In an emotional summary after more than two months of testimony, the prosecution in a landmark sexual-abuse trial said here on Thursday that overwhelming evidence showed that a Roman Catholic Church official had shielded predatory priests, lied to parishioners and victims, and exposed innocent children to abuse. But a defense lawyer for the official, Msgr. Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Sexual abuse’
Milwaukee: Dolan allegedly paid suspected pedophile priests to leave
Friday, June 1st, 2012The Archdiocese of Milwaukee confirmed Wednesday that it had a policy to pay suspected pedophile priests to leave the ministry. The acknowledgement was prompted by a document made public by abuse victims’ advocates from the archdiocese’s bankruptcy that references a 2003 proposal to pay $20,000 to “unassignable priests” who accepted a return to the laity. Read more
Ireland’s church shows sign of renewal after loss of credibility
Thursday, May 31st, 2012Ireland’s Catholic Church, host of the International Eucharistic Congress, has suffered a dramatic loss of credibility in recent years, but also shows signs of renewal after a decade of turbulence. While a recent survey by the Association of Catholic Priests found that weekly Mass attendance throughout the country is one of the highest in Europe Read more
Dublin Archbishop calls for inquiry into the Brendan Smyth affair
Friday, May 11th, 2012
With controversy still raging over the role of Cardinal Brady in the Brendan Smyth affair, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has called for an independent commission of inquiry into Smyth’s offending and the circumstances around it. Archbishop Martin said “I know it’s not fashionable today to talk about Commissions but I do really believe that Read more
Irish Cardinal urged to resign
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Politicians, including the Irish Deputy Prime Minister, as well as Father Vincent Twomey, an Irish theologian and former professor at the country’s Maynooth seminary, have called for the resignation of the head of the Irish Catholic Church, Cardinal Seán Brady. “It is my own personal view that anybody who did not deal with the scale Read more
Ireland’s priests not protected by confessional seal
Friday, April 27th, 2012
Priests in Ireland are now legally obliged to break the Confessional Seal and report the sexual abuse of children, reports The Tablet. The change was confirmed by Ireland’s Justice Minister Alan Shatter who said the laws were intended to encourage every individual to report abuse, and it would apply to priests in the confessional. Shatter Read more
Melbourne archbishop welcomes parliamentary sexual abuse enquiry
Friday, April 20th, 2012
The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, says the Archdiocese has welcomed the announcement of a Parliamentary enquiry into how religious organisations handle allegations of sexual abuse of children and will co-operate fully with the enquiry. On Tuesday Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu announced a year-long parliamentary enquiry into the handing of criminal abuse of children. Read more
Multiple suicides: call for Royal Commission into Australian clergy sexual abuse
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
A lawyer representing 45 victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy is calling for a Royal Commission following a police report linking dozens of suicides to sexual abuse by clergy. Most cases concern sexual abuse by Catholic brother, Robert Best and former priest Gerald Ridsdale. “An inquiry would horrify the community”, Vivian Walker told the Read more
US report warns of child protection complacency
Friday, April 13th, 2012
A finding from the annual child safety compliance plan of the US Conference of Catholic bishops warns of a “growing complacency” about child protection. The report mentions around 30 dioceses as failing to provide safe environment training for all children in parishes or schools. The auditors said several dioceses assumed that the children had undergone the training Read more
Priest returned to ministry: abuse allegation unsubstantiated
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012A Tipperary priest was this evening formally returned to ministry almost two years after stepping aside while an abuse allegation was investigated. The allegation was found to be unsubstantiated.
Fr Tadgh Furlong will now return to his post as Parish Priest of Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary.
Speaking at Mass this evening Archbishop Dermot Clifford said that Fr Furlong “has endured the prolonged ordeal of his standing aside with outstanding courage and honour.
“His approach has been fully in keeping with the dedication which he has shown throughout his priestly life to selfless service of Church and community,” the archbishop said.
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