Walsh authors bill to force church financial disclosure

The legislation, which would require all religious organizations to file annual financial reports and a list of real estate holdings with the attorney general's charities division, is opposed by the Catholic Church and major mainline Protestant denominations. It is being watched as a test of how much clout the archdiocese still retains with the state's political establishment.

I'm not sure if this is a bad idea or not, frankly. But I'm under no illusions about the bill's author.

Walsh's leadership on the issue is rooted in strong anger. Until recently she and other Catholic public officials never questioned the church, she said. ''There was acceptance of their moral authority."

When? I ask because of this.