Lehmann resigns

Sad to see that Cardinal Karl Lehmann is resigning as president of the German bishops' conference. A good man, who has spoken with great sense, clarity and bravery. He will be missed. He is remaining on as bishop of Mainz.

Tucked away in a side bar of The Tablet there is the story of a former Vatican 'official, who is said to have been a close friend of the last pope, who has been sentenced to four years in jail in Canada for abusing 13 boys between 1964 and 1984. He worked as secretary general of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

Is there not something systemically wrong within the hierarchical church? If this man had fallen in love with a woman he would never have got to that job and he certainly would not have been a monsignor - of course that is if it were public knowledge that he loved a woman. Strange.

A Vatican official is quoted as saying one per cent of priests have abused. That figure can easily be dismissed as 'inaccurate spin'

The Tablet names the man who was jailed in Canada last week.