Saundersblog.com - Sex Abuse in the Church Archives

"Sex Abuse in the Church" archive

Friday 1 December

LA Archdiocese Settles Some Priest Abuse Cases (14:30) - With 500 more suits pending, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Roger Cardinal Mahony have agreed to settle 45 lawsuits for $60 million. The California law that extended the statute of limitations played a significant role in bringing about the... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 25 October

Foley Priest Abuser in Denial (13:31) - The Rev. Anthony Mercieca has said he didn't "abuse" former Florida Rep. Mark Foley. According to the 69 year old priest, it's not unusual behavior for a Catholic priest to romp around naked in a hot tub with teenage boys.... | 0 Comments
More Problems for Catholic Church in Florida (12:43) - Within a week, the Catholic Church in Florida has been rocked by the revelations of two more sexually abusive priests and two other priests who stole millions from the collection plate. Rev. Anthony Mercieca, now 69 and living on the... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 10 October

Orlando High School Coach Arrested on Sex Charges (10:32) - Orlando Christian Prep and former Bishop Moore High School coach Buck Lanham has been arrested on possession of child pornography as well as possession of marijuana. The high school coach could not be arrested for the other charge, having sex... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 4 October

Rep. Mark Foley Needs to Disclose the Identity of His Abuser (17:22) - If Rep. Mark Foley was the victim of a crime, he needs to identify the perpetrator in order to protect other minors. It's not enough that he's disclosed that he's a victim of sexual abuse, he needs to prevent future... | 1 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Rep. Mark Foley and Sex Abuse (17:19) - Now that Mark Foley has admitted that he was sexually abused as a young boy, he needs to go one step further and identify his abuser. I don't say this because I'm interested in more lurid details. However, the abuser... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Rep. Mark Foley Needs to Identify His Abuser to Protect the Children (17:14) - The one thing that seems to be missing is the protection of children. Rep. Foley needs to come forward and identify the clergy person who abused him. Other children may still be in danger if this person is still alive.... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 2 August

Ft. Myers Pastor Charged with Sexual Abuse of Minors (14:48) - Pastor Russell Brown was arrested Monday night on charges he molested three young boys who attended his church, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. He is accused of three felony counts of lewd and lascivious behavior. Prior to his arrest, he had... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Sunday 23 July

New Boss (Hopefully) Not the Same as the Old Boss (16:55) - As the Diocese of Venice, which includes Sarasota, prepares to welcome a new bishop, we can only hope that this new prelate will deal with the scourge of sexual abuse more openly and honestly than his predecessor, Most. Rev. John... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Catholic Church in Florida Suffers Another Setback (16:52) - This past week it was revealed in the press that a Catholic priest from India serving in the Panhandle has been charged with sexual abuse of a minor. The Diocese responded that nothing untoward had been revealed in its background... | 0 Comments
Catholic Dioceses in Florida Choose to Settle Rather than Fight (16:47) - Last week, the Diocese of Orlando and the Archdiocese of Miami settled claims against them by victims of clergy abuse. The settlements involved priests who've been notorious abusers in the past. Unfortunately, the patterns and policies of cover-up and deception... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 2 June

Monsignor Fushek Trial on Hold for Now (08:41) - Monsignor Dale Fushek, founder of Life Teen and the former No. 2 man in the Diocese of Phoenix, has had his sex trial put on hold until an appeal is heard. The appeal centers around Fushek's request for a jury... | 1 Comments

Tuesday 16 May

Doing the Vatican Shuffle (22:26) - The Vatican announced today the appointment of two bishops to new posts in the United States. One of them, Bishop Donald Wuerl will be moving from the relatively obscure but heavily Catholic area of Pittsburgh to the metropolitan and politically... | 0 Comments

Sunday 7 May

Life Teen Co-Founder Resigns Post (10:06) - Phil Baniewicz, co-founder, President and CEO of the popular Roman Catholic youth retreat movement Life Teen, has resigned from his position. He is also a named defendant in a civil lawsuit alleging they and another priest sexually abused a teenager... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 3 May

