By Thomas F. O’Meara
When I was a boy, more than 50 years ago, ecclesiastical clothes were impressive. They were unusual and colorful, antique and sacral; they were distinctively Roman Catholic. The colored watered silk, the jeweled gloves, the red
Bishop snared in abuse scandal criticizes Catholic newspaper
Sour grapes, Bishop Finn? Retaliating against the NCR because they had the temerity to suggest that you step side because of your involvement in the clergy sex abuse scandal? Have you no shame?
By Matt Pearce
Bishop Robert W. Finn
Santa Barbara Bishop Apologizes In Catholic Church Cover Up
File under: When an apology is not an apology. Jesus, these men simply can’t stop the prevarication. They couldn’t take responsibility for their actions if their life depended on it. Shame, shame, shame!
By Liberty Zabala
Dark days fall upon
Catholicism’s Curse
A must read!
By FRANK BRUNI
But while I have nothing against priests, I have quite a lot against an institution that has done a disservice to 
them and to the parishioners in whose interests they should toil. I refer
German Catholics vent their dissatisfaction with the Church
A study on Germany’s Catholic community reveals the discontent of faithful with the ecclesiastical institution. But proposals for solutions are lacking
By ALESSANDRO ALVIANI
The Pope’s ecclesiastical policies are “backward-looking” and suspected of trying to take the Church back to
Police: Friar accused of abusing students in 2 states kills himself at Pa. monastery
A Franciscan friar accused of sexually abusing students at Catholic high schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania killed himself at a western Pennsylvania monastery, police said Saturday.
Brother Stephen Baker, 62, was found dead of a self-inflicted knife wound at the
Priest Is Planning to Defy the Vatican’s Orders to Stay Quiet
By DOUGLAS DALBY
A well-known Irish Catholic priest plans to defy Vatican authorities on Sunday by breaking his silence about what he says is a campaign against him by the church over his advocacy of more open discussion on church
James Carroll’s An American Requiem: “The Repressive, Deceit-Ridden Culture of Celibate Clericalism”
I want to direct your attention to a fascinating blog post and discussion over at Bilgrimage. Our host over there, William D. Lindsey, treats us to some very interesting American Catholic history. The comment section has a little contribution
The Pope’s dangerous sex appeal
By Ian Buruma
Human sexual behaviour can be perilous, as the ghastly rape of a 23-year-old woman by six men on a Delhi bus in December once again showed. After going to the cinema, she and her boyfriend were beaten,
4 women go topless in St. Peter’s Square to protest Vatican opposition to gay marriage
VATICAN CITY — Four women have gone topless in St. Peter’s Square to protest the Vatican’s opposition to gay marriage.
Police quickly took the women away Sunday, and the pope appeared not to have been disturbed as he delivered his