CW FÓGRA

Due to her ongoing failures to silence us, it now seems Ms Karen IEVERS, of Sixmilebridge, County Clare is going to continue to make false submissions to Google in her attempts to be the 'victim'.

Be advised Ms IEVERS, we have not defamed, threatened, harassed or intimidated you....that is what you have proven yourself to be very adept at...alongside lying.

We always have, and will continue to, publish the verified evidenced truth of your defamation, threats, ongoing harassment and attempted intimidation against so many others.

And as for you submitting lies to Google in a veiled, and failed attempt to silence us....well it just goes to show you for what and who you really are.

You had no compunction over the last few years in doing it to others...but you don't like being called out for it.

We will always flag our intentions in publishing information ie truth, and yet you have flagged it to Google as defamation....so we now ask you Ms IEVERS....point out the defamation in the following to us please....

(Quote) We here in CW wish to advise that we, after some consideration and intense legal consultation, are going to publish some identifying details in relation to many of our ongoing investigations.

It is our sincerest desire and hope to publish this information by the middle of the forthcoming week.

In undertaking such actions, we are conscious of the initial, and thereafter widespread, implications in so doing, but we have been left with no alternative.

At this time, we wish to publicly flag the Diocese of Killaloe, Mr Monahan, Mr Jones and Ms Yates alongside Ms Karen Ievers of Sixmilebridge, County Clare of forthcoming, evidenced publishings on this site.

CW has given fair notice and warning for some time, but now time is up.

The Vatican, and its Nunciature on the Navan Road, Dublin, would do well to also take notice. (unquote)

We sincerely would love to know the basis on which that post is considered (by you) as defamatory.

Mise,

AODHÁN DE FAOITE

Eagarthóir / Editor

Bessborough survivors willing to chain themselves to diggers to prevent building of apartments

A WOMAN WHO was born in a mother and baby home in Cork where hundreds of babies died said that survivors are prepared to chain themselves to diggers to prevent the building of apartments at the site.

Over 250 people attended a vigil at the graveyard folly in Bessborough in Blackrock in Cork city this afternoon.

They gathered to mark the lives of 923 children who died while resident at Bessborough home between 1922 and 1998. Only 64 have known graves.

They also remembered the 31 women who died in the institution or in hospital having been a resident of Bessborough. The name of each woman was recited at the vigil.

Earlier this year developer Estuary View Enterprises was granted planning permission by Cork City Council to build 140 apartments at the site.

Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group and Cllr Peter Horgan of Labour lodged appeals with An Coimisuin Pleanala. A decision is due about the appeals on 9 July.

Dublin Social Democrats councillor, Noelle Browne, who was born at Bessborough, told the gathering that hundreds of lives were lost through the “neglect and cruelty” of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary nuns who ran the home for decades.

“They [babies] were discarded in unmarked graves right here. The Sisters of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Baby are not being held accountable. They are not being forced to give up records of what happened here.

“They abused their power. They practiced a particular kind of cruelty against women and children were at their most vulnerable.”

Browne said we “no longer live in a theocracy built by the Catholic Church.” She said that we have a “duty” to the children of Cork who “never got to grow up” as they were born in Bessborough.

She asked attendees to contact their public representatives and An Coimisuin Pleanala to “make their voices heard.”

“If this decision [re the appeal] goes against us on 9 July we are not done fighting. Outside the Dáil Senator Laura Harmon who is here today mentioned chaining ourselves to the diggers. I am with her on that. The fight is not one to give up. Not one to turn away from.

“Raise your voices. It is not about us. It is about the 923 infants and children who never got to live their lives simply because they were born outside of marriage.

“They are not being shown respect even in death.

“Judging by the numbers here today you are supportive. Take action. Help us achieve a CPO for investigation and excavation.”

Meanwhile, Carmel Cantwell of the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group, whose brother William died at the home said that the land ought to be preserved as a “national site of conscience”.

Of the children born at Bessborough, 859 have no burial record at all, she said, with no exhaustive investigative to determine where they are buried.

“We have spoken to witnesses who saw children being buried here. The land itself holds the truth. These buildings these fields hold stories and secrets and the remains of our family members.

“This is also the place where nearly 19,000 women, girls and children passed through many of whom were subjected to harsh treatment.

She said most women were separated from their babies even when mothers were fully capable of caring for them.

“Seeking to protect the place where so many children disappeared where the majority are likely buried should not be political. It is a matter of basic humanity.”

She said that one of the most moving moments of this year was when survivors went to the gates of Bessborough in order to read the names of the dead children.

“One by one voice by voice we honoured each child. Not as a statistic. Not as a name on a report.”

Cantwell also paid tribute to Bessborough survivor Maureen Casey who died last month

“She and her daughter travelled from London every year to attend this commemoration . We miss her deeply and today we remember her and her little boy who died here in 1961.”

A minute of silence was observed at the vigil in memory all those who died at the site.

Singer Camille O’Sullivan performed at the vigil which also had contributions from a number of survivors and their families.

Teddy bears were placed on the ground near the folly which is treated like an “unofficial headstone.”

A number of Cork city councillors who are opposed to the development also attended the vigil.

Priestly ordinations rise in Germany, fall in France

The annual number of priestly ordinations is expected to rise in Germany and fall in France in 2026.

 

A total of 30 new priests will be ordained for Germany’s 27 dioceses in 2026, up from 25 in 2025 and 29 in 2024, the German Catholic news agency KNA reported June 26.

A total of 84 new priests are projected to be ordained in France in 2026, down from 90 in 2025 and 105 in 2024, the French bishops’ conference announced June 25.

The two countries’ figures are not directly comparable, because the German statistics do not include priests ordained for religious orders. Over the past three years, the German Church has recorded an average of seven new religious priests.

Excluding religious priests from the French figures, there will be 66 new diocesan priests in 2026, up from 64 in 2025, but down from 73 in 2024.

France will have more than twice as many new diocesan priests as Germany in 2026. But there are considerably more baptized Catholics in France than in Germany, as well as a higher number of Massgoers. This gives France a significantly larger pool of potential priests.

Within both countries, there are striking variations in the number of new priests between dioceses.

