Welcome to Monday. The Vatican will release the report on the rise of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick tomorrow. An NCR columnist says that President-elect Joe Biden will have many hurdles to overcome — a deeply divided government and a country still ravaged by a pandemic. One chaplain is inspired by Fratelli Tutti to speak out for interfaith inclusion.

The Vatican's McCarrick report: a roster of likely figures

The Vatican's report on the rise of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, set to be released tomorrow, will likely contain the names of a vast array of figures — some who were directly involved in the success of his now-disgraced career and others who were ancillary but influential.

McCarrick, aged 90, was long one of the most influential prelates in the U.S. Catholic Church — before a series of shocking announcements in June 2018 revealed that he had been ordered by the Vatican to step down from active ministry after an allegation of sexual abuse was found "credible and substantiated."

To help in preparing for the report's release, NCR has assembled short biographical sketches of some of the more major figures.

You can read the roster here.

More background:

• This timeline tracks the career of disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, ahead of the release of the Vatican's report about how he rose through the ranks of the U.S. hierarchy.

Biden needs to push for far-reaching progressive economic policies

President-elect Joe Biden is going to face some extraordinary hurdles with a pandemic still ravaging our country and a government that is divided.

"Our democratic government reflects a country that is deeply divided, and while it will be tempting for Biden to aim for some fictional, moderate center, it is a temptation he must resist," writes NCR political columnist Michael Sean Winters. "Biden, a lifelong moderate on both social and economic issues, must be willing to challenge the Senate to rise to the occasion and not settle for inadequate policies that fail to address the clamant needs of the American people."

Biden must also use two central pillars of Catholic social doctrine — human dignity and the common good — to continually reach out to voters.

"He can do so by enacting far-reaching progressive economic policies," Winters writes. "Indeed, the situation he inherits demands nothing less. The economy is going to be in shambles by Jan. 20, as we enter into a long, dark winter of high COVID-19 rates and plummeting economic activity."

You can read more of Winters' column here.

More background:

• Throughout the campaign, Biden was subject to criticism about his faith, with some church figures suggesting he is not a real Catholic. Yet some church observers are warning that such hostility could backfire.

More headlines

• Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti inspires Britt Luby, an associate chaplain at Texas Christian University, to speak boldly for interfaith inclusion.
   
• At Global Sisters Report, the pandemic means redefining success for sisters' volunteer service programs
   

Final thoughts

After four years of racism, misogyny and narcissism in the White House, we look forward to a dignified, honest leader who might restore a level of respect for the office and for our nation, NCR's editorial staff writes. The race was not an easy one, but now is the time to promote unity and integrity after years of suffering for so many. We offer President-elect Joe Biden our prayers as he leads us through that process to begin to heal the soul of a nation.

Until Tuesday,

Stephanie Yeagle
NCR Production/Online Editor
[email protected]
Twitter: @ncrSLY

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