Voice of the Faithful Focus, Oct. 12, 2018


TOP STORIES

Thirteen states now investigating alleged sexual abuse linked to Catholic Church
“Florida’s attorney general said Thursday (Oct. 4) she is launching an investigation of potential sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic church, making Florida at least the 13th state with an ongoing statewide probe of the church … NBC News has contacted the offices of the attorney general in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and found that at least 13 states are either currently probing allegations of sexual abuse in the church or about to launch an investigation.” By Anna Thompson, Clare Duffy, Rich Gardella and Cory Dawson, NBC News

Pope orders new inquiry into abuse accusations against McCarrick
“Pope Francis has ordered a deeper investigation into the accusations of sexual misconduct against Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, the Vatican said Saturday (Oct. 6), including a ‘thorough study’ of archival documents to determine how he climbed the church hierarchy despite allegations he had slept with seminarians and young priests.” By Jason Horowitz, The New York Times

Bishops’ plan to address abuse falls short on accountability
“After a horrible summer of depressing news about how the church hierarchy has mishandled the sexual abuse crisis and misled the faithful willfully and through neglect, expectations were high for the action plan the leadership of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops promised to deliver this fall. The four points outlined are, for the most part, good beginnings. Given the intensity of feelings on this subject, probably no plan could satisfy Catholics in pews, but even with that caveat, we had hoped the plan would be stronger and more specific than what was delivered.” By National Catholic Reporter Editorial Staff

Francis removes Chilean abuser Fernando Karadima from priesthood
“Pope Francis has removed notorious Chilean child sexual abuser Fernando Karadima from the Catholic priesthood, toughening an earlier sanction of a lifetime of prayer and penance, in what the Vatican said was an invocation of the pontiff’s ‘supreme’ power in the church. By Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter

Synod English Groups: Abuse crisis undermines church ‘in practically every way’
“Two of the four working groups for English-speaking prelates at the worldwide meeting of Catholic bishops on young people have spent time considering the impact of clergy abuse scandals on the global church’s credibility. In the first of three reports expected from the working groups during the Oct. 3-28 Synod of Bishops, one of the English groups said bluntly that in the gathering’s expected final document clergy abuse ‘cannot be skimmed over tangentially in a few short sentences.’” By Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter

‘Spot fires’ of reaction to abuse scandal pop up across U.S.
“Grassroots reactions to the church crises of authority and sex abuse have taken place at cathedrals, parishes, universities, public squares and pubs. Catholic News Service’s Carol Zimmerman recently pulled together a representative list of episcopal or diocesan-organized events — listening sessions, rosaries, novenas, and even a Facebook Live Q-and-A with the Diocese of Colorado Springs’ Bishop Michael Sheridan.” By Dan Morris-Young, National Catholic Reporter

ACCOUNTABILITY

Franciscan University vows to stop sexual assault, but victims need convincing
“Franciscan University of Steubenville, nestled in the hills of northeast Ohio, is an institution with a reputation for traditional Catholic piety. It is a place where charismatic prayer is frequently invoked, the Rosary recited, and course descriptions across all subject areas commit to what the school describes as dynamic Catholic orthodoxy. This year, the school’s administration has made a public commitment to stop sexual violence and harassment on campus.” By Jenn Morson, National Catholic Reporter

Church leaders must face the truth of abuse, Cardinal DiNardo says
“The president of the U.S. bishops’ conference welcomed Pope Francis’ pledge to fight attempts to cover up cases of sexual abuse and to stop offering special treatment to bishops who have committed or covered up abuse. ‘On behalf of my brother bishops in the United States, I welcome the statement of Oct. 6 from the Holy See which outlines additional steps Pope Francis is taking to ensure the faithful are protected from the evil of sexual assault,’ Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo said in a statement released Oct. 7 in Rome.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in The Pilot

At ‘authentic reform,’ conservative Catholics rally to ‘fix’ church failures
“A gathering of conservative Catholics who want ‘Authentic Reform’ in response to the church’s latest sex abuse scandals ended with plans for a statement and a call for like-minded organizations to band together to force church leaders to act against sexually active priests and bishops, as well as those who abuse minors. While some called for changes in canon law to allow more lay oversight in church governance, others admitted that was unlikely and instead urged attendees — many of them wealthy donors — to use their moral authority as baptized Catholics to effect change by withholding donations and pressuring bishops to demand an independent Vatican investigation of the U.S. church.” By Heidi Schlumpf, National Catholic Reporter

Pope adviser says systematic reforms needed to address abuse
“One of Pope Francis’ top advisers warned Friday (Oct. 5) that the Catholic Church risks increased police and government intervention if it doesn’t address the clergy sex abuse scandal with system-wide reforms about the way power and sexuality are expressed. German Cardinal Reinhard Marx told a conference on child protection that the church’s ‘weak excuses’ to dismiss, minimize or cover-up abuses were no longer acceptable to the faithful, and that anyone who uses them is actually complicit in the crimes of the perpetrators.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press

VATICAN ABUSE SUMMIT SET FOR FEBRUARY 2019

Vatican expert urges accountability at pope’s abuse summit
“The pope’s summit early next year on preventing sex abuse should also address holding bishops accountable when they fail to protect their flocks from pedophile priests, the Vatican’s leading sex abuse expert said Monday (Oct. 8). Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna said the February summit of global church leader is the appropriate venue for discussing ‘a great expectation for more accountability’ among Catholic faithful worldwide.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, on WCJB-TV News

