Clergy abuse
The Latest
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U.S. bishops’ report on clergy abuse: ‘Encouraging’ trends underscore need for reform
Though the abuse allegations continue to fall year over year, the report noted that numerous dioceses came up short in... Read more
Another New York diocese files for bankruptcy
The bishop of the Diocese of Ogdensburg said the decision to file for bankruptcy follows almost 140 sexual abuse lawsuits... Read more
New Orleans priest pleads guilty to two child molestation charges
Father Patrick Wattigny, 55, a former pastor and chaplain in Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced to five years in prison. Read more
Former New Orleans priest gets 25 years on sexual assault and rape charges
The former priest would meet his victims in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans, specifically targeting intoxicated men or... Read more
Archbishop Fernández didn’t side with alleged sex abuser, archdiocese says
Pope Francis' choice to head the Vatican's doctrinal office has been criticized for his handling of a clergy sex abuse... Read more
Former New Mexico priest indicted on child sex abuse charges
Daniel Balizan, who had served in at least eight New Mexico parishes, could face 10 or more years in prison... Read more
State health examiner agrees that McCarrick is unfit to stand trial
The update in the case could lead to the dismissal of the only criminal charges that McCarrick, 92, has ever... Read more
Illinois clergy sex abuse report: How bishops protected accused priests
The report showed examples of bishops transferring accused child abusers to other parishes or dioceses while failing to make the... Read more
Lawsuit alleges Boston’s Cardinal O’Malley failed to prevent abuse at Catholic high school
Three former students at a Massachusetts Catholic high school have filed a lawsuit against Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley and other... Read more
Vatican expert to go to Bolivia to examine the progress being made in sex abuse prevention
Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith previously investigated sexual abuse in the Church... Read more
New accusations of sexual abuse against Jesuits in Bolivia
Following a report that documented the serial sexual abuse committed in Bolivia by a Jesuit priest, new accusations have been... Read more
Ohio priest convicted of sexual abuse of minors
Parish priest Michael Zacharias, 56, was convicted on five counts of sex trafficking by a federal jury in the Northern... Read more
Oakland Diocese files for bankruptcy following sexual abuse lawsuits
The Diocese of Oakland has filed for bankruptcy protection amid hundreds of accusations of clergy sexual abuse, Bishop Michael Barber... Read more
Vatican abuse commission now more ‘impact-focused,’ Boston’s Cardinal O’Malley says
Cardinal Sean O’Malley said the commission’s recent actions “represent a major shift towards a more impact-focused direction.” Read more
Michigan priest pleads guilty to sexually abusing 5-year-old boy in 1987
A Michigan Catholic priest who was removed from active ministry in 2002 after a sexual abuse complaint was brought against... Read more
Maryland attorney general report on abuse claims to identify more than 600 victims
Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore apologized to abuse survivors and pledged to “do everything possible to prevent future incidents of... Read more
Pope Francis extends ‘Vos estis’ decree to counter both lay and clerical abuse
The decree promulgated March 25 extends the Church’s norms for handling of abuse to cover lay leaders of international associations. Read more
Portuguese bishops announce steps to end sexual abuse in the Church
The bishops of Portugal on Friday began taking concrete steps to respond to a damning investigative report last month. Read more
Michigan priest sentenced to prison for sexual abuse of second-grader
A priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit has been sentenced for the rape of an elementary student at the Catholic... Read more
Judge upholds Maine law on retroactive abuse lawsuits, says Catholic diocese challenge has a point
The judge acknowledged that attorneys for the Catholic Diocese of Portland raised “serious” constitutional concerns in their legal challenge. Read more
