Voice of the Faithful Focus, Jul. 23, 2021


TOP STORIES

Multimillion-dollar maze: Vatican trial to test finance reforms
“The alleged mishandling of millions of dollars of church funds will bring several high-profile individuals to a makeshift Vatican courtroom set up in a multifunction room of the Vatican Museums. The surprise announcement July 3 that Vatican prosecutors indicted 10 individuals and entities, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, former prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, on a slew of charges related to financial mismanagement and malfeasance was the latest twist in the seemingly unending saga of the Vatican’s controversial investment in a property in London’s Chelsea district.” By Catholic News Service in The Catholic Sun

Three years after the 2018 ‘summer of shame,’ what do American Catholics think about the sex abuse crisis?
“Nearly three years after a searing report issued by a Pennsylvania grand jury detailed the sexual abuse by clergy of thousands of children and the extensive cover-up by church leaders that followed, America asked the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University to survey Catholics nationwide about their understanding of the crisis, its emotional impact and how it has affected their faith.” By Mark M. Gray and Thomas P. Gaunt, America: The Jesuit Review

Connecticut diocese files for bankruptcy amid abuse claims
“A Roman Catholic diocese in Connecticut filed for federal bankruptcy protection on Thursday (Jul. 15) to resolve dozens of lawsuits alleging the abuse of teenage students decades ago at the former Academy at Mount Saint John School, a residential treatment center for troubled youth in Deep River. Documents filed by the Diocese of Norwich, which oversaw the facility, indicate it has $50 million to $100 million in estimated liabilities owed to 50 to 99 creditors. To date, nearly 60 former residents of the school have sued the diocese and a former bishop for damages, exceeding the diocese’s current financial ability to pay, according a statement issued by the diocese.” By Susan Haigh, Associated Press

Synod theologian says laity must make decisions, not just implement them
“Looking ahead to a looming Synod of Bishops on the concept of ‘synodality,’ a lay Venezuelan theologian says the time has come for bishops to grasp one key point: Lay people aren’t just called to implement decisions in the Church made by others, but to make those decisions themselves. Layman Rafael Luciani, who divides his year between Venezuela and Boston, where he works at Boston College, is one of three Latin American theologians who were chosen as consultants for the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the matter of Synodality, to which he hopes to contribute ‘from a non-clerical vision.’” By Inés San Martín, Cruxnow.com

LatAm webinar says in anti-abuse fight, buck stops on the bishop’s desk
“Some 165 bishops from across Latin America are taking part this week in an on-line seminar on abuse prevention that includes top-level experts from both the region and Rome, based on the premise that although fighting abuse requires various forms of commitment and expertise, as far as the Catholic Church goes, the buck still stops on the bishop’s desk. ‘Following the crisis that became public in the Church with regard to abuse, in recent years much emphasis has been placed on the role and responsibility of bishops, not only for the correct treatment of cases that come to their attention, but also with regard to the prevention of these situations,’ said Argentine laywoman Maria Ines Franck, a bioethics and canon law expert who helped organize the seminar.” By Inés San Martín, Cruxnow.com

ACCOUNTABILITY

Justices deal blow to outdated claims of child sexual abuse
“Pennsylvania’s high court on Wednesday (Jul. 21) dealt a blow to victims of child sexual abuse, throwing out a lawsuit by a woman whose lower court victory had given hope to others with similarly outdated claims who’d sued following a landmark report that documented decades of child molestation within the Catholic church in Pennsylvania. The 5-2 decision ended plaintiff Renee Rice’s legal effort to recover damages from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown for allegedly covering up and facilitating sexual abuse she said had been inflicted on her by a priest in the late 1970s.” By Mark Scolforo, The Associated Press, in The Boston Globe

DOJ: ‘Uneven’ response from Catholic dioceses in statewide inquiry of clergy abuse
“The head of the Wisconsin Department of Justice says the state’s five Catholic dioceses are not all cooperating in a statewide inquiry into sexual abuse by clergy and other faith leaders. Attorney General Josh Kaul held a press conference Tuesday (Jul. 20) to provide an update on his office’s review of clergy and faith leader abuse. Kaul said they’ve received more than 100 reports of either sexual assault or how faith organizations have responded to abuse since launching the investigation in April.” By Hope Kirwan, Wisconsin Public Radio

