Abuse survivor reflects on John Merzbacher’s death May 15, 2023By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, News “And I get no pleasure from his death because I wish none of it had happened,” Elizabeth Ann Murphy said. “It still doesn’t restore my childhood.”
Archbishop Lori affirms support for transparency in addressing sexual abuse May 12, 2023By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, News Archbishop William E. Lori confirmed that no one who has been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor is currently in ministry in the archdiocese, and that he has confidence that all clergy and employees are committed to protecting children and enforcing the archdiocese’s child protection policies.
Pope to safeguarding commission: Be kind, bring hope, heal broken lives May 5, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Safeguarding minors and vulnerable persons must be a priority for everyone in the church, Pope Francis said.
Believe us: Survivors express anger, hope following release of attorney general’s report May 1, 2023By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, News Murphy said there is a “simple” answer as to how the church found itself enmeshed in the abuse crisis. “It’s because church leadership put power, prestige and possessions above the lives of the children entrusted to their care,” she said.
Parents are the best online gaming partner kids can have in the fight against predators, say experts April 21, 2023By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, World News Online gaming presents unprecedented risks to kids’ safety, but parents remain the best defense against child exploitation — even if they’re not tech savvy, experts told OSV News.
Maryland attorney general acknowledges that church has changed response April 7, 2023By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, News “(I)t is accurate to say that the abuse that we discovered and uncovered pre-dates the current leadership in the Archdiocese and they are offenses that occurred in the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and through the ’80s, some maybe as recently as the ’90s,” Brown said.
Archbishop Lori saddened, shamed and sickened by abuse in the church April 5, 2023By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, News Archbishop Lori said that as he read the report, “just as a pastor of souls and as a Catholic, I felt deep sadness. I felt shame. I felt sickened by the report, and I had to ask myself how could this have happened in the life of the church and how could it have gone on so long?”
Attorney General Brown hopes abuse report ‘exposes’ transgressions ‘to the fullest extent possible’ April 5, 2023By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, News Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said more than 300 people contacted the attorney general’s office since its investigation began five years ago, with his office interviewing hundreds of survivors and witnesses.
Attorney General report: ‘a heartbreaking and new reminder of a tragic and shameful time’ April 5, 2023By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, News In a pastoral letter in response to the release of a redacted version of the Maryland Attorney General’s report “Clergy Abuse in Maryland: Report on the Investigation of the Archdiocese of Baltimore,” Archbishop William E. Lori said it serves “as a heartbreaking and new reminder of a tragic and shameful time.”
Laws, lawsuits and adult involvement needed to save kids from social media ‘harm,’ say experts March 26, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, World News Following California’s successful lead, legislation in Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia aims to impose on social media giants fines, age-appropriate design codes, and user age restrictions for opening accounts.
Catholic, labor leaders raise concerns as Arkansas revises child labor law March 14, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, World News In a legislative development that has drawn concern from both Catholic and labor leaders, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Ark., signed into law March 8 the Youth Hiring Act of 2023, which eliminates state age verification for children younger than 16 seeking a job.
Statute of limitations bill called ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘unfair’ March 10, 2023By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, Maryland Catholic Conference, Maryland General Assembly, News Calling it “unconstitutional” and “unfair,” the Maryland Catholic Conference expressed its continued opposition to legislation approved March 10 by a State Senate committee that would treat private institutions such as the Catholic Church differently from public institutions in civil liabilities faced for child sexual abuse.
