The acceptance of serious allegations swallowed up without proof is an age-old problem. It is also dangerous.

BONN, Germany -- Hamburg Archbishop Stefan Hesse has stepped down from his post as spiritual assistant to the Central Committee of German Catholics, the most important laypeople's organization of the church in Germany, pending clarification of all the allegations about his possible role in covering up sexual abuse cases during his time in Cologne.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis accepted the resignation of a Polish bishop accused of negligence after a documentary claimed he repeatedly transferred a priest accused of sexually abusing children.

VANCOUVER -- A proposed class-action lawsuit filed against the Archdiocese of Vancouver claims the archdiocese was “systematically negligent” in protecting parishioners from abuse by clergy.

VATICAN CITY -- The Legionaries of Christ vowed to cooperate with an investigation after a report stated that the congregation failed to address sexual abuse and cover-ups at one of its prestigious schools in Mexico.

SYDNEY -- The Australian Catholic Church could face tens of millions dollars in compensation claims after the Diocese of Ballarat in Victoria state admitted, for the first time, it knew of the behavior of a pedophile priest yet continued to move him around from parish to parish.

WASHINGTON -- The archbishop of Baltimore has expressed regret after he redacted his name from documents related to an investigation he led into an alleged financial and sexual misconduct scandal.

VATICAN CITY -- After waiting nine months, Pope Francis has denied accusations that he was aware of allegations of sex abuse involving former American Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and failed to take action.