Broken Rites

On 2 October 2006, the Brisbane Courier Mail newspaper gave some information about Brisbane’s plan to bring priests from Nigeria:

The Catholic priest shortage in southeast Queensland has become so acute the Brisbane archdiocese is recruiting in Nigeria.

The archdiocese has one parish priest [in 2006] for every 6000 Catholics, double the number to which they were ministering 15 years ago, church figures show.

Despite the southeast Queensland population explosion, parish priest numbers in the region [in 2006] have plummeted by about a third from 150 to 103 in a decade.

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ITALIA
FarodiRoma

[Police per order of the appeals court in Rome have arrested priest Ruggero Conti, former parish priest of the Porto-Santa Rufina diocese, and he is to serve a prison sentence of 11 years, 10 months and 19 days and pay a $39,600 euro fine for sexually abusing minors and inducing child prostitution.]

p
The police of Tuscania company, pursuant to an ‘order put by the Court’ s Appeal of Rome, at the end of the Supreme Court decision, they arrested Father Ruggero Conti, former parish priest of the diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina.

I carabinieri della compagnia di Tuscania, in esecuzione di un’ ordinanza messa dalla Corte d’ Appello di Roma, al termine della decisione della Suprema Corte di Cassazione, hanno arrestato don Ruggero Conti, ex parroco della diocesi di Porto-Santa Rufina.

L’ uomo dovrà scontare una condanna totale di 11 anni, 10 mesi e 19 giorni nonché pagare la multa di 39.600 euro per violenza sessuale su minori e induzione alla prostituzione minorile. L’ arrestato, dopo le formalità di rito, è stato trasferito in un istituto religioso protetto in attesa di essere definitivamente tradotto in un carcere. Don Ruggero Conti, lombardo di origine, a Roma era finito in una delicata inchiesta del sostituto procuratore Francesco Scavo con l’ accusa di aver abusato, tra il 1998 e il 2008, di sette adolescenti che partecipavano o avevano partecipato ai gruppi parrocchiali nella chiesa della «Natività di Maria Santissima», nella zona di Selva Candida, dove era parroco. Li avrebbe circuiti promettendo capi d’ abbigliamento e ricariche telefoniche. La vicenda divise i fedeli. Condannato in primo grado a 15 anni e 4 mesi, pena poi ridotta due anni dopo, in appello, la pena era stata ridotta a 14 anni e due mesi perché nel frattempo erano finiti in prescrizione tre degli episodi contestati. Don Conti era stato sottoposto a divieto dell’ esercizio pubblico del ministero nel 2008 e quindi sospeso «a divinis» nel 2011.

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ITALIA
Giornale di Sicilia

[Child abuse victim of Don Roberto Elice: “I told everything to the Curia in 2014.”

PALERMO. «Mi sono autodenunciato alla Curia a novembre del 2014»: così don Roberto Elice ha spiegato, davanti al gip di Palermo di avere riferito quasi due anni fa ai suoi superiori le molestie inflitte a tre minorenni palermitani.

Il sacerdote è stato arrestato per violenza sessuale dopo la denuncia della madre di due delle vittime. Oggi è stato sentito dal giudice nel corso dell’interrogatorio di garanzia.

La Curia, dopo la «confessione» ha trasferito il prete a Roma in una struttura per sacerdoti con problemi, l’ha sospes

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DEUTSCHLAND
idea

[The Evangelical United Brethren at Korntal wants to voluntarily pay up to 5,000 euros to former home children who have experienced sexual abuse between the 1950s and 90s in the facilities in Korntal and Wilhelmsdorf respectively.]

Korntal (idea) – Die Evangelische Brüdergemeinde Korntal will jeweils bis zu 5.000 Euro freiwillig an ehemalige Heimkinder zahlen, die sexuellen Missbrauch zwischen den 1950er und 90er Jahren in den Einrichtungen in Korntal und Wilhelmsdorf erlebt haben. Das gab der Vorsteher, Klaus Andersen (Korntal), am 5. Februar vor der Presse bekannt. Damit wolle die Gemeinde bei verjährten Fällen zeigen, dass sie das Leid der Betroffenen anerkenne. Die Höhe orientiere sich an vergleichbaren Zahlungen anderer Institutionen. Das genaue Antragsverfahren solle mit ehemaligen Heimkindern ausgehandelt werden.

