Polish Catholics get a new leader as the church struggles to reckon with sexual abuse

— The leaders of Poland’s influential Catholic Church have chosen moderate Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda to be their new principal, at a time when the church is struggling to reckon with the abuse of minors by some Polish clergy

Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda

The leaders of Poland’s influential Catholic Church on Thursday chose moderate Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda to be their new principal, at a time when the church is still struggling to reckon with the abuse of minors by some Polish clergy, while the number of Poles going to church has fallen sharply.

At a two-day conference, bishops and archbishops elected Gdansk Archpishop Wojda, 67, to replace the conservative Archbp. Stanislaw Gądecki, of Poznan, as the head of the Polish Episcopate, for a five-year term, a communique said.

More than 90% of Poles, a nation of some 38 million, are still officially members of the Catholic Church, but figures from 2022 showed less than a third of Catholics attended mass, according to the church’s statistical institute.

For 27 years, from 1990 until 2017, Wojda served at the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelizations of Peoples, during the terms of three popes: Polish-born John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. He was then appointed archbishop of Bialystok, in eastern Poland, bordering Belarus. In 2021, he was made archbishop of Gdansk.

During his tenure in Bialystok, when thousands of migrants arrived at the border with Belarus, Wojda called for openness and tolerance, but also stressed that borders must be protected. At that time he also spoke strongly against equality parades of the LGBT+ community in the region and said homosexuality was a “sin.”

Observers do not expect Wojda to change the Church’s strongly defensive course in the face of revealed cases of abuse of minors by priests.

A number of Poland’s archbishops and bishops have retired or stepped down, with the Vatican’s approval, for ignoring or trying to cover up abuses cases and for downplaying the trauma of the victims.

In some of the cases, the perpetrators have been indicted in court cases and ordered to pay damages to the victims. In a recent case, the diocese of Kalisz paid 300,000 zlotys ( $76,000) to the victim of a pedophile priest, in September.

The previous right-wing government forged close ties with the Church and supported some of its institutions financially, winning the gratitude of many believers. That government was also of similar mind with the Church on condemning abortion and promoting traditional family values.

The current pro-European Union government is seeking to cut the Church’s links to politics and also to limit its privileged financial position that exempts the church from taxation.

Historically, the Catholic Church has been held in high esteem by Poles, having been close to the nation and supporting its culture and freedom drives during the country’s division in the 19th century, during World War II and during more than 40 years of Moscow-controlled communist rule, until 1989.

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Pope Francis laicizes North Dakota priest after sexual assault guilty plea

By Daniel Payne

Pope Francis has ordered the laicization of a North Dakota priest who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in that state.

Diocese of Fargo Bishop John Folda said in a statement this month that former priest Neil Pfeifer “received a dispensation from the clerical state (laicization) from Pope Francis” effective March 8.

Pfeifer himself “sought the dispensation after adult women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct,” Folda said in his statement.

“Mr. Pfeifer pleaded guilty on July 13, 2023, to a misdemeanor charge of sexual assault in Stutsman County,” the bishop said.

Laicization is the term for when a priest has been dismissed from the clerical state. An individual who is confirmed as a priest will always remain one, but laicization takes away his ability to licitly execute the functions of the priesthood, except in the extreme situation of encountering someone who is in immediate danger of death.

Someone who has lost the clerical state also no longer has the canonical right to be financially supported by the Church.

Often, a man who is laicized is also dispensed from the obligation of celibacy and permitted to marry, though this is not always the case, especially when someone has been involuntarily removed from the clerical state.

Folda in his statement noted that the decision to laicize a priest “is not made by the local diocese or bishop but is determined by the Holy See.”

“Laicization means that Mr. Pfeifer has been returned to the lay state and may no longer exercise priestly ministry,” the bishop said. “As a result, in accord with canon law, he may no longer celebrate Mass, hear confessions, or administer other sacraments.”

“Laicization does not invalidate sacraments that he previously administered,” the prelate added.

“When members of the clergy or others representing the Church abuse someone, they violate a sacred trust,” Folda said in his statement.

The diocese announced in 2021 that Pfiefer had been appointed the pastor of St. James Basilica in Jamestown, St. Margaret Mary in Buchanan, and St. Mathias in Windsor.

Pfeifer’s term at those parishes was to last for six years, until 2027.

Complete Article HERE!