In Germany, the leading diocese is Rottenburg-Stuttgart, which will have five new priests in 2026. It is followed by Berlin with four ordinations, and Eichstätt, Cologne, and Munich and Freising with three each.

Münster, the German diocese with the largest Catholic population, will have no new priests in 2026. German bishops’ conference president Bishop Heiner Wilmer was installed June 21 as the new Bishop of Münster. His previous diocese, Hildesheim, will also have no priestly ordinations this year.

A total of 11 out of the 27 German dioceses will have no new priests in 2026. The Diocese of Limburg, led by former bishops’ conference president Bishop Georg Bätzing, has had no priestly ordinations for four years running.

In France, the highest 2026 priestly ordination figures are found in the Ecclesiastical Province of Paris, which covers the country’s most densely populated region. The province will gain 18 new priests.

The Archdiocese of Paris itself will have seven new priests, including three Assumptionists and one member of the Emmanuel Community. The seven will be ordained June 27 at Notre-Dame Cathedral, alongside two candidates who will be ordained for Vietnam’s Thanh Hóa diocese.

In second place among France’s ecclesiastical provinces is Marseille, with 14 ordinations. Ten of the Marseille province’s new priests come from the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, which was known as a hotbed of vocations under its previous Bishop Dominique Rey, who resigned in 2025. The Fréjus-Toulon diocese is now led by Bishop François Touvet.

Both France and Germany have experienced a steady decline in priestly numbers throughout the 21st century.

But the French bishops’ conference described as “an encouraging sign” an increase in the number of candidates enrolling in seminaries for a propaedeutic (preliminary) year of studies.

Between 2023 and 2025, propaedeutic year entries rose from 99 to 145, a 47% increase in two years.

The bishops’ conference said the propaedeutic year entries were “an important indicator of the momentum in vocations that the Catholic Church in France is experiencing.”

Meanwhile, a total of 196 new priests are scheduled to be ordained in Poland in 2026, more than in France and Germany combined.

Poland has a smaller overall population than France or Germany, but it has a larger number of baptized Catholics and a significantly higher Mass attendance rate than either country.

But Poland is also seeing a long-term decline in the annual number of new priests.

State apology for Kenneally survivors to be made 14 July

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed a State apology will be offered to the survivors of convicted paedophile Bill Kenneally on 14 July.

Kenneally died in prison earlier this month while serving a 19-year sentence for historic abuse of boys in Waterford.

A Commission of Investigation set up to examine the response to what was one of the most serious cases of paedophilia ever uncovered in Ireland found there was a clear and serious dereliction of duty by senior gardaí, even by the standards of the time.

Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Mr O'Callaghan said: "I met survivors two weeks ago. I couldn't avoid the fact that in the report there is a finding that there was a dereliction of duty by An Garda Síochána in 1987.

"I am the minister responsible for An Garda Síochána. That's why I apologised to them when they came into the Department of Justice to see me.

"I know they met the Taoiseach last week and he did the same and that's why there will be an apology."

However, Mr O'Callaghan rejected suggestions an apology should also be proffered on behalf of Fianna Fáil.

This came after Government Chief Whip Mary Butler apologised after Kenneally canvassed for her during the 2020 General Election, including calling to a cousin of one of his survivors.

"If a senior person in an organisation does something wrong, the organisation does not become responsible for the wrongdoing," he said.

Mr O'Callaghan indicated an apology would be discussed if the party was "aware or endorsed the behaviour", which was not the case in relation to Fianna Fáil and Kenneally.

Owensboro bishop ends only Traditional Latin Mass in western Kentucky

The only weekly celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in western Kentucky will come to an end this weekend, following an order from Diocese of Owensboro Bishop William Medley, who says he is enforcing Pope Francis’ 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes.

Immaculate Conception Parish in Earlington — the oldest Catholic church in Hopkins County, established in 1886 — has offered the TLM for nearly a decade, and will have its final Mass in the extraordinary form at 12:30 p.m. CT on June 28.

It is the only parish offering the TLM in the diocese, which covers the 32 westernmost counties in Kentucky. The closest options available will be east in the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky; north in the Diocese of Evansville, Indiana; and south in the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee.

Penny Giardinella, administrative assistant for the small parish, told EWTN News the church is “pretty full” during the TLM, as it is during all Sunday Masses. She said a large portion of TLM worshipers travel from outside parish lines to attend.

On May 18, the bishop sent a letter to the parish priest, Father David Kennedy, instructing him to halt all celebrations of the TLM after June 30. Although he initially secured a dispensation for the parish to continue its weekly celebration amid the 2021 Vatican restrictions, Medley did not seek an extension into the latter half of 2026.

The issue, Medley said in his letter, is that he lacked standing to seek an extension because the parish did not submit a report to the bishop, which the Holy See required for an extension to be granted. The bishop said this requirement was based on his 2023 correspondence with the Holy See.

The report, he wrote, needed to provide the TLM attendance and explain what steps were taken to lead the faithful toward the Novus Ordo Mass — the ordinary form of the liturgy adopted in 1969 by the Catholic Church in reforms following the Second Vatican Council.

“As I am unable to demonstrate that this condition has been met, I have no standing to request an extension of the Holy See,” Medley wrote.

Medley said the parish can instead celebrate the novus ordo Mass in accordance with the 1969 reforms in the Latin language and ad orientem, with the priest facing toward the tabernacle and away from the people.

“I know in some dioceses, the faithful who have shown a preference for the Mass celebrated in Latin have accepted the Novus Ordo Mass celebrated in the Latin language,” Medley said.

The bishop added that he postponed halting the Mass upon the death of Francis to see whether Pope Leo XIV would alter the restrictions. Because Leo has not — and because the January Consistory of the College of Cardinals explicitly opted not to review Traditionis Custodes — the bishop said he “felt obligated to act in accord with the direction of the Holy See.”

“For the faithful who may object to this directive, you may certainly refer them to me, but please make clear that I am acting in accord with my promise to the pope, the Bishop of Rome,” Medley said. “I am grateful for your ministry to this small and unique community. And I assure you of my prayers for them and for you and I kindly ask that you all pray for me.”

