Abuse and Safeguarding in the Catholic Church

I'm saddened and disappointed to have to open a topic on this subject again, given the genuine strides which the Church has made to address the issue, but it has come up from time to time in this group and a dedicated thread seems in order. It has reared its ugly head again, fortunately not with too many new cases of abuse, as robust safeguarding measures have been put in place in many bishops' conferences and Catholic institutions; I have been involved in safeguarding in more than one country, and have seen for myself the commitment of many clergy and laity to protect children and other vulnerable people. However the degree of commitment to dealing with historical abuse in some parts of the institution is now being called into question (cf Tablet articles which I will post below), and evidence is emerging of the efforts made by some bishops to hide their own roles in either active abuse or the covering up thereof. We can probably all say mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa for enabling these sins of omission, and redouble our efforts as a whole Church to do better.

The urgent case for action over the clerical sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church

Is the momentum of the synodal process, and the legacy of this papacy when it comes to tackling abuse, at risk? An eruption of high-profile abuse cases has caused outrage and despair among Catholics and thrown a spotlight on the Holy See’s failure to resolve what is often described as the most severe crisis to hit the Church since the Reformation. The focus of the clerical sex abuse crisis is now squarely on the Church’s hierarchy, not only in its mishandling of cases but in the emergence of allegations of abuse perpetrated by bishops. In large parts of the Church, in both the West and the Global South, sexual violence and abuse is still often hidden, and action to investigate historic cases and prevent future scandals has become urgent...

Retired French bishop admits 'inappropriate gestures' to woman

Both a criminal investigation and canonical investigation are underway into the actions of Archbishop Jean-Pierre Grallet...

Bishops fail to shake suspicion that falls on them and Rome

The French Church seemed haunted and hamstrung by its clerical sexual abuse scandal, both by the shocking admissions of misdeeds by a cardinal and a bishop and confusion about what local Church authorities could reveal about the secrets they know...

Broglio elected president of US bishops

Broglio worked as chief of cabinet to Cardinal Angelo Sodano from 1990 until 2001. When asked about Sodano’s role in protecting serial pedophile Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, Broglio said: “I had actually left the office by the time the great accusations {against Maciel} came up.” In fact, the Hartford Courant newspaper published extensive, detailed accounts of accusations against Maciel in 1997... Broglio also defended his earlier assertions that homosexual and “effeminate” clergy were “directly related” to the clergy sex abuse crisis, despite the fact that a 2011 study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice for the USCCB indicated there was no statistical evidence to support such a linkage...

All the above from the Tablet. And from America magazine:

Archbishop Broglio, questioned on abuse, homosexuality and whether he’s a ‘Pope Francis’ bishop in first press conference as USCCB head

If his first press conference is any indication of what is in store for him over the next three years, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, may be in for a bit of a bumpy ride—and with him the church in the United States. In just a few short minutes after being introduced to the press for the first time as president-elect of the conference on Nov. 15, the archbishop was asked about his past relationship with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, whether or not he still believed that homosexuality in the priesthood was among the primary drivers of the church’s clerical abuse crisis and, finally, whether his election to the U.S.C.C.B presidency signified a continued estrangement among bishops in the United States from the aims and hopes of Pope Francis for the global church....

Kevin Clarke a writer for America Magazine is quoted as saying that the John Jay institutes study (mentioned above) found that "homosexuality was not the cause of abuse by priests but were crimes of opportunity by pedophiles". The overall research was good, but it had a flaw, they took at face value how accused priests characterized themselves, they did not dispute the fact that over 80% of victims were male and that over 75% of those were post pubescent. They do not dispute the fact that men having sex with men is an homosexual act. John Jay's mistake is in saying homosexuality cannot be the cause because many of the accused priests do not identify as being gay. So What? To say that the abuse scandal was caused by pedophiles is simply not true. The John Jay report clearly states the opposite, saying further that many accused priests were simply immature and the reason they are attracted to adolescents is that they are psychologically stunted. PS I remember I posted about Marcia Maciel that he had friendly photo opps with JPll and was quite the rising star at the time I didnt accuse JPll of any wrong doings I think Maciel was an exellent con man, I think Broglio should get the same treatment as JPll. I think that post was one of the many that were censored....AMDG....

>3 brone:

That looks a bit l like a cut-and-paste from somewhere. Could you cite the source, please? An academic critique of an academic study deserves to be identified so that the reader can compare and give weight to the two differing arguments. But it might be worth looking at this 2011 article from America Magazine, which disputes the assertion by Archbishop Broglio and yourself and supports the John Jay Report.

that post was one of the many that were censored

Posts are not "censored". Posts are removed if they fail to respect the posting guidelines of this group. Please contact me by private message if you have any concerns.

