World News
Pope: No more excuses; time for ‘all-out battle’ against crime of abuse
The world has been aware of the "serious scandal" the abuse of minors by clergy has brought to the church and public opinion, both because of the dramatic suffering it has caused victims and because of the "unjustifiable negligence" and "cover-up" by leaders in the church, Pope Francis said.
Summit affirms need to hold bishops accountable, U.S. cardinal says
UPDATED - Several speakers were insisting that "any loopholes" existing in how bishops are treated -- if they are accused of abuse or of negligence in handling allegations -- "must be closed," Cardinal DiNardo told Catholic News Service.
Archbishop Coleridge: ‘Copernican revolution’ needed to tackle abuse
The Catholic Church needs a true conversion that places survivors, and not the institution, as the focus of its concern as it enacts measures to combat the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable people, said Australian Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane.
Measures to help protect minors are imminent, summit moderator says
While the four-day Vatican summit on the protection of minors has ended, the work to ensure that laws and concrete actions are in place is just beginning, said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi.
Summit emphasizes global nature of abuse crisis, need to put victims first
Speaking to the public, including dozens of abuse survivors, after his midday recitation of the Angelus Feb. 24, the pope promised measures to ensure children would be safe in the church and that the crime of abuse would stop.
Pope, bishops look at what they have done, failed to do to prevent abuse
In an opulent Vatican room designed in the 16th century for papal meetings with kings, a cardinal read, "We confess that we have shielded the guilty and have silenced those who have been harmed."
After the Vatican’s summit on abuse, the stakes are clear
The long-awaited meeting of bishops surpassed the expectations of some while disappointing others. It may also become a prototype for future such gatherings in terms of a diversity of voices and an honesty of opinion.
Bishops must see press as allies, not enemies, Mexican journalist says
Mexican journalist Valentina Alazraki, who has covered the Vatican for over four decades, told bishops at the Vatican summit on abuse Feb. 23 that journalists can help them root out the "rotten apples and to overcome resistance in order to separate them from the healthy ones."
Secrecy must ‘go out the window,’ Irish archbishop says
When it comes to the abuse of children by members of the clergy, using secrecy to hide problems rather than protect victims "must go out the window," said Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, Northern Ireland.
Lack of transparency harms church, justice, victims, cardinal says
Transparent, reliable and respectful administration is critical for counteracting sinful behavior within the Catholic Church, said German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising.