A retired social worker in Scotland who did a research on “problem priests” said a “secret archives” of the Church could contain allegations of sexual abuse by as many as 100 priests and other staff in cases stretching back 50 years. Alan Draper said an independent commission should be allowed access to the archives of Read more
A senior Catholic priest has told the New South Wales inquiry on sex abuse that he was willing to break the law by not reporting allegations against paedophile priests. Father Brian Lucas, the general secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops conference, said he would never betray the trust of a victim if they didn’t want Read more
An Australian bishop has said he turned a blind eye to decades of complaints against a predatory paedophile priest because “the whole area of sexual abuse is so distasteful that I would have found it unpalatable”. Retired Bishop Michael Malone of Maitland-Newcastle diocese told the New South Wales commission of inquiry he was out of Read more
The High Court has set August 15 for the hearing of an appeal by former Catholic brother Bernard Kevin McGrath against the decision to extradite him to Australia to face hundreds of child abuse sex charges. The court in Christchurch will hear the 65-year-old’s appeal on that afternoon. The Australian Government sought his extradition last Read more
The American archdiocese of Milwaukee has released 6000 pages of documents relating to clergy sex abuse, including the personnel files of 42 priests and the depositions of Church leaders including New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Cardinal Dolan, now the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, was formerly archbishop of Milwaukee. Cardinal Dolan’s Read more
This week Nigella Lawson was photographed with her husband’s hand round her throat. How can we make sure children never have to experience abuse from a partner when they grow up? Plus, the warning signs of a controlling relationship. When I became the mother of one, then two, girls I would occasionally think about the Read more
The Catholic Church has had little trouble finding its way onto the front pages of Australian newspapers in recent weeks and months, though it’s usually been — not unlike many other Western countries — to report on something related to the sexual abuse of minors. With two state inquiries and a national Royal Commission all Read more
The International Criminal Court has turned down a bid to bring charges against Pope Benedict XVI for crimes against humanity. The court found “no basis” for an investigation of the charges brought by groups representing sex-abuse victims, who had claimed that the Vatican perpetuated the molestation of children. The lawyer for the Holy See had Read more
The Catholic Church in Victoria has revised its figures for the number of people abused by priests and religious, producing a total 37 per cent per cent higher than previously given to the state’s parliamentary inquiry. In a new submission the Church said it has now identified 849 victims and 269 offenders. The previous submission Read more
The ongoing work of protecting young people from sexual abuse has received strong encouragement from Pope Francis. “This is important work; keep it up!” he said three times during a meeting with a participant in an international conference on the subject. The annual Anglophone Conference on the Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults Read more