In 1996, the U.S. Army was confronted with a serious sexual abuse scandal in its ranks. Its response could be instructive for the Catholic Church today.

Recognizing the ritual nature of scientific inquiry will allow universities to undertake that inquiry in a manner that better serves its mission.

The Catholic church would benefit if bishops felt more like local leaders and less like regional managers in a Rome-based nonprofit. One way to move in that direction would be to have the clergy elect their bishops.

There is no question that the process for the appointment of bishops should be updated. But the election of bishops with procedures similar to democratic elections would only exacerbate all kinds of rifts in the Catholic Church today.

Structural reform and renewal are absolutely necessary to reclaim a measure of integrity for the church and—some would even say—for her very survival.

Being a Christian, a partner in the paschal mystery, means sacrificing, thinking of others, following Jesus—even to laying down one’s life for others.