On April 23-24, Pope John Paul II summoned U.S. cardinals to Rome indicating a real turning point in the sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church. The Holy Father clearly understands the gravity of the problem and that is why he directly intervened in this matter. Even before the cardinals met with the pope, [...]
An inappropriate joke about a Catholic priest is told at a function sponsored by the state of Oklahoma. A Catholic layman in attendance objects. Nothing is done. He contacts the Catholic League. An apology is forthcoming. Here's what happened. At a "Partnership Series" substance abuse workshop, an instructor opened his seminar by telling an offensive joke [...]
William A. Donohue The Catholic League had two choices in dealing with the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church: shut up or speak up. I decided we should speak up. To shut up would have been to throw the floor open to every dissident voice in the Church. Moreover, bigots would have gone unanswered. So [...]
BY DAVID REINHARD I think the Roman Catholic Church has turned the corner on its priest sexual abuse scandal. Yes, turned the corner. True, the stories about pedophile priests—the crimes and cover-ups—will fill the news and fuel the outrage of Catholics, non-Catholics and anti-Catholics for some time to come. The courts, civil and criminal, will continue [...]
Sister Margherita Marchione, Ph.D., has a new book on Pope Pius XII that we would like to recommend. Consensus and Controversy: Defending Pope Pius XII, draws on extensive documentation from the war years. It can be purchased from Paulist Press for $24.95 plus shipping and handling. Call toll free at 1-800-218-1903.
In my March "President's Desk" article, I wrote about the Copia art exhibit. In doing so I mentioned how I didn't care a fig about Catalonian traditions (the offending artist is Catalonian). One of our members, Dr. Josep G. Llaurado, is Catalonian and was offended by my comment. I want to apologize to him for appearing [...]
The first prize winner of the Spring Sweepstakes was C. Romano of Fallbrook, California. Second prize was claimed by June Moore of Holly Springs, North Carolina. Urban Fuerst of Delphos, Ohio, picked up the third place prize. Congratulations to all three and many thanks to all those who participated in the Spring Sweeps.
Catholic League News Release March 8, 2002 MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL SEEKS TO TEAR DOWN CHURCH-STATE WALL Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly has announced an ambitious plan to deal with the problem of child molestation by priests in the Boston Archdiocese. He proposes to involve his office in the recruitment, selection, training and monitoring of priests. Catholic [...]
Catholic League News Release March 22, 2002 RIGHTEOUS ANGER DOESN’T JUSTIFY USING RICO It is alleged that thirty-two years ago a man (whose identity is unknown) was sexually abused by former bishop Anthony O’Connell; O’Connell recently resigned as Bishop of Palm Beach after admitting he abused a teenager, Christopher Dixon, in the 1970s. The man who [...]
Catholic League News Release March 22, 2002 Reports are surfacing that many Catholic priests are under siege in the wake of the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Catholic League president William Donohue commented on this phenomenon today: “Virtually every priest I know is very angry over the sex abuse scandal in the Church. They [...]
