Clerical Sex Abuse Scandal Despite the slowness of reforming our Church, some changes are beginning to take place. No doubt, the entire year has been overshadowed by the clergy sex abuse scandal. Tribunals are slowly being established in dioceses around the globe though only headed by laity in not-nearly-enough instances. We're happy to see Francis lift the papal secrecy rule on this abuse. Follow Australia's lead, New Zealand implemented own Royal Commission to investigate this matter. So far, 1400 victims have come forward to talk to the Commission. The members plan to have a temporary report out by the end of 2020 and the final by 2023. There is talk among the laity of this also leading to a Plenary Council for this country.

You are invited to become an active member of CCRI Whether you are a former Catholic no longer affiliated with the institutional Church, or appalled by the clerical sex abuse crisis, feeling excluded due to being divorced and remarried, a young adult who feels that your life issues are not being addressed by the church, wanting something more than just Sunday church, or someone who is seeking a more personal community, we hope that you join us in one or both of two ways that may enhance your own faith experience in today's world.

Not since Vatican II has there been a groundswell of bishops willing to respond to the rumblings of the Spirit among the people. Relying on the bishops for initiative is like waiting for Godot. We need more initiative from the grass roots.

The American Catholic Council is organizing such an initiative to give voice to rumblings of the Spirit among the people, picking up on its 2011 conference in Detroit. The first step is to get really good at listening in small groups. Not dialogue as much as listening to one another. It isn't a conference but a "working weekend" to learn listening skills well enough as a foundation to practice the art of "listening circles" and return home to put them into practice.

All over the world there is the move towards just gender relations - even if the odds seem to be worse than a decade ago. This poses a special task for Christians and churches in service of the marginalised who engage in the fight for justice. This volume documents providing special insights into processes of two intercultural dialogues. The topic for the European-Asian dialogue focuses on "Gender and Ecclesiology". The European dialogue between western and eastern Central European countries has a special aim for gender theories and their theological and political implications. The book presents contributions from different perspectives and shows how the Christian churches can contribute to gender justice.

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