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DEUTSCHLAND
Stuttgarter Zeitung

Korntal-Münchingen – Bei der Aufarbeitung der Missbrauchsfälle in Kinderheimen der evangelischen Brüdergemeinde Korntal gibt es ein neues Wort: Täterorganisation. In der ersten Pressekonferenz seit dem Beginn des Aufarbeitungsprozesses hat der weltliche Vorsteher, Klaus Andersen, das Brüdergemeindewerk gleich mehrfach so bezeichnet. Und er kündigte an, den Betroffenen in Anerkennung ihres Leids bis zu je 5000 Euro bezahlen zu wollen. Dafür soll eine Stiftung gegründet werden. „In dieser wichtigen Frage müssen wir einen neuen Impuls setzen und zeigen, dass wir unsere moralische Verantwortung für die Geschehnisse annehmen.“

Die Pietisten kommen damit einer zentralen Forderung der Betroffenen nach. Diese fordern eine Wahlfreiheit zwischen Geld- und Sachleistungen, während die Brüdergemeinde seither nur Sachleistungen gewähren wollte. Ergänzend gab Andersen bekannt, die Brüdergemeinde habe dem interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekt der Landshuter Wissenschaftlerin Mechthild Wolff zugestimmt. Korntal bezahlt das Projekt. „Beide Entscheidungen gehen an die Substanz unseres Werkes“, sagte Andersen, ohne konkreter zu werden.

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ROM
Neue Zurcher Zeiting

(ap)
Die päpstliche Kommission zur Aufklärung von Sexualvergehen katholischer Geistlicher muss vorerst ohne das Missbrauchsopfer Peter Saudners auskommen. In einer Sitzung am Samstag sei entschieden worden, dass der Brite Saunders von seiner Mitarbeit freigestellt werde, um zu überlegen, wie er die Arbeit der Kommission am besten unterstützen könne, teilte der Vatikan am Samstag mit. In der Vergangenheit hatte Saunders das Arbeitstempo der Kommission scharf kritisiert.

Die von Papst Franziskus 2013 berufene Kommission soll eine Strategie gegen sexuellen Missbrauch ausarbeiten. Saunders wurde vor gut einem Jahr ins Gremium berufen. Er war als Kind sowohl von Familienmitgliedern als auch von Geistlichen missbraucht worden und traf im Sommer 2014 mit fünf Leidensgenossen den Papst, dem er von seinen Erlebnissen berichtete.

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ROM
Kristianstadsbladet

Britten Peter Saunders, medlem av Vatikanens rådgivande kommitté rörande sexuella övergrepp, lämnar gruppen. Saunders har varit en av de mest frispråkiga kritikerna av Vatikanen. Enligt ett uttalande beslutades det under ett utskottssammanträde att “Saunders skulle ta tjänstledigt”.(TT)

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ROME
NRC (Nederland)

Bastiaan Nagtegaal 6 februari 2016

De commissie die het Vaticaan moet adviseren over manieren om in de toekomst misbruik binnen de kerk te voorkomen, heeft een prominent lid op non-actief gesteld. De Brit Peter Saunders, zelf ook misbruikslachtoffer, is in het verleden zeer kritisch geweest op de commissie.

“Besloten is dat de heer Peter Saunders verlof neemt van zijn lidmaatschap om te overwegen hoe hij het werk van de commissie het beste kan ondersteunen”, schreef het Vaticaan volgens AP in een persverklaring. Veel meer details werden vanuit Rome niet bekendgemaakt.

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ROME
Catholic Herald (UK)

Peter Saunders describes no-confidence vote as ‘outrageous’

An outspoken British abuse survivor has said he will defy a Vatican commission’s request for him to take “take a leave of absence”.

Peter Saunders described a vote of no confidence against him by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors as “outrageous”.

Mr Saunders, who was appointed to the commission in December 2014, said he was taken by surprise when the Vatican issued a statement on Saturday announcing the leave of absence.

Speaking at a press conference in Rome, he said: “I was asked to consider what my role should be with the commission. I did not make a decision to take or accept any decision on a leave of absence. I said I would reflect on what I would do. I may well have been back in the meeting shortly.

