News Story of the Day

Catholic Church sent paedophile priests away 'for them to be fixed': Prosecutors turned blind eye to abuse

The Catholic Church in Scotland has admitted it made a 'huge mistake' by sending paedophile priests away to be 'fixed' rather than prosecuting them.

A senior cleric said yesterday that abuse was seen as a 'sin' and the church focused more on 'treating' child molesters than on helping their young victims.

He said there were occasions when prosecutors turned a blind eye and agreed not to bring charges on the condition abusers received therapy, with their crimes seen as a 'moral fault that could be fixed by prayer and retreat'.


Assembly passes child sex abuse bill, now up to Senate

By Michael Gormley, June 7, 2017, Newsday

ALBANY — The Assembly overwhelmingly passed a measure Wednesday that would allow sexually abused children many more years to try to prosecute or sue their abuser.


Archbishop Philip Wilson failed in third bid for permanent stay against conceal charge

By 6 Jun 2017, Newcastle Herald

FORMER Hunter priest Archbishop Philip Wilson, the most senior Catholic cleric in the world to be charged with concealing the child sex crimes of another priest, has failed in his third bid to stop the case against him from proceeding.

The NSW Court of Appeal on Tuesday dismissed Archbishop Wilson’s latest appeal, rejecting claims from his barrister Bret Walker, SC, that the charge against him was invalid because of changes to the law since 1971, when Hunter priest Jim Fletcher is alleged to have sexually assaulted a 10-year-old boy at Maitland. 


HSE says it has no record of priest at centre of Netflix documentary working in Kilkenny

By MaryAnn Vaughan, June 06, 2017, KCLR

Fr Joseph Maskell is alleged to have sexually abused tens of students in Baltimore, USA before coming to the South East.

The HSE says it has no record of an American priest, suspected of child abuse, ever having worked in Kilkenny.


Mother and son reunite — almost 50 years after she says an Omaha priest forced her to give up her baby

By Michael O'Connor, World-Herald, Jun 5, 2017 

Her hands trembled as she held the letter.

“Hello,” the note began. “I apologize for sending this to your office — it’s the only address I found.”

Her body shook as she read the next words in a message she’d awaited for decades and wondered if she’d ever receive: “I’m the person you were looking for.”


Archbishop accused of hiding pedophilia

Mexico News Daily | Saturday, June 3, 2017

A senior official of the Catholic Church in Mexico announced his resignation yesterday, the same day that a former priest filed accusations that Cardinal Norberto Rivera had concealed 15 cases of pedophilia by priests.

Rivera presented his resignation as Primate Archbishop of Mexico to church authorities, complying with regulations that require prelates to retire upon reaching the age of 75.

 


State Assembly announces revised child sex abuse victims bill could pass by next week

BY KENNETH LOVETT, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, June 3, 2017

ALBANY — The state Assembly Friday introduced a reworked bill designed to make it easier for child sex abuse survivors to seek justice as adults — and it’s expected to pass as soon as next week.

The bill goes slightly further than a previous version that had been criticized by abuse survivors, who now support it.

Bill sponsor Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) said the plan is to move the bill through committee starting Tuesday and then have a full floor vote later in the week.


12% of children in 'high-income' countries have endured abuse, inquiry told

The Hearld, June 1, 2017

More than one in eight children in well-off countries around the world say they have experienced some form of sexual abuse in their lifetime, Scotland's child abuse inquiry has heard.

Even more - one in five - has been at the receiving end of violence from a parent or caregiver, the inquiry was told.

The hearing heard claims there is a "huge gap" between the cases known about by authorities and what children actually report when they are questioned in a confidential survey.


Here's What Happened to Father Maskell After 'The Keepers'

By Caitlin Busch, May 31, 2017, Inverse Entertainment

The "villain" of Netflix's docu-series doesn't get any less complicated after the final episode.


Child sex abuse survivor says Catholic Church’s ‘hush money’ settlement won’t ease horrifying nightmares of assault

By Kenneth Lovett, Stephen Rex Brown, Reuven Blau, May 30, 2017, New York Daily News

When Peter Marghella hurt his ribs wrestling with some friends at summer camp he had no idea it would change his life forever.


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