Morning Briefing

Fr. Tom Reese New Column For NCR: Francis the peacemaker by Thomas Reese

Francis moves the conversation on dialogue forward by Pat Perriello

Francis the comic strip drawn by NCR's Pat Marrin

Last week, The State Journal-Register of Springfield, Ill., ran the following story. The courage of abuse victim Joe Iacono. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield took exception to part of the piece, and he responded in The State Journal-Register: Catholic church has learned from past mistakes

Report from USA Today: Faith organizations are beginning to address sexual abuse with a new energy and earnestness

Pennsylvania -- Hoping to fill empty desks in its 15 Catholic schools, the Diocese of Greensburg revealed a “bishop's tuition transfer grant” offering discounted tuition to new transfer students. (Diocese of Allentown, Pa., has similar program.)

Buffalo, N.Y. -- Scared their school will be closed, Catholic school kids write TV personality Ellen DeGeneres seeking her help.

Big Companies Join Obama in Initiative to Help Long-Term Unemployed

Wyoming diocese sues over health mandate Bishop Paul Etienne of Cheyenne: “I was very hopeful that national efforts to work with (the Obama) administration and efforts to achieve some legislative relief would have produced an amicable solution. But they have not.”

The Philippines: Church leaders find Ag Secretary lackluster on agrarian reform initiavies, push for president to remove him from post

Superbowl: Denver archbishop Aquila expected to celebrate Mass with some Denver players, coaches before the big game