“I then heard that the Vatican had made a statement about my taking a leave of absence. I was never told in advance of any such statement and I find it outrageous that I was not told, much less that the statement occurred before I had had any time to reflect on what I might do next.”

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WASHINGTON
The Seattle Times

By Janice Palm
Special to The Times

THE recent story in The Seattle Times of one man’s struggle to heal from being sexually abused while a student at St. Benedict School in Wallingford brings to light both the lifelong, often silent, struggle for those who have been sexually victimized in childhood and also the critical need for adults to act when children divulge abuse.

Steve O’Connor’s story [“Victim speaks out on archdiocese’s omissions from list of accused child sex abusers,” Jan. 25] depicts the all-too-familiar pattern for sexually abused children who grow into adulthood carrying the secret of abuse. Many, if not most, victims wait decades before coming forward to speak of the abuse. In that time, they carry on with life, attempting to outpace the self-doubt, the fears and the pervasive and often debilitating sense of shame.

Unfortunately, the effects of the childhood violation of one’s body and ability to feel safe in the world do not dissipate as time passes. The demands and responsibilities of adulthood, including the need and desire to form close relationships, actually compound the effects of abuse, often leading to struggles with anxiety, deep depression, addictions and a number of other chronic mental and physical difficulties across a lifetime.

Get help if you suspect child abuse or have been sexually abused
State Child Protective Services (CPS), 866-ENDHARM (866-363- 4276)

Hotlines for help and treatment:

• Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress: 206-744-1600

• King County Sexual Assault Resource Center’s 24-hour resource line: 888-998-6423

O’Connor’s outrage that the Seattle Archdiocese’s list of known perpetrators did not include the name of his perpetrator, who was a teacher and principal at his school, is justifiable. The need for accountability provides validation of the life-altering harm that was done. The continued confusion and evasion perpetuated by the Catholic Church is nothing short of a denial of the pain and suffering that countless children who are now adults continue to suffer.

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WALES
Wales Online

BY HUW SILK

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been accused of ordering the destruction of documents in direct contradiction of an order not to do so from a major child sexual abuse inquiry.

Religious organisations, as well as schools, colleges and other institutions, have been told by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse – led by Judge Lowell Goddard – to keep hold of any documents which could be useful to the investigation.

A request sent out to the bodies last year stated measures should be taken “to ensure that everything of potential relevance to the Inquiry is retained”.

Jehovah’s Witness elders hear allegations against members of the congregation and record what is said.

We have seen a copy of an edict distributed to Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations around the UK ordering the destruction of “all agendas and minutes of elders’ meetings (other than business meeting minutes)”, “all personal notes taken at elders’ meetings (except those based on discussions of outlines from ‘the faithful and discreet slave’ and that do not mention any particular individual)” and “any other personal records, notes, or correspondence that refer to particular individuals”.

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VATICAN CITY
Crux

By John L. Allen Jr.
Associate editor February 7, 2016

Given what a cancer the clerical sexual abuse scandals have been for the Catholic Church, one would imagine the Vatican would want new bishops to get a state-of-the-art presentation on best practices in terms of preventing such meltdowns in the future.

The Vatican has been running just such a training course since 2001 for newly appointed bishops around the world, and almost 30 percent of the Catholic prelates in the world today have taken it.

It’s more than a bit surprising, therefore, to discover that at least last year, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the body created by Pope Francis to identify “best practices” in the fight against child abuse, was not involved in the training.

What’s the point of creating a commission to promote best practices, and putting one of the Church’s most credible leaders on the abuse issue, Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, in charge of it, and yet not having it address the new leaders who will have to implement those practices?

On Monday, the top official at the Congregation for Bishops, Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, outlined the papers presented during the most recent course, saying he wanted to invite “suggestions for improving the experience.” …

In other ways, however, his presentation seemed seriously wanting. For instance, Anatrella argued that bishops have no duty to report allegations to the police, which he says is up to victims and their families. It’s a legalistic take on a critical issue, one which has brought only trouble for the Church and its leaders. Why, one wonders, was it part of a training session?

Most basically, canonical procedures kick in only after abuse has been alleged. Presumably the goal ought to be to stop those crimes from happening, and in that regard it’s striking that Anatrella devoted just a few paragraphs to abuse prevention, using abstract language without concrete examples.

