News Story of the Day
Vatican refuses to extradite Polish archbishop accused of child sex abuse
The Vatican has refused to extradite a Polish archbishop who was accused of sex abuse while serving as papal nuncio in the Dominican Republic.
In a statement the Holy See said that Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski was a citizen of the Vatican, and that Vatican law did not allow for his extradition.
Will the Vatican comply with UN investigation into child abuse?
A few weeks ago, Pope Francis delivered his first ever Christmas Day speech to thousands of followers in St Peter’s Square.
He highlighted the lives ‘shattered’ in Syria, Iraq and the Israel-Palestine conflict and called for an end to ‘further suffering’. But simply wishing for ‘world peace’ is for Miss World contestants; the leader of one of the world’s wealthiest and most influential bodies has the power to make real change.
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Ex-Detroit priest and old abuse charge surface in Twin Cities
A onetime priest at Holy Redeemer parish in Detroit is at the center of another priest sex abuse controversy involving the embattled Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis.
Documents obtained by Minnesota Public Radio reveal that a woman contacted the Archdiocese of Detroit in the early 1990s to complain that the Rev. Harry Walsh molested her when she was 15. Walsh was posted at Holy Redeemer parish in southwest Detroit in 1965-67.
Abuse claims kept secret allowed priest to minister and teach sex ed
When beloved priest Harry Walsh retired two years ago, parishioners of St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Monticello, Minn., decorated a VFW hall with paper shamrocks and musical notes to say goodbye.
They sang, gave speeches and cried. Walsh, then 77, had served as the parish’s music minister for nearly a decade.
Archbishop Nienstedt steps aside as police investigate allegation, say church not cooperating in other cases
A clearly frustrated St. Paul Police Chief Thomas Smith said Tuesday that the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has failed to cooperate with investigations into alleged clerical sex abuse.
"We have through written and verbal requests made clear our desire to speak to individuals connected with the archdiocese, and we've been told no," Smith said at a news conference.
Salem woman who molested relative, photographed abuse, gets 25 years in prison
Michelle Lee Freeman's instincts led her to kick her husband out of their Salem house after he confessed he had sexually abused a young relative of theirs.
Despite massive reserves of cash victims of abuse have received a pittance
THE enormous wealth of the Catholic Church in Australia has been revealed in the royal commission with the Brisbane archdiocese alone having $30 million in cash reserves, on top of all the church properties.
Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge said they were not even one of the "fat cat" diocese.
It also made a profit from its archdiocese development fund which last year was $22 million.
Archdiocese's list shows it kept secret seven priests credibly accused of sexually abusing children
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis acknowledged Thursday that it had kept secret for decades the names of at least seven Catholic priests it considers credibly accused of sexually abusing children.
Archbishop John Nienstedt revealed the names on a list of 34 priests posted to an archdiocese website. The names are from a list the archdiocese created in 2009 of priests accused of child sexual abuse. However, Nienstedt now says four of the priests should not have been included.
Talk Is Cheap, Pope Francis
Pope Francis today announced the formation of a high-level commission to advise him on how to handle instances of clerical sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. It is a cautious and underwhelming response. From the NYT report:
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director