Parish roundup: Addressing the abuse crisis, while church's work goes on

Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, New York, is seen in a file photo. Despite calls for his resignation over the handling of priests accused of sexual abuse, he said Aug. 26, "The shepherd does not desert the flock at a difficult time." (CNS/Tyler Orsburn)

Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, New York, is seen in a January file photo. Despite calls for his resignation over the handling of priests accused of sexual abuse, he said Aug. 26, "The shepherd does not desert the flock at a difficult time." (CNS/Tyler Orsburn)

Anything happening in your diocese? Across the country, Catholics are gathering to address the sex abuse crisis.

Among them are Catholics in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, and in Carbondale, Illinois.

Some Catholics are reconsidering their financial donations.

Some places have emerged as epicenters of the crisis, including the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, where some parishioners want their bishop to resign.

Still, the work of the church goes on: A Philadelphia parish welcomes refugees.

New York young Catholics perform an original stage production on the life of Blessed Solanus Casey.

Some parishioners in a New Jersey Shore community want to keep an old church building, now largely unused, but their pastor disagrees.

A total of $400,000 is embezzled from a Missouri parish.

Parishioners at St. Isabel Church at Sanibel Island, Florida, are seeking the reinstatement of their former pastor, Fr. Christopher Senk. He was removed by Bishop Frank Dewane of the Venice Diocese, amid accusations that Senk took advantage of the generosity of a mentally impaired elderly parishioner. This dispute has been going on since October 2016.

Parishioners in Arizona mourn their 56-year-old Ugandan pastor.

[Peter Feuerherd is a correspondent for NCR's Field Hospital series on parish life and is a professor of journalism at St. John's University, New York.]

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