A top Catholic cardinal admitted Saturday that Church files on priests accused of sexually abusing children were destroyed or never even drawn up in a move which allowed paedophiles to prey on others.

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx was speaking on the third day of an unprecedented summit of the world's top bishops convened by Pope Francis in a bid to tackle the crisis over paedophilia within the clergy.

"Files that could have documented the terrible deeds and named those responsible were destroyed, or not even created," Marx told the landmark Vatican summit on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-says-church-hasnt-known-how-to-listen-193036">a problem that has dogged the Roman Catholic Church for decades</a>.

"Instead of the perpetrators, the victims were regulated and silence imposed on them," he said.&nbsp;

"The stipulated procedures and processes for the prosecution of offences were deliberately not complied with."

The ongoing scandals over sexual abuse have escalated, engulfing countries across the globe with the latest crises hitting Chile, Germany and the US. At one point, delegates heard the testimony of a woman who was repeatedly raped by a priest when she was just 11.

"Engraved in my eyes, ears, nose, body and soul, are all the times he immobilised me, the child, with superhuman strength," said the woman, who remained anonymous.

Back in September, Marx apologised personally to thousands of victims who had been abused by clergy within the German Church, saying the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

His admission about the documents on Saturday sparked an angry reaction from Peter Isely of the Ending Clerical Abuse (ECA) association, who denounced such destruction of paperwork as "illegal" and demanded an investigation.

"What he didn't tell us is... Who did it? Where did they do it? And what did they destroy?" he told AFP. Victims marched to the Vatican, holding signs accusing Francis of being deaf to their cries, and urging the expulsion from the Church of both the abusers and those who enabled them.

"I didn't remember my rape -- it was very, very violent -- until 50 years after it happened," Tim Lennon, from the survivors' network SNAP, told AFP.

Investigations have shown that in many cases, priests accused of assaulting minors were transferred to other parishes as bishops turned a blind eye to protect the Church's reputation.

"The rights of victims were effectively trampled underfoot, and left to the whims of individuals," Marx said. The cardinal said it was essential that victims felt they could "trust the system".

"There are no alternatives to traceability and transparency," he said, admitting efforts to cover-up scandals had badly undermined the Church's credibility.

Francis has told his bishops he wants "concrete measures" drawn up against child sex abuse. But survivors have lambasted the centuries-old institution for not releasing the names and case files of priests convicted of abuse or possessing child pornography.

The Vatican has in the past refused to hand over internal documents about child sexual abuse cases to civil authorities investigating paedophilia. On Friday, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, one of the organisers of the summit, said the call for statistics to be released was "legitimate".

Marx also called for a rethink of pontifical secrecy, echoing the appeal made Friday by Linda Ghisoni, a professor of canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, who told the meeting "the current legislation on pontifical secrecy" needed rewriting. Marx said transparency was needed in other areas of the Church, such as "the area of finances".

Scandals surrounding the Vatican bank have prompted a clean-up in recent years, with some 5,000 bank accounts being closed. But the decision to sack the bank's deputy director in 2017 without explanation prompted a flurry of rumours that he was dismissed because his investigations into possible illegal activity had hit too close to home.

The bank's reputation first came into question in 1982 after the body of senior banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London. Calvi was often referred to as "God's Banker" because of his close ties to the Vatican.

No one has ever been convicted of his murder but prosecutors believe it was a mafia killing linked to money laundering via Banco Ambrosiano, the bank he chaired.&nbsp;

A top Catholic cardinal admitted Saturday that Church files on priests accused of sexually abusing children were destroyed or never even drawn up in a move which allowed paedophiles to prey on others.

A top Catholic cardinal admitted Saturday that Church files on priests accused of sexually abusing children were destroyed or never even drawn up in a move which allowed paedophiles to prey on others. German Cardinal Reinhard Marx was speaking on the third day of an unprecedented summit of the world's top bishops convened by Pope Francis in a bid to tackle the crisis over paedophilia within the clergy. "Files that could have documented the terrible deeds and named those responsible were destroyed, or not even created," Marx told the landmark Vatican summit on a problem that has dogged the Roman Catholic Church for decades. "Instead of the perpetrators, the victims were regulated and silence imposed on them," he said. "The stipulated procedures and processes for the prosecution of offences were deliberately not complied with." The ongoing scandals over sexual abuse have escalated, engulfing countries across the globe with the latest crises hitting Chile, Germany and the US. At one point, delegates heard the testimony of a woman who was repeatedly raped by a priest when she was just 11. "Engraved in my eyes, ears, nose, body and soul, are all the times he immobilised me, the child, with superhuman strength," said the woman, who remained anonymous. Back in September, Marx apologised personally to thousands of victims who had been abused by clergy within the German Church, saying the perpetrators must be brought to justice. His admission about the documents on Saturday sparked an angry reaction from Peter Isely of the Ending Clerical Abuse (ECA) association, who denounced such destruction of paperwork as "illegal" and demanded an investigation. "What he didn't tell us is... Who did it? Where did they do it? And what did they destroy?" he told AFP. Victims marched to the Vatican, holding signs accusing Francis of being deaf to their cries, and urging the expulsion from the Church of both the abusers and those who enabled them. "I didn't remember my rape -- it was very, very violent -- until 50 years after it happened," Tim Lennon, from the survivors' network SNAP, told AFP. Investigations have shown that in many cases, priests accused of assaulting minors were transferred to other parishes as bishops turned a blind eye to protect the Church's reputation. "The rights of victims were effectively trampled underfoot, and left to the whims of individuals," Marx said. The cardinal said it was essential that victims felt they could "trust the system". "There are no alternatives to traceability and transparency," he said, admitting efforts to cover-up scandals had badly undermined the Church's credibility. Francis has told his bishops he wants "concrete measures" drawn up against child sex abuse. But survivors have lambasted the centuries-old institution for not releasing the names and case files of priests convicted of abuse or possessing child pornography. The Vatican has in the past refused to hand over internal documents about child sexual abuse cases to civil authorities investigating paedophilia. On Friday, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, one of the organisers of the summit, said the call for statistics to be released was "legitimate". Marx also called for a rethink of pontifical secrecy, echoing the appeal made Friday by Linda Ghisoni, a professor of canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, who told the meeting "the current legislation on pontifical secrecy" needed rewriting. Marx said transparency was needed in other areas of the Church, such as "the area of finances". Scandals surrounding the Vatican bank have prompted a clean-up in recent years, with some 5,000 bank accounts being closed. But the decision to sack the bank's deputy director in 2017 without explanation prompted a flurry of rumours that he was dismissed because his investigations into possible illegal activity had hit too close to home. The bank's reputation first came into question in 1982 after the body of senior banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London. Calvi was often referred to as "God's Banker" because of his close ties to the Vatican. No one has ever been convicted of his murder but prosecutors believe it was a mafia killing linked to money laundering via Banco Ambrosiano, the bank he chaired.

Top cardinal says Catholic church files on paedophile priests were 'destroyed'

The United States' largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is facing a sexual abuse crisis after a bombshell report revealed hundreds of predators and more than 700 victims since 1998.

The report by two Texas newspapers found some<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-says-church-hasnt-known-how-to-listen-193036"> 380 church leaders and volunteers have faced public accusations of abuse,</a> mostly of children as young as three years old.

Some of the accused continued to work at Southern Baptist churches, the newspapers said.

In response to the report, church officials acknowledged the number of victims could actually be higher and urged survivors to come forward.

"One of the things I'm encouraged by are the number of pastors that are actively engaged right now," in the report's aftermath, convention leader Russell Moore told AFP on Tuesday.

The revelations threatened to engulf the denomination — with some 47,000 churches and 15 million members mostly in the southern US — in the same type of scandal that has roiled the Catholic Church.

A more comprehensive response was likely to come from the Southern Baptist organization next week when president JD Greear "is scheduled to give an update on a sexual abuse study he commissioned last summer," said spokesman Roger Oldham.

Unlike the Vatican, the Southern Baptist Convention is a loose network of churches allowed to run autonomously, ordain their own ministers — who are not required to be celibate — and hire staff and volunteers based on each church's own standards.

The decentralized system, which lacks a shared database of personnel records, has been rife for exploitation by sexual abusers, according to the investigative report first published over the weekend by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News.

Lax oversight allowed some abusers with criminal convictions — even registered sex offenders — to continue working at Southern Baptist churches, according to the report, which found 220 offenders who were convicted or took plea deals.

"In the denomination, each congregation governs its own affairs. There are no bishops. There are no supervisors," Moore said.

"But churches can decide with whom they fellowship," he said. "No one can use church autonomy as an excuse." In at least 35 cases, abusers were able to leave one church and find work in another over the last two decades. In some cases, congregations knew about past abuse.

For example, Illinois pastor Leslie Mason was convicted in 2003 on two counts of sexual assault. After being released from prison, he went on to lead a different church nearby.

Florida pastor Darrell Gilyard, released from prison in 2011 after a criminal sex abuse conviction involving two girls, returned to preach services which children could not attend because a court order required him to stay away from minors.

Moore said some Southern Baptists held erroneous views of forgiveness that "assumes these predators should be simply given a second chance." In other instances, he said, churches believed horrific crimes could not occur within their ministries.

Moore also acknowledged that the Southern Baptist Convention rejected a proposal in 2007 that it should establish a registry to track abuse claims and prevent predators from getting rehired by other churches.

The newspapers found hundreds of abuse cases in the years since. And past church leaders have been accused of concealing or mishandling complaints.

"As a denomination, now is a time to mourn and repent. Changes are coming. They must," said Greear, the convention's current president, on Twitter.

The Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), an organization mostly focused on the Catholic Church's abuse scandal, urged Southern Baptist survivors to report crimes to law enforcement.

"It is critical that law enforcement officials at every level of government look into these cases," the organization said in a statement.

Failure by Catholic Church officials to take action on sexual abuse allegations involving minors has been an urgent crisis hitting Roman Catholicism globally in recent years.