Arizona Judge Won't Let Monsignor Fushek's Attorneys Intimidate Witnesses with Sex Questions (08:53) - A judge in Monsignor Fushek's sex case has decided to not allow defense attorneys to question witnesses about their sexual history. Fortunately, the judge recognized the tactic for what it is- a bullying tactic to dissuade witnesses from testifying against... | 0 Comments

Thursday 27 April

Monsignor Fushek's Attorneys Bullying Witnesses (09:31) - In an obviously cynical and calculated move, the attorneys for Monsignor Dale Fushek are now bullying the witness victims of the priest accused of the sexual abuse of numerous boys in Arizona. The defense attorneys are deposing these witnesses and... | 0 Comments

Saturday 22 April

Former Life Teen Director Sex Abuse Trial to Start June 2 (09:56) - Monsignor Dale Fushek, founder of the popular Life Teen movement in the Catholic Church will go to trial on for sex abuse charges. Fushek, a former pastor of St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Mesa, is charged with engaging teen boys... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 19 April

Vermont Catholic Church Settles Lawsuit (20:00) - The Catholic Diocese of Burlington http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=4790947&nav=menu183_2 settled a sexual abuse lawsuit on the eve of trial against a serial predator priest, Fr. Edward Paquette. The settlement is considered the largest settlement in the history of the rural diocese. In a... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 18 April

Los Angeles Cardinal Rebuffed by Supreme Court (08:07) - Roger Cardinal Mahony lost his bid to keep secret correspondence between his office and priests accused of child abuse. Mahony had argued that such documents were protected by the First Amendment. The US Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 13 April

Founder of Life Teen Will Face Criminal Charges (08:04) - In spite of his defense lawyers' testimony, Monsignor Dale Fushek will face five counts of contributing to delinquency of a minor, two counts of indecent exposure and three counts of assault. Fushek attempted to hide behind the First Amendment arguing... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 10 April

Cardinal Mahony is Pro-Life with Reservations (15:17) - In this week's edition of The National Catholic Reporter, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony talks about his public stance on immigration reform. In one part of the interview, Mahony declares to reporter John Allen that immigration is a life issue... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 6 April

Family Values Conservatives and Child Sexual Abuse (19:50) - In the last decade or so, conservatives have claimed for themselves the mantle of "Champion of Family Values" for as they see it, they've been on the "right" side of issues such as abortion, education, and prayer in public schools.... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Saturday 1 April

Sex Abuse Scandal Not Fading Away (08:39) - Sadly, the sexual abuse scandal that has so plagued the Catholic Church in the United States shows no real signs of abating. According to statistics compiled by a commission sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, there were... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 31 March

Archdiocese of Chicago in Full Compliance with Sex Abuse Review Board in Spite of Failure (09:43) - According to the National Review Board set up by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Archdiocese of Chicago was in full compliance with its sexual abuse charter. The charter, designed to protect young children, was implemented in 2002 after... | 0 Comments
Episcopal Diocese in Florida Hit with Sex Abuse Lawsuit (09:36) - The Episcopal Church in Florida is now facing a $5 million lawsuit stemming from the sexual abuse of a young girl by deceased Episcopal priest Fr. Joseph Noll. The abuse occurred at St. Stephen's Church in Jacksonville in 1969. The... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 29 March

The NIMBY Approach to Justice and Compassion (09:37) - NIMBY stands for Not in My Backyard. William Cardinal Keeler was in town to speak at Sunday night's Eternal Light Awards dinner in St. Petersburg. The Cardinal had just been presented with the award for his work on behalf of... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 28 March

Legislators Need to Do More than Pay Lip Service to Abuse Victims (10:00) - Many state legislators including those from Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland are considering opening up the civil statute of limitations regarding sexual abuse. However, they are all too often doing so in a very restrictive manner. In Colorado, for instance,... | 0 Comments

Monday 27 March

Colorado Sex Abuse Crime Bill Heads to Governor (06:54) - HB 1088 passed the Colorado Senate on Friday and is now headed to Colorado Governor Bill Owens for his signature. If the Governor signs the bill into law, it would eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes that... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 20 March

