NEW YORK – The Archbishop of New York has announced the appointment of an archdiocesan special counsel, who will be tasked with an independent review of protocols for responding to allegations of sexual abuse.

PITTSBURGH – A class-action lawsuit was filed Sept. 17 against eight Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania demanding the dioceses provide proof that they submitted the names of all suspected predators.

WASHINGTON – Pledging to "heal and protect with every bit of the strength God provides us," the U.S. bishops' Administrative Committee Sept. 19 outlined actions to address the abuse crisis, including approving the establishment of a third-party confidential reporting system for claims of any abuse by bishops.

VATICAN – As revelations of the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults by clergy continue in Chile, an archbishop said that the church can no longer ignore the suffering of victims.

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, head of the German bishops' conference, admitted that mistakes were made in the German church's handling of sex abuse of minors and said he anticipates change in the church.

Before I became a Catholic 10 years ago I viewed the papacy as a monarchy, representing great strength and self-assurance. 

Parishioners at St. Luke’s Parish in Thornhill, Ont., like Catholics around the world, have been wounded by the Church’s sexual abuse scandals. Now they’re ready to apply a little talk therapy to the wounds.

OTTAWA – As the universal Church reels in crisis, Canada’s Catholic bishops are poised to approve a long-awaited document on sexual abuse.

The Church must embrace reform and do whatever it takes to help victims of the sex abuse scandal that has rocked Catholics around the world, says Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith.

VATICAN – Inviting presidents of the world's bishops' conference to the Vatican to discuss abuse prevention reflects an understanding that "lovely" words and promises are not enough – concrete, concerted action by the whole church is needed, said Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta.

WASHINGTON – A 350-page document leaked to German media and published Sept. 12 documents nearly 3,700 cases of alleged sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, deacons and clergy in Germany over a 68-year period.

In response to the sexual abuse crisis embroiling the universal Church, Montreal’s archbishop has pledged that crimes committed in his diocese will never be covered up. 

Canadian abuse victim John Swales has responded to an open letter from Pope Francis with his own letter to Rome in which he rejects what he terms the Pope’s “empty” apology and calls for “real” change founded on “honesty and accountability.”

VATICAN – Pope Francis is calling the presidents of every Catholic bishops' conference in the world to Rome Feb. 21-24 to discuss the prevention of the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.

VATICAN – Pope Francis will meet Sept. 13 with Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and with Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the Vatican press office announced.