In that desire for accountability, he is now addressing concerns regarding the Kamalen Karidat (KK) ministries which have been raised by Concerned Catholics of Guam (CCOG).

Established in 1993, KK helps provide food and clothing to the poor and operates a soup kitchen in Agaña.

CCOG had asked Byrnes to shut down the KK programme, citing alleged mismanagement, a lack of accountability and proper documentation.

CCOG President David Sablan told the media that CCOG believes funds were used for personal and other purposes by Archbishop Anthony Apuron, not at all related to KK's mission of helping the poor.

Byrnes said he appreciated the diligence and concern of the CCOG which communicated its concerns in a formal letter to him last October.

He has instructed the legal counsel of KK to give notice of a board meeting to address these matters.

In the meantime, the services to the poor and homeless will continue but the ministries will be removed from KK and operate under the direct control of the Archdiocese.

Father Mike Crisostomo was appointed to lead KK last May.

Byrne gave an assurance that since his appointment Crisostomo has ensured that KK has practised full diligence and compliance in managing its finances, including properly documenting all contributions.

Source

• Umatuna
• Pacific Daily News
• Pacific New Centre
• Image: Pacific Daily News

The pope met with five adults who had suffered abuse as children.

The victims had been abused by the clergy or by members of their families or their teachers.

Francis heard their stories and spoke to the group, then met with each survivor individually, praying with them.

Francis has previously met with victims, as did his predecessor, Benedict XVI.

The Pope told the victims and their supporters: "You are precious children of God who should always expect our protection, our care and our love."

The Pope also said he is deeply sorry for those occasions when victims or their families spoke out and reported abuse, but were not believed.

"I deeply regret that some bishops failed in their responsibility to protect children," he added.

"It is very disturbing to know that in some cases bishops even were abusers.

"I pledge to you that we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead.

"Clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children."

Francis also told those at the meeting that "Your stories of survival, each unique and compelling, are powerful signs of the hope that comes from the Lord's promise to be with us always."

"We promise to support your continued healing and to always be vigilant to protect the children of today and tomorrow."

Also present at the meeting was Cardinal Sean O'Malley, who heads the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Speaking later to bishops and seminarians, Pope Francis said "God weeps" and "I regret this profoundly".

The Pope described himself as "overwhelmed by shame".

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests described the Pope's meeting with victims as a public relations gesture.

Francis's comments on the scandal came after days of simmering resentment about his earlier remarks, in which critics said he seemed more concerned about its effect on the clergy than the victims.

Sources

• New York Times
• The Guardian
• Text of Pope's remarks to abuse victims
• Image: ABC

An appeals court in Liege ruled that Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard had to pay following a civil case.

The case was brought by Joel Devillet who was raped by a priest in southern Belgium between 1987 and 1991.

The earliest abuse happened when he was 14 years old and has left him with serious psychological problems.

Mr Devillet, who studied to be a priest himself, told the Namur diocese of his earlier experience of abuse, but received little help.

The diocese failed to notify civil authorities and the only action then-Bishop Leonard took was to transfer the offending priest to another parish.

In 1996 the victim denounced his violator in front of an internal tribunal of the Belgian Catholic Church, which advised him to seek therapy.

Mr Devillet failed in a bid to get a criminal conviction and so launched, and won, a civil suit claiming damages from the priest involved.

The appeals court ruled Archbishop Leonard's treatment of Mr Devillet's case constituted misconduct.

The archbishop's lawyer said his client disagreed with the court judgment, but had not yet decided whether he would appeal.

The lawyer observed that the court had criticised the reaction of the Namur diocese, but had not pointed to anything specific that Leonard should have done.

Archbishop Leonard has been the focus of previous criticism for stating it is vengeful to prosecute retired priests.

He also once said that the Church need not compensate victims.

A report in 2010 found child abuse was widespread in the Belgian Church, and that it had driven at least 13 victims to suicide.

Archbishop Leonard will be required to submit his resignation to the Pope on May 6, when he reaches his 75th birthday.

Sources

• Reuters
• Catholic World News
• AFP
• Image: Yahoo

Earlier this month, Cardinal Pell, who is prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, told media the Vatican had US$1.5 billion in assets that had not been previously accounted for.

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who is president of the Vatican's Council of the Economy, expressed doubts as the wisdom of the revelation.

"Such figures are not very helpful and I personally am always reticent about quoting figures," Cardinal Marx told the German Catholic News Agency.

"Assets figures only make sense if I connect them to the obligations I have," he said.

The secretariat reports to the economic council, which is headed by Cardinal Marx.

The council has overarching responsibility for all the financial activity of the Holy See.

But Cardinal Marx admitted: "Up to now it was not usual and to a certain extent impossible to conduct a real overall budget which was up to international standards."

"That must change," he added.

Progress on reforms aimed at financial transparency at the Vatican was reported to cardinals who met earlier this month.

There was heated debate over proposed statutes for the council and the secretariat.

Some fear that too much power would be given to a "super-dicastery" headed by Cardinal Pell.

According to Vatican Insider, what is proposed contradicts the principal of real separation of oversight and operations as insisted on by the president of the Vatican Bank.

Concerns about the proposed statutes, raised by the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, were dismissed by Cardinal Pell,

He said an alternative set of statutes proposed by this body would have hamstrung reform efforts.

Vatican Insider pointed out that the pontifical council was asked to do this work by Pope Francis.

Before the meeting of cardinals, South African Cardinal Wilfred Fox Napier said the pontifical council went beyond its remit.

The Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples has been cited as one large Vatican agency that has been notably resistant to financial reforms.

Sources

• The Tablet
• Vatican Insider
• Catholic News Service
• Crux
• Image: Zimbio

A group of priests and deacons in Osorno have complained to the apostolic nuncio for Chile about Bishop Juan Barros Madrid.

The priests and deacons allege the bishop covered up for Fr Fernando Karadima, who sexually abused altar servers.

Bishop Barros was appointed to his latest post by Pope Francis in January.

In 2000, he was appointed Bishop of Iquique and four years later he became the military ordinary for Chile.

Initially a priest of Santiago archdiocese, Bishop Barros was made auxiliary bishop in Valparaiso in 1995.

Victims have said Fr Karadima began abusing them at his residence in Santiago about 20 years ago, when they were teenagers.

The Vatican ordered Fr Karadima to a life of "penitence and prayer" in 2011.

A Chilean judge later dismissed a criminal case because the statute of limitations had expired, but she determined the abuse allegations were truthful.

About 50 Chilean lawmakers signed a petition last week asking the Vatican for the resignation of Bishop Barros, who was known to be close to Fr Karadima.

More than 1000 residents of Osorno have signed a similar petition protesting his nomination.

Early last week, the Pope's point man for clerical sexual abuse, American Cardinal Sean O'Malley, spoke on the need for accountability.

Cardinal O'Malley said the failure of the Church to punish bishops who covered up for abusers had seriously harmed its credibility.

He said canon lawyers and theologians were reviewing proposals to present to the Pope on holding bishops and religious superiors accountable.

The proposals were developed by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which Cardinal O'Malley chairs.

The commission includes two survivors of sexual abuse.

The cardinal said the sex abuse scandal had "seriously diminished" the Church's credibility in its core spheres of defending human rights, the unborn and immigrants.

Sources

• Huffington Post
• Yahoo News
• Catholic Hierarchy
• Image: CathNewsUSA