Timothy Broglio

Michael Sean Winters: Two decades ago, the U.S. took the lead in bringing AIDS treatments to poorer countries. Do we have the compassion and the courage to mount such an effort again — or even put our own house in order?

Michael Sean Winters: The second day of the U.S. bishops' meeting, which finally included public sessions, continued the somewhat surprising quietude reported the day before, after months of anticipating fireworks.

Michael Sean Winters: The vaccine phobia that has taken hold of the GOP base is also affecting religious folk. But pastors need to focus not on misplaced moral scruples but on the moral urgency of getting people vaccinated.

Catholic President-elect Joe Biden's stance on abortion causes confusion, said Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, as he announced the formation of a working group to examine what this would mean for the bishops' conference.

Distinctly Catholic: On Day One of the bishops' meeting, we saw all the things that served to cover up the sins of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and that now keep the bishops from acknowledging the sins of John Paul II.

Several U.S. bishops expressed 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.

Distinctly Catholic: The fall assembly raises the question again: Will the U.S. bishops continue to resist the direction Pope Francis is trying to steer the church or will they engage his evangelical vision?

Signs of the Times: Prayer breakfasts are generally not controversial events in the Catholic world, except when they are stages for giving awards to people like Attorney General William Barr.