IMAGE: CNS/Bob Roller By Julie Asher WASHINGTON (CNS) — Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl said Aug. 14 that during his tenure as bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006, he “established strong policies that addressed the needs of abuse survivors, removed priests from ministry and protected the most vulnerable in …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Tim Shaffer, Reuters By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — A Pennsylvania grand jury report issued Aug. 14 paints a picture of a Catholic Church in six of the state’s dioceses that for decades handled claims of sex abuse of minors under its care by hiding the allegations and …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy of the dioceses By WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. bishops as “are shamed by and sorry for the sins and omissions by Catholic priests and Catholic bishops” that have led to sexual abuse and caused great harm to many, said an Aug. 14 statement from the president …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis is traveling to Ireland specifically for the World Meeting of Families, but the sex abuse crisis is dominating headlines before his Aug. 25-26 trip. While coverage of clerical abuse in the United States, Chile and Australia continues, …

By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a June 2015 letter to Boston’s Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley obtained by Catholic News Service, a New York priest tells the prelate about “sexual abuse/harassment/intimidation” allegations he had heard concerning then-Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick and asks that if the matter doesn’t fall under …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness By Jen Reed FAIRFIELD, Pa. (CNS) — The grinding sounds of an excavation and construction site yielded to the intonation of a solemn pontifical Mass and prayers for the future on a vista in Fairfield July 25, where construction is underway for a …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden ROME (CNS) — Members of the Catholic Church sin and give scandal, it’s true, Pope Francis said, but it is up to each Catholic to live the faith as authentically as possible and witness to the world the love of Jesus. “The best …

By Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Archbishop of Boston said in an Aug. 10 statement that he has asked the rector of its main archdiocesan St. John Seminary to go on sabbatical leave immediately and is asking for an investigation of allegations made on social media about activities there …

By Theresa Laurence NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) — Two Tennessee Catholic bishops called the execution of Billy Ray Irick Aug. 9 “unnecessary.” “Tonight’s execution of Billy Ray Irick was unnecessary. It served no useful purpose,” Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville and Bishop Richard F. Stika of Knoxville said in a …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Any member of the clergy accused of the sexual abuse of a minor is tried according to procedures outlined in the Code of Canon Law and specific norms spelled out in “Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela” (“Safeguarding the Sanctity of the …