The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences last week concluded a meeting to address growing concerns in Asia over sexual abuse within the Church. Conference organizers barred access and refused comment to journalists attempting to cover the event. A letter posted by the Federation’s Office of the Clergy in January invited “cardinals, archbishops, bishops and formators” Read more
Pope Benedict has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law, archpriest of St Mary Major, a prominent Roman basilica. Nine years ago, after the clerical sex abuse scandal forced his resignation at Archbishop of Boston, John Paul II appointed Law as archpriest of one of Rome’s most important churches. Cardinal Law, who turned 80 this Read more
A Catholic bishop stepped down yesterday just six days before child sex abuse audits into two dioceses where he served are due to be published.
Bishop of Derry, Seamus Hegarty’s resignation on health grounds was accepted by Pope Benedict just two weeks after offering it. He left his post immediately.
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The French charismatic movement, the Community of the Beatitudes, has admitted that its founder Gerard Croissant was a sexual abuser. “The Community is deeply ashamed of Ephraim’s behavior and expresses its sympathy with all the people who have been abused by him,” a statement on its website says. The Beatitudes Community says Croissant’s crimes were Read more
The people in Ireland have been misled about the extent of abuse by priests and priests subject to unjustifiable wrongs, according to the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin. Dr Martin, speaking at Mass to celebrate the lives of the nine priests who had died in the diocese this year, said he had been thinking about Read more
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has reacted angrily to claims that his row with the Vatican is behind the decision to close Ireland’s embassy to the Holy See.
The government leader has categorically refuted that the closure is down to anything other than economic reality.
Fianna Fail’s deputy leader Eamon O Cuiv challenged Kenny to admit his row with the Catholic Church over the Cloyne Report was the real reason behind the decision to close the embassy at the Vatican.
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The 80th birthday of disgraced former Boston Cardinal Bernard Law was a lavish spread in a four-star Italian hotel, where guests rolled up in Vatican Mercedes sedans, reports the Boston Herald. People left the celebration singing the praises of the fallen prelate promoted to his Vatican post of archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Read more
A survey conducted in Ireland establishes half the population believes one-in-five priests is guilty of child abuse, when in fact the figure is 4%, or one-in-twenty-five. The survey, commissioned by the pro-religion Iona Institute, showed only a third of those surveyed were closer to the 4% figure and shows a clear majority of the public overestimates the number Read more
“I heard that one of those Catholic popes was molesting children again!” said my mother-in-law’s friend the other day, presumably referring to the news in Kansas City. One isn’t sure where to begin addressing a statement like that. As it turned out, I didn’t have to. She was so busy making comments about how awful “those Read more
Reinstated Ireland parish priest, Fr Kevin Reynolds says the RTE media apology has freed him from false allegations, baseless accusations and lies. Reynolds was accused of raping a minor, named Veneranda while he was a missionary in Kenya and as a result of the rape, fathering a child named Sheila. In an apology, dated Thursday 6 Read more