Matthew Gambino

The Philadelphia Archdiocese has paid close to $78.5 million of a total of more than $81 million awarded to 438 victims of sexual abuse by archdiocesan clergy under the Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program, which released its final report June 2.

Leny and Tata Talasan prayed every night with their four daughters for a new home in El Salvador City, Philippines. Funded by a $45,000 grant from the Philadelphiab ased Papal Foundation through the Daughters of Jesus congregation, the family was among 30 to build a secure new house. 

Since the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church broke open in 2002 in the United States and intensified globally last year, responses to it have focused on legal matters and administrative reforms. But theologians and other faithful thinkers are focusing now on a higher dimension, and the question of where God is calling his people at this moment.

Only days after the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced its new compensation program for victims of sexual abuse by archdiocesan clergy, 342 people have already received information about the Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program.

Archbishop Charles Chaput announced Nov. 8 that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is creating a new reparations program open to anyone abused by clergy in the archdiocese, explaining the archdiocese will fund the program and "pay the amounts that independent claims administrators deem appropriate."

The bishops of Pennsylvania's eight Roman Catholic dioceses are supporting creation of an independent fund to compensate survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

The Catholic dioceses of Pennsylvania should set up a fund to compensate survivors of clergy sexual abuse in lieu of the legislature lifting the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits on abuse, according to the state Senate's leader.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput is asking Pope Francis to call off the Synod of Bishops on young people this October to focus instead on the life of the bishops.

Two priests of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been found unsuitable for ministry, the archdiocese announced Aug. 19 following Masses at the parishes where Fr. Andrew McCormick and Msgr. Gregory Parlante most recently served.

A federal judge ruled plaintiffs including Catholic Social Services of the Philadelphia Archdiocese must provide home assessments for same-sex couples wishing to provide foster care.