Edited to add: Kevin Clarke a writer for America Magazine is quoted as saying

Quoted by whom, if I might ask? Where?

Kevin Clarke is the Chief correspondent for America magazine, James Martin also echoes what Clarke says, we could "cut and paste" any number of essays from The Catholic Reporter, Commonweal, Guardian, ect who will agree with James and Kevin even though its obvious they did not read the report. The report does not say that abuse was caused by pedophiles, and it does not dispute the fact that over 80% of victims were males and 75% of those were after puberty, it also does not dispute the fact that men having sex with men is an homosexual act....JMJ....

>5 brone:

Yes, I know who Kevin Clarke is. He wrote the article I cited in >2 John5918:. But your phrase "is quoted as saying" implies that you did not read his article but you read another article which quoted him. You must know what that article is, so why so coy about citing it? If you've forgotten where it comes from, that's fine, we all forget things, but don't be afraid to simply say you have forgotten. I've searched through a number of his recent articles for America Magazine and can't find the quote to which you refer, so please help us out here and tell us where to look for it. I really can't understand why you are so unhelpful.

any number of essays from The Catholic Reporter, Commonweal, Guardian, ect who will agree with James and Kevin even though its obvious they did not read the report

Can you show some evidence of some essays which demonstrates that they did not read the report rather than that they simply disagree with your and Archbishop Broglio's interpretation of it? Have you read the John Jay report, as a matter of interest? I have, although it was a good few years ago and I can't pretend to remember all the details.

men having sex with men is an homosexual act

That's a tautology, I think, or perhaps a truism. But the report, and the whole sexual abuse issue, is not about men having sex with men but about men (and in a smaller number of cases women) having abusive sexual interaction with minors, whether those minors be male or female and whether they be pre- or post-pubescent. Having sexual interaction with minors is a different issue from which gender of adults one has sex with. And having sex is a different issue from homosexual orientation. Most priests, whether hetero- or homosexual, are supposed to be celibate. I know many homosexual priests (there's an old topic in this group on the issue, 'The Catholic church is absolutely hoaching with gay priests and bishops'), I know many heterosexual priests, and I know many priests about whose sexual orientation I have no idea - why should I, unless they tell me, or unless they are very open about it? I also have no idea about the sexual orientation of many of my lay friends and colleagues, and again, why should I? And what difference does it make to me whether a priest or a lay person is hetero- or homosexual? Most priests, whether hetero- or homosexual, do not abuse minors. Sadly a minority of priests do. What the John Jay research found is that the evidence does not support the claim that priests of homosexual orientation are more likely to commit abuse of minors than priests of heterosexual orientation. Thus focusing on homosexual priests is not only unfair to them, as they already face discrimination, but it can detract from the main issue of preventing sexual abuse of minors by any and all priests.

Bishop emeritus Howard Hubbard requests to be defrocked. This after 37 years of complete control over a diocese and retirement. His reason being "I want to serve God as a layperson". This prelate was a visible presence in the USA and known in other parts of the World. This priests different handles throughout his career, "progressive", "street priest". "boy bishop" Hubbard has masked the alledged monster he really was with these monikers, at least 7 credible victims have come forward to confront Hubbard, How long has Rome known about this?....JMJ....

>7 brone:

You forgot again to cite a source. Wikipedia appears to give a reasonable summary, although I don't see any reference to those monikers.

Pope Francis: Benedict XVI was "leader" in Responding to Sexual Abuse (ACI Africa)

In a recent interview Pope Francis said his predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was a leader in “taking responsibility” and responding with transparency to clerical sexual abuse — the latest defense by the Holy Father of his predecessor, who is facing criticism in his native Germany for his handling of several abuse cases as an archbishop decades ago... During his almost eight-year pontificate, which began in 2005, Benedict XVI dismissed hundreds of abusers from the clerical state, regularly met abuse survivors, and addressed the abuse crisis in Ireland in a 2010 pastoral letter...

Baroness Hollins challenges effectiveness of Vatican child protection body (Tablet)

A founding member of the Holy See’s child protection commission has echoed criticism of its leadership, questioned the wisdom of placing the body within the Vatican’s doctrine office and called some of the commission’s plans “unrealistic”...

Scandal over Jesuit priest and artist who 'absolved' woman for engaging in sexual activity with him (Tablet)

An eminent Jesuit priest, Father Marko Rupnik, whose mosaics decorate chapels in the Vatican and elsewhere, was excommunicated after being found guilty of “one of the worst forms of spiritual abuse” just two years before the Vatican decided to take no action on further abuse allegations. Associated Press confirmed an allegation reported first by the Messa in Latino blog that Rupnik had been convicted of absolving a woman in confession of engaging in sexual activity with him after a complaint in 2019 and had been sanctioned as a result...

