View email in your browser ([link removed])

Welcome to Tuesday. On the first day of their annual meeting, several U.S. bishops raise questions about accountability and transparency related to the Vatican report on former cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Former Newark seminarians during McCarrick's tenure there as archbishop say the Vatican report validated their experiences.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Big questions but brief discussion of McCarrick report at US bishops' meeting ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

For more than two years — and over the course of three semiannual meetings — the U.S. Catholic bishops awaited the Vatican's release of its report on former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who in 2019 was removed from the priesthood by Pope Francis after revelations of his serial abuse of minors and seminarians.

The U.S. bishops kicked off their virtual meeting yesterday where discussions of the McCarrick report took center stage — if only for 45 minutes.

More than a dozen U.S. bishops spoke during the open session about the report, raising questions prompted that included concerns about the process for selecting bishops, unanswered questions about McCarrick's finances, the psychological and sexual health of priests and bishops, and both the progress and remaining challenges of transparency and accountability.

The bishops' earlier private discussion of the report in executive session lasted 90 minutes, but the public comments were just under half of that time.

Read more of the story here ([link removed]) .

More background:
* NCR political columnist Michael Sean Winters says ([link removed]) the first day of the U.S. bishops' conference meeting showed that the bishops are unwilling to speak freely, especially when it comes to being candid about the involvement of certain bishops in the McCarrick report.

* Msgr. Jeffrey Burrill, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin, is the new general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops also voted ([link removed]) on chairmen-elect for seven committees and seven seats on the board of directors of Catholic Relief Services.

* Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the U.S. papal nuncio, told the U.S. bishops ([link removed]) that "as bishops, we have a special responsibility to lead by example, demonstrating what it means to be a neighbor."

* All of NCR's coverage of the U.S. bishops' conference fall assembly can be found here ([link removed]) .

------------------------------------------------------------


** McCarrick report rings familiar to former Newark seminarians ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

While some reacted with shock to a report from the Vatican detailing how church officials ignored former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's long history of sexual abuse, one group was not surprised.

Those who went through seminary for the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, during McCarrick's tenure as archbishop from 1986 to 2000 already knew the story, with the Vatican report a kind of "imprimatur" validating their experiences.

Bob Hoatson remembers that as summer weekends approached, "Uncle Ted," as McCarrick called himself, would send out invitations to a select crew of students. They would number just beyond the number of beds available at McCarrick's New Jersey beach house. McCarrick, according to the report, would then invite a seminarian to share a bed with him.

"Everybody knew about McCarrick, about Uncle Ted and the 'nephews' he had," Hoatson told NCR.

You can read more of the story here ([link removed]) .

More background:
* All of NCR's coverage of the McCarrick report can be found here ([link removed]) .

------------------------------------------------------------


** More headlines
------------------------------------------------------------
* Decades after the civil rights movement, writer and activist Leslye Colvin often wonders ([link removed]) how she would have participated during that time if she had not been a young child.

* At Global Sisters Report ([link removed]) , a Q&A with Dominican Sr. Astridah Banda who is working with other sisters in Zambia to ensure that educational messages on the coronavirus reach communities in rural areas where there is little access to information.

* ICYMI from EarthBeat: Forty-two more Catholic institutions announced ([link removed]) they will end or continue to eschew financial holdings in fossil fuels.

------------------------------------------------------------


** Final thoughts
------------------------------------------------------------

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we post a new Francis comic strip ([link removed]) . Throughout the week, we also post stories about Pope Francis' speeches, letters and audiences ([link removed]) . You can sign up to receive The Francis Chronicles, a twice-weekly email with the latest Francis news, here ([link removed]) .


Until Wednesday,

Stephanie Yeagle
NCR Production/Online Editor
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Twitter: @ncrSLY ([link removed])

------------------------------------------------------------


** Featured Advertisers
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
A traditional dark old-style flavorful cake, filled with fruit and nuts, dipped in brandy and perfectly aged - Trappist Abbey Bakery ([link removed])
[link removed]
Online certificate and master's programs. 50% tuition waivers given to faith-based leaders, church workers, and educators. A leader in global distance education for more than 10 years. ([link removed])
[link removed]
The Rosary of Modern Sorrows: a thoughtful Peace & Justice gift for the warriors who pray for meaningful and progressive change. May your prayers lead to action! ([link removed])
[link removed]
Need fresh ideas for your homilies? More than 900 relevant and practical homilies at www.seedsforsowing.com ([link removed])

------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement
[link removed]

============================================================

Was this email forwarded to you from a friend? ** Sign up to get GSR and NCR email newsletters sent to your inbox. ([link removed])

** facebook.jpg ([link removed])
** twitter.jpg ([link removed])
** instagram.jpg ([link removed])
Copyright © 2020 National Catholic Reporter, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email as a reader of National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company.

** update subscription preferences ([link removed])

Our mailing address is:
National Catholic Reporter Publishing Co.
115 E Armour Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64111-1203
USA
** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
| ** view email in browser ([link removed])