School janitor with hidden past as priest left wake of abuse

Eugene H. Hubert Jr. has been accused of sexually abusing young boys in New York and Minnesota. (Schroon Lake Central School District) A former custodian who has been accused of systematically raping boys at a Catholic elementary school in Albany in the 1970s had allegedly done the same thing years earlier while serving as a priest with a seminary in the Midwest, where he attended college.

 https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Brother-Gene-left-wake-of-abuse-victims-13829147.php

Bishop Olmsted Sees ‘Renewal’ in Priestly Formation, Despite Scandal

Despite the scandals of clerical sexual abuse that the Catholic Church has suffered in past decades, the Church in the United States has also enjoyed a “renewal” in priestly formation, says Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix. In a monthly series of columns, Bishop Olmsted has been considering various aspects of the Church scandal, as well as ways to move forward in purification.

https://catholiccitizens.org/views/86775/bishop-olmsted-sees-renewal-in-priestly-formation-despite-scandal/ 

The Catholic Church may be at a crossroads, but it is moving toward the right path now

After reading the USA Today story that ran prominently on the front page of the Knoxville News Sentinel on April 23, and in other newspapers across the country that week, and after much reflection and prayer, I feel compelled to respond to the statement posed by the KNS in a headline attached to the story, “Catholic Church at a crossroads.”

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/opinion/2019/05/12/roman-catholic-church-moving-right-direction/1145157001/ 

Archbishop Scicluna: Clerical abuse reporters will be fully protected under new Church law

Anyone reporting the sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy will be afforded full whistleblower protection, Archbishop of Malta Charles Scicluna told The Malta Independent on Sunday. Archbishop Scicluna, on behalf of the Catholic Church, earlier this week unveiled a groundbreaking raft of new Church laws making it compulsory for any member of the clergy who knows of abuse taking place to report it immediately.

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-05-12/local-news/Archbishop-Scicluna-Clerical-abuse-reporters-will-be-fully-protected-under-new-Church-law-6736208017 

Exhibition by abuse survivors marks 10 years since Ryan Report

An exhibition by survivors of childhood sex abuse has been curated to mark 10 years since the Ryan Report. The report investigated abuse in institutions for children across the country, the majority of which were reformatory and industrial schools operated by Catholic Church orders and funded and supervised by the Department of Education.

https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/exhibition-by-abuse-survivors-marks-10-years-since-ryan-report-38102938.html 

5 highlights of pope's reforms for handling clergy sex abuse

Pope Francis last week issued a sweeping set of new Catholic Church laws aimed at better policing how the hierarchy investigates claims of clergy sex abuse and cover-up, marking his most concrete effort to date to respond to a crisis that has threatened to overwhelm his papacy. Here are some of the highlights:

https://www.grandhaventribune.com/Nation/2019/05/12/5-highlights-of-Pope-Francis-new-reforms-for-handling-clergy-sex-abuse.html?ci=stream&lp=1&p= 

reaching in the context of sexual abuse

Pope Francis prays in front of a candle in memory of victims of sexual abuse as he visits St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin Aug. 25, 2018. Pope Francis has revised and clarified norms and procedures for holding bishops and religious superiors accountable in protecting minors as well as in protecting members of religious orders and seminarians from abuse.

https://catholic-sf.org/news/preaching-in-the-context-of-sexual-abuse 

The Catholic Church sex-abuse scandal: Grappling with the elephant in the room

As I entered Christ of the Desert Catholic Chapel, a woman deeply disturbed by the clergy sexual-abuse scandal, cornered me. “Why don’t they allow priests to marry?,” she asked. I would imagine that this question is on the minds of many. The implication: If celibacy were optional, incidents of sexual abuse would be greatly reduced.

Catholic scandals prompt some women who had relationships with priests to ponder whether they, too, were abused

He was a 24-year-old seminarian from a blue-collar family. She was an idealistic 19-year-old psychology student. He wanted to teach. She wanted to be a missionary. They hung out at the Rathskeller, a now-defunct bar at Mount St. Mary’s College, to drink draft beer and eat soft pretzels.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/catholic-scandals-prompt-some-women-who-had-relationships-with-priests-to-ponder-whether-they-too-were-abused/2019/05/12/fac917e8-5ba9-11e9-a00e-050dc7b82693_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.0e5d56c68140 

THE SUCCESS OF POPE FRANCIS' NEW SEX ABUSE REPORTING RULES DEPENDS ON ENFORCEMENT

Learning from what he calls “the bitter lessons of the past,” Pope Francis has issued the most comprehensive response of his papacy to the sex abuse crisis. The new document requires bishops, priests and religious to report sexual abuse and cover-ups to church officials and sets up new procedures for investigating bishops. Pope in Macedonia Pope Francis attends an ecumenical and interreligious meeting with young people in Skopje, North Macedonia, on 7th May, 2019.

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7206137034807544365#editor/target=post;postID=4928325085166046174

Brutal lesson: story of abuse by Dunedin nun

A dying Dunedin man tells Chris Morris his story of a savage beating he received as a 10-year-old ‘‘cheeky little Catholic boy’’ at the hands of a nun. Russell Butler is in a race against time. The 63-year-old South Dunedin resident and practising Catholic has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and recently received the Last Rites from a priest.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/brutal-lesson-story-abuse-dunedin-nun 

Bishops should cede some power to lay Catholics, says German theologian

The German Catholic bishops' recently announced commitment to initiating a "binding synodal procedure" will be a failure if the prelates do not give up some of their power to the laity, a young theologian has warned. Michael Seewald, a 32-year-old professor of dogmatics at the University of Münster, said a successful synod procedure will depend on how the bishops will share power, foster participation and implement a system of checks-and-balances.

https://international.la-croix.com/news/bishops-should-cede-some-power-to-lay-catholics-says-german-theologian/10058#