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Coverage of the Catholic clergy sex abuse scandal had focused on Ireland and Germany and other parts of Europe lately, until The New York Times started revisiting old American cases, trying to find a link between church coverups of pedophile priests and the Vatican disciplinary office once led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. After nearly…

With Passover and both Easters — for eastern and western Christians alike — coinciding this year, it’s a more hectic “Holy Week” than usual for religion reporters and interfaith families. Although it’s more historically accurate when Passover and Easter come together, given that Jesus’ Last Supper was probably a Seder, the JTA points out that this makes life rather difficult for…

As I predicted yesterday, the clergy and commentators defending Pope Benedict’s response to the clergy sex abuse scandal — including a legal defense being planned in the U.S. — has fueled a backlash from victims and their supporters. After the American bishops affirmed that they “stand with” the pope and the Vatican’s handling of the pedophile priest problem, the…

Apologies to Tammy Wynette, but I’ve had “Stand By Your Man” stuck in my head for hours while sifting through the influx of Catholic bishops and commentators defending Pope Benedict’s response to the global clergy sex abuse scandal (as his U.S. approval ratings plummet). A few notable examples: U.S. bishops profoundly grateful for Pope’s work in combating…

The Church of Scientology is getting more unwanted publicity this week, as reporters look into claims made by former members accusing high-ranking officials — including church leader David Miscavige, who also served as best man in Tom Cruise’s wedding to Katie Holmes — of physical and psychological abuse. From the Associated Press: The church says…

The Muslim Public Affairs Council condemned two terrorist incidents that made news yesterday: a Christian militia group’s alleged plot to kill police officers in the Midwest, and the suicide bombings in the Moscow subway, which Russian officials suspect were carried out by Muslim women. MPAC’s news release focused on terrorism as a product of hate, rather…

Russian officials suspect this morning’s suicide bombings of the Moscow subway, killing more than three dozen people, were a response to the crackdown on Islamic extremism in Chechnya and other parts of the Caucasus region in Southern Russia. The attacks were committed by women; no group had claimed responsibility as of 3 p.m. EST, according to…

Given the daily — sometimes hourly — influx of Catholic news lately, I’m introducing Pope Watch, my daily digest of the Vatican’s response to the global clergy sex abuse scandal, including the New York Times’ ongoing investigative coverage and commentary, and other headlines. Yesterday was Palm Sunday (the same day for all Christians this year, including the Eastern Orthodox branch),…

The major Jewish holiday of Passover starts tonight, with families and friends gathered to tell the Exodus story over Seder meals. The New York Times reports that President Obama will again preside over a White House Seder, a new tradition, where his family and more than a dozen “mostly Jewish and African-American guests will recite prayers and retell…

That’s the million — perhaps billion — dollar question for faithful Catholics, as the New York Times continues hammering away at its investigation of how Pope Benedict’s former office handled reports of clergy sex abuse in the U.S., Germany, and elsewhere. The NYT has uncovered memos and other documents that indicate Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (the future pope) was apprised of…
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