The Archdiocese of Suva is drafting a policy to address sexual related offences. Archbishop elect Father Peter Loy Chong said there were a lot of unreported sexual cases within the church. He said this was part of the work required by the Pope on how the church should address the issues relating to sexual related Read more
A priest in Fiji who has been accused of rape and multiple allegations of sex related crimes has been placed in police custody for his own safety. Kolikoli was charged with one count of rape and three counts of indecent assault following a complaint lodged by a 21-year-old on Feb. 24 Police prosecutors say further Read more
Archbishop John Dew has announced that Mr Bill Kilgallon is to replace Mr John Jamieson, who retires in February, as National Director for the Office for Professional Standards, the office which is tasked with dealing with complaints of abuse against clergy or religious. “While the complaints and reviews which are currently being processed are all Read more
Authorities and the Catholic Church in the Philippines will look into the possible involvement of a priest in the illegal trade of ivory after his collection of ivory religious icons was featured in National Geographic magazine. Monsignor Cristobal Garcia is quoted in the October issue of the magazine as describing how to bring ivory figurines Read more
Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini believed the Catholic Church 200 years behind the times. The former archbishop of Milan and papal candidate said this in the final interview he gave before his death last Friday at the age of 85. In the interview Martini gave a scathing portrayal of a pompous and bureaucratic church failing to move with Read more
The archdiocese of Philadelphia has offered a “heartfelt apology” to abuse victims and expressed a commitment to child safety and “reform and renewal” after one of its senior clergy was found guilty of failing to protect children from an abusive priest. A jury found Monsignor William J. Lynn, the former archdiocesan secretary for clergy under Read more
The Vatican’s circular letter to all Bishops’ conferences to assist them to develop guidelines for dealing with cases of sexual abuse of minors by clergy has received a mixed reaction. The general consensus is that it is a step in the right direction but the guidelines for handling sex abuse leave a key issue unaddressed – Read more