Morning Catholic must-reads

Pope Benedict XVI said priests are called to be messengers of hope and peace at his general audience yesterday (video).

The New York Times has taken note of critics of its reporting on the Pope and sexual abuse, publishing reports on Fr Thomas Brundage’s testimony in the Murphy case and Cardinal William Levada’s critique of the paper (the cardinal’s full text here).

The New York Daily News, the fifth most-widely circulated daily newspaper in America, has published an editorial defending the Pope over the Murphy case.

The Swiss bishops have admitted they underestimated the scale of the abuse problem and urged victims to come forward.

A Mexican archdiocese has cancelled a mission after 10 young people were murdered, reportedly by drug traffickers.

A Brazilian court has delayed the trial of a rancher accused of ordering the murder of Sister Dorothy Stang.

A new website dedicated exclusively to covering Pope Benedict XVI and the sex abuse crisis has just been launched.

Ross Douthat draws attention to a remarkable graph of the American priestly abuse crisis and defends his interpretation of it.

Fr James Martin SJ urges Catholics not to blame the media for the abuse scandal, while his colleague, Michael Sean Winters, says it’s right to criticise poor reporting.

And, finally, a reminder that all the Holy Week celebrations at the Vatican will be broadcast live on the internet here.