A leading expert in the field of child protection, Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, says while one goal of the Vatican’s upcoming anti-abuse summit aims to get the world’s bishops on the same page about abuse prevention, a uniform solution to the clerical abuse issue doesn’t exist. Zollner says he believes the reason for calling the Read more
A Brazilian archbishop has banned all priests in his archdiocese from being alone with children. Archbishop Manoel Delson signed the ban after the court ordered the archdiocese to pay almost £2.5 million in compensation over the sexual exploitation of minors. Read more
A #Nunstoo movement has gained momentum since Pope Francis last week admitted Catholic clergy’s sexual abuse of nuns. “There are some priests and also bishops who have done it,” the pontiff said last week in response to a journalist’s question during his return flight from the United Arab Emirates. Francis’s admission followed an outcry last Read more
Cardinal George Pell has been found guilty on five counts of historic sex offenses. The jury in a County Court of the State of Victoria, delivered a unanimous verdict on Tuesday. The verdict came after three days of deliberation and sentencing will take place in early February. Until then Pell is released on bail. This Read more
Three female survivors of sexual abuse by priests have called on church leaders preparing for a February summit at the Vatican to listen to the voices of victims and to end a “culture of cover-up.” One of the three is Dr Rocio Figueroa Alvear, a Peruvian theologian, who is currently a lecturer in Systematic Theology at Good Read more
A lack of clarity surrounding key terms of the Historical Abuse in State Care Royal Commission is raising serous concerns around the Commission’s scope. The terms causing concern are “faith-based institutions” and “in care”. The confusion emerged after the Government announced the Royal Commission will look into both state and faith-based institutions. On Tuesday commission Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops and Catholic religious orders have welcomed the inclusion of faith-based institutions in the New Zealand Government’s expanded inquiry into the historical abuse of children. On Monday the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced the scope of the inquiry will include faith-based institutions. It will be called the Royal Commission into Historical Read more
About 30 priests from across the Dunedin Diocese gathered in Dunedin on Wednesday as part of a push to upskill clergy in response to the sexual abuse crisis engulfing the Church. Speakers included Virginia Noonan, director of the Catholic Church in New Zealand’s National Office of Professional Standards which handles sexual abuse complaints involving clergy. Read more
A senior Vatican cardinal believes Catholics face two choices as the Church experiences a “perfect demonic storm” due to sexual abuse. “We are at a moment of serious crisis, probably the greatest crisis our Church has faced in many centuries,” said Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, who visited New Zealand from September 13 to 16. Continue reading Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops are seeking to set the record straight in response to recent reporting that the Church is backing away from actively seeking inclusion in the Government’s Inquiry. The Bishops and representation from Catholic Religious orders wrote to Prime Minister Ardern, Minister Martin and Sir Anand Satyanand in March this year. That Read more