Pope Francis has called for a more “incisive” presence of women in the leadership of the Catholic Church. In a speech to the Pontifical Council of Culture on February 7, the Pope said he was “convinced of the urgency of offering spaces for women in the Church and to welcome them”. Francis did not give Read more
Australian Catholic and Muslim leaders have pleaded for mercy for two men sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney and the Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, issued a joint statement on February 8. The religious leaders said they respected Indonesia’s laws, but believe Andrew Chan and Myuran Read more
Talks aimed at reconciling a leading advocate of Church reform with Rome were scheduled to be held in Dublin last week. Fr Tony Flannery, who had been banned from ministry by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was due to meet senior members of the Redemptorist order to which he belongs. Fr Sean Read more
Christian lobby group Family First is calling for a boycott of the upcoming film Fifty Shades of Grey. The film, which features acts of sadomasochism, is being released on Thursday. Family First wants families to boycott the film and instead donate money to a local women’s refuge. The group’s director Bob McCoskrie said the film Read more
A New Zealander who advises Pope Francis on combating sexual abuse has criticised the pontiff’s support of smacking children. Dr Krysten Winter-Green, who is based in Boston and works with abused young people, said there was no type of corporal punishment for children that was acceptable. Dr Winter-Green has served in dioceses around the world Read more
The homeless of Rome will soon be able to get a free haircut at the Vatican. Space has been set aside for a barber service within in a facility featuring showers and bathrooms for the homeless. Construction of the facility in public restrooms on St Peter’s Square began in November. “Our primary concern is to Read more
A judge in Granada in Spain has charged 10 priests and two Catholic lay workers with child sexual abuse. The 12 are suspected of abusing four teenage boys between 2004 and 2007. The most serious offences are alleged to have occurred in a house used by the priests. Pope Francis telephoned one of the alleged Read more
A Belgian bishop has turned down a prize awarded by a gay group, saying he wants to stay independent of interest groups. Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp was nominated for an annual Campaign Award by the Cavaria group. The nomination came because Bishop Bonny had written an open letter before last year’s extraordinary synod on Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference has elected the Bishop of Palmerston North, Charles Drennan, to represent them at this year’s Synod on Family. Cardinal John Dew has been confirmed as the substitute. He will serve as the representative at the synod should Bishop Drennan be unable to attend for any reason. The Vatican has Read more