Woods, a Buddhist, opted for forgiveness from the public.

He held an overly-prepared press conference that made his contriteness seem less than authentic.

“I am deeply sorry,” the king of golf repeatedly said as he stared into the lens of a television camera.

For his advice, Hume received hoards of criticism, primarily from far left activists.

But Hume was right. Asking for forgiveness from the public – as necessary as it may be in this day and age – does not absolve us from our sins. Only Jesus Christ can do that.

People used to acknowledge the importance of going to confession and asking for forgiveness from God directly. But now, we simply seek forgiveness from man, a creature scarred by original sin.

Enter Lance Armstrong.

His confession to Oprah Winfrey is emblematic of this strange new reality.

Armstrong, who in the past has expressed doubts about the existence of God, told Winfrey that he used performance enhancing drugs to help his career.

I’ll let you be the judge of Armstrong’s sincerity, but what he needs to realize is that coming clean to the public does not exonerate him from his past, spiritually speaking.

His actions destroyed people’s lives, reputations and their dignity. And for what? Money and a fleeting sense of happiness. Two things that in the long run don’t amount to anything.

No matter how many mountains we climb, trophies we win or championships we claim, all of that pales in comparison to what Christ did for us.

That’s not to suggest those things are unimportant, but so long as we pursue earthly desires by any means necessary, we will always come up short. For it is God’s will that must be done. Not ours.

It is my hope that Lance, like all of us, recognize this and that he turns to Jesus Christ during this trying time in his life.

Remember when sports pundits called the Penn State football program squeaky clean? The famous Paterno creed, “winning with honor” served as the high standard for collegiate football.

Then, the Sandusky scandal erupted. The proud and pristine tradition of PSU is now forever tarnished by its child predator, Jerry Sandusky.

Where and when will the next Jerry Sandusky emerge? Sadly, Sandusky is not an outlier, unique to Penn State. Although he was a prominent defensive coordinator who served under the nation’s most revered college coach, his criminal behavior mimics the classic pedophile profile. Jerry Sandusky, stripped of his title, is your garden variety child perp.

While the country was focused on Penn State, a number of colleges were dealing with their own child sex scandals. The stories are numbingly similar; knowledge of predatory behavior and delays in reporting child predators to law enforcement. It is time for universities to start paying attention or face the loss of reputation and endowment in the process. Here is a troubling lineup:

University of Michigan
The Board of Regents recently ordered an external investigation of the six-month reporting delay of child pornography discovered on an employee’s thumb drive. The employee, Stephen Jenson, was a University of Michigan Hospital pediatric resident. At least eight university employees, including a university lawyer, knew of the child pornography allegedly on Jenson’s computer in May 2011, but did not notify the police. The matter was reopened in November and finally reported to university police after doctors at the University of Michigan hospital read about the Sandusky scandal. Jenson is now charged in a federal criminal complaint with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. The U.S. Department of Education is also investigating the University of Michigan for the delay in reporting the crime. Sound familiar?

Citadel University
Recently, officials at The Citadel admitted they did not do enough after learning that an employee who has been accused of sexually abusing at least five boys in recent years, was brought to the school’s attention back in 2007. An internal university investigation was conducted, but police were never informed. Louis ReVille, a 2002 graduate of The Citadel, was hired by the college as a camp counselor for three summers, from 2001 to 2003. According to Citadel documents, he lured boys to his room with pizza and Chinese food to view pornography and performed sex acts. The former coach who once worked as a summer camp counselor at The Citadel military college was sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual abuse crimes involving 23 young male victims. In November of 2011, the school said it had investigated accusations against ReVille in 2007 but took no action.

Sound familiar?

Where children play, predators lurk. Jerry Sandusky’s playground was Second Mile Charity and Penn State. Thousands of disadvantaged and neglected children belonged to the Second Mile Foundation. Jerry had free rein with young boys on the campus and Penn State served as the playground for a dangerous mix of vulnerable children and a powerful predator.

