What Should He Do?

A TIME Forum: American Catholics suggest priorities the new pontiff should tackle in the days ahead

By DEPARTMENT Sunday, Apr. 24, 2005

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    In time, the Pope will have to deal with issues of gender. I'm hopeful that they will be thought through carefully. There has to be serious conversation about leadership based on re-examination of doctrine, allowing women to become priests in time ... In Europe and the U.S. we're losing ground in terms of the preparation of new priests. The numbers are declining and really hitting hard in areas of great need. The church needs to address this.

    THE REV. RICHARD MCBRIEN

    Theology professor at the University of Notre Dame:

    The highest item on his agenda should be the sexual-abuse crisis in the priesthood. It is the most serious crisis in the Roman Catholic Church since the Reformation. Pope Benedict can do something to restore the credibility of the priesthood. He can show the members of the church he understands the gravity of the crisis by calling in a representative group of victims and families and expressing the sorrow and repentance of the church. He can ask their forgiveness.

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