Morning Briefing

If Fr. James Martin and NY Times columnist Ross Douthat can dialogue, maybe Kaine and Naumann can, too.

If you're interested in justice, this could be the most important article you read today: Without a lawyer, immigrants lost in a system stacked against them

Where do you fall on the "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" greeting debate? This story kinda puts that into perspective: Seminary carolers detained in central India, vehicle torched

Sr. Chris Schenk reflects on #MeToo: An open letter to our daughters

Net Loss or Net Gain on the Neutrality Vote? The top of this article gives you a good rundown on the issues and concerns around net neutrality. It also has a cool graphic that explains the concept.

Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse has completed its five-year investigation. The commission's 17-volume report has 400 recommendations; 189 recommendations are direct to the Catholic church, including dropping celibacy for diocesan clergy and requiring abuse revealed in confession be reported.

• The scale and nature of abuse uncovered in Catholic institutions is staggering: more than four times the number of allegations associated with any other religious group.
• Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart has said he does not fully support some of the 189 new recommendations: "I revere the law of the land and I trust it but this is a sacred, spiritual charge before God which I must honor."
• The Ballarat Catholic Diocese (where some of the most horrific abuse and cover-up took place) says it is open to the recommendation that parish priests be stripped of their power over schools.

Bishop Barbara Andrews knows how much hurt the Anglican Church of Canada caused the indigenous people. The Bishop who binds where the Church was undone

Hmmm. This is interesting. Polish Church launches English-language Twitter account amid growing international scrutiny. A church spokesman said "users of the internet" are interested in St. Pope John Paul II and World Youth Days in Krakow. The secular media in Western Europe and North America reported the event in mainly political terms, seeing it as a statement against immigration and Islamic extremism.

Global Sisters Report talked to Sr. Pat Murray, executive secretary of the International Union of Superiors General, Sr. Teresa Maya, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and Sr. Joan-Marie Steadman, executive director of LCWR, as part of our annual planning process for topics to cover in the coming year. "It's not about numbers. We're learning in this process that we are enough for the Gospel," Maya said.

Delft, South Africa — Where gangs are family, job training offers chance to escape violence "[The kids] don't particularly want to be there. But gangs are the only game in town in some cases. Gangs are surrogate families, and gang bosses are surrogate fathers."

Start your day inspired with daily Scripture reflections. Join NCR's sister publication, Celebration, for Daily Bread, a series of short reflections written by four authors who meet regularly to share the readings.

Or reflect on Pencil Preaching by Pat Marrin. Every morning, Pat Marrin breaks open the Word with a pencil sketch and a short meditation.