News Story of the Day
'Credible allegation' of child sex abuse against Fr Herman A. Porter, late Black Catholic activist
The Rockford Diocese priest organized the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus in 1968 and was floated as a candidate for Archbishop of Washington.
Fr Herman A. Porter, center, with members of the Bishop Muldoon Council of the Knights of Columbus at a ceremony honoring him in May 1964. (The Observer, Diocese of Rockford)
Black Catholic Messenger
July 11, 2025
By Nate Tinner-Williams
The late Fr Herman A. Porter, an African-American Catholic priest who served in the Midwest and in 1968 organized the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, has been added to the Diocese of Rockford’s list of clergy credibly accused of child sex abuse.
The diocese released the updated list earlier this year, as noted in a February bulletin from one of Porter’s former parishes, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sterling, Illinois.
“Per diocesan policy, parishioners at parishes where Father Porter served, even though briefly, were notified and his name has now been added to the Diocese of Rockford's list of priests against whom an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been substantiated,” the bulletin stated.
Born in the mid-1910s in Greenville, Mississippi, Porter was raised there at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, an African-American parish operated by the Society of the Divine Word. He later attended Loyola University Chicago and felt a call to the priesthood, becoming the first African-American member of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (the Dehonians) in 1942. He was then known as Herman A. Martin Porter.
After obtaining a master's in English from the University of Notre Dame, Porter was ordained in Milwaukee in 1947, celebrating first Masses at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Chicago and at Sacred Heart in Mississippi. He later taught at his order’s minor seminary, Divine Heart in Donaldson, Indiana, while serving at parishes in what was then the Diocese of Fort Wayne.
Porter authored a 1952 article, “Color Line in Catholic Churches,” which circulated widely in the Catholic press. It advocated for desegregating the U.S. priesthood and religious life, which were still largely closed to African Americans.
French archbishop appoints chancellor convicted of abuse
The Basilica of St. Sernin in Toulouse, France, pictured in a file photo, is a stop along the Way of St. James. French Archbishop Guy de Kerimel of Toulouse defended his appointment of a priest convicted of sexually abusing a minor as diocesan chancellor, saying that he had "chosen the path of mercy." (OSV News photo/Russell F. Evans)
OSV News
July 10, 2025
By Junno Arocho Esteves
(OSV News) — French Archbishop Guy de Kerimel of Toulouse defended his appointment of a priest convicted of sexually abusing a minor as diocesan chancellor, saying that he had “chosen the path of mercy.”
The June 2 appointment of Father Dominique Spina gained widespread attention in the country after the French daily, La Dépêche du Midi, noted the priest’s 1993 conviction for sexually abusing a 16-year-old high school student, for which he was given a five-year prison sentence.
“It is true that Father Spina served a five-year prison sentence, including one suspended year, for very serious acts that took place nearly 30 years ago,” Archbishop de Kerimel said in a statement to Agence-France Presse, which was published July 7 by the French newspaper Le Monde.
Archbishop de Kerimel added that Father Spina “no longer exercises a pastoral role,” with the exception of “celebrating the Eucharist, alone or exceptionally, for the faithful.”
“Considering that we have nothing to reproach this priest for in the last 30 years for acts liable to be subject to judicial, canonical, or civil proceedings, I have therefore chosen to appoint him to this administrative position,” the archbishop said.
How the Jehovah’s Witnesses sex abuse crisis in Pennsylvania unfolded
State prosecutors turned up troves of internal files revealing rampant abuse dating back decades
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
July 6, 2025
By Madaleine Rubin
Long after a young woman stepped forward to say she was raped and beaten by a member of a Jehovah’s Witness congregation, law enforcement agents finally confronted Eric Eleam three years ago at his home in Butler County.
They questioned him about the repeated abuse starting when she was just 12, records show.
They asked him about forcing her to perform sex acts in the privacy of his home.
And they pressed him about his own admission to the crimes during a secret meeting with congregation members who launched their own inquiry — but never disclosed the allegations to law enforcement.
Police tried to ask more questions, but Eleam cut the interview short, telling agents that he was afraid of going to jail.
When law enforcement agents returned weeks later — armed with an arrest warrant — he bolted into his bathroom, shut the door, and shot himself in the head.
Church hasn’t reported abuse claims: NSW Police
The Klaxon
July 8, 2025
By Anthony Klan
The Catholic Church’s powerful Sydney Archdiocese has failed to report to NSW Police allegations of abuse involving one of its most senior figures, despite “disclosing” the matter a week ago.
NSW Police said they “have not received any notification” from the church, about the abuse allegations involving Auxiliary Bishop Richard Umbers, who is second only to Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher.
