Less-Redacted Maryland Report Still Redacts Several Names of Church Leaders

Maryland’s attorney general released some previously redacted names in its staggering report on child sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on Tuesday, but the names of five Catholic church leaders remained redacted amid ongoing appeals, prompting criticism of the church by victims’ advocates. While the names of the high-ranking church leaders already have been … Read more

Belgian Bishop Says Vatican Has Snubbed Pleas To Defrock Pedophile Ex-Colleague

A prominent Belgian bishop on Sept. 27 criticized the Vatican for failing to defrock a former bishop who admitted sexually abusing children, saying it had led to massive frustration with the highest Roman Catholic authorities. Disgraced bishop Roger Vangheluwe, who was brought down by a sexual abuse scandal 13 years ago, became a symbol in … Read more

German Priests Bless Same-Sex Couples in Defiance of Archbishop

Several Catholic priests held a ceremony blessing same-sex couples outside Cologne Cathedral on Wednesday night in a protest against the city’s conservative archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. Their protest was triggered by Cologne church officials’ criticism of a priest from Mettmann, a town near Duesseldorf, who in March had held a “blessing ceremony for lovers” … Read more

Francis Claims ‘Backward’ U.S. Conservatives Have Replaced Faith With Ideology

Pope Francis has blasted the “backwardness” of some conservatives in the U.S. Catholic Church, saying they have replaced faith with ideology and that a correct understanding of Catholic doctrine allows for change over time. Francis’ comments were an acknowledgment of the divisions in the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been split between progressives and conservatives … Read more

Sex Abuse Revelations Unwelcome Distraction as Pope Francis Visits Scandal-Hit Portugal

When a panel of experts read aloud some of the harrowing accounts they had collected from recently discovered victims of child sex abuse in the Portuguese Catholic Church, the country’s senior bishops squirmed in the auditorium’s front-row seats. During a live television broadcast, the experts reported in February that at least 4,815 boys and girls … Read more

Vatican Prosecutor Seeks 7 Years in Jail for Cardinal, Confiscation of $460 Million from 10 Defendants

The Vatican prosecutor asked a court Wednesday to convict 10 people, including a cardinal, of a range of financial crimes, sentence them to three to 13 years in prison and order the confiscation of some 415 million euros ($460 million) to pay the Holy See back for bad investments and financial losses over the past … Read more

Report Details ‘Staggering’ Sex Abuse in Archdiocese of Baltimore

More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children and often escaped accountability, according to a long-awaited state report released Wednesday that revealed the scope of abuse spanning 80 years and accused church leaders of decades of coverups. The report paints a damning picture of the … Read more

Vatican Takes Away Paint Brushes of Serial Abuser

Pope Francis’ Jesuit religious order has decided to prohibit a prominent Jesuit artist whose mosaics decorate churches around the globe from pursuing his artistic activity after 15 more people came forward with fresh accusations against him of spiritual, sexual and psychological abuse. The Jesuits told The Associated Press that they are weighing further disciplinary measures … Read more

Pope Francis Says Homosexuality Not A Crime

Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church. “Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during an exclusive interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. Francis acknowledged that Catholic … Read more