New Book on Child Protection Offers Tips in Making Church Safe for Minors (ACI Africa)

Readers of the 166-page newly launched book will gather “concrete steps” in the care, protection, and safeguarding of minors in Church and society, a Jesuit Priest who provided a review of the book has said. Launched on Tuesday, December 13, the book, “A Culture of Care & Protection: New Challenges for Consecrated Life”, is a collection of well-researched articles that address both the implementation of Canon-law procedures and the analysis of cases, whilst providing valuable insights into how better to approach the human and psychological aspects of formation to Religious Life... he first step, the lecturer of systematic theology said, is by denouncing clericalism within the Church. The Church is denouncing clericalism because we are not called to become powerful people, untouchable people. We have been called to serve the Church and to serve the little ones,” the Burkinabe-born Jesuit Priest said. Secondly, he said, there is need to “reform formation houses, the formation of Priests, Religious men and women because we neglected emotional formation, sexual and affective formation”...

The book costs US$6.00 and is available at Pauline bookshops in Nairobi and in soft copy at www.paulinesafrica.org.

Jesuits defend their handling of the Rupnik case: Not communicating is not obstruction (YouTube)

Jesuits ask victims to come forward in artist abuse case (NCR)

Pope Francis' Jesuit order on Nov. 18 asked any more victims to come forward with complaints against a famous Jesuit artist who was essentially let off the hook by the Vatican twice despite devastating testimony by women who said he sexually and spiritually abused them. The Jesuits asked for new evidence against the Rev. Marko Ivan Rupnik, and offered a timeline about his case in an effort to tamp down the scandal. The Slovenian priest is relatively unknown among rank-and-file Catholics but is well known in the hierarchy because he is one of the church’s most sought-after artists. His mosaics decorate chapels, churches and basilicas around the globe. The scandal exploded this past week after the Jesuits admitted he had been excommunicated for having committed one of the gravest crimes in the Catholic Church — using the confessional to absolve a woman with whom he had engaged in sexual activity...

Jesuits present timeline of investigation of accusations against Fr Rupnik (Vatican News)

In a statement, Father Johan Verschueren, SJ, the Delegate of Superior General Arturo Sosa (the head of the Jesuit Order) and Major Superior for the International Houses, said, “The last week has seen a focus on two investigations carried on concerning the ministry of Fr Marko Rupnik. One concerned a matter relating to the sacrament of reconciliation; another related to abuse against several women of the Loyola Community by Fr Rupnik. The information shared has provoked many questions and I share below a timeline of the events in the hope of providing some clarity.” Father Verschueren affirmed that his “main concern in all of this is for those who have suffered,” and he invited anyone who wanted to make a new complaint or to discuss complaints already made to contact him. “I assure you that you will be listened to with understanding and with empathy,” he said, adding, “Already a few months ago, we established a team of people, women and men, from various disciplines and with a variety of expertise in dealing with these situations. They are available, and indeed have been, to listen, support and to help. The e-mail of this service is: teamreferente.dir@gmail.com and people can write in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and German”...

Cardinal says Rome diocese learned ‘recently’ of Fr. Rupnik accusations (CNA)

Cardinal Angelo De Donatis said Friday that the Diocese of Rome learned only recently about the accusations of abuse against Father Marko Rupnik, a Jesuit priest and artist who has served in the diocese for decades. In a statement released late on Dec. 23, De Donatis said “the Diocese of Rome, which was unaware until recently of the issues raised, cannot enter into the merits of the determinations made by others, but assures, also in the name of its Bishop, every support necessary for the desirable positive solution of the case…” De Donatis is vicar of the Diocese of Rome, of which Pope Francis is bishop... Reports were published earlier this month containing allegations that Rupnik had, around three decades ago, sexually, spiritually, and psychologically abused sisters in a religious institute with which he was formerly associated. Following the media reports, the Jesuits confirmed that Rupnik had also incurred an automatic excommunication for absolving an accomplice in a sin against the sixth commandment. The excommunication was verified, and shortly afterward lifted, by the Vatican in 2020. The Jesuits also said the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith had, in October 2022, declined to pursue a penal process against Rupnik for the abuse allegations because they fell outside the statute of limitations...

An interesting article reflecting on the abuse of children by monks at a famous Benedictine school, written by a former pupil. Well worth reading in full.

