Nicole’s Recent Stories
World May 09
In new church law Pope orders clergy to report abuse — but not necessarily to policePope Francis issued a groundbreaking law Thursday requiring all Catholic priests and nuns around the world to report clergy sexual abuse and cover-ups by their superiors to church authorities, in a new effort to hold the Catholic hierarchy accountable for…
Nation Apr 04
Pope names moderate Wilton Gregory archbishop of Washington D.C.Gregory, replaces Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who resigned last year after being implicated in covering up sex abuse within the church.
World Apr 02
Pope Francis says women have ‘legitimate claims’ for more equalityThe pope stopped short of endorsing calls from his own bishops to give women leadership roles.
World Mar 29
Pope Francis requires sex abuse allegations be reported to VaticanThe mandatory reporting provision marks the first time the Vatican has put into law requirements for Catholic officials to report allegations of sex crimes.
World Mar 19
Pope declined French cardinal’s resignation after sex abuse cover-up convictionThe decision greatly disappointed abuse survivors, given that French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin had traveled to the Vatican on Monday to present his resignation following the March 7 verdict and six-month suspended sentence he received.
World Feb 25
AP Analysis: What the Pope’s sex abuse summit has and hasn’t changedNo sweeping new law was announced to punish bishops who cover up abuse. No files were released or global reporting requirement endorsed requiring priestly rapists to be reported to police. But some concrete steps were announced at the summit's end.
World Feb 24
Pope vows to end cover-ups, fight sex abuse with God’s wrathPope Francis closed out his extraordinary summit on preventing clergy sex abuse by vowing Sunday to confront abusers with “the wrath of God,” end the cover-ups by their superiors and prioritize the victims of this “brazen, aggressive and destructive evil.”…
World Feb 23
Nun, among few at Vatican abuse summit, blasts church for ‘mediocrity, hypocrisy and complacency’A prominent nun blasted the culture of silence that has long kept clergy sexual abuse hidden in the Catholic Church, telling a Vatican summit Saturday that transparency and an admission of mistakes were needed to restore trust.
World Feb 22
Vatican sex abuse summit seeks new culture of accountabilityPope Francis summoned 190 religious leaders for a four-day tutorial on preventing abuse after the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal erupted again last year.
World Feb 21
At Vatican summit, Pope demands bishops act now on abusePope Francis opened a landmark sex abuse prevention summit Thursday by warning senior Catholic figures that the faithful are demanding concrete action against predator priests and not just words of condemnation. Victims then told the bishops of the searing emotional…
