NEWS & EVENTS

A defrocked priest accused of possessing thousands of pornographic images of children was served with a book of evidence today and sent forward for trial before a judge and jury.Oliver O'Grady (aged 65), formerly of Charlemont Street, in Dublin 2, but who is now residing at an address in Ranelagh Village, in Dublin, had been arrested on December 10 last and charged with possessing child pornography.

The Vatican’s long overdue guidelines for fighting sexual abuse of children are, unfortunately, just that — flimsy guidelines for a global problem that requires an unequivocal mandate for church officials to work with secular authorities in prosecuting rogue priests. Instead, the Vatican has issued nonbinding guidance that punts the scandal back to the authority of local bishops, who still will not face firm oversight or punishment for cover-ups that recycled hundreds of abusive priests.

CHICAGO— The Archdiocese of Chicago says it's "surprised" by a lawyer's claim that the Archdiocese is withholding files on priests accused of sexually abusing children. Attorney Jeff Anderson filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Vatican on behalf of a woman whose son was molested by a former Chicago priest. Anderson says the Archdiocese promised as part of a 2008 settlement with 16 abuse victims to release documents on priests who'd been credibly accused of abuse. But he contends that hasn't happened and he believes it's because Vatican won't allow it. In a statement released ...