McCARRICK CASE

Scandal-plagued cardinal a key figure in McCarrick/Vigano saga
“As the saga surrounding allegations raised by a former papal ambassador to the U.S. that Pope Francis covered up the misconduct of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick continues, taking increasingly unprecedented twists and turns, questions still abound regarding some of the key figures involved. One of these figures is Italian Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who was accused in an Aug. 25 statement by fellow Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who served as the pope’s ambassador to the U.S. from 2011-2016, of ignoring repeated warnings about McCarrick.” By Elise Harris, Cruxnow.com

McCarrick case: Vatican starting to acknowledge mistakes
“Pope Francis, Cardinal Marc Ouellet and an official Vatican statement seem to be laying the groundwork for an admission that mistakes were made in handling allegations that Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick engaged in sexual misconduct and even abuse. But they also make clear that his ordination as a bishop (of Metuchen, New Jersey), appointment as archbishop — first of Newark, New Jersey, and then Washington — and his induction into the College of Cardinals all took place during the pontificate of St. John Paul II.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in The Pilot

Expert doubts U.S. bishops’ authority to get to bottom of McCarrick case
“As the U.S. bishops gear up for their own probe of four dioceses after Pope Francis turned down an apostolic visitation related to ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, they face many questions, not least of which is whether there are precedents in Church law for such a review to be carried out by bishops rather than the pope.” By Elis Harris, Cruxnow.com

Vatican official reportedly pushed back on McCarrick career advances
“Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, a longtime veteran in Vatican diplomacy and service within the Roman Curia, has emerged as yet another key figure in the ongoing saga of scandals surrounding ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.” By Elise Harris, Cruxnow.com

How the USCCB could pitch a Vatican-backed McCarrick probe
“Two weeks after the fact, three points seem clear about a Sept. 13 audience between Pope Francis and the leadership of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, including Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, the conference president, and Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, the vice president.” By John L. Allen, Jr., Cruxnow.com

POPE FRANCIS

Do Vatican officials see abuse crisis as a referendum on the Pope?
“Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta told reporters Monday (Oct. 8) that Catholics should ‘trust Pope Francis that there is going to be a solution’ to the Church’s clerical sexual abuse crisis. The support of bishops from around the world, Scicluna said, means that the pope is now ‘empowered’ to do what he wants for the Church, namely, ‘to make the church a safer place.’” By J.D. Flynn, Catholic News Agency

CARDINALS

Cardinal DiNardo admits mistake in handling pedophile priest
“The leading voice in the clergy sex abuse crisis, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo admitted to mishandling the case of a pedophile priest, KHOU 11 Investigates found. The case dates to DiNardo’s time in Sioux City, Iowa, years before the recent arrest of a Texas priest for indecency with a child. Although the cases are years and miles apart, the similarities are troubling – accusers claiming DiNardo did not do enough to protect them.” By Jeremy Ropaiski, KHOU-TV

‘Red Hat Report’ to ‘audit’ cardinals, ahead of next conclave
“A group of Catholics calling itself the Better Church Governance Group is gearing up to compile dossiers ‘in the manner of political opposition research’ on cardinal electors ahead of the next conclave, the gathering that elects a new pope. Although its publicly available literature casts the effort as non-political and one that is interested in gathering and collating information, an early memo associated with the effort drew severe conclusions about one of its targets, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state and a member of Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals.” By Tom Roberts, National Catholic Reporter

Cardinal DiNardo, at center of clergy abuse crisis, accused of mishandling cases in Iowa and Texas
“A U.S. cardinal at the center of the Vatican’s response to the sex abuse crisis besetting the Catholic church is being accused this month by clergy abuse survivors of mishandling cases in Iowa and Texas. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, led a delegation of Catholic leaders this month to meet with Pope Francis about the crisis.” By Lee Rood, Des Moines Register

ARCHBISHOP CARLO VIGANO’S LETTER

Archbishop Vigano issues new letter on Pope Francis and McCarrick
“Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has issued a new letter addressing his allegation that senior prelates have been complicit in covering up alleged sex abuse by ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Headed with Viganò’s episcopal motto, Scio Cui credidi (I know whom I have believed), the letter, dated Sept. 29 – the feast of St. Michael – was released Sept. 27.” By Catholic News Agency on Cruxnow.com

BISHOPS

Abuse survivor sues California bishops, dioceses, seeking offenders’ names
“A lawsuit against the California bishops and 11 dioceses in California, including the archdioceses of Los Angeles and San Francisco, for covering up child sexual abuse was filed Oct. 2 by survivor Tom Emens and Jeff Anderson & Associates. Emens isn’t filing the lawsuit for money. He’s requesting the release of the names and documented histories on all clerical offenders in each diocese.” By Heather Adams, National Catholic Reporter

SYNOD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Vatican’s meeting of bishops is overshadowed by abuse allegations
“As clerical sex abuse scandals buffet the Catholic Church, a three-week assembly of bishops is under way in Rome on how to make the Church relevant for young people. But the assembly, known as a synod, will likely be dominated by what many analysts call Catholicism’s worst crisis since the reformation. Roughly 250 priests, bishops, cardinals and some younger laypersons are participating in the synod.” By Sylvia Poggioli, National Public Radio

