Today, the Pope promoted Maine Bishop Richard Malone to head the Buffalo Diocese. As is so often the case, the church hierarchy is trading one callous official for another.

We are grateful that the Archdiocese has notified the public that Rev. Joseph Byrne has been put on leave and that they have turned their evidence over to law enforcement. We hope that they will be sure to keep a tight rein on Rev. Byrne and monitor him closely now that he has been removed from ministry.

We are members of an international support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Our mission is to protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded. That’s why we’re here today outside the Catholic Center offices in Albuquerque.

We are disturbed that Thomas Harkins, an ousted pedophile priest, works at Philadelphia International, and are extremely confused as to how he was able to get this position. Do TSA agents not have to go through a background check? If so, does child molestation not cause concern? To know of Harkin’s criminal past and then to place him in a position of authority is unconscionable.

“I was just following orders” is not accepted as a defense – legally or morally – in any civilized setting. When colleagues or supervisors give you unjust or criminal orders or requests, you have a moral duty to refuse.  When such orders or requests are repeatedly reckless – and endanger kids- you have a moral duty to expose them.

We’re disappointed that Fr. Castillo is not facing more severe consequences for his serious wrongdoing.

Once again the Catholic church hierarchy has missed the boat. Italian bishops have published their first ever sex abuse norms. They stress that bishops “do not have the juridical obligation to report to state judicial authorities news they receive” regarding sex abuse.

Yesterday, the embattled head of the controversial Legion of Christ announced a "review" of all clergy sex abuse cases involving Legion clerics. We urge those who saw, suspected or suffered such crimes and cover ups to NOT cooperate with that effort.

We applaud Florida law enforcement officials for arresting Pastor Angel Perez after the Kissimmee police department received a complaint that Perez had engaged in sexual acts with a 16 year old boy.

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that a now-disgraced, high profile Michigan Catholic priest refused to honor restrictions on his ministry that his supervisor instituted after the priest admitted secretly fathering a child.

We hope that Fr Bartley Sorensen will be kept away from children for a long time. And we hope that anyone who may have knowledge or who may have been harmed by Sorenson will have the courage to contact the police, not the church officials. The law enforcement are the proper officials to be investigating sex crimes against kids.

We are grateful to police in Colorado for making this arrest. Children are always safer when predators are behind bars, and today we can be thankful that Fr. Charles Manning will be kept away from kids at least for a while.