Suppressed Society of St. John Resurfaces in South America (09:17) - The controversial Society of St. John which had been functioning in the Diocese of Scranton until its suppression in 2004, has resurfaced in Paraguay with two priests who've been accused of sexual abuse of minors. The Society which had been... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 16 March

Jackson Mississippi Diocese Settles Abuse Claims (21:22) - In spite of claiming protection under the First Amendment, the Catholic Diocese of Jackson, MI has settled 19 claims of sexual abuse brought against it. The Diocese had strenuously argued for the separation of church and state during the lengthy... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 14 March

Sex Abuse Claims Mount Against Louisiana Orphanage (10:19) - Madonna Manor, a Catholic run home for poor and troubled children, has been rocked by 8 more lawsuits filed against the institution as a result of physical and sexual abuse of the children dating back to the 1950's and 1960's.... | 0 Comments

Monday 13 March

Leaders of US Conference of Catholic Bishops Feel the Heat (06:45) - Both the President and Vice President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops find themselves embroiled in the church's sex abuse scandal. Vice President Francis Cardinal George has come under heavy fire for not removing an abusing priest when he... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 10 March

Sex Abuse-Why in the Church? (14:12) - I received a comment from another blogger about my post on the Irish Catholic Church abuse scandal. The person noted that people weren't asking the right questions in order to find out why this happened and continues to happen. Well,... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Maryland Considers Helping Sex Abuse Victims (12:57) - The Maryland Legislature is hearing public comments concerning two pending bills that would alter the present statute of limitations barring most sexual abuse victims from access to the courts and justice. One of the bills would open a two year... | 0 Comments
Maryland Considering Opening Statute of Limitations on Sex Abuse (12:52) - The Maryland House Judiciary Committee heard public comments on two bills that would alter the present statute of limitations laws concerning sexual abuse. One bill, sponsored by Pauline A. Menes, would allow victims to file a civil claim until they... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 8 March

Irish Priest Abuse Scandal (13:48) - While the priest abuse scandal is nothing new in Ireland-it's been a subject in the news for the last 20 years-the latest news from none other than the Archbishop of Dublin has startled some observers. The Arbishop's report counts 120... | 0 Comments
Dublin Archbishop Releases Priest Abuse Data (13:36) - Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has released information concerning the extent of priest sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin. According to the Archbishop, 102 Catholic priests have been accused by 350 victims. Obviously, those are numbers of victims who have... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 6 March

Judge Enters Not Guilty Plea for South Florida Priest (21:51) - The former Archdiocese of Miami priest, Neil Doherty, 62, stood silently alongside his attorney during his arraignment for drugging and raping a child. The former Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Miami has had numerous credible accusations brought against him... | 0 Comments

Saturday 4 March

Colorado Bishop Support Limited Access to Courts for Abuse Victims (10:59) - The three Catholic bishops of Colorado have come out publicly and endorsed lifting the criminal statute of limitations involving sexual abuse of minors. However, they still don't want victims to file civil lawsuits for these crimes. The bishops continue to... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 2 March

Chicago Priest Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Abuse (06:11) - Rev. Daniel McCormack has entered a plea of not guilty to four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of three young boys. The next scheduled hearing in the case is scheduled for April 6 in Cook County. The case gained... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 1 March

Chicago Cardinal Told Vatican Not to Release Document on Homosexuality in the Priesthood (10:50) - In a January 2006 interview with a Chicago newspaper, Francis Cardinal George admitted urging Vatican officials to delay release of the document concerning homosexuals and the priesthood for fear of backlash from activist groups in the USA. George cited the... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 27 February