NDAs Kept These Christians Silent. Now They’re Speaking Out Against Them.
“A growing number of ministers, missionaries, Christian workers, abuse victims, and victims’ advocates are publicly objecting to the non-disclosure agreements and confidentiality clauses used by major religious organizations. They say the legal tools that were designed to protect tech industry ‘trade secrets’ are widely misused to conceal abuse, preserve secrets, and protect powerful reputations without regard for the human cost.” By Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today

BISHOPS

Canadian Bishops convey commitment to healing and reconciliation
“The Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) released a statement on Friday (Jul. 16) noting its support to Bishops of Saskatchewan who have issued an ‘Appeal for Support of Healing and Reconciliation’ in favor of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. The project aims to generate fundraising to promote healing and reconciliation. It also foresees cemeteries on the sites of former residential schools, as well as educational and cultural support. The goal of the campaign, according to the Bishops of Saskatchewan, is to ‘support Indian Residential School survivors and their communities, and to engage more deeply in our own ongoing commitment and response to the Truth and Reconciliation process.’” By Vatican News

Abuse allegations against the late Bishop Sullivan deemed ‘credible’
“The Diocese of Lansing has deemed as credible two allegations of sexual abuse leveled against the late Bishop James Sullivan (1929 – 2006). Bishop Sullivan was Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing from 1972 to 1985 before becoming Bishop of Fargo in North Dakota from 1985 to 2002. Both accusations stem from the mid-1960’s when then-Father Sullivan was living in residence at a parish in Lansing. Both victims were boys who were subject to sexual grooming and inappropriate contact by Sullivan.” By Diocese of Lansing Michigan

Buffalo Auxiliary Bishop Grosz accused of molesting child at confirmation
“Retired Auxiliary Bishop Edward M. Grosz, who for many years played a key role in the handling of sex abuse complaints against priests in the Buffalo Diocese, is accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy after a confirmation service in 1990. A Genesee County man told The News on Monday (Jul. 12) that Grosz repeatedly groped him at a gathering in a church hall following the confirmation ceremony inside St. Brigid Church in Bergen. Grosz is the highest-ranking clergyman in the Buffalo Diocese to be accused of child sex abuse.” By Jay Tokasz, The Buffalo News

With looming retirements, Francis can pick up the pace on naming U.S. bishops
“If personnel is policy, then a vote last month by the U.S. bishops to draft a controversial document on Communion that the Vatican had cautioned against reveals Pope Francis may have considerable work ahead of him in his efforts to get the American Catholic hierarchy to embrace his priorities … Yet if Francis, who turned 84 in December and was hospitalized last week for the first major health scare of his papacy, is seeking to pick up the pace of episcopal appointments with bishops more aligned with his agenda, he does have a number of opportunities on the horizon. To date, three dioceses in the U.S. are currently vacant, another nine bishops have already passed the age of 75, when bishops are required to submit their resignation to the pope, and there are several other dioceses that will soon open.” By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

PRIESTS

Catholic priest who has spoken out about clergy abuse faces removal as Richmond Bishop with petition to the Vatican
“A Virginia priest could be removed from the priesthood. He continued to blog about the Catholic Church sex abuse scandals even after the Catholic Diocese of Richmond Bishop ordered him to keep quiet. Father Mark White at first obeyed an order to stop blogging. However, he restarted the online conversation once COVID hit and in-person church services halted. That has now prompted Bishop Barry Knestout to take their battle to Pope Francis.” By Kerri O’Brien, ABC-TV8 News

