Voice of the Faithful Focus, Nov. 5, 2021


TOP STORIES

Rome’s anti-abuse beachhead inaugurates next phase
“On Friday (Oct. 15) the Pontifical Gregorian University’s newly-minted Institute of Anthropology, which replaces its famed Center for Child Protection, was formally inaugurated amid praise from abuse survivors and experts alike. Unveiled earlier this year, the institute’s formal name is the Institute of Anthropology: Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care. Overseen by German Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, former director of the Centre for Child Protection (CCP) and a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM), the institute will take over the CCP’s work in conducting research and formation in the field of child protection, but it will do so with the heft of an entire degree-offering faculty at the Gregorian university, with its own academic staff.” By Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow.com.

What the report on abuse in the French Catholic Church says to theology
“The CIASE commission’s report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in France between 1950 and 2020 has been released on October 5, 2021, and will have effects, at the moment difficult to be predicted, on the ecclesial discourse not only in France, but also at a global level … But the CIASE report is also a document that raises serious theological questions for theology: they will have to be addressed by a theology that has among its audiences not only the academy, but also the church and the public sphere. This brief article proposes, without any pretense of being exhaustive or definitive, to begin to make a first list of issues.” By Massimo Faggioli, Catholic Outlook

Francis says sexual abuse produces a ‘culture of death’
“In a letter sent to an Italian safeguarding conference, Pope Francis on Thursday (Nov. 4) referred to sexual abuse as ‘a culture of death’ that can only be eradicated by systemic action by an alliance of parties. No action will ever be too small when it comes to creating a culture capable of preventing abuse, its cover-up and perpetuation, Francis wrote, and the Church today is undergoing a process of conversion that begins ‘from below, as an expression of the active participation of the People of God in the journey of personal and community conversion.’” By Inés San Martin, Cruxnow.com

What is the synod of bishops? A Catholic theologian explains
“Pope Francis opened a two-year process called ‘a synod on synodality,’ known as ‘Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church,’ on October 10. In brief, the process involves an expansion of an established institution, called the ‘Synod of Bishops.’ This means that bishops around the world will consult with everyone from parishioners to monks, nuns and Catholic universities before coming together for a discussion in 2023 … As a Catholic priest who studies theology, with particular interest in the role of lay persons and of local communities in the worldwide Catholic church, I will be watching this synod carefully. In part, it is designed to make church governance more open and inclusive of all its members.” By William Clark, College of the Holy Cross, The Conversation

Catholic leadership reform critical to combating clergy sexual abuse
“The Roman Catholic Church, as well as society at large, has a responsibility to create networks of support and foster empathy for survivors of clerical sexual abuse, panelists said at an Oct. 25 event. The virtual event, titled ‘Lifting Up the Voices of Female Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse,’ invited four survivors of clerical sexual abuse to share their perspectives on preventing future abuse. The event was co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought in Public Life, the Office of Mission and Ministry, the Georgetown Law Office of Mission and Ministry, the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, and Awake Milwaukee.” By Joshua Moschetto, The Hoya

ACCOUNTABILITY

Former cardinal McCarrick to faces next court hearing on Dec. 21
“The first pretrial hearing in the criminal sex abuse case against ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick came and went in a matter of minutes. The case was continued until December 21, for a second pretrial hearing. The attention paid to the case at Dedham District Court on Oct. 28 was noticeably different from that of McCarrick’s arraignment at the Massachusetts courthouse on Sept. 3. There was hardly any media presence and the court operated as normal with McCarrick’s pretrial hearing lumped in with 30-plus other cases on the docket.” By John Lavenburg, Cruxnow.com

The U.S. Church should pay attention to the French report on sex abuse. Here’s why
“By now we have been depressed once more by headlines of abuse in the Catholic Church, this time in France, where the large number of cases (more than 200,000) blazoned across our newsfeeds. Pope Francis recently called the abuse in France a ‘moment of shame.’ But beyond that stomach-churning number, there are details in the report that merit wider consideration. Perhaps even more urgently, all Catholics should examine the 45 highly detailed recommendations made by the Sauvé Commission. These are contained in the 50-page report. Below, I translate the recommendations that stand out as especially important for wider consideration by Catholics outside of francophone contexts.” By Adam A.J. DeVille, Our Sunday Visitor

The Catholic Church in France shines a light on its own abuse scandal
“In 2002, this newspaper exposed the widespread and systematic sexual abuse of children by local Catholic priests and the equally systematic cover-up by the diocese’s bishops and cardinals. It was a brutal but vital shock. By illuminating this darkness, the Spotlight team made history and laid the foundations for similar investigations across the globe. As if to mark the 20th anniversary of this event, a report commissioned by France’s Catholic Church was released to the public this month. The 2,500-page document — the work of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) — revealed that at least 330,000 children had been sexually abused by more than 3,000 ordained and lay clergy in France between 1950 and 2020. The report’s authors emphasized these numbers were a conservative estimate.” By Robert Zaretsky, The Boston Globe

FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION

Deadline extended for first phase of the synodal process
“In order to ‘provide a greater opportunity for the people of God to have an authentic experience of listening and dialogue’ during the recently launched synodal process, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops has decided to extend the deadline of the first phase. In a statement on Friday (Oct. 29), the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops said that it has extended ‘the deadline for the presentation of the synthesis of the consultations by the Episcopal Conference, the Oriental Catholic Churches sui iuris and other ecclesial bodies’ to 15 August 2022.” By Vatican News

Dioceses plan for Synod of Bishops journey
“Representatives of Australian dioceses have gathered online to consider how to support local engagement with the global process leading to the 2023 Synod of Bishops in Rome … The gathering of local coordinators last week was designed to help dioceses share their insights and determine how they can best invite the People of God to take part in the consultation. That included hearing from dioceses that have held local synods or assemblies in recent months while also engaging with the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia and now the global Synod of Bishops.” By CathNews.com

Is your diocese promoting the synod? No matter what, you can still participate
“I am fascinated and encouraged by Pope Francis’ determination to find ways for all the people of God to participate in the 2021-23 synod on synodality. As I write, the diocesan phase of the synod process is just beginning. Given initial reports that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and many U.S. dioceses seemed less than enthusiastic about Francis’ synod, I decided to do an informal review of the websites of major U.S. dioceses and archdioceses — especially those with large populations. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that of the 67 websites I visited over Oct. 15-17, more than half indicated a comprehensive process was planned or already underway (34) or said plans would be announced soon (3).” By Christine Schenk, National Catholic Reporter

Editorial: A Ministry of Listening: On the Opening of Synod 2023
“For laypeople who have long dreamed of a more participatory and inclusive church—a church that, in the words of the International Theological Commission’s (ITC) 2018 document ‘Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church,’ might ‘overcome the obstacles created by the lack of formation and recognized spaces in which the lay faithful can express themselves and act, and by a clerical mindset which runs the risk of keeping them on the edges of ecclesial life’ (§73)—this comes as a golden opportunity.” By Michael Centore, Editor, Today’s American Catholic

Speak Boldly, Listen Carefully: inside the synod
“At the start of July, in preparation for what has become known as the “Synod on Synodality,” the general secretariat of the synod’s spirituality commission convened a meeting of the heads of religious orders in Rome … to find out how the different orders make decisions, elect leaders, and hear the Holy Spirit nudging them to change. While in Rome for the October 9–10 launch of the synod, I heard about this gathering from a number of those who were involved, among them the woman who has become the synod’s face and voice. What the meeting showed, the French Xaverian Sr. Nathalie Becquart told me, was how each of the orders had developed different mechanisms of deliberating as a body and reaching consensus.” By Austen Ivereigh, Commonweal

A new beginning? Listening for a synodal church
“Pope Francis has convened a synod in Rome with the theme ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission.’ In his opening address he called us as church to engage this synod as an opportunity ‘to become a listening church, to break out of our routine and pause from our pastoral concerns in order to stop and listen.’ This synodal process invites all the faithful and, in particular, our leaders within parishes, dioceses, hospitals, schools, universities and other church-related ministries to do some soul-searching. We must seize this moment to listen intently, especially to those who have been marginalized.” By Miguel H. Díaz, National Catholic Reporter

Vatican Launches Prayer Website ‘To Accompany’ Synod on Synodality
“The Vatican on Tuesday (Oct. 19) launched a website and smartphone app to help Catholics pray for the success of the two-year process culminating in the 2023 synod on synodality. At prayforthesynod.va, Catholics can find information in English, Spanish, and other languages about how to support the synod through prayer. ‘This website, together with the app Click To Pray, aims to accompany the synodal way for prayer,’ the website says on its ‘About us’ page.” By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency, in National Catholic Register

Synod on synodality a stepping-stone for Italian bishops’ own national consultation
“As Pope Francis’s much-touted Synod of Bishops on Synodality begins its initial consultative phase at a parish level, Italy’s bishops are blending the process into their own 4-year national consultation, using materials for the universal gathering to guide their own national discussion. Ever since they were first instituted by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1965 as a direct product of the Second Vatican Council, a Synod of Bishops has been held at the Vatican every three to four years, gathering bishops from around the world for a month-long discussion on a contemporary issue of pressing importance.” By Elise Harris, Cruxnow.com

Call to prayer for the synod finds home online, in app
“Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, said in the process to create a more ‘synodal church,’ one where every member contributes and all listen to each other, ‘we are touching something divine, and prayer is essential.’ The synod office, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and the women’s International Union of Superiors General have joined forces not only to encourage prayers, but to collect them, share them and build a global community of people praying for the synod and each other.” By Catholic News Service

We contacted every diocese in the U.S. about their synod plans. Here’s what we found.
“The diocesan phase of the global synodal process, officially entitled ‘Toward a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission’ began on Sunday, Oct. 17, but only about half of U.S. dioceses had taken the first step of appointing a local synod coordinator, as called for by the Vatican’s instructions. In the last month, a team of America Media reporters contacted all 196 ‘particular churches’ in the United States—dioceses, eparchies and the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter—and was able to confirm the appointment of 62 local synod coordinators.” By Colleen Dulle and Doug Girardot, America: The Jesuit Review