Life Teen Founder Freed from House Arrest (11:02) - Monsignor Dale Fushek has been freed from the house arrest and electronic monitoring imposed upon him after being arrested on sex abuse charges. The scandal surrounding Fushek erupted late last year after his arrest on sex abuse charges. The Phoenix... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Monsignor Fushek Ends House Arrest (10:59) - Monsignor Dale Fushek, founder of Life Teen and a high-ranking monsignor in the Phoenix Diocese has been released from house arrest and the electronic monitoring imposed upon him after his arrest on sex abuse charges late last year. However, witnesses... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Cardinal George Ignored His Oversight Board (07:10) - Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, had ignored recommendations of his own board concerning the sexual predator Rev. Daniel McCormack. The board had recommended months ago to review the predatory priest but George ignored the recommendation. Now, victims advocacy groups... | 0 Comments

Thursday 23 February

Two New American Cardinals Tethered to Sex Abuse Scandal (10:43) - When Pope Benedict XVI tapped two American archbishops as cardinals this week, it was widely noted in the press that both men have been at the center of the sex abuse controversy. Archbishop William Levada, formerly Archbishop of San Francisco... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 22 February

Dubuque Archdiocese Settles Priest Abuse Cases (06:36) - While the victims talked about the settlement in Waterloo, church leaders in Dubuque gave a public apology and talked about how the archdiocese would move forward. Closure and restitution seem to be the two words that best describe this settlement... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 16 February

Colorado Set to Open Up Sex Abuse Statute of Limitations (09:18) - Having passed a Senate committee by a 5-1 vote, the full Colorado Senate will hear testimony concerning opening up the statute of limitations regarding sexual abuse of minors. The legislation is strongly opposed by the Colorado Catholic Conference. Archbishop Chaput... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 15 February

Colorado Catholic Conference Grasping at Straws (08:37) - When lawyers for the Colorado bishops came before a Senate committee hearing a bill that would open a 2 year window on the sexual abuse statute of limitations, their arguments grew more desperate as the testimony wore on. At one... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 14 February

Colorado Sex Abuse Victims Plead Their Case and Win (09:30) - In more than 7 and a half hours of emotionally draining testimony from victims of sexual abuse, the Colorado Senate State Affairs Committee voted 5-1 to allow sexual abuse victims to pursue justice in the courtroom. The bill will now... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Saturday 11 February

Arbishop Chaput on a Crusade to Protect the Church not the Victims of Sexual Abuse (12:21) - Archbishop Chaput, head of the Archdiocese of Denver, has mounted an all-out assault on sexual abuse victims and their quest for justice. The Colorado legislature will hear Senate bill 143 on Monday that proposes lifting the statute of limitations for... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Chicago Priest Indicted on 3 Counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse (12:02) - Rev. Daniel McCormack, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, was indicted on three sexual abuse charges Friday. The priest is scheduled to be arraigned on March 1st. One count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse carries with it a maximum... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 9 February

A Bishop Speaks about Sexual Abuse (12:30) - Bishop Joseph Imesch, soon to be retired bishop of Joliet Illinois, spoke out (sort of, he was compelled to testify under oath in a deposition) on the sexual abuse of a 14 year old girl by one of his priests.... | 0 Comments
Colorado Legislature to Hear Victims' of Sex Abuse (06:39) - The Colorado legislature will hear statements from victims concerning sexual abuse and how that abuse has impacted their lives. The hearings will be held Monday, February 13, 2006 in the state capitol. Colorado is cosidering opening a window on its... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 8 February

Gary Diocese Defends Not Investigating Fr. Daniel McCormack (06:05) - Before Fr. Daniel McCormack was ever accused of sexual abuse of a minor, he concelebrated mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Crown Point, located in the Diocese of Gary Indiana.... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 7 February

Cardinal George Moving Swiftly to Shut Barn Door (09:39) - In an apparent move to not lose face with his flock, Francis Cardinal George is moving swiftly to make a subtle yet important change to the Archdiocesan abuse policy. In response to the mounting allegations of abuse against Rev. Daniel... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 6 February

Top Legion Priest Cleared by Vatican (09:21) - Rev. Marcial Maciel , the controversial founder of the Legionaries of Christ, has been cleared of sexual abuse allegations by the Vatican. The investigation had been delayed during the latter part of Pope John Paul's pontificate only to be re-started... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Sunday 5 February