Papal allies and friends tapped to shape synod’s conclusions
“On Wednesday (Oct. 10) the Vatican released the list of figures who will shape the concluding document of the Oct. 3-28 Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment, and based on the composition of the group, conservatives in the Church may feel anew that they’ve been given a cold shoulder. Elected by region, the five prelates chosen by a vote within the synod hall to draft the final document are …” By Elise Harris, Cruxnow.com

French nun counsels Church to listen to youth first, then act
“Nearly a decade before Pope Francis launched this month’s Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment, the Church in France was already attempting to address those same concerns by combining its separate national offices for young people and vocations into one powerhouse department. At the helm of that office, up until last month, was Sister Nathalie Becquart, who during that time emerged as not only one of the most important voices in the French Church, but a globally sought-after expert on young people and, for many, proof that the Church is at its best when women are given the chance to lead.” By Christopher White, Cruxnow.com

Archbishop Scicluna does not expect ‘quick answers’ from Synod on abuse
“While the question of the sexual abuse of minors by clergy has been raised in every working group at the Synod of Bishops on young people, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Vatican’s former chief prosecutor in this field, said he did not expect any ‘quick answers’ to this question to come from the synod. At a Vatican briefing on Oct. 8, the archbishop reminded reporters that ‘the synod is not about the abuse of minors, it has to deal with many other questions, too.’ He stated that ‘the proper forum’ for addressing the abuse question is the meeting with presidents of the more than 130 bishops’ conferences that Pope Francis has called for Feb. 21 to 24, 2019.” By Gerard O’Connell, America: The Jesuit Review

What you need to know about the 2018 Synod on Young People
(With links to reporting by America correspondents in Rome)
“The 2018 Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment—which began Oct. 3 and will conclude Oct. 28—is the culmination of focused work that began in 2017. In a letter on Jan. 2017, Pope Francis announced the synod and presented a preparatory document. The bishops’ task for 2017 was to listen to young people. They disseminated a survey of young people’s experiences in dioceses worldwide before the synod. Additionally, a pre-synodal meeting of 300 young people from around the world was held in March 2018. The young people produced a document ‘on the state of things, their ideas, their feelings and their recommendations.’ This document, along with the synod of bishops’ Instrumentum laboris, or working document, will inform the Synod on Young People.” By the Editors at America: The Jesuit Review

Around Synod of Bishops, women press for greater space
“Women meeting around the edges of an Oct. 3-28 summit of bishops in Rome trying to press the Church, seemingly sometimes against all odds, to open up greater space for female leadership had a consistent message: ‘We’re not giving up our dream.’ While getting more women to have a say in the Church may appear a Quixotic quest, speakers at the event insisted on making it a reality.” By Claire Giangravé, Cruxnow.com

Synod doesn’t waste time taking up abuse, LGBT issues and migration
“One day after Pope Francis kicked off this month’s Vatican summit on young people by warning against a temptation to focus on ‘abstract ideologies’ detached from the realities of young people, concrete topics ranging from sex abuse, LGBT issues, migration, and technology took center stage on Thursday (Oct. 4).” By Christopher White, Cruxnow.com

Cloud of sex abuse scandal hangs over Vatican youth
“Pope Francis opens a month-long meeting of bishops Wednesday (Oct. 3) on engaging young Catholics as his church is again under fire for the way it covered up for priests who raped and molested young people. One American bishop suggested postponing or cancelling the synod, given the poor optics of assembling the church hierarchy to discuss a demographic harmed by the culture of concealment the same hierarchy has been accused of fostering.” By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, in USA TODAY

Four challenges for the bishops at synod on young people
“The future of the Catholic Church is with the young, which is why Pope Francis has called bishops from all over the world to meet in Rome Oct. 3-28 for a synod on young people. If the church cannot attract and keep young people, it has no future. This is the 15th general synod since Pope Paul VI called the first one in 1967 as a way to get advice from bishops. Earlier synods have dealt with topics like the family, priesthood, the laity, evangelization, the Eucharist, religious life, and justice and peace. The process involves speeches and small group discussions and usually concludes with nonbinding recommendations.” By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter

Synod to prepare young Catholics for discernment, future
“The Synod of Bishops will meet in October to discuss teenagers and young adults in the Catholic Church and find ways to encourage their enthusiasm and dreams, help them sift through the possibilities to serve others and resist temptations. Pope Francis will preside over the synod, which is scheduled for Oct. 3-28, and will bring together more than 300 cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and lay experts, including young people.” By Catholic News Service in National Catholic Reporter

WOMEN RELIGIOUS

‘Nuns on the Bus’ launch new nationwide tour ahead of midterms
“A progressive Catholic group is kicking off a new nun-led bus tour ahead of the midterm elections that organizers say is designed to ‘hold congressional Republicans accountable for their votes’ on taxes and health care. Sister Simone Campbell, a nun and lawyer who heads the Catholic social justice lobbying group Network, launched the ‘Nuns on the Bus Tax Justice Truth Tour’ at a press conference Monday morning (Oct. 8) in Santa Monica, Calif. Organizers said the new campaign will involve 30 Catholic nuns attending 54 events in 21 states, concluding Nov. 2 outside Mar-a-Lago — President Trump’s Florida golf resort — with a ‘Fiesta for the Common Good.’” By Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service

