New leadership may be on the cards for the Washington archdiocese. Although he has not mentioned standing down, Cardinal Donald Wuerl has acknowledged calls from local priests and others for new leadership. Allegations he mishandled clergy sex abuse reports – such as in relation to the alleged sexually coercive behavior of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick – Read more
The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference Archbishop Mark Coleridge said at a press conference last Friday that priests will not break the seal of confession, even if that means they might face criminal charges. “We don’t believe it will make children safer, and in certain cases, we think it could make children less safe. Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops welcome the letter this week to the People of God from Pope Francis asking forgiveness for the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults perpetrated by clergy and consecrated persons. As Pope Francis notes, these heinous crimes inflict deep wounds on the victims themselves and on their family members, and Read more
Over 140 theologians, educators and lay leaders have called for all the bishops in the United States to resign. Just as Chile’s 34 bishops resigned in May after revelations of sexual abuse and corruption, US bishops should also submit their resignations to Pope Francis. Doing so would show the public an act of penance and Read more
A Pennsylvania report a grand jury issued this week shows the Church hid allegations of sex abuse of minors and brushed victims aside. More than 300 priests were linked to abuse claims and over 1,000 victims were identified, said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a news conference following the report’s release. Read more
The Catholic Church in New Zealand has been forced to apologise for comments implying parents bore some responsibility for stopping clerical sexual abuse. The statements by Monsignor John Harrison, of the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin, and Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn came in an Otago Daily Times article, published last week. Continue reading
When Pope Francis comes to Ireland in two weeks’ time it will be 39 years since the last visit by a head of the Catholic Church. Since then the status of the church in Ireland has declined dramatically. Those identifying as Catholic are down by 20 per cent, according to the last census. Mass attendance Read more
Pope Francis has personally written a letter to Chile’s bishops to thank them for changes they have made to their response to allegations of sexual abuse by clergy. Francis’s handwritten letter follows the bishops’ formal, written apology for failing to listen to clerical abuse victims. In addition to their apology, the bishops have made a Read more
The Church cannot “hide” from the story of Fr Magnus Murray, one of Dunedin’s top Catholics says. But nor can all Catholics be tarnished by the actions of one man, Monsignor John Harrison, (pictured), of the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin, says. “It actually reflects on the rest of us and everyone gets tarred, and yet Read more
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, has resigned from the College of Cardinals after revelations that he sexually harassed or abused several young men. Until his resignation, McCarrick was one of the US church’s most senior prelates. Pope Francis has accepted his resignation. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, announced that “at the Read more