The massive influx of children on college campuses
The size and scope of the population of children on universities is staggering, as Penn State proudly advertises on its athletic department website:

“Parents, are you looking for a way your children can build self-confidence, learn about and develop skills in activities they enjoy, and make new friends in a fun environment. Every year more than 220, 000 youth have memorable Penn State experiences with Penn State faculty, staff, and graduate students who care about helping youth excel. School age youth can choose from more than 95 sports camps and dozens of hands-on programs in arts, theatre, science and engineering.”

Chilling, isn’t it?

Last summer 220,000 children participated in activities when child molester, Jerry Sandusky roamed and showered on campus. Sandusky’s many boy victims certainly never developed more “self confidence” or considered PSU a “fun environment.”

Nearly every university in the United States runs summer youth programs, everything from football to marching band camps. Every summer, millions of children participate in activities and live on college campuses. The recruitment of underage children to participate in and live on college campuses is big business for universities. These children’s camps generate huge revenue and provide a valuable recruitment tool for college teams.

Until Sandusky, the public didn’t realize that universities were rife with children. What are children doing on college campuses anyway?

The mission of universities is to educate young adults, by imparting knowledge and skills in a rigorous classroom setting and to prepare adult students for the world of work. Colleges are not qualified to operate and house summer sports camps for 8 year olds. Yet, colleges opened their doors to children without the training and knowledge to serve and protect young children. These college summer camps are glorified employment agencies for grad students, coaches and professors.

Every university board of trustees and administration should be both vigilant and terrified that one of its employees might be a Jerry Sandusky. Where is the next Jerry Sandusky… Big Ten, ACC, SEC, Pac12? Although you shouldn’t bet on college sports, the odds are great that many schools have a Coach Jerry.

For decades, Joe Paterno was Penn State football. He was the face of the football program. That football icon ended last year and now, Jerry Sandusky is the lasting image in State College, PA.

Legends die and legacies linger much longer.

© Elizabeth Yore-2012 All Rights Reserved. Elizabeth Yore is the former Special Counsel at Harpo, Inc., where she served as Oprah Winfrey’s Child Advocate. She was also the former General Counsel at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The Barons of Franciscan University, central region champions, are ranked number 1 in the country heading into this weekend's final four tourney. (Photo: Franciscan University Athletics)

This coming Saturday, April 28, in “Rugbytown, USA,” the rugby teams from Franciscan University of Steubenville and Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, will clash in the semi-final round of the National Small College Rugby Organization Division 3 final four tournament.

Salve Regina is in the semi-final round for the second straight year, but this is the first time Franciscan, where I work, has made it this far.

Our schools are about the same size—it appears Salve Regina is slightly larger—and both are about the same age—Franciscan founded in 1946 by the Franciscans TOR and Salve Regina in 1947 by the Sisters of Mercy.

Their semi-final match starts at 1 p.m. Mountain Time on Saturday, and the winner will square off against the winner of the 3 p.m. match between the University of North Florida and Cal Maritime Academy in the championship match the next day at 1 p.m.

Go Barons!

Welcome to the Lunchtime Reader, where we assemble important stories to keep your eyes on.

Pat Archbold is still praying for Christopher Hitchens, an atheist writer who passed away this morning. [Correction: he died last night.] http://is.gd/uOtopL

Our own Thomas Peters encouraged Catholics to pray for Hitchens when word first broke out about his cancer back in 2010. http://is.gd/ZODe9L

Planned Parenthood loses $130K in taxpayer funding in Wisconsin. http://is.gd/eZSErC

Virginia allows faith-based adoption groups freedom of conscience. http://is.gd/lQPK0z

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley endorses Romney. http://is.gd/xC3kYA

This National Review editorial against Newt Gingrich caused quite a stir yesterday. http://is.gd/KgO44O

52% say Obama doesn’t deserve re-election, while 42% say he deserves another term. http://is.gd/OFp8Yp

