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Pope Benedict XVI should realize that his 2006 decision to let Father Marcial Maciel Degollado retire to live a life of prayer and penance, and let it go at that with the hope that Maciel would fade in memory after his death, is no longer sufficient.

I am proud to say that my brother is a Legion priest. He is a good man who has not been “programmed,” but who has used his intellect, his spirit and his heart to discern the call of the Lord in his life.

As a Protestant, I’m not qualified to address the tensions between Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien’s office and the Legion of Christ (CR, Feb. 26). As an ethicist, however, I can say without reservation that the article was at best an irresponsible and, at worst, an intentionally harmful injustice to the reputation of Woodmont Academy, Cooksville. The article admittedly levels no direct accusations at the school, but guilt by association damage is clearly accomplished. The fact that the reader is indirectly left to assume that the problematic issues identified by the archbishop apply directly to Woodmont makes the smearing of the school no less poisonous. Particularly devastating is the article’s passive implication that Woodmont as a Legion school will impose a controlling, cult-like indoctrination to children enrolled there. As a non-Catholic, I’m especially sensitive to this issue, and we’ve experienced nothing even resembling inappropriate instruction during our 10 years as Woodmont parents. What we have experienced is a school community so exceptional that we’ve refrained from taking better jobs elsewhere so that our three girls could remain there.

WASHINGTON – Despite receiving what he termed “hate mail” that questioned his involvement on the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the president of Catholic Charities USA said he welcomed the opportunity to bring the church’s views on serving the poor and marginalized to national discussions aimed at solving deepening social problems.

Julian Bauer’s letter (CR, Feb. 26) questioned why non-Catholics are in Catholic schools. I say, why not? As a teacher in an archdiocesan school, I’ve had a number of wonderful non-Catholic children in my classroom. I find their parents actively engaged. I do not believe we are in competition with public or private schools. Any non-Catholic choosing a Catholic school understands that their child will be attending religion class and Mass with the school population, but this is not really “evangelization.” While I have no statistics that reflect a growth in non-Catholics attending our schools, I feel that if the non-Catholic population is growing, that would help the financial standing of a school, rather than, as Mr. Bauer implied, compounding the economic crisis.

VATICAN CITY – A group of Nigerian bishops expressed hope that Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to Africa will spur the troubled continent on a path toward peace, justice and reconciliation.

VATICAN CITY – Textbooks used in Catholic and Muslim schools and in predominantly Catholic or Muslim nations should be reviewed and revised to ensure a respectful, accurate portrayal of the history and beliefs of the other community, said members of a Catholic-Muslim dialogue.

Hundreds of Marylanders will gather in Annapolis March 9 to rally in support of pregnant women at the 30th annual Maryland March for Life.

WASHINGTON – Support Our Aging Religious, a national organization working to help U.S. religious congregations finance the retirement of their elderly and infirm members, will distribute $1 million in grants to 58 religious congregations this year.

BRAINTREE, Mass. – The Vatican’s top official on Catholic-Jewish relations will attend a March 25 rededication of a Holocaust memorial menorah that symbolizes the close relationship between the Catholic and Jewish communities in Boston.