By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald In the United States, accusations of sexual abuse by clergy are to be reported to the local bishop. But what if it’s the bishop himself who is the problem? The answer is the national Catholic Bishop Reporting Service. Begun March 16, the Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting (CBAR) is a […]
New lawsuits filed against the diocese and other entities
By Laurie LaGrange Diocese of Honolulu April 24 marked the end of an extended six-year window for Hawaii victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits against their alleged perpetrators and their employers, and with this deadline, came a substantial number of new lawsuits. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, along with Punahou School […]
‘Sense of urgency’: American bishops’ actions at spring meeting regarding clergy sexual abuse called a ‘work in progress’
By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service BALTIMORE — The gathering of U.S. bishops June 11-13 in Baltimore was anything but business as usual. “The spring meetings are usually more pastoral, and the November meeting has a heavier agenda,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, who said this meeting had a “sense of urgency” […]
(Not necessarily) Leaving the church
Researcher says there is a big difference between ‘considering’ it and actually parting ways By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The headlines from a March 13 Gallup Poll about the growing number of U.S. Catholics who have thought about leaving the church because of the clergy abuse crisis did not faze one researcher […]
Vatican summit on abuse: No more excuses
Pope Francis says it is time for a ‘all-out battle’ against crime of sexual abuse of children By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — 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 […]
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 […]
Great expectations: Unprecedented Vatican summit on abuse has key, realistic goals
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — All eyes and ears will be on the Vatican during an unprecedented gathering Feb. 21-24 to discuss the protection of minors in the Catholic Church. When Pope Francis announced the international meeting in September, it sparked an optimistic note that the global problem of abuse finally […]
Child sex abuse in the U.S.: ‘Serious and pervasive’
By Julie Asher Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Child sexual abuse in the United States is at epidemic levels. More than 60,000 children are reported to have been abused every year, outnumbering those killed by guns or cars. Those who survive are often left not only with physical wounds, but also with psychological wounds that […]
U.S. bishops attend weeklong retreat about clergy sex abuse crisis
By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The U.S. Catholic bishops took part in a closed-door retreat Jan. 2-8 at Mundelein Seminary at the University of St. Mary of the Lake near Chicago to prayerfully consider ways to rebuild trust over the clergy sex abuse crisis. “We are honored to welcome the bishops of […]