Photo ~ Auxiliary Bishop Donald Hying of Milwaukee joins in a prayer at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' biannual meeting in Atlanta. (David Goldman / Associated Press / June 13, 2012)

Perhaps we need some help with PR, say Catholic bishops in U.S.

ATLANTA -- There's no doubt that America's Roman Catholic bishops have had their share of what might quaintly be called bad press. The priest sex-abuse scandal, a Vatican crackdown on nuns, a head-knocking fight with the president of the United States over contraceptive coverage -- none of these would qualify as good news.

On Thursday, the bishops said they've had enough. It is time, they said, to beef up their public relations arsenal.

"We need more help and sophistication in our messaging," said Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, who decried the "latest debacle" of bad PR over the treatment of American nuns (which involves an investigation by the Vatican, not the American bishops).

O'Malley observed ruefully that when John Jay College released a landmark study last year of the causes and handling of the church's sex-abuse crisis, it "should have been a good moment for the church, and yet it was another black eye."

Wester said it was time for the bishops to fully embrace the 21st century array of communications tools, and "take a good, hard look" at how well they communicate their message.

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