Rachel Hall, director of communications for the diocese, told EWTN News that “the parish will transition to the scheduled details in the correspondence” after June 30.

“As the parish navigates this transition with their faithful pastor Father Kennedy, the diocese asks for prayers to the Holy Spirit in guidance, with unity and peace,” she said.

Leo has not taken any official steps to amend Francis’s TLM restrictions, but has offered a conciliatory tone toward those attached to the older form of the liturgy.

In March, Leo described liturgical divisions as a “painful wound” in a communication with French bishops, and encouraged solutions that allow “the generous inclusion” of Catholics who choose to worship at the TLM “in respect for the directions desired by the Second Vatican Council in matters of liturgy.”

Last year, Leo approved Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke’s celebration of the TLM at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

Vatican accuses EU of double standards on war

Opening Pope Leo XIV's closed-door conference of the world's cardinals on war, the Vatican's doctrinal chief accused the European Union of applying international law selectively, sanctioning some military invasions while treating others differently.

The rare gathering was called by Leo to examine what he calls a global "culture of power" that fuels modern conflict and to consider how the Church should respond. A central focus of the discussions was the pope's effort to rethink the traditional doctrine of a just war, which he argues has too often been invoked to justify military action.

That position has already brought Leo into conflict with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who challenged the pope's interpretation of Catholic teaching after Leo questioned whether the U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran could meet the criteria of a just war.

Introducing the discussions on Friday, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, argued that governments increasingly apply moral and legal principles according to political convenience rather than universal standards.

"If a country is an enemy, it is condemned as undemocratic and sanctioned in various ways; but if it is an ally, the fact that it lacks freedom of expression, human rights or democracy is ignored," he said.

Turning to Europe, Fernández accused the EU of inconsistency in foriegn policy.

"The European Union, in fact, imposes economic sanctions on one country, and sends financial aid and weapons to another; yet fails to do the same in the face of other, even more serious invasions with even more brutal consequences for entire populations," he said.

"These contradictions ... suggest that, in practice, concerns boil down to the political and economic interests of different regions of the globe," Fernández said. "There is no longer a real and stable framework of truth and values."

Fernández argued that governments have stretched the concept of legitimate self-defense in warfare beyond recognition, citing Russia, the United States and other powers as relying on broad claims of self-defense to justify military intervention from Ukraine to the Middle East.

Catholic teaching on just war is itself manipulated by some to legitimize "the most unjust wars," he said. "Instead of stopping wars, it helps to justify them."

To prevent that, Fernández argued that the justification of legitimate self-defense must be understood "in the strictest sense," rejecting the broad logic of preventive war that governments increasingly invoke to justify military action. That position is likely to deepen Leo's disagreement with Vance, who has defended a broader reading of Catholic teaching on just war.

His remarks appeared to resonate with the global college of cardinals. After the discussions, the Vatican said in a synthesis of discussions that "many" of the cardinals' working groups agreed on the need to move beyond the traditional doctrine of just war.

In his final speech to the group on Saturday, Leo signaled the debate on just war is far from over.

He welcomed advice from the cardinals on reexamining the Church's teaching on legitimate self-defense "in light of the profound changes in the nature of contemporary conflicts," pledging to address the issue "with the necessary theological and pastoral rigor."

Cardinals weigh replacing 'just war' language with 'proportional defense'

The Catholic Church's teaching on "just war" has moved from an academic corner of moral theology to an unlikely flashpoint between Pope Leo XIV and leading U.S. officials, including Catholic Vice President JD Vance. Now, it has also become a central talking point among the world's cardinals.

During a two-day summit at the Vatican, 178 of the world's cardinals gathered in Rome and weighed whether the church should move away from language of "just war" and instead frame its moral teaching on conflict around the concept of "proportional defense."

The issue was placed at the heart of the June 26-27 meeting, known as a consistory of cardinals, after Leo intensified his criticism of modern warfare in recent months and codified it in the weightiest teaching document of his pontificate thus far: his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, in which he wrote that the church's teaching on just war theory is "outdated."

One of the consistory's four working sessions, dedicated to "the culture of power and the civilization of love," invited cardinals to reflect on that section of the pope's encyclical.

At the end of the first day of meetings, where cardinals sat at 20 roundtables for small-group discussions that were then shared with the larger assembly, "many groups shared the need to overcome the logic of just war, since the Gospel cannot be imposed by force, and to instead speak about the right to a proportional defense," the Vatican said in a synthesis of the June 26 afternoon working session published after its close.

Sharing their discussions with the pope, the cardinals expressed "a unanimous commitment to support him and join him in his call for peace and his condemnation of war," the Vatican said.

Leo had set the tone for the meeting's reflection on war in his homily at the consistory's opening Mass, stating that "war is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God."

And the fact that the June 27 working session was introduced by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, head of the Vatican's doctrine office, underscored the magisterial weight of the discussion.

Opening the session, Fernández said the church's just war doctrine, which outlines the moral criteria for nations to engage in warfare, has led to church teaching being "manipulated to provide a theoretical foundation for the most unjust wars."

"Instead of stopping wars, it helps to justify them," the cardinal said, stating explicitly that the principle of legitimate defense cannot be invoked "in the broad and overly open sense of so-called preemptive wars."

In March, amid the expanding U.S.-led war effort in Iran, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said that if the right for nations to launch preventative wars were recognized, "the whole world would risk being set ablaze." His comments came shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Catholic, said the United States attacked Iran "proactively in a defensive way."

Before the cardinals, Fernández said that "whether in the case of Russia or the United States, the justification for foreign powers getting involved in the wars in the Middle East is seemingly always some form of supposed 'self-defense.' "

He also criticized "the enormous disproportion of the military interventions in Gaza and southern Lebanon." 

The cardinal said that Magnifica Humanitas' language shows how "the very notion of legitimate self-defense must be more clearly defined so that it can be understood in its strictest sense," and said that the state of the world invites the church's social doctrine to weigh in as a moral voice. 

"Indeed, our social teaching possesses an integrity, harmony, and coherence that is not found in politics, ideological proposals, or other sectors of society," he said. 

