Sharing the expertise: Papal advisors on abuse expand reach, influence
VATICAN CITY – Though it has no juridical power, Pope Francis' committee on protecting children has discovered it has consultative punch.
Papal commission steps up work to educate church about abuse
VATICAN CITY – Members of the Pope's commission for child protection, including an abuse survivor, have been speaking with new bishops and major Vatican offices as part of a mandate to develop and educate the church about best practices.
An Australian television station said July 26 that it had discovered new allegations of sexual abuse against Cardinal George Pell, which the cardinal strongly denied.
OTTAWA – In response to news stories that chronicled several past cases of sexual abuse in the Ottawa archdiocese, archbishop Terrence Prendergast has acknowledged “the enormity of the evil” and pledged greater vigilance in the future.
WARSAW, Poland– A Polish archbishop who resigned after sexually molesting Catholic seminarians has been warned by the Vatican to stay away from commemorations of Poland's Christian conversion and an upcoming visit by the Pope.
ROME - The Catholic Church, under scrutiny for its response to clergy sex abuse scandals, is backing the publication of an Italian nun’s shocking account of her rape as a teenager and years of subsequent abuse by her parish priest in Milan.
PARIS - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls called on a prominent cardinal to “assume his responsibilities” amid widening allegations of a pedophilia cover-up targeting Lyon’s Roman Catholic diocese.
CANTERBURY, England - The Church of England has promised to make far-reaching changes in dealing with future sex abuse cases after the publication of the first independent review commissioned by the country’s established church into its handling of such cases in the past.
Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley has praised the Oscar-winning movie “Spotlight,” which portrays The Boston Globe’s investigation of clergy sexual abuse in the archdiocese, for forcing the Catholic Church to acknowledge its “crimes and sins” in covering up for predator priests.
Cardinal Pell calls for inquiry into press leaks accusing him of abuse
VATICAN CITY - Australian Cardinal George Pell called for an inquiry into the leaking of accusations that he is under police investigation for the alleged abuse of minors.
New abuse guidelines will make Canadian bishops more accountable
CORNWALL, Ont. - Canada's bishops will face greater accountability under new guidelines that highlight healing in cases of sexual abuse of minors.
VATICAN CITY - A Vatican official has ordered an autopsy on the body of former archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, who was found dead Aug. 28 in the Vatican residence where he was awaiting trial on charges of child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography.
WASHINGTON - The Catholic Church's strong stance against pornography is based on church teaching that the human body should be respected and every person has a God-given dignity.
VATICAN CITY - Vatican magistrates have decided to postpone the proceedings of a criminal trial against a former Vatican nuncio due to the defendant's ill health.
ROME - As the Vatican continues to work on policies to combat clergy sex abuse, a leading pontifical university in Rome hosted a conference this week on how the Catholic Church can better address the current crisis and released details of a new diploma program on protecting children.