Australia’s High Court ruled last week that the Catholic Church is not vicariously liable for institutional child sex abuse. For the Church to bear vicarious liability, the priest would have to be an employee of the Church. Priests are not Church employees, the Court found. The ruling shocked many survivors and their supporters. They want Read more
Survivors of clergy abuse are calling on the Vatican to adopt a global zero-tolerance policy for predator priests, similar to the rules implemented in the US Catholic Church in 2002. The survivors argue that such measures are necessary to protect children worldwide. The US policy, often referred to as “one strike and you’re out”, requires Read more
Catholic abuse survivors who continue to remain unsatisfied want New Zealand Catholic Church leaders to do more than just make statements. “We have made changes, and we remain committed to continuing this work to ensure accountability and healing” Bishop Stephen Lowe, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference, and Rev. Tom Rouse, president of the Congregational Read more
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care’s final report has changed the Catholic Church in New Zealand, says Palmerston North diocese’s Catholic bishop John Adams. Adams (pictured) chose to speak to media about the report so he could put a face to the Church’s response to the Royal Commission’s findings. The Royal Commission Read more
The much anticipated “synthesis report” from October’s synod on synodality was released after the confidential Vatican-based meetings concluded on Sunday. The synthesis report summarises synodal discussions about how a synodal Church’s ministries and structures can give a wider role for laity which is more in line with the vision of Vatican II. Big issues discussed Read more
Against a background of ongoing legal matters, Bishop Steve Lowe, the apostolic administrator of the Hamilton Diocese, is accused of not being pastoral enough in his response to a victim of clergy abuse. The Waikato Times reports a woman from within the Hamilton Catholic diocese saying that in a meeting with Lowe, she told him Read more
A much-loved chaplain at one of Auckland’s most prestigious schools has been reinstated after a court case alleging he had sexually abused a student in Australia 20 years ago was abandoned by the plaintiff. It has brought to end a highly distressing period for Father John Goodwin, who is known for his engaging character and Read more
Claims Pope John Paul II knew of child sex abuse cases in the Catholic Church during his tenure as Archbishop of Krakow in Poland, but did not take action, have created divisions in Poland. The accusations on Polish TV channel TVN24 have sparked a national debate. Some defend the late pontiff’s legacy, while others demand Read more
Abuse claims regarding Pope St John Paul II are unfounded, say Poland’s Catholic bishops. The fact that Cardinal Karol Wojtyla — the future Pope John Paul II—knew about abuse when he was an archbishop of Krakow, Poland, is neither new nor surprising, experts say. Others agree and are defending Poland’s national hero. Government figures, including Read more
Pope Francis has stated that religious orders must never tolerate the abuse of children or vulnerable persons, they should not be ashamed to report abuse, and they must end the practice of moving alleged abusers to other countries. The pope departed from a prepared speech during a meeting with the Order of the Mother of Read more