Saint Joseph Catholic Church

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A priest of the Diocese of Malaga, Spain, was sentenced to 52 years in prison for drugging, and sexually assaulting four women and filming his victims, three of whom were raped.

The 35-year-old priest, identified only as “Father Fran” in the article, was ordained in 2012; the crimes took place between 2015 and 2018. The priest was jailed in 2023 after “his girlfriend, with whom he lived in Melilla, discovered the images of the abuse on a hard drive,” El País reported.

The court also ordered the diocese to pay over 400,000 euros ($457,000) to the victims.

The leaders of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India highlighted religious-freedom concerns in a memorandum to Amit Shah, the Union Minister of Home Affairs.

The prelates discussed their concerns about an amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act that would allow Church property to be seized in some circumstances.

The bishops also called on the government to “restore lasting peace, communal harmony, and normalcy” in the strife-torn state of Manipur, which is 41% Hindu and 41% Christian.

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago announced that he asked Father Michael Pfleger to step aside from ministry following a new abuse allegation. The alleged incident took place over three decades ago.

“I have no memory of this girl, nor do countless others who have been at St. Sabina for those years,” the priest said as he denied the allegation. “The statement she has supposedly made is absolutely not true, and the facts will show that this is just an attempt by someone who is either being unfairly manipulated by others to hurt my reputation, or who is simply trying to make money by making false accusations.”

In 2021, and again in 2022, Father Pfleger was accused of abuse and then reinstated to ministry following an investigation.