A report by a Church-funded body set up to improve child protection procedures and policies reported nearly 200 new allegations of Church-related child abuse in a year.

The report, issued last Monday, said 197 new allegations of Church-related child abuse were received between April 1, 2009, and March 31. All allegations were also reported to the civil authorities. In each case, the complainants were adults who said they had been abused as children.

The majority of cases involved sexual abuse, but some were complaints of physical or emotional abuse; 87 related to dioceses and the remaining 110 involved religious orders.

'Strong forces' oppose the truth

"There are still strong forces which would prefer that the truth did not emerge," Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin said in relation to child abuse by priests.

"The truth will make us free, even when that truth is uncomfortable. There are signs of subconscious denial on the part of many about the extent of the abuse which occurred within the Church in Ireland, and how it was covered up.

"There are other signs of rejection of a sense of responsibility for what had happened. There are worrying signs that despite solid regulations and norms these are not being followed with the rigour required."

'Fighting corruption is a national need'

In a statement, the bishops of Peru invited the public "to practise ethics and to recover ancestral values that should govern the fate of all institutions of the country.

"The illegal use of state resources and use of public authority to benefit those who exercise authority, rather than serving the people, damages the nation as a whole, but especially the poorest," the bishops said.

"The fight against corruption is a national need," they continued. "To eliminate it, what is needed, along with the strong will of the authorities, is the generous cooperation of all Peruvians, supported by a strong moral conscience which should never be lost - for the good of all."

Call to re-examine priestly celibacy

Archbishop of Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schönborn has repeated his argument that the Church should re-examine the question of priestly celibacy.

Responding to questions about a public statement by outgoing Bishop Paul Iby of Eisenstadt, who had called for an end to mandatory celibacy, Cardinal Schönborn said: "The concern that Bishop Iby expressed is shared by all of us."

While he did not endorse a change in current Church discipline, the cardinal said that he was "happy to be in a Church in which there is freedom of speech and opinion".

Communion for pro-abortion politicians

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York told an Albany television reporter he does not favour denying Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion and same-sex marriage.

"News 10's John McLoughlin asked Archbishop Dolan if he favoured denying the Church's sacraments to politicians, like Governor David Paterson, who are Roman Catholic but also pro-choice and pro-gay marriage," W Ten-TV reported.

"Mgr Dolan said he does not, preferring to follow the lead of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who said it was better to try to persuade them than to impose sanctions."

Compiled by Fr Joe Borg

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