LAITY & THE CHURCH

Livestreamed panel at Santa Clara U. to examine sex abuse ‘catastrophe’
“A ‘powerful, new moment in the ongoing crisis’ of sexual abuse and authority exploitation in the Catholic Church will be the focus of an Oct. 9 panel discussion at Santa Clara University. Titled ‘The Catholic Church and the Catastrophe of Clergy Sexual Abuse,’ the noon event at the Jesuit university’s de Saisset Museum will feature four panelists, including Thomas Plante, a former vice chair of the U.S. bishops’ National Review Board on sexual abuse issues; and Fr. Brendan McGuire, a pastor in San Jose, California, who made national headlines last month when he revealed for the first time during a homily that he had been abused by a priest 35 years ago.” By Dan Morris-Young, National Catholic Reporter

VATICAN

California man sues Vatican for names of abusers worldwide
“A California man who says he was sexually abused by a priest decades ago is suing the Vatican, seeking the release of the names of all offenders within the church worldwide. Manny Vega, a 52-year-old former police officer and Marine, said Thursday(Oct. 4) that he’s fighting for the truth for himself and other victims of sex abuse by Catholic priests. ‘We were raped,’ Vega said. ‘It happened to me, it happened to my friends, and it happens to children all across the world, and it continues to happen at the hands of the Catholic church, whose inaction continues to damage children.’” By Amada Lee Myers and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press

Vatican’s handling of ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s sexual misconduct complaints reveals a log about the Catholic Church
“In November 2000, a Manhattan priest got fed up with the secrets he knew about a star archbishop named Theodore McCarrick and decided to tell the Vatican. For years, the Rev. Boniface Ramsey had heard from seminarians that McCarrick was pressuring them to sleep in his bed … Ramsey called the Vatican’s then-U.S. ambassador, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, who implored the priest to write the allegation so it could be sent up the chain in Rome. ‘Send the letter!’ Montalvo demanded, Ramsey recalls. He never heard back from Montalvo, and Ramsey has since destroyed his copy of the 2000 letter, he said.” By Michele Boorstein, The Washington Post

CELIBACY& MARRIED PRIESTS

Bishop McKenna open to considering married clergy
“Bathurst Bishop Michael McKenna says he is willing to seriously consider the issue of married priests but he sees the benefits of celibate clergy. ‘I’m very glad to be looking at it seriously, and looking at it seriously does mean looking deeply into it. It may be one of those areas where more latitude is given to individual bishops or perhaps national bishops’ conferences to decide on cases rather than every case having to go through Rome,’ Bishop McKenna said. However, Bishop McKenna said celibate priests were an advantage for the diocese.” By CathNews.com

‘Celibacy is not a dogma’: German Catholic Church to examine practices
“The German Catholic Church vowed Thursday (Sept. 27) a thorough look at its practices including the issue of celibacy, in a shakeup of the system following a damning child sex abuse scandal. In the latest of a series of sex assault scandals to rock the Catholic Church worldwide, the German institution this week published a study showing that at least 3,677 minors were abused by clergy between 1946 and 2014.” By Agence France-Press on The Local.de

VOICES

What happened to the Catholic Church: money, sex and absolute power corrupting absolutely
“‘Lessons to be Learned from the Catholic Church,’ a study of management practices by the American Institute of Management in the 1940s and updated in 1960 made the following recommendations: avoid nepotism; haste in some directions, delay in others; use of elderly men in staff capabilities …” By Arthur Jones, National Catholic Reporter

The Catholic Church’s grim history of ignoring priestly pedophilia—and silencing would-be whistleblowers
“Widespread public shock followed the recent release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report that identified more than 1,000 child victims of clergy sexual abuse. In fact, as I know through my research, the Vatican and its American bishops have known about the problem of priestly pedophilia since at least the 1950s. And the Church has consistently silenced would-be whistleblowers from within its own ranks.” By Brian Clites, Case Western Reserve University, in Greenwich Time

After decades of left v. right, is it now bishops v. everybody else?
“Moments of great crisis generally affect institutions in multiple ways, some of which are immediately evident and others that take longer to discern. Amid the clerical abuse scandals currently rocking Catholicism, it’s worth asking if one such long-term result is playing out before our eyes. To wit, are we seeing a redefinition of the traditional left/right divides in the Church because the focus of popular complaint is no longer really teaching, one of the three traditional duties of a bishop, but rather governing?” By John L. Allen Jr. Cruxnow.com

CHURCH FINANCES

What could bankruptcy look like for the Pittsburgh Diocese
“Most of the financials of Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses’ are a mystery to outsiders. As religious institutions, they don’t have to report income or spending. But bishops across the state claim changes proposed by lawmakers in Harrisburg could cause the church to take a big financial hit. Pennsylvania’s legislature is considering changes to the state’s statute of limitations law. Among the proposed amendments is a ‘civil window,’ which would allow victims of sexual abuse to sue in cases where the statute of limitations has run out.” By Virginia Alvino Young, WESA-FM, Pittsburgh NPR News Station

Churches should account for cash: royal commissioner
“A member of the child abuse royal commission is calling for Australian churches and their charities to have more financial transparency. Robert Fitzgerald AM, one of the six commissioners who oversaw the five-year royal commission, will today (Oct. 10) call for the scrapping of special exemptions that have until now allowed half of church charities, including much of the Catholic and Anglican church networks, to avoid financial reporting to the charities watchdog, the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission.” By CathNews.com