WOMEN’S VOICES

Women believers changed the Roman Empire — now we must change the Roman Church
“On the feast day of the ‘apostle to the apostles,’ St. Mary of Magdala, I want to reflect on something I suspect this first witness to the Resurrection and foremost leader in the early Jesus movement might find puzzling. Namely, what is the big deal about recognizing women’s leadership in today’s Catholic faith communities? We live in a very different cultural context than did Mary of Magdala and other early Christian women, but our own times are no less in need of Christ’s healing energy than the ones in which they lived. The Jesus movement spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire because of the initiative of female prophets, evangelists, missionaries, heads of house churches and widows, and financial support from Christian businesswomen such as Mary of Magdala and Joanna (Luke 8:1-3) as well as Lydia (Acts 16:11-40), Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2), Olympias, a fourth-century deacon (whose feast day is July 25) and others.” By Christine Schenk, National Catholic Reporter

VATICAN

Plans for next synod continue at Vatican
“The Vatican released the names of members of two commissions charged with assisting the leaders of the Synod of Bishops’ general secretariat in reviewing documents, drafting resources and developing best practices. According to the synod website, the theological commission and the methodology commission will include religious and lay experts from around the world. The theme chosen by the pope for the next synod is: ‘For a synodal church: communion, participation and mission.’” By CatholicPhilly.com

Prosecutor seeks sentences in Vatican youth seminary sex abuse trial
“A prosecutor on Thursday (Jul. 15) asked a Vatican court to sentence a man who is now a priest to six years in prison for alleged sexual abuse committed in a youth seminary in the Vatican before he was ordained. Father Gabriele Martinelli, now 28, is accused of having forced a person known only as L.G. to have sex, mostly while they were both minors between 2007 and 2012. The alleged abuse took place in the Pius X Pre-Seminary, which houses altar boys who serve Mass in St. Peter’s, including for popes, and are thinking of becoming priests.” By Reuters on KFGO-AM 790 Radio News

CHURCH FINANCES

Vatican financial watchdog reports on its 2020 activities
“The Vatican’s financial watchdog agency said that in 2020 more financial transactions were flagged as suspicious by Vatican offices, but after investigation it did not have to suspend any transactions or freeze any accounts. The 2020 annual report of the Supervisory and Financial Information Authority, published July 15, said it received 89 suspicious activity reports, 85 of which came from the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly called the Vatican bank. In 2019, 64 suspicious activity reports were filed.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, in National Catholic Reporter

Lessons from Pope Francis’ financial reform efforts
“Cleaning up the Vatican’s finances has been a long, complex and personally costly process for Pope Francis. Despite many obstacles, he has persevered, and that determination is starting to pay off. On July 3, the Vatican announced it would prosecute 10 individuals, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, for alleged financial crimes. This is an unprecedented moment and marks a potentially decisive chapter in Francis’ reform efforts … Church sources have often told me that a root cause of the difficulties is an outdated system in which multi-million-dollar investments are overseen or managed by prelates who have not been financially trained.” By Christopher Lamb, Chicago Catholic

FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

Authority in a wounded church: Leaders see ‘synodality’ as way forward
“Since his election in March 2013, Pope Francis has called for a true conversion within the Catholic Church, one in which all the baptized become ‘missionary disciples,’ where ordination — as a priest or bishop — means service and not power, and where anyone who is suffering finds a listening ear, a merciful heart and a helping hand. In many countries, hundreds or thousands of cases of clerical sexual abuse have made the need for conversion painfully obvious and have led to a reckoning with how power is viewed, exercised and protected within the church.” By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, on Cruxnow.com

The church in the West is in decline―and nationalism won’t save it
“I was 17 years old when I heard the Lord’s Prayer spoken in public for the first time. It was in November 1989 during the Velvet Revolution, which brought freedom to Communist Czechoslovakia. The crowd of almost 500,000 people chanted and cheered while the dissidents spoke. But when the Rev. Václav Malý started praying the Our Father, it grew quiet. After two generations of religious suppression and intense Communist indoctrination, few people could recite the prayer by heart. Many had never heard of it. But everyone understood it was a solemn moment.” By Kamila Valenta, America: The Jesuit Review

