IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — For the Catholic Church, there is a "line in the sand," which can never be crossed, and that is to not allow anyone who harms or would harm a child to exercise public ministry, said Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Vatican Media By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Catholic Church needs "new legal structures of accountability" for bishops accused of sexual abuse or of negligence in handling abuse allegations, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago told the Vatican summit on safeguarding. Addressing Pope Francis and some …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Reuters By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Only together, by humbly sharing their experiences, encouragement and corrective advice, can the bishops and leaders in the Catholic Church work to prevent the abuse of minors and help bring healing to survivors, said the head of the Catholic Bishops’ …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Vatican Media By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Only together, by humbly sharing their experiences, encouragement and corrective advice, can the bishops and leaders in the Catholic Church work to prevent the abuse of minors and help bring healing to survivors, said the head of the Catholic …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Evandro Inetti, pool By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The abuse crisis in the Catholic Church is a call for bishops to unmask the deep-seated clericalism that placed protection of the institution of the church above the sufferings of victims, said the head of the council …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Bob Roller By WASHINGTON (CNS) — Laypeople must be involved in a "more meaningful and influential role" to help Catholic bishops create "an environment of safety within the church," the chairman of the National Review Board said in an opinion piece published by The Boston Globe. Writing Feb. …

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholics need to know that their leaders "mean business" when it comes to protecting minors from abuse, the Vatican’s top abuse investigator told representatives of the world’s bishops and religious orders. "They should come to know us as friends of their safety and …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Evandro Inetti, pool By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — "Every time I refused to have sex with him, he would beat me," an abuse survivor from Africa told Pope Francis and bishops attending the Vatican summit on child protection and the abuse crisis. The meeting began …

By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Opening the Vatican summit on child protection and the clerical sexual abuse crisis, Pope Francis said, "The holy people of God are watching and are awaiting from us not simple, predictable condemnations, but concrete and effective measures" to stop abuse. The summit meeting …

By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — U.S. Msgr. Joseph R. Punderson, a senior official of the Vatican’s highest court, was instructed by his bishop to resign his Vatican post late in 2018 and then was removed from ministry 15 years after he was found to be credibly accused of …