Ohio moved up its presidential primary to Super Tuesday and this will help Romney. http://is.gd/aESMG2

CV blogger Joseph Bottum writes about football star Tim Tebow at Hudson New York. http://is.gd/DYutAa

Speaking of Tebow, he told his critics that he won’t back off talking about Jesus Christ. http://is.gd/gMxAmk

Mitt Romney suggests that Newt Gingrich should return over a million dollars in consulting money to failed housing giant Freddie Mac. Gingrich responds suggesting that Romney return money he earned at Bain for laying people off. Newt’s response backfires big time. http://is.gd/jqLHqv

If Romney or Gingrich falter, Rick Perry might take it all, says Ken Klukowski. (It’s possible, but tough.) http://is.gd/qVOVxw

President Obama’s favorable ratings hold steady, still below 50%. http://is.gd/9K61gY

A new Pennsylvania redistricting map would strengthen five congressional districts held by Republicans while pitting two Democrats (Jason Altmire and Mark Critz) in the same district.  http://is.gd/a6heYD

A new Church foundation named after Pope John Paul II promotes Catholic sportsmanship. http://is.gd/QqY10r  

The Diocese of Orange recently purchased the Crystal Cathedral once used by TV preacher Robert Schuller. (I really can’t understand why.) Deacon Kandra thinks to renovate the cathedral, the Diocese ought to hire the person who transformed one church from drab to sacred. http://is.gd/skRZ0L

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., expressed repentance for sins committed by members of the Church, including the sexual abuse of minors. http://is.gd/YH8nyr

“I was taught the faith in Catholic schools using materials that were weak and insubstantial. I wasn’t being taught my faith. The liturgy suffered from experimentation as well,” said Bishop Alexander Sample of Marquette, Mich. http://is.gd/qJLxDF

Writing in the Huffington Post, Penn had said that it was a “defamation” to refer to Chavez as a dictator.

“This is not a dictator supported by the wealthy classes, but rather, a president elected by the impoverished and at the service of the Venezuelan constitution, a document not unlike our own. He is a flamboyant, passionate leader,” wrote Penn.

Ozzie Guillen would have none of this. Born in Ocumare Del Tuy, Venezuela, the manager of the White Sox slammed Penn:

“Sean penn if you love venezuela please move to venezuela for a year. But rent a house in guarenas or guatire to see how long you last clown.”

Most Americans are ignorant of Hugo Chavez’ outrageous actions. So they might be susceptible to believing Sean Penn’s wild assertions. I’m glad to see some push back from Ozzie Guillen.

For a great write-up on Hugo Chavez, don’t read Sean Penn. Instead opt for “Hugo Chavez: Anti-Catholic, Narcissist, Leninist” in The Catholic Thing written by George Marlin.

Kathryn, most socially-conscious conservatives and more than a few liberals would agree that a return to traditional gender roles would help the urban poor. In the case of the male urban poor, they would learn to act less Charlie Sheen or Arnold Schwarzenegger and more like Bob Hurley or Dr. King.

But I think your argument begs the question, who will teach the poor to act this way? Who is willing, in the words of the Washington archdiocese, to donate their time, talent, and treasure to serve the dispossessed? One hopes that the marginalized would read the work of the Manhattan Institute and change their ways, but this scenario strikes me as rather unlikely to occur.

There is widespread agreement that the best programs at helping the urban poor provide an alternative to the destructive ghetto or “the corner” culture, a solution which includes a return to traditional gender roles. If you’re a moderate, you volunteer for the Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and Big Brothers Big Sisters. If you’re a conservative, you seek to build or help an inner-city crisis pregnancy center, donate money to prevent an inner-city Catholic school from going under, or adopt a foster-care child. (If you’re a liberal, you seek to tear down all high-rise housing projects and improve inner-city neighborhoods block by block by expanding social services, but none of these solutions imply a return to traditional gender roles).

