The fearless journalism of Mary Raftery

But it is for the ground-breaking three-part documentary series States of Fear that Raftery will be most remembered. Aired by RTÉ in April and May 1999 the series laid bare the neglect, physical and sexual abuse perpetrated in religious-run industrial schools around the country. The in-depth research and powerful testimony of the victims ensured that the programmes received substantial media coverage.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/the-fearless-journalism-of-mary-raftery-1.3864999 

Recognising Jesus Christ's crucifixion as sexual abuse would help Catholic Church change – expert

The crisis of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, and the institutional denial and cover up, has left many people of faith shocked by the lack of appropriate response toward survivors. Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, the president of the Australian bishops' conference, has called for a Copernican revolution on sexual abuse in the church and a shift in Catholic culture so that abuse survivors, not clergy, shape the church response

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/04/recognising-jesus-christ-s-crucifixion-as-sexual-abuse-would-help-catholic-church-change-expert.html 

Strong church turnout for message of love

The nation's church leaders have reported strong gatherings as they spruik love, joy and peace in the face of hate and grief in their annual Easter messages. In light of the New Zealand mosque attacks in March, Deidre Palmer, president of the Uniting Church in Australia, chose to focus on peace and reconciliation in her address.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/christians-reject-racism-hate-speech-173019549--spt.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKwe2BuEL90b3OZ1qy-hnDRI8WlX895y6-zASiIJX9cs-zjZ6ZOr_k-2wKjsCv6LLfNnhrwuK6bAiqFrx5ckjFuQqWEuJO-MxNu-A6628J1kfer3XhWKZC0heBohTinAK1gNCVXQ7xfyfvFkOGQefUgIy9VOwLWjdKiObI13FWQg

Catholic in 2019: 'Some cardinals and clerics appear trapped within a medieval mindset - but Pope Francis provides a glimmer of hope'

ON 14 JUNE 1970, a beautiful sunny day, thirty of us young men were ordained as priests at All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin to provide ministry to people in America, Canada, Australia, England and South Africa. A class picture was taken in front of the main door of the seminary. We were sent forth from under the following motto which remains carved over that main door:

https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/catholic-in-2019-some-cardinals-and-clerics-appear-trapped-within-a-medieval-mindset-but-pope-francis-provides-a-glimmer-of-hope-4597895-Apr2019/ 

Religion Dublin Catholic archbishop says Irish Church must adapt or die

The Irish Church must adapt and reform if it is survive the clerical sex abuse scandal and other challenges that lie ahead, said the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin. Diarmuid Martin, 74, the most influential Catholic prelate in Ireland, said in an interview with The Irish Times on April 22 that there's still "a lot of anger" about the way the Church has handled the abuse crisis "but you can't whitewash it."

https://international.la-croix.com/news/dublin-catholic-archbishop-says-irish-church-must-adapt-or-die/9946 

If we don't protect the children, who will?

As an activist,who witnessed and experienced child abuse in an orphanage, I must take a stand for those who have no voice. The Bible says " It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones" which I think applies to anyone who is helpless, such as children, the elderly or those who are mentally challenged.

https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2019/04/21/if-we-dont-protect-children-who-will/3512287002/ 

‘Struggling of youngsters speaks volumes of contempt for many susceptible’ – Eire

The interim report by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was released last week and it makes for uncomfortable reading. It has found that the burial sites for hundreds of children who died while in the care of the homes is still unknown and has rejected the notion that underground structures where the bodies of children were put after their deaths were ever designed to be burial chambers. It has said these places were likely to have been part of the homes’ sewage systems.

http://infosurhoy.com/cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_GB/news/ciara-kelly-struggling-of-youngsters-speaks-volumes-of-contempt-for-many-susceptible-eire/

The Departure of Margaret Shank

My mother used to tell us stories about the housekeeper who worked for her family when she was a child– an unholy terror named Margaret Shank. This doesn’t sound like a story for Easter Week, but it is, because my mother would often talk about Margaret Shank during the Easter preparations. Easter was the only time Ms. Shank had eaten junk food, as a child– her parents visited her in the orphanage once a year, on Easter Sunday, bringing with them a small bag of chocolate. Other than that, she ate what the orphanage served, which was healthy and bland.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/steelmagnificat/2019/04/the-departure-of-margaret-shank/ 

Defiled by their fathers: Meru girls in fear as KSh 700m orphanage risk collapse

Anna and Linda, not their real names, are twins aged six years whose case is ongoing at a court in Meru county, after they were defiled by their stepfather who is not remorseful of the act. In fact, he challenged the court to inquire from the mother who is laborer at a tea farm what she expected him to do when she goes out to toil all day and comes home tired leaving him behind.

https://www.tuko.co.ke/303854-defiled-by-fathers-meru-girls-fear-ksh-700m-orphanage-risk-collapse.html#303854

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Gospel of Rape and Redemption

“Won’t people get mad if we criticize religion in our presentation?” my student asked. She was referring to the prevalence of sexual abuse allegations against religious leaders and my recommendation that we talk about them in our Women’s Leadership Project trainings at her high school. When it comes to reckoning with sexual violence in the #MeToo era, the veil of silence around the faith community remains a toxic deterrent that destroys lives.

https://thehumanist.com/magazine/may-june-2019/up-front/the-southern-baptist-conventions-gospel-of-rape-and-redemption

Report: Dutch Catholic Church Accused of Covering up Child Sex Abuse

More than half of the senior figures in the Dutch Catholic Church have been accused of covering up or engaging in the sexual abuse of children, according to a report by the Netherlands’ leading newspaper. Out of the 39 cardinals, bishops, and auxiliary bishops, four have been accused of abusing children whilst another 16 have been accused of transferring known paedophile priests to other parishes where they may have gone on to abuse more children, the Dutch newspaper of record NRC Handelsblad.

https://claytoncaller.com/report-dutch-catholic-church-accused-of-covering-up-child-sex-abuse/19508/ 

'A Spiritual Rape': Female Survivors Say Sex Abuse by Nuns Has Been Overlooked by Public

Female victims says nuns may also be predators whose sexual abuse of minors has been overshadowed by scandals focused on priests. Two women who have been sexually abused by nuns are speaking out, saying that amidst the well-documented scandal of widespread abuse of boys by priests, their traumas have been overlooked.

https://people.com/crime/nun-sex-abuse-survivors-speak-out-say-they-are-overshadowed/