A statue of Mary is seen in front of a house as a member of the U.S. Army National Guard cleans up the front yard in the Staten Island borough of New York Nov.14. Staten Island was one of the hardest hit areas when Hurricane Sandy made landfall in late October. (CNS/Shannon Stapleton, Reuters)
Join the Conversation
Send your thoughts to Letters to the Editor. Learn more
Australia -- Protection of Confession under heavy fire Save Politicans of all persuasions, from Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott down, say Catholic priests must not be exempt from having to report child abuse to police should they hear it in the confession of a colleague.
Australia -- Some secrets you don't keep to yourselfSydney priest Father Chris Riley won't hear confessions because he could not listen to a child sex abuser without reporting them to police; A Melbourne priest says he would report a child sex abuser.
Prayerful payback -- 15 years after flood, ND church returns favor to Sandy-hit parish
The bishops in Baltimore: Catholic bishops struggle with message on gay marriage
The bishops in Baltimore: Catholic Bishops Promise New Contraceptive Fight
NCR's sister publication, Celebration, posts reflections on each day's Scripture reading. Here's a link: celebrationpublications.org/dailybread. You may want to bookmark it. It's a great way to begin the day.
Ireland -- An independent expert has been appointed to investigate the death of pregnant woman Savita Halappanavar at University Hospital Galway. She died after hospital refused to an abortion.
France Raises Issue of Arming Syrian Rebels
