Tom Roberts

NCR Connections: Clergy culture or clerical culture are quickly becoming well-worn descriptions of an entity that previously went by the more reverential term "priesthood." 

NCR Connections: I would often wonder in the past when the church would turn some corner of realization and figure out how to deal with the crisis. The awareness I slowly came to is that no corner exists around which is some magical, instant conversion. 

NCR Connections: It is difficult to not see grand possibilities in this meeting of unlikely communities, ill-defined as the one might be. It is early in their meeting, but the nuns and "nones" seem to be embarking on an organic exploration of community, contemplation, spirituality.

"The patience of the people of God is exhausted with the episcopal and clerical culture that puts itself first," said Georgetown University's John Carr after a Leadership Roundtable meeting on the clergy sex abuse crisis.

NCR Connections: Humility is about as counter-cultural as one might get given the zero-sum nature of our politics and the culture-war approach many take toward faith. It's win or lose, victory or humiliation.

NCR Today: Help us to keep tracking the walk of faith. Reporting leads everything we do at NCR, and we are able to do that only because of your support.

The talks delivered to the U.S. bishops contain only passing reference to the sex abuse scandal that was the reason behind the unusual retreat, suggested by Pope Francis, and the omission was intentional.

There is another reality within the Catholic universe that, while existing beneath the headlines of the day, is a far more compelling reason for believing there's something in the heart of the Gospel that the world desperately needs, hierarchy or not.

Recent disclosures are not a sign the episcopacy suddenly became aware of how utterly corrupt its culture had become. They are more a measure of how great the pressure from the outside has become.

As evolution occurs in the natural world through the cracking of rigid rocks, in the church it is occurring through the upheaval of ecclesial systems. What can we find under the growing rubble heap?

With all of the dualistic face-offs Catholics are engaged in, we wondered if there was a third party who could join our dance to change the dynamic. So we asked three Jewish writers what value they see in Catholic thought, art and ministry, even amid the tensions and embarrassing scandals within our community. 

NCR Connections: "The Clergy Sex Abuse Crisis: How Did We Get Here?" was the topic of a briefing for media and NCR members, Sunday night in Baltimore on the eve of the U.S. bishops' meeting.

NCR Connections: Stories at the corner of religion and commerce; on what axis will the U.S. bishops' fall meeting spin? NCR pens open letter to prelates; reporting on the vilified caravan

NCR Connections: NCRonline has become a daily publication. Once a week, we'll use this new space to tie things together and lead readers through a key issue or pivotal stories.

A group of Catholics calling itself the Better Church Governance Group is preparing to compile dossiers "in the manner of political opposition research" on cardinal electors ahead of the next conclave.

A Colorado web design firm that filed a $100 million suit against the Knights of Columbus, alleging breach of verbal agreement and that the organization engages in fraudulent practices in its insurance business, will get its day in federal court.

NCR looks at the growing number of "Catholic nonprofits" that depend upon donations from foundations or wealthy individual Catholics — and make up a web of organizations deeply engaged in advancing a conservative political/religious agenda.

NCR interview: As the U.S. hierarchy meets this week, San Diego's bishop says part of him wants "to scotch the whole agenda" and talk about "How do we help our nation at this moment?"

Making Peace: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, 71, is a retired Navy chaplain whose experience in warfare has shaped his view of religion and its relationship to the state. He believes all of us have "this compass that says you just have to do the best you can," even in horrible circumstances.

During a three-day conference at the Catholic University of America, the talk was all about money — good money — in the form of "Good Profit," the theme of the Oct. 4-6 gathering.