Sexual abuse by clergy

Across vast Muslim world, LGBTQ people remain marginalized

Here and there, across the far-flung Muslim and Arab world, LGBTQ people see glimmers of progress — but those are rare exceptions.

Indiana judge won’t block probe over 10-year-old’s abortion

Accused Albany bishop asks to be removed from priesthood

Vatican urges German Catholic Church to put brakes on reform

Maryland probe finds 158 abusive priests, over 600 victims

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Superior diocese publishes list of credibly accused clergy

SUPERIOR, Wis. (AP) — The Catholic Diocese of Superior published names late Tuesday of almost two dozen clergy that it says have had credible claims of sexually abusing minors made against them.

Missouri summer camp operators sued over abuse settlement

A Tennessee man filed a lawsuit Friday claiming that operators of the Kanakuk Camps in Branson, Missouri, lied to him and his parents while persuading them to sign a settlement over sexual abuse by a camp counselor.

Italy church says 600 sex abuse cases sent to Vatican

Italy’s Catholic bishops have provided their first-ever accounting of clergy sexual abuse. A report by the Italian bishops’ conference only covered reports received by the local Italian church over the last two years.

US bishops to elect new leaders, mark abuse reform milestone

U.S. Catholic bishops plan to elect new leaders as they gather in Baltimore this week. The vote on Tuesday may signal whether the bishops want to be more closely aligned with Pope Francis’ agenda or maintain a more formal distance.

Vatican opens preliminary abuse probe into French cardinal

The Vatican has decided to launch a preliminary sex abuse investigation into French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, after he admitted to having behaved in a “reprehensible way” with a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago.

Suspended Indiana priest avoids prison in sex abuse case

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — A suspended Indianapolis priest has avoided prison after pleading guilty to a lesser charge in a case alleging that he sexually abused a teenage boy.

Priest indicted on child rape, assault and battery charges

WOBURN, Mass. (AP) — A Roman Catholic priest from Massachusetts accused of sexually assaulting a child more than a decade ago has been indicted by a grand jury on forcible child rape and indecent assault and battery charges, authorities said Tuesday.

French cardinal to be investigated over abuse confessions

The prosecutor’s office in Marseille has opened a preliminary investigation for “aggravated sexual assault” against Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, one of France’s highest-ranking prelates of the Catholic Church.Via a letter that was read out Monday during a conference of French bishops, Ricard said th

Polish court acquits men in toppling of priest statue

A Polish court has acquitted three men who in 2019 toppled a statue of a late priest suspected of sexually abusing minors.

French cardinal says he abused 14-year-old girl 35 years ago

One of France’s high-ranking prelates of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, says that he had abused a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago and is withdrawing from his religious duties.

Rochester diocese to pay $55 million to sex abuse survivors

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester will pay $55 million to survivors of sexual abuse committed by clergy members under a settlement announced by church officials.

Stricter clergy oversight part of Buffalo diocese settlement

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has agreed to strengthen its oversight of clergy accused of sexual misconduct to settle a lawsuit brought by New York’s attorney general alleging the church mishandled abuse claims and protected predatory priests, authorities said Tuesday.

Prominent Chicago priest accused of sexual abuse of minor

CHICAGO (AP) — A Catholic priest who gained national fame as an activist has been asked to step away from his ministry while allegations that he sexually abused a minor decades ago are investigated.

Priest convicted of sexual assault on boy in Michigan church

A Wayne County jury convicted the Rev.

Lawsuit: Utah firm and lawmaker helped Mormons hide abuse

Three children who were sexually abused by their father are accusing a Utah state legislator and a prominent Salt Lake City law firm of conspiring with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to cover up their abuse and allowing it to go on for years.

Retired St. Louis priest admits possessing child pornography

James T.

Portuguese bishop says conscience clear about abuse claims

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A senior Portuguese Catholic Church official who has been named in investigations involving alleged cover-ups of sex abuse by priests said Wednesday his conscience is clear.

Portugal’s president feels heat from church sex abuse remark

Portugal’s president is scrambling to quell an outcry over his comments appearing to make light of revelations that more than 400 people were victims of child sex abuse by members of the Portuguese Catholic Church.

Historic Portugal church sex abuse ‘truly endemic’ at times

The head of a lay committee looking into historic child sex abuse in the Portuguese Catholic Church says the problem in the past had been “widespread” and on some occasions reached “truly endemic” proportions.

Las Vegas Jewish community buys back synagogue from diocese

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Las Vegas synagogue that is believed to be the first Jewish place of worship in the New Mexico Territory is back in the hands of the Jewish community.

Retired priest in Virginia acquitted on sex abuse charge

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury has acquitted a retired Catholic priest from northern Virginia who was accused of sexually assaulting a child more than 20 years ago.

Alabama pastor indicted on charges of rape, sex abuse

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — A south Alabama pastor was arrested Tuesday after being indicted on rape and sex abuse charges, news outlets reported.

Vatican cardinal cites Nazi theology in German reform

ROME (AP) — The German Catholic Church’s reform process is again under fire from the Holy See, with a Vatican cardinal seemingly comparing its proposals for theological development to the thinking that sustained Germany’s Nazi era.

Judge acquits Legion priests in abuse-linked extortion case

A judge in Milan has acquitted five members of the Legion of Christ religious order and their lawyers of attempted extortion in a case in which they were accused of offering to pay the family of a sexual abuse victim to lie to prosecutors.Four of the five were also absolved of obstruction of justice

Portugal abuse cases mount amid questions over Nobel bishop

Clergy sexual abuse cases are casting a pall over the Catholic Church in Portugal. They are ensnaring senior Portuguese officials even as authorities scramble to explain why shelter was given to a Nobel Peace Prize-winning bishop at the center of sexual misconduct allegations.

Amid crises, rural roots anchor Southern Baptists’ president

The new president of the Southern Baptist Convention is a staunchly conservative small-town preacher who touts biblical inerrancy, opposes women serving as pastors and supports abortion bans.

UN, abuse survivor groups seek Vatican investigation of Belo

The United Nations and advocacy groups for survivors of clergy sexual abuse are urging Pope Francis to authorize a full investigation into Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo.

Mormon leader calls abuse ‘abomination’ amid policy scrutiny

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Russell M. Nelson, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told members of the faith on Saturday that abuse was “a grievous sin” that shouldn’t be tolerated and would bring down the wrath of God on perpetrators.

French Catholic Church starts compensating sex abuse victims

PARIS (AP) — France’s Catholic Church has paid financial compensation to 23 victims of child sexual abuse by priests or other church representatives under a recently launched reparation process, the body in charge of compensation decisions said Friday.

Vatican sanctions Nobel laureate after Timor accusations

The Vatican says it imposed disciplinary sanctions on Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo following allegations that he sexually abused boys in East Timor in the 1990s.