Pope Francis leaves complicated legacy on addressing the sexual abuse crisis April 23, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, Remembering Pope Francis, Vatican, World News Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis, who died April 21 at the age of 88, faced the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, attempting to balance defending the church from criticism while showing compassion toward survivors, with often mixed results.
Francis took pastoral and practical approach against abuse April 22, 2025By Carol Glatz OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, Remembering Pope Francis, Vatican, World News Over the course of his pontificate, Pope Francis held up two recurring images: the good shepherd who looks for the lost sheep and lays down his life to save them; and the good Samaritan, who did not ignore the wounded traveler, but helped him without asking for anything in return.
France turns the page on the abuse crisis as bishops elect new president of conference April 7, 2025By Caroline de Sury OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, World News The French bishops’ conference is entering a new era under Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, following his election as president. This transition comes after years of focus on abuse reform and safeguarding.
Disgraced former cardinal McCarrick dies at 94 April 4, 2025By Maria Wiering OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, Obituaries, World News The disgraced former cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, removed from the clerical state in 2019 after revelations of credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors and misconduct against adults, has died in Missouri. He was 94.
Prison calls lead Chicago Archdiocese to allege fraud against abuse claimants in moneymaking scheme April 3, 2025By Simone Orendain OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, World News The Archdiocese of Chicago filed a countersuit March 24 against seven alleged victims of clergy child sex abuse who either have pending settlements or have already received settlements in the millions of dollars.
House approves bill limiting payments to victims of child sexual abuse April 3, 2025By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, Maryland General Assembly, News The Maryland House passed a bill April 3 that makes significant changes to the Child Victims Act, lowering the limits for future lawsuits for sexual abuse of a minor and limiting the civil damages to each claimant, rather than each incident of alleged abuse. The bill now moves to the Maryland Senate for action before the session ends April 7.
Australian sociologist: Church must tackle clergy sexual misconduct with adults March 29, 2025By Maria Wiering OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, Vocations, World News A possible 50 percent of priests are unchaste, a sociologist who studies clergy sexual abuse and misconduct told a webinar audience March 24.
Maryland legislators consider reducing state’s financial responsibility for child sex abuse March 27, 2025By Christopher Gunty Filed Under: 2023 Attorney General's Report, Child & Youth Protection, Feature, Local News, Maryland General Assembly, News Del. C.T. Wilson, sponsor of the Child Victims Act that was passed by the Maryland Legislature in 2023, said he wants to ensure that the names of all perpetrators of child sexual abuse in the state Department of Juvenile Justice are made public.
Principal of Legionaries of Christ-linked school in Spain resigns amid abuse scandal March 26, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, World News The principal of a school run by members of Regnum Christi, the lay arm of the Legionaries of Christ, resigned after a school chaplain was arrested for sexually abusing five underage girls.
Former Baltimore priest arrested, charged with abuse of a minor March 24, 2025By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Local News, News William “Bill” Mannion, a former priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, was arrested March 24 by Baltimore County Police and charged with second-degree child abuse and multiple sex offenses.
Church urges protection of young after attack on Mexican youth group March 24, 2025By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, World News Masses were celebrated around the country March 23 as Catholics prayed for the victims of the attack, which claimed eight lives and left five injured, in the city of Salamanca in western Guanajuato state March 16.
Speakers: Church has role in fight against AI-generated exploitation March 21, 2025By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, Vatican, World News The Catholic Church needs to expand its safeguarding efforts to include the new threats and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence, top organizers of a Vatican conference said.
