The Sunday Washington comPost

I have finally gotten around to the Sunday paper and this is what I found from Archbishop Wuerl...

Today, Christians worldwide celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Lent is over; Good Friday has passed. To a church that has experienced the deep pain of clergy sexual abuse, these days are a reminder that from pain and sorrow eventually come hope, redemption and new life.

This new life will come only by confronting sexual abuse head-on, taking responsibility for the wrongs of the past and committing to doing all that we can never to allow the tragedy of abuse to happen again. In the United States, we bishops have put in place tough standards for reporting allegations to civil authorities because we recognize that abuse is not only a sin but also a serious crime. In the Archdiocese of Washington and in dioceses nationwide, we mandate child protection training for adults and education for children. Seminarians, clergy, volunteers and employees who work with children must undergo criminal background checks. Independent advisory boards of lay experts guide our work, and, perhaps most important, we continue to reach out to those harmed to help them heal from their pain.

In 2008-09, 6 million children in the United States received lessons on recognizing inappropriate behavior and what to do if someone tries to harm them or makes them feel uncomfortable. Two million adults underwent background checks. Here in Washington, we have had a written child protection policy for nearly 25 years.

This commitment to safety has been done with the support and leadership of Pope Benedict XVI.

Personally, I would have like to have seen this earlier and more forceful in his defense of the Holy Father. To read more, go here

And, we have a story that was discussed in the Catholic Standard a few weeks ago...but they just can't seem to get it right about the Body of Christ - it is not a "wafer"

In the past few years, St. Augustine's began holding weekly instead of monthly Masses and adding prayers to other parts of the daily routine. Statues of the Virgin Mary--who is particularly central to Catholicism--were placed in each room. And three years ago, St. Augustine's, called "the mother church" for Washington's black Catholics, brought in three African nuns in traditional habits to lead the school, teach and infuse the building with a Catholic spirit.

The outcome is clear among this gaggle of children who are making spiritual decisions and commitments unfamiliar to many adults. They articulate spiritual longings not typically associated with people whose feet barely reach the floor when they sit in the pews.

To read more, go here.