A group critical of the Lincoln Diocese for being the only one in the nation not to participate in a sex abuse survey said it was turned away Monday when it tried to hand-deliver petitions to bishops from across the country.

The Catholic reformist group Call to Action instead planned to use a person not known as a member of the group to sneak roughly 1,000 petitions into the hotel where the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was meeting in Baltimore, said a member of the group.

But the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was not going to let that happen:

About a dozen members of various groups calling for reforms to prevent sexual abuse tried to enter the Baltimore hotel where the bishops were meeting, according to Rachel Pokora, who tried to enter and is president of the Nebraska chapter of Call to Action.

"We were told we were not allowed on the property at all," Pokora said.
A marketing director of the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, Bobby Vaughan, confirmed that the group was not allowed in the hotel but was uncertain of the reason why.

Sadly, it appears that the Bishops' Conference is more concerned with the public relations problems of a recalcitrant member of the fraternity than the well being of Catholic children. Call to Action has assured me that despite this setback it will "keep the spotlight on the failures of Bishop Bruskewitz to protect children."

And so will I.

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On a separate and much more pleasant note, I want to take a moment and thank all those who take the time to read this column every week, especially those who leave their often insightful comments. To all those who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas; to my Jewish fiends, I hope that the recent Hanukah season was enjoyable; Happy Holidays to everyone, and a peaceful, prosperous and joyous New Year for us all.