NCR Today

Erstwhile NCR contributor Anthony T. Massimini sends word that he has started a blog in which he is writing a diary of his experiences at the Second Vatican Council. He attended the first session. The blog is www.the21stcenturyamericancatholic.blogspot.com.

Canada -- Niagara bishop who disappeared amid abuse case found in Montreal

Phila. Archdiocese takes steps against 2 more priests

Philadelphia -- Hundreds of students, as well as parents and teachers, addressed Roman Catholic Masses over the weekend to urge parishioners to lobby their legislators to support tax-funded school vouchers.

Gay advocates urge no prison time for Rutgers student

Who knew that Google, the computer giant, had its very own Zen Master? Well, it's true. His name is Chade-Meng Tan, and he's just published a new book called Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace).

As you might imagine, he's a Buddhist. He teaches mindfulness meditation at the "Googleplex" in California to over-stressed computer engineers who clamor for his course. And he has a great sense of humor to boot.

He started his work, he says, not because he cared about Google, but because he wanted to dedicate his life to world peace. He does it one person, one class, at a time.

How do I know this? I interviewed him on "Interfaith Voices" this week.

But it was that theme of peace that caught my ear, since I am a Catholic who has always long yearned for and worked for peace in the world. Then he told a story about peace that could resonate across all faith traditions.

When I asked him who or what inspired him in that direction, he talked about meeting the Dalai Lama at Stanford University.

In light of historic criminal trials of church officials this year in Philadelphia and Kansas City, that's the question many Catholics are asking.

Both trials find church administrators on the defensive for not utilizing their lay review boards, which were set up by the U.S. bishops' in 2002, when they passed the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, and were designed to help bishops evaluate allegations of clergy sexual misconduct.

Yet, as a report in U.S. Catholic today makes clear, the Kansas City and Philadelphia cases show a key flaw: The value of the boards hinges entirely on how bishops choose to use them.

A reminder:

In Philadelphia, a grand jury report released last year (the third such governmental investigation into the archdiocese's handling of abuse cases) found the archdiocese had left 41 priests who had been credibly accused of abuse in ministry.

After eight weeks, the prosecution in the trial against two Philadelphia priests has rested its case.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The trial against Lynn is the first charging a U.S. church official not for sexual abuse, but for the cover-up of such abuse.

I am turning to NCR readers, looking for help. Share this with you networks.

Deadline is May 25.

In a coming special section of NCR, we plan to offer a list of 12 U.S. Catholic lay women under age 40 who are likely to make a difference in the U.S. church in the 21st century. We are asking for suggestions from our Facebook readers as well as from the readers of our website.

I was glad to see that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has joined a petition with four dozen other national groups to reduce the number of nuclear bombs and delivery systems.

According to Common Dreams, the initiative for the petition was taken by the Council for a Livable World and other participants besides the bishops include the Arms Control Association and Women's Action for New Directions (WAND).

But of course, President Barack Obama is not the problem. Republicans call START with Russia the "false start." Back in 1999, they rejected the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, 51 to 48, with only four Republicans joining the 44 Democrats to vote for the treaty.

Georgetown University is my alma mater (Ph.D. '77). I am delighted that Georgetown President John J. DeGioia has invited Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to speak at the annual commencement. Her work for the Affordable Care Act has been commendable.

Although I personally wanted that health care legislation to include a public option and more, she and the Obama administration probably did as much as could be done, given the Congress at the time. But the law (assuming the Supreme Court does not overturn it) will achieve a major goal sought for generations: nearly universal health care coverage in the United States.

I suppose pretty much everything that needs to be said about this month’s controversial Time magazine cover (featuring a young mom breastfeeding her almost-4-year-old while he's standing on a stool next to her) has been said, written, blogged, posted and tweeted. Sadly, much of the conversation -- even on Catholic blogs and sites -- has been less than charitable. I will try to be more so in my comments about the cover for a story on attachment parenting.