POPE FRANCIS

Pope laicizes priest accused of sexual abuse
Joseph Gallatin, who was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1997 and has been prohibited from public ministry since 2014, has been dispensed from the obligations of the clerical state, Archbishop Bernard Hebda announced in a statement Oct. 25. Pope Francis recently granted the change in Gallatin’s status, which Gallatin requested, Archbishop Hebda said. ‘That means that the canonical status of Joseph Gallatin, who has not exercised public ministry since 2014, is that of a lay person,’ he said.” By The Catholic Spirit

Pope Francis to visit Canada for indigenous reconciliation
“Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to assist with ongoing reconciliation efforts with indigenous groups, the Vatican said on Wednesday (Oct. 27). The trip follows disturbing revelations this spring about the indigenous children who died while attending residential schools. The Catholic Church was essential in the schools’ founding and operation. The date of the papal visit has not yet been announced.” By BBC News

Pope Francis releases letter from sex abuse survivor: ‘We cannot close our eyes’ to sin in the church
“An adult survivor of abuse by a priest appealed to the world’s seminarians to become good priests and to make sure the ‘bitter truth’ always prevails, not silence about scandals and their cover-up. ‘Please, do not sweep things under the carpet, because then they start to stink, putrefy, and the rug itself will rot away…. Let us realize that if we hide these facts, when we keep our mouths shut, we hide the filth and we thus become a collaborator,’ said the survivor in a letter sent to Pope Francis and addressed to all seminarians.” By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in America: The Jesuit Review

BISHOPS

French bishops set to weigh demining child abuse revelations at annual conference
“French Catholic bishops kicked off their annual conference on Tuesday (Nov. 2), set to pour over a shock report last month that detailed massive child abuse of 216,000 minors spanning 70 years. The 120 bishops from across France are to devote nearly half their week-long meeting to ‘the fight against violence and sexual aggression directed at minors,’ according to the published agenda. Some victims were invited to join the meeting, but many declined, denouncing the decision to make the sexual abuse scandal just one of several topics — rather than the sole issue on the agenda.” By France24.com

U.S. bishops to choose culture war or communion in Baltimore
“In less than two weeks, the U.S. bishops will gather for their 2021 plenary meeting in Baltimore. It will be the first time they have met in person since before the pandemic so, whatever else happens, at least the manipulative dynamics of the Zoom meetings will be gone. You probably have to go back to the turn of the 20th century to find a time when the hierarchy was as divided as it is now. And the whole world will be watching because of the debate about whether or not to deny Communion to pro-choice politicians, including the president of the United States, which has engulfed the church for the past year.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Polish bishops, at Vatican, call punishment for abuse cover-up lopsided
“The president of the Polish bishops’ conference said that in meetings with a Vatican official, several church leaders criticized the Vatican’s handling of sex abuse cases, particularly ‘disproportionate punishments’ inflicted on bishops accused of cover-ups in comparison with convicted abusers. Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki, conference president, told Poland’s Catholic Information Agency, KAI, that Polish bishops met with Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, at the Vatican Oct. 12. He said the bishops were trying to be faithful to Pope Francis’ May 2019 motu proprio, Vos Estis Lux Mundi, revising and clarifying norms and procedures for holding bishops and religious superiors accountable for protecting abusers.” By Jonathan Luxmoore, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

WOMEN’S VOICES

Catholic Church synod must bring women’s stories to the fore
“How do you respond to a call to ‘journey together’ with people who, in Christ’s name, proclaim your non-existence? This is what I asked myself when I heard the Irish Catholic bishops calling for participation in a five-year synodal pathway. Pope Francis has also launched a two-year worldwide synodal process, so we are now doubly exhorted to be a listening church where everyone can speak freely. I have heard that before. My first experience of formal consultation in the church was three decades ago, as a member of the Women in the Church subcommittee, in the Dublin archdiocese.” By Soline Humbert, The Irish Times

Pope Francis calls for greater female leadership ahead of G-20 summit
“In a message read by his secretary of state to a women’s advocacy group meeting ahead of the G-20 summit, Pope Francis called for greater female leadership in world affairs on Monday (Oct. 18), telling the Women’s Forum G-20 that ‘our world needs the collaboration of women, their leadership and their abilities, as well as their intuition and their dedication.’ Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, read the pontiff’s message by video to a special two-day gathering in Milan of the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society, founded by Publicis public relations to highlight women’s voices in government and diplomacy.” By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service

Young women, #MeToo and clergy sex abuse: Lessons from my students
“Following the news about allegations of sexual abuse brought against then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and the publication of a Pennsylvania grand jury report during the summer of 2018, I joined many Catholic theologians in considering how I would address still another surge of news about clergy sexual abuse in my college classroom … I sensed that my undergraduate students deserved intellectual accompaniment as they confronted an issue that distinctly affected them. To speak with women about sexual abuse of any sort presents a unique situation, because women experience sexual assault of all kinds at higher rates than men.” By Jessica Coblentz, America: The Jesuit Review

