010 :
08 Oct 2012

A Basic Context for an open discussion on Homosexualityin the Clerical Culture... Dr Richard Sipe present his own introduction to this commentary: "Isn't it time for the Catholic Church to have an intelligent and informed dialogue about homosexuality? Headlines about same-sex marriage, widespread sexual abuse of minor boys by clergy, hate crimes and continuing condemnations by the Vatican—even to the point of questioning the validity of ordinations of gay oriented men—make homosexuality and related issues more confused and urgent than ever." [more]

009 :
13 Sep 2012

SEX: Some starting positions where the Church needs to reform its thinking... The provocative post-partum advice from Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini has provoked Dr Richard Sipe to propose some places in Catholic teaching where some reformation might begin in the realms of human sexuality. He cites suggestions which originated with Sr Margaret Farley rsm where the discussion on change needs to begin. [more]

008 :
30 May 2012

The Context & Causes for Clerical Sexual Abuse... Dr Richard Sipe has sent us a copy of an address he delivered at Santa Clara University on 11th May just gone. In it he examines the context and causes for sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic Church across the United States. [more]

007 :
26 Feb 2011

The abuse scandal is far from over... Clerical abuse campaigner Richard Sipe has sent us this new assessment of the renewed state of the clerical abuse scandal in the United States following the release last month of the second lengthy Philadelphia Grand Jury investigation into the sexual abuse of minors in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by archdiocesan clergy and employees. Mr Sipe concludes that the prosecution of a higher level official in the Church grows closer and the abuse scandal for the institution is far from over in the United States. [more]

006 :
05 Nov 2010

The pope should resign! Investigative journalist, Joe Rigert, and abuse campaigner, Richard Sipe, have upped the stakes in the continuing controversy of clerical sexual abuse by suggesting that Pope Benedict and all bishops complicit in the scandal should voluntarily resign. They argue in this commentary especially prepared for Catholica "the Catholic Church today is in need of a reformation as profound (and breathtaking) as any in its history". [more]

005 :
19 Oct 2010

It's time to start healing the damage... Increasingly over recent times a number of commentators on Catholica and elsewhere have been suggesting clericalism is at the heart of the institution's present problems. Some have argued our collective understanding of the role of priesthood is changing or evolving. Richard Sipe, one of the most informed, vocal and respected international commentators on the clerical abuse scandal, today argues that there are welcome developments opening up in the thinking at the highest levels of the Church. He argues the time for apologies is over and we now need sieze the opportunity for constructive talk and a bit of love. "Love," he says, "involves an uncompromising duty to seek the truth". [more]

004 :
29 May 2010

Why the Pope should resign! Our lead commentary today is the text of a talk given by Richard Sipe to a group of guests invited by www.bishop-accountability.org in the Boston Public Library on May 20, 2010. It is a powerful and provocative commentary setting out the case why the gravity of the present crisis facing the Church calls for Benedict XVI to be the 10th Roman Pontiff in history to resign. [more]

003 :
02 Feb 2010

Celibacy — a problem for priests AND laity! Richard Sipe, the well-known campaigner against sexual abuse, has kindly sent us this update report on the problems with clerical celibacy. He points out that priest leaders have themselves been writing about the problem for decades — even back to the late 1920s/early 1930s. The lack of resolution of the problem has led to problems for lay people as well — many simply do not listen to the clergy anymore on a whole range of issues so much has clerical credibility been damaged by the lack of an effective response to the challenges posed by celibacy... [more]

002 :
14 Nov 2008

Clerical-Sex, Blackmail, and the link to Sexual Abuse… That other great American clerical campaigner on behalf of the victims of sexual abuse, and on greater accountability by the institution and its leaders, Richard Sipe, in this new article argues for more honesty by the institution and greater efforts to eradicate the travesty of the sexual abuse of minors. [more]

001 :
21 Jun 2008

Richard Sipe's overview report of Bishop Robinson in America Renowned campaigner against sexual abuse, Richard Sipe, has sent us this special overview report for Australian readers of how Bishop Geoffrey Robinson was received by the audiences who attended his lectures in America... [more]