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December 5, 2018

Names in redacted grand jury report on abuse can't be released, Pennsylvania high court says

A statue of Christ and a sign are seen in late August at the entrance to the Diocese of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania.
HARRISBURG, Pa. – In a 6-1 decision Dec. 3, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said the identities of some clergy accused of abuse that were redacted from a grand jury report issued in mid-August must remain permanently blocked from release.
Published in International
September 20, 2018

Class-action lawsuit filed against eight Pennsylvania dioceses for abuse cover-up

A woman holds this sign as members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) hold a news conference in front of the Diocese of Pittsburgh Aug. 20 several days after a Pennsylvania grand jury released a stinging report that said more than 300 priests sexually abused more than 1,000 children during the course of several decades.
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.
Published in International
September 7, 2018

New York becomes sixth state to launch probe of church sex abuse records

Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh addresses the media Aug. 14 at the pastoral center in Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania attorney general released a grand jury report that day on a months-long investigation into abuse claims spanning a 70-year period in the Diocese of Pittsburgh and five other Pennsylvania dioceses.

WASHINGTON – The New York State Office of the Attorney General is the latest to announce that it is launching an investigation of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic Church clergy, and at least two of the state's eight dioceses confirmed receiving subpoenas seeking access to its records.  

Published in International
August 17, 2018

Bishops who covered up sex abuse should resign, Pennsylvania prelate says

Bishop Lawrence T. Persico of Erie, Pa., speaks during a meeting in late January at the headquarters of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington. In an Aug. 16 interview on EWTN, he said the church needs "complete transparency" in addressing abuse "if we're going to get the trust of the people back."
WASHINGTON – In an Aug. 16 interview with Eternal Word Television Network, Erie Bishop Lawrence T. Persico said the only way to regain the trust of the laity after decades-long claims of sexual abuse by priests and others at six Pennsylvania dioceses is by deeds and one of those deeds may mean getting rid of bishops who hid abusers.
Published in International
August 16, 2018

Pennsylvania bishop apologizes, explains diocese's 30-year record dealing with abuse

Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh addresses the media Aug. 14 at the pastoral center in Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania attorney general released a grand jury report that day on a months-long investigation into abuse claims spanning a 70-year period in the Diocese of Pittsburgh and five other Pennsylvania dioceses.
PITTSBURGH – Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh expressed sorrow and apologized to young victims of clergy sexual abuse, while explaining his diocese's 30-year record of working to remove offenders, assist victims and prevent further abuse.
Published in International
August 16, 2018

Fr. Thomas Reese: Pennsylvania grand jury report is a new low for Catholic Church

Left: Jesuit Father Thomas Reese attends an Easter prayer breakfast in the East Room of the White House in Washington 2015. Right: Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl looks over papers June 13 during the USCCB's annual spring assembly in Florida.

Awful, disgusting, horrifying, sickening — one runs out of adjectives in describing the actions of abusive priests chronicled in the just-released Pennsylvania grand jury report.

Published in Guest Columnists
August 15, 2018

Catholics express worry, disbelief, anger at new sex abuse revelations in U.S.

Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley and Deacon Bernie Nojadera, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection, are pictured during the 2017 Catholic convocation in Orlando, Fla. In an Aug. 13 interview, Deacon Nojadera said he and his staff at the secretariat are receiving calls from people concerned about the current abuse crisis in the church. "Our fist job," he said, "is to listen, to be empathetic."
WASHINGTON – After the first allegations of abuse against Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick were publicized in mid-June, employees at the U.S. bishops' conference headquarters in Washington were bracing for calls from Catholics confused, outraged or anything in between regarding the emerging scandal.
Published in International
August 15, 2018

Report: More than 1,000 cases of minors raped, groomed by clergy, hidden by culture of secrecy

In a screen grab taken from video, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during an Aug. 14 news conference to release a grand jury on a months-long investigation into abuse claims spanning a 70-year period in the dioceses of Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Allentown, Greensburg and Erie.
WASHINGTON – The report begins dramatically, imploring its readers: "We, the members of this grand jury, need you to hear this."
Published in International
August 14, 2018

Pennsylvania grand jury says church purposely hiding sex abuse allegations for decades

In a screen grab taken from video, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during an Aug. 14 news conference to release a grand jury on a months-long investigation into abuse claims spanning a 70-year period in the dioceses of Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Allentown, Greensburg and Erie.
WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania grand jury report issued Aug. 14 paints a picture of a Catholic Church in six of the state's dioceses that for decades handled claims of sex abuse of minors under its care by hiding the allegations and its victims.
Published in International
November 1, 2015

Pennsylvania priest builds ministry one Lego at a time

Fr. Bob Simon, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena parish in Moscow, Pa., places a Lego piece on a model church he is building in a spare room in his rectory Oct. 24. Simon says his Lego-building hobby has served as an evangelization tool.

MOSCOW, Pa. - Fr. Bob Simon fell in love with two things at the age of five — the Catholic Church and building with Lego.

Published in International