CHURCH FINANCES

Keep priests from being financial power bases, nuncio warns Indian bishops
“The papal representative to India has ordered Catholic bishops in the southern state of Tamil Nadu to stop priests from engaging in activities that make them ‘financial and political power bases.’ UCA News reported that the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, asked the Tamil Nadu bishops’ council to address the trend of priests forming and managing trusts or nongovernmental organizations independently of their dioceses, violating canon law. In a letter in early October, Archbishop Girelli noted a tendency among clergy to establish independent trusts ‘habitually registered under the guise of a nongovernmental organization, ostensibly intended to provide assistance to those in need.’” By Catholic News Service in National Catholic Reporter

VOICES

Bishops focus on Communion crisis highlights bigger issue, theologians say
“When the U.S. bishops highlighted Communion in their spring meeting, announcing their plans for both a document on the Eucharist and a three-year Eucharistic revival, they emphasized that they were responding to a lack of understanding among many Catholics about something that is central to the faith. In other words, they wanted to respond to what they saw as a catechetical crisis. And their discussion at the time, particularly over their proposed document — to be presented this November — garnered a lot of attention for its projected look at eucharistic coherence.” By Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service, on CatholicPhilly.com

Draft of bishops’ Eucharist document reflects 400-year-old theology
“The draft of the U.S. bishops’ proposed new document on the Eucharist, which has been circulated among the prelates and was leaked to several media outlets on Nov. 2, may not mention pro-choice Catholic politicians like President Joe Biden. But, even still, the document reads as if it could have been created before the Second Vatican Council. It is written in such a way that I would propose the title — currently ‘The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church’ — be made much narrower. Perhaps: ‘The Mystery of the Sacrificial Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic Species.’” By Kevin Irwin, National Catholic Reporter

Opinion: U.S. could hold key for the future of the Catholic Church
“When US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden receive an audience with Pope Francis on October 29, it will be a very different moment from the previous meeting between Paul VI and John F. Kennedy in July 1963. In the early 1960s, the problem for a Catholic candidate or president was the acceptability of Catholicism by American Protestantism and the liberal secular establishment. Today the problem is what kind of Catholicism is acceptable to Biden’s fellow Catholics: In a hyper-polarized country, partisan affiliations shape more and more religious identities, also in the Catholic Church.” By Massimo Faggioli, Deutsche Welle Editorial Board

Minding the Church: How should the hierarchy respond to whistleblowers?
“When four whistleblowing priests in Scotland went public over the sexual hypocrisy of Cardinal Keith O’Brien in 2013, it resulted in his being prevented from attending the conclave that elected Pope Francis and ultimately in his removal as leader of the Archdiocese of St. Andrews and Edinburgh. I was one of the whistleblowers. When we sought a meeting with O’Brien’s successor, I remember keenly his obviously rehearsed instruction to us: the Vatican’s view was, ‘We are done here.’ In reality, the removal of the cardinal was the beginning, not the end, of what was to become an important change in the way Church authorities deal with the malfeasance of high-ranking members of the hierarchy, including previously untouchable cardinals.” By Brian Devlin, Commonweal

Catholic Church must deal with pedophile priests seriously
“The horrific data coming from an independent investigation conducted in France that concluded that an estimated 330,000 children were victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in France during the previous 70 years did not shock me. It just further disgusted me. The 2,500-page document that has been reported is pure horror and shame. As a journalist, I have been investigating and reporting on different sexual abuse cases of the Catholic Church globally. It disturbs me. As a man from the Christian faith, it makes me feel ashamed that even today, most of us Christians prefer to turn a blind eye to or talk in hushed tones on the seriousness of the immense damage some Catholic priests are doing to young children all over the world.” By Savio Rodrigues, The Sunday Guardian

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

A man abused by a Catholic priest relives trauma in a Netflix documentary procession
“Six men who were sexually abused by Catholic priests and clergy as children are the subject of a powerful new documentary exploring drama therapy as a way to heal their trauma. Robert Green’s Procession follows Midwestern survivors gathering to write, direct, and perform fictional scenes based on their childhood memories, dreams, and experiences.” By Texas News Today

Sexual Abuse Survivors and Advocates Ask NJ Governor for More Time to Sue Perpetrators
“Eleven national organizations that deal with sexual abuse are asking New Jersey’s governor to extend a Nov. 30 deadline after which considerably fewer victims of sexual trauma will be able to sue those who hurt them. In 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed a measure that allows anyone who was sexually assaulted in New Jersey at any time by anyone to file a civil lawsuit against them and any institution that ignored or concealed the abuse until November 30, 2021. In recent years, 19 other states have adopted similar laws, often called ‘windows.’” By David Clohessy, Ms. Magazine

We’re all safer without these two predators
“The trusted religious authority figures who molested two people I hold dear have passed away. My friends and colleagues are Steve Theisen & Barbara Blaine. Their predators are Sr. Josephine Schmitz and Fr. Chet Warren. Church officials kept quiet about these child molesters’ deaths (as they’ve done countless times before), even though publicizing them would surely have brought some measure of comfort to those who were hurt and assaulted by these predators.” By David Clohessy, DavidClohessy.com