Winchester parishioners seek answers on finance, personnel questions
“The community of St. Mary Church held a meeting Sept. 20 to discuss matters concerning the parish’s finances and personnel that had been made public by a Boston Globe report a few days earlier. The Boston Globe ran a story Sept. 16 about a past investigation of suspected financial impropriety at St. Mary’s and the more recent controversy over the parish’s suspension of its youth minister of 23 years, Salvatore ‘Sal’ Caraviello.” By Jacqueline Tetrault, The Pilot

The Catholic Church is rich enough to settle sex abuse cases forever
“Last week, the Diocese of Brooklyn and an after-school program settled with four people who were frequently abused as children at a Catholic Church, agreeing to pay a total of $27.5 million … Considering the unlikelihood of criminal consequences for those at the clergy’s top levels, and the fact that many of these sex abuse cases have far surpassed the statutes of limitations, the endgame seems increasingly a financial—that is, a civil liability—question. But can the Church settle with survivors forever? Will it ever, somehow, completely run out of money with which to do so … Specifics on the Church’s finances, like virtually everything else that goes on behind those holy gates, are hard to come by. Just ask Jack Ruhl.” By Alex Norcia, Vice.com

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS REFORM

Bill would extend statute of limitations for childhood sex abuse victims to file suit
“A bill sitting on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk could give survivors of childhood sexual assault much more time — in some cases, decades — to sue those who might have stopped their abuse. The proposed law, written by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego), would allow victims to file abuse claims until they are 40 years old. It would also permit those who have repressed memories of abuse to sue within five years of unearthing the cause of their trauma.” By Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times

CLERGY CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

A Catholic society used dreams of a medieval life and rebellion to groom young victims of abuse
“On Dec. 18, 2001, a desperate North Carolina dad wrote a letter to the Vatican asking the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church to discipline a group of priests at a Pennsylvania boys’ boarding school who he said took turns sexually abusing his teenage son. The priests were members of an organization called the Society of Saint John, the father wrote, and Bishop James Timlin, then the head of the Diocese of Scranton, had allowed them to take up residence at St. Gregory’s Academy in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania.” By Corky Siemaszke, NBC News

Church must answer abuse survivors’ thirst for justice, archbishop says
“Responding to clerical sexual abuse demands truth and justice, not just admitting a sin was committed, said Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna of Malta. When he speaks with survivors, ‘I find a great thirst and a great hunger for justice, which I share,’ he told reporters at a synod briefing Oct. 8.” By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service, in The Pilot

Want to end child sex abuse in the church, Pope Francis? Change canon law
“Last week (Sept. 29) Pope Francis acknowledged that the way the Church’s leadership has handled child sex abuse was driving away those who are the future of the Church: young people … The pope, rather than asking for forgiveness, or having the Church’s leadership undergo an unspecified ‘conversion,’ should focus on some basic institutional reforms. The first among those is revising the Code of Canon Law—the legal rules by which the Church operates.” By Carolyn Warner, Newsweek

CALIFORNIA

Diocese of San Bernardino lists 34 priests accused of abuse
“A Southern California Roman Catholic diocese on Monday (Oct. 8) released a list of 34 priests who were accused of sexually abusing children, including six who were convicted of criminal charges. The Diocese of San Bernardino County listed clergy who were the subject of ‘credible allegations’ of molestation since the diocese formed in 1978, according to its website.” By CBS News

California’s Catholic bishops targeted in sex abuse lawsuit
“A man who says he was sexually abused decades ago by his parish priest said he is suing all Catholic bishops in California and the Archdiocese of Chicago, seeking to compel church officials to release records on clergy abuse. The filing Tuesday (Oct. 2) in Los Angeles by Thomas Emens claims a civil conspiracy among church officials to cover up clergy sexual assault and move offending priests to other parishes.” By The Associated Press on ReligionNews.com

San Jose bishop: ‘Deeds, not word’ needed in sex abuse claims
“San Jose Bishop Patrick McGrath met with the outrage and clamor for immediate accountability of the clergy accused of sexual abuses at the first of three scheduled listening sessions at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Palo Alto Sept. 29. McGrath said the involved clergy ‘say ‘sorry’ but it’s not enough. Deeds, not words are what we need. This is the beginning of the process.’” By Harvey Barkin, Mercury News

FLORIDA

Florida, investigating Catholic priest sex abuse, creates new tipline
“Florida is taking new steps to get people to come forward to report sex abuse by priests. Attorney General Pam Bondi launched an online portal where people can submit tips about possible sex abuse by Catholic priests in Florida. ‘Any priest that would exploit a position of power and trust to abuse a child is a disgrace to the church and a threat to society,’ said Attorney General Bondi.” By Gary Detman, CBS12 News

INDIANA

Two more priests linked to ‘credible’ sex abuse claims in northern Indiana
“Two more priests are being added to the list of 18 priests within the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend who are linked to credible claims of sexual abuse. ‘The two additional names of priests who have served in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and have been credibly accused of at least one act of sexual abuse of a minor are Michael Paquet and Bruce Schutt,’ the diocese said in a news release. ‘Two more allegations have been added to the previously released name of Elden Miller.’” By Kurt Daring, WIBC-FM

INDIANA

Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese names two more priests accused of sex abuse
“Weeks after naming more than a dozen priests ‘credibly’ accused of sexually abusing minors in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades has named two more. Michael Paquet, the subject of one allegation, was ordained in 1978, removed from ministry in 2002 and dismissed from the clerical state in 2005, according to the diocese.” By Holly V. Hays, IndyStar.com

