In Spirit and Truth Reading Roundup: November 2024 Edition

Welcome to the November In Spirit and Truth Reading Roundup! I hope you all had a joyful Thanksgiving, whatever that looks like for you.

For those who are new here (welcome everyone!), this Reading Roundup is a collection of the latest news and commentary on abuse and institutional betrayal in the Catholic Church, with a particular focus on the United States. Please note that I highlight articles from a variety of sources and perspectives, and inclusion here does not mean that I agree with everything in a given article, only that I think it’s worth reading. If you only have time to read a few pieces this month, I recommend you start with those in bold below.

And if you’re here primarily to listen to the wisdom and perspective of survivors, stay tuned for my next Survivors’ Voices post soon.

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Vatican News

• Abuse survivors urge the Vatican to globalize the zero-tolerance policy it approved in the US

• ‘There's a lot more to be done’: Cardinal O’Malley on first global safeguarding report

• A case study in how the Vatican’s abuse reform efforts have failed

• Vatican to form study group to classify crime of ‘spiritual abuse’ + Can the Church handle a spiritual abuse law?

International News

• Austria: Vatican sanctions co-founder of ‘Family of Mary’ for psychological and spiritual abuse

• France: After abuse report, French bishops issue new confession guidelines

• Peru: Ex-members of women’s branch of troubled Peru movement say abuse was widespread + + Survivors blast papal meeting with duo linked to scandal-plagued Peru group

• Poland: Poland’s bishops and abuse victims hold ‘historic’ meeting

U.S. News

• Forced assimilation and abuse: How US boarding schools devastated Native American tribes

• California: Final healing garden in LA archdiocese offers hope to abuse survivors

• California: Diocese of Oakland's plan to settle with sexual assault survivors receives pushback + Oakland Catholic Diocese files motion to keep names of accused child sex abusers secret

• Illinois: St. Jude relic tour suspended over police investigation + Relic priest responds to ‘incident’ allegation

• Illinois: Priest cleared of abuse charges, reinstated to ministry

• Louisiana: New Orleans archdiocese agrees to release secret files on clergy accused of child sexual abuse

• Massachusetts: Twenty years after Spotlight, Boston Catholic Church slowly recovers

• New York: Ex-Priest with Long History of Child Sex Abuse Allegations Found Teaching at Largest Private Catholic High School in US

• New York: Albany Diocese hosts US premiere of ‘Groomed,’ written and performed by abuse survivor

• New York: Long Island priest charged with sexually abusing man, 22

• Ohio: Deceased Toledo priest credibly accused of sexual abuse; diocese removes his name from building

From Awake

• Personal Reflection: A Survivor Visits Rome

• Survivor Story: Fr. Frank Reitter

• Why We Must Work Toward a Trauma-Sensitive Church

Opinion Pieces

• Seeing Snuffy, and what survivors want to hear

• Survivor opinion: Priests are the antidote to clergy abuse

• Chapter 11 bankruptcy helps church officials, not kids or victims

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If you find these monthly reading roundups helpful, please consider forwarding this post or sharing on your social media. Let’s stay informed and engaged. It matters.

See you again soon.

~ Sara