VOICES

Bankruptcy adds to sad legacy of Catholic Church scandal
“The past moral bankruptcy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich has led inevitably to its financial bankruptcy. Last week the diocese serving the Connecticut counties of New London, Middlesex, Windham and Tolland, as well as Fishers Island, N.Y., filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the federal Bankruptcy Code. Along with Catholic dioceses across the nation and the world, the Norwich Diocese shares a shameful legacy of placing the protection of the church’s reputation above protecting children, above acting lawfully, and above the Great Commandment to ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” By The Day Editorial Board

Time to put the ‘catholic’ back into the Catholic Church
“What does the reaction to Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis’ motu proprio restoring the restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass that existed before 2007, tell us about the necessity of the document? And what about the prospects for ecclesial unity that Francis cited as his rationale for taking this decision? It is important to distinguish between those who simply found the antiquity of the old rite a comfort in a fast-changing world, or those for whom the traditional Latin Mass offered an aesthetic that served to mediate the divine, and those for whom the Tridentine liturgy was a kind of ideological statement displaying their opposition to the Second Vatican Council.” By Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

Editorial: How you see the sexual abuse crisis
“The Catholic Church still has a trust problem, as shown by the results of a comprehensive survey of U.S. Catholics commissioned by America Media and featured in this issue. (Look for more results in our September issue.) Seventy-six percent of respondents to the survey, conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate in May and June, said that the sexual abuse of minors by clergy has hurt the reputation of the church at least somewhat, and about one-third said they were ‘embarrassed’ to tell others that they were Catholic because of the crisis.” By Editors at America: The Jesuit Review

Sexual Abuse by Clergy: The evil of and in the Church
“The alarming reports of sexual abuse by Catholic priests of minors and vulnerable adults in most parts of the world is a shocking truth about the rot that exists within the religious institution. Sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults happens in most institutions in the world – religious or non-religious including families and is not a vile habit of some priests in the Catholic Churches alone.” By Savio Rodrigues, The Goa Chronicle

Bishops’ meetings won’t heal the U.S. church. We need a Fourth Plenary Council involving all Catholics.
“The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore concluded in December 1884. Among its results was the standardized catechism known to generations of Catholics as the Baltimore Catechism. This meeting was the last of 13 councils of different kinds that took place in Baltimore between 1829 and 1884. These 13 councils made the United States one of the most conciliar places in the Catholic Church during that time—rooted, in part, in the country’s own democratic experiment. Given all the challenges facing the Catholic Church in our country, we are far overdue for a moment in which the bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful of our country can discern together how to be the people of God in our time and place. It is time that we as a church” By Brian P. Flanagan, America” The Jesuit Review

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Colorado law allows sex abuse victims to collect restitution inn civil court from public and private institutions
“On Tuesday (Jul. 6), Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law Senate Bill 88, which allows victims of sexual abuse to file for restitution from public and private entities in civil court. The law adopted July 6 permits victims of abuse from 1960 to January 2022 retroactively to collect restitution from employers who knew about or who should have known about the abuse taking place, as long as claims are filed by January 2025.” By Autumn Jones, Catholic News Association, in National Catholic Register

An uncertain future for the Adult Survivors Act
“The Adult Survivors Act unanimously passed the New York State Senate during this year’s legislative session, but its future in the Assembly remains unclear. New York’s legislative session ended nearly one month ago, but not without criticism from advocacy groups. The Adult Survivors Act would create a one-year look back window for cases of adult sexual abuse. That’s similar to the Child Victims Act, legislation passed in 2019 targeted at victims of child sex abuse.” By Darrell Camp, WSKG-FM National Public Radio

CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

A Widow’s Hunt for the Priest Who Preyed on Her Husband
“Instead of driving to Burlington for that meeting, Peter met his death by suicide in the foaming, churning waters funneling through steep rock formations … Twenty-three years later, on the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, at 3:36 p.m., an email arrived from one Edward Mechmann with the heading, ‘Complaint against Fr. Malone.’ ‘I am the Safe Environment Coordinator for the Archdiocese of New York. As such, I oversee the child protection programs of the Archdiocese… First of all, on behalf of the Archdiocese, please permit me to express my deep regret and sorrow that your husband was abused by one of our priests.’” By Jenny Grosvenor, The Daily Beast

