Report on Abuse in Catholic Institutions in the Netherlands Issued: One of Highest Rates of Abuse Yet

A report by an independent commission in the Netherlands probing cases of sexual abuse of children in Catholic institutions since 1945 has just been issued.  Wim Deetman, mayor of The Hague, who headed the commission producing this report, states that the investigation shows as many as 20,000 children suffering abuse in Catholic institutions in the Netherlands in this time frame--one of the highest rates of abuse yet to emerge in any report of its kind.  

Meghan Daum on Newt's Marital History: A Hot Mess

A follow-up to what I wrote earlier today about Thomas Peters' absolutely incredible attempt to spin the Newt as a good Catholic candidate strong on marriage issues: here's Meghan Daum's take in the Los Angeles Times: 

Newt's Train Picking Up Speed: Evangelicals on Board, (Some) Catholics Buying Tickets

Two interesting tidbits (interesting to me, at least--and I hope to readers of this blog) about the Gingrich race for the presidency: at Salon, Steve Kornacki thinks the now solidly GOP South is loving us some Newt.  Mitt?  Not so much.

Father Wenthe of St. Paul, Minnesota, Gets Year in Jail, Judge Zeroes in on Clerical Narcissism

Father Christopher Wenthe

Readers may recall the case of Father Christopher Wenthe of St. Paul, Minnesota, about which I blogged several times earlier this year (here, here, here, and here).  In early February, Wenthe was arrested on charges that he had abused his pastoral relationship with a young woman, a recent convert to Catholicism,  whom he lured into a sexual relationship when she came to him for counseling and confession.  Diocesan officials had known about the situation for over five years at the time of Wenthe's arrest.  

Advent Resource: "Silent Night" on Spanish Guitar

Bernie Law Honored Again, and Benedict's Market Value Continues to Plummet

Pope Benedict and Cardinal Bernard Law, Vatican, June 2006

As I noted recently, following his 80th birthday, the infamous Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace as archbishop of the Boston archdiocese after it became public knowledge that he had shielded and moved about notorious clerical serial abusers of children, submitted his resignation as archpriest of the basilica of St. Mary Minor in Rome.  And Pope Benedict accepted the resignation.

In the News: Continued Shifts in American Attitudes re: LGBT Persons, Continued Challenges for People of Faith

A collection of articles all sharing common themes:

At National Catholic Reporter right now, Sister Maureen Fiedler calls on people of faith to celebrate Hilary Clinton's recent defense of the human rights of LGBT persons.  Fiedler thinks we are "in a new and positive moment" for LGBT persons, as societal attitudes shift from exclusion and condemnation to inclusion and acceptance.