Catholic Church sex abuse cases

The Latest

“To be very clear: we are not seeking to cover up the sins of the past,” Seattle Archbishop Paul Etienne emphasized. “We acknowledge that sexual abuse occurred; it is tragic and heartbreaking. We want abusers to be held accountable and we wish to dispel the fear that clergy sexual abuse is rampant today." Image of Saint James Cathedral in Seattle.

Washington judge denies state attorney general’s subpoena against Seattle Archdiocese

Jul 13, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The attorney general’s office claimed in May that the Seattle Archdiocese “refused to cooperate” with a subpoena investigating the use... Read more

Cardinal John Atcherley Dew on Feb. 14, 2015, in Vatican City.

Vatican clears New Zealand Cardinal John Dew of abuse allegations

Jun 5, 2024

By AC Wimmer

The allegation of historical sexual abuse had been raised against Dew around the time he retired as archbishop of Wellington... Read more

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Louisiana police obtain new search warrant in New Orleans Archdiocese abuse investigation

Apr 25, 2024

By Daniel Payne

A police spokesman confirmed that they obtained the warrant as part of the investigation into “numerous complaints of child sexual... Read more

New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks to the media on May 26, 2022, in New York City.

New York prosecutor, Brooklyn Diocese reach agreement over sex abuse mishandling

Apr 17, 2024

By Daniel Payne

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that the Diocese of Brooklyn has agreed to “significant action” to address shortcomings... Read more

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Catholic leaders in Costa Rica oppose bill forcing priests to break seal of confession

Nov 16, 2023

By Diego López Marina

A group of Catholic leaders from Costa Rica recently laid out the position of the Church regarding a bill that... Read more

The Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Archdiocese settles for $3.5 million in sex abuse lawsuit for deceased priest

Aug 10, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

The lawsuit alleged that Monsignor John Close sexually assaulted a 14-year-old boy in 2006 when he took classes at a... Read more

Cardinal Juan José Omella, the archbishop of Barcelona, Spain, and Spain's Ombudsman Ángel Gabilondo.

Spanish bishops deliver six volumes of information on sex abuse cases to ombudsman

Mar 30, 2023

By Nicolás de Cárdenas

Cardinal Juan José Omella said that these situations cause “great harm, not only to the Church but [also] to society.” Read more

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, NY.

Facing hundreds of sex abuse lawsuits, Albany Diocese to declare bankruptcy

Mar 16, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

The diocese has been named in more than 400 lawsuits filed from August 2019 to August 2021 under the Child... Read more

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Priest who served in Diocese of Charleston charged with sexual abuse of 11-year-old girl 

Jan 9, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

Father Jaime Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias, a visiting priest from Chile who served in the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, has been... Read more

A view of Baltimore's Basilica nestled amid the city's famed row houses

Baltimore seals documents related to clerical sexual abuse report

Dec 6, 2022

By Jonah McKeown

A judge in Baltimore this week ordered everything related to the release of a major attorney general’s report on clerical... Read more

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More clergy accused of child sexual abuse in California as important deadline nears

Dec 2, 2022

By Joe Bukuras

As California’s three-year window to file child sex abuse lawsuits past the statute of limitations nears its conclusion, 66 Catholic... Read more

St. Joseph Cathedral, Buffalo

New York State to assume some oversight of Buffalo Diocese after sex abuse settlement

Oct 26, 2022

By Joe Bukuras

The Diocese of Buffalo has settled a two-year-old lawsuit with New York Attorney General Letitia James over charges that it... Read more

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe.

Denouncing clergy sex abuse, Santa Fe Archdiocese files $121 million settlement plan

Oct 13, 2022

By Kevin J. Jones

Lamenting the damage that abusive Catholic clergy have caused to sexual abuse victims, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe submitted its... Read more

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Pope Francis orders new canonical process in abuse case at Opus Dei school in Spain

Sep 16, 2022

By CNA Staff

Bishop Joseba Segura Etxezarraga of Bilbao has announced that Pope Francis has ordered a new canonical process for an abuse... Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston.

Cardinal O’Malley urges Italian Catholic bishops to ‘make things right’ for abuse survivors

May 26, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

‘We have nothing to fear by telling the truth,’ said the head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of... Read more

The Frauenkirche, the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.

Germany’s Munich archdiocese spent around $1.5 million on abuse report

May 23, 2022

By CNA Staff

The report, published in January, faulted Pope emeritus Benedict XVI and Cardinal Reinhard Marx. Read more

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, N.M.

For sexual abuse victims in Santa Fe archdiocese, $122 million settlement a 'next step'

May 18, 2022

By Kevin J. Jones

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe has agreed on a $121.5 million bankruptcy settlement to provide compensation for hundreds of sexual... Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, personal secretary of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, speaks to EWTN Rome Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser.

Full text: EWTN’s exclusive interview with Archbishop Gänswein

Feb 14, 2022

By CNA Staff

Benedict XVI’s personal secretary discusses the Munich abuse report. Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, personal secretary of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

Archbishop Gänswein tells inside story of Benedict XVI’s response to the Munich abuse report

Feb 14, 2022

By CNA Staff

Benedict XVI’s personal secretary said the 94-year-old was ‘doing well’ despite the recent media firestorm. Read more

Jean-Marc Sauvé.

French abuse report authors respond to critics who challenged 330,000 victims estimate

Feb 10, 2022

By CNA Staff

A 15-page critique claimed the report lacked ‘scientific rigor.’ Read more