By Kirk Petersen For the third time in a little more than a year, a bishop of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has left office for an offense related to sexuality. This time, the episode is flaring into national consciousness through media reports and Twitter threads, amid allegations that church officials kept quiet for years about accusations of sexual abuse … [Read more...] about ACNA Bp. Admits Mishandling Child Sex-Abuse Case
sexual abuse
Fletcher Sex Abuse Scandal Roils C of E Evangelicals
By Kirk Petersen Six months after a government-sponsored review accused the Church of England of having become "a place where abusers could hide," additional revelations about sexual abuse by priests continue to haunt the church. In 30 years as vicar of Emmanuel Church Wimbledon, the Rev. Jonathan Fletcher, now 78, is alleged to have engaged in naked beatings, swimming, … [Read more...] about Fletcher Sex Abuse Scandal Roils C of E Evangelicals
Australian Diocese Strapped for Cash and Clergy
By Mark Michael The Rt. Rev. Mark Calder, Bishop of Bathurst in rural New South Wales, desperately needs priests, but is short of funds to pay for them. 17 of the Australian diocese’s 27 multi-church parishes are currently vacant, and the diocese still owes about $2 million Australian dollars (USD $1.55 million) to the victims of sexual abuse, the Australian Broadcasting … [Read more...] about Australian Diocese Strapped for Cash and Clergy
Church of England: A Place Where Abusers Could Hide
By Mark Michael “The culture of the Church of England facilitated it becoming a place where abusers could hide,” concluded a damning 154-page report released October 6 by the United Kingdom’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). The report recommended that diocesan bishops should no longer have “operational responsibility” for investigations into abuse … [Read more...] about Church of England: A Place Where Abusers Could Hide
Priest Accused of Sexually Abusing Teen
By G. Jeffrey MacDonald, Correspondent The Diocese of Western Massachusetts has reportedly received “devastating credible evidence” that priest-turned-kindergarten teacher Gregory Lisby sexually abused a teenager during his years in the priesthood. In a Feb. 21 pastoral letter, Western Massachusetts Bishop Douglas Fisher informed his flock that the federal investigation … [Read more...] about Priest Accused of Sexually Abusing Teen
Diocese Faces Sex Abuse Allegations From Early 1970s
A man has filed suit against the Diocese of Arizona and one of its parishes, saying the church did not respond sufficiently to allegations that he was molested by a priest in the early 1970s. Charles Taylor alleges that he was sexually molested repeatedly at about age 12 by the Rev. Richard Babcock, a priest at what is now Grace St. Paul Church in Tucson, and that he … [Read more...] about Diocese Faces Sex Abuse Allegations From Early 1970s
ABC Calls for Mandatory Reporting on Sexual Abuse
British news organizations are reporting that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has told a government panel "I am convinced we need to move to mandatory reporting for regulated activities." This would affect clergy, church youth group leaders, and secular professions like teaching, healthcare and sporting activities. The Guardian reports that Welby said he feels … [Read more...] about ABC Calls for Mandatory Reporting on Sexual Abuse
Bishop Who Was Jailed for Sexual Assaults Dies
By John Martin Peter Ball, the disgraced former bishop of Gloucester who was jailed in 2015 for a string of sexual assaults against boys and young men, has died at age 87. The announcement of Ball’s death prompted Bishop Peter Hancock, the Church of England's lead bishop for safeguarding, to comment, "We have been made aware of the death of Peter Ball and our prayers and … [Read more...] about Bishop Who Was Jailed for Sexual Assaults Dies