News Story of the Day
Former papal adviser says Francis needs to make sex abuse a priority
By Claire Giangravè, February 22, 2018, Crux
ROME - A former member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has charged that Pope Francis is not making the fight against sexual abuse a priority, and expressed her frustration with the procedures and limitations of the group, which she said led her to hand in her resignation last year.
Iowa priest suspended after allegation of 'unwelcome advances,' diocese says
By Luke Nozicka, February 20, 2018, De Moines Register
A Council Bluffs priest was suspended Tuesday after an allegation of unwelcome advances, the diocese said.
Disgraced cardinal cancels appearance representing Pope after locals vow to protest
By Claire Chretien, February 20, 2018, USA Life Site
SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, February 19, 2018, LifeSiteNews – Pope Francis appointed disgraced Cardinal Roger Mahony to be his special envoy to the Catholic Diocese of Scranton’s 150th anniversary Mass. But after uproar, the diocese removed the announcement of Mahony’s visit from their website and told LifeSiteNews the cardinal informed them “late last week” that he’ll be unable to attend.
On January 13, the Diocese of Scranton issued a press release saying, “Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Roger Michael Mahony, Archbishop Emeritus of Los Angeles, as his special envoy at the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the erection of the Diocese of Scranton, to be observed with a Pontifical Mass on March 4 in the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Scranton.”
Pope backs down, OKs resignation of divisive Nigerian bishop
The announcement came after Francis in June issued a harsh ultimatum to the priests of Nigeria's southern Ahiara diocese, warning they would lose their jobs if they didn't obey him and accept Monsignor Peter Okpaleke as their bishop. Francis gave each priest 30 days to pledge their obedience.
The Vatican said Monday that 200 priests obeyed, but some still expressed problems in working with Okpaleke.
Vatican seeks to defuse scandal, says pope meets victims
By NICOLE WINFIELD, APNews, February 15, 2018
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican said Thursday that Pope Francis meets frequently with victims of sexual abuse, seeking to defuse a mounting scandal over his unbridled support for a Chilean bishop accused by victims of witnessing and ignoring their abuse.
Spokesman Greg Burke said Francis meets in private with victims individually or in groups several times a month to “listen to them and try to help them to heal their serious wounds.”
Diocese of Syracuse creates program to compensate victims of clergy sexual abuse
By Patrick Lohmann, February 14, 2018, New York Upstate
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Catholic Diocese of Syracuse announced today it will create a program that will allow victims of clergy sexual abuse to seek compensation.
Catholic Church's Massive Wealth Revealed
By Royce Millar, Ben Schneiders, Chris Vedelago, February 12, 2018, The Sydney Morning Herald
The Catholic Church in Australia is worth tens of billions of dollars, making it one of the country’s biggest non-government property owners, and massively wealthier than it has claimed in evidence to major inquiries into child sexual abuse.
Pope Francis, a brewing crisis and 'feminine genius
By Robert Mickens, Rome, February 9, 2018, La Croix International
The biggest error Catholic leaders have made regarding the church’s response to priests abusing children
has been the exclusion of women leading the policy-making process
The last couple of weeks have not been what anyone in his or her right mind would call the most brightly shining moment in the current pontificate.
First, the cardinal in charge of the Roman Curia’s office on the laity blocked Ireland’s former president, Mary MacAleese, from speaking at an International Woman’s Day event originally scheduled to take place inside the Vatican. In response, the organizers simply moved the venue to the nearby Jesuit headquarters.
Michigan State turns over 45,000 pages to AG, gets extension from lawmakers
By Justin A. Hinkley, Lansing State Journal, February 9, 2018
EAST LANSING - Michigan State University was expected on Friday to have turned over some 45,000 pages of documents to investigators at the Michigan Attorney General's Office, with more to come on "a rolling basis," according to a letter from the university's attorneys to investigators.
Meanwhile, lawmakers on Friday gave the university until Wednesday to hand over documents in their own investigation into how MSU officials responded to Larry Nassar scandal.