News Story of the Day

Pope Warns Bishops to Deal with Accused Priests

Kevin Killeen (@KMOXKilleen),

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – U.S. Catholic Bishops meeting in St. Louis are accused by a survivors group of failing to live up to the promises made to protect children at the Dallas Conference of Bishops in 2002.


Pope Creates Tribunal for Bishop Negligence in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

JUNE 10, 2015, NY Times

ROME — Roman Catholic bishops accused of covering up or failing to prevent the sexual abuse of children by priests will now be subject to judgment and discipline by a new Vatican tribunal, according to a plan approved on Wednesday by Pope Francis.


How Josh Duggar and Dennis Hastert could change the laws on sex crimes

June 8 at 11:56 AM, Washington Post

Two days after former House speaker Dennis Hastert’s (R-Ill.) indictment became public, a small group of sexual abuse survivors gathered at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago. The group, made up of members of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), was there say thank you to prosecutors for exposing Hastert’s alleged crimes.


Twin Cities archdiocese charged with child endangerment.

Grant Gallicho, June 7, 2015, Commonweal

On Friday, a Minnesota county attorney filed criminal charges against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, alleging that for years church leaders—including Archbishop John Nienstedt—failed to protect children from a priest who would eventually plead guilty to molesting children and possessing child pornography.


Jesus is quick to forgive, but Josh Duggar’s apology is still disturbing

May 26, 2015, Washington Post

After doing wrong, we usually want everything to be all right. If we can patch things up with minimal cost and personal discomfort, so much the better.


Dennis Hastert Case: Abuse Group Wants Congressional Portrait Removed

by Tracy Connor, NBC News, Jun 4 2015, 12:10 pm ET

A sex-abuse survivors group is calling on Congress to take down a portrait of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an ex-teacher accused of paying off a one-time student to keep allegations of sexual misconduct under wraps.


SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Fears over ‘trafficking’ of children to the US

By Conall Ó Fátharta, Irish Examiner, Wednesday, June 03, 2015

Concerns that up to 1,000 children may have been “trafficked” to the US from the Tuam mother and baby home in “a scandal that dwarfs other, more recent issues with the Church and State” were raised by the HSE in 2012.


Questions for Cardinal George Pell when he fronts the royal commission

By Jane Lee, June 2, 2015 - 2:00PM, The Age, Victoria, Australia

Ever since survivor witnesses told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that George Pell tried to bribe one, and ignored another's reports of abuse, calls have been growing for him to return from the Vatican to Australia to explain himself.


More questions for Cardinal Pell

3:01pm June 1, 2015, 9News.com.au

A victims' advocate who once worked with George Pell says the cardinal needs to respond to claims that he protected known pedophile priests across Victoria, not just in Ballarat.

In Good Faith Foundation chief executive Helen Last says numerous pedophile priests across the state have been protected by the Catholic Church over the years, some while Cardinal Pell held top-ranking positions.


Pope’s top advisor says "callous" Cardinal Pell should step down

1:34am June 1, 2015, 9News.com.au

A top advisor to the Pope has slammed Cardinal George Pell, saying Australia’s most senior Catholic should step down from his position at the Vatican.

Peter Saunders, who was hand-picked by Pope Francis six months ago to work as the Catholic Church’s commissioner for the protection of children, said Cardinal Pell’s position was “untenable”.


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