News Archive
Cached versions of the articles blogged in Abuse Tracker can be accessed from the following list, or by using the search feature below.
February 1, 2026
Fired Catholic teacher charged with sexual abuse, used fake names to get jobs, By Rose Schmidt, WMAQ - NBC 5 [Chicago IL], (January 30, 2026)
Catholic diocese facing huge sex-abuse compo bill flags ‘financial uncertainty’, By Connla Young, The Irish News [Belfast, Northern Ireland], (January 31, 2026)
Pope tells Vatican office that processes sex abuse cases to uphold truth, justice and charity, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press [New York NY], (January 29, 2026)
John L. Allen Jr., Journalist with Inside Access to the Vatican, Dies at 61, By Adam Nossiter, New York Times [New York NY], (January 29, 2026)
Address of Pope Leo XIV to the Bishops of Peru on Their “Ad Limina Apostolorum” Visit, By Pope Leo XIV, Holy See Press Office [Vatican City], (January 30, 2026)
Address of Pope Leo XIV to Participants in the General Assemblies of the Consecrated Members of “Regnum Christi”, By Pope Leo XIV, Holy See Press Office [Vatican City], (January 29, 2026)
Address of Pope Leo XIV to Participants in the Plenary Assembly of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, By Pope Leo XIV, Holy See Press Office [Vatican City], (January 29, 2026)
Buffalo Diocese survivors give emotional statements in court, By Charlie Specht and Sean Mickey, WGRZ-TV [Buffalo NY], (January 27, 2026)
Child sex abuse in Buffalo Diocese occurred in 2015, survivor says, By Charlie Specht and Sean Mickey, WGRZ-TV [Buffalo NY], (January 30, 2026)
Family witness statement – Cercone family, By Caroline and Justin Cercone, WGRZ-TV [Buffalo NY], (January 27, 2026)
Survivor statement from Joe Cercone, By Joe Cercone, WGRZ-TV [Buffalo NY], (January 27, 2026)
Message from Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., By Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., Diocese of Providence RI, (January 29, 2026)
RI bishop sends letter to state’s Catholics about clergy sex abuse report. What it says., By Katherine Gregg, Providence Journal [Providence RI], (January 29, 2026)
February 2, 2026
Ex-Catholic schools teacher, private tutor charged with sexual abuse in Orland Park, police say, WLS - ABC 7 [Chicago IL], (January 30, 2026)
After Decades of Institutional Silence, Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Deserve More Than the Catholic Church’s PR, By Hilary Nappi, Ms. Magazine [Arlington VA], (January 27, 2026)
John L. Allen Jr., Catholic Journalism’s Balancing Act, Leaves A Lasting Void, By Terry Mattingly, Religion Unplugged - The Media Project - Institute for Nonprofit News [Dallas TX], (January 29, 2026)
Pope Leo to hold private audience with Irish abuse survivor, By Ailbhe Conneely, RTE.IE [Dublin, Ireland], (January 29, 2026)
Leo XIV’s remarks to Doctrine office give subtle signals, By Christopher R. Altieri, Crux [Denver CO], (February 1, 2026)
Accused of sexual abuse in Spain and Bolivia, Jesuit priest escapes trial due to statute of limitations, By Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux [Denver CO], (February 2, 2026)
February 3, 2026
Pope apologises to Blackrock College abuse survivors David Ryan and his late brother Mark, By Patsy McGarry, Irish Times [Dublin, Ireland], (February 2, 2026)
Pope Leo XIX apologises to Blackrock College abuse survivors David Ryan and his late brother Mark, Newstalk [Dublin, Ireland], (February 2, 2026)
Clerical sexual abuse victim shares story with Pope Leo XIV: ‘I didn’t hold back’, By Hannah Brockhaus, EWTN - Great Britain [Walsingham, England, United Kingdom], (February 2, 2026)
Interim principal confirmed at Queen of Martyrs Catholic School after former teacher charged with sexual abuse, By Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, (February 2, 2026)
Cincinnati man previously fired from teaching job in molestation case given 7 years in prison for child porn, By Taylor Weiter, WCPO - ABC 9 [Cincinnati OH], (January 29, 2026)
February 4, 2026
Polish cardinal proposes independent commission on Church abuse, By Portal Polskiego Radia SA, Portal Polskiego Radia SA [Warsaw, Poland], (February 3, 2026)
Catholic abuse: Powerful Utah priest purged documents that ‘could cast clergy in a poor light,’ say former parishioner and ex-priest, By Peggy Fletcher Stack , Salt Lake Tribune [Salt Lake City UT], (January 28, 2026)
Irish abuse survivor praises Pope Leo’s ’empathy,’ apology after private audience, By Junno Arocho Esteves, Our Sunday Visitor [Huntington IN], (February 3, 2026)
GOP leaders must stop tying relief for childhood sexual abuse survivors to ‘pet projects,’ Shapiro says, By Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA [Harrisburg PA], (February 3, 2026)
Letter to the Editor: Church’s silence is damning, By Mike Barrett, Ashburn, Va., Las Vegas Sun [Las Vegas, NV], (February 3, 2026)
Sexual abuse survivors connected to Diocese of Alexandria have a few months to file a claim, By KALB Digital Team, KALB [Alexandria LA], (February 2, 2026)
February 5, 2026
Former parochial school teacher charged with 2015 sexual abuse of 14-year-old student in Ozone Park church: NYPD, By Bill Parry, QNS.COM [Bayside, NY], (February 4, 2026)
