Sexual abuse is rooted in abuse of power, which is very often the first step. While abuse of power can take many forms, many abusers rely on the excessive and, let’s say it, clericalist use of secrecy. For decades many Church bodies, including the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, have repeatedly called for Read more
Australia’s Catholic bishops seem to have learned little from the sexual abuse scandal and its associated cover-ups. Pushed by a royal commission report to implement reforms, they recently reverted to standard operating procedures of delay and secrecy in suppressing a major report on governance reform. While hoping to delay and control discussion, the bishops were Read more
A landmark report into safeguarding has condemned a culture of secrecy and cover-up in the Scottish Catholic Church. The 99-page McLellan Commission Report, published this week, described abuse as “the greatest challenge facing the whole Catholic Church in Scotland”. The commission was led by Dr Andrew McLellan, a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Read more
I would venture to say that Pope Francis and the comic genius Groucho Marx could agree on one of Groucho’s famous one liners: “I would never join a club that would have me as a member.” Though the pope may never have heard the line, he would know what Groucho meant. Groucho’s humour had an instinctive Read more
The Catholic Church in New South Wales believed it had a secrecy deal with police that allowed it to withhold information about paedophile priests, newly released documents show. Church leaders thought they had struck a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with police about what information would be handed over. The unsigned draft memorandum said: “Church authorities Read more