CALIFORNIA

Court of Appeal broadens liability of Church for priest misconduct
“The Los Angeles Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church was erroneously awarded summary judgment in an action against it based on sexual child molestation by a priest, the Court of Appeal for this district held yesterday, saying that liability can be found notwithstanding lack of knowledge of the propensities on the part of the particular priest who committed the misconduct. Framing the issue, Justice John L. Segal of Div. Seven asked: ‘Does a church have a duty to protect children from sexual abuse by clergy while the children are attending religious school or participating in other church-sponsored programs?’ He said that because the answer to that question is ‘yes,’ we reverse the judgment entered after the trial court… answered that question ‘no’….’” By Metropolitan News-Enterprise

Sex Abuse Suit Against Catholic Church, Riverside Priest Settled
“A tentative settlement has been reached in a lawsuit brought by two brothers who allege they were sexually abused by a priest at a Riverside parish more than 25 years ago, a lawyer for the pair told a judge Tuesday (Oct. 12) … Tuesday’s announcement came during what was scheduled to be a final status conference with Judge David Sotelo ahead of an Oct. 25 trial of their case against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Diocese of San Bernardino, as well as the Congregation of the Mission Western Province, which conducts religious education and activities.” By City News Service, on Patch.com

FLORIDA

Jury selection underway in trial of former Homestead priest accused of sexual battery
“Jury selection is underway in the trial of a South Florida Catholic priest accused of sexual battery. Father Jean Claude Jean-Philippe appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Carmen Cabarga, Monday (Oct. 25). The defendant, who was a parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Homestead, faces a charge of sexual battery of an incapacitated victim.” By WSNV-TV7 News

GEORGIA

Georgia Supreme Court hears lawsuit claiming sexual abuse by Catholic priest
“A lawsuit alleging a now-deceased Catholic priest sexually abused an altar boy in the 1970s should go forward because the Archdiocese of Atlanta didn’t admit the crime until 2018, a lawyer for the unnamed plaintiff argued Tuesday (Oct. 19). But a lawyer representing Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in Marietta asked the Georgia Supreme Court to uphold lower-court rulings that dismissed the suit because it was filed long after the statute of limitations had expired. The lawsuit was brought after then-Archbishop of Atlanta Wilton Gregory issued a public apology for sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy.” By Dave Williams, Capitol Beat News Service

ILLINOIS

Defrocked priest Daniel McCormack, who admitted to molesting numerous underage boys, is out of state custody
“Defrocked pedophile priest Daniel McCormack has been released from state custody. McCormack is alleged to have molested at least 25 boys. He spent two years in prison, and then the remainder of his sentence was served as a state-run mental health facility after being deemed a sexually violent person. He was released from that facility last month. McCormack, formerly pastor of St. Agatha’s Church in Chicago, is one of the city’s most notorious figures in the Roman Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal.” By CBS-TV2 News

Bartlett pastor reinstated after archdiocese says it found insufficient evidence of sex abuse
“The pastor of a Bartlett church is being reinstated after an investigation found insufficient evidence to prove allegations of improper conduct, Cardinal Blase Cupich said in a letter Saturday. The Rev. Christopher Ciomek was asked to step aside from his duties as pastor at St. Peter Damian Catholic Church in April so authorities could investigate allegations he sexually abused a minor about 30 years ago. The Archdiocese of Chicago, with the help of an unspecified independent agency, investigated the allegations, the letter said, adding that Ciomek fully cooperated. The archdiocese also conducted a review of Ciomek’s fitness for ministry, Cupich said.” By Kayleigh Padar, Daily Herald

INDIANA

Former South Bend St. Joseph volleyball players accuse school of ignoring sexual misconduct
“Three former St. Joseph High School volleyball players have filed a lawsuit against the school, the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and school officials, accusing their coach of abusive sexual misconduct and administrators of failing to appropriately respond to their allegations during that misconduct. The women, who graduated in 2018 and 2019 and are suing anonymously as Jane Doe plaintiffs, provide detailed accusations in their court filing.” By Cory Havens, South Bend Tribune

Special judge to be appointed following initial hearing for priest accused of sexual abuse
“A Catholic priest accused of sexual abuse in a case involving two females made his initial appearance in Whitley County Superior Court Wednesday (Oct. 13) afternoon. Whitley County Prosecutor DJ Sigler filed multiple felony charges last week against Father David Huneck who at the time of the alleged crimes was the pastor at Saint Paul of the Cross Catholic Church in Columbia City. Huneck also served as chaplain of Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne. Court documents indicate Huneck knew the alleged victims from his affiliation with the high school.” By WANE-TV15 News

KANSAS

Wichita-area priest placed on leave, accused of sexually abusing minor
“The Catholic Diocese of Wichita on Monday, Nov. 1, announced that Bishop Carl Kemme placed a priest on administrative leave following allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. The Wichita diocese identified that priest as Fr. Michael Schemm with Church of the Resurrection, in Bel Aire. ‘The bishop’s decision comes after an initial review by the Diocesan Review Board, which recommended administrative leave pending the completion of a full investigation,’ the diocese said. The Wichita diocese said it notified police and pending the investigation, ‘Fr. Schemm will maintain his faculties as a priest and the diocese will continue its support.’” By KWCH-TV12 News

