Catholic secrecy
Investigating priest sexual abuse in Columbus
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'There's no escape': Memories of being raped by Catholic priest haunt Columbus man
Chris Graham shares his story of being sexually abused by a Catholic priest when he was 14, and how the memories of it have impacted his life.
'I'm going to change these laws': Priest sex abuse survivor seeks legal reform in Ohio
When Chris Graham slides his tablet across the table to show lawmakers the police report detailing his rape, he sees their faces change.
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Podcast features survivor of priest sex abuse who is working with Columbus diocese
Neither priests nor the public really understand what survivors of clergy sexual abuse go through, but they're beginning to, says survivor Teresa Pitt Green.
Diocese settles priest sexual abuse case for $1 million
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus is paying $1 million to a man who said he survived priest sexual abuse as a minor.
Clinical counselor taking clergy abuse reports at Columbus diocese
Laura Lewis believes that mental health counseling is beyond essential when working with survivors of priests’ sexual abuse of minors.
Columbus Diocese hires counselor to speak with victims, priest no longer working with survivors
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus has hired a licensed clinical counselor to work with victims of sexual abuse by priests, replacing the priest who has been in the position since 1997.
Why aren’t Ohio officials investigating Catholic sex abuse cases?
A year after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus released its list of priests credibly accused of child sexual abuse, some survivors and advocates still are pressing Ohio officials to take action.
Columbus Diocese adds Tipp City priest to its sex-abuse list
There are now more than 50 clergymen who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors and have served in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus.
Columbus Diocese adds priest to sex-abuse list
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus has added a name to its website list of priests credibly accused of the sexual abuse of minors.
Columbus bishop creates task force, hires attorney to tackle abuse allegations
Columbus Bishop Robert Brennan says he wants to look at the sexual abuse of minors by clergy members with “new eyes.”
Columbus Diocese ordered to release files on accused priests
A Franklin County judge has ordered the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus to release files on 14 priests accused of sexually abusing minors as part of an ongoing lawsuit.
Retired Columbus priest accused of sexual abuse
A priest who retired in 2004 has been added to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus’ list of clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors.
Study: Up to 10% of Catholic seminarians are victims of sexual harassment, abuse
A new study reveals that 10% of Catholic seminarians in the U.S. experienced or may have been subject to sexual misconduct.
Columbus diocese creates task force to review handling of priest-sex abuse allegations
In the six months since the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus released a list of priests whom it deemed had been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors, it has added 14 more names and started a task force to study its policies and make recommendations to the bishop.
Long-time Columbus priest Kevin Lutz accused of sexual abuse
The Rev. Kevin Lutz, recently retired of St. Mary Parish in German Village, has been placed on administrative leave following an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.
Columbus Diocese adds 8 names to priest sex-abuse list
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus has added the names of eight priests who have been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors, bringing the total to 48 after this third update of its list.
Priest accused of abuse in New York once served in Columbus
A priest accused in a lawsuit of molesting an 8-year-old boy in New York City about 30 years ago once served in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus.
Editorial: Finally, churches renounce sexual abuse by their leaders
Confession being good for the soul, it is a step in the right direction that both the Southern Baptist Convention and U.S. Catholic bishops met last week to deal with allegations of sex abuse within their ranks.
Priests accused of abusing children served in more than two-thirds of Columbus parishes
The 40 priests named by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus as credibly accused of sexually abusing minors have served at more than two-thirds of the diocese’s parishes, according to an analysis of priest assignment records by The Dispatch.
Columbus Diocese adds 4 names to priest sex-abuse list
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus has added four names to its website list of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors. The list was initially released on March 1 with 34 names on it. On March 5, the diocese added two more names.
Ohio’s statute of limitations for sex crimes among worst in nation, experts say
When it comes to making it easier for victims of sexual abuse and rape to report crimes and seek justice, Ohio’s laws are some of the worst in the nation, legal scholars and other victim advocates say.
Former Ohio State doctor Richard Strauss may have abused Columbus Catholic high school students
Hints of sexual impropriety at two of Columbus’ most high-profile institutions — Ohio State University and the Columbus Roman Catholic Diocese — intersected this month when it was revealed in an investigative report that Dr. Richard Strauss may have abused students at a local Catholic high school.
Pope Francis’ edict to have little effect on how US priests, nuns report sex abuse
While a recent mandate on child sexual abuse from Pope Francis made headlines worldwide and garnered praise from Catholic leaders and some skepticism from victim advocates, not much about how abuse is reported in the United States will likely change.
Stakes high in dealing with priest sex abuse, new Columbus bishop says
Faced with managing what he calls the scourge of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church, new Columbus Bishop Robert J. Brennan said he is both afraid and determined to do his best.
Victims group wants 2 more clergy members added to Columbus Diocese’s sex-abuse list
An advocacy group for clergy-abuse survivors says two more names should be added to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus’ list of “credibly accused” clergy members.
