Editorial: Church’s silent killer
The renowned Catholic news organization La Croix International recently published an article appealing for ways to summarize the damage from revelations that 11 French bishops, including a retired Cardinal, are under investigation for sexual abuse.
Rock solid faith holds despite abuse scandals
John Swales, survivor of years of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of London, Ont., priest Barry Glendenning, doesn’t want Catholics to walk away from their Church over another round of abuse revelations emanating now from France. He wants the Church to change.
Italian bishops publish first abuse, child protection audit
Italian diocesan "listening centers" for victims of abuse took reports from 89 people against 68 priests or other church personnel in 2020 and 2021, the Italian bishops' conference reported.
Vatican to investigate cardinal over abuse claims
The Vatican will open an investigation into French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, the retired archbishop of Bordeaux, who admitted in a public letter that he had abused a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago.
Quebec class-action suits could spread, lawyer says
In the past two months, courts gave the go-ahead for class-action lawsuits involving 100 plaintiffs alleging sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Quebec and the Diocese of St. Hyacinthe near Montreal.
A Superior Court judge authorized the filing of a class action suit related to sex abuse cases against the Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.
Pope Francis asked his safeguarding commission to provide an annual audit of what the church is doing to protect minors and what needs to change, as well as to urge bishops' conferences to set up special "centers" where victims can be heard and find accompaniment toward "healing and justice."
Abuse scandal Lépine’s Cross to bear
As Archbishop Christian Lépine moved through the last days of Lent toward Easter 2022, he acknowledged the worst Cross to bear in his 10 years leading Montreal Roman Catholics has been the scandal of clerical sexual abuse.
Pope Benedict corrects statement for Munich abuse report
VATICAN CITY -- Amending a written statement made to a panel investigating clerical sexual abuse in his former Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, retired Pope Benedict XVI said he was present at a 1980 meeting to discuss the transfer of a priest accused of misconduct.
Munich abuse report accuses Benedict; Vatican to study document
MUNICH -- A law firm's report on how abuse cases were handled in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising incriminated retired Pope Benedict XVI, with lawyers accusing him of misconduct in four cases during his tenure as Munich archbishop.
Polish diocese apologizes after abuse comment
WARSAW, Poland -- A Polish diocese apologized after its lawyer suggested a former altar server could have enjoyed being sexually molested by a priest, as a spokesman for victims warned the church still had "a long way to go" in combating abuse.
German canon lawyer: Wait for abuse report before casting blame
MUNICH -- As Germans await publication of a report on how leaders of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising handled cases of historic abuse, a canon lawyer casts doubt on accusations against retired Pope Benedict XVI over possible negligence.
Montreal identifies 46 abuse cases in ombudsman's report
The Archdiocese of Montreal has received 75 formal complaints, 46 of which relate to abuse, dating back to 1950, according to the second quarterly report compiled by an independent ombudsman.
French bishops set out new reforms in wake of abuse report
LOURDES, France -- France's Catholic bishops have unveiled new measures to counter sexual abuse by clergy after an October report by an independent commission estimated more than 330,000 children had been abused since the 1950s.
French court convicts Canadian priest of sexual assault
A Canadian priest who served in three different Canadian dioceses from 2010 to 2013 has been convicted by a French court in the 2019 sexual assault of four teenage girls in France and Italy.