An education at Ampleforth and the hard lessons learned (Tablet)

John Paul II covered up child abuse while cardinal, Polish television says (Le Monde)

According to Polish broadcaster TVN, the former pope knew of cases of pedophile priests within the church while a cardinal in Krakow...

Pope confirms ‘Vos estis lux mundi’ procedures against abuse (Vatican News)

Pope Francis promulgates an updated version of the Church’s norms to prevent and counter sexual abuse against minors and vulnerable adults, harmonizing various legislative reforms introduced since 2019 and extending the norms to cover lay leaders of international associations of the faithful recognized by the Holy See...Following nearly four years of experimentation and extensive consultation with bishops and the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, Pope Francis has definitively promulgated procedures to prevent and counter sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. The updated version of the motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi was published on Saturday, and enters into force on 30 April. It replaces the previous version published in May 2019, and confirms the Church’s desire to continue to combat crimes of sexual abuse...

Fr Hans Zollner resigns from child protection body (Tablet)

One of the Church’s leading anti-abuse experts has stepped down from the Holy See’s child protection commission, saying he had become “increasingly concerned” with how the body is being run... But the German Jesuit said that shortcomings in “responsibility, compliance, accountability and transparency” in the running of the commission meant he wished to “disassociate” from the body... Fr Zollner is not the only former commission member who has criticised how the body has run. Last year, The Tablet reported how several former members had raised questions about the decision to place it under the auspices of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the wisdom of entering a financial partnership with the Italian bishops’ conference to help fund abuse reporting centres in the global south and cited a style of working which was not collaborative...

AMECEA Introduces Safeguarding Programmes in Major Seminaries (AMECEA)

Abuse and exploitation of children and vulnerable adults continues to persist within the Association on Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) despite efforts by various actors to curb the same. As such, safeguarding remains a major commitment of the AMECEA Bishops. Guided by the belief that ‘Every Child Matters’ and inspired by the centrality of Children in Jesus Ministry, AMECEA has unveiled a programme to scale up safeguarding in seminaries. The programme aims to cultivate the culture of safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and make the Church in the region safe... to ensure seminary formation played a critical role in forming future priests who would actively safeguard the interests of the children in the church... African values coupled with solid scriptural teachings should be at the center stage in setting a basis upon which safeguarding must be premised... it was clear there was need to put more effort to prepare the seminarians to handle the challenges of abuse. This would contribute to making the church safe for all children...

>19 John5918:

Top anti-abuse expert sets record straight on resignation from Vatican body (Crux)

German Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, one of the church’s leading protagonists in the fight against clerical sexual abuse, has sought to clarify his reasons for stepping down from a Vatican safeguarding commission after nearly 10 years on the job. Speaking to journalists Monday, Zollner denied that he was targeting anyone individually or that he resigned as part of an internal power struggle, but said he had ongoing concerns regarding how the commission operated that went unanswered, despite several attempts to engage his superiors on the issues... He insisted that the concerns and critiques that he himself voiced “have no polemical purpose and do not intend to damage the commission, but to develop and improve internally the work and functioning” of the commission for the sake of the victims who were harmed by abuse within the church, and in agreement with the pope’s desires. Appearing to respond to criticisms that his decision to resign was done to bolster his own projects, Zollner said that the commission has an “intrinsic value” in the church, and that nothing can take its place, including the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith – the office to which the commission now formally belongs – nor his own institute for safeguarding, established just last year...

Washington bishop: Priests would rather go to jail than break seal of confession (CNA)

As Washington state lawmakers debate legislation that would end legal protections for the seal of confession, Spokane Bishop Thomas A. Daly has assured his diocese that priests would opt for a jail sentence before they would break the seal. “I want to assure you that your shepherds, bishop and priests, are committed to keeping the seal of confession — even to the point of going to jail,” Daly wrote in a letter to Catholics in the Diocese of Spokane, which covers eastern Washington. “The sacrament of penance is sacred and will remain that way in the Diocese of Spokane,” he said... A spokesperson for the Washington State Catholic Conference told CNA that the organization is working with lawmakers to craft a bill that protects children and the seal of confession... “We are currently working with legislators to find a version of S.B. 5280 that may work for all and protect children and protect the clergy-penitent privilege. The Washington State Catholic Conference bishops continue to support legislation that makes clergy mandatory reporters of information obtained outside the sacrament of reconciliation”...

I recall a priest here saying decades ago that the priest would not break the seal, but that for criminal offences, there could be no absolution until the penitent had turned himself in to the police.

>23 MarthaJeanne:

Yes, I think that's the common practice. Penance is part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession). It's often a simple, "Say three Hail Mary's", but it could equally well be, "Go and report your crime to the police".

