The Roman Catholic Church in the United States has been shaken to its core by disclosures of sexual abuse by priests and of lax response to complaints by some bishops and cardinals. Priests in some cases have been allowed to remain in ministerial posts despite repeated accusations or admissions of sexual misconduct with children. Catholics across the ideological spectrum have criticized the church's handling of abuse cases, and many have called for resignations of church leaders, including Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston. In a meeting convened by Pope John Paul II, U.S. cardinals and leading bishops called for dismissal of priests in “notorious” abuse cases. But critics want the U.S. bishops to go further when they meet on the issue next month.

Kenneth Jost is Supreme Court editor, CQ Press; associate editor, CQ Researcher; and author of The Supreme Court Yearbook since the 1992-1993 edition.