Catholic News Service

The head of the German bishops conference formally apologized for sexual abuse in the church, saying it "has been denied, turned away from and covered up for far too long."

During times of freedom or persecution, the Gospel is needed to bring meaning, fullness and hope to life, Pope Francis said.

A past president of the University of Portland, Holy Cross Br. Raphael Wilson, is listed in the recently released grand jury report investigating the widespread alleged sexual abuse of children within six Pennsylvania dioceses.

The bishops of Pennsylvania's eight Roman Catholic dioceses are supporting creation of an independent fund to compensate survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

Baltimore Archbishop William Lori informed clergy Sept. 24 that the archdiocese has been in discussions with Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh about an investigation of records related to the sexual abuse of children.

Washington -- The current president of the Jesuit high school Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh attended in suburban Washington emphasized the schools' mission to form "men for others" and reflected on the need to evaluate the school's culture in light of that value.

The crisis the Catholic Church is facing is not "a crisis of faith" or "mainly about a crisis of sexual abuse by clergy," but is "a crisis of leadership," Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski said in a Sept. 18 homily.

Catholic leaders are speaking out against a Trump administration proposed rule announced Sept. 22 that would deny green cards to legal immigrants using public assistance.

Finally, the Vatican has done a deal with China, or rather with the ruling Chinese Communist Party that has been conducting an escalating program of repression against religion.

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world will celebrate when Pope Francis formally declares that Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, El Salvador, are saints.

The Dutch bishops' conference said it had worked to prevent further sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, but said a recent report by a leading newspaper was "old news."

Michigan's attorney general has opened an investigation into the handling of sexual abuse by clergy in all of Michigan's seven Catholic dioceses, as well as any attempts to cover up those claims dating back to the 1950s.

To be a voice for victims of clerical sexual abuse, Fr. Brendan McGuire realized he had to come to terms with the abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest when he was 18. It was a secret he had held for 35 years.

Retired Auxiliary Bishop Robert Morneau of Green Bay has requested and has been granted a withdrawal from all public ministry, saying he failed to report to authorities an incident of priest sexual abuse of a minor in 1979.

The Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese's release of the names of priests and deacons credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor "is an appropriate step and part of a commitment to openness and transparency by the church in this area," said a member of the Diocesan Review Board.

Vatican City -- Pope Francis accepted the resignations of two more Chilean bishops, bringing to seven the number of bishops who have stepped down since June in response to the clerical sexual abuse scandal in their country.

A class-action lawsuit was filed Sept. 17 against eight Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania demanding the dioceses provide proof that they submitted the names of all suspected predators.

New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan has named a former federal judge to study archdiocesan policies and procedures with respect to sexual abuse by clergy and recommend enhancements directly to the cardinal.

No one can remain indifferent to the way minority groups are increasingly the object of so much fear, scorn and hatred, Pope Francis said.

Retired Pope Benedict XVI expressed his displeasure with the way a German cardinal publicly criticized his stepping down as pontiff, and defended taking the title "pope emeritus."