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Columns
The Ghost Walks
Terry Golway
I wonder if Jim Florio, the former Governor of New Jersey who became famous because he raised taxes, feels any better about his fate now that he has been included in Caroline Kennedy’s new book of modern profiles in courage. Florio took office in 1990 and found himself staring at a recession-b
The Word
After the Parade
John R. Donahue
Independence Day Parades streaming down main street band concerts of patriotic music fireworks displays cookoutsall celebrating the birth of a nation with paeans of praise for freedom democracy and military might With the memory of Sept 11 still fresh the celebrations will be bittersweet Ho
News
Signs of the Times
From AP, CNS, RNS, Staff and other sources
Debate Expected on Exception for One-Time Priest-AbusersArchbishop Harry J. Flynn of St. Paul-Minneapolis told journalists on June 4 that a proposal to allow possible return to limited ministry for some priests who have sexually abused a minor only once in the past “is going to be hotly debate
Television
The Year in TV
James Martin, S.J.
It would be difficult to discuss the past year of television without first addressing the effects of Sept. 11 on the medium. Initially, pundits foresaw a dramatically altered post-9/11 TV landscape. After all, the first days after the terrorist attacks saw television at its near-best: solid coverage
September 11: A Neighborhood Reflects
Harry J. Byrne
After Sept. 11, what is there left to say? As pastor emeritus of a New York City parish, I settle for an embrace, a hug. There is a deep personal quality to our losses on mid-Manhattan’s East Side and throughout our city. Husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, lovers, sons and daughters, relations
The Word
A New Age of Martyrs
John R. Donahue
Six years ago I was privileged to be a delegate at the 34th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus which met in Rome The main work of the congregation was to revise the laws that direct Jesuit life as well as to respond to questions raised throughout the Jesuit provinces about our life and
Poetry
Blind Spot
Bruce McBirney
A brownish-yellow V-shaped blur,
Letters
Letters
Our readers

Powerless

I am writing in response to Professor Mary Jo Bane’s article, Exit, Voice, and Loyalty in the Church (6/3). In 1968 I was 29 years old and had six children. I remember exactly where I was when Pope Paul VI spoke from Yankee Stadium and essentially said, Set another place at the table. That was the message of Humanae Vitae. I sat in my kitchen listening to the radio and sobbed. My husband and I had had six children in seven years, and two miscarriages.

Did I experience lay dissatisfaction and anger? No. I think it was desolation, futility and awful resignation. We were two good, educated, Catholic parents; what could we do? We did the only thing possible at the time to preserve our marriage and our family. We exited from the teaching, and that only after prayer, more tears and lots of guilt.

The current scandal, or Catholic Watergate, has also made me cry, and I have incredible anger. I was not so angry in 1968, just more resigned. I have changed; my church has not. They are still in my bedroom!

Sexual abuse of children is not even in the same category with the teaching of Humanae Vitae. It is despicable, sinful and manipulative. Yes, I live in Boston and have been assaulted by all of it for five months, but never in 1968 did I feel as powerless as I do now. My faith is much stronger now; it is who I am; it is the peaceful, powerful part of me. It speaks to me and says, You are mine, I have counted every hair on your head.

If in two years nothing much has changed, if the same dusty, musty mitres and crosiers are still around, I will be so angry at myself for not speaking out. Please don’t anyone compare the encyclical on birth control in 1968 to this mess. I was there. Then it was resignation and personal decisions; now it is rage, and all decisions are completely out of our hands.

Barbara M. Donahue

Of Many Things
Of Many Things
George M. Anderson
With luck, you may live close enough to your job to be able to walk home from work. This is my own fortunate situation. On weekdays, I usually leave America House between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m and head southeast down through Manhattan to the Lower East Side. Having been seated at a desk since 8 a.m., the
The Word
To Give and Not to Count the Cost
John R. Donahue
The Gospel today continues last week rsquo s theme of the cost of discipleship with the added motif of hospitality to the prophet first reading Following Jesus is a commitment to companionship and mission that can surpass the most precious things in life relations with loved ones and can bring
Books
Education for Life
Ann Lloyd Breeden
Education has long been one of the pillars for the bridge between Christian faith and the world fostering the development of reason giving meaning and order to human life and facilitating an appreciation of ultimate reality Michael L Peterson Fred Herron and George Dennis O rsquo Brien offer th
Columns
Otto and Dexter: A Tale of Hope
Lorraine V. Murray
Faith, hope and charity, I remember chanting obediently as a child, responding to a second-grade catechism question about virtues. I recall the nuns delving into elaborate detail about faith and charity, but barely skimming the surface of hope. If I were teaching a catechism class today, I would byp
Editorials
The Charter
The Editors
The U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse has proposed a Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People for consideration by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at their meeting in Dallas on June 13-15. The committee, chaired by Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, of St. Paul-Minn
News
Signs of the Times
From AP, CNS, RNS, Staff and other sources
Vatican Reservations Emerging Over U.S. Direction on Sex AbuseRecent statements by two Vatican officials have underscored reservations in Rome over the direction U.S. bishops are taking as they formulate a national policy on clerical sex abuse. In particular, the officials believe it would be wrong
Of Many Things
Of Many Things
Patricia A. Kossmann
Revelations over these past few months are enough to dizzy one’s mind. Even more dizzying, though, are the perhaps millions of words that have been penned in the media worldwide. Have we heard enough? Have we heard more than enough? What’s to be done? Shocking...scandalous...disgraceful.
Editorials
Zero Tolerance
The Editors
When the U.S. bishops meet in Dallas, Tex., on June 13-15, the sexual abuse crisis will be at the top of their agenda. The media, the laity and the nation will be watching, ready to pass judgment on the bishops if they do not meet expectations. Two issues have become litmus tests to measure how well
Our Catholic Watergate
Tom Beaudoin
As revelations of new victims of clerical sexual abuse spill into the news daily, we must face one mare discomforting truth: this scandal has sobering generational overtones. Many, if not most, of the victims are Gen-Xers, born in the 1960’s and 70’s. To be sure, those coming forward ran
Books
A Way Out of Darkness
Brian J. Stevens
As a failed coup attempt in December 2001 delivered yet another wound to Haiti conventional wisdom again declared the Caribbean nation to be almost an economic and political wastelandracked by violence and devoid of all hope and promise But in Beverly Bell rsquo s new collection of 38 spoken-word e
The Word
Ordinary Manner
John R. Donahue
The Lectionary returns to Ordinary Time under the guidance of Matthew From now until the 24th Sunday of the year Sept 15 the second reading consists of excerpts from major sections of Paul 8217 s Letter to the Romans This is rather ironic since Matthew 8217 s Gospel according to some scho
Clericalism and the Sex Abuse Scandal
Russell Shaw
Clericalism in the Catholic Church is something like the pattern in the wallpaper: it’s been there so long you don’t see it anymore. That may be why, amid all the demands for change in response to the scandal of clergy sex abuse, more has not been heard about clericalism and the need to