Abuse

The Latest

Paris, France

Why the French bishops have launched the world’s first canonical criminal court

Dec 12, 2022

By Solène Tadié

It is considered a world first: To date, no other bishops’ conference has implemented any national structure of this magnitude. Read more

Bishop Michel Santier in 2013

Diocese confirms French bishop disciplined by Vatican for sexual abuse

Oct 19, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Diocese of Créteil confirmed last week that its former bishop had been credibly accused of sexual abuse and ordered... Read more

Pope Francis speaking to participants of the General Chapters of three religious congregations in audience at the Vatican on July 14, 2022.

Pope Francis tells religious congregations to have ‘zero tolerance’ on abuse

Jul 14, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

In a meeting with three male religious congregations on Thursday, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of taking a “zero tolerance”... Read more

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian bishops’ conference.

Cardinal Zuppi announces report on clerical sex abuse in Italy

May 27, 2022

By Courtney Mares

The report will only cover the years 2000 to 2021. Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston.

Cardinal O’Malley urges Italian Catholic bishops to ‘make things right’ for abuse survivors

May 26, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

‘We have nothing to fear by telling the truth,’ said the head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of... Read more

The Frauenkirche, the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.

Full text: Benedict XVI’s advisers analyze Munich abuse report

Feb 8, 2022

By CNA Staff

Full text of an analysis by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s advisers as to his handling of abuse cases when he... Read more

St. Patrick's Cathedral in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Lawsuit alleges Jesuit priest committed sex abuse in North Carolina in the 1990s

Nov 19, 2021

By Kevin J. Jones

A new lawsuit alleges that a long-serving Jesuit priest sexually abused a boy at a Catholic school in Charlotte, North... Read more

A press conference launching a report by a commision of experts on the activities of Polish Dominican priest Paweł M., Sept. 15, 2021.

Polish Catholic leader expresses ‘deep pain and sadness’ as report on charismatic priest faults Dominicans

Sep 17, 2021

By CNA Staff

Poland’s Dominican province apologized ‘for the wrong that has been done.’ Read more

Bishop Marcus Stock of Leeds, England, at his episcopal ordination, Nov. 13, 2014.

Catholic bishop offers apology ‘from the heart’ as abuse survivors await recognition from order

Jun 29, 2021

By CNA Staff

Bishop Marcus Stock met with members of the Comboni Survivors’ Group. Read more

Archbishop Polak, center, at a press conference presenting a report on clerical abuse in Poland, June 28, 2021.

Catholic Church in Poland reports 100s of new abuse allegations

Jun 29, 2021

By CNA Staff

The claims relate to abuse reportedly committed by 292 clergy between 1958 and 2020. Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston.

Cardinal O’Malley: We must be vigilant in supporting survivors of sexual abuse

Apr 9, 2021

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Seán O’Malley has urged religious leaders to be vigilant in preventing child sexual abuse and supporting survivors in healing Read more

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. Credit: Jochen Rolfes/Archdiocese of Cologne.

German cardinal takes further action in wake of independent abuse report

Mar 26, 2021

A German cardinal has announced further action following the release of a long-awaited independent report on the handling of abuse... Read more

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne. Credit: www.ewtn.de.

‘We have finally established clarity’: an interview with Cardinal Woelki on the Gercke report

Mar 18, 2021

The full text of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki’s interview with CNA Deutsch, following the publication of an independent report on... Read more

Pope Francis on May 29, 2019.

Francis calls Legionaries of Christ to 'continuous conversion' at end of Rome meeting

Feb 29, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis Saturday told the Legionaries of Christ religious order to look toward the future as they continue to reform... Read more

Miles Christi formation house in San José de Luján, Argentina.

Pope dismisses founder of Miles Christi Institute from clerical state

Feb 4, 2020

Pope Francis has dismissed from the clerical state Argentine priest Roberto Juan Yannuzzi, founder and superior of the Miles Christi... Read more

A pilgrim prays the Rosary in St. Peter's Square before the Wednesday general audience with Pope Francis. Oct. 29, 2014.

Youth synod final document addresses 'all types of abuse'

Oct 27, 2018

By Courtney Mares

The prevention of sex abuse and abuse in all its forms is a topic of the 2018 Synod of Bishops’... Read more

Priest collar.

Film spurs hundreds of abuse allegations in Poland as crisis spreads to Europe

Oct 15, 2018

A Polish film depicting unsavory characters as clerics has broken box office records and sparked a wave of sexual abuse... Read more

Cardinal George Pell speaks with CNA at the Vatican March 17 2016.

Cardinal Pell's court hearing weighs evidence for abuse allegations

Mar 29, 2018

A hearing will that will decide whether Cardinal George Pell will go on trial for alleged abuse came to a... Read more

Pope Francis celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Sept. 2, 2015.

A 2015 letter detailed allegations against Barros. Did the Pope receive it?

Feb 5, 2018

A Chilean survivor of sexual abuse says that he wrote a to Pope Francis letter in 2015, claiming that Bishop... Read more

Sodalitium Christianae Vitae logo.

Peru officials charge Chicago man in connection with Sodalitium abuse scandal

Dec 18, 2017

Peruvian officials have charged Chicago area resident Jeffrey Daniels with abuse that occurred while he was part of the Catholic... Read more