Archdiocese of Miami Turns on Abuse Victim (09:51) - In a hardball public relations maneuver, the Archdiocese of Miami released a statement concerning the sexual abuse of a minor dating back to the 1970's in which the Archdiocese argued that damages to the victim were caused in whole or... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Bishop Imesch Admits to Protecting Priest Sex Abuser (01:15) - Bishop Joseph Imesch of Joiliet Illinois admitted in a 2005 deposition that a sexually abusive priest had confided to him that he had sexually abused an altar boy. Imesch didn't feel an obligation to tell authorities about the priest in... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Saturday 4 February

Colorado Legislative Committee Eliminates Time Limit for Sex Crimes (10:22) - A legislative committee agreed Thursday to eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitation for sex crimes following powerful testimony from sex abuse victims, including a former Miss America. The House Judiciary Committee approved the measure (House Bill 1088) unanimously... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 2 February

Ex-Vatican Official Wanted by Police on Sex Abuse Charges (10:42) - Ontario police have issued an arrest warrant for Monsignor Bernard Prince, 71, former secretary general for the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith and a friend of the late Pope John Paul II. The warrant stems from allegations... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 31 January

Colorado Legislature May Lend Hand to Sex Abuse Victims (12:10) - The Colorado legislature is considering three bills that would expand restrictive statute of limitation laws and provide an opportunity for priest abuse victims to seek justice in the courts. Of course, Colorado's Catholic bishops have already spoken out in opposition... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Bishop Gumbleton's Resignation Predictable (10:20) - In spite of the fact that Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton submitted his letter of resignation on January 21, 2006-nearly a year after his 75th birthday, I can't help but wonder if Gumbleton was forced out by the circumstances surrounding his... | 0 Comments

Sunday 29 January

Chicago Cardinal Admits Mistakes in Dealing with Fr. Daniel McCormack (11:55) - Cardinal George held a press conference where he made the unusual move of confessing he made mistakes in dealing with accused priest Daniel McCormack It remains to be seen if this confession will lead to a more pastoral response to... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 27 January

Miami Priest Arrested for Sexual Abuse of Minor Under 12 (10:11) - The Broward Sheriff's Office on Thursday arrested a former priest who had served parishes in South Florida for three decades on charges he sexually abused a young boy. The Rev. Neil Doherty, 62, is the first Catholic priest in the... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 26 January

Nun Reported Father Daniel McCormack's Sex Abuse (21:29) - According to a published article in the Chicago Sun Times, a nun who worked at Chicago's Holy Family Catholic School where Fr. Daniel McCormack used to say mass has told the newspaper that she had told Archdiocesan officials that she... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments
Chicago Priest Continued in Parish Five Months After Archdiocese Knew of Abuse (08:55) - Fr. Daniel McCormack, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, was allowed to continue to abuse five months after Archdiocesan officials learned that he was abusing children at his parish! It is absolutely incomprehensible why Cardinal George would not have... | 0 Comments

Sunday 22 January

This Abuse Didn't Happen in the '60s! (18:37) - On January 22, 2006 a Chicago priest, Rev. Daniel J. McCormack, was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim younger than 13 years old. McCormack is accused of abusing two boys , a... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 18 January

NY Times Endorses One Year Window for Sex Abuse Victims (10:04) - In an editorial published today in the NY Times, the paper endorsed Bishop Thomas Gumbleton's plea for a one year window for those victimized by sexual predators to bring civil claims to the courts. This is an extremely important step... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 13 January

Ex-Priest Gets 111 Years for Molestation (17:26) - A former priest was sentenced to the maximum 111 years in prison for molestation. Jurors found Paul LeBrun guilty of three counts of sexual conduct with a minor and three of child molestation. The accusations involved six boys ranging in... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 12 January

Bishop Gumbleton: Profile in Courage (10:14) - Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, 75, has come forward and stated that he too was a victim of priest sexual abuse. Gumbleton has often spoke out for victims' rights and argued that bishops should stop hiding behing their lawyers and... | 0 Comments
And Now a Bishop Victim. . . (10:02) - Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton has come forward to reveal that he too was a child victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest. The scandal has now victimized one of the leaders of the Catholic Church.... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 10 January

