The church has a deep structural problem that is entirely bound to ancient metaphysical and philosophical principles that at this point requires either a radical decision towards a new ecclesial structure or the acceptance of the possibility of a major schism. 

From Where I Stand: Few if any young people will look consciously for role models of decency in political figures, least of all, in a divisive, indecent, demeaning presidency whose insulting language, sexism and racism grind American ideals to dust.

Sr. Ancila Devadass and Sr. Mary Nijo work together for Color the Fallen Stars, a project that helps rescue people who live in poverty and bring them to rehabilitation centers. "The people with whom we work are the stars that are fallen," Devadass told GSR. "We go to the streets looking for them."

Sr. Luke Boiarski is director of the disaster recovery team for the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Kentucky, which uses sisters, associates and lay volunteers to aid those in need, whether they are nearby (West Point is about 35 miles from the congregation's motherhouse in Nazareth) or as far away as Belize, where they have made several trips to help build houses.

In an informal network, we explore the new cosmology and its implications for a new and emerging worldview; address concerns about the ecological/spiritual crises of our times; and support one another in healing the human spirit and restoring Earth's support systems.

See for Yourself - Do you want to be a "destination designer"? "Chief amazement officer"? "Coffee cake authority"? It's almost Labor Day, and time to appreciate some really interesting job titles.

Horizons: I finally had the courage to start reading the grand jury report out of Pennsylvania. It rocked my world. It colors the way I listen to the prayers of the liturgy and how I read official church statements or documents. It has shifted the way I speak and think about the church. The crisis is the lens through which I view parish and diocesan life. My mind turns over and over, searching for root causes and trying to reason out solutions. And while I am certainly no expert on this, I keep coming back to one thing: clericalism.

A conference marking 50 years since a historic Catholic gathering in Colombia kept its focus on the anniversary, which some considered a missed opportunity to address the present-day injustice of abuse. But the Confederation of Latin American Religious meeting that followed did not shy away from the crisis, with a call for "a new way to be a church."

The Philippines' Bureau of Immigration reaffirmed its intention to deport an Australian missionary nun after earlier ordering her to leave the country.

Every day, Sr. Elsie Vadakkekara of the Sisters of St. Ann of Providence heads out to bring meals to people with mental illness who are found abandoned on roads in India. The septuagenarian Catholic sister has won the hearts of local people, mostly Hindus. For Vadakkekara, the work has transformed her: "Now I see the face of Jesus in everyone."