Pope Francis is calling the presidents of every Catholic bishops’ conference in the world to Rome Feb. 21-24 to discuss the prevention of the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.
sexual abuse
Diocese of Brooklyn Responds to New York Attorney General’s Subpoena
The Diocese of Brooklyn is in the process of reviewing the subpoena sent by the New York State Attorney General as part of an ongoing civil investigation looking to see whether the dioceses covered up sexual abuse of minors.
Cloud of Sexual Abuse Could Overshadow Youth Synod
Amidst a growing clerical sexual abuse crisis, questions have arisen as to how it will impact an upcoming summit of bishops to be held in Rome in October.
Making Sense of McCarrick Cover-up Charges
As Pope Francis wrapped up a 32-hour visit to Ireland on Sunday, the cold, windy and rainy weather undoubtedly put a damper on the turnout. Officials had expected around a half-million people to flock to Dublin’s Phoenix Park for the concluding Mass, but in the end the Vatican said 300,000 people turned out.
Reactions to Pope Allegations Reveal Divided Church
Within hours of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s blockbuster claims that Pope Francis knew about former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s history of abuse, the bishop of Tyler, Texas, issued a statement saying he found those claims to be credible, asking that it be read at all Masses on Sunday.
USCCB President Seeks Papal Audience, Answers to Former Nuncio’s Allegations
In an Aug. 27 statement, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston also said that the questions raised by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, former nuncio to the United States, in a letter published by two Catholic media outlets “deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence.”
After First Day, Pope in Ireland Gets ‘Incomplete’ on Abuse Crisis
To some extent, it’s undoubtedly unfair to reduce Pope Francis’s visit to Ireland this weekend entirely to a referendum on his handling of the Church’s clerical sexual abuse scandals. The vastly changed social landscape compared to the last time a pope was here almost 40 years ago was visible, among other things, from the relatively light crowds that packed city streets as Pope Francis moved through Dublin.
Ex-Papal Envoy to US Calls on Pope to Resign, Saying He Knew About McCarrick
Just hours after Pope Francis condemned the “repugnant crimes” of sexual abuse by clergy during his two-day trip to Ireland, news broke in the United States that a former papal ambassador to the country is accusing Pope Francis of having known about abuse allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and failing to act.
Pope Meets Victims, Uses Strong Street Term for Abuse and Cover-Up
Pope Francis on Saturday met eight survivors of clerical abuse for 90 minutes during his 32-hour trip to Ireland. The group included not only those sexually abused by clergy, but also people who spent time in industrial schools and mother and baby homes, all of which have been the settings for abuse scandals.
Church Can’t Teach Family and Love Without Facing Abuse Scandals, Cardinal Says
Cardinal Blase Cupich offered a powerful admission that Church leaders “cannot pretend to teach” on matters such as the family and love without acknowledging the scandal of clerical sex abuse, which looms ever larger over the global Catholic Church at the moment.