sex abuse
Washington cardinal entangled in two sex-abuse scandals
By The Associated Press — August 16, 2018
(AP) — The two scandals represent a stunning turn for the 77-year-old leader who, over the decades, earned the respect of fellow bishops and prided himself in taking tough steps to combat clergy sex abuse.
Pennsylvania grand jury report is a new low for Catholic Church
By Thomas Reese — August 15, 2018
(RNS) — The Pennsylvania grand jury report on child sex abuse is a wake-up call for bishops who thought that the past could be forgotten as long as they did the right thing in the future.
Report alleges decades of child sex abuse by Pennsylvania priests, cover-up by bishops
By Jack Jenkins — August 14, 2018
(RNS) — Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has released a more than 1,300-page grand jury report detailing allegations of widespread sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by Catholic priests in the state, naming hundreds of clerics accused of misconduct over 70 years and accusing church officials of a “systemic” cover-up. Shapiro unveiled the report […]
Report identifies more than 1,000 victims of priest abuse
By The Associated Press — August 14, 2018
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The report, released Tuesday (Aug. 14), said more than 300 Roman Catholic priests in six Pennsylvania dioceses committed the abuse over a period of decades.
Willow Creek leadership summit goes on despite mass resignations
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 9, 2018
SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. (RNS) — Just one night before, church leaders had stood on the same stage to announce that their lead pastor and elder board were stepping down to give the church a 'fresh start.'
Willow Creek elders and lead pastor resign in wake of Hybels revelations
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 8, 2018
CHICAGO (RNS) — ‘We exhort Bill (Hybels) to acknowledge his sin and publicly apologize,’ said elder Missy Rasmussen.
Pope praises Chile bishops for reflecting on their failures
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 7, 2018
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — The pontiff said in a letter to the Chilean church's Episcopal Conference that he is 'impressed by the reflection, discernment and decisions' taken by bishops when they met last week.
Witnesses await church sex abuse report with hope for change
By Marc Levy — July 8, 2018
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Dozens of witnesses testified in the state attorney general's two-year grand jury investigation that victim advocates expect will produce the largest and most exhaustive clergy sexual abuse report by a U.S. state.
Australia bishop to appeal conviction for protecting pedophile
By Rod McGuirk — July 4, 2018
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The most senior Roman Catholic cleric to be convicted of covering up child sex abuse said Wednesday that he would appeal the verdict and resist public pressure to resign as archbishop of an Australian city.
Australian bishop sentenced to year’s detention for cover-up
By Rod McGuirk — July 3, 2018
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — It's a landmark case welcomed by some abuse survivors as a strong warning to institutions that fail to protect children.
At last, bad news is good news in the Catholic sex abuse scandal
By Thomas Reese — June 28, 2018
(RNS) — The truly bad news of the scandal, of course, has been the horrible abuse of children and the negative effects of the abuse will be with them for the rest of their lives. The good news is that perpetrators have been caught and exposed. Accusations are being investigated and the guilty are being punished.
Chilean police raid Catholic Church offices amid abuse probe
By Patricia Luna — June 13, 2018
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Police and prosecutors raided Roman Catholic Church offices in two Chilean cities Wednesday, looking for files, investigative reports and documents related to a clergy sex abuse scandal.
Pope begins purge in Chilean church over sex abuse scandal
By Nicole Winfield — June 11, 2018
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis accepted the resignation Monday of the bishop at the center of Chile's clerical sex abuse scandal and two others.
Chile’s bishops resign en masse over sex abuse cover-up
By Nicole Winfield — May 18, 2018
(AP) — Every Chilean bishop offered to resign Friday over a sex abuse and cover-up scandal, in the biggest shakeup ever in the Catholic Church’s long-running abuse saga.
Pope to Chile abuse victims: ‘I was part of the problem’
By Nicole Winfield — May 2, 2018
ROME (AP) —Three whistleblowers spoke to reporters Wednesday (May 2) after spending five days with the pope at his Vatican hotel.