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John Smyth: Why police didn’t prosecute abuser linked to CofE

Review suggested police were overwhelmed by historical sex abuse cases following Savile scandal. With Justin Welby stepping down as Archbishop of Canterbury, following criticism of his handling of a report into a prolific child abuser with ties to the Church of England, Victoria Derbyshire asks a senior bishop if he should have gone sooner.John Smyth’s death in 2018 meant an "appalling abuser" associated with the Church of England escaped justice for crimes stretching back decades.For over 30 years police were not told about Smyth’s crimes because of an "active cover up" inside the Church of England, according to the Makin review published earlier this month.People inside the Church of England kept this secret, meaning Smyth was able to move to southern Africa and continue his abuse, the report found.

Bayswater Brook bridge plan given go-ahead for housing development

The development at Bayswater Brook in Barton, Oxford, was previously approved in October.

'God's influencer' to be made first millennial saint in April

London-born Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia aged 15, will be canonised by the Catholic church in 2025. Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15, will be the first millennial - a person born in the early 1980s to late 1990s - to be canonised by the Catholic church.An appeal is made for people to help clean up St Bernard's Roman Catholic Church in Burnage, Manchester.Gustavo Gutiérrez founded liberation theology, both revered and reviled in the Catholic Church.The Archdiocese says worshipper numbers had fallen at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Cheriton.

Family alleges son sexually abused on First Baptist Dallas mission trip, sues for over $1M

The church “denies any allegations of impropriety,” and said the sexual activity was consensual. Police officers in New Mexico informed the teen’s parents and asked if they wanted to press criminal charges. Later, two church employees called the parents to discourage them from pressing charges and assure them that the church “was taking the situation seriously,” the suit states.The parents understood that the 10th-grader who allegedly abused their son wouldn’t be allowed on church property. Lynch later called them to say that “all we have right now are allegations,” and “no force was used” by the older boy, the suit states.The lawsuit also alleges that the same older boy abused another minor on a prior First Baptist Dallas mission trip. The victim’s mother said she told First Baptist about the abuse, but a church employee convinced her not to report it to higher church authorities.In addition to suing First Baptist for negligence, the teen’s father is suing the church and Lynch on allegations of intentional infliction of emotional distress and the church, Lynch and Whitehorn for civil conspiracy.

William Ruto: How Kenya's evangelical president has fallen out with churches

The churches central to his election in 2022 are now his fiercest critics. William Ruto, who became Kenya’s president two years ago riding on the crest of the Christian vote, has been visibly shaken to find that over the last few months church leaders of all creeds are losing faith in him - seeing him less as a saviour and more as the greedy biblical tax collector.When momentous anti-tax protests erupted in June, the young people who led them, popularly referred to as Gen Zs, also called out churches for being too close to politicians and allowing them to preach from their pulpits.This too was a momentous development as the faith economy is big business in a country where more than 80% of the population are Christian - and a fundraiser with the right politician can greatly improve the fortunes of a church.Last month, Teresia Wairimu, founder of Faith Evangelistic Ministries (Fem), a church in the capital, Nairobi, where Ruto and his family have frequently worshipped, suggested their King David was heading back to the field where sheep grazed.

Historic England's register reveals East of England at risk sites

A church which featured on a 1998 Chemical Brothers' album cover is among new at risk listings. A church which featured on a Chemical Brothers' album cover and a leper chapel are in "desperate need of support" after they were added to the Historic England at risk register.The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Fatima in Harlow, Essex, was featured on the 1998 Chemical Brothers album, Brothers Gonna Work It Out.In better news, Grade I listed St Margaret's Church, on Benedict Street, Norwich, is no longer at risk, after receiving funding from Historic England to repair its roof, masonry and drainage.It is one of 31 surviving medieval churches within the city walls of Norwich and will host a community art exhibition this winter.

High court rules Catholic church not liable for child abuse by priest it didn’t directly employ | Law (Australia) | The Guardian

Church wins case reversing 2023 decision of Victorian court that it was vicariously responsible for abuse suffered by five-year-old at hands of assistant priest Last year, Victoria’s highest court delivered an unprecedented ruling that the church was vicariously responsible for the abuse of a five-year-old child, known as DP, by assistant priest Father Bryan Coffey.The Victorian court said that despite the lack of a formal employment arrangement, the church was vicariously liable for Coffey’s actions because he was a “servant of the diocese” whose role gave him the “power and intimacy” to access and abuse children.The high court has ruled in favour of the Catholic church and against expanding vicarious liability beyond the employer-employee relationship.The Catholic church has won a landmark case limiting its liability for the abuse of children by priests not under its direct employment.

Catholic Church rejects $40,000 from Kenya's president

The donation followed a recent statement by bishops that was critical of the government. Kenya’s Catholic Church has rejected a donation of about $40,000 (£32,000) made by President William Ruto.He offered the money towards the building of a priest’s house and as a gift to the choir during Mass on Sunday at the Soweto Catholic Church in the capital, Nairobi.Churches have been under pressure this year from young anti-tax protesters who have accused them of being too close to politicians.Following Ruto’s much-publicised donation on Sunday, many Kenyans urged the Catholic Church to reject the money.

Iowa's Catholic bishops tell migrants 'your church stands with you in solidarity'

Iowa's four Catholic bishops published a letter Tuesday addressed to Iowa's migrant community, saying "we want to assure you that you are not alone." Iowa's four Catholic bishops have published a letter to the state's migrant community telling them "your Church stands with you in solidarity.""The church will accompany and serve you at this time as much as we are able," they write. "We assure you of our prayerful support and ask the state of Iowa to do the same. You are our brothers and sisters.Please know that you are not forgotten and that your church stands with you in solidarity."