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GERMANY
New York Times

By MELISSA EDDY
FEB. 6, 2016

REGENSBURG, Germany — Udo Kaiser was 8 years old, brimming with energy and a bell-clear soprano voice when he arrived at the boarding school of the famed boys choir that bears this city’s name. Before his first day ended, he had been struck by a teacher.

The months that followed brought twisted ears or slaps for disrupting the silence demanded in the classrooms, corridors and dining hall. Singing the wrong note earned a beating with a conductor’s baton. Fingers that missed notes at the piano were slammed with the fallboard.

But it was the night he was caught playing with marbles in his dormitory, and was called to the prefect’s room for punishment, that would later send him into years of depression and cause him to lose his voice.

There, a priest whom the boys called “the pickle” because of his long nose, ordered him to pull down his pajama bottoms and kneel. The priest, whom Mr. Kaiser declined to name but said had since died, then placed the boy’s head between his legs and took up his rod.

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RHODE ISLAND
Providence Journal

By Karen Lee Ziner
Journal Staff Writer

Posted Feb. 6, 2016

When a complaint is filed with a diocesan “intake officer” about a member of the Episcopal clergy, the church launches a “Title IV” ecclesiastical disciplinary process.

That process seeks to support everyone involved or affected — from the clergy member in question, to those who may have been harmed, to the larger community. It also seeks to resolve conflicts, whether through “healing, repentance, forgiveness,” or restitution, justice, reconciliation, or someone’s agreement to change behavior.

“This is not a matter of what punishment can a person get. It’s how can we best act to heal all the brokenness and woundedness for everybody who is impacted,” said Robin Hammeal-Urban, canon for mission integrity and training for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

Prior to July 1, 2011, the process in the Episcopal Church was based on a military code of justice, she said. “The question was, what sentence should be imposed on the clergy person? That, at this point, has been rejected.”

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ROME
Crux

By Inés San Martín
Vatican correspondent February 6, 2016

ROME — A clerical sexual abuse survivor who has been bitterly critical of the response from the Vatican and Pope Francis to several high-profile recent controversies involving abuse scandals has been asked to take a “leave of absence” by other members of the panel.

But the member, Peter Saunders of Great Britain, said at at press conference later Saturday that as far as he’s concerned, he’s still part of the commission.

“I have not left, and I am not leaving my place,” Saunders said. “I was appointed by Pope Francis, and I will only talk to him about my position on the commission.”

A short Vatican statement released Saturday said that Saunders, an abuse survivor named to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in 2015, a body created by Pope Francis in March 2014, will now ponder “how he might best support the commission’s work.”

Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, who heads the commission, said Saturday that he has asked Saunders “to advise the commission on the possible establishment of a victim survivor panel to work with the commission.” …

A Vatican official who’s close to the commission’s work told Crux on Saturday that in terms of his future role, Saunders has a decision to make.

“He has to decide if he’s an advocate and campaigner [for survivors] instead of being an adviser,” the official said.

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IRELAND
Wexford People

By David Tucker
PUBLISHED
06/02/2016

Wexford is listed among the world’s high-profile places of child sexual abuse in the Oscar-nominated film ‘Spotlight ‘ now showing in the Omniplex Cinema in Drinagh.

The film features the Pulitzer prize-winning investigation by Boston Globe journalists in the USA in 2001 into the cover-up by the Catholic Church there of the cases of 87 priests accused of child sexual abuse.

Their investigation led to the resignation of Cardinal Law of the Archdiocese of Boston.

Simon Kennedy, then a solicitor in New Ross, who advised many of County Wexford’s abuse victims, visited Boston at the time and met some of the lawyers who are now represented in the film. Amongst those mentioned in the film were former priest and Canon Law expert,Tom Doyle with whom he consulted.

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RHODE ISLAND/PENNSYLVANIA
Providence Journal

By Karen Lee Ziner
Journal Staff Writer

Posted Feb. 6, 2016

In small-town Pennsylvania, congregants at St. James Episcopal Church in Bedford are praying for the Rev. Howard W. White Jr., who faces allegations of sexual abuse of teenage boys.

