Verbatim.

"The way viewers are seeing Susan Boyle is like the way God sees us: worthwhile, special, talented, unique, beautiful."

--The editors of Catholic weekly America, noting the YouTube celebrity of Britain's Got Talent sensation Susan Boyle of Scotland (America, May 11)

"A mandated 'gift,' after all, is really no gift at all."

--Father Donald Cozzens, reconsidering the requirement of celibacy after popular Miami televangelist Father Alberto Cutie's spectacularly public fall from grace (cnn.com, May 15)

"Life is the fundamental value, but I don't think my vote for Obama makes a hoot of difference in regard to abortion. I resent being called a sinner for it."

--James Hanigan, a retired professor of moral theology, speaking at a "disputation" on whether church teaching forbids voting for pro-choice candidates (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 19)