Latest Sexual abuse by clergy News
Is abortion illegal in the U.S. now? Depends where you live
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had provided a constitutional right to abortion. The ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states, although the timing of those laws taking effect varies. Some Republican-led...
Senator in 2010 deposition: 13-year-olds can consent to sex
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Before he became a leading voice for conservative causes on Capitol Hill, U.S. Senator James Lankford spent more than a decade as the director of youth programming at the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, a sprawling campground about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City that...
Brazilian judge probed for blocking abortion for raped child
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil's judicial watchdog agency says it is investigating a judge who stopped an 11-year-old rape victim from getting an abortion — a procedure that advocates insist is allowed in the South American nation for rape cases at any stage of a pregnancy. Santa...
Belgian bishop declines cardinal honor over abuse record
ROME (AP) — One of Pope Francis’ proposed new cardinals, the retired bishop of Ghent, Belgium, has bowed out of accepting the honor over his own insufficient response to cases of clergy sexual abuse, the Belgian bishops' conference said. Ghent Bishop Luc Van Looy's decision...
Canada: Mounties arrest priest for assault at school
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Canadian police said they arrested a 92-year-old retired priest for a sexual assault more than 50 years ago at one of Canada’s residential schools for Indigenous children. Royal Mounted Police Sgt. Paul Manaigre said Friday that police arrested retired...
Maine diocese sued for 1st time since abuse suit barrier end
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The first lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland since Maine took away a limitation on claims of child sexual abuse were filed on Thursday. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed a law last year that allowed victims to bring civil lawsuits about...
New SBC President commits to move sex abuse reforms forward
ANAHEIM, California (AP) — The new president of the Southern Baptist Convention said Wednesday he will accelerate sex abuse reforms in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Texas pastor Bart Barber's first priority: to assemble a panel of people -- Southern Baptist...
Texas pastor Bart Barber elected Southern Baptist president
ANAHEIM, California (AP) — Bart Barber is a staunch Southern Baptist conservative who would welcome bans on abortion, opposes critical race theory and believes only men should serve as pastors. Yet Barber, elected Tuesday as the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention,...
Southern Baptists agree to keep list of accused sex abusers
ANAHEIM, California (AP) — The Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to create a way to track pastors and other church workers credibly accused of sex abuse and launch a new task force to oversee further reforms in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. ...
Southern Baptists who backed open abuse review win key roles
ANAHEIM, California (AP) — The newly elected leaders of a top Southern Baptist Convention committee had all supported a more transparent investigation into allegations the denomination mishandled sex abuse reports and mistreated survivors. They defeated candidates who had opposed that move. ...