Mr. White, a former assistant chaplain at St. George’s School in Middletown, is embroiled in a widening sex-abuse scandal at the elite Episcopal prep school that dates to the 1970s. On Saturday, authorities confirmed that White is now under investigation for sexual abuse in North Carolina, where he was formerly a church rector.

“The congregation has been very supportive of him, holding him in prayer, sending him cards, bringing him soup,” said the Rt. Rev. Canon Audrey Cady Scanlan, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. “They’re caring for him as they would care for any member of the congregation who is in a time of need.”

The church has begun an investigation into White’s actions — at the same time that both Rhode Island State Police and an independent investigator try to uncover the full extent of what occurred at St. George’s. And dozens more former students have come forward to say they were victims of sexual abuse at the school.

White and others implicated in the St. George’s scandal have not been criminally charged; however the school has acknowledged that sexual abuse took place, and apologized to victims and the school community. The school has sent information to Rhode Island State Police, which are conducting a criminal investigation.

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AUSTRALIA/NIGERIA
Catholic Leader

February 7, 2016

FR Malachy Onuoha has been stood aside from ministry by his home diocese in Nigeria pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct some years ago in his native country.

The Archdiocese of Brisbane has confirmed that Fr Onuoha, the parish priest of Gatton-Laidley, was stood aside while in Nigeria on holidays. He will remain in Nigeria while the investigation into these allegations is conducted by an independent panel appointed by his Bishop.

Archbishop Mark Coleridge said Fr Onuoha’s return to the ministry would depend on the outcome of the investigation.

“The Archdiocese has only recently been made aware of the allegations and the investigation.
None of the allegations refer to Fr Onuoha’s time in the Archdiocese,” Archbishop Coleridge wrote in a letter to Gatton-Laidley parishioners.

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CANADA
Ottawa Citizen

THE PROVINCE, THE CANADIAN PRESS 02.05.2016

An Anglican priest has been arrested at his Coquitlam home on sex assault allegations stemming from his work in an Edmonton youth jail in the 1980s.

Police say Gordon William Dominey, 63, is accused of sexually assaulting five youths when he worked at the Edmonton Youth Development Centre between 1985 and 1989.

Dominey was arrested on Thursday. He faces five charges of sexual assault and five charges of gross indecency.

Investigators began looking into the allegations in September 2015. That is roughly the time Dominey began working at St. Catherine’s Capilano in North Vancouver, according to the church’s website.

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CANADA
Anglican Diocese of New Westminster

By The Right Reverend Melissa Skelton

February 6, 2016

A Pastoral Message from Bishop Melissa Skelton

It is with genuine sadness and sincere concern that I write to you today to inform you that the Reverend Gordon Dominey, currently Priest-in-Charge at St. Catherine’s, Capilano, was arrested on February 4 by the RCMP and Edmonton Police Service. We have received very little information to date, but I do know that this involves incidents alleged to have taken place at least 30 years ago while Gordon was a priest in the Diocese of Edmonton.

Consistent with Diocesan practice, Reverend Dominey has been placed on administrative leave. I am offering ongoing pastoral care and support to Gordon in what must be a very difficult time for him. This support will continue as the legal process unfolds. He is entitled to a presumption of innocence and I ask for your prayers for Gordon, for all those who are involved in this legal process and for those bringing forth the allegations against him

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CANADA
CBC News

Edmonton police have charged an Anglican priest with sexual assault in relation to incidents that allegedly occurred in an Edmonton youth incarceration facility during the 1980s.

Father Gordon William Dominey allegedly sexually assaulted five youth while he was employed at the Edmonton Youth Development Centre in the 1980s. The assaults are reported to have happened at the incarceration facility from 1985 to 1989.

Dominey transferred from the Diocese of Edmonton to the Diocese of New Westminster in Vancouver in July of 1990.

He was the priest-in-charge at St. Catherine’s Anglican Church in North Vancouver until he was arrested on Thursday Feb, 4. when the Bishop of New Westminster, Melissa Skelton, placed Dominey on administrative leave, according to a release.

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ROME
Los Angeles Times

Tom Kington

An outspoken and critical member of Pope Francis’ commission on priestly sex abuse has said he will defy moves to oust him, claiming that only the pontiff himself can remove him from the panel.