Fugitive Priest Resigns Parish (16:34) - Father Richard Emerson resigned from his Michigan City parish one year after being removed by Bishop Melczek after a credible allegation of child abuse. Of course, I informed the Diocese of Gary and Bishop Melczek six months prior to Emerson's... | 0 Comments
Top Vatican Official Gives 7 Hour Deposition Testimony (08:48) - Archbishop William Levada, formerly of San Francisco and Portand Oregon, was deposed about policies and procedures in the Diocese of Portland where he was bishop from 1986-1995. Before leaving for his new post as head of the Congregation for the... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 6 January

NJ Governor Signs Bill Allowing Legal Action Against Sexual Predators and Their Employers (09:58) - In a major victory for victims of sexual abuse, acting Governor Richard Codey has signed into law a bill that will allow sexual abuse victims to sue churches and private schools for hiring and harboring sexual predators. Prompted largely by... | 0 Comments
NJ Governor Signs Bill Allowing Lawsuits Against Churches for Child Sexual Abuse (09:53) - Acting Governor Richard Codey yesterday signed into law a measure that will allow lawsuits against churches, private schools and other non-profit institutions for past negligent hirings of employees who sexually abused children. Non-profit organizations such as churches have long had... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Tuesday 3 January

Hope for Abuse Victims in NY? (11:17) - Many states across the country are now considering revising their statute of limitations regarding the sexual abuse of minors. The terrible scandal in the Catholic Church has given rise to more victims coming forward and revealing their tragic abuse stories.... | 0 Comments
NY Appeals Court to Hear Decades Old Priest Abuse Cases (10:55) - The Court of Appeals, NY's highest court, will hear arguments today for the very first time in priest abuse cases seeking to allow old claims against the church to proceed. The two cases before the court date back to the... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Sunday 18 December

Ad Exsequendam Ecclesiasticam Legem (14:17) - In May 2001, then Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) wrote a secret letter to all the world's bishops re-asserting the legitimacy of the 1961 document Crimen Solicitationes which advocated keeping secret, among... | 0 Comments

Thursday 15 December

2001 Ratzinger Document Reaffirms Secrecy in Priest Sex Abuse Cases (09:16) - In a letter dated May 18, 2001, then Cardinal Ratzinger sent a letter to all the bishops of the world reaffirming the Church's operational secrecy concerning accusations of priestly sexual abuse. In the secret document, Ratzinger states that the proper... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 22 November

Former Vicar General of Phoenix Diocese Arrested on Sex Charges (16:11) - As the bishops of the Catholic Church try to put the scandals behind them new horrors appear. On November 21st, the former Vicar General of the Diocese of Phoenix and founder of Life Teen, Monsignor Dale Fushek was arrested on... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 21 November

LA Times Article by Jason Berry (21:41) - The moral hypocrite in the Vatican By Jason Berry, Jason Berry's books include "Lead Us Not Into Temptation" and, with Gerald Renner, "Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II." CONSERVATIVE Catholics rejoiced at... | 0 Comments
Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandal a Thing of the Past? Think Again! (21:06) - A high ranking official in the Diocese of Phoenix Monsignor Dale Fushek, the founder of Life Teen, was arrested today on sex abuse charges. The following are excerpts of the Associated Press report: The former vicar general of the Roman... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 16 November

Bishops Still Don't Get It (09:46) - Bishop William Skylstad, President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and head of the bankrupt Catholic diocese of Spokane Washington, continues to downplay the severity of the clergy abuse crisis. During a session of the bishops' annual fall meeting... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 14 November

Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church (19:47) - For those of us old enough to remember Watergate, we learned that very often the "coverup is worse than the crime." The same can be said about the crisis in the Catholic Church. Since 2002, when the Boston Globe broke... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Saturday 5 November

Bishop Nevins Earned a Reputation (08:15) - As a former priest and Auxiliary Bishop of Miami, Bishop John Nevins of Venice knows where most of the clerical skeletons are buried in South Florida. Nevins, a NY native, has gained an ignominious reputation for accepting priests accused of... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 31 October

