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Paths to Rome: Washing of Feet on Holy Thursday"For I have given you an example, that you also should do"On Holy Thursday, in parishes throughout the United States, twelve men and women will assemble in the sanctuaries during the Mass of the Lord's Supper to have their feet ritually washed by a priest. Although many Catholics -- both men and women -- are disburbed by the practice of washing women's feet, probably most barely take notice.  Almost no one will be aware that, despite documents approving the practice from the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy (BCL), there is no clear...

Cardinal Anthony M. Bevilacqua's sweeping rejection of gay men becoming priests diverges from mainstream thinking by U.S. Catholic theologians and policymakers, a range of church scholars said in interviews this week.But his remarks echoed a little-known Vatican decree issued four decades ago that may come into play as church leaders labor toward a national response to the sex-abuse scandal in the church.Upon his return last week from the cardinals' summit conference in Rome, Cardinal Bevilacqua weighed in on the debate about gays in the priesthood - a hot issue in the scandal - with a categorical pronouncement.No "homosexually oriented" men,...

District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham said today that she will convene a grand jury to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by priests in Philadelphia. The grand jury will look into "all allegations involving priests whether they are dead, dismissed or retired," Abraham said. "We intend to have have full and wide-ranging inquiry to make sure all laws were complied with and if they were not, why not." She said she expected the grand jury to look into allegations going back "at least 35 years." Abraham said the Philadelphia archdiocese, through its attorneys, had pledged full cooperation with her efforts....