Pope Francis last week admitted that priests and bishops also had sexually abused nuns.&nbsp;

The United States' largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is facing a sexual abuse crisis after a bombshell report revealed hundreds of predators and more than 700 victims since 1998.

The United States' largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is facing a sexual abuse crisis after a bombshell report revealed hundreds of predators and more than 700 victims since 1998. The report by two Texas newspapers found some 380 church leaders and volunteers have faced public accusations of abuse, mostly of children as young as three years old. Some of the accused continued to work at Southern Baptist churches, the newspapers said. In response to the report, church officials acknowledged the number of victims could actually be higher and urged survivors to come forward. "One of the things I'm encouraged by are the number of pastors that are actively engaged right now," in the report's aftermath, convention leader Russell Moore told AFP on Tuesday. The revelations threatened to engulf the denomination — with some 47,000 churches and 15 million members mostly in the southern US — in the same type of scandal that has roiled the Catholic Church. A more comprehensive response was likely to come from the Southern Baptist organization next week when president JD Greear "is scheduled to give an update on a sexual abuse study he commissioned last summer," said spokesman Roger Oldham. Unlike the Vatican, the Southern Baptist Convention is a loose network of churches allowed to run autonomously, ordain their own ministers — who are not required to be celibate — and hire staff and volunteers based on each church's own standards. The decentralized system, which lacks a shared database of personnel records, has been rife for exploitation by sexual abusers, according to the investigative report first published over the weekend by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News. Lax oversight allowed some abusers with criminal convictions — even registered sex offenders — to continue working at Southern Baptist churches, according to the report, which found 220 offenders who were convicted or took plea deals. "In the denomination, each congregation governs its own affairs. There are no bishops. There are no supervisors," Moore said. "But churches can decide with whom they fellowship," he said. "No one can use church autonomy as an excuse." In at least 35 cases, abusers were able to leave one church and find work in another over the last two decades. In some cases, congregations knew about past abuse. For example, Illinois pastor Leslie Mason was convicted in 2003 on two counts of sexual assault. After being released from prison, he went on to lead a different church nearby. Florida pastor Darrell Gilyard, released from prison in 2011 after a criminal sex abuse conviction involving two girls, returned to preach services which children could not attend because a court order required him to stay away from minors. Moore said some Southern Baptists held erroneous views of forgiveness that "assumes these predators should be simply given a second chance." In other instances, he said, churches believed horrific crimes could not occur within their ministries. Moore also acknowledged that the Southern Baptist Convention rejected a proposal in 2007 that it should establish a registry to track abuse claims and prevent predators from getting rehired by other churches. The newspapers found hundreds of abuse cases in the years since. And past church leaders have been accused of concealing or mishandling complaints. "As a denomination, now is a time to mourn and repent. Changes are coming. They must," said Greear, the convention's current president, on Twitter. The Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), an organization mostly focused on the Catholic Church's abuse scandal, urged Southern Baptist survivors to report crimes to law enforcement. "It is critical that law enforcement officials at every level of government look into these cases," the organization said in a statement. Failure by Catholic Church officials to take action on sexual abuse allegations involving minors has been an urgent crisis hitting Roman Catholicism globally in recent years. Pope Francis last week admitted that priests and bishops also had sexually abused nuns.

US Southern Baptist churches embroiled in sex abuse scandal

Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that the Catholic Church was "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-urges-predator-priests-who-sexually-abused-minors-to-turn-themselves-in-185719">wounded by sin</a>" in a message addressed to priests and seminarians reeling from sexual abuse scandals and coverups.

In a mass that he officiated at the centuries-old Cathedral of Santa Maria La Antigua in Panama City, Francis warned of the "weariness of hope that comes from seeing a Church wounded by sin, which has so often failed to hear all those cries."

It was the Argentine pontiff's first reference to the sex abuse scandals rocking the Church since he arrived in Panama on Wednesday for a global gathering of young Catholics.

It came up again during a lunch Francis hosted with the Archbishop of Panama, Cardinal Jose Domingo Ulloa, for 10 young people of different nationalities attending World Youth Day, held every three years.

There, sitting over lunch at a white linen covered table, the pope referred to clerical sex abuse as "a horrible crime."

He was responding to a question from a young Mexican immigrant to the US, Brenda Berenice Noriega, about the crisis.

'Horrible crime'

"He called it a horrible crime," Noriega told a press conference after the lunch, a tradition at the global gatherings.

"The Holy Father reminded us that it is important to accompany the victims," she said, a youth minister in San Bernadino, California.

"For me as representative of the US and a minister of young people, it means a lot. It's to keep in mind that all the victims of the sexual crisis are heard, and that the Church is committed to supporting them," she said.&nbsp;

Francis has called senior bishops from around the world to Rome next month to deal with widespread clergy sex abuse of children and young people.

The Vatican has billed the February 21-24 meeting as a unique chance to provide bishops with "concrete measures" to tackle the "terrible plague" of sex abuse by the clergy.

Addressing white-robed young seminarians and priests during the mass, the pope said "a subtle weariness" had entered Church communities that "calls into question the energy resources and viability of our mission in this changing and challenging world."

Those changes, he said, "call into doubt the very viability of religious life in today's world."

But the notion that religious communities had nothing to contribute -- that the world "has no room for our message" -- would be "one of the worst heresies possible in our time."

Vast, festive crowd

A vast, festive crowd of young people, many waving the flags of their countries, gathered throughout Saturday afternoon at a park outside Panama to await the pope for a giant prayer vigil at nightfall.

The organizers said they expected around 200,000 people at the event.&nbsp;

Francis, 82, drew the largest crowd of his five-day visit on Friday evening at a solemn ceremony commemorating Christ's crucifixion in another Panama park.

In a swipe at US President Donald Trump's plans to build a border wall against Central American migrants, the pope told hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims that it was "senseless" to condemn every immigrant "as a threat to society."

He has used his encounter with young people in Central America this week to speak out strongly in defence of migrants, and address other problems affecting the region such as poverty, drug trafficking, violence and what he said was a regional "plague" of murders of women.

At the mass in the basilica -- home of the first diocese on the American mainland -- the pope's homily to seminarians about the challenges of the priesthood raised the problem of dwindling vocations around the world.

Around the globe, there were 414,969 Catholic priests at the end of 2016, more than 800 less than in 2014, according to the Vatican. There were nearly 700 fewer people joining the priesthood over the same period.

Francis himself acknowledged at a general audience in August that the scandals of abuse and cover-up by Church leaders have caused a decline in vocations to the priesthood in Ireland.

Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that the Catholic Church was "wounded by sin" in a message addressed to priests and seminarians reeling from sexual abuse scandals and coverups.

Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that the Catholic Church was "wounded by sin" in a message addressed to priests and seminarians reeling from sexual abuse scandals and coverups. In a mass that he officiated at the centuries-old Cathedral of Santa Maria La Antigua in Panama City, Francis warned of the "weariness of hope that comes from seeing a Church wounded by sin, which has so often failed to hear all those cries." It was the Argentine pontiff's first reference to the sex abuse scandals rocking the Church since he arrived in Panama on Wednesday for a global gathering of young Catholics. It came up again during a lunch Francis hosted with the Archbishop of Panama, Cardinal Jose Domingo Ulloa, for 10 young people of different nationalities attending World Youth Day, held every three years. There, sitting over lunch at a white linen covered table, the pope referred to clerical sex abuse as "a horrible crime." He was responding to a question from a young Mexican immigrant to the US, Brenda Berenice Noriega, about the crisis. 'Horrible crime' "He called it a horrible crime," Noriega told a press conference after the lunch, a tradition at the global gatherings. "The Holy Father reminded us that it is important to accompany the victims," she said, a youth minister in San Bernadino, California. "For me as representative of the US and a minister of young people, it means a lot. It's to keep in mind that all the victims of the sexual crisis are heard, and that the Church is committed to supporting them," she said. Francis has called senior bishops from around the world to Rome next month to deal with widespread clergy sex abuse of children and young people. The Vatican has billed the February 21-24 meeting as a unique chance to provide bishops with "concrete measures" to tackle the "terrible plague" of sex abuse by the clergy. Addressing white-robed young seminarians and priests during the mass, the pope said "a subtle weariness" had entered Church communities that "calls into question the energy resources and viability of our mission in this changing and challenging world." Those changes, he said, "call into doubt the very viability of religious life in today's world." But the notion that religious communities had nothing to contribute -- that the world "has no room for our message" -- would be "one of the worst heresies possible in our time." Vast, festive crowd A vast, festive crowd of young people, many waving the flags of their countries, gathered throughout Saturday afternoon at a park outside Panama to await the pope for a giant prayer vigil at nightfall. The organizers said they expected around 200,000 people at the event. Francis, 82, drew the largest crowd of his five-day visit on Friday evening at a solemn ceremony commemorating Christ's crucifixion in another Panama park. In a swipe at US President Donald Trump's plans to build a border wall against Central American migrants, the pope told hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims that it was "senseless" to condemn every immigrant "as a threat to society." He has used his encounter with young people in Central America this week to speak out strongly in defence of migrants, and address other problems affecting the region such as poverty, drug trafficking, violence and what he said was a regional "plague" of murders of women. At the mass in the basilica -- home of the first diocese on the American mainland -- the pope's homily to seminarians about the challenges of the priesthood raised the problem of dwindling vocations around the world. Around the globe, there were 414,969 Catholic priests at the end of 2016, more than 800 less than in 2014, according to the Vatican. There were nearly 700 fewer people joining the priesthood over the same period. Francis himself acknowledged at a general audience in August that the scandals of abuse and cover-up by Church leaders have caused a decline in vocations to the priesthood in Ireland.

On sex abuse scandals, Pope says Catholic Church 'wounded by sin'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opposition-leader-felix-tshisekedi-declared-winner-in-dr-congo-presidential-election-189319">Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi</a> was on Thursday declared winner of DR Congo's presidential election, but his victory was dismissed by the runner-up and questioned by the Catholic church, clouding the vote's legitimacy and hopes of peace.