Lawsuit claims Lafayette Diocese knew about priest abusing children
“A new lawsuit claims the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette allowed one of its priests to sexually abuse children. We are combing through all the court papers, which were filed this week (Sept. 28). An anonymous victim claims he was abused by Father James Grear at a Catholic youth rally at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 1982. The underaged victim – named in the suit as John Doe – also claims he confessed the alleged abuse to another priest and was told to ‘forget about the abuse, to ask God to forgive him, and not to disclose the abuse to anyone else.’” By WTHR.com Staff

MARYLAND

The Catholic Church: a history of inaction toward pedophiles
“Before The Sun moved offices last month, we were told we had to pare down what was in many cases years of accumulated notes and files — drawers full of interviews, court records, gang manifestos and whatever else we’d managed to collect and save in case we might need it again for another story, another day. I chucked two decades worth of papers to get to the goal: bringing a single box. Inside, along with personal items and performance evaluations, I put two large, white binders, each several inches thick — files from the only story I was certain wasn’t over. They contain much of what I know about John Merzbacher, the child rapist accused of terrorizing dozens of Catholic students in Baltimore in the 1970s.” By Tricia Bishop, The Baltimore Sun

Clergy sex abuse probes grow: Maryland launches investigation
“Archbishop William E. Lori has told clergy members of the Archdiocese of Baltimore that state authorities are investigating the archdiocese’s records related to the sexual abuse of children. Lori told priests and deacons in a letter Monday (Sept. 24) that the office of the Attorney General Brian Frosh has informed the archdiocese that it plans to ‘conduct an investigation and thorough review’ of the records.” By Jonathan M. Pitts, Tribune News Service

MICHIGAN

Michigan AG seizes Catholic dioceses’ records in sex abuse investigation
“Michigan authorities have seized records from every Catholic diocese in the state as part of an investigation into possible sexual abuse by clergy, the dioceses said in separate statements released Wednesday (Oct. 4). The Archdiocese of Detroit, and dioceses in Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette and Saginaw said their offices were served search warrants Wednesday morning from Attorney General Bill Schuette.” By Steve Almasy and Susannah Cullinane, CNN

MINNESOTA

As St. Paul Archdiocese bankruptcy wraps up, many call for church leaders to be held accountable
“The church bankruptcy settlement last week (Sept. 28) closed a key chapter of the often contentious relationship between clergy abuse survivors and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, but both sides acknowledged this isn’t the end. Abuse survivors are asking if action will be taken against archdiocese officials in charge during more recent abuses, including former vicar general the Rev. Kevin McDonough and former St. Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt.” By Jean Hopfensperger, Star Tribune

Judge approves Minnesota archdiocese’s $210 million settlement plan
“A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge Sept. 25 approved the reorganization plan of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, including a $210 million settlement for victim-survivor remuneration. During the hearing at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Minneapolis, Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda gave a statement not as a lawyer, he said, but as the shepherd of the archdiocese.” By Maria Wiering, Catholic News Service, America: The Jesuit Review

MISSOURI

Retired Catholic priest who pastored several Southeast Missouri churches accused of abusing children
“A retired Catholic priest is accused of sexually abusing a child while he was a ‘transitional deacon’ at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Cape Girardeau in the early 1970s, a church official said Monday (Oct. 8). The allegation against the Rev. Fred Lutz was reported to the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau in 2006 but not disclosed publicly until this week, said Leslie Anne Eidson, communications director for the diocese.” By Mark Bliss, Southeast Missourian

Advocates want Gov. Mike Parson to give Haley subpoena power in Catholic clergy probe
“Advocates for survivors of Catholic clergy sex abuse gathered outside the state Capitol on Wednesday (Sept. 26) urging Gov. Mike Parson to give Attorney General Josh Hawley subpoena power in his ongoing investigation of possible sex crimes within the Catholic Church. The attorney general’s office told the Post-Dispatch last week that it can gain special prosecutor status — and thus, subpoena power — with the help of either the governor or a local prosecutor who requests aid.” By Jack Suntrup, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

NEW YORK

64 Syracuse area clergy abuse victims among 981 New Yorkers to get paid by Catholic Church
“Sixty-four Central New Yorkers are among the nearly 1,000 victims of clergy sexual abuse in New York state who plan to take settlements from the Catholic church. The victim compensation program offered through the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse is nearing its conclusion after about seven months. Victims have started to receive and accept financial offers in Syracuse and across the state.” By Julie McMahon, Syracuse.com

OHIO

Cleveland Catholic Diocese to release clergy sex abuse list as nightmarish scandal deepens
“Trapped in the midst of a global public relations nightmare, the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is drastically expanding its effort to publicly identify clerics who were removed from their positions because of credible sexual assault allegations. The diocese has already released the names of accused clergy from 2002 to the present, but now, local religious officials will compile a list that dates back through the 1900s.” By John Deike, WOIO-TV News

PENNSYLVANIA

Erie Catholic Diocese updates list of clergy, laypersons credibly accused of sexual abuse
“The Erie Catholic Diocese has updated its list of clergy and laypersons who are credibly accused of actions that the Diocese believes disqualifies them from working with children. Two lay persons and one priest, all of whom are deceased, have been added to the list. Another deceased priest is under investigation. All of the allegations date from the 1950s, 60s and 70s.” By Erie News Now

Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro: New information has surfaced since Catholic sex abuse report
“Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro had no idea the flood gate he was opening last month, when he went public with a grand jury report on Catholic clergy sexual abuse. The clergy sexual abuse hotline in the attorney general’s office has been ringing day and night for six weeks, tallying 1,181 new calls as of Thursday, he said … Shapiro said he also has fielded calls from attorneys general in 40 other states seeking to launch their own investigations. Within 10 days of the release of the Pennsylvania report, attorneys general in Missouri and Illinois launched investigations. Last week, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette did the same. Likewise, the U.S. Justice Department has reached out to Pennsylvania’s top prosecutor.” By Deb Erdley, TribLive.com

Pennsylvania justices to hear arguments whether to name clergy accused of sexual abuse, cover-up
“The intense and largely secret fight over whether to permanently shield the names of some Catholic clergy accused of sexually abusing children or concealing it will for the first time be aired in open court. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday (Sept. 26) is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case that will determine whether sections of the state grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse that are now blacked out should remain redacted. Those marks shield the names of a group of former and current clergy who contend that passages about them in the report are inaccurate or unfairly harm their reputations.” By Liz Navratil and Angela Couloumbis, The Philadelphia Inquirer

TEXAS

Third accuser comes forward against Houston priest
“A third person accused a Houston-area Catholic priest on Thursday (Oct. 4) of sexually touching him when he was a teenager, in a case that has brought unwelcome attention to the high-profile cardinal leading the American church’s response to sexual abuse. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston is already accused by two other people of disregarding their reports against Manuel La Rosa-Lopez, the pastor at St. John Fisher Catholic Church in the Houston suburb of Richmond. La Rosa-Lopez was arrested in September and charged with four counts of indecency with a child.” By Nomaan Merchant, Associated Pres

VERMONT

The secret results of Vermont’s investigation into sex abuse by priests
“In the wake of a recent BuzzFeed News investigation that revealed widespread abuse of children at a Catholic orphanage in Vermont, the state’s attorney general convened a task force last month to investigate, pledging to stand up for the victims of abuse. But that office undertook a previous investigation into the abuse of Vermont children by Catholic clergy, in 2002, the results of which were never released.” By Chris McDaniel, BuzzFeedNews.com

Orphanage abuse: Bishop Coyne ‘open’ to releasing survivors from NDAs
“Bishop Christopher Coyne said he would consider releasing abuse victims from nondisclosure agreements they signed with the diocese. Some survivors of abuse at St. Joseph’s Orphanage said they signed the agreements, known as NDAs, in exchange for as little as $5,000, which they said diocese gave them to compensate for the cost of therapy.” By Nicole Higgins DeSmet, Burlington Free Press

VIRGINIA

Richmond Catholic diocese commits to independent audit of abuse allegations in letter to congregants
“The Catholic Diocese of Richmond says it will audit abuse allegations made against priests and clergy and make their names public. In a nine-page letter sent to the region’s Catholic churches, Bishop Barry C. Knestout said the Diocesan Review Board will have some oversight but an independent party will conduct the audit. The move comes in response to a Pennsylvania grand jury report documenting sexual abuse in the Catholic church there.” By Amy Poulter, The Virginian-Pilot

WISCONSIN

Catholic diocese of Green Bay: firm to review clergy files in wake of sexual abuse crisis
“The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, with the help of a third party investigator, is launching an investigation next month into all of its priests and Deacons. A Texas-based independent investigative firm will be conducting an ‘outside review of the files of all priests and deacons who have served in the diocese,’ according to a Catholic Diocese of Green Bay news release.” By Shelby Le Duc, Green Bay Press-Gazette

WYOMING

Wyoming reopens dormant clergy sex abuse case
“Following the release of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report detailing decades of sexual abuse by clergy, there has been a nationwide call for action and accountability. But in many states prosecutors have run out of time to press charges. There are just a handful of states with no statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse crimes. One of them is Wyoming, and that’s given the Diocese of Cheyenne and the police there a chance to reopen an old case.” By Tennessee Watson, National Public Radio

AFRICA

Catholic Church distances itself from explosive sex abuse claims
“The Catholic church in South Africa has distanced itself from explosive claims about child abuse which have been leveled against a priest. At a media conference held in Johannesburg on Tuesday (Oct. 9)‚ Limpopo resident William Segodisho revealed how he had allegedly been abused in the 1980s by a UK priest‚ and that the church had apparently covered up the abuse when he tried to report it.” By Graeme Hosken, TimesLive.co.za

Catholic Church in Cape Town tightens measures to prevent sexual abuse by clergy
“The Catholic Church in Cape Town says it has implemented tighter measures to prevent sexual abuse by its clergy. It has welcomed the Anglican Church of Southern Africa’s approach to stopping sex predators from entering its pews. The church held a meeting last week discussing incidents of sexual abuse in Anglican parishes that made headlines earlier in 2018.” By Monique Mortlock, EWN.co.za

CANADA

Canadian bishops unanimously adopt new abuse policies
“New sexual abuse policies that Canada’s bishops have vowed to implement will focus on prevention, but will not include a mechanism to censure a bishop who commits or covers up an offence. More than 80 bishops and eparchs from across Canada pledged unanimously to implement sexual abuse document that has been six years in the making and is now set to be released.” By Deborah Gyapong, The B.C. Catholic