In a move that will raise questions about Francis’ commitment to tackle abuse within the Roman Catholic Church, Peter Saunders, a British member of the commission who suffered abuse by priests as a child, was sidelined on Saturday.

In a short statement, the Vatican said that during a commission session hours earlier, “it was decided that Mr. Peter Saunders would take a leave of absence from his membership to consider how he might best support the commission’s work.”

But Saunders, who has advised the British government on abuse, told reporters on Saturday that he had been personally hired by Francis and could be fired only by him.

“I have not left and am not leaving my position on the commission,” he said, reading a prepared statement. “I was appointed by His Holiness Pope Francis and I will talk only with him about my position.”

Saunders said he “might” even show up at the commission’s Sunday meeting. “I haven’t had a call from His Holiness, so the door is still open,” he said.

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CIUDAD DEL VATICANA
Vanguardia (Mexico)

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO.- La comisión asesora del papa Francisco sobre abusos sexuales votó el sábado separar a uno de sus miembros, un conocido sobreviviente de los abusos, quien había expresado diferencias sobre la misión del organismo.

El británico Peter Saunders, quien aboga por los sobrevivientes, había criticado con dureza la lentitud de la Santa Sede para tomar medidas de protección a los niños y de castigo a los obispos que encubrieron a curas pedófilos. También quería que la comisión interviniera en casos individuales en lugar de limitarse a elaborar políticas a largo plazo contra los abusos.

Se resolvió que el señor Peter Saunders se tome licencia para estudiar la mejor manera de apoyar el trabajo de la comisión”, anunció el Vaticano tras una reunión de la comisión el sábado,

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ROMA
El Mostrador (Chile)

[Papal Commission on Clergy Abuse expels a British member who invited the victim who explosed priest Fernando Karadima of Chile.]

Una de las víctimas de Fernando Karadima, Juan Carlos Cruz, denunció este sábado que el miembro de la Comisión Papal para la tutela de los menores creada por el Papa Francisco en el marco de los casos registrados en todo el mundo, Peter Saunders, fue echado del organismo.

Hoy se conoció que la entidad religiosa votó hoy por separar al británico Saunders, quien es un conocido sobrevivientes de los abusos cometidos por curas y que mantenía fuertes discrepancias sobre la misión que tenía el organismo.

Saunders había cuestionado duramente la lentitud de reacción del Vaticano en la adopción de medidas de protección a los niños y el castigo a los obispos que encubrieron a sacerdotes pedófilos. Además, otra de sus críticas apuntaba a que la comisión interviniera directamente en casos individuales en lugar de elaborar políticas a largo plazo.

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UNITED STATES
The Worthy Adversary

February 6, 2016

Joelle Casteix

Peter Saunders was given a vote of no confidence by the Vatican commission on the prevention of child sex abuse. His crime? Demanding the prevention of child sexual abuse.

Preventing child sexual abuse is uncomfortable and requires action. You can’t sit back and take the long view. Why? Because of the thousands of children who are being abused while you haggle over language and recommendations.

You can read the whole article here.

He’s in good company. But he was on the varsity Vatican team. Me? Small potatoes.

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ROMA
Publicmetro

[Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim of priest Fernando Karadima, tried to meet Saturday with the pontifical child abuse commission but his request was declined. Instead, they voted to oust Peter Saunders, who backed Cruz, from the commission.]

Juan Carlos Cruz señaló que desde el Vaticano le pidieron a Peter Saunders, integrante de la Comisión Pontificia que reflexionara si quería seguir siendo parte de la Comisión.

Este sábado el denunciante del caso Karadima, Juan Carlos Cruz, llegó hasta el Vaticano con la esperanza de poder exponer su caso y el del obispo Juan Barros, quien había tenido problemas con la comunidad de laicos del sectores tras su nombramiento, pero Cruz no pudo llegar hasta la cita en la Comisión Pontifica para tratar casos de abusos sexuales en el mundo.

De acuerdo a lo que señala Juan Carlos Cruz en un comunicado, Peter Saunders, quien es integrante de la comisión y sobreviviente de abusos sexuales lo había invitado para exponer su caso, pero hoy desde el Vaticano le señalaron que Cruz no podría ir.

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