Attorney general issues report on clergy abuse investigation in Diocese of Saginaw

The Michigan Attorney General’s office released its report June 25 detailing the findings of its investigation related to clerical sexual abuse in the Diocese of Saginaw, the sixth of seven such investigations into the handling of abuse in each of Michigan’s Catholic dioceses.

So far, reports have covered the dioceses of Marquette, Gaylord, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Grand Rapids. The final report is expected to cover the Archdiocese of Detroit.

According to the report, “all seven dioceses have cooperated with the AG’s investigation,” which began in 2018, including the Diocese of Saginaw. Representatives of the diocese have met regularly with members of the attorney general’s team throughout the course of the investigation.

The Saginaw report covers a period of more than 75 years, dating back to 1950, and involves both diocesan and religious order priests who have served in the diocese.

“We fully believe in greater accountability and transparency, which is essential in restoring the trust that has been broken resulting from the misconduct of a few,” Saginaw Bishop Robert D. Gruss said in a letter to the faithful in response to the report’s release.

Of the 680 priests who have served in the Diocese of Saginaw since 1950, the report found allegations of abuse against 37 priests and one deacon, involving a total of 104 victims. Of those accused of abuse, 30 are known or presumed to be deceased, and of the eight living clergy, “none are in active ministry,” Bishop Gruss said. 

A vast majority of the allegations occurred before 2002, the report states, when the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops first ratified the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which standardized diocesan procedures related to the handling of sexual abuse and safe environment policies.

No criminal charges were filed against priests in the Diocese of Saginaw as a result of the investigation, and “there is no indication that the Diocese has violated Michigan’s reporting obligations to report the sexual abuse of minors,” the report states.

Most of the allegations contained in the report concern allegations of misconduct occurring in the 1970s and 1980s.

“As Bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw, I want to express my deepest sorrows to those who have been victims of abuse by members of the clergy,” said Bishop Gruss, who was installed as bishop in 2019. “Please accept my sincere apology for the pain and suffering you have experienced by those who were entrusted with your care. I’m deeply saddened by it all. And, again, I apologize to you on behalf of the Church and our Diocese.”

Throughout the investigation, the attorney general’s tip line yielded 180 tips related to the Diocese of Saginaw, of which 115 were provided by the diocese itself. 

While the Church continues to express its sorrow for the sins of the past, “(i)t’s clear that the Catholic Church in the United States has made significant progress over the last 20-plus years in putting safeguards in place to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults,” Bishop Gruss said.

Every diocese in the United States is audited each year by a third-party firm hired by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to ensure compliance with the 2002 charter, including mandated safe environment training, background checks, and procedures related to the handling and investigation of sexual abuse claims.

Bishop Gruss said the Saginaw diocese has been found each year to be in compliance with the charter. Since 2020, the diocese has trained 5,174 people through VIRTUS’ Protecting God’s Children program. 

In addition, Bishop Gruss said the Diocesan Review Board, an independent consultative body that meets at least quarterly, reviews each allegation, as well as safe environment policies, to ensure they remain strong and effective.

“The bottom line is that we want every parish, school, and ministry to be places where everyone feels safe, respected, and loved,” Bishop Gruss said.

While much progress has been made, Bishop Gruss said the stain of abuse remains a “sad and tragic period in the life and history of the Church; many would say, the greatest scandal in the history of the American Catholic Church.”

Bishop Gruss said that while no words can make up for the pain of abuse, the Diocese of Saginaw remains committed to accompanying victim-survivors, whose courage in coming forth helps ensure such sins are not repeated.

He also encouraged those affected by abuse to contact the Attorney General’s tip line at (844) 324-3374, as well as the Diocese of Saginaw’s victim assistance coordinator, who is available to help survivors file a report or obtain support, at (989) 797-6682 or victim.assistance@diosag.org.

“Clearly, we are a different Church today because of those who have and continue to courageously share their stories, so that the sins and crimes which damaged the Body of Christ could be addressed. But we also mourn those who have been abused and have been driven from the Church because of what has happened to them. We continue to pray for their healing and return,” Bishop Gruss said.

“May the Lord Jesus heal the pain of those who have suffered, bring mercy to the sinner, strengthen all of us to walk together in faith and so reflect His life and love, thus bearing new life in our Church and in the world.”

Report abuse

Like all of Michigan’s dioceses, the Archdiocese of Detroit remains committed to fully cooperating with state officials as they continue their investigation. 

For more information about the handling of abuse cases in the Archdiocese of Detroit and how it approaches safety for children, youth, and vulnerable adults, please visit protect.aod.org/.

Individuals with knowledge of sexual abuse by clergy or other Church representatives are urged to contact local law enforcement and/or the Michigan Attorney General’s Office at (844) 324-3374 or aginvestigations@michigan.gov.

Individuals also may contact the Archdiocese of Detroit by visiting protect.aod.org calling the toll-free, 24/7 victim assistance line at (866) 343-8055 or by emailing vac@aod.org.

There are no time limits or restrictions on individuals wishing to report abuse.

Catholics appeal Dubuque Archdiocese restructuring plan to Vatican

Catholics from several parishes across the Archdiocese of Dubuque say they have appealed to the Vatican over the archdiocese's sweeping parish restructuring plan, arguing it weakens parish governance and could accelerate the loss of local Catholic communities.

The group announced Friday that it has filed an appeal with the Dicastery for the Clergy in Rome after they say earlier appeals to Archbishop Thomas Zinkula received no response.

The concerns stem from the archdiocese's April 11 restructuring plan, which reorganizes about 160 parishes into 24 pastorates. According to the group, the changes will leave 84 churches without a regular weekend Mass beginning July 14.

Those challenging the plan say a related decree affecting parish governance received far less public attention than the restructuring announcement but could have significant long-term effects on parish leadership and decision-making.

The appellants argue the decree conflicts with canon law by shifting pastoral leadership to the pastorate level, centralizing decisions about weekend Mass schedules and church buildings, and creating a pastorate-level finance structure they believe could undermine the role of individual parish finance councils.

The restructuring process has included assistance from the Catholic Leadership Institute. The group filing the appeal argues that church consolidations and closures can lead parishioners to leave the church rather than join another parish, citing comments from the institute's leadership.

