World Sep 29 Wrapping up Belgium visit, Pope doubles down on his views and calls abortion doctors ‘hitmen’ By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
World Dec 31 Benedict XVI, pope who resigned to spend final years in quiet, dies at 95 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the shy German theologian who tried to reawaken Christianity in a secularized Europe but will forever be remembered as the first pontiff in 600 years to resign from the job, died Saturday. By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
World Jan 20 Watch 6:06 New report exposes former pope’s inaction on child sexual abuse A tough new report finds the retired Pope Benedict failed to deal adequately with sexual abuse cases when he was the leader of a German diocese decades ago. Stephanie Sy has the latest on these revelations and how they reflect… By Stephanie Sy, Courtney Norris
Nation Aug 19 Watch 8:21 N.Y. suspended its statute of limitations on child sex abuse. A flood of claims emerged People who were sexually abused as children often need years to process what they’ve endured. By then, it’s often too late to take legal action against those responsible. But New York and a dozen other states are exploring changing the…
Nation Jul 01 Rhode Island diocese releases list of dozens of priests accused of sexually abusing children Based on files dating back to 1950, the list of 50 names posted on the diocese website includes 19 priests and deacons who are still alive. Nearly all have been removed from ministry. By Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press
Jun 12 Southern Baptists endorse steps to combat sex abuse By Jay Reeves, David Crary, Associated Press Delegates at the Southern Baptist Convention's national meeting voted to make it easier to expel churches that mishandle abuse cases. Continue reading
Jun 11 Watch 10:06 Abused nuns reveal stories of rape, forced abortions By Christopher Livesay Another scandal is engulfing the Catholic Church. At a time when the Vatican has taken its most concrete steps to address a long ordeal with sex abuse and coverups, a growing chorus of nuns is speaking out about the suffering… Continue watching
Jun 11 Prosecutors crack down on clergy abuse as bishops gather for conference By Juliet Linderman, Garance Burke, Martha Mendoza, Associated Press For decades, leaders of the Roman Catholic Church were largely left to police their own. But now, as American bishops gather for a conference to confront the reignited sex-abuse crisis this week, they're facing the most scrutiny ever from secular… Continue reading
Jun 06 Prosecutors say Australian cardinal’s convictions should stand By Rod McGuirk, Associated Press The most senior Catholic to be found guilty of child sex abuse will spend his 78th birthday in an Australian prison on Saturday as three judges consider whether to overturn his convictions on charges of molesting two choirboys in a… Continue reading
Oct 31 An Iowa diocese covered up priest’s abuse of dozens of boys By Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press The Rev. Jerome Coyle, now 85, was stripped of his parish assignments in the 1980s but never defrocked. And it was not until this week, after The Associated Press inquired about him, that he was publicly identified by the church… Continue reading