Bishop Georg Bätzing, head of the German Bishops’ Conference, expressed surprise and confusion over recent comments by Pope Francis rejecting the idea of women’s ordination in the Catholic Church. “I have never heard him speak like that before and have often spoken to him personally about these issues” said the Limburg bishop. “Let me say: Read more
A priest in Florida has been charged with battery after biting the forearm of a woman in a Communion dispute at St Thomas Aquinas Church in Orlando last Sunday. Father Fidel Rodriguez, 66, admitted to police that he bit the woman after she allegedly reached into the ciborium, damaging Communion hosts. Rodriguez claimed he acted Read more
A Queensland Catholic priest accused of child sex abuse has had all charges against him dropped. Father David Lancini’s lawyer, Justin Greggery, told the court that claims Lancini abused a boy in the 1970s were either fabricated or mistaken. Lying collusion Detectives and witnesses colluded in Lancini’s arrest last December. Greggery told the court witnesses Read more
Pope Francis has apologised for what has been taken as a vulgar, homophobic slur. He “never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologises to those who felt offended” says Holy See press office chief Matteo Bruni. The remarks are at odds with the pope’s track record to date. He has Read more
On 2 May, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa ordained Angelic Molen as its first modern deaconess in a church near Harare in Zimbabwe. The Western media has gone a bit mad, calling it “breaking with tradition” and a radical new step forward. Ordaining women deacons The usual suspects have trotted out the Read more
According to a 25-year analysis of global conflicts and arms transfers conducted by the World Peace Foundation (WPF) titled “Who arms War?” all of the largest arms exporting nations continue to sell their weapons to countries even after wars start. It’s akin to pouring gasoline on a fire. “Ethical export policy is a myth,” states Read more
“Until the Holy Father has a woman proclaiming the gospel in St Peter’s at a Mass he celebrates, the Church really doesn’t have the right to say women are to be recognised as equal and to be held as equally human to men” said Phyllis Zagano PhD, a Senior Research Associate in Residence at Hofstra Read more
Dominican priest and theologian Timothy Radcliffe OP has urged the Church to develop new ministries, particularly for women, as a key focus for the upcoming Synod on Synodality. Lay people and “women in particular must be given a more active role in the life of the church” Radcliffe said in an interview with Ordo Praedicatorum. Read more
In a groundbreaking move within the Catholic Church, Brother Christian Matson, a diocesan hermit, has announced plans to come out as transgender. “This Sunday, Pentecost 2024, I’m planning to come out publicly as transgender” Matson told Religion News Service on May 17. Matson, who has a doctorate in religious studies, said he was speaking out Read more
New Zealand’s national newspaper NZ Catholic will cease publication at the end of June. The Catholic Bishop of Auckland, Steve Lowe, confirmed the 27-year old publication’s closure and thanked NZ Catholic readers for their faithful support. Subscribers are offered refunds for their prepaid subscription. NZ Catholic’s closure will bring to an end a 150-year tradition Read more