News
Facing the flock (The Washington Post)
By Terrence McCoy- This is a “deep dive” with Fr. Brian Christensen, a pastor in Rapid City, SD whose assistant priest was imprisoned for sexual abuse of a minor. It follows… Read More
Reckoning with the Baltimore Fiasco
Stephen White of Catholic University recounts the surprise announcement from Cardinal DiNardo at the November 2018 General Assembly: that the Holy See requested the USCCB not to move forward on… Read More
Vatican cancels USCCB vote on sex abuse reform measures (CNA)
By Ed Condon- This article covers the surprise opening of the USCCB’s Fall Plenary, when Cardinal DiNardo announced that the Holy See asked the U.S. Bishops not vote on their… Read More
Miters and Millstones
Stephen White of Catholic University writes on the vocation of the priesthood, in view of the crisis and the November 2018 General Assembly. “Let’s hope and pray that the bishops… Read More
Whistleblower says bishop knew (60 Minutes)
By Bill Whitaker- Siobhan O’Connor started leaking information to the press in August 2018 about priests accused of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo. She was an executive assistant… Read More
Much to Lose, Much to Gain
Stephen White of Catholic University looks at the engagement of secular forces to investigate the Church (e.g. Department of Jusice, grand juries). “Of course, the greatest loss for the Church… Read More
Double Lives: The Peril of Clerical Hypocrisy (Commonweal)
By Kenneth L. Woodward- In this piece, Woodward argues that McCarrick’s unmasking is more significant than the PA Grand Jury report in part because it brings the issue of homosexually… Read More
For Their Sake and for Ours…
Stephen White of Catholic University reflects on the Youth Synod, in view of the sexual abuse crisis. “I’ve said before: If reform does not come from and through the pope… Read More
To the Bishops, before their General Assembly (First Things)
By Jayd Henricks- The former executive director of government relations at the USCCB writes to the bishops on the eve of their meeting in Baltimore. He writes from personal observation… Read More
Ask and You Shall Receive? USCCB Trip to Rome
Stephen White of Catholic University reflects on the seeming failure of the USCCB delegation’s visit to Pope Francis. “Rome seems to have little sense of how demoralizing it is for… Read More
Catholic crisis thinkers: What details change, when looking from the left and then the right? (Get Religion)
By Terry Mattingly- In this piece, Mattingly suggests that the word to watch for in coverage of the 2018 crisis is “seminaries.” He points out that in some of the coverage,… Read More
The love that moves the sun (Catholic Philly)
By Archbishop Charles Chaput- The Archbishop of Philadelphia gave a talk on Fides et Ratio less than a month after the grand jury report made national headlines. While not focusing… Read More