The scandal over pedophilia in the priesthood is spreading beyond the Boston archdiocese as new allegations are sprouting up throughout the country and Catholics around the world struggle to understand the crisis gripping their church.

Cardinal Bernard Law has had his say on the issue. Despite calls for him to resign, Law says he is the one who will lead the archdiocese out of its current scandal. Parish priests have addressed the crisis in their Sunday homilies.

Tonight, we hear from Catholics themselves. Should the cardinal resign? How are they dealing with the anguish of knowing that the foundation of their faith was involved in ghastly behavior and an institutional cover-up? Have Catholics’ support for their Church been harmed as a result of the scandal? Our guests are a small sample of parishioners from St. Paul’s parish in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Guests:

Joe Costello, President of the Parents Guild of the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School

elected member of St. Paul Parish Pastoral Council

James Neville, parishioner at St. Paul’s, Cambridge

Susan Jordan, Eucharistic Minister and lector at St. Paul’s, Cambridge