In a pre-dawn announcement, election officials named Tshisekedi, son of the country's long-term opposition leader, provisional winner of the troubled vote to replace President Joseph Kabila.&nbsp;

The news brought thousands of supporters onto the streets while others who had backed his opposition rival Martin Fayulu came out in protest. Four people died in unrest.

Fayulu, who came a close second, denounced the result as an "electoral coup". The Democratic Republic of Congo's influential Catholic church also said Tshisekedi's victory did not tally with data collected by its own monitors.&nbsp;

"These results have nothing to do with the truth at the ballot box," Fayulu told Radio France International.&nbsp;

"They have stolen the Congolese people's victory and the people will never accept that."

At stake is political stewardship of the notoriously unstable central African nation, which has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Election chief Corneille Nangaa declared Tshisekedi the winner with 38.57 per cent of the 30 December vote, just ahead of Fayulu with 34.8 per cent.&nbsp;

Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, came a distant third with 23.8 per cent.

Results of parliamentary elections, which were held alongside the presidential vote, are expected on Friday evening and the pro-Kabila majority are already claiming to have won the house.

The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both of which were won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many fear a repeat of the violence if the result lacks credibility.&nbsp; 
Two civilians and two policemen were killed Thursday and another 10 people injured when a protest erupted in the western city of Kikwit, a Fayulu stronghold, police said.&nbsp;

Wild celebrations

In Kinshasa, thousands of people converged upon the headquarters of Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the country's oldest and largest opposition party, singing and dancing at his surprise victory.&nbsp;

Pouring onto the streets, they celebrated wildly, cheering and honking car horns in scenes of joy that lasted into the morning under the bemused eye of the security forces who had fanned out across the capital.&nbsp;

In his first remarks after the result, the portly 55-year-old, who has never held high office or even a managerial role, immediately pledged to work closely with Kabila.&nbsp;

"Today we should no longer see him as an adversary, but rather as a partner for democratic change in our country," he told supporters.

But elsewhere in Kinshasa, the mood was sombre, with representatives of the Catholic church openly disputing the figures released by the Independent National Election Commission (CENI).

"The result of the presidential election as published by CENI does not correspond with the data collected by our observer mission from polling stations and counting centres," said Father Donatien Nshole, spokesman for CENCO, which represents the country's Catholic bishops.

The Church has long been pressing for the departure of Kabila, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since 2001, well beyond the limit of his second and final term in December 2016.

Calls for calm

Abroad, the mood was watchful, marked by a noticeable lack of congratulations for Tshisekedi.&nbsp;

Many have eyed the developments in sub-Saharan Africa's largest country with concern, with the United Nations leading calls to avoid violence.&nbsp;

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian dismissed Tshisekedi's victory as "not consistent" with the actual results, indicating that Fayulu had won, while the US State Department demanded "clarification" over the result and urged "all stakeholders to remain calm".

The African Union said it "took note" of the result and warned any dispute over the outcome should be "resolved peacefully".

The European Union said it was awaiting clarification from international observers.&nbsp;

In contrast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged "all regional and international interested parties to refrain from speculation" and let the election board complete its work. &nbsp;

The announcement of an opposition win was a shock as many had expected the results to be stacked in Shadary's favour, prompting heavy international pressure on Kinshasa to respect the wishes of the electorate.&nbsp;

'Tshisekedi debt to Kabila'

The vast central African country has been increasingly on edge over the long-delayed vote. &nbsp;

Kabila's hold on power has sparked a political crisis and protests that were bloodily repressed.&nbsp;

"Kabila did not want to risk announcing Shadary as the winner, which would have triggered violent protests and international condemnation," said Robert Besseling, executive director of risk consultancy EXX Africa.

"Instead, he chose to split the opposition by creating a power-sharing deal with Tshisekedi."

Tshisekedi "owes his ascendancy to power to Kabila's control of the electoral commission", and in exchange Kabila would look for immunity from any prosecution or asset seizure after handing over power, Besseling said.

Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was on Thursday declared winner of DR Congo's presidential election, but his victory was dismissed by the runner-up and questioned by the Catholic church, clouding the vote's legitimacy and hopes of peace.

Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was on Thursday declared winner of DR Congo's presidential election, but his victory was dismissed by the runner-up and questioned by the Catholic church, clouding the vote's legitimacy and hopes of peace. In a pre-dawn announcement, election officials named Tshisekedi, son of the country's long-term opposition leader, provisional winner of the troubled vote to replace President Joseph Kabila. The news brought thousands of supporters onto the streets while others who had backed his opposition rival Martin Fayulu came out in protest. Four people died in unrest. Fayulu, who came a close second, denounced the result as an "electoral coup". The Democratic Republic of Congo's influential Catholic church also said Tshisekedi's victory did not tally with data collected by its own monitors. "These results have nothing to do with the truth at the ballot box," Fayulu told Radio France International. "They have stolen the Congolese people's victory and the people will never accept that." At stake is political stewardship of the notoriously unstable central African nation, which has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Election chief Corneille Nangaa declared Tshisekedi the winner with 38.57 per cent of the 30 December vote, just ahead of Fayulu with 34.8 per cent. Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, came a distant third with 23.8 per cent. Results of parliamentary elections, which were held alongside the presidential vote, are expected on Friday evening and the pro-Kabila majority are already claiming to have won the house. The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both of which were won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many fear a repeat of the violence if the result lacks credibility. Two civilians and two policemen were killed Thursday and another 10 people injured when a protest erupted in the western city of Kikwit, a Fayulu stronghold, police said. Wild celebrations In Kinshasa, thousands of people converged upon the headquarters of Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the country's oldest and largest opposition party, singing and dancing at his surprise victory. Pouring onto the streets, they celebrated wildly, cheering and honking car horns in scenes of joy that lasted into the morning under the bemused eye of the security forces who had fanned out across the capital. In his first remarks after the result, the portly 55-year-old, who has never held high office or even a managerial role, immediately pledged to work closely with Kabila. "Today we should no longer see him as an adversary, but rather as a partner for democratic change in our country," he told supporters. But elsewhere in Kinshasa, the mood was sombre, with representatives of the Catholic church openly disputing the figures released by the Independent National Election Commission (CENI). "The result of the presidential election as published by CENI does not correspond with the data collected by our observer mission from polling stations and counting centres," said Father Donatien Nshole, spokesman for CENCO, which represents the country's Catholic bishops. The Church has long been pressing for the departure of Kabila, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since 2001, well beyond the limit of his second and final term in December 2016. Calls for calm Abroad, the mood was watchful, marked by a noticeable lack of congratulations for Tshisekedi. Many have eyed the developments in sub-Saharan Africa's largest country with concern, with the United Nations leading calls to avoid violence. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian dismissed Tshisekedi's victory as "not consistent" with the actual results, indicating that Fayulu had won, while the US State Department demanded "clarification" over the result and urged "all stakeholders to remain calm". The African Union said it "took note" of the result and warned any dispute over the outcome should be "resolved peacefully". The European Union said it was awaiting clarification from international observers. In contrast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged "all regional and international interested parties to refrain from speculation" and let the election board complete its work. The announcement of an opposition win was a shock as many had expected the results to be stacked in Shadary's favour, prompting heavy international pressure on Kinshasa to respect the wishes of the electorate. 'Tshisekedi debt to Kabila' The vast central African country has been increasingly on edge over the long-delayed vote. Kabila's hold on power has sparked a political crisis and protests that were bloodily repressed. "Kabila did not want to risk announcing Shadary as the winner, which would have triggered violent protests and international condemnation," said Robert Besseling, executive director of risk consultancy EXX Africa. "Instead, he chose to split the opposition by creating a power-sharing deal with Tshisekedi." Tshisekedi "owes his ascendancy to power to Kabila's control of the electoral commission", and in exchange Kabila would look for immunity from any prosecution or asset seizure after handing over power, Besseling said.

Church, rival cry foul as opposition chief wins vote in DR Congo

The spiritual head of Orthodox Christians worldwide formally granted independence to the Ukrainian church on Saturday, marking a historic split from Russia which Ukrainian leaders see as vital to the country's security.&nbsp;

The decree, granting "autocephaly", was signed by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at a service with the head of the Ukrainian church Metropolitan Epifaniy and President Petro Poroshenko in St George`s Cathedral in Istanbul.

"I want to thank the millions of Ukrainians around the world who responded to my appeal to pray for the church to be established," Poroshenko said at a ceremony accompanied by solemn liturgical singing.

"I want to thank the generations of Ukrainians who dreamed...and finally God sent us the Orthodox Church of Ukraine," he told the congregation in the crowded church. 
The patriarchate, the seat of the spiritual leader of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, endorsed Ukraine`s request for the new church in October. The decree, or Tomos, will be handed to Epifaniy at a ceremony on Sunday, completing the process of recognition by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Ukraine last month chose 39-year-old Epifaniy to head the new church, in a move which Poroshenko compared to Ukraine's referendum for independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

The move incensed Moscow, and prompted President Vladimir Putin to warn of possible bloodshed in his annual news conference. Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed after Moscow`s seizure of Crimea in 2014.

Ukraine imposed martial law in November, citing the threat of a full-scale invasion after Russia captured three of its vessels in the Kerch Strait.

BITTER RUSSIAN OPPOSITION

The Ukrainian Orthodox church has been beholden to Moscow for hundreds of years, and Ukraine`s leaders see church independence as vital to tackling Russian meddling.

Kiev says Moscow-backed churches on its soil are a Kremlin tool to spread propaganda and support fighters in the eastern Donbass region in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people. The churches strongly deny this.

"Tomos - is just a paper, the result of restless political and personal ambitions. It was signed in breach of canonicity and this is why it has no power", Vladimir Legoida, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Synodal Department for Church-Society and Media Relations, posted in Telegram messenger.

Epifaniy was chosen by a council at the St Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, built by the son of Prince Volodymyr whose baptism in 988 led to the spread of Christianity in the region.

