Gay men will be allowed into Roman Catholic seminaries to train to be priests but they must observe celibacy according to Catholic doctrine that holds that non-practising homosexuals are not sinners, the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) said in new guidelines. To be admitted to the seminary, one must show from the beginning "an orientation towards celibate life". In this perspective, there will not be a barrier to homosexuals as such but to those who "practise" homosexual acts. "The Church, while deeply respecting the people in question, cannot admit to the Seminary and to Holy Orders those who practise homosexuality".

Compared to how most bishops handle cases of falsely accused priests, the Cardinal's actions are exemplary. Justice and truth demand that obviously wrongly accused priests be immediately sent back to their calling – not years later – and the Cardinal is showing strong leadership and a care for his fellow priests by taking swift action where it is warranted. We hope other bishops find some courage and take note.

The Archbishop refuses to release a list of Archdiocesan priests who have been “credibly accused” of abuse. It did, however, release a new list of priests “approved for ministry” by the Archdiocese. In a statement, the Archdiocese said releasing a list of all priests accused of sexual abuse would be “unjust” for those who are falsely accused. Out of a dozen Catholic dioceses in the state, it is the only one that has not released a list of priests hit with abuse allegations deemed credible by church review boards.

Reddy said the court “cannot dismiss the matter” under state law, but the court “will not set any further reviews on this matter and it will remain in suspended status until the defendant passes away,” court records say. Prosecutors told the court they were “not ready to dismiss this matter” and asked that the trial remain “in suspended status.” McCarrick’s attorney Jerome Buting countered that McCarrick’s “extreme deterioration” should lead the court to dismiss the case outright.

After a concerted effort to conduct a thorough investigation, the Diocese Independent Ombudsman has discovered no additional information to corroborate the August 1, 2024, accusation against the Deacon, and the complainant has withdrawn the lawsuit in which the accusation was made. Therefore, the Independent Review Board has recommended to the Bishop that the diocese follow existing protocols and close the preliminary investigation. The Bishop has lifted the precautionary suspension from exercising diaconal ministry and restored the Deacon to active ministry.

From a period of cover-up and concealment, we moved into a phase of suspicion towards the clergy. Allegations of abuse became more frequent and the ecclesiastical institutions reacted by removing the accused from their ecclesiastical functions. In the face of a widespread suspicion of clerical guilt clerics can be disqualified as perpetrators of abuse on the basis of mere accusations. The cleric becomes the target of a storm of discrediting, i.e. in a very short time numerous negative comments spread through social networks that have far-reaching existential consequences for the religious in question. The cleric in question is unable to defend himself against such agitation and the accused is publicly branded as an aggressor and considered guilty, without further investigation or evidence. An accusation becomes a proven fact for the public opinion and the outrage against this cleric spreads like an avalanche. The author asks “in a situation like this, where is the question of truth and justice? Who will guarantee that the accused can exercise their rights?

Diocesan priests, both locally and nationwide, continue to struggle with the fallout of the clergy abuse crisis, which has created an environment where priests are “trying to minister in a climate of suspicion.” Just like the secular population, priests also have had an increase in struggles with mental health and physical well-being. The Bishops said a key part of the initiative will be looking at priests’ workload, and being “very assertive in the number of churches that we’re going to keep,” while determining “the number of parishes, the number of churches that one priest can manage because they feel it’s getting too much for them.”

Jesuit Father Hans Zollner joined several safeguarding experts in releasing a joint proposal in Rome Nov. 18 advocating a global extension of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ protocol of permanently removing from ministry credibly accused priests or deacons. That norm, established in 2002 alongside the USCCB’s “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” with the Vatican’s permission, at present only applies to the Catholic Church in the U.S. ". . . when it comes to largely open questions like what can be done for those who are dismissed — when there is no church oversight at all — and for those who are removed from ministry? Who is supervising, sanctioning, accompanying the latter ones?"

Victims may be manipulated into harmful behaviours, subjected to psychological torment through threats of divine punishment, or coerced into actions that serve the abuser’s interests. Unlike physical or sexual abuse, spiritual abuse leaves no visible scars, making it difficult to define, investigate, and address. The decision to explore this issue is not without controversy. There are concerns about false accusations or the potential for misinterpreting genuine acts of spiritual leadership as abuse. Balancing the need to protect victims while ensuring fair treatment for clergy will be a significant challenge for the Vatican.

A priest accused of sexual assault says he meant to encourage and reassure a young girl when he hugged and kissed her during an encounter in 2023. In an effort to reassure and thank the usually quiet, timid and shy girl, the accused priest asked the girl to hug him. He said he went to give her a peck on the forehead because her head was tilted down. As he kissed her, the girl looked up and his kiss landed on her cheek near her mouth instead.

