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Polish Church condemns abuse charges against John Paul II
Polish Church leaders have reacted angrily to new claims that St John Paul II covered up clerical sexual abuse while serving as Archbishop of Krakow before his papal election and vowed to “defend his good name”. Source: The Tablet.
Abuse a clear and present danger: Pope
Establishing clear procedures for protecting vulnerable people against abuse “must become a priority in every local church”, Pope Francis has told a Latin American congress. Source: NCR Online.
Polish bishops and experts reject allegations St John Paul II covered up abuse
The Polish Bishops’ Conference says that “further archival research” is needed to fairly assess a new allegation, based on communist secret police records, that St John Paul II covered up child sexual abuse by a priest while serving as the archbishop of Krakow. Source: CNA.
Pope calls for prayers for victims of abuse
Pope Francis has dedicated this month to praying for victims of abuse, saying simply asking forgiveness is not enough, but the Church must put victims first and avoid cover-up. Source: Crux.
Report claiming McCarrick not competent to stand trial challenged
United States prosecutors are challenging the medical report claiming former cardinal Theodore McCarrick is not competent to stand trial on charges he sexually abused a teenager in the 1970s. Source: OSV News.
New restrictions against Jesuit possible after credible abuse accusations
The Society of Jesus said it will open a new internal investigation on Fr Marko Rupnik SJ after receiving abuse accusations with a “very high” degree of credibility against the artist. Source: CNA.
Funding scheme offers healing for victims of Church abuse
People who have been abused or harmed in Church or other settings and are seeking healing may be eligible for a new funding scheme available in 2023. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Independent commission releases report on abuse in Church in Portugal
At least 4815 children were sexually abused by members of the Church in Portugal over the past 70 years, according to a report by the commission investigating the issue. Source: Reuters.
L’Arche publishes Vanier abuse report
An independent commission set up by L’Arche International has released a report on the abuse carried out by Jean Vanier, the founder of the first L’Arche communities where people with and without learning disabilities live together. Source: The Tablet.