Tina Beattie has just published a thought provoking and challenging article called "The Catholic Church's Scandal: Modern Crisis, Ancient Roots."
It is well worth reading if you are interested in a historical look at the mindset that could have produced such terrible abuse. It is a courageous article and I agree totally with Tina.

The Tablet is, and has been for weeks, full of articles/letters/analysis of the crisis and how it is being handled - for those of us who are lay believers it is all very distrubing. I personally feel this could be a time of great renewal and grace for the Catholic Church. A time to reassess what is important, who should be considered fit to lead and a time to leave behind an obsession with clericalism. My only hope at the moment is for justice and peace for the thousands who were affected by the abuse. A letter in this week's The Tablet explains beautifully why this man is still a priest and still holds dear to his beliefs. Fr Joseph O'Hanlon from Canterbury writes:

"I shall remain a Catholic priest. But it will be priesthood lived in sorrow and in repentance that such sins have been committed in the name of all that is holy. I shall live with the bewildered people of God who cannot comprehend what has been done by those raised to the altar, with a people scandalised by those who have covered up crimes which call out to God for vengeance. I shall continue to believe that Chris is risen. But I remain convinced we are not."