Australia's highest court agrees to hear cardinal's appeal

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia's highest court agreed Wednesday to hear an appeal from the most senior Catholic to be found guilty of sexually abusing children, giving Cardinal George Pell his last chance at getting his convictions overturned. The decision by the High Court of Australia comes nearly...

Timeline of Cardinal George Pell's career and accusations

Australia's highest court on Wednesday agreed to hear an appeal by Cardinal George Pell of his convictions for molesting two choirboys in a cathedral more than two decades ago. Some events in Pell's career and the criminal case: July 16, 1996: Auxiliary Bishop George Pell is appointed archbishop of Melbourne. He...

Australia's highest court agrees to hear appeal from the most senior Catholic to be convicted of child sex abuse

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia's highest court agrees to hear appeal from the most senior Catholic to be convicted of child sex abuse.

Priest pleads guilty to child pornography, meth possession

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) — A priest who served at several southern Illinois parishes has pleaded guilty to the distribution of child pornography and the possession of methamphetamine. The Rev. Gerald Hechenberger faces up to 26 years in prison after pleading guilty last week to three counts of possessing...

Catholic bishops' agenda: immigrants, gun deaths, sex abuse

BALTIMORE (AP) — US Catholic bishops received a challenging to-do list Monday as they opened their national assembly — notably to support immigrants and refugees, extend the campaign to curtail clergy sex abuse and work harder to combat gun violence. They also were urged by Pope Francis' envoy to be...

Australian court to say if will hear Cardinal Pell's appeal

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The most senior Catholic to be found guilty of sexually abusing children will learn this week whether Australia's highest court will hear his appeal against convictions for molesting two choirboys in a Melbourne cathedral two decades ago. The High Court of Australia confirmed on...

Hispanic immigrant in line to lead US Catholic bishops

Clergy sex abuse is once again on the agenda as U.S. Catholic bishops meet this week — but so is a potentially historic milestone: Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, an immigrant from Mexico, is widely expected to win election as the first Hispanic president of the bishops' national conference. Gomez, 67,...

French bishops approve payments for church sex abuse victims

PARIS (AP) — French bishops on Saturday approved plans to financially compensate people abused sexually within the Roman Catholic Church. Any person recognized by their bishop as a victim will be eligible to receive money, they said, and the church will appeal for donations to foot the bill. Bishops also...

WV judge tosses church abuse case, wants high court's take

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia judge is looking to the state Supreme Court for guidance after dismissing a case that alleges a Catholic diocese and its former bishop knowingly employed pedophiles. Wood County Circuit Court Judge J.D. Beane on Wednesday tossed the suit against the Diocese of...

Pastor resigns after admitting abusing relative decades ago

CHICAGO (AP) — The pastor of a Chicago church has resigned after revealing he sexually abused an underage female relative when he was a teenager. The Chicago Tribune reports The Rev. Charles W. Lyons left his post at Armitage Baptist Church after 45 years leading the congregation. The 68-year-old Lyons...