Pope Benedict XVI waves as he is driven through a crowd during his weekly general audience, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, on June 2, 2010.
AP Photo/Andrew Medichini
Pope Benedict XVI led the Catholic Church at a crucial time and had to confront a growing sexual abuse scandal.
Representatives from the First Nations Inuit and Metis communities, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, after their meeting with Pope Francis, on April 1, 2022.
AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino
A Catholic theologian writes about why papal apologies can be meaningful, even when some may see them as mere words.
People pray for the victims of child sex abuse during a special service at a Catholic church outside Paris on Oct. 5, 2021. A new French report estimates that more than 200,000 children were abused by clergy since 1950.
AP Photo/Michel Euler
A French report on the scale of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy is the latest revelation in the crisis, but its roots go back decades – or more. Here are a few of our many related articles.
Thousands of Americans, including James Kretschmer, say they experienced sexual abuse as Boy Scouts.
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Investigative reporter Louise Milligan on Cardinal Pell and redactions in the Royal Commission’s report
The Conversation55.2 MB(download)
When the royal commission handed down its massive report in late 2017, several sections were redacted until after any legal proceedings against Cardinal Pell were concluded.
Pell was found guilty in December on five charges of child sexual assault.
EPA/Angelo Carconi
The Catholic Church has previously expelled perpetrators of child sexual abuse from the priesthood following internal investigations – known as canonical trials.
Crucifixion was a form of state terror and victims were likely to be stripped.
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Interviews with survivors of sexual abuse by clergy show that recognising Jesus as an abuse victim might help the Catholic church to change its culture and response to the abuse crisis.
Following the recent revelations about sex abuse, many Christian communities are facing a crisis of trust.
AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis
In the fourth century, Christian churches in North Africa faced a crisis of trust. A separate church of the Donatists emerged that lasted for centuries.
Southern Baptist Convention messengers hold signs during a rally protesting the convention’s treatment of women in 2018.
AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter
Recent media reports point to years of sexual abuse by Southern Baptist pastors. An expert writes why a long culture of women’s submission is responsible for this crisis.
George Pell’s lawyer, Robert Richter, said he will appeal the guilty verdict.
DAVID CROSLING/AAP Image
George Pell’s conviction has opened a rift in Australian society, with many people questioning the guilty verdict. Pell’s lawyer has said he will appeal. On what grounds could he do that?
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests protest against clergy sex abuse in Los Angeles in 2010.
AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
The Catholic survivor movement in the United States was founded by two women: Jeanne Miller and Marilyn Steffel, in the late 1980s. It has taken close to 30 years for the Vatican to take action.
Pope Francis sits during the traditional greetings to the Roman Curia at the Vatican in December 2018.
Filippo Monteforte/Pool Photo via AP
Pope Francis is meeting bishops for a global summit to discuss sexual abuse by clergy. Such a response, says an expert, is part of a past pattern, unlikely to bring a lasting change.
Tom Stewart fought to bring the sexual abuse that he endured as a Boy Scout to light.
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
The Second Vatican Council made many doctrinal changes possible in the Catholic Church. An expert argues why the church needs another such council.
New priests being ordained during a ceremony led by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, when they take vows, including to remain celibate.
AP Photo/Andrew Medichini