The Australian Federal Government has called a Royal Commission into child abuse [1]. Under pressure to act following growing calls for a national inquiry into explosive allegations by a senior New South Wales police investigator that the Catholic Church covered up evidence involving paedophile priests.

Background on story above: A senior serving police officer: "Many police are frustrated by this sinister behaviour which will continue until someone stops it." [2]

Australia: Two state inquires already underway: Child abuse inquiry reaches wide [3]

Australia: THE Catholic Church has settled thousands of claims of child abuse outside of its internal complaints' system [4], Melbourne Response, in an attempt to silence them, a victims' group says.

Australia: Abuse Royal Commission gets former bishop's backing [5]. Former Bishop for Toowoomba William Morris was once chairman of a the committee that set Catholic policy nationwide in handling abuse allegations.

The U.S. bishops meet in Baltimore this week: Commentary -- Is there a political plan B for the bishops? [6]by Tom Reese

The Bishops in Baltimore: Catholic bishops get crash course in social media [7]

Call to Action Annual Conference -- CTA in Louisville discusses race [8]

Ghana: Catholic Bishops Raise Alarm Over Corruption [9]

NCR's sister publication, Celebration, posts reflections on each day's Scripture reading. Here's a link: celebrationpublications.org/dailybread. [10]You may want to bookmark it. It's a great way to begin the day.

The Association of Catholics in Ireland New Catholic lay group sets out 'reform agenda' [11]

Oregon girls go on a 'nun run' [12]

Nebraska's new bishop: Meet the new bishop of Lincoln's Catholic Diocese: James D. Conley [13]

Houston, Texas: Catholic diocese moving ex-prisoners' transitional living center to church campus [14]

Words fail us: Parishioners respond to the new Missal a year later [15]