Tag: Catholic Church

DFA checking with PHL Embassy in Paris if there are Filipinos affected by Notre Dame fire

(Eagle News) — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is monitoring developments regarding the fire that destroyed the centuries old historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and checking if there were any Filipinos affected by the incident. So far, it said, that there were no reports of victims in the area. “The Philippine Embassy in Paris is checking with authorities if there are any victims due to the incident,” the DFA said in a statement. […]

Catholic Church in US state failed to disclose 200 accused clergy: law firm

  Chicago, United States (AFP) — The Catholic Church has failed to disclose more than 200 names of clergy accused of abuse in the US state of Illinois, a law firm claimed Wednesday. The firm Jeff Anderson & Associates has previously released names of accused clergy in other parts of the country based on information it compiled from public sources such as lawsuits. Its latest report outlined 395 Catholic clergy and laypersons in Illinois who […]

US state of West Virginia sues Catholic diocese, bishop for employing known pedophiles

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US state of West Virginia on Tuesday sued a Catholic diocese and a bishop over allegations they knowingly employed pedophiles in schools. State attorney general Patrick Morrisey announced he had filed suit against the diocese of Wheeling/Charleston — located over 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Washington — and against its former bishop Michael Bransfield. Bransfield was himself dismissed in September following allegations of sexual harassment against adults. […]

Catholic Archbishop Tagle admits clergy abuse, cover-up in Vatican meeting; cites need for healing, justice

  (Eagle News) – Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle admitted publicly in a world meeting of Catholic bishops on Thursday, February 21, in Vatican City on how priests had sexually abused children and minors, and stressed the need for all priests to “bring healing” to the wounds they had inflicted. Tagle was the first to give the formal talk in the meeting called by the Catholic Church’s Pope Francis to address the widespread abuse […]

Catholic Church’s Pope Francis issues guidelines for concrete change over sex abuse

by Ella Ide Agence France Presse VATICAN CITY (AFP) — Pope Francis on Thursday handed the world’s top Catholic bishops guidelines to shape the debate at a landmark Vatican summit on tackling clerical sex abuse. “As a help, I would share with you some important criteria formulated by the various episcopal commissions and conferences — they came from you and I have organised them somewhat,” he said as the meeting began. “They are guidelines to […]

Pope’s admission on nuns ‘sex slaves’ scandal fresh blow to Catholic church, says Vatican women’s magazine editor

by Ella Ide Agence France Presse VATICAN CITY (AFP) — Pope Francis’s public admission that priests have used nuns as “sexual slaves” — and may still be doing so — marks a new chapter in the abuse crisis rocking the Catholic church. “It is the first time that the pope, but also the church as an institution, has publicly admitted this abuse is taking place, and that’s hugely important,” Lucetta Scaraffia, editor of the Vatican’s […]

Media reports on sex offense conviction of former Catholic Pope’s adviser Cardinal Pell despite gag order

  (Eagle News) — Cardinal George Pell of Australia who was a member of the Catholic Church’s Pope Francis’ circle of cardinal advisers until recently, had been found guilty of charges related to sexual abuse by an Australian court, according to various media reports that emerged despite a gag order. According to Washington Post and the Catholic News Agency, news about Pell’s conviction on Tuesday, December 11, for sexual offenses came out despite a news […]

Catholic Church’s Buffalo diocese submits documents to US feds amid sex abuse allegations

  The Catholic Church’s diocese of Buffalo in New York state acknowledged Friday having received a demand for documents believed to be linked to a US federal investigation into sexual abuse. “Several months ago, we received a call from the local US Attorney’s office with a request to review documents,” the diocese said in a statement, without giving details about what the documents pertained to. “A subpoena was provided and after some discussion, an agreement […]

Chile church says sorry for conduct guidelines for priests

  By Luis Andres Henao and Patricia Luna Associated Press SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chile’s Roman Catholic Church has apologized for a set of conduct guidelines for priests dealing with children that has caused outrage just as the South American country is being rocked by a widespread clerical sex abuse scandal. The recommendations include asking priests not to “touch the area of the genitals or the chest” of minors, kiss them on the mouth, spank […]

US cardinals defend themselves over cover-up storm

  NEW  YORK, United States (AFP) — US cardinals defended themselves Monday against accusations of a Catholic Church cover-up on sex abuse detailed by a conservative bishop who has called on Pope Francis to resign. Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, a progressive, expressed “shock, sadness and consternation” at the wide-ranging allegations, which he said “cannot be understood as contributing to the healing of survivors of sexual abuse.” “Together with Pope Francis, we are confident that scrutiny […]

Catholic’s Pope Francis faces ire of thousands of sex abuse victims ahead of Ireland visit

A support organization for Catholic Church’s sex abuse victims in Ireland said that as many as one in four adults in the country had experienced some sort of sexual abuse, as a campaign called “Say Nope to the Pope” is planned to hold a protest event as Catholic Pope Francis visits Ireland on Saturday. Executive Director Maeve Lewis of the “One in Four” abuse survivors’ support group said that the upcoming papal visit in Ireland […]

Vatican suspends Chilean deacon accused of child abuse

  SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — The Vatican dismissed a Chilean deacon over sexual abuse accusations in central Chile, the archdiocese of the city of Rancagua said Friday, amid a widespread abuse scandal gripping the country’s Catholic Church. Luis Rubio was arrested for improper conduct and sexual abuse of minors when he was in charge of a Las Cabras school in 2013. A year later, the archdiocese of Rancagua dismissed him from his duties while an […]