Vatican investigating historic child sex abuse claims against New Zealand Cardinal John Dew

Cardinal John Dew

By Michael Morrah

Newshub can reveal the Vatican is investigating New Zealand’s highest ranked Catholic over child sex allegations.

Cardinal John Dew, who delivered the church’s public apology to victims of clergy abuse at the Abuse in Care Royal Commission in 2021, is alleged to have sexually abused a boy who attended St Joseph’s Orphanage in Upper Hutt in 1977.

Wellington police spent months investigating, but recently closed the file and have not pressed charges saying they were unable to locate enough evidence.

Newshub has learned a church investigation, overseen by the Vatican, is now underway.

54-year-old Steve Carvell alleges Cardinal Dew sexually abused him when he was seven years old.

Cardinal Dew says it’s a “false allegation” and took Newshub all the way to the Supreme Court to prevent the reporting of the allegation. The court has allowed us to tell the story.

“That’s a shocking allegation and it did not happen” Dew told Newshub.

“I do not know Steven Carvell,” he said.

Carvell told Newshub he was 100 percent sure Dew abused him.

“The abuse still continues today because those memories and those obscene occasions, those things in life that I never, ever want to feel, I still today feel those intense feelings,” he said.

Steve Carvell has taken the step of asking a district court judge to waive his automatic right to name suppression so Newshub can tell his story.

Carvell also alleges that he was raped by the late Father Noel Donoghue, another priest who was at the Upper Hutt parish in 1977, and that he was sexually assaulted by a nun who visited the orphanage.

He took his complaint to police, the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care and the Catholic Church’s National Office of Professional Standards (NOPS).

Cardinal Dew, who retired as the leader of the Catholic church in New Zealand in May last year, cooperated with the police investigation.

He was interviewed for more than an hour by a detective at Lower Hutt Police station in December.

Speaking to Newshub, Dew said he was “absolutely certain” what Carvell has alleged did not happen

“I can honestly say with every ounce of my being that I have never abused anyone in my life. Ever.

“I would hope that people would believe someone who’s now had 48 years of experiences as a priest and has never had an allegation made against me,” said Dew.

“This has come totally out of the blue 46, 47 years later and I’m telling my truth.”

Police spoke to other people who were at the orphanage at the time but told Newshub they have exhausted all available lines of enquiry.

“Police were unable to locate sufficient evidence to meet the evidential test – which requires sufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction.

“As such the case has now been closed, however Police will always consider new information that may come to light in relation to an investigation,” they said in a statement.

Dew’s successor as Archbishop of Wellington, Paul Martin, said the Cardinal “has not been involved in public ministry since he became aware of the complaint.”

This is standard practice while allegations against priests are investigated.

Steve Carvell’s story

Steve Carvell is deeply affected by memories of alleged sexual abuse which have surfaced in recent years.

“The reason I’ve decided to share my story and come forward today is in the hope that other victims out there draw some strength from what I’m doing.”

He claimed the sexual abuse happened during a stay at St Joseph’s Orphanage in Upper Hutt when he was a little boy.

His admission records confirm he was there for 12 days – from the 1st to the 12th of November 1977.

“I saw that I was seven years old and it was at that point in time that I really broke down. I thought I might have been a bit older than that,” said Steve.

“It was the saddest moment of my life.”

Carvell said on his first night at the orphanage, he was woken by then ‘Father’ John Dew.

“He said: you’ve been a naughty boy, you’ve woken everybody up in the room. But I’m going to let you off. How would you like to play a game of catch me if you can,'”

Carvell claims the game swiftly became sexual in nature.

“Things got a bit weird, so instead of tagging it became touching.”

Carvell’s complaint alleges it was not only Father Dew involved in the game, but also a nun he says spent time at the orphanage. A nun he says he liked and trusted.

Clergy directory records cited by Newshub confirm that Dew was one of four priests at the Upper Hutt diocese in 1977

He rose through the church ranks over the following decades and in 2015 Pope Francis made him a Cardinal

As the head of the church here, Dew went before the Royal Commission in 2021 to make a public apology to victims abused by Catholic clergymen.

“I apologise to you on behalf of the bishops and congregational leaders of the Catholic church,” he said at the time.

“We offer no excuses for their actions, or for ours, that have caused you harm.”

