Australia
Australian abuse victims crowdfund trip to Rome to confront Cardinal Pell
By Reuters — February 17, 2016
After he was excused from traveling home to testify in a clergy sex abuse hearing, victims raised funds to fly to Rome to witness Pell's video testimony.
Bike lanes * Saint Barbie * So long: October’s Religious Freedom Recap
By Brian Pellot — November 2, 2015
Churches attack bike lanes for "burdening" their religious freedom as Saint Barbie leads a plastic revolution in Argentina. Savor every word of this last ever recap as I say “so long” to On Freedom.
Australians push for Vatican cardinal to testify on abuse
By Rosie Scammell — May 22, 2015
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The powerful Vatican finance minister has denied wrongdoing and said he'll answer questions about his record in writing, not in person.
Rainbow jihad * Sex church * iSwap: April’s Religious Freedom Recap
By Brian Pellot — May 1, 2015
Same-sex marriage heads back to SCOTUS. A Tennessee sex club becomes a church to skirt zoning restrictions. And Boko Haram rebrands as iSwap, aligning not with Apple but with the Islamic State. All this and more in April’s global religious freedom recap.
#IndiaWithPakistan and #illridewithyou show social media solidarity amid tragedy
By Brian Pellot — December 17, 2014
Attacks in Sydney and Pakistan shocked the world this week. Amid these tragedies we witnessed unexpected solidarity and outpourings of support on social media, hatred being countered by hashtags and the hope of reconciliation.
After siege, Australia supports Muslims with #illridewithyou
By Alia Dastagir — December 16, 2014
(RNS) Australians used the hashtag #illridewithyou to condemn Islamophobia, and to show solidarity with Muslims fearing a potential backlash while riding public transportation.
Australians suggest celibacy played a role in clergy abuse scandal
By Josephine McKenna — December 12, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) “Obedience and closed environments also seem to have had a role in the prevalence of abuse within some religious orders and dioceses," the report said. "Obligatory celibacy may also have contributed to abuse.”
Hillsong’s Brian Houston defends handling of abuse case, sidesteps questions on gay marriage
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — October 17, 2014
NEW YORK (RNS) Hillsong founder Brian Houston said that the victim who came forward to him asked him not to tell the police about his father's sexual abuse. “I would’ve gone to the police,” he said, if he had known about abuse reporting laws.
Hillsong founder denies covering up father’s sex abuse
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — October 10, 2014
(RNS) Brian Houston took the witness stand to answer questions on his handling of child sex abuse allegations against his late father.
Sex abuse survivors angered by powerful Vatican cardinal’s testimony
By Josephine McKenna — August 22, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Cardinal George Pell said the church was no more responsible for cases of child abuse carried out by church figures than a trucking company would be if it employed a driver who molested women.
Vatican: Abandoned Down syndrome baby is victim of ‘throwaway’ culture
By Josephine McKenna — August 6, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) “In fact if a child becomes a product to buy, it is obvious that as with any acquisition it must meet with the buyer’s approval," Italian feminist Lucetta Scaraffia wrote in the Vatican newspaper.
Australia’s Hillsong Church exports its influence through praise and preaching
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — November 4, 2013
SYDNEY (RNS) Perhaps most remarkable is that a globally influential church like Hillsong could flourish at all in Australia, where in 2011 nearly a third of Australians said their religious affiliation was either ‘no religion’ or not stated.
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