National Catholic Reporter Calls for Transparency in Clergy Abuse Scandal (11:17) - In a strongly worded editorial published October 28, 2005, The National Catholic Reporter, an influential weekly Catholic newspaper, has called on the bishops of the United States to come clean and reveal the true depths of the crippling clergy scandal.... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Thursday 27 October

The Irish Wakeup Call (10:35) - It's been more than three years now since America's Roman Catholic bishops met in Dallas and issued their charter concerning the protection of young people from clergy sexual abuse. No one I know, least of all the victims, think that... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 21 October

SNAP Asks Cardinal Rigali To Support Sex Abuse Law (10:23) - The group Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has asked Philadelphia Archbishop Justin Cardinal Rigali to support legal changes and punish church officials who had a role in the local church's sexual misconduct and abuse of minors. The... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 12 October

Archdiocese of Los Angeles' Priest Personnel Files Reveal Cover Up and More Scandal (10:34) - Now I know why Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles refused to disclose his priests' personnel files. They're full of stories of sexual abuse cover ups and re-shuffling pedophile and ephebophile clergy. The NY Times got an advance copy of... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Friday 7 October

Philly Grand Jury Report Heartbreaking for Victims (10:19) - The recently released 422 page Grand Jury report from Philadelphia is a damning condemnation of how the Catholic Church in Philadelphia has used its power and influence over many decades to cover up and excuse horrific child sexual abuse. The... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 20 September

Pope Benedict XVI Approves Ban on Gay Seminarians (14:21) - In a story published in Catholic World News today, Pope Benedict XVI has signed off on a document banning homosexuals from studying for the priesthood. The document is seen as a response to the priest abuse crisis that has dominated... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 19 September

Laveranues Coles' Revelation of Childhood Abuse Took Courage (10:58) - I'd imagine that childhood sexual abuse will get a lot of attention this week after Laveranues Coles' revealed he had been the victim of sexual abuse. The popular receiver for the NY Jets came forward last week so that others... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Wednesday 7 September

Bankrupt Church or Church Bankruptcy (12:29) - The following is an excellent editorial in the National Catholic Reporter: EDITORIAL Issue Date: September 9, 2005 Bankruptcy: the gamble that backfired Words matter. More for a church than for other institutions because religion purports to be about truth. These... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 9 August

More Allegations Against Fr. Richard Emerson (12:00) - In spite of their protestations to the contrary, the Diocese of Gary in Indiana told parishioners this past Sunday that there are more sexual abuse allegations against Fr. Richard Emerson, who abused one of my clients while stationed in Orlando... | 0 Comments
Open Letter to Bishop Ricard (01:18) - I want to share with you a letter I sent today to the Bishop of Pensacola Tallahassee in Florida: Most Rev. John H. Ricard SSJ Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee Monsignor James Amos Pastoral Center 11 North B St. Pensacola, FL 32501... | 0 Trackbacks | 0 Comments

Monday 1 August

Church's Inconsistent Mea Culpa (06:38) - Last year, Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore and a dozen priests of the Archdiocese of Baltimore knelt before 100 parishioners at a Maryland church in a public act of atonement for what some of their fellow priests had done to young... | 0 Comments

Friday 22 July

Former President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and Current Bishop of Cleveland Accused of Perjury (21:31) - Bishop Anthony M. Pilla is facing more than lawsuits in Cleveland these days. The former head of the NCCB is accused of perjuring himself in testimony he gave at a deposition in a Cleveland clergy sex abuse case. In an... | 0 Comments

Thursday 14 July

Noted Author and Priest Andrew Greeley Reflects on Abuse Crisis in Catholic Church (21:58) - In his new novel, "The Priestly Sins", the Rev. Andrew Greeley tells the fictional story of Father Andrew Hoffman who witnesses a fellow priest brutally raping a child and is sent away to a mental institution for reporting the crime... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 13 July

Joe Saunders Appears on WFLA Orlando radio station with Pat Campbell (16:18) - I was invited onto the Pat Campbell show this morning in Orlando to discuss the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. We spent about 30 minutes talking about why the Church was slow to respond to the crisis as... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 5 July

