By Gina Christian OSV News SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Diocese of Sacramento announced it has filed for bankruptcy, citing the costs of settling more than 250 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by clergy and staff. “There are many victim-survivors who have long suffered from the reprehensible sins committed against them,” Bishop Jaime Soto said in an […]
What is a penal precept?
Bishop Larry Silva has issued a “penal precept” prohibiting Father Alfred Rebuldela, a retired priest of the Diocese of Honolulu who was credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor as a young priest more than 40 years ago, from presenting himself as a priest or from exercising any priestly ministry. (See “Official notices” on […]
San Francisco Archdiocese files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
By OSV News SAN FRANCISCO — Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco announced Aug. 21 the archdiocese has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization “to facilitate settlements” with survivors of clergy abuse. The decision came after much reflection and prayer, and consultation with the archdiocese’s financial and legal advisers, he said in a […]
Report: 330,000 children abused in French church since 1950s
By Barb Fraze Catholic News Service An independent report on sexual abuse in the French Catholic Church estimates 330,000 children have been abused since the 1950s. Most of the victims were pre-adolescent boys of all social backgrounds, and more than a third of the assaults were committed by laypeople. The report did not attempt to […]
Diocese has new sex abuse victim assistance coordinator
Kristin J. Leandro, director of the diocese’s Safe Environment office announced Jan. 12 the appointment of the new diocesan victim assistance coordinator, the person who provides support and services for adult survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy, religious or church workers. Lora Daniel, a licensed mental health counselor at Catholic Charities Hawaii, takes the […]
Intellectually disabled L’Arche members react to news of Vanier abuse
By Michael Swan Catholic News Service TORONTO — For the adults with disabilities who are the core members of L’Arche, news that Jean Vanier sexually abused six women over a 35-year period hit particularly hard. At a meeting to discuss the revelations regarding the L’Arche founder, several members rose to speak their truth, said John […]
Youth protection conference relies on the guidance of Mary
By Kristin Leandro Special to the Herald Since 2006, four years after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) developed and implemented the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” American dioceses have taken turns hosting an annual conference for the safe environment directors and victim assistance coordinators who serve in the nation’s […]
Bishop Larry Silva: The great lie that I protest here
On Feb. 20, a joint Senate Committee of the Human Services and Judiciary passed Senate Resolution SR4 and Senate Concurrent Resolution SCR8: “urging the Hawaii State Department of the attorney general to conduct a statewide investigation of sexual abuse of minors in the state of Hawaii by clergy of the Roman Catholic Church.” Here is […]
Pope: No more excuses; time for ‘all-out battle’ against crime of abuse
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The time has come for an “all-out battle” against the abuse of minors, erasing this abominable crime from the face of the earth, Pope Francis said, closing a global four-day summit on child protection in the Catholic Church. For quite some time, the world has […]
Vatican Abuse Summit Day 2: A woman speaks out, cardinal supports zero-tolerance policy, suggestion emerges for regional bishop accountability
Vatican official urges reconsidering ‘pontifical secret’ in abuse cases By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Catholic Church should re-examine how “pontifical secret” is applied in clerical sex abuse cases so there is greater transparency in the cases and it is not invoked “to hide problems,” said a canon lawyer and […]