The Catholic Church is in its most challenging condition since the Reformation. The claim is made by in Abuse and Cover-Up Refounding the Catholic Church in Trauma, a new book by New Zealand born anthropologist, theologian and international scholar, Fr Gerald Arbuckle SM. Using the psalmist’s image, Arbuckle says the Church was once a “strong Read more
The outgoing chair of the royal commission investigating abuse in state and faith-based care, Sir Anand Satyanand, says the witnesses appearing over the two weeks of public hearings represent the main issues the royal commission was investigating. “At the end of the two-week period, the public will have a picture of what the Royal Commission Read more
The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry has released witness list for the Contextual Public hearing later this month. The Contextual hearing, beginning on 29 October at the Rydges Hotel in Auckland, will be the first time the Inquiry will hear from survivors in a public hearing. Read more
A former Marist brother and Auckland Catholic Diocese employee has been sentenced to home detention after admitting historical sex charges against young girls. He also faced further charges over possessing objectionable material. Read more
The Royal Commission into historical abuse in state care and faith-based institutions on Tuesday met representatives of organisations responsible for the care of abused children. Tuesday’s hearing was “procedural”. It is the first step in a very long and complex process. The inquiry has grown since its inception to become the largest in New Zealand’s Read more
The Victorian Court of Appeal will announce it’s decision on Wednesday morning on whether it will overturn Cardinal George Pell’s convictions for sexually abusing two choirboys. Three judges are examining Pell’s appeal. The appeal proceedings will be live streamed on the Supreme Court of Victoria’s website. If the court finds the jury got it wrong, Read more
Melbourne’s Archbishop Peter Comensoli says he would rather go to jail than report admissions of child sexual abuse made in confession. He was referring to a bill in Victoria’s parliament which will make it mandatory for priests to report suspected child abuse to authorities, including abuse revealed in the confessional. Under current law, various professionals Read more
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has established a chapter in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Aotearoa New Zealand chapter, was founded by Dr Christopher Longhurst (pictured), a lecturer in theology at the Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand and survivor of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and brothers. The New Zealand chapter Read more
Abuse survivor advocates say they’re cautiously optimistic after hearing promises a new Royal Commission will shine a light on New Zealand’s “dark and uncomfortable shared history”. At its first public session in Auckland on Tuesday, members of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions Read more
If priests are forced to violate the confessional seal, no religion is safe a Dominican priest says. A proposed change in law in California would legally require priests to violate the sacramental seal of confession in suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. Fr Pius Pietrzyk OP, who is an assistant professor of canon law, Read more