Meridian youth pastor sentenced to life in prison for sexual abuse of a minor, By Chloe Johnston, KTVB-TV, NBC-7 [Boise ID], (February 3, 2026)
Hearing held for West Virginia pastor accused of sexually abusing girls for years, By Joey Rather, WBOY 12 [Clarksburg, WV], (February 3, 2026)
Pastor Landon Schott visits Robert Morris in jail, declares God has forgiven him, By Rebecca Hopkins, The Roys Report [Chicago IL], (February 4, 2026)
70-year-old Texas pastor accused of sexually assaulting teen at gym, By Amber Kite, KDFW-TV, Fox-4 [Dallas TX], (February 4, 2026)
Bishop Lewandowski’s letter on the anticipated Attorney General report, By Most Rev. Bruce A. Lewandowski, Rhode Island Catholic [Providence, RI], (February 5, 2026)
Brett Smith’s Trail of Harm Across Chicago’s Catholic School Community, By Mike Finnegan, Jeff Anderson & Associates [St. Paul, MN], (February 4, 2026)
New York Archdiocese says longtime insurer waged ‘shadow campaign,’ posed as victims’ rights group, By Daniel Payne, Catholic News Agency - EWTN [Denver CO], (February 4, 2026)
Santa Rosa Diocese selling more real estate amid bankruptcy as abuse claims climb, By Jeff Quackenbush, Press Democrat [Santa Rosa CA], (February 4, 2026)
February 6, 2026
Experts baffled over how teacher with child sex abuse record could pass Chicago Archdiocese background check, By Kaitlin Washburn, Chicago Sun-Times [Chicago IL], (February 4, 2026)
Lawsuit filed against former Round Rock pastor convicted for possession of child pornography, By Morgan McGrath, KVUE-TV, ABC-33 [Austin TX], (February 5, 2026)
Shawn Ryan defies Kanakuk lawsuit threat over interview on child sex abuse, By Josh Shepherd, The Roys Report [Chicago IL], (February 5, 2026)
Pacoima pastor accused of using his role to sexually abuse minors, By Karla Rendon, NBC 4 [Los Angeles, CA], (February 4, 2026)
Three civil suits accuse Little Rock churches of child sex abuse, demanding jury trials, By Payton Dhooge, KATV [Little Rock, AR], (February 5, 2026)
Derry judge ‘disappointed’ only one police officer assigned to the case of priest facing sex offences, By Staff Reporter, Derry Journal [Derry, Northern Ireland, UK], (February 5, 2026)
Paedophile priest’s sentencing delayed by cancer, By Susie Rack, BBC [London, England], (February 5, 2026)
Fired Chicago-area Catholic schools teacher faces new child sexual abuse allegations, By Eric Horng, ABC7 Chicago [Chicago, IL], (February 6, 2026)
Man charged with sex abuse at OZP school, By Kristen Guglielmo, Queens Chronicle [Glendale NY], (February 5, 2026)
Filipino bishop warns human trafficking remains ‘significant problem’ in Philippines, By Santosh Digal, Catholic News Agency - EWTN [Denver CO], (February 5, 2026)
Ray Mouton, strong-willed attorney who warned US bishops about clergy abuse, dies at 78, By Ryan Di Corpo, National Catholic Reporter [Kansas City MO], (February 5, 2026)
February 7, 2026
[UPDATED] Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa Selling Eight Acres in Rio Dell as Part of Bankruptcy Proceedings Amid Sex Abuse Claims, By Ryan Burns, Lost Coast Outpost [Eureka, CA], (February 6, 2026)
Lawsuit accuses Assemblies of God pastor of grooming, sexually abusing teen, By Ann Marie Shambaugh, The Roys Report [Chicago IL], (February 5, 2026)
South Africa’s Gender-Based Violence Crisis Reaches The Pulpit, By Vicky Abraham, Religion Unplugged - The Media Project - Institute for Nonprofit News [Dallas TX], (January 26, 2026)
Suburban private tutor who used a fake name accused of sexual abuse of student, By Alonzo Small, Andy Koval, Christine Flores, WGN-TV [Chicago IL], (January 29, 2026)
Diocese of Little Rock says minors in its care have ‘significant’ protections from sexual abuse, By Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette [Little Rock AR], (February 6, 2026)
N.J. School District Failed to Protect Former Student from ‘Obsessed’ Teacher Who Allegedly Groped Her and Sent Her Love Notes, Lawsuit Alleges, By KC Baker, People Magazine [New York NY], (January 30, 2026)
Teacher groomed, abused young girl for years and N.J. district did nothing to stop it, lawsuit says, By Anthony G. Attrino, NJ Advance Media - nj.com [Iselin NJ], (January 29, 2026)
Clovis Unified faces lawsuit for ignoring sexual abuse allegations, By Edsource staff, EdSource [Oakland, CA], (February 6, 2026)
Newton private school teacher placed on leave after student tests positive for STI, By Kaitlin McKinley Becker, WBTS - NBC 10 [Boston MA], (February 6, 2026)
Ex-New Orleans priest charged with raping disabled child, By Ramon Antonio Vargas, WWL-TV [New Orleans LA], (February 5, 2026)
February 8, 2026
Ray Mouton, key figure in exposing Catholic clergy abuse crisis, dies at 78, By as / The Guardian (The Guardian), WWL-TV [New Orleans LA], (February 5, 2026)
‘Nobody listened to the children’: Abuse survivors’ first meeting with New Orleans archbishop, By David Hammer / WWL Louisiana Investigator, Danny Monteverde, WWL-TV [New Orleans LA], (February 6, 2026)
Two former Gateway Church elders lose their bid to be removed from $1 million defamation lawsuit, By Giles Hudson, CBS News [New York NY], (February 6, 2026)
Acusan a sacerdote de Apaseo el Grande por presunto abuso de menores; obispo pide no sacar temas del pasado, By Blanca Mireles, El Sol del Bajio [Celaya, Gto., Mexico], (February 6, 2026)