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By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
New York

One of the most remarkable women in the Catholic church passed from the scene today. Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare movement, died at roughly 2:00 am on March 14 at her home in Rocca del Papa, outside Rome, at the age of 88.

Lubich had been treated for complications related to age at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, and then returned home for her final hours.

I would like to express my gratitude for being invited here today to celebrate this Eucharist and to speak this evening. I am also very grateful to all of you. I appreciate very much the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the midst of a community that obviously is a believing and prayerful community. It inspires me very much, and so I thank you for the faith that you manifest here today. I'm also especially pleased that this liturgy includes a scrutiny for those who are about to be received into the church, or to be baptized. It's an honor to be with all of you and to share with you as you continue to grow in your faith and prepare yourself for these sacred celebrations of Holy Saturday night.

On Tuesday I was in Dayton, Ohio, where the University of Dayton put together a panel to discuss my argument that "evangelical Catholicism" constitutes a mega-trend in Catholic life. Aside from me, the panelists were William Portier, who holds the Mary Ann Spearin Chair in Catholic Theology at the University of Dayton; and David J. O'Brien, Loyola Professor of Roman Catholic Studies at the College of the Holy Cross.

By NCR STAFF

A majority of active diocesan priets in the Belleville, Ill., diocese have signed a letter calling for the resignation of their bishop Edward Braxton, local media are reporting.

A statement from the priests posted to the Web site of the News-Democrat says that the priests believe Braxton “has lost his moral authority to lead and govern our diocese.”

The Epidemic and the Cure

Pope John Paul II often reminded us of the loss of a sense of sin and the need for a return to the practice of frequent confessions. The moral relativism that is causing much of this loss of a sense of sin in our world has also been characterized by our current Pope, Benedict XVI as the major evil facing the Catholic Church today.

The word “epidemic” is described by Webster’s as “affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time and excessively prevalent”. The word “epidemic” would seem to be the very best way to describe the crisis in the Catholic Church today. There are most likely at least 75% of Catholics in the state of mortal (deadly) sin.