Why didn’t Columbus diocese include parish, school assignments of priests ‘credibly accused’ of child sex abuse?
After being criticized for taking months longer than the other five Ohio dioceses to release its list of priests accused of sexually abusing children, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus said it didn’t include information on where and when each priest worked in the diocese because it would have further delayed the list and might have exposed victims.
7 names missing from Columbus clergy sex abuse list, victims group says
An advocacy group for survivors says it has identified seven clergymen who have been accused of abusing children but were not on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus’ list of “credibly accused” clergy released on March 1.
Columbus diocese has a priest take abuse reports
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus is one of only three dioceses in the country with a priest assigned to take reports of clergy sex abuse from survivors.
Next Columbus Diocese Bishop issues statement on clergy sex abuse
The Rev. Robert Brennan, the next bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, said that he was aware of allegations of sexual abuse by clergy members in the New York diocese where he has worked for 30 years, but that he was not personally responsible for responding to them.
Columbus’ new bishop says he hasn’t been involved in sex-abuse cases
The next bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus said he has “not personally been involved in” sex-abuse cases involving clergy members, but the diocese where he’s served for almost 30 years has been embroiled in allegations for decades, according to attorneys, a grand jury investigation and news reports.
Victims of abusive priests won’t likely see justice, experts say
Sixteen years after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus formed a review board to advise the bishop on allegations against priests of child sexual abuse, it released a list of priests that it has deemed “credibly accused.”
Time will tell if news of suspected abusive priests affects Catholics giving to Columbus diocese
Among local Roman Catholics, some also might be thinking about their contributions to their parishes and the Diocese of Columbus, which on Friday released a list of 34 clergy members who had been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children. Two more were added Tuesday, bringing the total to 36.
Advocates decry diocese’s consideration of accusers’ reputations as ‘sickening’
Victim advocates say the fact that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus considers an accuser’s reputation when determining the credibility of sexual-abuse allegations is “atrocious” and comes across as victim blaming.
Survivors dismiss Columbus priest sex-abuse list as ‘token measure’
Several local survivors and victims advocates are calling a “token measure” the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus’ release Friday of a list of 34 clergy members who have been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors, saying it was “too little, too late.”
Central Ohio Catholics divided over release of list of priests accused of sexual abuse
Many local Catholics are conflicted after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus released a list on Friday of 34 priests who had been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors.
Names missing from list of clergy accused of child sex abuse, advocates say
News reports in high-profile cases alone allowed people to speculate about who might make the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus’s list of clergy members who it says have been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children or teens.
Columbus Diocese releases priest sex-abuse list
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus released a list Friday of 34 clergy members who were “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children. The latest abuse case on the list occurred more than 25 years ago.
Here are details of Columbus Diocese clergy accused of abuse
The list of 34 clergymen that the Diocese of Columbus says have been “credibly accused” of sexual abuse includes priests whose crimes have been known for years alongside 15 others for whom reporters could find no public accusations.
Columbus Diocese last in Ohio to release names of abusive priests
When the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus on Friday released the names of 34 clergy considered “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors, it became the sixth — and last — diocese in Ohio to publicly come forward with such a list.
Accuser’s lawyer asks court to force diocese to release files on abuse by priests
A southwestern Ohio attorney has filed a motion seeking to compel the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus to release information about clergy members accused of sexual abuse.
Lawsuit accuses late St. Charles teacher of sexually abusing student in early 2000s
The principal of St. Charles Preparatory School sent an email to parents of current students last month informing them that a former teacher from more than a decade ago has been accused of sexual misconduct.
After Pennsylvania, all states should look into priest sex abuse, some say
In the wake of a Pennsylvania grand jury report that revealed allegations of more than 1,000 children being sexually abused by more than 300 priests, some people want every Roman Catholic diocese in the nation — including those in Ohio — to be investigated.
Priest at St. Charles Prep accused of sexually molesting teen six times
Kevin Heidtman has suffered in silence for years. More recently, he’s gotten the courage to file a lawsuit against institutions he believes knowingly let himself and other youth be sexually abused by a priest in their employ.
Investigation closed into priest who killed self after ‘inappropriate’ texts
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has ended its examination of inappropriate communications with a teenager by a local priest who killed himself in December.
New Albany Catholic priest takes own life amid allegations
A priest who was serving at the Church of the Resurrection in New Albany killed himself on Wednesday in Chicago, following allegations that he had questionable communications with a teenager.
15 years after Boston investigation, still work to do with clergy abuse
Fifteen years after an investigation exposed widespread child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic church, critics say little has changed.
Pope Francis repeats call for ‘zero tolerance’
Though many reacted positively when Pope Francis recently called for “zero tolerance” of child sexual abuse, Carol Zamonski just felt insulted. Zamonski, a North Side resident and central Ohio coordinator for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said she’s heard it all before, but little has changed.