KBI has received 215 reports, opened 122 cases in priest sexual abuse investigation”
“Nearly three years after launching an investigation into clergy sexual abuse in the state’s Catholic dioceses, Kansas’ top law enforcement agency has received 215 tips and opened 122 cases, legislators learned last week. Robert Jacobs, executive officer of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, provided an update to members of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Kansas Security during a meeting on law enforcement and security issues in the state. Jacobs said the cases are the result of work by the KBI’s Catholic Clergy Taskforce that was established in 2019 at the request of the Attorney General’s Office.” By Judy L. Thomas, The Kansas City Star

MASSACHUSETTS

Settlement reached with 15th sexual abuse victim of Lawrence priest
“A settlement for another sexual abuse victim of the late Father John J. Gallagher, who was assigned to St. Mary’s Church in Lawrence in the 1970s, was recently reached, said attorney Mitchell Garabedian. Garabedian, of Boston, who is well known for representing sexual abuse victims of the Catholic church, said this the 15th claim he’s settled involving Gallagher, of the Augustinian Order. The claims involved 14 females and one male, he said. The recent settlement was in the low six figures, Garabedian said.” By Jill Harmacinski, Lawrence Eagle Tribune

MICHIGAN

Former Michigan priest, 66, to stand trial for sex abuse
“A former Michigan priest will soon stand trial for sex abuse he allegedly committed in the 1980s, state officials announced. Neil Kalina, 66, was a priest at St. Kiernan Catholic Church in Shelby Township from 1982-1985 when he allegedly committed sex abuse against children 13-15 years old … He is charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) against a child 13-15 years old, punishable by up to life in prison; and two counts of second-degree CSC against a child 13-15 years old, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. His next court appearnce is set for Nov. 1.” By Justine Lofton, MLive.com

MISSISSIPPI

‘A very dark history.’ Kansas City diocese hopes ‘Procession’ can help with healing
“When the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese’s victim assistance coordinator came to her with the unusual request in the summer of 2019, Carrie Cooper didn’t miss a beat. Six men, all survivors of childhood sexual abuse by priests, were making a documentary and wanted to film inside some of the churches in the diocese. ‘I said, ‘I’m great with that, but we just need to make sure our bishop is,’’ Cooper, director of the diocese’s Office of Child and Youth Protection, recalls telling Kathleen Chastain … The documentary, ‘Procession,’ was recently completed and acquired by Netflix. It is scheduled to begin running on Netflix and in selected theaters on Nov. 19, with a sold-out premiere Wednesday (Nov. 3) night in Kansas City. Local diocesan leaders are using the film’s release to try and open a new dialogue in the community.” By Judy L. Thomas, The Kansas City Star

NEBRASKA

Lincoln bishop reassigns, restricts priests accused of misconduct
“The Lincoln Diocese recently reassigned a pair of priests — and restricted their public ministry — after investigating claims of priestly misconduct. In statements posted to the diocese website Oct. 8, Bishop James Conley announced: Scott Courtney was assigned to minister to prisons, nursing and retirement homes, and provide administrative assistance to the chancery, effective early next January. Courtney has been out of active ministry since September 2018, after allegations he had sexual contact with a woman, the diocese reported at the time.” By Peter Salter, The Lincoln Journal

Omaha priest arrested, facing charges of theft, abuse of vulnerable adult
“An Omaha priest was arrested Friday (Oct. 15) morning accused of stealing from an incapacitated retired priest who had willed his estate to the Archdiocese of Omaha, saying he was giving the money to a homeless man. He appeared in court Friday afternoon to face charges of theft and abuse, and was released on his own recognizance. His preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 24.” By Gina Dvorak, WOWT-TV6 News

NEW JERSEY

Former St. Joseph, Bergen Catholic teachers accused of abuse as lawsuit deadline nears
“Eleven new abuse lawsuits were filed against the Catholic Church in New Jersey on Wednesday (Oct. 13), including three naming former teachers at Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell and another against a now-deceased instructor at St. Joseph Regional High in Montvale. The suits were the latest amid hundreds of complaints filed in the two years since New Jersey lifted its statute of limitations on old sexual abuse claims. They come as the window for such cases is set to expire next month.” By Deena Yellin, NorthJersey.com

$26M for Abuse Victims Proposed By Diocese of Camden
“The Diocese of Camden has submitted a plan of reorganization that offers $26 million to survivors of child sex abuse within the diocese, officials announced. That number could increase to $40 million if survivors accept tax-free payments over seven years, the Diocese of Camden said in a statement posted on its website. It comes about a year after the Diocese filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.” By Kimberlee Bongard, Patch

NEW YORK.

