The Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has unequivocally rejected the assertion that clergy sexual abuse is connected to homosexuality, deeming it an “unsupportable association” without any scientific basis. “Homosexual orientation cannot be considered as either cause or aspect typical of the abuser, even more so when it is decoupled from the general arrangement Read more
Near where Boystown’s Pride Fest was taking place in Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich, led an LGBTQ+ Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. As the organ’s melodies filled the air, gay and lesbian congregants came together and raised their voices in hymns that resonated so strongly that they drowned out the approximately 20 anti-LGBTQ+ Read more
The Diocese of Parramatta has formed Australia’s first Diocesan Diaconate Council, aimed at enhancing the ministry of deacons and providing support for their families. With the formation of this council, the diocese seeks to tap into the diverse talents and experiences of its deacons and their wives, who play a crucial role in their vocation. Read more
The United States finds itself at odds with several Western nations over transgender care and the treatment of children grappling with gender identity concerns. While American healthcare institutions have long supported medical interventions for transgender minors, including the use of puberty blockers to delay the physical changes of adolescence, the European medical community is displaying Read more
The UK Government has been given a climate wake-up call by CAFOD after a slew of prayers from CAFOD supporters was dispatched to 10 Downing Street. The ‘Prayers for Tomorrow’, written by Catholics across England and Wales, were delivered to 10 Downing Street to call for action to tackle the climate crisis. The prayers are Read more
Four German bishops voted on Tuesday against funding the synod committee preparing to introduce a permanent German synodal council to oversee the Church in Germany. The four bishops are Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne and three bishops from Bavaria: Gregor Maria Hanke, OSB, of Eichstätt; Stefan Oster of Passau; and Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg. Read more
Attorneys representing a woman who has accused retired Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet of sexual assault say two other women have come forward with accounts of alleged sexual assault and other misconduct. The cardinal has denied the claims and contended that the allegations of such “reprehensible behavior” only further defame him. He stressed the need for Read more
In a significant advancement in Catholic-Orthodox relations, the two churches have released their first joint statement in seven years, underscoring the importance of synodality and primacy. The document, titled “Synodality and Primacy in the Second Millennium”, presents an overview of the historical journey of both churches, dating back to the Great Schism of 1054. The Read more
The archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles led a peaceful resistance in the City of Angels against an event at Dodger Stadium, honouring the controversial “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” on Friday. Archbishop José H Gomez invited all local Catholics to participate in a Mass that marked the beginning of a day of prayer on Read more