The appellants say parishes representing roughly 20% of the archdiocese joined the appeal and are seeking intervention from the Vatican before the restructuring takes full effect.

Orkney Catholics told they risk excommunication over rebel bishop

The Kiwi leader of a group of Catholic monks who were ordered to leave Canterbury is now expected to return to New Zealand as an illicit bishop.

Father Michael Mary’s consecration would be “unlawful”, a bishop has confirmed, but the men who intend to make it happen claim it will make Mary the only legitimate bishop in Oceania.

A priest who used to work with Mary is not surprised, saying he has heard about two priests who recently “fled” the monastery and hopes more follow.

Mary, whose legal name is Gregory Sim, is the Superior General of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Transalpine Redemptorists. He intends to be consecrated on the Sons’ remote Orkney is land of Papa Stronsay, Scotland, in late July.

The unauthorised consecration heightens the risk of Mary’s excommunication. Excommunication is rare a move, but one the Vatican has recently threatened a separate group with if it also goes ahead with its unauthorised consecrations in July.

Aberdeen Bishop Hugh Gilbert, who originally helped the congregation gain legitimacy in the church and allowed them to operate in his diocese, confirmed Mary’s consecration would be “unlawful and a grave act of disobedience”.

“This ordination would be celebrated without a papal mandate, by a group of bishops who deny that Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV is actually the Pope,” he said.

“No member of the faithful should attend. This action is not ‘for the good of the Catholic Church’ as is falsely claimed,” he said in a statement to parishioners. This development is greatly to be regretted and we can only pray that those concerned have a change of heart.”

The announcement was made by Monseigneur Pierre Roy, a Canadian Bishop who operates outside of the Catholic Church.

According to Roy, Mary, who is being investigated by Gilbert for “heresy and schism” and may face disciplinary action in Aberdeen, would live primarily in New Zealand.

Mary was being consecrated without the Pope’s permission because the governing body Catholic Church was “clearly occupied by the enemies of God,” Roy said.

A spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch said illicit ordination would not change any local decrees, which remain in force.

Religion expert Peter Lineham said it was the group’s most significant schismatic act against the Catholic Church yet, as the creation of new bishops absolutely needed the approval of the Pope.

Bishops have the authority to create new priests and can discipline, or place proclamations on, other people, such as the orders Christchurch Bishop Michael Gielen placed on the Sons’ members forbidding priests from giving mass. “The Catholic Church can move slowly ... but there’s no question about where it will end. It is absolutely [leading to] excommunication,” Lineham said. “That letter [Roy’s] denounces the church as the epitome of evil ... this cements the schism that was clearly happening.”

Father Colin Marshall, a traditional Latin mass priest and early member of the Sons, believed Mary had always been anti-authority and was not surprised.

Marshall left the Sons in 2010 after two decades with Mary, but continues to practice the old rites. He said Mary would in effect “be his own Pope” if illicitly consecrated. “I’m glad two priests and a subdeacon have fled the monastery and I hope others do too, especially those I used to know,” he said.

Marshall was referring to professed members who left the Sons in April, about the time 24-year-old monk Justin Evans, or Brother Ignatius, went missing. Evans was later found dead.

Father Anthony Mary, another leader of the Sons, said in an interview with Catholic radio show The 13th Apostle that two priests and a brother “tried to secretly leave” the island.

“They were found out on the day that they were going to leave. Father found ... they’d used their laptop against, without, permission,” he said in the interview, uploaded on May 3.

He said the men did not have his permission to leave, but had received the local bishop’s permission, proving the bishop had “worked against us”.

The group’s professed members, including Mary, were ordered to leave Canterbury following a Vatican investigation into abuse allegations. The findings are sealed and the Sons have denied wrongdoing.

Archbishops offer ‘unreserved apology’ to those hurt by abuse in Catholic Church after bishop charged with child rape

Bishop of Northampton David Oakley, aged 70, was this week charged with two counts of rape of a female aged under 16.

The offences are alleged to have taken place in Staffordshire between February 2000 and February 2001.

In a statement last Thursday night, the President and Vice President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Archbishop of Westminster Richard Moth and Archbishop of Birmingham Bernard Longley, said, “Yesterday’s news of the charges brought against Bishop David Oakley is deeply distressing for all, both within the Catholic community and beyond.

“We are profoundly aware that the report of this allegation may reawaken painful memories for many people and again offer an unreserved apology to those who have been hurt by abuse in the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

“In this moment we would like to provide pastoral reassurance on the commitment of the Church to safeguarding.

“The Catholic Church in England and Wales maintains a zero-tolerance policy for abuse in the Church and in wider society, and we are cooperating fully with the statutory authorities.

“Our immediate focus is on providing pastoral support and ensuring that we, as the Church, can continue our mission safely and transparently.

“Anybody who comes to our parishes, schools and communities must be safe and we are resolute in our commitment to safeguarding.

“We reiterate the open invitation from the bishops to meet with and listen to victims and survivors, so that we can learn from and be guided by their experiences as we continue to make our communities safe places.

“We are committed to continual review and development, assisted by the independent auditing work of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency, so that all our communities are places of safety and sanctuary for all.”

Earlier this week, Staffordshire Police released a statement saying, “A man has been charged following an investigation by our Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team.Bishop David James Oakley, 70, who is White British, of Desborough, Kettering, has been charged with two counts of rape a female under 16. It follows his arrest in September 2025 following an allegation made to police.”

Oakley is due to appear at Cannock Magistrates’ Court on 14 August.

Palestinian president urges Jerusalem churches to reject Israeli municipal tax, warns of threat to Christian presence

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday urged churches and Christian institutions in occupied East Jerusalem to reject Israeli efforts to impose the municipal property tax known as "Arnona," warning that the move threatens the city's Christian presence and its historic and legal status.

"Arnona" is an Israeli municipal property tax levied on real estate based on its size, location and use. Palestinians in East Jerusalem also refer to it as the "area tax," and it is considered one of the main financial burdens imposed on residents.

Abbas sent letters to Pope Leo XIV, Jordan's King Abdullah II, French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and several European leaders regarding the situation in Jerusalem and what he described as Israeli violations targeting churches and religious institutions, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said.

