Pedophile Priests and the Challenge to Catholic Authority

Making News

Administration Clears Way for Expanded Offshore Drilling ()

During his campaign for President, Democrat Barack Obama promised to protect America's coastlines. Republican opponent Sarah Palin chanted "Drill, baby, drill."  Today, President Obama proposed new federal leases for oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean. Ben Geman writes "E2 Wire," the environment and energy blog of the Capitol newspaper, The Hill.

Guests:

• Ben Geman: Environment and Energy blogger, The Hill

Main Topic

Church Abuse Scandal Reaches Pope Benedict XVI ()

Pope Benedict XVI is under increasing pressure to directly address the sex scandals rocking his church. Revelations of pedophilia by priests and cover-ups by Roman Catholic authorities began in the US in 1985. Since then, they've spread worldwide, and this week questions have been raised about the actions of the Pope when he was Archbishop of Munich. The latest reports in Europe are from Italy, where three men say they were abused as boys at a Catholic school for the deaf. Is it a smear campaign, as the Vatican claims, or is it time for the Pope himself to explain his own actions, in the interests of restoring his dwindling credibility?  

Guests:

• Rachel Donadio: Rome Bureau Chief, New York Times, @racheldonadio
• Joe Feuerherd: Publisher, National Catholic Reporter
• Diane Knight: Chair, US Conference of Catholic Bishops' National Review Board
• Jeff Anderson: Managing Partner, Jeff Anderson & Associates
• Elaine Pagels: Professor of Religion, Princeton University

Links:

• AP on the Vatican's legal defense in Kentucky abuse case
• Donadio's article on the Vatican's response to growing abuse crisis
• National Catholic Reporter on Church accountability
• Reports of the National Review Board

Reporter's Notebook

Is Britain's 'Special Relationship' with the US History? ()

Since Winston Churchill persuaded Franklin Roosevelt to support Britain in World War II, the US and Britain have maintained "the Special Relationship." Now a committee of Parliament has recommended that it come to an end. Sir David Manning, who was Tony Blair's Ambassador to Washington during the Presidency of George W. Bush, recently told the committee that Barack Obama is "a Democrat who is not familiar with us," and recommended Britain use "sharp elbows" if it wants to be heard. Mary Dejevsky is chief editorial writer for The Independent of London.

Guests:

• Mary Dejevsky: Chief Editorial Writer, Independent