U.S. Catholic church

Appreciation: The passing of Holy Cross Fr. Robert Pelton on Nov. 4 feels like the end of an era. He played a significant role in transforming the church into an outward-facing impulse for social justice.

As the fifth anniversary of the environmental encyclical Laudato Si' approaches, Catholics are working to turn the papal teaching into realizable actions and to make a more concerted effort to care for creation within the U.S. Church. 

Bishop Christopher Coyne of Burlington Aug. 22 released the names of 40 priests who served in Vermont and were credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor or vulnerable individual since 1950.

Texas Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, denies a characterization of how he handled an accusation by a woman who said she was manipulated into a sexual relationship with his former deputy, a priest.

The Catholic bishops of Washington state endorsed a ballot initiative that would boost gun safety measures and restrict the purchase and ownership of firearms.

The leader of one of the U.S. dioceses stung this summer by the sex abuse crisis has asked Pope Francis to relieve his appointment as a delegate to next month's synod on the youth and has withdrawn from the upcoming world gathering.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington encouraged archdiocesan parishes to participate in a six-week "Season of Healing" to counter what he called "confusion, disappointment and disunity" and to help bring about healing in the wake of recent sex abuse scandals that have rocked the U.S. Catholic Church.

With the Aug. 14 release of a Pennsylvania grand jury report on priestly sexual abuse of minors, the U.S. Catholic Church again is confronting questions about its response to abuse allegations dating back several decades.