Dew told Newshub that his apology still stands, despite the allegations that have been made against him.

“Absolutely, I stand by every word I said and that apology. Every word I said.”

“I couldn’t have stood up at the Royal Commission and said all the things that I had if this was part of my background. I couldn’t have stood up if I was covering things up”, said Dew

Carvell alleged Father Noel Donoghue – another priest at St Joseph’s at the time – also harmed him.

Again, his memories are that the abuse occurred during a game of tag in the middle of the night.

When Donoghue couldn’t catch Carvell, the priest became angry and Steve alleges he was raped.

“It was the most painful thing that I’ve ever felt in my life.”

When asked if he understood what was going on at the time, given his age, Carvell said he just knew his parents didn’t hurt him like that.

He said he felt isolated and tormented and that Father John Dew made him feel what happened was his fault, telling him he’d been “naughty”.

“So, it was a feeling of just begging for help from an adult and it never came.”

Dew doubts the allegations against Donoghue are true.

“I find that very hard to believe. Very hard to believe,” he said.

When asked by Newshub’s Michael Morrah why he believed that he said “oh, just unexpected of a person, the person, that I came to know.”

What Carvell said he endured and witnessed hadn’t always been clear in his mind.

His flashbacks started in 2019. The memories have become increasingly detailed and, at times, overwhelming.

“That tends to be interestingly enough the primary way these memories come back. They tend to come back initially as fragments,” said Professor Martin Dorahy, a clinical psychologist at Canterbury University.

“And then over time these tend to be pieced together and then remembered.”

Steve Carvell has suffered from complex Post-traumatic stress disorder for many years – which he attributes to the trauma of the alleged abuse.

Prof Dorahy says it’s uncommon for people to fabricate memories of sexual abuse, but they may misremember certain details.

“The majority of cases, it would seem, appear to reflect something that is more accurate, rather than something that is made up in a wholesale fashion.”

In his legal bid to stop Newshub reporting the allegations, Dew’s lawyer attacked Carvell’s credibility saying “the source of the allegations, one person’s memories of events some 46 years ago, is not reliable.”

Dew also said he had no idea why Carvell was making these claims

“I do not remember him. I do not remember any of the children from the orphanage, because we didn’t go to the orphanage.”

He has stood down from priestly duties while the police investigation took place and said that was very difficult.

“It meant two very good friends who died in that time, I had to tell their widows ‘I’m sorry, I’m not allowed to do this because an allegation has been made against me’,” he said.

Newshub has chosen not to name the nun accused as it was unable to independently verify her presence at the orphanage at the time.

The Sisters of Mercy – who ran the orphanage – refused Newshub’s request to access their records, but through their lawyers said Steve’s allegations were “demonstrably untrue”

In evidence provided to the court, Congregation Leader Sue France said the nun Carvell named was living and working full time in Palmerston North in the year the abuse was alleged to have occurred.

Further evidence provided on behalf of the Sisters of Mercy suggested it would have difficult for a nun to travel between Palmerston North and Upper Hutt.

One former nun also said in an affidavit that the abuse could not have occurred in the way Steve has described, without others hearing or being aware of it.

Noel Donoghue died in 2005.

Steve Carvell’s complaint was sent to the royal commission after the conclusion of its public hearings.

The commission told Newshub that accounts and experiences received would still inform its deliberations.

Now that the Police has closed its investigation, the Vatican is carrying out its own investigation into the allegations against Cardinal Dew.

The Vatican is expected to conclude its investigation later this year.

Where to find help and support:

Complete Article HERE!

Pope Francis Backs Female Diaconate and Expands Rights for All Baptized Individuals

— Pope Francis advocates for a female diaconate and extended rights for all baptized individuals, triggering theological discussions on celibacy and women’s roles within the Catholic Church. This shift may redefine the Church’s future.

By Quadri Adejumo

In a groundbreaking revelation, an Italian theologian discloses Pope Francis’s support for a female diaconate and his intent to extend specific rights to all baptized individuals, previously exclusive to bishops, priests, and religious figures. This significant development was deliberated in a gathering of the Council of Cardinals, or ‘C9,’ which counsels Pope Francis on Church governance and reform.

A Plea for Change: Women’s Voices Echo in the Vatican

Simultaneously, a collective of 26 Italian women penned a heartfelt letter to Pope Francis, professing their love for priests and advocating for the abolition of the Catholic Church’s celibacy requirement. Their emotional appeal emphasizes the “soul-destroying” nature of their suffering and stresses the potential benefits for the entire Church if the celibacy rule were to be relaxed.

Tradition vs. Progression: A Delicate Balance

Notably, Pope Francis has previously articulated his inclination towards preserving celibacy, citing tradition and the positive experiences of the past. However, suggestions have emerged, proposing the replacement of the celibacy law with an alternative discipline. Yet, the Church maintains a lengthy history of skepticism towards amending its rules concerning women.

Uncharted Territory: Expanding Roles and Rights

The current discourse surrounding the expansion of rights to all baptized individuals, irrespective of their religious roles, signifies a monumental shift in the Church’s perspective. If realized, this transformation could potentially reshape the landscape of the Catholic Church. Consequently, theological discussions and debates are intensifying, as the potential implications of these changes continue to unfold.

As the conversation surrounding celibacy and the role of women in the Catholic Church forges ahead, the world watches with bated breath. The decisions made today could redefine the Church’s future, signifying a critical juncture in its storied history.

Pope Francis, in his pursuit of a more inclusive and progressive Church, faces the challenge of balancing tradition with innovation. The potential implementation of a female diaconate and the extension of rights to all baptized individuals are testaments to the Church’s evolving stance.

In this intricate tapestry of motives, histories, and potential futures, the voices of the 26 Italian women serve as a poignant reminder of the human element at the heart of these debates. As the Church navigates uncharted waters, the stories of struggle, ambition, and sheer human will continue to shape its transformative journey.

Complete Article HERE!

Pope Francis orders investigation into sexual assault allegations against Archbishop Lacroix

Pope Francis has personally mandated retired Quebec Superior Court judge André Denis to conduct a preliminary investigation into allegations of sexual assault against the Archbishop of Quebec, Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix.

In a letter dated February 8 and signed by the hand of the Pope, including The duty obtained a copy, François asked former judge Denis to give him, at the end of his investigation, “a detailed report of your steps and your conclusions”.

This report will allow the pope to decide whether the allegations are sufficiently credible to justify the opening of a canonical trial. However, the alleged victim of Mgr Lacroix, whose identity is not known, refuses to participate in this process, indicated to Duty his lawyer Me Alain Arsenault.

The latter considers that the Vatican’s approach is not “credible”. The lawyer, who leads numerous class actions targeting religious orders and dioceses, reports that other victims have gone through this process and emerged “bruised and victims of reprisals”.

He asks that his client’s choice “not to call the police, not to contact the Pope, but to register for collective action” be respected.

Withdrawal

The name of Mgr Lacroix surfaced on January 25 in Superior Court when a new list of alleged attackers was filed as part of the class action brought against the diocese of Quebec.

The alleged victim, who was 17 years old at the time of the alleged acts (in 1987 and 1988), claims to have suffered touching, fellatio and penetration. These allegations have not yet been proven in court.

In a short press release released Monday, the diocese of Quebec offered “its full collaboration” to former judge Denis, “but will not intervene in the progress of the investigation nor in its conclusions.” The diocese added that it will make “no further comment on this approach”.

On January 26, the day after the allegations were made public, Bishop Lacroix announced that he was temporarily withdrawing from his activities “until the situation is clarified.” The cardinal also “categorically” denied having committed the actions with which he is accused, describing them as “unfounded”.

A few days later, in a video broadcast to his diocesans, Mgr Lacroix declared: “Never, to my knowledge, have I made any inappropriate gesture towards anyone, whether minors or adults. My soul and my conscience are at peace in the face of these accusations which I refute. »

Several mandates

Despite the victim’s refusal to participate in the process, retired judge André Denis intends to complete his investigation. In recent years, the former magistrate has been entrusted with other mandates linked to the pedophilia scandal in the Catholic Church.

Last June, he was mandated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate to lead an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse committed in Nunavut by Franco-Canadian priest Johannes Rivoire. He also led a statistical examination of the archives of the Archdiocese of Montreal (comprising the dioceses of Montreal, Joliette, Saint-Jean–Longueuil, Saint-Jérôme and Valleyfield) and the diocese of Mont-Laurier, which made it possible to determine that at least 87 priests perpetrated sexual abuse from 1940 to 2021.

Complete Article HERE!