Clergy abuse

The Latest

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Vermont diocese files for bankruptcy amid more sex abuse lawsuits

Oct 2, 2024

By Madalaine Elhabbal

“While my heart is heavy with the decision to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy, such weight pales in comparison to the... Read more

Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

Cardinal Dolan says archdiocese is suing insurer to force it to pay sex abuse claims

Oct 1, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Dolan argued that Chubb “scurrilously” claims that the abuse of victims was “expected or intended” by the Catholic Church.  Read more

St. Agnes Cathedral, Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York.

New York Diocese of Rockville Centre announces $323 million abuse settlement

Sep 27, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The amount represents the largest settlement in U.S. diocesan bankruptcy history. It will be distributed to about 600 abuse survivors. Read more

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Two lawsuits accuse Missouri dioceses of ‘shameless cover-up’ of sexual abuse

Sep 20, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The two suits claim that diocesan officials “knowingly enabled, covered up, and concealed for multiple decades” sexual abuse perpetrated on... Read more

St. Josaphat Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago.

UPDATE: Chicago priest ‘strenuously denies’ state’s child molestation allegation, archdiocese says

Sep 12, 2024

By Daniel Payne

CBS News Chicago reported that the alleged incident reportedly took place at an “eighth-grade confirmation retreat” in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin,... Read more

Father Anthony Odiong, a former Louisiana priest, was arrested for possession of child pornography in Florida, law enforcement said on July 16, 2024, with the suspect also accused of multiple other instances of sexual abuse.

Priest arrested for child porn held on $2.5 million bond amid fears he may flee the U.S.

Aug 8, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The priest was extradited to Texas this week to face child porn charges as well as sex abuse charges in... Read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Russian Orthodox Church Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev during a state  ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow on Sept. 22, 2016.

Russian Orthodox bishop of Budapest-Hungary suspended following reports of sexual misconduct

Jul 26, 2024

By Kristina Millare

According to the online news site Novaya Gazeta Europe, Georgy Suzuki was sexually harassed on several occasions by the 58-year-old... Read more

Mosaics by alleged abuser Father Marko Rupnik are displayed at the shrine in Lourdes, France.

Stop using art by Father Rupnik, Cardinal O’Malley tells Vatican officials

Jun 28, 2024

By Matt McDonald, Kristina Millare

“We must avoid sending a message that the Holy See is oblivious to the psychological distress that so many are... Read more

Father Juan Carlos Garcia-Mendoza is being held in jail in Williamson County, Tennessee, on $2 million bond, the police said. He had previously served at St. Philip Catholic Church in the town of Franklin.

UPDATE: Tennessee priest indicted on additional sex crime charges

Jun 21, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The priest is being held in jail in Williamson County, Tennessee, on $2 million bond, the police said. He had... Read more

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Diocese of Fresno to file for bankruptcy amid sex abuse claims, bishop says

May 29, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The bankruptcy filing comes after plaintiffs lodged 154 sex abuse complaints against the diocese. Read more

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks at the USCCB fall plenary assembly Nov. 14, 2023.

New report shows fewer abuse claims brought against U.S. Catholic clerics

May 28, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The number of sex abuse allegations is down from 2,704 allegations brought the prior year, the report states, while some... Read more

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

New Mexico priest dies by suicide amid child sex abuse investigation

May 28, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe said in a press release that Daniel Balizan had “taken his life” ahead of “a... Read more

Cardinal Gerald Lacroix is archbishop of Quebec, Canada.

Vatican: Investigation of Canadian cardinal found no ‘misconduct or abuse’ 

May 21, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Cardinal Gerald Lacroix was accused as part of a class-action lawsuit against the Quebec Archdiocese of abusing a 17-year-old girl... Read more

St. James Cathedral in Seattle.

Washington state asks court to force Seattle Archdiocese to comply with abuse inquiry

May 10, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The attorney general’s office said it had sent subpoenas to Washington’s three Catholic bishoprics but that the Seattle Archdiocese “refused... Read more

The St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States, on April 9, 2020, in New Orleans.

Archdiocese of New Orleans suspected of child sex trafficking, warrant shows

May 1, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

The affidavit requesting the warrant alleges that multiple victims claim they were transported to parishes and out of state, where... Read more

Capt. (Father) Daniel Mode — who remains a priest in good standing — has been reassigned to an “administrative position” in the U.S. Navy Chief of Chaplains Office, according to the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

Coast Guard chaplain reassigned after failure to report on sexual misconduct case

Apr 30, 2024

By Joe Bukuras

Capt. (Father) Daniel Mode, who remains a priest in good standing, has been reassigned to an “administrative position” in the... Read more

Father Leo Riley, 68, continued to serve as a priest for years after a 2020 sexual abuse lawsuit was filed against him and the Diocese of Venice, Florida.

Florida priest continued in active ministry for three years after sex abuse lawsuit filed

Apr 27, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Father Leo Riley, 68, continued to serve as a priest for years after a 2020 sexual abuse lawsuit was filed... Read more

On April 11, 2024, Bishop José Ornelas Carvalho Leiria-Fátima, Portugal, said that a “fundamental team” would be convened in order to determine the total amounts of compensation awarded to abuse victims. 

Portuguese bishops announce financial compensation fund for Church abuse victims

Apr 11, 2024

By Daniel Payne

An independent commission authorized by the Portuguese bishops found that thousands of children had been sexually abused by priests and... Read more

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Baltimore archbishop attends bankruptcy hearing, listens to testimony from abuse victims

Apr 9, 2024

By Daniel Payne

“To the victim-survivors who long to hear that someone is sorry for the trauma they endured and for its life-altering... Read more

Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, vice-president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, at the USCCB's fall meeting Nov. 15, 2023.

Baltimore Archdiocese sues insurers over abuse claims coverage

Apr 4, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in September 2023 ahead of a state law that ended the statute of limitations for... Read more