The new church may boost pro-Western leader Poroshenko, who lobbied hard for its creation and faces a tight election race in March.

Russia bitterly opposes the split, comparing it to the Great Schism of 1054 that divided western and eastern Christianity. Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill made a last ditch appeal against the process last month.

"Huge win for Ukraine, defeat for the Kremlin," economist Timothy Ash wrote on Twitter. "(It) will make Moscow`s hope of some future pull of Ukraine back into its `orbit` nigh on impossible without the use of overwhelming (catastrophic) military force."

Religious divisions deepened in Ukraine after 2014 and two Orthodox factions vie for dominance.&nbsp;

The church known as the Moscow Patriarchate, aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, sees itself as the only legitimate church in Ukraine. On Dec. 20, Ukrainian MPs passed a law that could force the church to add "Russian" to its name.&nbsp;

The rival Kiev Patriarchate was born after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its popularity has grown since 2014. It favours European integration and championed the independent church but the Moscow Patriarchate denounces it as schismatic.&nbsp;

The spiritual head of Orthodox Christians worldwide formally granted independence to the Ukrainian church on Saturday, marking a historic split from Russia which Ukrainian leaders see as vital to the country's security.

The spiritual head of Orthodox Christians worldwide formally granted independence to the Ukrainian church on Saturday, marking a historic split from Russia which Ukrainian leaders see as vital to the country's security. The decree, granting "autocephaly", was signed by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at a service with the head of the Ukrainian church Metropolitan Epifaniy and President Petro Poroshenko in St George`s Cathedral in Istanbul. "I want to thank the millions of Ukrainians around the world who responded to my appeal to pray for the church to be established," Poroshenko said at a ceremony accompanied by solemn liturgical singing. "I want to thank the generations of Ukrainians who dreamed...and finally God sent us the Orthodox Church of Ukraine," he told the congregation in the crowded church. The patriarchate, the seat of the spiritual leader of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, endorsed Ukraine`s request for the new church in October. The decree, or Tomos, will be handed to Epifaniy at a ceremony on Sunday, completing the process of recognition by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Ukraine last month chose 39-year-old Epifaniy to head the new church, in a move which Poroshenko compared to Ukraine's referendum for independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The move incensed Moscow, and prompted President Vladimir Putin to warn of possible bloodshed in his annual news conference. Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed after Moscow`s seizure of Crimea in 2014. Ukraine imposed martial law in November, citing the threat of a full-scale invasion after Russia captured three of its vessels in the Kerch Strait. BITTER RUSSIAN OPPOSITION The Ukrainian Orthodox church has been beholden to Moscow for hundreds of years, and Ukraine`s leaders see church independence as vital to tackling Russian meddling. Kiev says Moscow-backed churches on its soil are a Kremlin tool to spread propaganda and support fighters in the eastern Donbass region in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people. The churches strongly deny this. "Tomos - is just a paper, the result of restless political and personal ambitions. It was signed in breach of canonicity and this is why it has no power", Vladimir Legoida, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Synodal Department for Church-Society and Media Relations, posted in Telegram messenger. Epifaniy was chosen by a council at the St Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, built by the son of Prince Volodymyr whose baptism in 988 led to the spread of Christianity in the region. The new church may boost pro-Western leader Poroshenko, who lobbied hard for its creation and faces a tight election race in March. Russia bitterly opposes the split, comparing it to the Great Schism of 1054 that divided western and eastern Christianity. Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill made a last ditch appeal against the process last month. "Huge win for Ukraine, defeat for the Kremlin," economist Timothy Ash wrote on Twitter. "(It) will make Moscow`s hope of some future pull of Ukraine back into its `orbit` nigh on impossible without the use of overwhelming (catastrophic) military force." Religious divisions deepened in Ukraine after 2014 and two Orthodox factions vie for dominance. The church known as the Moscow Patriarchate, aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, sees itself as the only legitimate church in Ukraine. On Dec. 20, Ukrainian MPs passed a law that could force the church to add "Russian" to its name. The rival Kiev Patriarchate was born after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its popularity has grown since 2014. It favours European integration and championed the independent church but the Moscow Patriarchate denounces it as schismatic.

Ecumenical Patriarch signs decree granting Ukraine church independence

An explosive device injured a police officer and a civilian when it detonated outside a church in central Athens early on Thursday, shortly before liturgy was due to start and without warning, police and state media said.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack outside the Saint Dionysios church in the heavily policed, wealthy Kolonaki quarter which borders on Exarchia, a district where clashes between police and anarchists are common.

The blast occurred around 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT), just before the church was due to open to the public for a service at 07:30 (0530 GMT).

The police officer and a second person - identified by state TV as the church caretaker - were taken to hospital and police cordoned off the area. Their injuries were not life threatening, health officials said.

Witnesses cited by state television suggested the caretaker called police after finding the package. There was no warning call that the device would go off. Police were checking footage from surveillance cameras in the area.

"The blast was not powerful, the officer was injured in the face and hands," a police official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters.

Police found remnants of a timing device at the site of the blast but it was unclear if it was remote-controlled, the police official said.

Small-scale attacks on businesses, state buildings, police and politicians are not uncommon in Greece, which has a long history of political violence.

"Why this attack at a time when people would gather at the church?" a priest at the church told reporters. "Why are they attacking the love of Christ, what are they trying to say?"

A powerful blast smashed windows and wrecked offices at Greece's SKAI TV in Athens earlier this month in what officials called an attack on democracy. No one was hurt, and no-one has claimed responsibility for that attack.

No one has so far claimed responsibility of the attack.

An explosive device injured a police officer and a civilian when it detonated outside a church in central Athens early on Thursday, shortly before liturgy was due to start and without warning, police and state media said. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack outside the Saint Dionysios church in the heavily policed, wealthy Kolonaki quarter which borders on Exarchia, a district where clashes between police and anarchists are common. The blast occurred around 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT), just before the church was due to open to the public for a service at 07:30 (0530 GMT). The police officer and a second person - identified by state TV as the church caretaker - were taken to hospital and police cordoned off the area. Their injuries were not life threatening, health officials said. Witnesses cited by state television suggested the caretaker called police after finding the package. There was no warning call that the device would go off. Police were checking footage from surveillance cameras in the area. "The blast was not powerful, the officer was injured in the face and hands," a police official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters. Police found remnants of a timing device at the site of the blast but it was unclear if it was remote-controlled, the police official said. Small-scale attacks on businesses, state buildings, police and politicians are not uncommon in Greece, which has a long history of political violence. "Why this attack at a time when people would gather at the church?" a priest at the church told reporters. "Why are they attacking the love of Christ, what are they trying to say?" A powerful blast smashed windows and wrecked offices at Greece's SKAI TV in Athens earlier this month in what officials called an attack on democracy. No one was hurt, and no-one has claimed responsibility for that attack.

2 injured in explosion near church in central Athens

Ukraine-Russia Church split after three centuries

Ukraine chose the leader of a new national church on Saturday, marking a historic split from Russia which its leaders see as vital to the country's security and independence.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Metropolitan Epifaniy, of the Kiev Patriarchate church, had been chosen as head of the new church.

"This day will go into history as a sacred day ... the day of the final independence from Russia," Poroshenko told thousands of supporters, who shouted, "glory, glory, glory".

Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow's seizure of Crimea in 2014. Ukraine imposed martial law in November, citing the threat of a full-scale invasion after Russia captured three of its vessels in the Kerch Strait.

The Ukrainian Orthodox church has been beholden to Moscow for hundreds of years, and Ukraine's leaders see church independence as vital to tackling Russian meddling.

Kiev says Moscow-backed churches on its soil are a Kremlin tool to spread propaganda and support fighters in the Donbass region in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people.

The churches strongly deny this.

The leader of the new church was chosen by a council that met at the St Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, built by the son of Prince Volodymyr whose baptism in 988 led to the spread of Christianity in the region.

"The question of autocephaly is a question of Ukrainian national security," Poroshenko had told the council earlier.

"This is a question of Ukrainian statehood. We acquire spiritual independence, which can be compared to the achievement of political independence. Break off the shackles, which bind us to the empire."

Ukraine chose the leader of a new national church on Saturday, marking a historic split from Russia which its leaders see as vital to the country's security and independence.

Ukraine chose the leader of a new national church on Saturday, marking a historic split from Russia which its leaders see as vital to the country's security and independence. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Metropolitan Epifaniy, of the Kiev Patriarchate church, had been chosen as head of the new church. "This day will go into history as a sacred day ... the day of the final independence from Russia," Poroshenko told thousands of supporters, who shouted, "glory, glory, glory". Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow's seizure of Crimea in 2014. Ukraine imposed martial law in November, citing the threat of a full-scale invasion after Russia captured three of its vessels in the Kerch Strait. The Ukrainian Orthodox church has been beholden to Moscow for hundreds of years, and Ukraine's leaders see church independence as vital to tackling Russian meddling. Kiev says Moscow-backed churches on its soil are a Kremlin tool to spread propaganda and support fighters in the Donbass region in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people. The churches strongly deny this. The leader of the new church was chosen by a council that met at the St Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, built by the son of Prince Volodymyr whose baptism in 988 led to the spread of Christianity in the region. "The question of autocephaly is a question of Ukrainian national security," Poroshenko had told the council earlier. "This is a question of Ukrainian statehood. We acquire spiritual independence, which can be compared to the achievement of political independence. Break off the shackles, which bind us to the empire."

Ukraine's President names leader of new church in split from Russia

Pope Francis said Saturday that silence on sexual abuse can "no longer be tolerated" as he ordered an investigation into Vatican archives concerning former archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick, who resigned in July.

"Both abuse and its cover-up can no longer be tolerated," said Francis in a Vatican statement in which he declared the Church had to tackle "the grave scourge of abuse within and beyond" the institution.

The case of McCarrick triggered a storm in August after Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to Washington, dropped a bombshell letter accusing the pope of ignoring allegations about the prominent US cardinal, one of the most senior Catholic leaders to face abuse allegations.

