SYDNEY, Australia – Australia's Catholic bishops and religious orders, responding to recommendations from the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, accepted 98 percent of its suggestions, but said they could not accept recommendations that would violate the seal of confession.

VATICAN – Pope Francis blamed "clericalism" in the Catholic Church for creating a culture where criminal abuse was widespread and extraordinary efforts were made to keep the crimes hidden.

ADELAIDE, Australia – An Australian judge approved home detention for Archbishop Philip Wilson, the retired archbishop of Adelaide who was found guilty of failing to report child sexual abuse allegations in the 1970s.

VATICAN – Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Archbishop Philip Wilson, who had been found guilty by an Australian court of failing to inform police about child sexual abuse allegations.

ADELAIDE, Australia -- Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide was sentenced to 12 months of house arrest following his conviction for failing to inform police about child sexual abuse allegations.

SYDNEY – Laws requiring Catholic priests to break the seal of confession in some cases passed the Australian Capital Territory's Legislative Assembly in Canberra June 7.

MELBOURNE, Australia – After a monthlong pre-trial hearing, an Australian judge ordered Cardinal George Pell to stand trial on multiple charges of sexual abuse of minors, charges the cardinal consistently has denied.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Alleged victims of abuse of Cardinal George Pell gave testimonies this week during a hearing in an Australian court which will determine if he will face a trial.

Vatican City - The bishops of Australia have indicated that they will resist the Royal Commission's proposal that priests be legally obligated to disclose details of sexual abuse revealed in the confessional, facing criminal charges if they don't.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Catholics and Christian leaders from several denominations have joined forces in the Australian state of Victoria to decry a bill in favour of assisted suicide, expected to be proposed and voted on later this year.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Silent but defiant, Cardinal George Pell made his first court appearance in Australia on Wednesday (July 26) on charges of sexual abuse, vowing through his lawyer to fight the allegations that have rocked Rome and threatened the Pope's image as a crusader against abusive clergy.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Proposals to legalize euthanasia in the Australian state of Victoria are based on “misplaced compassion,” the local bishops said.

SYDNEY – Five Australian archbishops testified before a government commission on child sexual abuse, reiterating apologies and taking responsibility for actions that occurred before they were church leaders.

SYDNEY – As an Australian government commission heard testimony on how the Catholic Church responded to decades of child abuse in its institutions, church leaders were asking the same questions as the government: How could this have happened? How can we keep it from happening again?

SYDNEY – Catholic experts told an Australian government commission that the church needed to re-examine its culture of clericalism if it wanted to help put an end to clergy sexual abuse.