The College of Cardinals will now look to its membership for a new leader, someone who can lead the Church into a new era. We hope that they look for a man among them who will protect the most vulnerable among the faithful: innocent children and reach out to the most hurt among the faithful: victims of clergy sexual abuse. 

We're worried that New York's Cardinal Tim Dolan is being discussed as a 'long shot' papal candidate.

Trying to help Joe Paterno’s reputation inevitably hurts children and victims. We hope Sue Paterno and her lawyers will stop this selfish, desperate effort.  We doubt that it will bring Sue Paterno peace or improve her husband’s legacy.  

A predatory Columbus Catholic priest, who once spent a year in prison, has passed away. Fr. Thomas L. McLaughlin died on Feb. 6th.

Imagine the outcry if a police chief disclosed that that she lets corrupt, trigger-happy cops stay on the job but allegedly keeps them away from cash and firearms? Or if a fire department head revealed that he let pyromaniac firefighters stay on the job but allegedly keeps them away from matches and gasoline?

We are grateful to Springfield police and prosecutors for pursuing the case against Scott Blair with such vigor. These are heinous crimes, and children in Springfield are much safer with Blair off the streets. 

Dear Mr. Birotte and Ms. Lacey;

We are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org). Our mission is to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded and expose the truth.

Some may question why we’re talking about a case publicly in which the victims don’t even remember the names of the abuser. But it’s important to remember two things.

Minnesota Catholic officials - with the Franciscans and the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese - made a secret settlement seven years ago with a clergy sex abuse victim and have stayed silent about the child molesting cleric even though more than 70 kids in three states now say he molested them.

The Pope's top aide on clergy sex abuse, Fr. Robert Oliver, just told the AP that the pope "had spoken clearly about the need for transparency and justice in order to regain the trust of the faithful."

The LA school district needs to thoroughly and independently investigate the hiring of a pedophile priest, Jose Piña. 

The response by the Irish government to the horrific stain on history that is the Magdalene Laundries is woefully inadequate. A mere apology cannot undo the painful abuse that these women for forced to suffer, and does nothing to help these women along their healing process.