Morning Briefing

The Australian Federal Government has called a Royal Commission into child abuse. Under pressure to act following growing calls for a national inquiry into explosive allegations by a senior New South Wales police investigator that the Catholic Church covered up evidence involving paedophile priests.

Background on story above: A senior serving police officer: "Many police are frustrated by this sinister behaviour which will continue until someone stops it."

Australia: Two state inquires already underway: Child abuse inquiry reaches wide

Australia: THE Catholic Church has settled thousands of claims of child abuse outside of its internal complaints' system, Melbourne Response, in an attempt to silence them, a victims' group says.

Australia: Abuse Royal Commission gets former bishop's backing. Former Bishop for Toowoomba William Morris was once chairman of a the committee that set Catholic policy nationwide in handling abuse allegations.

The U.S. bishops meet in Baltimore this week: Commentary -- Is there a political plan B for the bishops?by Tom Reese

The Bishops in Baltimore: Catholic bishops get crash course in social media

Call to Action Annual Conference -- CTA in Louisville discusses race

Ghana: Catholic Bishops Raise Alarm Over Corruption

NCR's sister publication, Celebration, posts reflections on each day's Scripture reading. Here's a link: celebrationpublications.org/dailybread. You may want to bookmark it. It's a great way to begin the day.

The Association of Catholics in Ireland New Catholic lay group sets out 'reform agenda'

Oregon girls go on a 'nun run'

Nebraska's new bishop: Meet the new bishop of Lincoln's Catholic Diocese: James D. Conley

Houston, Texas: Catholic diocese moving ex-prisoners' transitional living center to church campus

Words fail us: Parishioners respond to the new Missal a year later