Pope tells safeguarding body not to be discouraged amid setbacks (Crux)

Pope Francis met with members of his child protection body Friday, stressing the importance of making reparation for past failures and urging them not to be discouraged when it seems like no progress is being made...

Rwandan Catholic Priest Known as “key genocide mastermind” Dismissed from Clerical Duties (ACI Africa)

Fr. Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, a Rwandan Catholic Priest considered a “key mastermind” of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda has been, “not subject to any appeal”, dismissed from clerical duties. Fr. Munyeshyaka, who has been serving in the Diocese of Evreux in France is accused of playing an active role in the 1994 genocide in different parts of Kigali while he was at the helm of Holy Family Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kigali. In a statement issued Tuesday, May 2, the Local Ordinary of Evreux Diocese notifies the Priest of Pope Francis’ decision to dismiss him from clerical duties. “By Decree dated March 23, 2023, received last week, the Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Francis, by his supreme and final decision which is not subject to any appeal, has dismissed in pœnam from the clerical state Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, incardinated in the Archdiocese of Kigali (Rwanda) and currently residing in the Diocese of Evreux,” Bishop Christian Philippe Pierre Robert Nourrichard says in the statement... In November 2006, a military tribunal in Rwanda found Fr. Munyeshyaka guilty of rape and involvement in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi and sentenced him in absentia to life imprisonment... the dismissed Catholic Priest was “found to have delivered hundreds of adults and children to the genocidal militias, which brutally slaughtered them”... In December 2021, Munyeshyaka was suspended from clerical duties by Bishop Nourrichard, after it was found out that he had sired a son...

Cardinal O'Malley: Papal abuse commission shifting to 'impact-focused' direction (NCR)

The new projects and developments at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors represent "a major shift toward a more impact-focused direction," said its president, Cardinal Seán O'Malley of Boston... "At times, this new direction has been both steep and fast for all of us reflecting the urgency of the challenges. This accelerated pace over the last six months has caused growing pains as we have attempted to respond to both short- and longer-term needs," the cardinal's statement said. During the plenary, he said, "we developed key adjustments to our working methodology so as to clarify our different roles and to create a sense of common ownership of our mandate and of our collective responsibility for its implementation." The statement alluded to some of the criticism made by Jesuit Fr. Hans Zollner, a leading abuse expert, who had recently resigned from the commission due to concerns over how the advisory body had been working over the past years...

Pope Francis says abusive Catholic clergy 'deserve punishment' (NCR)

One of the Jesuits at the meeting asked the pope about the Gospel commandment to love, "but how do we love at the same time people who have experienced abuse and their abusers? God loves everyone," including the abuser. "I would like to offer the compassion and love that the Gospel asks for everyone, even the enemy. But how is this possible?" the unnamed Jesuit priest asked. The pope answered, "It is not easy at all," adding that abuse takes many forms, including "sexual abuse, psychological abuse, economic abuse, migrant abuse." "How do we approach, how do we talk to the abusers for whom we feel revulsion? Yes, they too are children of God. But how can you love them? It's a powerful question," the pope said. "The abuser is to be condemned, indeed, but as a brother. Condemning him is to be understood as an act of charity," the pope said. This is how love for the enemy can be expressed, but it is still not easy to grasp and live out. "When you hear what abuse leaves in the hearts of abused people, the impression you get is very powerful," he said. "Even talking to the abuser involves revulsion; it's not easy. But they are God's children too." While those guilty of abuse "deserve punishment," he said, they also "deserve pastoral care. How do we provide that? No, it is not easy"...

Catholic Clergy in France Set to Carry ID Cards Indicating They're in Good Standing (ACI Africa)

Catholic clergy in France will soon carry a standardized identification card linked to a national database that shows whether they are currently in good standing and can celebrate Mass and hear confessions. “It aims to prevent impostors {false priests or deacons} from continuing to act to the detriment of the faithful and the sacraments,” the Conference of French Bishops’ website said May 5. It noted that current paper documents can be faked. Clergy have always carried a document showing they are approved to celebrate Mass, called a “celebret.” The document, issued by a bishop or a religious superior, is valid for one year. It shows a priest is authorized to celebrate Mass and to hear confessions... The bishops made the change to help standardize documents between dioceses and religious communities and to provide real-time updates on authorizations and restrictions... as part of a large set of measures “intended to continue and intensify the fight against sexual violence within the Church”... The system is operational for French bishops, who received their cards at their March plenary assembly. Data collection is underway for 13,000 priests and 3,000 deacons. Identification cards will be issued when the process is complete. The new “celebret” document includes a QR code linked to a secure national directory...