William P. Leahy

“BC is not going to replace the hierarchy, and BC is not going to lead some major reform in the Catholic Church - that's got to come out of the whole Catholic community.”

“You know how the church has been hit so hard by the sexual misconduct by clergy, and what's that's done to Catholics, especially here in Boston but elsewhere as well.”

“I say let's respond as best we can to the victims and their families.”

“We are the meeting place, an entity that's trying to connect faith and culture.”

“I would say the hierarchy has made terrible errors in judgment and it has to seek forgiveness by its members.”

“As a university, we're not focused on bringing about huge reforms - that's not our role.”

“This is a crisis, but there is an opportunity to help revitalize and renew the Catholic community.”

“What we're about is a manifestation of the Catholic roots of Boston College.”

“The hierarchy shouldn't fear what we're doing.”

“Clearly there are individuals who don't understand what the church teaches, or they think it's so limiting.”

“I would be with those who say the hierarchy in the United States has badly mishandled this whole situation.”

“The church may hold whatever it holds with regard to clerical celibacy.”

“I think the issue of clergy sexual abuse sparked people to look at their faith in a different way.”

“I am very confident that the Spirit is with us.”

“The more we can get together and talk about various perspectives, feelings, beliefs, the better.”

“Now where people are - at least the people I talk to - they are focused on issues of trust. Accountability also comes up, to make sure that this doesn't happen again.”

“The Spirit hasn't deserted the church today.”

“Some of the speakers we bring on campus may not reflect official church teaching, but that's how it is.”

“Others don't want to listen to viewpoints that members of the church have.”

“One of the biggest issues that we face is that we have people who have their own particular concerns, whether it's on abortion, birth control, divorce and remarriage, civil rights or social justice.”