Our Renewal Must Centre on Christ
I don’t have much trust in high-level summits. I really don’t think much is done or achieved by calling an SADC summit or even a summit to deal with the sexual abuse crisis in...
Category: Abuse
Archbishop Slattery: ‘Abusers must be Removed’
Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria has said that priests who abuse minors must be removed from the priesthood, and those who cover up their crimes must be “dealt with”. Noting that the Southern...
Bishop Sipuka: After Summit We Need Action
The Vatican summit on abuse “will be a turning point in the life of the Church — things will not be the same”, according to the president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference...
The End of Clericalism
It is not easy being a Catholic priest at a time when on various fronts they are being criticised. One of the many tragedies of the abuse scandal is that it has cast a...
Why Defending Pell is a Problem
On Wednesday, Cardinal George Pell was taken into custody after having had his bail revoked pending sentencing for his conviction of sexual abuse in a Melbourne court. Since his conviction, the Internet and Catholic...
Closing of the Summit: Pope: No more excuses; time for ‘all-out battle’ against crime of abuse
The time has come for an “all-out battle” against the abuse of minors, erasing this abominable crime from the face of the earth, Pope Francis said, closing a global four-day summit on child protection...
Cardinal: Harming a Child must be ‘Line in the Sand’ for Removal
For the Catholic Church, there is a “line in the sand,” which can never be crossed, and that is to not allow anyone who harms or would harm a child to exercise public ministry,...
Cardinal: Lack of Transparency Harms Church, Justice, Victims
Transparent, reliable and respectful administration is critical for counteracting sinful behavior within the Catholic Church, said German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising. “There are no alternatives to traceability and transparency,” he said,...
Cardinal: Can the Church Step up, Lead way in Protecting Children?
Only together, by humbly sharing their experiences, encouragement and corrective advice, can the bishops and leaders in the Catholic Church work to prevent the abuse of minors and help bring healing to survivors, said...
Vatican Official Urges Reconsidering ‘Pontifical Secret’ in Abuse Cases
The Catholic Church should re-examine how “pontifical secret” is applied in clerical sex abuse cases so there is greater transparency in the cases and it is not invoked “to hide problems,” said a canon...
Irish Archbishop: Secrecy Must ‘Go out the Window’
When it comes to the abuse of children by members of the clergy, using secrecy to hide problems rather than protect victims “must go out the window,” said Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, Northern...
Cardinal Cupich: New Structures to Ensure Bishops’ Accountability
The Catholic Church needs “new legal structures of accountability” for bishops accused of sexual abuse or of negligence in handling abuse allegations, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago told the Vatican summit on safeguarding....