Bankruptcy judge halts sex abuse suits against Buffalo Diocese parishes, schools
“A federal bankruptcy judge has again blocked 36 people who say they were sexually abused from pressing ahead with Child Victims Act lawsuits against Catholic parishes and schools. Chief Judge Carl L. Bucki of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District said in a written ruling this week that allowing the state litigation to move forward ‘would become an inherent distraction that promises to complicate negotiations”’ among the parties involved in the Diocese of Buffalo bankruptcy reorganization.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

PENNSYLVANIA

Churchgoers Shocked After Their Pastor Is Arrested for Sex Crimes
“Churchgoers in Cresco, Pennsylvania were shocked leaving Sunday (Oct. 24) morning mass after they were informed that their Pastor had been arrested for alleged sex crimes against a minor. Father Gregory Loughney was arrested Friday by the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department and charged with four counts connected to alleged inappropriate contact with a minor after a successful internet sting operation. According to police, Loughney believed he was communicating with a 15-year-old boy he met through Tinder.” By Samantha Berlin, Newsweek

Fayette County priest charged with sexually assaulting altar boy pleads no contest
“A Roman Catholic priest from the Diocese of Greensburg pleaded no contest Monday (Ovt.25) to charges of sexually assaulting an altar boy multiple times between 2004 and 2007 at a Fayette County church, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office. Andrew Kawecki, 66, was charged by state AG’s office in August 2020 with multiple offenses after he was accused of assaulting the boy beginning when he was 11 years old at SS. Cyril and Methodius Church in Fairchance.” By Pittsburg Post-Gazette

RHODE ISLAND

Providence Catholic priest charged with sending child pornography
“A Roman Catholic priest was charged Saturday (Oct. 30) with possessing and transferring child pornography, according to State Police Superintendent Col. James Manni. James Jackson, 66, pastor of St. Mary’s Church, 538 Broadway, was ordered held at the Adult Correctional Institutions after he failed to post $5,000 surety bail, Manni said in a news release. The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, bishop of the Diocese of Providence, removed Jackson as pastor and prohibited him from sacred ministry, the diocese said in a statement Sunday morning.” By Paul Edward Parker, The Providence Journal

TEXAS

Lawsuit targets Diocese of Brownsville on sexual assault allegations
“A civil lawsuit filed against the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville that alleges church officials tried to protect a priest accused in the alleged sexual assault of two siblings continues to make its way through the legal system. The lawsuit was filed nearly two months after the Diocese released a list containing the names of 12 priests accused of sexually assaulting children. The accused priest, Father Benedicto Ortiz, was one of the 12 named in the list released by the diocese in 2019.” By Laura B. Martinez, The Brownsville Herald

WISCONSIN

Organizers urge AG to investigate abuse of Menominee children attending Catholic schools
“Dozens gathered under a pavilion in Keshena for a candlelight vigil to bring awareness to the children who were abused by the Catholic Church at Indigenous residential and boarding schools. ‘I am a survivor of physical abuse at the hands of the church, during that period they treated us in a manner that is not consistent with who we are as a people,’ said Dewey Schanandore who claimed to have attended St. Anthony’s grade school during the 1950s … The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay ran two schools on the Menominee Indian Reservation.” By Joshua Peguero, WBAY-TV2 News

Statewide investigation into clergy, faith leader abuse has received nearly 180 reports
“The state Department of Justice says they’ve received nearly 180 reports of abuse by faith leaders or of mishandling of abuse claims by religious organizations. Attorney General Josh Kaul released an update Wednesday about the statewide investigation into clergy and faith leader abuse that his office launched in April. The inquiry has been hindered by some Catholic dioceses not wanting to participate, with some leaders saying past cases of sexual abuse have already been reviewed by legal authorities.” By Hope Kirwan, Wisconsin Public Radio

AUSTRALIA

New center aims to prevent child sexual abuse
“A major trauma support organization will run a national child sexual abuse prevention center aimed at preventing abuse and helping survivors. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday marked the third anniversary of the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. He announced the Blue Knot Foundation, alongside the Australian Childhood Foundation and The Healing Foundation, would establish a national child sexual abuse prevention center. Mr. Morrison said the center would build knowledge and expertise, as well as raise awareness of the impacts of child sexual abuse.” By CathNews.com

CANADA

Newfoundland activist Gemma Hickey files sexual abuse lawsuit against St. John’s Episcopal Corp. Catholic Priest
“Well-known Newfoundland and Labrador activist Gemma Hickey has filed a statement of claim against the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. and priest Denis Walsh for alleged sexual abuse. The claims have not been proven in court. The church is the first defendant in the case and Walsh is the second defendant. Hickey, the founder of the non-profit Pathways Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing awareness for victims of clergy abuse, alleges as a parishioner of various churches, they were subject to escalating inappropriate touching and grooming behavior by Walsh, as well as being subjected to lewd conversation.” By Barb Sweet, Saltwire.com