Abbas warned against attempts by the Jerusalem municipality to impose "Arnona" on churches, describing the measure as "a blatant and unprecedented violation" of the city's historic and legal status and "a direct attack on the Christian presence and religious institutions."

He stressed that the international community recognizes East Jerusalem as part of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, noting that UN Security Council resolutions consider Israeli measures aimed at changing the city's character or legal status "null and void."

Abbas also said Israel's actions do not grant it sovereignty or legal or judicial jurisdiction over East Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian religious endowments and institutions.

"We call on the churches not to accept these unilateral measures or enter into any arrangements with the (Israeli) occupying authorities concerning them, given the risks they pose to the legal status of the city and the bilateral agreements in force," Abbas said.

He reiterated that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital remains "the only path" to achieving a just and lasting peace.

In his letter to King Abdullah, Abbas expressed appreciation for Jordan's support for the Palestinian cause and praised the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem's Islamic and Christian holy sites.

He also commended Pope Leo XIV for the Holy See's support for peace, its recognition of the State of Palestine and its commitment to protecting the rights of Jerusalem's churches and their historic status.

The dispute over "Arnona" stems from the fact that Jerusalem's churches have historically benefited under the longstanding status quo arrangements from exemptions or special tax treatment for religious and service-related properties, including places of worship, schools, hospitals and charitable institutions.

The Jerusalem municipality says the tax applies only to properties not directly used for worship, such as commercial buildings, offices and income-generating facilities. Church leaders, however, argue that expanding tax collection or seeking retroactive payments violates longstanding historical arrangements and threatens their ability to finance religious and social services.

Churches and Palestinians in East Jerusalem also argue that complying with Israeli municipal procedures or entering into property-related arrangements with Israeli authorities could undermine the legal status of occupied East Jerusalem and be interpreted as recognition of Israeli jurisdiction over the city.

In February 2018, the Jerusalem municipality announced plans to collect hundreds of millions of shekels in alleged unpaid municipal taxes from church-owned properties. In response, church leaders closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for three days in protest before Israel suspended the measure and established a committee to examine the issue.

The dispute has resurfaced in subsequent years as Israeli municipal authorities renewed demands that churches pay "Arnona," prompting warnings from church leaders that continued enforcement could threaten educational, health care and charitable institutions while placing additional pressure on the Christian presence in Jerusalem.

CofE reports 'substantial progress' on Makin Review reforms

The Church of England has published the final report from the Makin Review Task and Finish group, looking at its response to allegations of sinister abuse by the late John Smyth.

The Task and Finish group was set up in 2025, to assess the church’s response to the original Makin Review. 

Released in November 2024, it set out 27 recommendations for church safeguarding. Last year, 24 of these were accepted.

The three which have not been fully accepted include: Victim’s direct participation in response groups, the mandatory disclosure of an individual’s “prior knowledge” of abuse, and a further recommendation to change ideas around canonical confession. The final point hinges on the sanctity of what a church member tells their priest; if someone confesses to doing something sinful, the priest would traditionally treat that with the strictest confidence. However, in the context of confessing to abuse, there is an ongoing church debate about breaking this “seal” to protect victims.

The newest report concludes that the Church has made “substantial progress” on all of the recommendations – including the three which are still in progress.

When assessing the recommendations, the Group said they sought to ensure that they were not merely focused on “technical compliance”, but whether the Church's response is capable of delivering meaningful and lasting change. 

Progress so far includes the introduction of mandatory Safeguarding Codes of Practice, stronger disciplinary measures for clergy, independent safeguarding audits, enhanced whistleblower protections, and clearer processes for reporting safeguarding concerns to statutory authorities.

However, the report found that more work is needed on managing safeguarding in international contexts and in providing consistent support to survivors of abuse.

The Rt Rev Robert Springett, lead Safeguarding Bishop for the Church of England, said in the report’s introduction: “This report is, first and foremost, about people – all who have experienced abuse within the Church of England. We write with humility, and with a complete and unreserved belief in those who have come forward. This report is clear that safeguarding must always take precedence over institutional loyalty. Ultimately, what is needed is culture change: deep, sustained, and reaching to every level of the Church, from its national structures to every parish.”

The Church says it is committed to continuing the work of safeguarding reform and cultural change.

'We saved religion' declares Trump as commission recommends 'bridges' between church and state

A Trump administration commission has suggested that faith should have a greater role in government and schools. 

The Religious Liberty Commission, established by Donald Trump last May, has released a report which recommends changes to “build bridges between church and state”, a departure from the long-established tradition of separation.

Its report includes policy and philosophy promoting the idea of religious expression in the public square. It also recounts testimonies of witnesses who raised concerns about antisemitism and suspected discrimination against Christians under Democrat-run governments. 

Recommendations also include scrapping a law which prevents tax-exempt religious groups from political activity, dispensation for healthcare workers to refuse vaccinations on the grounds of faith, and the right for students to have prayer time at school. 

Army leaders should also be educated on religious freedom, with soldiers taught “the importance of spiritual fitness in military readiness”, according to the 224-page report.

“We saved religion, it was going down”, Trump declared as he championed the findings at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference on Friday. The report begins with a quotation from the President: “for America to be a great nation, we must always be one nation under God.”

The body, which met President Trump in the Oval Office, has been criticised for reflecting a “narrow, Christian nationalist worldview” by the Interfaith Alliance. 

Rev Paul Raushenbush, president of the group, characterised the report as a “wishlist of divisive, unpopular ideas far-right religious groups have pushed for years”. 

Texas to make Bible readings mandatory for millions of students

Pupils in Texas are set to have the Genesis account of Adam and Eve and the Parable of the Prodigal Son on their reading lists, after the state’s school board voted to include the Bible in its core texts.

Teachers will be instructed to include Bible texts in the English literature curriculum, alongside classic titles by William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, in educating five million pupils across the state. 

A potential list suggests different Old and New Testament passages, depending on year group. Younger children could read the story of David and Goliath through a picture book, while older pupils may study the Book of Job. 

New lists will be implemented in 2030, after the Republican-controlled State Board of Education voted 9-5 in favour. One Republican broke ranks and joined Democrats in voting against.

