Re: Reviling Maciel

Tom Hoopes, the editor of the National Catholic Register responds to Fr. Raymond de Souza’s article :

Father Raymond J. de Souza has written for the Register since 1997 and was the Register’s Rome correspondent from 1999—2003.

Our publisher, Father Owen Kearns, knew of Father Raymond’s concerns when he wrote in his publisher’s note for the Feb. 22 issue, “I’m also grateful for those who have expressed their indignation and their hurt. I know that it comes from their love for the Church we all love so well, and which the Register is dedicated to serving.”

We also appreciate Father Raymond’s kind words about the Register and his pride in being associated with it.

The paper covered the Holy See’s 2006 communiqué regarding Father Marcial Maciel with a wire service news story. Father Owen Kearns wisely limited any defense of Father Maciel to two pieces bylined by himself, one in 2001 and another in 2006. We have told Father Raymond repeatedly that the Register fully intends to correct the record on that coverage as soon as we can do so accurately.

The Register is dedicated to follow this story in as responsible a way as possible. This will mean, for the most part, relying on journalism produced independently of the Register to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest.

At the Register , our mission is to form and inform Catholics. We are more than a newspaper—we have a mission to bring readers closer to the Church. But we are also a newspaper, and accuracy is our fundamental value.

We will keep readers informed about this situation in a way that is accurate, above all, and in keeping with our mission to form and inform.