Saskatchewan Court file reveals new details of Catholic Church compensation for residential school survivors
“A Saskatchewan judge has released files detailing the Roman Catholic Church’s controversial $79-million compensation deal for residential school survivors following a successful court application by CBC News and the Globe and Mail. This cache of documents, along with other internal papers obtained by CBC News in recent weeks, illustrates how Catholic officials, aided by a team of veteran lawyers, successfully fought years of federal government efforts to make them pay the full amounts promised in the landmark 2005 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.” By Jason Warick, CBC News

Canadian priest who served in Calgary convicted in sexual assault against minors
“A former Calgary priest has been convicted by a French court of sexually assaulting four minors, a statement from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary said. Rev. Denis Tassé, who periodically served in Clear Water Academy and at the summer camps of Regnum Christi in Calgary, was convicted by the Criminal Court of Bordeaux, France, in the 2019 sexual assault of four teenage girls in France and Italy, a statement from the Legionaries of Christ, a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, said. The group said the assaults happened during pastoral group activities.” By CBC News

FRANCE

How and when will French Church compensate victims of ‘systemic’ child abuse?
“The Catholic Church of France was left reeling on Tuesday (Oct. 12) after an independent commission revealed in a 2,500-page report that members of the clergy had sexually abused around 216,000 children since 1950 – and covered up the abuse with a ‘veil of silence’ … As well as laying bare the extent of the abuse, the inquiry also suggested a number of avenues to address the victims’ yearning for justice and healing, from symbolic measures to financial reparation.” By Cyrielle Cabot, France24.com

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND, AND WALES

De La Salle order apologizes for sex abuse
“The De La Salle Order has issued an apology for sex abuse of children by members of the order, following a series of allegations and the suspension of its current provincial after he was accused of historic abuse. The apology, in which the Order says that abuse ‘goes against everything that compelled our Founder to respond to the needs and challenges of the young people of Rheims in the seventeenth century’ became known after a Catholic safeguarding official mentioned it in passing to a survivor of abuse.” By Catherine Pepinster, The Tablet

Clerical sex abuse survivor wins payout for being ‘retraumatised’
“A survivor of sexual abuse by a priest who was branded ‘needy’ and ‘manipulative’ by church safeguarding officials has been awarded a financial settlement after seeking redress for the trauma caused by the Church’s handling of her case. A priest began abusing the woman, known as A711, when she was 15. Subsequently she was raped. She sought compensation for what she described as being ‘retraumatised’ after she discovered critical remarks about her in emails disclosed to her regarding her case.” By Catherine Pepinster, The Tablet

Catholic Church asks Glasgow survivors of abuse to share experiences for independent review
“Thr Catholic Church in Glasgow has appealed to survivors of abuse within the church to get in touch and tell leaders ‘where they went wrong.’ Bosses at the Archdiocese of Glasgow say they want to hear to hear from people with ‘first-hand experience’ of how reports of abuse were dealt with and what ‘can be done’ to improve the process in future. It will form part of a major independent review during the month of November which is being led by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCEI).” By Jack Haugh, The Glasgow Times

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Catholic Church apology after priest is sentenced for abuse of two children
“The Catholic Church has issued an apology after a retired priest was sentenced after being found guilty of abusing two children following a ‘trial of facts’. Fr John J Murray had been due to stand trial for the abuse of two children, but was deemed medically unfit to take part in the proceedings due to dementia. On Friday (Oct. 22) a court ordered further supervision arrangements. The 80-year-old veteran priest had served as curate in St Matthew’s Parish in the Short Strand area of Belfast, where one of his victims had lived with her family.” By Allison Morris, Belfast Telegraph

MEXICO

Catholic Church admits cases of sexual abuse against minors in Campeche
“The spokesman for the Diocese of Campeche, Gerardo Casillas González; confirmed that they are aware of six cases of sexual abuse by clergy and faithful committed against minors and vulnerable people. He pointed out that it is a crime and a very serious sin that must be punished both canonically and civilly, although he said he is aware that the damage will never be fully repaired. In this way, the Diocese of Campeche admits that both clerics and religious or lay pastoral agents have committed sexual abuse against six minors and vulnerable people. The church is following up on these cases and the authorities are doing their investigative work.” By Yucatan Times

NEW ZEALAND

Catholic Church welcomes Royal Commission’s Marylands inquiry dates
“The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand welcomes the announcement today (Nov. 3) by the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care of dates for hearing evidence about abuse at the Marylands School and Hebron Trust in Christchurch. The Royal Commission today announced that it has scheduled six days in February 2022 for the hearings. Marylands was a residential school for children with learning difficulties, run between the mid-1950s and 1984 by the Hospitaller Brothers of St John of God, a Catholic religious institute.” By New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference

POLAND

Report into abuse by Polish Dominican priest only first step in healing
“Dominicans in Poland have confirmed the Vatican has yet to respond to a Sept. 15 report on a sect-like youth ministry run by a priest accused of sexual abuse in the late 1990’s. An independent, lay-led investigation produced the 250-page report documenting several cases of abuse in the hands Dominican Father Pawel M. – whose full name cannot be revealed under Polish law since he is awaiting trial – from 1996-2000, but also of negligence by the Dominican leaders in handling those cases.” By Paulina Guzik and Inés San Martin, Cruxnow.com