"There's no written handbook we have that really clarifies all the diocesan policies," said the priest, who said he received approval from members of his finance council to invest parish funds in businesses affiliated with his longtime friend. "I know many pastors have made investments with investment groups and stock brokers, without the approval of the diocese," said the priest, who added that he was unaware of any policy that required him to notify diocesan officials of parish financial expenditures apart from any amount over $30,000 for repairs and renovations.

A priest pastor who was temporarily removed from ministry amid allegations of sexual abuse has been reinstated after an investigation found no evidence to support the claims. The Archdiocese’s Office for the Protection of Children and Youth "recommended that the file be closed and he be returned to ministry. After prayerful consideration, I have accepted the Board's recommendations and have restored Father's faculties to minister," the Archbishop said. "I publicly affirm that Father is a priest in good standing and express sincere appreciation for his many years of service to the People of God in the Archdiocese. He deserves our respect and gratitude and I hope you will join me in thanking him for his long-standing dedication."

The Archdiocese Independent Review Board found there was not a reasonable cause to believe the accused priest sexually abused a minor and recommended he be reinstated to the ministry. The priest was removed from ministry after the allegation was made in October 2023. “The welfare of the children entrusted to our care is our paramount consideration,” the Archbishop wrote in letters announcing the priest's reinstatement to eight parishes where he worked throughout his career. “At the same time, I am committed to restoring the good name of those so accused if the case is unsubstantiated. To that end, I publicly affirm that Father is a priest in good standing and express sincere appreciation for his many years of service to the People of God in the Archdiocese."

Two federal judges overseeing lawsuits brought by Jane Does rejected their efforts to continue anonymously, saying in both cases the women did not establish that their concerns about harm outweighed the accused right to know his accuser and defend himself or the public’s interest in open trials. If the women want their lawsuits to proceed, the judges ruled, they will have to file them under their real names. Lawyers say anonymity is discussed with clients, who may not realize at the outset that they might have to ultimately reveal their names in court and open themselves up to public scrutiny, which has led to some cases being dropped.

A controversial bill in the Legislative Assembly has put the Catholic Church and lawmakers at odds over the sanctity of confession versus child protection laws. The proposed “Law Against Silence in Sexual Crimes Against Children and Persons with Disabilities” would require Catholic priests to break the seal of confession to report sexual crimes, prompting strong opposition from Church leaders who say they will defy the law if passed.

Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, a jurist and international advocate for children’s rights who was appointed by Pope Francis as a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in 2022, also stated that she did not see any relationship between celibacy and criminal sexual abuse against children. “I don’t see any relationship,” she said. “Sexual relationships with children is a crime and the ones who commit this have a problem, which is related to their psychological state of mind. There is no exception for this, no excuse for this crime. Children should be respected in their integrity — physical and moral. So whether celibate or not, it doesn’t matter." She said.

Pope Francis told clergy that their honorable status “should not make you feel superior to the people or lead you into the temptation of being prideful or feeling powerful. It should not make you think of your ministry as bestowing social prestige, acting as leaders who crush others”. “Let us remember that with perfume we anoint the feet of Christ, which are the feet of our brothers and sisters in the faith, starting with the poorest,” he said, adding that a priest is always “an instrument of blessing”. “Never take advantage of this role. You should always bless and console; always be a minister of compassion and a sign of God’s mercy,” the Pope said.

I want to take a moment to update you on a disturbing allegation made against me. The allegation against me by an anonymous person is a complete fabrication. It never happened. I have never had sexual contact with another person. I am considering the canonical and legal options available to me in response to this unfounded accusation.

The priest is claiming that Grindr falsely claimed his personal information would be safe, and then sold it to third parties without alerting him that it could be used to identify him. In July 2021, a Catholic news site published a story about the priest's alleged use of Grindr based on what it described as information obtained from commercially available data from Grindr. "At the very least, the article could have included assessments from independent experts on child sexual abuse regarding whether sexual orientation, in itself, plays a role, and whether the use of dating apps is a true red flag. The choice not to do so can suggest either recklessness, or, more alarming, a deliberate desire to raise doubts about all gay clergy, even those (presumably the majority) faithful to their vows who’ve never abused anyone."

A former associate priest lost his appeal to the State Supreme Court. He sued for more than $2 million claiming he did nothing wrong and was denied due process. The priest's attorney said, “When the archdiocese placed his name on a list of priests who were credibly accused of sexual criminal misconduct, they in effect convicted him without the benefit of a trial, without the benefit of him being able to present evidence, without him being able to confront and cross-examine witnesses against him, and in effect, he’s been convicted without a trial.”