Where's the Bishop? (19:56) - Indicted on two rape charges by a grand jury last fall, Bishop Thomas Dupre of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts escaped criminal prosecution because the District Attorney decided that too much time had elapsed since the incidents of... | 0 Comments

Friday 1 July

Former Florida Priest Arrested For Violation of Parole (20:05) - Former priest Edward Olszewski is now free on $10,000 bail after being arrested at his Key Largo home last Friday on charges of possessing sexually explicit material in violation of his probation. Olszewski, originally a priest of the Archdiocese of... | 0 Comments
Archdiocesan Settlement Largest Ever in Miami (19:54) - The Archdiocese of Miami announced today that it had settled a sexual abuse case involving the Rev. Jan Malicki and a woman who claimed Malicki abused her while she was a teenager. Through his attorney, Ellis Rubin of Miami, Malicki... | 0 Comments

Thursday 16 June

Catholic Church Paid $1B for Sex Abuse Claims So Far (16:10) - Recently, the Associated Press reported that the Catholic Church's payment for sexual abuse claims has reached the $1billion mark. It's sad to note that the Church hierarchy was warned of such a financial cataclysm back in 1985 when Fr. Thomas... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 8 June

Embattled Bishop Spurned by High School Seniors (13:54) - Fifty seniors at Trinity High School in Manchester NH have asked NH Bishop John McCormack not to come to their graduation. McCormack, a top lieutenant of disgraced Cardinal Law of Boston during the 1980's has been in the forefront of... | 0 Comments

Monday 6 June

Sex Abuse Allegations Continue to Swirl Around Founder of Legionnaires of Christ (00:19) - Maciel scandal won't go away If Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the religious order the Legionaries of Christ, were a priest in the United States, he would not be permitted in active ministry. Some may not consider the U.S.... | 0 Comments

Friday 3 June

Diocese of Covington Class Action Settlement (19:12) - By Jim Hannah Enquirer staff writer The Enquirer/Andrea Remke The Catholic Center in Erlanger, which is closing in part because of settlement fees for sexual abuse claims paid by the Covington Diocese. BURLINGTON – The Covington Diocese announced this afternoon... | 0 Comments
Anglican Church Pedophile Scandal in Australia (18:58) - Fresh allegations have been raised about a pedophile ring operating within the Anglican church in Australia in the 1980s. Former Anglican archdeacon Louis Victor Daniels was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in jail last month for molesting 10 youths aged between... | 0 Comments
Accused Priest Working at Miami VA Hospital (17:52) - Priest once accused of sex abuse is working at Miami VA hospital BY ALEXANDRA ALTER aalter@herald.com A Catholic priest accused of sexual misconduct with a minor in the 1970s began work this week as a chaplain at the Miami Veteran... | 0 Comments
Hare Krishna Child Abuse Lawsuits (17:48) - A lawsuit pending in the 192nd Dallas State District Court has prompted payment for child abuse victims worldwide. The case, filed in 2001 against the Hare Krishna religious organization, the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, caused several Krishna Temples to... | 0 Comments
Danville Woman Claims Nun Abuse (12:18) - ROCHESTER, Minn. - A Danville woman who claims she was sexually abused by a nun has sued a Sisters of St. Francis order, alleging the order was negligent and failed to investigate or address the allegations. Christine Bertrand filed her... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 31 May

Cardinal Ratzinger Successor Dogged by Abuse files (18:28) - When Archbishop Levada assumes Pope Benedict XVI's old position at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sometime this summer, he'll be faced with more than 700 clergy abuse files. The backlog is partly blamed on the US Bishops'... | 0 Comments

Friday 27 May

New Pope, Different Results? (22:16) - Many Catholic watchers groaned in disbelief when new Pope Benedict XVI chose San Francisco Archbishop William Levada to replace him as chief doctrinal watchdog. One of Levada's new responsibilities will be to oversee the clergy sex abuse scandal that has... | 0 Comments