Following Vigano's letter, US groups representing survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests urged the Vatican to publish a list of clerics accused of sexual assault.

Saturday's Vatican statement said Francis was "aware of and concerned by the confusion that these accusations are causing in the conscience of the faithful."

The statement added: "Both abuse and its cover-up can no longer be tolerated" and said the Church had a duty "to prevent such crimes from being committed in the future to the harm of the most innocent and most vulnerable in society".

The statement also underlined that Francis had in an August letter to Catholics stated that "the only way that we have to respond to this evil that has darkened so many lives is to experience it as a task regarding all of us as the People of God.

"This awareness of being part of a people and a shared history will enable us to acknowledge our past sins and mistakes with a penitential openness that can allow us to be renewed from within," said the statement.

Regarding McCarrick, the Vatican said Francis "has decided that information gathered during the preliminary investigation be combined with a further thorough study of the entire documentation present in the Archives of the Dicasteries and Offices of the Holy See ... to ascertain all the relevant facts, to place them in their historical context and to evaluate them objectively."

The Vatican concluded the Holy See recognised "it may emerge that choices were taken that would not be consonant with a contemporary approach to such issues" but that, as Francis said in 2015, "we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead."

Pope Francis said Saturday that silence on sexual abuse can "no longer be tolerated" as he ordered an investigation into Vatican archives concerning former archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick, who resigned in July.

Pope Francis said Saturday that silence on sexual abuse can "no longer be tolerated" as he ordered an investigation into Vatican archives concerning former archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick, who resigned in July. "Both abuse and its cover-up can no longer be tolerated," said Francis in a Vatican statement in which he declared the Church had to tackle "the grave scourge of abuse within and beyond" the institution. The case of McCarrick triggered a storm in August after Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to Washington, dropped a bombshell letter accusing the pope of ignoring allegations about the prominent US cardinal, one of the most senior Catholic leaders to face abuse allegations. Following Vigano's letter, US groups representing survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests urged the Vatican to publish a list of clerics accused of sexual assault. Saturday's Vatican statement said Francis was "aware of and concerned by the confusion that these accusations are causing in the conscience of the faithful." The statement added: "Both abuse and its cover-up can no longer be tolerated" and said the Church had a duty "to prevent such crimes from being committed in the future to the harm of the most innocent and most vulnerable in society". The statement also underlined that Francis had in an August letter to Catholics stated that "the only way that we have to respond to this evil that has darkened so many lives is to experience it as a task regarding all of us as the People of God. "This awareness of being part of a people and a shared history will enable us to acknowledge our past sins and mistakes with a penitential openness that can allow us to be renewed from within," said the statement. Regarding McCarrick, the Vatican said Francis "has decided that information gathered during the preliminary investigation be combined with a further thorough study of the entire documentation present in the Archives of the Dicasteries and Offices of the Holy See ... to ascertain all the relevant facts, to place them in their historical context and to evaluate them objectively." The Vatican concluded the Holy See recognised "it may emerge that choices were taken that would not be consonant with a contemporary approach to such issues" but that, as Francis said in 2015, "we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead."

Church can no longer tolerate silence on abuse: Pope Francis

Sister Lucy Kalappura, a nun who joined a number of others in protesting against former Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, demanded an explanation on why she was ousted from church activities.&nbsp;

"Before expelling me from my duties, explain what my mistake is. I've been very active till date in fulfilling my responsibilities. So, it must be made clear why I am expelled," she told reporters here.&nbsp;

Taking a jibe at the church authorities, the nun asked why no such immediate action was taken to support the nun who was allegedly raped by the former Jalandhar Bishop.&nbsp;

"What pained me is that the church couldn't raise its voice when Franco raped a nun 13 times. I felt I should go and support her. How is it that speedy action is taken against me while everybody was silent on rape? Maybe it is team of the church Vicars who took the decision," she added.&nbsp;

Sister Lucy, who joined a number of others outside the Kochi High Court to stage a protest against the rape-accused Bishop, was reportedly barred from her duties and relieved from church activities on Sunday. However, no official notice was sent to her regarding the same.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the probe team investigating the alleged Kerala nun rape case will file an application in the court seeking permission to take accused former Bishop of Jalandhar for a polygraph test.&nbsp;

The police have asked for the polygraph test, as according to them, the alleged rape accused Mulakkal is not cooperating during the interrogation. As per the police, the accused Bishop used to repeat words like "don't remember" and "don't know" and later refused to respond during the interrogation.

Sister Lucy Kalappura, a nun who joined a number of others in protesting against former Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, demanded an explanation on why she was ousted from church activities.

Sister Lucy Kalappura, a nun who joined a number of others in protesting against former Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, demanded an explanation on why she was ousted from church activities. "Before expelling me from my duties, explain what my mistake is. I've been very active till date in fulfilling my responsibilities. So, it must be made clear why I am expelled," she told reporters here. Taking a jibe at the church authorities, the nun asked why no such immediate action was taken to support the nun who was allegedly raped by the former Jalandhar Bishop. "What pained me is that the church couldn't raise its voice when Franco raped a nun 13 times. I felt I should go and support her. How is it that speedy action is taken against me while everybody was silent on rape? Maybe it is team of the church Vicars who took the decision," she added. Sister Lucy, who joined a number of others outside the Kochi High Court to stage a protest against the rape-accused Bishop, was reportedly barred from her duties and relieved from church activities on Sunday. However, no official notice was sent to her regarding the same. Meanwhile, the probe team investigating the alleged Kerala nun rape case will file an application in the court seeking permission to take accused former Bishop of Jalandhar for a polygraph test. The police have asked for the polygraph test, as according to them, the alleged rape accused Mulakkal is not cooperating during the interrogation. As per the police, the accused Bishop used to repeat words like "don't remember" and "don't know" and later refused to respond during the interrogation.

Sister Lucy demands explanation on expulsion from duties

WION Speed News: Watch top international & national news of the morning, September 21, 2018

New South Wales became the second state in Austalia after Victoria as it introduced new reforms allowing victims to sue churches in child sexual abuse cases.

New South Wales on Sunday made new reforms in NSW's civil litigation laws under which the vicitms of child sexual abuse will be able to&nbsp;sue institutions like churches orphanges, sporting clubs, youth groups and schools.

These reforms are based on recommendations of the royal commission which released its final report last year.

Earlier those insitutions cannot be put liable for offences like child sexual abuse as their assets were church trustees could not be held accountable for crimes of individuals of the church,&nbsp;but after these recent reforms come into effect it removes legal barries that had stoppped vicitms from seeking justice. Now the courts will have the power&nbsp;to appoint trustees to be sued if such institutions fail to appoint an entity with assets and allow the assets of the trust to be used to satisfy the claim.

The media reports quoted, New South Wales attorney, General Mark Speakman saying, "The Royal Commission found many survivors felt let down by the current civil litigation system which made it difficult for them to seek damages and hold institutions to account."

''These reforms will provide access to new avenues to allow survivors to pursue compensation so they can focus on recovering and moving forward with their lives,'' a US Daily reported Speakman as saying.

Under the new reforms, such organisations would need to provide proof that they took reasonable precautions to prevent abuse as the government announced the reversal of the burden of proof.&nbsp;

According to media reports thousands of children in Australia are victim of sexual assault. The royal commision while preparing the report heard testimony of over 15,000 survivors as they detailed their claims.

The reports further say that more than 4,000 such institutions are accused of sexual abuse.

Earlier in May the Victoria state of Australia became the first state to introduce such reforms in their law.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

These reforms are based on recommendations of the royal commission which released its final report last year

New South Wales became the second state in Austalia after Victoria as it introduced new reforms allowing victims to sue churches in child sexual abuse cases. New South Wales on Sunday made new reforms in NSW's civil litigation laws under which the vicitms of child sexual abuse will be able to sue institutions like churches orphanges, sporting clubs, youth groups and schools. These reforms are based on recommendations of the royal commission which released its final report last year. Earlier those insitutions cannot be put liable for offences like child sexual abuse as their assets were church trustees could not be held accountable for crimes of individuals of the church, but after these recent reforms come into effect it removes legal barries that had stoppped vicitms from seeking justice. Now the courts will have the power to appoint trustees to be sued if such institutions fail to appoint an entity with assets and allow the assets of the trust to be used to satisfy the claim. The media reports quoted, New South Wales attorney, General Mark Speakman saying, "The Royal Commission found many survivors felt let down by the current civil litigation system which made it difficult for them to seek damages and hold institutions to account." ''These reforms will provide access to new avenues to allow survivors to pursue compensation so they can focus on recovering and moving forward with their lives,'' a US Daily reported Speakman as saying. Under the new reforms, such organisations would need to provide proof that they took reasonable precautions to prevent abuse as the government announced the reversal of the burden of proof. According to media reports thousands of children in Australia are victim of sexual assault. The royal commision while preparing the report heard testimony of over 15,000 survivors as they detailed their claims. The reports further say that more than 4,000 such institutions are accused of sexual abuse. Earlier in May the Victoria state of Australia became the first state to introduce such reforms in their law.

Australia: NSW allows child sexual abuse victims to sue churches

Tucked into a suburban Los Angeles office between her convent and a chapel, film critic Sister Rose Pacatte sits at her computer and plays a clip from edgy dark comedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri."

The numerous expletives in the award-winning movie don't faze the 66-year-old Daughter of St. Paul. Sitting at a desk surrounded by inspirational posters, a treadmill and a bobblehead of Pope Francis, she rates "Three Billboards" as her favorite movie of 2017.

"If you look at the pain people have, you have to expect some release," she says of the story of an angry mother seeking justice for her daughter's unsolved murder. "It was full of moments of exquisite grace and humanity - and it's extremely funny!"

In an era when film critics' influence has given way to social media buzz and fan approval, the diminutive Sister Rose has stood for the past 15 years as an intermediary between the big screen and America's Catholic faithful.

