Marie Collins said canon law had more often been used to protect the abuser than to punish him Canon law should be re-written to institute a global zero-tolerance policy against priests who commit sexual abuse, a clerical abuse survivor told attendees at the World Meeting of Families. Marie Collins, a former member of the Pontifical … Read more
The investigation will include the Archdiocese of Chicago, which is headed by Cardinal Blase Cupich The Attorney General of Illinois is to set up a sex abuse enquiry in the six dioceses in the state. “The Catholic Church has a moral obligation to provide its parishioners and the public a complete and accurate accounting of … Read more
Cardinal Tobin has told clergy in his diocese not to speak to the press after a news report detailing allegations of sexual misconduct appeared on Catholic News Agency. Six anonymous priests told CNA that a “gay sub-culture” existed in the Archdiocese of Newark, particularly in the seminary. However, the cardinal said in a letter to priests … Read more
The Pope must come up with a concrete plan to address the crisis Pope Francis has written another letter in the wake of the revelations regarding clerical sex abuse in Pennsylvania. From start to finish, his latest “Letter to the People of God” is full of language we have seen before, or minor variations on themes that … Read more
Bishops who knew about abuse and did nothing should resign, the Bishop of Erie said. In an interview with EWTN, Bishop Lawrence Persico said the only way to regain the trust of the laity after decades-long claims of sexual abuse by priests and others at six Pennsylvania dioceses is by deeds. During a report on … Read more
Policies have slowly improved. But as a matter of justice, individual prelates should admit wrongdoing and step down How could priests do this? Once, again, the Church confronts this question after Tuesday’s release of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report on sexual abuse in six Pennsylvania dioceses over several decades. Even after so many previous revelations, the … Read more
The Archdiocese of Washington has deleted the “Wuerl Report” website defending the cardinal’s handling of sex abuse cases in Pittsburgh. The website was strongly criticised for striking the wrong tone after the release of a grand jury report detailing hundreds of sex abuse accusations against priests in Pennsylvania. Cardinal Wuerl was Bishop of Pittsburgh when … Read more
Public penance should be the first response. Then let’s look at some basic improvements to canon law The official response to the allegations against Theodore McCarrick has been tiresomely predictable. First, the bishops expressed shock and disbelief; then they dutifully called for improved procedures to deal with offending clerics. Of course Church law, like the … Read more
Whether with a Holy Hour or sackcloth and ashes, prelates can make reparation for the sins of their brother bishops Something very important is missing from every statement issued by US bishops thus far in the wake of the allegations against ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. It is something needed not only for the restoration of the bishops’ credibility … Read more
Theodore McCarrick did not want to be known as a father. He encouraged young men and boys to call him “uncle”, and called them his nephews in turn. He wrote them flirtatious letters signed Uncle Ted or Uncle T. According to the Vatican journalist Rocco Palmo, he was in fact “known to everyone from reporters … Read more