As the world has struggled to strike that balance (consider the role that same-sex marriage and abortion played in the 2012 election) so the church has found itself forced to be a combatant in the great, ugly culture war.

CNN: Why pope will be remembered for generations

The committee's questions once again touched on a range of hot-button issues, including gun control, abortion, same-sex marriage, the death penalty, and the role of international law in American jurisprudence.

CNN: GOP homes in on controversial Sotomayor speeches

The cardinal, who has been in that role since 2003, has attracted attention over the years as an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage and has often raised the ire of gay-rights activists.

WSJ: Scottish Cardinal Resigns

It was in this context that Detective James McLaughlin, sex-crimes investigator for the Keene police department, would turn his attention to the priest and play a key role in the effort to build a case against him.

WSJ: Rabinowitz: The Trials of Father MacRae