James Carroll reflects on the tenth anniversary of the sex abuse scandal.
The Catholic Case Against Rick Santorum
Bishop ponders reasons Americans leave Catholic church
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A woman on the altar: Can the church ordain women deacons?
The full interview with Phyllis Zagano is availa
ble at U.S.Catholic. U.S. Catholic interviewWith women’s ordination being a sensitive topic in Catholic circles, Zagano carefully lays out her argument for restoring what for many centuries was an official role of women in the ancient church, rejecting a “slippery slope” argument that claims women deacons would mean eventual women priests. “We have this misunderstanding that the diaconate is only a step on the way to priesthood,” she says. “The diaconate is a separate vocation, and one doesn’t imply the other.”
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Bishop Zavala resigns after disclosing that he fathered two children.
It is with great sadness that we write to you today about the resignation of Bishop Gabino Zavala. Pax Christi USA learned of Bishop Zavala's resignation yesterday. In a letter addressed to Catholics in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (where Bishop Zavala was an auxiliary bishop), Archbishop Jose Gomez stated that Bishop Zavala's letter of resignation was accepted by the Vatican after he had disclosed that he is "the father of two minor teenage children who live with their mother in another state."
Bishop Zavala has served as bishop-president of Pax Christi USA for the past 9 years and had been a bishop member for many years prior to his time in leadership. We are grateful for his past leadership and for his long-time witness to peace and justice as a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Zavala consistently brought the power of the gospel to bear on issues like immigration, worker rights, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and nuclear disarmament.
This past year saw the completion of Bishop Zavala's third term as bishop-president of Pax Christi USA. The search for his replacement was already underway and will continue. We hope to announce the selection of a new bishop-president in the coming weeks.
During this time of personal hardship, we offer our prayers for Bishop Zavala, his family, and all those affected by this news. We pray that the privacy of all those impacted will be respected and that all will experience God's mercy and compassion during this difficult time.
In peace,
Sr. Josie Chrosniak, HM
National Council Chair, Pax Christi USA
Sr. Patty Chappell, SNDdeN
Executive Director, Pax Christi USA
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Does Bishop Zavala's parenthood make him a better priest/bishop?
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Fordham University professor, Mark Naison, reflects on how he benefited from growing up under socialism - here in America.
Reflections on a Brooklyn Childhood
http://withabrooklynaccent.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-i-benefited-from-growing-up-under.html
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This announcement was sent to me again this past week. Worth a rerun.
Belgian petition calls for lay-led Masses
30 November 2011
More than 5,800 Belgian Catholics, including at least 211 priests, have signed a petition urging the Church to allow trained lay men or women to preach and lead Mass in parishes that no longer have resident priests. The petition also urges ordination for married men and women and calls for remarried divorced Catholics to be readmitted to communion. The Dutch-language petition entitled "Believers have their say" began in the diocese of Bruges and said it was launched in solidarity with reform-minded believers in countries such as Austria and Ireland.