That’s despite the Sydney Archdiocese on Tuesday last week quietly posting to a relatively obscure part of its website a statement about the allegations, including claiming to have “notified authorities”.
It’s also despite having claimed that “the NSW Police have confirmed there is no investigation at this time”.
The Klaxon revealed the statement on Wednesday last week, on Friday revealing that the church had not notified NSW Police, despite its official claims.
“The NSWPF position remains the same – we have not received any notification,” a NSW Police spokesperson has now told The Klaxon.
Umbers denies the allegations.
Clergy Abuse, Church Reform, and Accountability
How should we address the legacy of clergy abuse, and what reforms can advocate for institutional accountability?
The Good Men Project
July 6, 2025
By
Rev. Dr. John C. Lentz Jr. served over 30 years as Lead Pastor of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Known for passionate preaching, community leadership, and a commitment to justice and compassion, he profoundly shaped the Church’s mission before retiring in 2024 after a celebrated ministry. Lentz reflects on his 30-year tenure at Forest Hill Presbyterian Church, where he inherited the traumatic legacy of sexual abuse by a former associate pastor. Lentz details the Church’s response—early efforts at acknowledgment, limited legal options, and survivor support—highlighting the structural weaknesses in denominational accountability. He explores systemic patterns of abuse across denominations, including the role of clerical authority, enabling networks, and institutional cover-ups. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and theology, Lentz emphasizes the importance of independent investigations, seminary reform, and third-party oversight. He warns against simplistic narratives that scapegoat Catholicism alone and calls for nuanced, data-driven reform efforts across religious institutions. He discussed how virtues like compassion and forgiveness, without accountability, can become vulnerabilities. Both advocate for cultural and institutional reforms rooted in moral clarity, survivor support, and transparent justice processes. The dialogue ultimately calls for partnership—not polarization—in addressing clergy abuse.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: So, you are a former pastor at Forest Hill Presbyterian Church. What is the story there? We can use that as a context for a broader conversation about a wider phenomenon.
Rev. Dr. John Lentz: Yes. I served as pastor at Forest Hill Church for thirty years, from 1994 to 2024. During my final interview before being offered the position, the search committee told me something they felt I needed to know. They said, “John, we need to tell you this because it might affect your decision to come here.” They explained that a previous associate pastor had been involved in the sexual abuse of youth in the congregation.
That wasn’t comforting to hear. Here is what I learned so from personal knowledge: In 1977, Reverend Dale Small became the associate pastor at Forest Hill Church. He came from another congregation in the Detroit area of Michigan. His primary responsibilities were overseeing the confirmation program and leading retreat and camping ministries. He served in that role until 1981.
Afterward, he retired and was granted the honorary title of pastor emeritus. He moved to North Carolina following his retirement. In 1984, he organized a reunion-style camping trip for former youth members of Forest Hill Church in North Carolina. During that event, one former youth participant—by then in his twenties—experienced a resurgence of traumatic memories related to prior abuse. He left the trip and returned home.
Later that year, he and his parents sent a letter to the Church’s governing body (the session) reporting that Dale Small had sexually abused him. The letter also mentioned other possible victims, although it is unclear how many individuals were named or how those claims were verified.
When I joined the Church in 1994, ten years after that disclosure, I learned that the session at the time had responded by engaging a consultant—though I do not know their name—to assess what actions should be taken to support the congregation, particularly its youth. They also reportedly sent letters to families whose children had been part of the youth group or confirmation classes during that period, asking whether anything inappropriate had occurred.
It was reported that at least half a dozen boys came forward, identifying themselves as victims of abuse. Many of these boys came from homes where the father was absent or where the family structure had been disrupted. All of the reported victims were male.
‘Sheep do not judge their shepherd’: Sermon after child abuse conviction shocks victims
Alexis Rosentool, a senior priest of the Russian Church in Australia, has been found guilty of child sexual abuse. Credit: YouTube
The Sydney Morning Herald
July 5, 2025
By Perry Duffin
A senior Sydney priest has warned his followers “sheep do not judge their shepherd” in a sermon about his divided church after a veteran cleric was found guilty of child sexual abuse days earlier – shocking victims and experts.
Meanwhile, a document penned by the paedophile priest himself, which ordered followers “when you are abused, be quiet”, has been quietly removed after decades in a government registry.
Alexis Rosentool was found guilty on June 20 of child sexual abuse dating from the 1980s and 2000s, when he was a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) in Sydney.
The Herald revealed pro-Russian propagandist Simeon Boikov, aka Aussie Cossack, had collaborated with police to convince victims to speak up and bring down Rosentool.
