News Story of the Day

And just when I think I can't read anything more stomach-churning about the cover-up of sexual abuse of minors in Catholic institutions, this story comes along:  the Houston Chronicle reported this past week that Catholic Charities of Houston-Galveston is under investigation by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for filing false reports about a case in which a boy at St. Michael's Home for Children was allegedly sexually assaulted repeatedly while under the home's care.  The assaults are said to have involved the sexual abuse of this resident by other minors in the home's care.

A major inquiry into the abuse of children in institutions run by the Catholic Church and the state is to be launched in Northern Ireland, it has been announced.

The Stormont Executive confirmed the probe will be phased-in over the next two years and will be armed with the power to compel the release of records plus the co-operation of witnesses.

Senior management with Catholic Charities attempted to mislead federal officials about a sexual assault at St. Michael's Home for Children, doctoring incident reports and failing to seek medical treatment for the child victim for days, according to a federal report.

MINISTER FOR Children Frances Fitzgerald is “not for turning” when it comes to putting the State’s Children First child protection guidelines on a statutory footing, she said yesterday.

Pope Benedict XVI's election sparked joy in Germany, but the Church's reaction to a sex abuse scandal and a series of controversies have dented his image ahead of his first state trip home.

We survivors of clergy sex abuse have brought our evidence to the ICC so that the Vatican might finally account for its cover-up

by Barbara Blaine

When it comes to holding the Catholic Church accountable for sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy, all roads lead to Rome. That is what my organisation, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap), concluded after years of seeking justice in other venues and being turned away.

AN INTERNATIONAL group for victims of sexual abuse by priests said Tuesday had asked the International Criminal Court to prosecute Pope Benedict XVI for crimes against humanity.

By Laurie Goodstein, NY Times

Human rights lawyers and victims of clergy sexual abuse said they would file a complaint on Tuesday urging the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate and prosecute Pope Benedict XVIand three top Vatican officials for crimes against humanity for what they described as abetting and covering up the rape and sexual assault of children by priests.

Deputy Philadelphia District Attorney Charles Gallagher was keenly aware that he had the bishop of the Allentown Catholic Diocese in the witness chair, yet he was finding it difficult to beat back the anger that was welling up inside him.

By EDMUND H. MAHONY

The Hartford Courant

A state judge has upheld key elements of a lawsuit claiming that for years the Vatican ignored allegations of child sexual abuse by a priest who founded the Legionaries of Christ, a secretive Catholic order based in Connecticut.