The decision has sparked a debate about the separation of church and state. It is the latest move to introduce Christianity into the classroom, after a requirement to display the Ten Commandments. That was backed by a federal appeals court in April, after legal challenges to the law were made. 

Supporters have said the move respects America’s Judeo-Christian traditions. 

“We’re going to stop watering down American history. We’re going to teach the truth. Our nation was founded as a Christian nation, and Texas is a Christian state,” said Brandon Hall, a school board member and pastor. He added that the Bible has had a “remarkable impact on our culture, our societies and our laws.”

Opponents believe it is exclusionary and not reflective of a diverse society, undermining teachers’ independence. 

Texas Freedom Network, a left-wing activist coalition, described the curriculum as “pushing a Western-centric framing of history that promotes one religion while virtually ignoring all others.”

“Conversations that were once meant for the home and places of worship are being pushed into the classroom, forcing educators to teach from the Bible, regardless of their own beliefs. In doing so, the government is pushing parents out and inserting itself into a role it was never meant to fill. And our children are being forced to listen”, its executive director Felicia Martin said. 

Church of England appoints bishops to lead next phase of same-sex blessings debate

The Church of England has appointed two bishops to lead new groups examining unresolved questions around same-sex blessings and the status of married gay clergy. 

The appointments come as the Church's Living in Love and Faith (LLF) programme formally drew to a close in January, nine years after it was launched to explore issues of sexuality, relationships, marriage and gender identity.

Rt Rev Tricia Hillas, Bishop of Sodor and Man, will chair the new Relationships, Sexuality and Gender Working Group. The group will consider legal and legislative questions surrounding special services that include Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples.

Meanwhile, Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Winchester, will lead a Relationships, Sexuality and Gender Pastoral Consultative Group, which will provide advice to bishops and archdeacons on individual cases and seek to promote consistent pastoral practice across the church. The creation of both groups was backed by the General Synod in February.

The LLF process was launched in 2017 and led to the introduction of Prayers of Love and Faith following a synod vote in 2023. The prayers allow for blessing, thanksgiving and dedication for same-sex couples within existing Church of England services. However, significant questions remain unresolved.

The new working group will examine what would be required under canon law to authorise standalone or "bespoke" services for same-sex couples. It will also explore what legislative changes would be needed before clergy in same-sex marriages could be licensed or ordained.

The group is expected to report back to General Synod within the first two years of the next synod, which will be elected this autumn.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, Chair of the LLF Programme Board, said: “I am delighted that both Tricia and Philip have agreed to chair these groups, and am deeply grateful to them for their willingness to serve.

“I know both of them will undertake this work with integrity, sensitivity and great care.”

Membership of both groups is currently being finalised and will be announced at a later date. 

Church of England disciplinary overhaul set to become law

A major overhaul of the Church of England's clergy discipline system has cleared its final parliamentary stage and is now set to become law.

The Clergy Conduct Measure (CCM), which will replace the existing Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM), has passed through the House of Lords and is expected to receive Royal Assent. 

The development marks the final step in a reform process that began several years ago and follows concerns raised by Parliament earlier this year over transparency in clergy disciplinary proceedings.

The CCM introduces a new framework for handling complaints against clergy, with cases categorised as grievances, misconduct or serious misconduct. Each category will be subject to its own investigative process.

Speaking during the measure's passage through the House of Lords on Wednesday, Rt Rev David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, described the legislation as a "vital part of the Church of England's ongoing reform of clergy discipline and safeguarding".

He said the existing disciplinary process had been widely criticised as "painfully slow" and acknowledged that it "does not serve complainants well".

The bishop also said the current system can leave clergy facing complaints in "prolonged anxiety and limbo, worried they will lose their house and job". 

Among the most significant changes is the return of powers to remove clergy from holy orders for the most serious cases of misconduct.

The measure also removes the one-year time limit for bringing complaints relating to serious misconduct, including safeguarding concerns, allowing allegations to be considered regardless of when the alleged conduct took place.

Additional protections are included for clergy who face repeated unfounded complaints, with the introduction of restraint orders against those who persistently submit "vexatious complaints".

It's a move Christian MP for New Forest West, Sir Desmond Swayne, welcomed. He said: "We all know from our experience of handling our own voluntary organisations that character clashes and differences emerge. It was always said that, when it came to any kind of selection, the local candidate was at a disadvantage because, if they know you, they know they do not like you. Therefore, these provisions for dealing with vexatious litigants are most welcome. On that basis, I will certainly be voting for this Measure."

The measure's progress follows intervention from Parliament earlier this year. In February, General Synod was required to reconsider the legislation after the Ecclesiastical Committee raised concerns that disciplinary hearings would generally be held in private.

Synod subsequently approved amendments making hearings public by default, unless privacy is required in the interests of justice or to protect vulnerable participants, such as children giving evidence.

Church leaders say the new system will be fairer, quicker and more transparent than the current process, which has been in place since 2003.

€2.5m grant awarded for major study of New Testament manuscripts

A University of Birmingham scholar has received €2.5 million (£2.1 million) from the European Research Council to lead what could become one of the most significant studies of the Greek New Testament in decades.

Professor Hugh Houghton, Professor of New Testament Textual Scholarship at the University of Birmingham, will use the five-year grant to examine more than 1,000 manuscripts of early Christian commentaries that have never been systematically studied as witnesses to the New Testament text.

The manuscripts are not copies of the Bible itself, but sermons and commentaries written by early Church Fathers that quote extensively from Scripture. Scholars believe these quotations could provide valuable evidence for how the text of the New Testament was read, copied and transmitted across the early centuries of Christianity.

Until now, the volume of material has made a comprehensive study impossible.

Recent research at Birmingham has already produced notable findings. A study of manuscripts containing John Chrysostom's sermons on – Chrysostom served as Archbishop of Constantinople in the fifth century – found that different copies quoted the biblical text in different ways.

Some manuscripts appear to preserve a very early form of Romans, consistent with the oldest versions reconstructed by modern scholars. Others seem to have influenced later New Testament manuscripts, with scribes adjusting the biblical text to match Chrysostom's wording.

