Clerical sex abuse

The Latest

Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, then-Archbishop of Santiago de Chile, in St. Peter's Square, Feb. 22, 2014.

Cardinal Ezzati leaves Santiago with 'head held high'

Mar 25, 2019

Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, whose resignation as Archbishop of Santiago was accepted Saturday, said he is leaving office “very grateful”... Read more

Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, former archbishop of Santiago de Chile.

Pope Francis accepts resignation of Chilean cardinal accused of cover-up

Mar 23, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis Saturday accepted the resignation of the Archbishop of Santiago de Chile, Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, who has faced... Read more

St. John Paul II in St. Peter's Square circa 1978.

St John Paul II’s abuse record defended by his long-time secretary

Mar 21, 2019

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, a personal friend and close collaborator of St. John Paul II, this week defended the Polish pope’s... Read more

Archdiocese of Milwaukee removes names of two bishops from buildings

Mar 19, 2019

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced Tuesday that it will remove from archdiocesan buildings the names of two former archbishops who... Read more

Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki at the Synod of Bishops, Oct. 16, 2018.

Polish bishops release ‘tragic’ report on sexual abuse

Mar 15, 2019

Nearly 400 Polish priests were accused of sexual abuse of minors from 1990 until 2018, a study commissioned by the... Read more

Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan. (Official portrait)

Michigan governor asks for additional $2m to investigate clergy sex abuse

Mar 15, 2019

Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer has asked the state’s legislature for an additional $2 million in funding for the state’s ongoing... Read more

What Catholic universities are doing to address the sex abuse crisis

Mar 15, 2019

By Mary Farrow

Late last summer, as accusations of abuse against then-cardinal Theodore McCarrick surfaced, a grand jury report from Pennsylvania detailed decades... Read more

CNA

Former New Jersey priest, credibly accused of abuse, shot dead

Mar 13, 2019

By CNA Staff

John Capparelli, a former priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, was found dead in his Nevada home Saturday. Caparelli had... Read more

Pope Francis greets the pilgrims during his weekly general audience in St Peter's square at the Vatican on Feb. 26, 2014.

Pope Francis: Martyred seminarians provide a witness for priests, bishops

Mar 10, 2019

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis said Sunday that the nine Spanish seminarian martyrs beatified this weekend provide a witness to priests and bishops... Read more

Pope Francis addresses the priests of the Diocese of Rome in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, March 7, 2019.

Pope Francis: Abuse revelations are purifying the Church

Mar 7, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

God is purifying his Church through the painful revelations of the abuse scandals, so do not be discouraged, Pope Francis... Read more

A press briefing on the Vatican child abuse summit held at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum, Feb. 24, 2019.

Vatican abuse summit follow-up decides to hold more follow-ups

Feb 25, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Monday, in the Vatican’s first follow-up to last week’s child abuse summit, officials emphasized “encounter” and the need for... Read more

Cardinal Reinhard Marx speaks at a Vatican press conference Feb. 23, 2019.

Cardinal Marx: Transparency is decisive in the credibility of the Church

Feb 23, 2019

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Reinhard Marx said Saturday that administration and transparency will be key to rebuilding the trustworthiness and credibility of the... Read more

Catholic Worker Movement women at sexual abuse victims' vigil in Rome Feb. 21, 2019.

Women of Catholic Worker Movement on prayerful pilgrimage for abuse summit

Feb 22, 2019

By Courtney Mares

American women from the Catholic Worker Movement are in Rome this week to pray for the Vatican’s sexual abuse summit... Read more

Pope Francis at the meeting on protection of minors in the Church in the Vatican's New Synod Hall, Feb. 21, 2019.

Pope proposes 21 'reflection points' for discussion at abuse summit

Feb 21, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis on Thursday gave participants in a Vatican summit on protection of minors in the Church a list of... Read more

Benjamin Kitobo (C) speaks at a gathering of clerical sex abuse victims and advocates outside St. Peter's Square, Feb. 20, 2019.

Victims from Africa, Asia at Vatican to call for 'zero tolerance' of abuse cover-up

Feb 20, 2019

By Courtney Mares

While studying at an African minor seminary at the age of 14, Benjamin Kitobo says he was abused by a... Read more

Pope Francis meets with the Chilean bishops in the sacristy of the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral, Jan. 16, 2018.

Chilean whistleblower to meet with bishops, victims ahead of abuse summit

Feb 19, 2019

Juan Carlos Cruz, a clerical sex abuse whistleblower and a victim of Fr. Fernando Karadima, will meet with bishops and... Read more

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia archdiocese has authorized $8.4 million to abuse victims

Feb 19, 2019

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has so far authorized more than $8.4 million in compensation to survivors of child sexual abuse... Read more

Religious superiors voice shame over child abuse failings

Feb 19, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

Superiors general of men’s and women’s religious communities expressed sorrow Tuesday for sexual abuse committed within religious congregations and orders... Read more

Then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick arrives at the Vatican on March 5, 2013.

McCarrick labeled 'permanently removed from ministry' in list of accused clergy

Feb 13, 2019

By Christine Rousselle

The Archdiocese of Newark released a list of names of credibly accused clergy on Wednesday, including disgraced former archbishop of... Read more

Pope Francis boards the papal plane in Rome, Jan. 15, 2018.

Pope says Church is working to end abuse of women religious by clerics

Feb 5, 2019

Pope Francis said Tuesday he is aware that mistreatment and abuse of religious women by clerics is still a problem,... Read more