clerical sexual abuse

The Latest

Pope Francis speaks at the general audience in Vatican City's Paul VI Hall on Feb. 22, 2023.

Pope Francis extends ‘Vos estis’ decree to counter both lay and clerical abuse

Mar 25, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The decree promulgated March 25 extends the Church’s norms for handling of abuse to cover lay leaders of international associations.  Read more

Father Marko Rupnik, SJ.

Who was Father Marko Rupnik’s superior while he was being investigated?

The ministry of Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik was and continues to be under restrictions, according to the Jesuit order. Read more

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Church in Costa Rica to compensate four victims of ex-priest serving 20-year sentence

Feb 6, 2023

By CNA Staff

An agreement has been reached to compensate four victims of sexual abuse by ex-priest Mauricio Víquez Lizano, who is serving... Read more

Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik, S.J., with the official image of the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome.

Report: Vatican investigator says Father Rupnik and hierarchy’s ‘complicit silence’ ruined victims’ lives

Dec 19, 2022

By CNA Staff

Bishop Daniele Libanari made the comments in a letter he wrote to Italian priests obtained by the Associated Press. Read more

CNA

Baltimore abuse survivors file request to make abuse report public

Dec 8, 2022

By Jonah McKeown

The survivors are attempting to make public a recently sealed attorney general’s report that claims to chronicle hundreds of instances... Read more

Press conference held by the Italian bishops' conference on Nov. 17, 2022, to present a national report on the protection of minors within Italy’s 226 Catholic dioceses.

Italian bishops release report evaluating diocesan efforts to prevent abuse

Nov 17, 2022

By Courtney Mares

Catholic bishops in Italy released a national report on Thursday evaluating the recent implementation of diocesan services to aid victims... Read more

Archbishop Jean-Pierre Grallet, OFM, in May 2013.

French bishop under investigation for ‘inappropriate’ behavior toward a woman

Nov 17, 2022

By AC Wimmer

The archbishop emeritus of Strasbourg said he deeply regretted making “inappropriate gestures toward a young woman of legal age” in... Read more

Father Patrick Wattigny

New Orleans priest arrested again on sexual abuse of minor charge

Oct 28, 2022

By Joe Bukuras

Father Patrick Wattigny, 55, was originally arrested in October 2020 and entered a plea of not guilty to molestation of... Read more

Pope Francis and Emmanuel Macron at the Vatican, Oct 24, 2022

Pope Francis meets French President Emmanuel Macron

Oct 24, 2022

By AC Wimmer

Pope Francis received French President Emmanuel Macron at the Vatican on Monday. Read more

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Former Arlington director of child protection office acquitted on sexual battery charge

Oct 10, 2022

By Joe Bukuras

The Diocese of Arlington, Virgina’s former director for the Office of Child Protection, Father Terry Specht, was found not guilty... Read more

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St. Louis priest to have arrest record expunged after sexual abuse cases dropped

Aug 30, 2022

By Jonah McKeown

A circuit judge ruled Aug. 25 that Father Xiu Hui “Joseph” Jiang had met the legal burden to have his... Read more

Bishop Emil Stehle

German bishop, accused of abuse, found to have helped wanted pedophile priests escape to Latin America

Aug 8, 2022

By AC Wimmer

The now-deceased prelate allegedly used money from the German Bishops' Conference to financially support other alleged perpetrators. Read more

Former cardinal Theodore McCarrick arrives at Massachusetts' Dedham District Courthouse for his arraignment, Sept. 3, 2021.

Two-year-old lawsuit accusing Theodore McCarrick of repeatedly raping boy still pending in NJ

Aug 5, 2022

By Shannon Mullen

The nearly two-year-old lawsuit, one of several against McCarrick, has received significant media coverage due to the graphic nature of... Read more

Father Andrew Small, O.M.I.

The Church must do more for survivors of sexual abuse, Vatican official says

Jul 22, 2022

By Andrea Gagliarducci

The Church must do more for anyone affected by sexual abuse, “even when the Church can appear tarnished because of... 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

Pope Francis meets members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors at the Vatican, April 29, 2022.

Pope Francis says measures against sexual abuse in the Church are 'irreversible'

Jul 8, 2022

By CNA Staff

Pope Francis has said the Catholic Church will continue implementing measures against clerical sexual abuse, even if there may be... Read more

Bishop Robert McElroy. CNA file photo.

What to know about Bishop Robert McElroy, who will soon be a cardinal

May 29, 2022

By Jonah McKeown

McElroy has led the San Diego diocese since 2015. Read more

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

California Catholic dioceses ask Supreme Court to hear statute of limitations extension case

May 2, 2022

By Katie Yoder

California Catholic bishops are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider a case challenging the state for permitting victims of... Read more

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Church in Spain expresses its will that 'the truth shine forth' concerning cases of clerical abuse 

Mar 15, 2022

By Cynthia Perez

Addressing the 506 cases of clerical abuse that the Spanish Bishop’s Conference has on record, conference spokesman Bishop Luis Argüello,... Read more

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Laicized former priest serving life term dead of apparent suicide

Feb 8, 2022

By Christine Rousselle

Robert McWilliams, 41, was about three months into a life sentence for sex trafficking of youths under 18, child pornography,... Read more