sex abuse
Catholic Church under fire for rehabilitating convicted Indian priest
By Rosie Scammell — February 17, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul was found guilty of abusing a girl between 2004 and 2005 while working as a priest in Minnesota.
Philadelphia monsignor to get new trial in sex abuse cover-up case
By Reuters — December 22, 2015
The court said Monsignor William Lynn, convicted of mishandling reports of child sex crimes, didn't get a fair trial because jurors heard too much about priests who molested children.
Duluth Catholic diocese latest to file for bankruptcy over sex abuse payouts
By David Gibson — December 7, 2015
(RNS) The Minnesota diocese said its share of an $8.1 million award granted by a jury last month -- perhaps the largest ever to a single victim -- gave it no choice but to become the 13th U.S. diocese to seek Chapter 11 protection.
British sex abuse inquiry to focus on churches, politicians
By Trevor Grundy — November 30, 2015
CANTERBURY, England (RNS) The inquiry will consist of 12 different investigations, including whether the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church in England failed to protect children.
Salvadoran priest fired over alleged sex with minor
By Reuters — November 26, 2015
Jesus Delgado was the biographer and personal secretary of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was shot by a right-wing death squad while saying Mass in 1980.
‘Spotlight’ draws a curious — but no longer outraged — crowd
By Cathy Lynn Grossman — November 23, 2015
(RNS) The film may draw more viewers eager to see Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton than folks outraged by a 2002 newspaper expose showing the Boston's Catholic Church leaders covered up for predatory priests.
Pope Francis backs ‘conscientious objection’ to marriage licenses for gay couples
By Reuters — September 28, 2015
Aboard his return flight to Rome, Pope Francis said government officials have a moral right to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He also spoke sternly about clergy sex abuse.
‘God weeps,’ says Pope Francis, calling for accountability on sex abuse crimes
By David Gibson — September 27, 2015
PHILADELPHIA (RNS) “For those who were abused by a member of the clergy, I am deeply sorry for the times when you or your family spoke out, to report the abuse, but you were not heard or believed," the pope said.
Milwaukee archdiocese reaches $21 million settlement with abuse victims
By Reuters — August 4, 2015
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) The settlement will be filed as part of the church's plan to restructure in U.S. Bankruptcy Court more than four years after the archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Mennonites apologize for history of sex abuse following theologian John Howard Yoder scandal
By Rich Preheim — July 6, 2015
(RNS) Mennonites grapple with a paradox: One of the most influential shapers of the idea of Christian pacifism and nonviolence repeatedly committed acts of sexual violence.
Minnesota charges Catholic archdiocese with failure to protect children from abuse
By Reuters — June 5, 2015
Prosecutors in Minnesota cite a "disturbing" pattern of systemic errors over decades in the leadership of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Vatican defends Australian cardinal against charges he disregarded pedophile priests
By Rosie Scammell — June 1, 2015
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Peter Saunders, who was abused by a priest as a child, claimed Cardinal George Pell had not done enough to tackle pedophile priests when he was Australia’s leading cleric.
Forced sex camps prepare girls for child marriage in Zambia and Mozambique
By Reuters — May 22, 2015
CASABLANCA (Reuters) Girls as young as eight are forced to go to camps where they are shown how to please a man in bed in order to prepare them for married life, activists said at an international conference on ending child marriage.
Bob Jones University president apologizes to victims of sexual assault as report is released
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — December 11, 2014
(RNS) A two-year investigation led by Billy Graham's grandson concluded that the school poorly responded to victims of sexual assault.
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.
