ROME — A U.S.-based group that tracks how the Catholic hierarchy deals with allegations of sexual abuse by clergy says Pope Francis made a “ troubling ” choice in appointing an Argentine prelate to a powerful Vatican office that handles such cases.On Saturday, the Vatican announcedthe pontiff had pickedMonsignor Victor Manuel Fernández, archbishop of La Plata, Argentina, to head the Holy See’s watchdog office for doctrinal orthodoxy.... Fernández “ should have been investigated, not promoted to

He said Benedict" did not deliberately do anything wrong." Benedict, who resigned in 2013, remains a hero to conservatives who are at odds with Francis' style of a more open and welcoming Church. Conservative Italian newspapers ran editorials on Friday defending Benedict and attacking the report.... " His defenders will continue defending him and his detractors will continue throwing mud," Melloni said.In an address on Friday, Pope Francis promised to push ahead with punishing abuse and said th

It promised to “ make help available ” for victims and said if convicted perpetrators couldn’t pay, the church would.... As a teen, he had episodes of “ rage, humiliation, shame, ” he says. Only as a young adult did he begin to broach the subject with friends.... They had two daughters. When Grosso publicly recounted his story in a 2002 magazine interview, having felt encouraged to do so by revelations of church sex abuse emerging around the world, his then 27-year-old daughter Barbara sent hi

Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia’s war in Ukraine.... The result was a nearly 500-page report released in February — similar to audits elsewhere in Europe and the Americas — that determined at least 4, 815 children had been abused since 1950.... The bishops commended “ this difficult and dramatic work ” and expressed hope that it “ marks a new beginning.” Maryland AG releases report on alleged Catholic clergy sex abuseCritics say that commitment was mostly for show....