Vatican on Scandals—Defensive but Understands SeriousnessAfter months of reticence, the Vatican confronted the painful issue of clerical sex abuse in a twin initiative—a papal letter and a press conference. According to John Thavis of Catholic News Service, statements issued on March 21

Out of town and alone, you want to call home but the only phone available requires collect calls and your family can’t afford the chargesa temporary problem for many, but one that could last for years if you are behind bars. Telephones represent a lifeline between prisoners and their families,

In a radio address last Dec. 5, President Bush expressed concern about soaring unemployment in the recession: It’s a time to reach out to Americans who are hurting, to help them put food on the table and to keep a roof over their heads. The president emphasized that his immediate priority was

Sadly the question of how a president of the United States might lead effectively in wartime is again pertinent in terms of both historiography and policy Recently the nation learned that Michael Beschloss rsquo transcription of Lyndon Johnson rsquo s recorded conversations reveal that Johnson

Thomas Cahill rsquo s highly successful Hinges of History series has established him as one of the most engaging and popular authors in the field of religion today Three volumes have been published thus far How the Irish Saved Civilization The Gifts of the Jews and Desire of the Everlasting Hills

The novelist Iris Murdoch died only two years ago at the age of 79, but already a memoir, film and biography have appeared to preserve her memory for devoted fans and to introduce her to new audiences. In Iris Murdoch: A Life, Peter J. Conradi offers a wide-ranging look at the life of a writer and philosopher who had a remarkable “hunger for the spiritual in a post-theistic age.”

Jodi Zierhut, a parole and probation agent for the Department of Corrections in Milwaukee, Wis., escorts a client out of her office. She has a caseload of about 40 sex offenders. Another agent comes up to her and whispers, I can’t believe he’s a sex offender. Even people trained to think

"Gay priests are living a lie", declares Garry Wills in his book Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit (Doubleday, 2000). As a priest-psychotherapist who has spent 25 years conducting workshops, support groups and retreats for gay priests and religious men and women, this statement and those who

It is helpful to understand the sexual abuse of children by priests within the broader context of child victimization.

It began one Sunday in September when we noticed an unfamiliar priest celebrating Mass. The monsignor, who introduced himself as the director of priest personnel for the diocese, had bad news. A family in the parish had filed a lawsuit against our pastor, charging inappropriate behavior toward their