The findings suggest that commentary manuscripts were not simply passive reflections of a fixed biblical text, but may have played an active role in how the New Testament was transmitted and preserved.

"Christians across the centuries used commentary manuscripts to read and understand their Scriptures," said Professor Houghton.

"This project offers the opportunity for a comprehensive evaluation of this evidence, which will shed new light on the history of the Biblical text."

Professor Houghton is among a small number of researchers worldwide to have received European Research Council funding at the Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grant levels.

His previous work includes identifying lost manuscripts of the earliest Latin Gospels, publishing the first translation of a fourth-century Gospel commentary discovered in Cologne Cathedral, and adding 35 manuscripts to the official register of Greek New Testament witnesses.

Work on the project is expected to begin at the end of 2026.

King Charles to protect 'multi-faith nation' under new official duties

King Charles will protect “faith within the multi-faith nation”, according to a new definition of the monarch’s role. 

The notable addition to the King’s title appeared in the Sovereign Grant report 2025-26, the annual review of the Royal Family’s finances, published this week. 

“His Majesty is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and protects the space for faith within the multi-faith nation”, Buckingham Palace states under the “official duties of the sovereign”. 

Reflecting the role of the established church, previous reports have described the King as “Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith”.

As part of his commitment to religious dialogue, the report states that “His Majesty also has a special role in bringing communities and faiths together, engaging with them across the regions and nations of the UK”. This is to foster “a sense of pride, continuity and stability, whilst strengthening the UK’s social fabric and cohesion”, according to Buckingham Palace. 

Queen Elizabeth II’s title was described in reports as “Supreme Governor of the Church of England”. 

King Charles will also provide “pastoral support to our Armed Forces”, a change to previous wording of being “Head of the Armed Forces” as seen under the late queen. 

In 2022, the King told faith leaders he felt a “duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for faith itself and its practise through the religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs to which our hearts and minds direct us as individuals.”

Abuse survivor launches largest-ever compensation claim against Poland's Catholic Church

A man who says he was raped as a child by a Catholic priest in Poland is claiming more than 20 million zloty (£4m) from the Archdiocese of Krakow.

Janusz Szymik says the abuse began when he was a 12 year old altar boy and took place hundreds of times between 1984 and 1989.

In 1992 and again in 2007, he told the then Bishop of Bielsko-Żywiec, Tadeusz Rakoczy, of the abuse he had suffered and said he feared the priest may have targeted other children. However in 2021, the bishop was disciplined by the Vatican after it was found he had taken no action.

The priest, known as Jan W admitted sexual contact with the victim and in 2024 he was removed from the priesthood.

In January 2025 a court ordered Bielsko-Żywiec diocese to pay Szymik around 400,000 zloty (£80,000) in compensation, the most ever awarded to a victim of clerical sexual abuse in Poland. The judge also decided that the Archdiocese of Krakow should answer for Jan W.’s actions, given that he was under its authority at the time.

That ruling is being appealed, but Szymik has now launched the separate civil proceedings against the archdiocese in what is the largest-ever compensation claim against Poland’s Catholic church by a victim of clerical sexual abuse.

He said he was fighting “first and foremost for justice, as well as for fair compensation for the entire trauma”, adding "my entire life has changed, been turned upside down, especially my spiritual and mental health. I believe that I am a broken person internally, but I am still fighting for justice and reparation. This gives me hope and encouragement that justice will finally be achieved after so many years.”

The Polish church has introduced new rules intended to protect children and other vulnerable people from abuse and has apologised for its neglect in dealing with abuse cases.

Presbyterian Church in Ireland safeguarding crisis: 13 more referrals made to PSNI

Police have been given a further 13 referrals in their investigation into the collapse of central safeguarding functions in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

Former Presbyterian moderator Rev Trevor Gribben stood down in November after a review found “serious and significant failings” in the church's central safeguarding functions for children and vulnerable adults from 2009 to 2022.

The PSNI and the Charity Commission have both launched major investigations.

In February Detective Chief Superintendent Zoe McKee, head of the PSNI public protection branch, confirmed they had received 101 referrals after a public appeal for anyone impacted by the situation to come forward.

In an update this week, police told the News Letter that they now have 114 referrals, including "direct reports from victims, referrals from safeguarding partners and other parties”.

PCI did not offer any comment but referred back to a statement by ex-moderator Rev Richard Kerr when the first figures were published.

He had said the church was "saddened" to learn of the initial 101 referrals, but said they had appealed for any victims to come forward in November and said PCI remains "committed to cooperating fully with the police".

Commenting, Director of Kaizen Safeguarding, Leigh McFarland told the News Letter it was "sad to hear" that 13 more potential victims had come forward "and that the magnitude of this incident continues to grow".

"However it is encouraging to hear that they have felt able to come forward and speak to the PSNI," said the director of the Bangor consultancy. "Speaking out is an act of considerable bravery."

The news came after the An Garda Siochana launched its own appeal on “abuse relating to the Presbyterian Church in Ireland” last week.

Gardai said any resident in the Republic who “believes they were a victim of a criminal act relating” to the PCI should contact them.

A spokesperson said it would endeavour to effectively deal with all contacts, but there may be limitations in some cases “due to matters such as the unavailability of evidence over time or suspects and/or witnesses being deceased.”

Garda had not received any direct complaints from residents in the Republic and have been working closely with the PSNI.

Separately, the Northern Ireland Department of Justice says its AccessNI vetting service has its busiest ever year, in 2025/26, processing almost 190,000 criminal record checks. This is an increase of around 4% on the previous year.

PCI told the News Letter it has dramatically increased its use of the service, but said its figures were too small to have significantly contributed.

Earlier this month PCI Operations director Ken Swarbrick told the PCI General Assembly the church safeguarding department was “overstretched and at times overwhelmed” but was continuing to expand. He said it had processed more than 1,000 vetting applications since May.

Before the crisis the church vetted all relevant people at appointment, but now they are vetted once every three years.

Also this month, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), NI’s health and social care regulator, said it had carried out proactive inspections in light of the safeguarding crisis. It looked at all eight of PCI’s residential care homes, nursing homes and domiciliary care agencies

but "did not find cause for concern". As with many inspections, some areas for improvement were identified, it added.