The case unexpectedly landed Boikov in the Russian consulate, where he remains after 930 days, having fled there after being arrested for breaching a suppression order over Rosentool’s name.
Jury awards $7.6 million to survivor of sexual abuse by former Diocese of Winona-Rochester priest
“He feels that he has done something real to expose the problems in the diocese and in the Catholic church hierarchy,” said Jeff Anderson, who represented the plaintiff, “so that other kids will be protected.”
A sign for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester outside The Chancery of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester is pictured Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin file photo
Post Bulletin
July 1, 2025
By Olivia Estright
ROCHESTER — An Olmsted County jury awarded $7.6 million to a plaintiff who alleged sexual misconduct and filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Winona.
The jury returned its verdict on Monday, June 30, after a weeklong trial to determine the damages.
The plaintiff, referred to as Doe 254, filed the complaint for a personal injury lawsuit in 2021 related to allegations of abuse in the 1970s. The case alleged three counts relating to negligence and demanded payment for the damages in excess of $50,000.
This case is a result of the Minnesota Child Victims Act of 2013, which lifted the statute of limitations on past claims of child sexual abuse for a three-year period that ended in August 2016. More than 100 claims of child sexual abuse by clergy arose after the act was passed.
Before the trial, the diocese’s attorneys filed a proposed statement that the diocese admitted negligence. The trial became an abbreviated one, focused on determining the damages owed to Doe 254.
Former Greater Grace pastor indicted for child sexual abuse, lawsuits pile up
Former Greater Grace pastor Eric Anderson is facing two counts of indecent assault and battery of a child. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
The Baltimore Banner
June 27, 2025
By Jessica Calefati, Julie Scharper and Justin Fenton
A former Greater Grace World Outreach pastor who once led the Baltimore megachurch’s Bible college has been indicted by a Massachusetts grand jury for child sexual abuse, a spokesperson for the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office told The Baltimore Banner.
Eric Anderson, 80, is facing two counts of indecent assault and battery of a child, said Chief of Operations Julia Sabourin. The abuse is alleged to have occurred in 1980, when Anderson lived and worked at the church’s former headquarters in Western Massachusetts. Back then, the organization with offshoots around the world was known as The Bible Speaks.
Berkshire County has issued a warrant for Anderson’s arrest. He’s been living with his son Jesse Anderson, who was convicted of molesting a boy in the church but escaped prison time for his felony offenses. They live in rural Red House, Virginia. Another son, Jonathan Anderson, has also been accused of abuse, though he has not been charged with a crime.
Members of The Millstones, the group of former church members who investigated the organization’s handling of abuse allegations, said Eric Anderson was one of the first alleged perpetrators they learned about.
Parochial Vicar for OLMC, Astoria, Removed From Ministry After Allegation of ‘Sexual Abuse of a Minor’ Substantiated
(Photo: Pixabay)
The Tablet
June 24, 2025
by Tablet Staff
ASTORIA — The Diocese of Brooklyn has removed from all priestly ministries Father Michael McHugh, parochial vicar for Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Astoria, after an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was substantiated, according to the diocese.
Bishop Robert Brennan announced the decision via a letter that was read aloud to parishioners at the close of each of the church’s weekend Masses on June 21 and June 22.
Bishop Brennan said that the diocese received a report on March 27 alleging the abuse, which dates back to the 1980s. The diocese, according to the letter, then launched an investigation into the allegation, and upon its conclusion, presented it to the Diocesan Review Board — an independent panel that investigates abuse allegations.
“After deliberation, the Board found sufficient information to substantiate allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor and recommended Father McHugh’s removal from ministry,” Bishop Brennan wrote. “I have accepted this recommendation, and Father McHugh has been removed from all priestly ministries.”
Governor Abbott Signs Over 600 Critical Bills Passed During 89th Regular Legislative Session
Office of the Texas Governor
June 21, 2025
Governor Abbott today signed into law over 300 bills passed during the 89th Regular Legislative Session that ensure Texas remains the greatest state in the nation, bringing the total to date to over 600 bills signed into law.
“Texas is where the American dream lives," Governor Abbott. "Today, I signed critical legislation passed in the 89th Regular Legislative Session that protects the safety of Texans and safeguards the individual freedoms that our great state was founded on. Working with the Texas Legislature, we will keep Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family."
Governor Abbott continues to review the over 1,200 bills that the Texas Legislature delivered to his desk. The sign/veto period for the 89th Regular Legislative Session continues through Sunday, June 22.
Today, Governor Abbott signed 334 bills passed by the Texas Legislature, including these 16 critical pieces of legislation:
