Supporter defends expelled Jesuit priest against “lynching”, says abuse claims unproven
Rome, ItalyAP The head of a religious art and culture centre founded by a disgraced Jesuit priest came to his defense Saturday after he was expelled from the Jesuit religious order following allegations of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse against adult women. Maria Campatelli, director of the Rome-based Aletti Center, said the claims against Rev […]
Jesuits expel prominent priest after allegations of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis’ Jesuit religious order said Thursday it has expelled a prominent Slovenian priest from the congregation following allegations of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuses against adult women. A statement from the Jesuits, obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday, said Rev Marko Ivan Rupnik was dismissed from the Jesuit order by decree […]
Another deceased Jesuit priest accused of sex abuse in Bolivia as paedophilia scandal grows
La Paz, Bolivia AP A Spanish Jesuit priest who died in 2012 has been accused of sexually abusing a minor in Bolivia three decades ago, the latest in a string of paedophilia cases that have shaken the Catholic Church in this Andean country. Jorge Vila Despujol, who died in Barcelona in 2012, was formally accused […]
Bolivia’s Catholic Church says it was ‘deaf’ to sexual abuse victims
La Paz, BoliviaReuters Roman Catholic Church leaders in Bolivia said on Wednesday the institution had been “deaf” to sexual abuse in church-run schools and said they were taking action after a series of accusations in recent weeks led to protests and a legal investigation. The accusations were sparked by the publication in Spanish newspaper El […]
Pope says Argentina Government wanted “my head” when he was in Buenos Aires
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis said that when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires more than a decade ago, the Argentine Government wanted “to cut my head off” by backing false accusations that he had collaborated with the military dictatorship of the 1970s. Francis made his comments on 29th April in a private conversation with Jesuits […]
Bolivian Jesuits apologise for alleged abuse by late priest
La Paz, Bolivia AP Bolivia’s Jesuit congregation apologised Tuesday and announced an investigation into a late Spanish priest who allegedly abused several minors in Bolivia dating back to the 1980s. “We apologise for the pain this has caused,” said Rev Bernardo Mercado, head of the Catholic religious order known as La Compañía de Jesús. He […]
Lourdes shrine reviewing mosaics after Jesuit abuse claims
Rome, ItalyAP Officials at the Catholic shrine in Lourdes announced the creation of a study group Friday to decide what to do with one of the French sanctuary’s most famous but now controversial attractions: mosaics by a Jesuit artist who has been sanctioned by the Vatican and his religious order for sexually, spiritually and psychologically […]
Jesuits say abuse accusations against priest highly credible, restrictions tightened
Rome, ItalyReuters The Jesuit Roman Catholic religious order said on Tuesday that accusations of sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse against a prominent member were highly credible and that restrictions against him have been tightened. The order said in a statement on its website it intended to start what it called an “internal procedure” against the […]
Slovenian Jesuits ask for forgiveness in major abuse case
Rome, Italy Reuters Slovenia’s Jesuits say they believe sexual abuse allegations against a prominent member of their order are true and have asked for forgiveness. It is the latest development in the case of Father Marko Ivan Rupnik that has rattled the religious order and the Vatican. It was only after Italian media reports in […]
Pope’s vicar for Rome seeks full truth about Jesuit abuse
Rome, ItalyAP The Pope’s vicar for Rome called Friday for the full truth to come out about a famous Jesuit priest accused of sexual and spiritual abuses against adult women, and said he was evaluating what to do with the priest’s Rome-based community and diocesan positions. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis became the latest church official […]