Voice of the Faithful Focus, Nov. 3, 2011

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To Keep the Faith, Change the ChurchTM

Fifth Survey of Catholics in Amerca Released
The fifth in the series of Catholics in America surveys was released in National Catholic Reporter on Oct. 24. William V. D’Antonio, Ph.D., a member of Voice of the Faithful’s Advisory Committee and fellow at the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies, Catholic University of America, has led the surveys, which are conducted every six years. “Taken together,” NCR says, “they make up one of the deepest and most consistent portraits ever compiled of the membership of the country’s largest religious denomination.” Here is D’Antonio’s overview and links to stories about the survey published so far in NCR:

New Survey Offers Portrait of U.S. Catholics
What Is Core to American Catholics in 2011
Religion and Political Affiliation
Old and New Spiritual Resouces
Trends in Catholic Commitment Stable over Time
Survey Reveals Generation Shift in the Catholic Church
Catholic Reactions to the Sex Abuse Scandal

Accountability, Transparency and the Bishops
A decade after U.S. bishops mandated accountability and transparency in clergy sexual abuse of children, we are still looking for it. Sr. Maureen Turlish illustrates the problem with the hierarchy policing the hierarchy.

Archdiocese Allegedly Planned to Protect Abuser Priests
Philadelphia prosecutors have moved that Msgr. William Lynn acted, while head of clergy for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, under “a well-established, deliberate, orchestrated plan” by archdiocesan officials to protect abusive priests.

Catholic Church’s Pedophile Investigator Jailed for Child Pornogrpahy
A child safety investigator for the Catholic Church in England has been jailed after police found thousands of pornographic images of children on his computer.

Johnson Says Cardinal’s Claim ‘Blatantly False’
Noted theologian Sr. Elizabeth Johnson has called “demonstrably and blatantly false” claims by Cardinal Donald Wuerl that she ignored his offers to meet with her regarding her book “Quest for the Living God.” Her book originally was critiqued by Wurel’s doctrine committee as not being in “accord with authentic Catholic teching” and reaffirmed a week ago as “inadequate as a presentation of the Catholic understanding of God.” Sr. John’s letter taking Cardinal Wuerl to task was reported originally in the dotCommonweal blog.

Explaining Benedict XVI’s Retreat from Vatican II
This in-depth CathNews blog attempts to show how Benedict XVI changed from being a Vatican II thinker to being a pope who believes in a “smaller, purer Church of the docile, simple little people needing to be governed.”

Media Defines Clericalism
In these three pieces, clericalism within the Catholic clergy shows its existance, entrenchment and effects: Simplifying Scandal, US Bishops Should Persuade Finn to Resign and Exodus as Pope’s Legion Reform Lags.

What is Bishop Finn’s Sin
As Bishop Robert Finn drags his Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese down ever deeper into the quagmire of sexual abuse and cover-up, National Catholic Reporter speculates on his “sin.”

Can Bishops Rebuild Our Trust
Our trust in the U.S. Catholic bishops has crumbled seriously because of the clergy sexual abuse scandal, but a Milwaukee archdiocesan chancellor believes they may have an opportunity to rebuild it.

Pope Orders Child Sex Abuse Inquiry at London School
Pope Benedict XVI has ordered an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse committed by a number of monks at Ealing Abbey and St. Benedict’s School in London over the past 40 years.