"She's like our vanguard for all things film," said Chris Heffron, co-executive editor of the St. Anthony Messenger, a monthly magazine with some 400,000 monthly online visitors that runs a column from Sister Rose.

Film has always played a leading role in the life of Sister Rose, who as a teenager decided to become a nun partly because of the St. Bernadette biopic "The Song of Bernadette" and Catholic school comedy "The Trouble with Angels."

This love for cinema goes hand-in-hand with the religious order, Daughters of St. Paul, whose current members have adopted the hashtag "#MediaNuns" in their mission to connect people to the Church through media.

'FINGER ON THE PULSE'

<img alt="sister-rose-tv-reuters.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/sister-rose-tv-reuters.jpg" width="770" />

Sister Rose Pacatte watches TV as she works out in her office. (Reuters)

Sister Rose, who serves as director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, California, and also writes for the biweekly National Catholic Reporter newspaper, views herself as a "mediator of the film" for Catholicism.

Her reviews are not restricted to religious or family-themed films, casting a wide net from "Sex and the City 2" to superhero blockbusters and independent fare.

In 2016, she hosted the television series "Condemned," a 27-film program on Turner Classic Movies examining movies denounced by the Catholic Legion of Decency.

"I use human dignity, the common good, human solidarity, family, community ... even challenging the dominant culture of consumerism," she says about her views on film.

She called 2010 greed thriller "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" "the black ice that our prosperity as a nation travels on."

Oscar-winner "Spotlight" in 2015 about the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal was a "finely underplayed and ultimately heartbreaking crime mystery."

In her years as a critic, Sister Rose has become a trusted voice in interfaith communities on matters of mass culture. She has served on juries at the Berlin and Venice film festivals, among others.

"Rose has this uncanny ability to have her finger on the pulse of what people should see but also what media consumers should look out for," Heffron said. "She is a great shepherd through all the garbage out there."

But behind her constant sunny disposition is a fascination with darker elements of human nature dramatized on the big screen.

"A good movie will make us question the status quo," she says. "It will make us questions our behavior. It will ask us how we can help relieve the suffering that we may see ... humanity is such a brilliant subject."

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&nbsp;

Sister Rose also writes for the biweekly National Catholic Reporter newspaper, and views herself as a "mediator of the film" for Catholicism.

Tucked into a suburban Los Angeles office between her convent and a chapel, film critic Sister Rose Pacatte sits at her computer and plays a clip from edgy dark comedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." The numerous expletives in the award-winning movie don't faze the 66-year-old Daughter of St. Paul. Sitting at a desk surrounded by inspirational posters, a treadmill and a bobblehead of Pope Francis, she rates "Three Billboards" as her favorite movie of 2017. "If you look at the pain people have, you have to expect some release," she says of the story of an angry mother seeking justice for her daughter's unsolved murder. "It was full of moments of exquisite grace and humanity - and it's extremely funny!" In an era when film critics' influence has given way to social media buzz and fan approval, the diminutive Sister Rose has stood for the past 15 years as an intermediary between the big screen and America's Catholic faithful. "She's like our vanguard for all things film," said Chris Heffron, co-executive editor of the St. Anthony Messenger, a monthly magazine with some 400,000 monthly online visitors that runs a column from Sister Rose. Film has always played a leading role in the life of Sister Rose, who as a teenager decided to become a nun partly because of the St. Bernadette biopic "The Song of Bernadette" and Catholic school comedy "The Trouble with Angels." This love for cinema goes hand-in-hand with the religious order, Daughters of St. Paul, whose current members have adopted the hashtag "#MediaNuns" in their mission to connect people to the Church through media. 'FINGER ON THE PULSE' Sister Rose Pacatte watches TV as she works out in her office. (Reuters) Sister Rose, who serves as director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, California, and also writes for the biweekly National Catholic Reporter newspaper, views herself as a "mediator of the film" for Catholicism. Her reviews are not restricted to religious or family-themed films, casting a wide net from "Sex and the City 2" to superhero blockbusters and independent fare. In 2016, she hosted the television series "Condemned," a 27-film program on Turner Classic Movies examining movies denounced by the Catholic Legion of Decency. "I use human dignity, the common good, human solidarity, family, community ... even challenging the dominant culture of consumerism," she says about her views on film. She called 2010 greed thriller "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" "the black ice that our prosperity as a nation travels on." Oscar-winner "Spotlight" in 2015 about the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal was a "finely underplayed and ultimately heartbreaking crime mystery." In her years as a critic, Sister Rose has become a trusted voice in interfaith communities on matters of mass culture. She has served on juries at the Berlin and Venice film festivals, among others. "Rose has this uncanny ability to have her finger on the pulse of what people should see but also what media consumers should look out for," Heffron said. "She is a great shepherd through all the garbage out there." But behind her constant sunny disposition is a fascination with darker elements of human nature dramatized on the big screen. "A good movie will make us question the status quo," she says. "It will make us questions our behavior. It will ask us how we can help relieve the suffering that we may see ... humanity is such a brilliant subject." ×

Sex to superheroes: Sister Rose shepherds Catholics through Hollywood movies

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Sunday condemned the suicide attacks on churches carried out Islamist militants.

He called the attacks "barbaric" and ordered police to track down the perpetrators.

"I have instructed police to look into and break up networks of perpetrators," said Widodo.

Widodo was speaking at a news briefing and shared that one of the attacks had used two children in the bombing.

A family of six launched suicide attacks on Christians attending Sunday prayers&nbsp;at three churches in Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya.

At least 13 people lost their lives while nearly 40 were wounded.

According to the police, the family who carried out the attacks were Islamic sympathizers who had returned from Syria.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

According to the police, the family who carried out the attacks were Islamic sympathizers who had returned from Syria

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Sunday condemned the suicide attacks on churches carried out Islamist militants. He called the attacks "barbaric" and ordered police to track down the perpetrators. "I have instructed police to look into and break up networks of perpetrators," said Widodo. Widodo was speaking at a news briefing and shared that one of the attacks had used two children in the bombing. A family of six launched suicide attacks on Christians attending Sunday prayers at three churches in Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya. At least 13 people lost their lives while nearly 40 were wounded. According to the police, the family who carried out the attacks were Islamic sympathizers who had returned from Syria. (With inputs from Reuters)

Indonesian president calls attacks on churches 'barbaric'

A man attacked a church congregation on Sunday in Yogyakarta province of Indonesia leaving four people wounded, media reports said.&nbsp;

Around 100 people were attending the service when the 22-year-old man stormed into the church with a&nbsp;one-meter-long sword during a Sunday morning mass and began attacking terror-stricken people in&nbsp;the St Lidwuna Bedhog Trihanggo church of Sleman district in the province.&nbsp;

The attack injured four people including a police officer who was trying to protect the priest.

The man was shot by other police officials in a counter attack.&nbsp;&quot;After the warning shot was fired, the attacker charged towards the officer with his sword. The officer then shot him below his stomach, but he managed to injure the cop before being subdued,&quot;&nbsp;said worshipper Andhi Cahyo.&nbsp;

&quot;Everybody started panicking and screaming. I was scrambling to save my wife and children,&quot; Cahyo told AFP.&nbsp;

People fled through another door as the attacker ran amok inside the church.&nbsp;

He destroyed some books and a Virgin Mary statue with his sword, said Cahyo, and attacked&nbsp; 81-year-German priest Edmund Prier who was standing at the altar.&nbsp;

The police are undergoing investigation to understand the reason for the attack and network linked with the man.&nbsp;

The victims suffered head, back and neck injuries and have been admitted to a nearby hospital, reports said.&nbsp;

Churches are a common target for Islamic militants in Indonesia, the world&#39;s most populous Muslim nation.

The 22-year-old man stormed into the church with a sword during a Sunday morning mass in St Lidwuna Bedhog Trihanggo church of Sleman district on the province

A man attacked a church congregation on Sunday in Yogyakarta province of Indonesia leaving four people wounded, media reports said. Around 100 people were attending the service when the 22-year-old man stormed into the church with a one-meter-long sword during a Sunday morning mass and began attacking terror-stricken people in the St Lidwuna Bedhog Trihanggo church of Sleman district in the province. The attack injured four people including a police officer who was trying to protect the priest. The man was shot by other police officials in a counter attack. "After the warning shot was fired, the attacker charged towards the officer with his sword. The officer then shot him below his stomach, but he managed to injure the cop before being subdued," said worshipper Andhi Cahyo. "Everybody started panicking and screaming. I was scrambling to save my wife and children," Cahyo told AFP. People fled through another door as the attacker ran amok inside the church. He destroyed some books and a Virgin Mary statue with his sword, said Cahyo, and attacked 81-year-German priest Edmund Prier who was standing at the altar. The police are undergoing investigation to understand the reason for the attack and network linked with the man. The victims suffered head, back and neck injuries and have been admitted to a nearby hospital, reports said. Churches are a common target for Islamic militants in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Suspected militant shot after sword attack on Indonesian church, 4 injured

In the tragic Grenfell tower fire, many lives were saved because of Muslim residents who were awake for Sehri (pre-dawn meal) during the holy month of Ramzaan.&nbsp;

Muslim residents observing Ramzaan were the first ones to notice the smoke coming out of the seventh floor of the Grenfell tower,&nbsp;media reports said. &nbsp;

Waiting to have their pre-dawn meal, Sehri, the residents came out in a frenzy and began knocking on their neighbours&#39; doors to alert them of the imminent danger.

No fire alarms or water sprinklers had gone off till then, an eyewitness said.&nbsp;

A number of local mosques, churches and Sikh temples&nbsp;opened their doors to help those who were evacuated.&nbsp;

Seventeen people have died in the fire so far. The death toll in the incident is likely to rise further.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Fasting Muslims waiting for pre-dawn meal were the first to notice Grenfell fire; went out to save neighbours' lives

In the tragic Grenfell tower fire, many lives were saved because of Muslim residents who were awake for Sehri (pre-dawn meal) during the holy month of Ramzaan. Muslim residents observing Ramzaan were the first ones to notice the smoke coming out of the seventh floor of the Grenfell tower, media reports said. Waiting to have their pre-dawn meal, Sehri, the residents came out in a frenzy and began knocking on their neighbours' doors to alert them of the imminent danger. No fire alarms or water sprinklers had gone off till then, an eyewitness said. A number of local mosques, churches and Sikh temples opened their doors to help those who were evacuated. Seventeen people have died in the fire so far. The death toll in the incident is likely to rise further.