Anti-gay Catholic priest accused of having sex with men to ‘heal’ their homosexuality
“A French priest with a history of campaigning against gay rights faces a Catholic Church trial over allegations that he sexually assaulted men to ‘heal’ their homosexuality. Msgr. Tony Anatrella, a Vatican adviser and psychotherapist, will stand trial in church court after multiple allegations of abuse and inappropriate sexual relationships with his male clients. No details have yet been made public about when Anatrella will face trial, but the Paris Archdiocese previously reprimanded Anatrella in 2018 due to the allegations against him, preventing him from practicing therapy or hearing confession.” By Rhuaridh Mass, Metro Weekly

CALIFORNIA

Former student sues Providence High School in Burbank, alleges sexual abuse of minor by then track coach
“Providence High School, a private Catholic school in Burbank, was sued by a former student who alleges her track and field coach sexually molested her as a minor in 2019, and then warned her not to tell anyone what he’d done. The lawsuit, brought Wednesday (Jul. 7) in Los Angeles Superior Court, identifies 27-year-old Mohamed Haddada as the former coach. The now 18-year-old plaintiff is listed only as Jane Doe.” By CBS-TV9 News Los Angeles

CONNECTICUT

Lawyer for sex abuse victims: Norwich Diocese bankruptcy filing could deny full compensation
“A bankruptcy filing by the Norwich Diocese to shield its finances as it faces lawsuits over scores of sexual abuse claims may deny full compensation to the victims, one of their lawyers said Friday (July 16). New London attorney Kelly E. Reardon, who represents six men who accused the church of sexual abuse decades ago, said insurance coverage is ‘fairly limited’ and may not result in full compensation.” By Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant

MASSACHUSETTS

Examining priest abuse after closure of Croteau case
“New details Monday (Jul. 12) night surrounding a defrocked priest who authorities said was responsible for the murder of altar boy Danny Croteau nearly 50 years ago. Western Mass News learned of new allegations against former priest Richard Lavigne, who died days before the Hampden DA could bring murder charges against him. Danny Croteau is one of those names that never left the heart of the western Mass. community.” By Audrey Russo and Amanda Callahan, FOX-TV6 News

MICHIGAN

Former U.P. Priest sentenced in Dickinson County
“Eight to 15 years in prison, that’s the sentence given to Gary Jacobs a former Upper Peninsula Priest, facing criminal sexual conduct charges. Jacobs appeared in Dickinson County court Tuesday (Ju;. 13) afternoon for sentencing. His attorney stated Jacobs wrestled with his sexuality as a gay man and alcohol abuse when he committed the criminal sexual conduct. In May, the 75-year-old Jacobs pleaded guilty to one count of second degree CSC in Dickinson County.” By Jerry Tudor, FOX-TV6 News

‘A wicked problem’: Advocacy center expands to deal with increase in child abuse allegations
“Child sexual abuse sometimes takes place under the blankets while a child sits with their abuser on the sofa, watching TV in a room full of people. ‘It’s a wicked problem that happens in the shadows,’ said Ginger Kadlec, executive director of the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, which recently added 2,200 square feet of space to deal with the rise in reports of sexual and physical abuse.” By Patti Brandt Burgess, Travers City Record Eagle

NEW MEXICO

Las Cruces diocese says abuse records disclosed voluntarily, despite New Mexico attorney general’s claims
“While New Mexico’s attorney general has taken credit for securing Catholic Church documents on sex abuse by clergy, saying they will be released to the public soon, a spokesperson for the Las Cruces diocese said it provided the documents voluntarily out of a desire to address the “abhorrent crime” of sex abuse, not because of a search warrant or legal obligation.” By Kevin Jones, Catholic News Agency

NEW YORK.