Over the last decades, some progress at healing the ghettos has been made. Crime and murder rates in our big cities are down, and in many cases way down. In the future, the way forward for moderates and conservatives is a Tocquevillian one of building up the mediating institutions in the ghettos. But given the economic pressures facing families and the four-decade long decline in volunteerism, what reason is there to think that all of us socially-minded folk will step up to the plate? Certainly I don’t see in post-Vatican II Catholic America heirs to the likes of Hurley, my old teachers at De La Salle, Cardinal Cooke, Ray Flynn of Boston, and Father George Clements of Chicago. Maybe my position is less realistic and more pessimistic.

Relatedly: We need men — to be confident in their masculinity. (And we need women to be confident in the complementarity of the sexes.) That is not always made clear and obvious, to put it mildly. (And demographic and economic trends bear that out.)

The Manhattan Institute has done some important work on some of these issues. Sol Stern on Catholic schools. Kay Hymowitz on the caste system and manhood in America. I just interviewed Kay and reviewed her book for National Review‘s print edition, so it is on my mind. But as Mark points out, how can it not? Every coach, every priest, every man in authority can be such a powerful influence. We ought to make sure they have those opportunities.

On Wednesday in Washington, the House of Representatives will vote on keeping the D.C. school-choice scholarship program alive there. (The White House opposes the effort.) We need to make sure there are Bob Hurleys in Catholic inner-city schools and that they have community support. And that the kids who need the Hurleys most get on their courts.

Over the past few days, while political and religious analysts have written about Libya and the latest sex abuse scandals, I have thought about the success of Catholic high school sports coaches. On Saturday, my alma mater played in the California boys basketball championship. On Sunday on 60 Minutes, the legendary Bob Hurley of St. Anthony’s High School in Jersey City, New Jersey was profiled. Each of the schools graduates virtually all of their players, an achievement that in the case of St. Anthony’s, a school located in a black ghetto, is especially impressive. And based on initial signs, each of the teams say Catholic prayers and promote Church teachings in their programs.

The success of these two basketball programs cannot be attributed solely or even mainly to the great talent they attract. De La Salle’s team this year did not have a single player recruited by a Division I school. Although St. Anthony’s has had superior talent to De La Salle, certainly they are not a sports factory, a school defined solely by its record, as some high school basketball programs are.

Far more important to the teams’ success than the players’ talent, it strikes me, has been the coaches’ benevolent autocracy. They act more like Vince Lombardi than Tom Hayden or Tom Ridge. They spend virtually their entire careers at one institution, are devoted to their charges, and demand high standards from them. Hurley is a good example. He has coached at St. Anthony’s for four decades, asks his players to sign a 19-point contract, berates or expels them for not following orders grueling practices, and stares down gang leaders.

In the mid-twentieth century, Catholic leaders in various fields, including national politics, the labor movement, and the clergy, acted like benevolent autocrats and achieved stunning successes. Following their lead is more difficult today, of course. The country is larger, more heterogeneous, and has more diffuse sources of power. And achieving what Lombardi did requires a time commitment away from home that many spouses, especially wives, are no longer willing to endure.

Also, many Catholic leaders fall far short of Lombardi’s example (or Terence Cooke’s, David L. Lawrence’s, and George Meany’s). Some succeed on the court but use questionable means to do so. Others are benevolent and autocratic but incompetent in some areas.

Vince Lombardi

He whispers sweet nothings at all times. Of course.

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin made a rather rude suggestion about what his critics could do vis-a-vis their lips and his derrier, but it’s good to know some folks in the modern religion of professional athletics still respect the men of the cloth.

In remarks made to his players after their season-ending loss, Coughlin curbed his more, erm, colorful comments, saying, “The priest is here or I’d say a few more things.”

Perhaps just a throwaway line, but he’s known to be a fiery one so he probably did have a few more thoughts he censored.

Just made me chuckle so I thought I’d share.