BALTIMORE — U.S. Catholic bishops voted Wednesday to create a new national sex-abuse hotline run by an independent entity, a decision that represents one of the church's most tangible steps yet in confronting its sex-abuse crisis. The hotline, which would field allegations that bishops committed abuse or covered it up,...
Fresno Among Dioceses Forming Sexual Abuse Compensation Program
With the Catholic Church under siege all the way to the Vatican from clergy abuse victims and their advocates, six Catholic bishops in California announced Tuesday a compensation program for victims of sexual abuse as minors by diocesan priests, regardless of when the abuse occurred. The six participating dioceses are...
Pope Wants Bishops to Punish Sex Abusers, Not Cover up Cases
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is insisting that bishops attending his high-stakes sex abuse prevention summit will learn the laws to use against predators, how to care for victims and will make sure that no cleric abuse cases are covered up again. The Vatican on Wednesday provided details about the...