London tower fire: Muslims fasting for Ramzaan helped save lives

Pope Francis said in an interview published Thursday that the church may consider ordaining married men who could potentially then work in remote areas faced with a shortage of priests.&nbsp;

&quot;We must think about whether viri probati are a possibility,&quot; Francis said referring to older, married men who are already involved in church business.&nbsp;

&quot;Then we have to decide what tasks they can take on, for example in remote communities,&quot; he added in the interview with German weekly Die Zeit.&nbsp;

Many in the church believe, given the lack of priests in many places, that a new path to ordination should be opened.

They think that in addition to priests who take a vow of celibacy, older, married men with a long commitment to the church could also be considered.

Pope Francis said in May 2014 that &quot;there are married priests in the Church&quot; citing married Anglican ministers who joined the Catholic Church, Coptic Catholics and the priests of some Eastern churches.

The church, and notably the current pope&#39;s predecessor Benedict XVI, had previously said that celibacy was not a matter of inflexible church dogma unlike, for example, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

However, Francis said allowing priests in training to choose whether or not to be celibate was &quot;not the solution&quot;.

(AFP)

Many in the church believe, given the lack of priests in many places, that a new path to ordination should be opened

Pope Francis said in an interview published Thursday that the church may consider ordaining married men who could potentially then work in remote areas faced with a shortage of priests. "We must think about whether viri probati are a possibility," Francis said referring to older, married men who are already involved in church business. "Then we have to decide what tasks they can take on, for example in remote communities," he added in the interview with German weekly Die Zeit. Many in the church believe, given the lack of priests in many places, that a new path to ordination should be opened. They think that in addition to priests who take a vow of celibacy, older, married men with a long commitment to the church could also be considered. Pope Francis said in May 2014 that "there are married priests in the Church" citing married Anglican ministers who joined the Catholic Church, Coptic Catholics and the priests of some Eastern churches. The church, and notably the current pope's predecessor Benedict XVI, had previously said that celibacy was not a matter of inflexible church dogma unlike, for example, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, Francis said allowing priests in training to choose whether or not to be celibate was "not the solution". (AFP)

Church may consider making married men priests: Pope Francis

In a video that has now gone viral a pastor from Kerala said women who &ldquo;arouse&rdquo; men by wearing jeans should be &ldquo;drowned with rocks tied to their bodies&rdquo;, DNA reported on Tuesday.

The video from Shalom TV&nbsp;was uploaded on February 25, DNA reported. The unnamed priest went on to say that the church or the Bible doesn&#39;t permit women to dress like men.

IndiaToday translated a part of his sermon as &quot;When I go for prayer meetings in some churches, especially during the Holy Mass, I feel like leaving because of some women who I see in front of me. I feel it&rsquo;s better to kick them out of the church premises. They will wear jeans, trousers, shirt or T-shirts, and will have a mobile phone in their hands. They wouldn&rsquo;t even tie their hair. They do this to get attention. I don&rsquo;t know why these &lsquo;things&rsquo; come to the church.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Here&rsquo;s my question to women: Did the Catholic Church give you permission to wear what men wear? Okay, let&rsquo;s keep the Church away. Did the Holy Bible give you permission?&quot;

&ldquo;Let me tell you what the Bible says. &lsquo;Men should not wear women&rsquo;s clothes, women should not wear men&rsquo;s clothes. If you do, you disregard God&rsquo;. Will you get mercy if you go against God and then act in the church as if you&rsquo;re more devoted than your mother?&rdquo;

&ldquo;Bible verses say, &lsquo;Those who provoke you into sin should be drowned in the depths of the sea, with a rock tied to their bodies&rsquo;. If you [women] arouse men, you&rsquo;re the sinner.&rdquo;

The channel is about to touch 20,000 subscribers on YouTube, DNA reported.

According to DNA, Kerala has recorded&nbsp;&nbsp;2,568 rapes in 2016 and&nbsp;several colleges in the state, and in neighbouring Tamil Nadu,&nbsp;have introduced rules that regulate women&rsquo;s clothing and jeans are the favourite target.

The priest had more advice on what women should wear:&nbsp;&ldquo;The best suited attire for women is churidaar, but these days, when Satan enters them, women throw away the &lsquo;dupatta&rsquo;. They walk around without shawls.&rdquo;

He also accuded&nbsp;women of tempting their brothers and fathers, and absolved rapists of &ldquo;such&rdquo; girls saying they were &ldquo;provoked&rdquo;.

(WION)

The unnamed priest went on to say that the Church or the Bible doesn't give women the permission to dress like men

In a video that has now gone viral a pastor from Kerala said women who “arouse” men by wearing jeans should be “drowned with rocks tied to their bodies”, DNA reported on Tuesday. The video from Shalom TV was uploaded on February 25, DNA reported. The unnamed priest went on to say that the church or the Bible doesn't permit women to dress like men. IndiaToday translated a part of his sermon as "When I go for prayer meetings in some churches, especially during the Holy Mass, I feel like leaving because of some women who I see in front of me. I feel it’s better to kick them out of the church premises. They will wear jeans, trousers, shirt or T-shirts, and will have a mobile phone in their hands. They wouldn’t even tie their hair. They do this to get attention. I don’t know why these ‘things’ come to the church.” “Here’s my question to women: Did the Catholic Church give you permission to wear what men wear? Okay, let’s keep the Church away. Did the Holy Bible give you permission?" “Let me tell you what the Bible says. ‘Men should not wear women’s clothes, women should not wear men’s clothes. If you do, you disregard God’. Will you get mercy if you go against God and then act in the church as if you’re more devoted than your mother?” “Bible verses say, ‘Those who provoke you into sin should be drowned in the depths of the sea, with a rock tied to their bodies’. If you [women] arouse men, you’re the sinner.” The channel is about to touch 20,000 subscribers on YouTube, DNA reported. According to DNA, Kerala has recorded 2,568 rapes in 2016 and several colleges in the state, and in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, have introduced rules that regulate women’s clothing and jeans are the favourite target. The priest had more advice on what women should wear: “The best suited attire for women is churidaar, but these days, when Satan enters them, women throw away the ‘dupatta’. They walk around without shawls.” He also accuded women of tempting their brothers and fathers, and absolved rapists of “such” girls saying they were “provoked”. (WION)

India: Video of priest denouncing women who wear jeans to church goes viral

Marie Collins, an Irish survivor of clerical sex abuse, resigned Wednesday from Pope Francis&#39;s child protection panel, accusing senior Vatican officials of &quot;shameful&quot; blocking of reforms approved by the pontiff.

Collins&#39;s departure and her depiction of high-level obstruction of change is an embarrassing blow to the pontiff&#39;s attempts to demonstrate that the Church is effectively combating a scourge that has profoundly damaged its image over recent decades.

The 70-year-old, who was raped by a hospital chaplain at 13, explained her decision in an article for the National Catholic Reporter (NCR).

&quot;As a survivor I have watched events unfold with dismay,&quot; she wrote.

Her resignation happened days after Francis came under fire for reducing sanctions imposed on some paedophile priests in line with his desire for the Church to be more merciful across a range of issues.

Collins&#39;s departure leaves the Pontifical Commission on the Protection of Minors with no abuse survivors working for it.

Briton Peter Saunders was sidelined last year after a row over the panel&#39;s handling of allegations of serial abuse by an Italian priest that were brought to its attention.

He described Collins&#39;s departure as &quot;sad but somewhat inevitable&quot;.

The final straw

&quot;For the Commission it is a disaster to have no survivors represented. It has blown a huge hole in its credentials,&quot; he told AFP.

In her resignation letter, Collins said she believed Francis had acted sincerely when he set up the panel in March 2014 with a brief to advise him on concrete steps to ensure the safety of minors within Catholic institutions.

&quot;However, despite the Holy Father approving all the recommendations made to him by the Commission, there have been constant setbacks,&quot; she said.

&quot;This has been directly due to the resistance by some members of the Vatican Curia (administration) to the work of the Commission. The lack of co-operation, particularly by the dicastery (Vatican ministry) most closely involved in dealing with cases of abuse, has been shameful.&quot;

Collins said the final straw came in January when officials refused to guarantee that all letters from victims/survivors would receive a response or to cooperate with the commission on developing safeguarding guidelines.

&quot;It is a reflection of how this whole abuse crisis in the Church has been handled: with fine words in public and contrary actions behind closed doors,&quot; she wrote in her NCR article.

&#39;Education needed&#39;

The panel&#39;s chair, American cardinal Sean O&#39;Malley, said the body would &quot;listen carefully&quot; to Collins&#39;s criticisms.

Another panel member, German priest and academic Hans Zollner, said that while he understood his colleague&#39;s frustration, reformers had to be realistic about the pace of change.

&quot;This is a long-term education job,&quot; he told AFP.

Saunders, who was asked to leave the commission last year after denouncing it as an exercise in window dressing, said it needed &quot;an injection of outside blood&quot;.

He added: &quot;Unless Francis pulls his finger out and gets rid of some people nothing is going to change. Will he do that? That is the big question. But he really needs to sit down with survivors and child protection experts and talk with them about what needs to happen.&quot;

Crime and sin

Since his election in 2013, Francis has repeatedly promised to root out abusers, once describing their actions as comparable to participating in a Satanic mass.

He has also attempted to end what critics say is a cover-up culture, notably by introducing new rules allowing for negligent bishops to be dismissed over abuse cases in their dioceses.

In his most recent comment on the issue, in a December letter to bishops, he called for a renewed commitment to &quot;zero tolerance,&quot; implicitly acknowledging much remains to be done.

