It is one of the most confounding conundrums faced by anyone in the public spotlight How to defend without being defensive How to correct critical details without the appearance of nitpicking Finally how to deal with the media ndash which is the only way most people will come to know of the co
In All Things
Holy Thursday 2010: Foot-washing without Hierarchies
Cambridge MA I am privileged once again this year to be the scheduled celebrant at the Holy Thursday liturgy in the parish where I help out Our Lady of Sorrows in Sharon MA Be sure visit this wonderful parish when in the neighborhood I am pondering the shape of the liturgy in my mind and he
This Week Online: Easter Meditations and a Vatican III Podcast
Two weeks ago I traveled to Anaheim California with three members of our staff for the annual Los Angeles Religious Education Congress Many friends of the magazine were there including Richard Gaillardetz from the University of Toledo who gave a talk provocatively titled Do We Need a Vatican
What the Abuse Crisis is Not About: Chastity and Celibacy
The sexual abuse crisis that continues to rock our church is about many things power secrecy sin crime stupidity sickness and so on nbsp nbsp One thing that it is not about is chastity nbsp While lay men and lay women not to mention parents would have doubtless done a better job at blo
More Sources of the Scandal
At its deepest level the sexual abuse crisis and most especially the manner in which the hierarchy has responded to it entails profound cultural issues Yesterday I looked at two issues that were proximate to the crisis but today I would like to look at a couple of issues that are more deeply i
It was the worst of times, and the worst of times
Two tales out of one city Rome leave me wondering if some of the priests who finally get it about the sexual abuse crisis may be found in an order that has endured what can only be described as extraordinary revelations of abuse while some at the Vatican are prepared to continue digging deeper
The Most Dangerous Man in America
I was rooting at Oscar time for the documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers to win for best documentary in the event another good film The Cove won Those who remember Errol Morris rsquo 2004 Oscar-winning documentary The Fog of War Ele
Weigel Takes on the NYTimes
I know that some people think Hell must have just frozen over because I am about to pay a compliment to George Weigel But his post at First Things says some things that need to be said At the most basic level before we move on to discuss how the Vatican must change its ways or what the current
Sources of the Scandal
Father Martin below usefully recommends that everyone look back at the incredible resource which is the report of the National Review Board set up by the USCCB to monitor their own compliance with the provisions adopted at Dallas in 2002 to address the clergy sex abuse crisis Last week the Rev
Finding the Holy in West Hollywood
What a beautiful Mass my husband and I attended in West Hollywood while visiting my cousin and his partner At a church with a vibrant outreach ministry in a mostly gay community this Mass on a sunny Sunday has possibly saved my Catholic faith As the mother of a lesbian daughter I continually st