3 adults, including priest, sexually abused young Mount Loretto resident, suit alleges
“Three adults, including a priest, sexually abused him over the course of six years when he lived at the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin at Mount Loretto three decades ago, a former resident alleges in an explosive lawsuit. His assailants also threatened the plaintiff, who was in his early teens, with physical violence if he revealed what they did to him, alleges a civil complaint against the New York Archdiocese.” By Frank Donnelly, SILive.com

Bankruptcy judge rejects jury-trial motion, insurance settlement
“The U.S. Bankruptcy Court July 9 denied a motion by the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors that would have allowed 21 sexual-abuse lawsuits against the Diocese of Rochester to proceed in state court. The motion was filed June 8 by attorneys representing the Committee, which was appointed by the Office of the United State Trustee and comprises several survivors of childhood sexual abuse who had filed claims against the diocese under New York state’s Child Victims Act. Also during the hearing, the court denied the diocese’s motion for approval of a $35 million settlement with several insurers involved in its bankruptcy case, which began in September 2019.” By Jennifer Burke, Catholic Courier

Retired priest placed on administrative leave following child abuse complaint
“The Diocese of Buffalo announced Friday (Jul. 9) that a retired priest who continues to assist in the ministry of St. Matthew’s parish in Buffalo has been placed on administrative leave in the wake of a child abuse complaint against him. A statement released by the diocese said it recently became aware of an action brought pursuant to the Child Victims Act by a woman who alleges she was abused as a child in the early 1980s by Monsignor Leo McCarthy, 88.” By Harold McNeil, The Buffalo News

NORTH CAROLINA

Former ministry leader at NC university sexually abused student for years, lawsuit says
“A former Catholic ministry leader at Western Carolina University in the North Carolina mountains sexually abused a student for years in the 1980s, according to a lawsuit the former student filed on Tuesday (Jul. 6) against his alleged abuser and the Charlotte Catholic Diocese. On Friday, the diocese issued a statement that it ‘has zero tolerance for child sexual abuse, and we continue to encourage anyone who has been the victim of abuse to seek help and report to authorities.’” By Joe Marusak, The Charlotte Observer

OHIO

Strongsville priest pleads guilty to sex trafficking, child pornography charges; diocese plans to ‘defrock’ him
“A Strongsville Catholic priest pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday (Jul. 16) to several charges, including sex trafficking of a minor and possession of child pornography. According to the Department of Justice, Rev. Robert D. ‘Bob’ McWilliams decided to plead guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count each of transportation of child pornography, receipt and distribution of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography.” By Dave ‘Dino’ DeNatale, Tyler Carey, Marisa Saenz, WYKC-TV3 News

Former Steubenville teacher sentenced for sex abuse of 15-year-old
“A former Steubenville Catholic Central High School teacher was sentenced after accepting a plea agreement to one count of sexual battery. Corissa A. McCalister, 22, of Steubenville was sentenced to two years of probation, community service and must register as a sex offender. McCalister originally pled not guilty. McCalister was the head cross country coach and assistant track coach at Steubenville Catholic Central High School, where she reportedly was driving a 15-year-old student home from a track meet at Edison High School when she made a stop at the Harrison County Fairgrounds in Cadiz and engaged in sex with the teen.” By John Lynch, WKBN-TV27 News

TEXAS

$10M lawsuit filed against Vatican, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston after priest accused of child sexual abuse
“A $10 million lawsuit has been filed against Holy See and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and its Cardinal, Daniel N. DiNardo, on behalf of the parents of a child they say was sexually abused by Rev. Phi Thanh Nguyen in November 2018, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit states that Nguyen sexually abused the child when she was 10 years old while attending the Nazareth Academy in Victoria, Texas. The lawsuit names Holy See because ‘Nguyen would not have been able to ingratiate himself at Nazareth Academy,’ according to the lawsuit.” By Click2Houston.com

VERMONT

Former South Burlington priest accused of child sexual abuse
“A former South Burlington priest has been accused of sexually abusing a child in the 1960s. The victim, who is remaining anonymous, is now in his 60s. He says Father Roger W. Carlin molested him when he was nine in 1966 and 1967 at St. John Vianney church in South Burlington. ‘He wants to try to heal, he wants to try to help other victims, and he wants to make the world a safer place for children,’ said Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney representing the alleged victim. Garabedian has represented thousands of other sex abuse cases and says coming forward can be cathartic for victims.” By Katherine Huntley, WCAX-TV3 News