Ottawa priest defrocked by Vatican following abuse admissions, allegations
“An Ottawa priest who is to stand trial next year on historic sex abuse charges has been defrocked by the Vatican. Barry McGrory, 83, is the second Ottawa priest to be dismissed from the priesthood in the clergy sex-abuse scandal. The Catholic Church calls the dismissal process ‘laicization,’ and it is considered the harshest penalty the Vatican can deliver.” By Andrew Duffy, Edmonton Sun

CHILE

Vatican investigates former Chilean archbishop
“The Vatican is investigating an accusation of abuse against a controversial Chilean archbishop, the Schonstatt Fathers confirmed. In a statement released Oct. 6, Schonstatt Father Fernando Baeza, the order’s provincial superior in Santiago, Chile, said an accusation of abuse that occurred in Germany in 2004 against retired Archbishop Francisco Jose Cox was reported in 2017.” By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service, in The Pilot

221 priests, eight bishops face probes for abuse and cover-up in Chile
“According to the latest count by the Chilean national prosecutor’s office, some 221 priests and 8 bishops are being investigated up and down the country on charges of sexual abuse and cover-up, all due to allegations made from the year 2000 to date. In the total is Fernando Karadima, the country’s most infamous predator priest, who was removed from the clerical state by Pope Francis on Thursday in an ‘exceptional’ decision communicated by the Vatican on Friday (Sept. 28), the same day the man who once led an impressive lay movement in Santiago was informed.” By Inés San Martin, Cruxnow.com

Chilean Church apologizes after issuing guidelines
“The Catholic Church in Chile, which is embroiled in a widespread sexual abuse crisis, faced more criticism this week (Oct. 5) after it published guidelines for priests’ behavior on the Santiago archdiocese’s website. Critics slammed church officials for the obvious nature of the recommendations and for not getting to the root of the abuse crisis plaguing the church internationally. The document suggested, for example, that priests should not ‘touch the genitals’ of children or sleep with or beside them. It also said priests should not photograph minors while naked because such photos could be ‘misinterpreted.’” By Siobhan O’Grady, The Washington Post

GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND & WALES

Scottish prelate voices shame, resolve on sex abuse crisis
“With clerical abuse scandals rocking the Catholic Church in all corners of the globe, Scottish Archbishop Leo Cushley said that as someone who has given his life to the institution, he’s ashamed but also convinced that the Church, especially in Scotland, is in a ‘dramatically different’ place today. Referring to scandals that have erupted in Chile, Peru and the United States, among others, Cushley said each one is a cause of concern, ‘because this is an institution that I love and that I’ve given my life to, and I’m very dismayed when I see these things.’” By Elise Harris, Cruxnow.com

‘Shame and sorrow’: English bishops promise independent review of safeguarding procedures
“The bishops of England and Wales have released a statement addressing the recent sexual abuse scandals in the Church, both in the UK and abroad. They also announced an independent review of current policies and procedures for child protection and for handling complaints of sexual abuse. The statement was released Sept. 24 by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales ahead of the bishops’ five-yearly ad lima visit to the Holy Father and the departments of the Roman Curia.” By Ed Condon, Catholic News Agency

IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND

Allegations against priest who helped lead football team to national title in Ireland
“A Catholic priest who helped lead his county’s football team to the national championship has voluntarily and temporarily stepped aside as a pastor in Northern Ireland after ‘concerns’ were brought to his archdiocese about an alleged incident from before his ordination. Father Gerard McAleer is currently the parish priest of St. Patrick’s Church in Donaghmore in the Archdiocese of Armagh, and a longtime figure in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).” By Charles Collins, Cruxnow.com

POLAND

Movie about church sexual abuse is a contentious hit in Poland
“‘Clergy,’ a new movie by the director Wojciech Smarzowski, starts with three priests drinking vodka until they can barely speak … The picture of Poland’s priesthood only goes downhill from there. The priests steal money from their congregations, spy on each other, and exploit their connections with politicians, journalists and the police. But much of ‘Clergy’ focuses on one issue: Clerical child abuse, which the movie says the church covered up. In one scene, it incorporates accountshttps://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/08/arts/poland-clergy-movie.html from real people who say they were abused.” By Alex Marshall, The New York Times

Warsaw protest to demand investigation of pedophilia in Poland’s church
“Child sexual abuse survivor and victims’ advocate Marek Lisinski is leading a march Oct. 7 in Warsaw to protest pedophilia in Poland’s Catholic Church. Lisinski, 50, is president of Don’t Be Afraid Foundation, an organization that counsels and operates a hotline for survivors of sexual abuse. In the spring of 1981, when he was a 13-year-old altar boy, Lisinski’s life took a tragic turn. A Polish priest befriended him and exploited his troubled young life, said Lisinski in a telephone interview. Lisinski’s father had abandoned his family three years earlier, leaving his mother and grandmother to raise him in poverty.” By Donald Snyder, National Catholic Reporter

Church in Poland begins publishing sex abuse data
“In the last week, three dioceses in Poland have published their data on clerical sex abuse, saying they are trying to better understand the issue and find effective measures to stop it. On Sep. 27, the Diocese of Warsaw-Prague – located in the eastern part of greater Warsaw – said in the last 26 years twelve priests were accused of abusing minors, and that all of the cases were reported to the Vatican. It added that two of the accused were cleared of charges.” By Paulina Guzik, Cruxnow.com