Critics say the Church remains reluctant to hand paedophile priests over to criminal authorities.

And last week&#39;s confirmation that Francis had authorised a reduction of sanctions imposed on some paedophile priests triggered fresh accusations of complacency.

&quot;Pope Francis needs to remember that there is a difference between crime and sin,&quot; said Joelle Casteix of the US survivor network SNAP.

&quot;The place for mercy is with victims and children, not offending clergy.&quot;

(AFP)

Collins departure has dealt a blow to the pontiff's efforts to remove the scourge that has damaged the church's reputation

Marie Collins, an Irish survivor of clerical sex abuse, resigned Wednesday from Pope Francis's child protection panel, accusing senior Vatican officials of "shameful" blocking of reforms approved by the pontiff. Collins's departure and her depiction of high-level obstruction of change is an embarrassing blow to the pontiff's attempts to demonstrate that the Church is effectively combating a scourge that has profoundly damaged its image over recent decades. The 70-year-old, who was raped by a hospital chaplain at 13, explained her decision in an article for the National Catholic Reporter (NCR). "As a survivor I have watched events unfold with dismay," she wrote. Her resignation happened days after Francis came under fire for reducing sanctions imposed on some paedophile priests in line with his desire for the Church to be more merciful across a range of issues. Collins's departure leaves the Pontifical Commission on the Protection of Minors with no abuse survivors working for it. Briton Peter Saunders was sidelined last year after a row over the panel's handling of allegations of serial abuse by an Italian priest that were brought to its attention. He described Collins's departure as "sad but somewhat inevitable". The final straw "For the Commission it is a disaster to have no survivors represented. It has blown a huge hole in its credentials," he told AFP. In her resignation letter, Collins said she believed Francis had acted sincerely when he set up the panel in March 2014 with a brief to advise him on concrete steps to ensure the safety of minors within Catholic institutions. "However, despite the Holy Father approving all the recommendations made to him by the Commission, there have been constant setbacks," she said. "This has been directly due to the resistance by some members of the Vatican Curia (administration) to the work of the Commission. The lack of co-operation, particularly by the dicastery (Vatican ministry) most closely involved in dealing with cases of abuse, has been shameful." Collins said the final straw came in January when officials refused to guarantee that all letters from victims/survivors would receive a response or to cooperate with the commission on developing safeguarding guidelines. "It is a reflection of how this whole abuse crisis in the Church has been handled: with fine words in public and contrary actions behind closed doors," she wrote in her NCR article. 'Education needed' The panel's chair, American cardinal Sean O'Malley, said the body would "listen carefully" to Collins's criticisms. Another panel member, German priest and academic Hans Zollner, said that while he understood his colleague's frustration, reformers had to be realistic about the pace of change. "This is a long-term education job," he told AFP. Saunders, who was asked to leave the commission last year after denouncing it as an exercise in window dressing, said it needed "an injection of outside blood". He added: "Unless Francis pulls his finger out and gets rid of some people nothing is going to change. Will he do that? That is the big question. But he really needs to sit down with survivors and child protection experts and talk with them about what needs to happen." Crime and sin Since his election in 2013, Francis has repeatedly promised to root out abusers, once describing their actions as comparable to participating in a Satanic mass. He has also attempted to end what critics say is a cover-up culture, notably by introducing new rules allowing for negligent bishops to be dismissed over abuse cases in their dioceses. In his most recent comment on the issue, in a December letter to bishops, he called for a renewed commitment to "zero tolerance," implicitly acknowledging much remains to be done. Critics say the Church remains reluctant to hand paedophile priests over to criminal authorities. And last week's confirmation that Francis had authorised a reduction of sanctions imposed on some paedophile priests triggered fresh accusations of complacency. "Pope Francis needs to remember that there is a difference between crime and sin," said Joelle Casteix of the US survivor network SNAP. "The place for mercy is with victims and children, not offending clergy." (AFP)

Survivor of clerical sex abuse quits panel, slams Vatican for not effecting reforms

Muslims in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, attended a mass on Sunday, July 31 to pay tribute to a priest killed in a knife attack. 
 
The French Muslim Community Council had urged Muslims to attend mass all over the country in a gesture of solidarity and compassion with the Catholic community. 
 
The request was made after Father Jacques Hamel was killed when two attackers linked to Islamic State interrupted a church service and forced the 85-year-old Roman Catholic priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat. 
 
Since Saturday, Muslims have been joining Catholics around France for vigils, marches and masses to show solidarity and unity between their religious communities. 
 
&quot;To forgive is to give despite my anger, my resentment, so that life returns between myself and another, without which suffering moves in, remains and festers,&quot; Father Eugene Doussal said during his sermon. 
 
Among those who attended the service was Hayat, who came with her children and husband. &quot;This was basically a message of unity, aside from peace, it was really about unity,&quot; she said. 
 
Since the church attack, France&#39;s government has been pushing for interfaith unity. 
 
(Reuters)

Two attackers linked to Islamic State had interrupted a church service, forced the priest to his knees and slit his throat

Muslims in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, attended a mass on Sunday, July 31 to pay tribute to a priest killed in a knife attack. The French Muslim Community Council had urged Muslims to attend mass all over the country in a gesture of solidarity and compassion with the Catholic community. The request was made after Father Jacques Hamel was killed when two attackers linked to Islamic State interrupted a church service and forced the 85-year-old Roman Catholic priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat. Since Saturday, Muslims have been joining Catholics around France for vigils, marches and masses to show solidarity and unity between their religious communities. "To forgive is to give despite my anger, my resentment, so that life returns between myself and another, without which suffering moves in, remains and festers," Father Eugene Doussal said during his sermon. Among those who attended the service was Hayat, who came with her children and husband. "This was basically a message of unity, aside from peace, it was really about unity," she said. Since the church attack, France's government has been pushing for interfaith unity. (Reuters)

Muslims attend Catholic mass in show of solidarity after French church attack

Toronto&#39;s Archbishop joined several other prominent clergymen who say they will bless same-sex marriages in defiance of a narrow vote by the Anglican Church of Canada not to authorise gay unions. 
 
More than 200 delegates attending the six-day General Synod 2016 narrowly rejected the resolution Monday night after hearing from more than 60 speakers, most of them in favour of gay marriage. 
 
Archbishop Colin Johnson yesterday said that he wanted his gay and lesbian colleagues &quot;to share the joy&quot;. 
 
Johnson said blessing same-sex marriages at the discretion of the bishop and with agreement of local clergy was a logical step in the evolution of the church that he said he would be considering in the coming weeks. 
 
&quot;I am advised that this option would not contravene the marriage canon,&quot; Johnson said. &quot;I am confident it would be supported by the majority, even if not all of our bishops, clergy, laity and the wider community.&quot; 
 
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005, and Monday&#39;s vote puts the Anglican Church, the third largest in Canada, out of step with most Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who recently took part in a gay pride parade in Toronto.&nbsp;In order for the resolution to have passed, it required two-thirds support from each of three orders--the lay, clergy and bishops. 
 
Meghan Kilty, the director of communications for the Anglican Church of Canada, said yesterday that 155 delegates voted in favour of the resolution and 68 against it, with three members abstaining from the vote. The result was one vote short of what was needed to pass the measure. 
 
Bishop John Chapman in Ottawa, Ontario, said in a statement that he planned to proceed immediately with such unions in his diocese, although no one would be forced to officiate at such a ceremony. 
 
&quot;It is time my friends,&quot; Chapman said. &quot;It is past time.&quot; 
 
&quot;Take heart,&quot; said Rev. Melissa Skelton, bishop of New Westminster, British Columbia. &quot;This is not over.&quot; 
 
The General Synod is held every three years, and the vote was the culmination of work that began when the last General Synod, the church&#39;s legislative body, asked a panel to come up with a draft motion. 
 
About 1.6 million Canadians identify themselves as Anglican, according to Statistics Canada. 
 
The US Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, is alone among Anglican bodies in approving gay marriage and has faced a backlash for its support of same-sex unions. 
 
(PTI)

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005, and the Anglican Church's opposition to it is out of step with most Canadians

Toronto's Archbishop joined several other prominent clergymen who say they will bless same-sex marriages in defiance of a narrow vote by the Anglican Church of Canada not to authorise gay unions. More than 200 delegates attending the six-day General Synod 2016 narrowly rejected the resolution Monday night after hearing from more than 60 speakers, most of them in favour of gay marriage. Archbishop Colin Johnson yesterday said that he wanted his gay and lesbian colleagues "to share the joy". Johnson said blessing same-sex marriages at the discretion of the bishop and with agreement of local clergy was a logical step in the evolution of the church that he said he would be considering in the coming weeks. "I am advised that this option would not contravene the marriage canon," Johnson said. "I am confident it would be supported by the majority, even if not all of our bishops, clergy, laity and the wider community." Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005, and Monday's vote puts the Anglican Church, the third largest in Canada, out of step with most Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who recently took part in a gay pride parade in Toronto. In order for the resolution to have passed, it required two-thirds support from each of three orders--the lay, clergy and bishops. Meghan Kilty, the director of communications for the Anglican Church of Canada, said yesterday that 155 delegates voted in favour of the resolution and 68 against it, with three members abstaining from the vote. The result was one vote short of what was needed to pass the measure. Bishop John Chapman in Ottawa, Ontario, said in a statement that he planned to proceed immediately with such unions in his diocese, although no one would be forced to officiate at such a ceremony. "It is time my friends," Chapman said. "It is past time." "Take heart," said Rev. Melissa Skelton, bishop of New Westminster, British Columbia. "This is not over." The General Synod is held every three years, and the vote was the culmination of work that began when the last General Synod, the church's legislative body, asked a panel to come up with a draft motion. About 1.6 million Canadians identify themselves as Anglican, according to Statistics Canada. The US Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, is alone among Anglican bodies in approving gay marriage and has faced a backlash for its support of same-sex unions. (PTI)

Toronto Archbishop blesses same-sex marriage, despite Church's vote

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