The Catholic Church is beginning its first-ever survey in New Zealand to get to grips with just how many priests abused how many children. The Catholic liaison group Te Rōpū Tautoko chair Catherine Fyfe said the church “wanted to be prepared to respond quickly to requests when and if the Royal Commission requested information from Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Clergy Abuse’
Abuse and Cover-Up; Gerald Arbuckle’s challenging new book
Thursday, November 7th, 2019
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
Abuse allegation against bishop ‘manifestly unfounded’
Monday, October 21st, 2019
A Vatican congregation says an allegation of abuse made against a bishop from Texas is ‘manifestly unfounded’. The bishop concerned, Auxiliary Bishop George A. Sheltz (73) of Galveston-Houston has returned to public ministry. He had stepped aside from public priestly duties after being accused with a “false allegation” of sexual abuse from 1971. The Texas Read more
Pell’s last chance – special leave to appeal lodged
Thursday, September 19th, 2019
George Pell’s legal team has applied to Australia’s High Court for special leave to appeal the jailed cardinal’s child sex abuse conviction. Although special leave cases are not usually granted by the High Court, it’s possible Pell’s could be accepted. This is because judges at his appeal could not agree about Pell’s guilt or innocence. Read more
Royal Commission – small first steps in a marathon journey
Thursday, August 22nd, 2019
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
Top 10 myths about clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic Church
Thursday, August 15th, 2019
Sexual abuse perpetrated by Roman Catholic priests has been headline news for years. But even with so much press attention, there are many commonly accepted myths about this issue. Remarkably, quality evidence-based research and facts about the problem doesn’t always receive attention while sensationalized stories that create a particular—but sometimes false—narrative do. This ultimately misinforms Read more
SNAP starts Aotearoa-New Zealand chapter
Thursday, July 4th, 2019
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
Ribbons restored to church fence
Monday, June 10th, 2019
Some of the ribbons removed from a fence outside Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Onehunga, Auckland have been put back. They had been tied to the fence on Saturday, 1 June to honour survivors of sexual abuse as part of the launch The Catholic Boys which recounts the abuse experience of three brothers Read more
Argentine bishop faces abuse trial at Vatican
Thursday, May 30th, 2019
An Argentine bishop who is said to be close to Pope Francis is on trial at the Vatican. He has been accused of sexually abusing seminarians. Francis says he received the results of a preliminary investigation into Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta two weeks ago. As a result, he ordered the case be handed over for trial Read more
Abuse survivor outraged it took 15 years to laicise paedophile priest
Monday, May 27th, 2019Former Dunedin priest Magnus (Max) Murray has been removed from the priesthood following a formal church judicial process. While some have welcomed the laicisation, others say it’s too little and too late. Read more