Religion & Law

John Allen's column this week:  "Lessons the Irish church can learn about sex abuse," here.

And this from MOJ friend & Trinity College Dublin law prof Gerry Whyte:  "A second Irish bishop has now offered to resign in the aftermath of the Murphy report."  The story is here, and opens with this:  "Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Jim Moriarty has offered his resignation to Pope Benedict, admitting he should have challenged the 'prevailing culture' within the Catholic Church that allowed criminal acts against children to take place."

May we not fairly wonder--indeed, should we not wonder, even urgently and fiercely--how many American bishops could have said (could say) the same thing--indeed, should have said (should say) the same thing--but, being corporation men, and thereby, and sadly, corrupted, lacked (lack) the virtues to have done (to do) so:  inter alia, self-awareness, courage, honesty, and perhaps that most wonderful of all virtues, humility.  What authority--what kind of authority--do these men presume to claim?