VIRGINIA

Area Catholic diocese adds four priests to list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse
“The Richmond Catholic Diocese has added four names to its list of clergy who have credible, substantiated claims of sexual abuse involving a minor against them. Three of the priests — Robert Beattie, Leo Creamer and Patrick Quinn — are dead. The fourth, Joseph Slowik, hasn’t actively served in the ministry since 2006. They join the list, which was first made public in 2019, of 23 other priests with sexual abuse allegations in the diocese, which includes the Charlottesville area.” By Colbi Edmonds, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Former Christendom College professor arrested on charges of soliciting a child
“A longtime economics and political science professor at Christendom College in Virginia has been charged with solicitation of a minor younger than 16 years old and two counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. William R. Luckey, 72, who taught for about 30 years at the Catholic institution, which touts being one of only 15 colleges recommended by the conservative Cardinal Newman Society, was arrested on June 25 and released on a secured $50,000 bond on July 12.” By Jenn Morson, National Catholic Reporter

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin DOJ encourages survivors to report clergy and faith leader abuse
“Wisconsin’s attorney general is encouraging survivors of clergy or faith leader abuse to report it to the state’s Department of Justice. Attorney General Josh Kaul says the state’s victim services specialists can help survivors in a safe and confidential way. ‘We want to get to the bottom of this, both so we can connect survivors to services, but also so we can help get some measure of accountability,’ Kaul says. ‘Hopefully by working with the dioceses to update their lists of credibly accused priests as the facts dictate … we can work to prevent this from ever happening again.’” By Leah Rivard, News8000.com

More than 100 church-related abuse claims filed with DOJ
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice has received more than 100 reports of abuse by clergy and faith leaders across the state since announcing a statewide investigation in April, the law enforcement agency said Tuesday (Jul. 13). The reports received by the agency to date include allegations of abuse and also relate to how churches and religious organizations responded to abuse, the justice department said.” By Associated Press

AUSTRALIA

Priest guilty of 25 sexual abuse charges
“A Catholic priest has been found guilty of numerous historical abuse charges including three counts of having homosexual sex with young boys. Anthony William Peter Caruana, 79, was convicted of 25 charges relating to 12 victims after jurors in his Sydney trial were deliberating for nearly 10 days. They will return to the NSW District Court on Wednesday to continue deciding on a majority verdict for the remaining two counts.’ By Australian Associated Press on YahooNews.com

EAST TIMOR

East Timor: Defrocked priest’s trial must be swift – NGO
“An East Timorese NGO has called for more respect and support for victims of sexual abuse in the country, calling for a speedy trial of a defrocked priest accused of sexually abusing several children over a period of years. ‘Sexual violations against women and girls are serious crimes, and everyone must unite to oppose these acts. Activists, journalists, the state, human rights institutions and our entire population need to act more purposefully to fight for the physical safety, privacy and freedom of women and girls,’ said La’o Hamutuk, a Timorese non-governmental organisation (NGO).” By Lusa, MacauBusiness.com

FRANCE

Anti-LGBTQ+ Priest Accused of Sexual Abuse to Cure Homosexuality
“A French Catholic priest, Tony Anatrella, who once served as a Vatican adviser regarding sexuality, is facing a church trial over alleged sexual relationships with his male clients. The priest, 80, has a history of supporting anti-LGBTQ+ rights initiatives including authoring an article that supported a ban on queer people serving in the priesthood, according to Queerty. The website also reported that he claimed gay men raised violent children.” By Alex Cooper, The Advocate

PHILIPPINES

Legislators must end Philippines’ child sex shame
“The greatest shame of the Philippines is the fact that it is legal under the 1930 Penal Code for a 50-year-old man to have sex with a pre-pubescent 12-year-old child and get away with it if the man can convince a court that the child ‘gave consent.’ Soon that will change and justice will be done for thousands of child victims. At present many children, under pressure from parents and abusers, are forced to stay silent when sexually abused or to say to government officials or in court that ‘He is my boyfriend,’ or that ‘I loved him.” By Shay Cullen, Manila, UCANews.com