Marcial Maciel Archives

Peru bishop wants excommunication for abuse scandals, not just defrocking

Church in the Americas
Mar 25, 2019

Bishop Kay Schmalhausen of Ayaviri, Peru believes current punishments for both the crime of clerical sexual abuse (usually expulsion from the clerical state) and the cover-up are ineffective, and suggested harsher penalties including excommunication.

Cardinal Tobin reportedly declined to investigate McCarrick misconduct rumors

Cardinals, Catholic News Agency
Sep 2, 2018

Cardinal Joseph Tobin told a journalist Friday that he heard rumors shortly after his 2017 arrival in the Archdiocese of Newark about the sexual misconduct of Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. He said he did not investigate those rumors because he found them unbelievable.

Why the Vatican thought Law’s funeral Mass was the right thing to do

News Analysis, Vatican
Dec 22, 2017

Many Americans may question the Vatican’s decision to stage a funeral Mass for Cardinal Bernard Law on Thursday, but there are at least four reasons why they went ahead.

Senior Vatican figure says at Law’s funeral, ‘Even cardinals make mistakes’

Vatican
Dec 21, 2017

Before an unusually small congregation of mourners, a funeral Mass for Cardinal Bernard Law was celebrated behind the main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday afternoon.

After murder of Maltese journalist, can Church lead push for reform?

News Analysis
Oct 22, 2017

With a total population of just about 445,000 people, Malta is one of the world’s smallest sovereign nations, but both historically and today it’s punched well above its weight in Church affairs. In the wake of Monday’s shocking murder of an anti-corruption journalist, the Church there under Archbishop Charles Scicluna may be ideally positioned to inspire and sustain a serious push for reform.

Recent rector of a Legionaries of Christ-run seminary fathered two children

Catholic News Agency, Global Church
Oct 8, 2017

Father Óscar Turrión, a member of the Legionaries of Christ and rector of a seminary, has confessed that he has fathered two children and now intends to leave the priesthood. In a letter of explanation and apology, Turrión wrote, “I ask forgiveness for my bad example and the negative witness I have given … As always, I ask, if possible more than ever, that you pray for me and remember me before the Lord.”