News Story of the Day
A cool change, but what has Pope Francis actually achieved?
By Marcus O'Donnell
February 10, 2014
A year ago this week, the ageing, doctrinaire and aristocratic Pope, Benedict XVI, shocked keen Vatican watchers and the public alike by his sudden resignation. Few were prepared for the shockwaves that would follow.
School's response to child sex abuse claims to be probed
By the Chronicle
February 12, 2014
A TOOWOOMBA Catholic school's response to allegations of child sex abuse will be the focus of a Royal Commission hearing in Brisbane next week.
Why Is Bob Jones University So Nervous?
By ROD DREHER
February 11, 2014
The fundamentalist college fired GRACE, the investigator it hired to look into allegations of sexual abuse there — this, as the investigative report was nearing completion. RNS reports:
If the Pope were really progressive, he'd speak about child rape
By: ELIZABETH RENZETTI
Feb. 10 2014
The Catholic Church probably thought the stormiest waters were behind. With a charismatic, groovy Pope at the helm, the church has been sailing an unexpectedly friendly sea. As if, perhaps, everyone had forgotten that thing. You know, that thing: The tens of thousands of children broken by abuse suffered at the hands of clergy. The priests left unpunished. The official silence.
UN names church for what it is: a rogue state
By Brenda O'Connor
09 FEBRUARY 2014
WE CAN tend to outrage fatigue when it comes to reports about the crimes committed within the Catholic Church in recent years. So when the UN Committee on the Rights of Children reported last week on its ongoing engagement with the Catholic Church regarding the rights of children within the Vatican and the Holy See, many people will have been tempted to ignore it.
Christians and the struggle to report child abuse
By Boz Tchividjian
February 07, 2014
I recently came across a legal alert from a Christian organization that directs pastors who learn of suspected child abuse to first conduct their own internal investigation “to decide whether the situation requires reporting to the authorities.” Yikes!
UN report on Catholic priest sex abuse, and a chance for Pope Francis: Editorial
By Star-Ledger Editorial Board
February 05, 2014 at 7:00 PM
The most surprising thing about today’s scathing United Nations rebuke of the Vatican over decades of unchecked child abuse had nothing to do with its content. The allegations of systemic rape and cover-ups weren't new, nor even shocking. The report compiles a tragic list of known crimes, and scolds the Catholic Church for inaction.
Read the "devistating" UN Report on the Vatican
The UN has issued a report on how the Vatican handles clergy sexual abuse and cover up. The AP calls the report “devastating.” Reuters calls it “scathing.” We call it “on target.” Click here to read the report and the Vatican's unrepentant 150 word response – which does not contain the words “abuse,” “crimes,” or “cover ups.”
U.N. grilling: The Vatican should step up action against abuse
February 2, 2014
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A United Nations investigation of the Catholic Church’s clergy sex-abuse scandal should prompt the Vatican to be more transparent and Pope Francis to crack down harder on the abusers’ enablers.