The Diocese of Arlington, Virginia’s former director for the Office of Child Protection, Father Terry Specht, was found not guilty Oct 5 of aggravated sexual battery. Specht was indicted in December 2021 on two charges related to child sexual abuse. One of those charges was dropped during court proceedings. Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese Read more
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Former Arlington director of child protection office acquitted on sexual battery charge
Thursday, October 13th, 2022Two Ohio dioceses to merge
Thursday, October 13th, 2022The Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, is expected to announce to priests Monday that a process is underway that will see the diocese merge with the neighbouring see of Columbus. Senior US and Vatican sources have confirmed to The Pillar that a merger process between the dioceses is underway, and that Steubenville priests and chancery personnel Read more
Dancers’ moves help to power Glasgow music venue
Thursday, October 13th, 2022Glasgow arts venue SWG3 has switched on a system that creates renewable energy from the body heat on its dancefloor. Dancers’ heat is piped via a carrier fluid to 200m (650ft) boreholes that can be charged like a thermal battery. The energy then travels back to the heat pumps, is upgraded to a suitable temperature Read more
Synod told to “hear the voices of women”
Monday, October 10th, 2022
“Hear the voices of women from around the world.” A newly released Catholic Women’s Council report makes that message clear. A delegation from the Council (CWC) presented the report to Sister Nathalie Becquart in Rome last week. She is the undersecretary at the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. The CWC is the umbrella Read more
‘Father of migrants’ canonised on Sunday
Monday, October 10th, 2022
Pope Francis canonised a 19th-century bishop known as “the father of migrants” on Sunday. In so doing, Francis sent a message to Catholic leaders on the importance of caring for refugees. His pontificate has been marked by his concern for migrants. Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabrini lived at a time of mass migrations in Europe. The Read more
Extra clothes, shorter Mass times – Irish churches address rising energy bills
Monday, October 10th, 2022
Some Irish churches have introduced shorter Masses, and parishioners have been advised to wear extra clothes in church as Catholic clergy grapple with rising energy bills. Fr Andrew O’Sullivan, a parish priest in Dublin, said increased costs made it financially challenging for parishes to continue heating buildings, despite churches being ‘freezing’. He has been forced Read more
Faith leaders appalled by treatment of sports club Christian CEO
Monday, October 10th, 2022
Leaders of several churches have been appalled by the treatment of Andrew Thorburn, who was forced to resign as CEO of AFL club Essendon when sermons by the church of which he is chairman became public. The sermons likened abortion to concentration camps and included claims that “practising homosexuality is a sin” – views which Read more
Italian priest suspended for pro-LGBTQ stance
Monday, October 10th, 2022
A bishop has suspended a parish priest in a small Southern Italian town after the cleric continually rejected Catholic Church teaching by promoting same-sex blessings, abortion and euthanasia. The Rev Giulio Mignani (pictured), 52, has been barred from celebrating Mass and the sacraments after vocally advocating for welcoming LGBTQ individuals into the church. “The Church Read more
Historic first: Pope approves ‘ecclesial conference’ including lay people
Monday, October 10th, 2022
Pope Francis has approved the statutes of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon, giving it formal recognition in the church. “We are living a ‘kairos,’ a propitious time of God in the history of the church,” Amazon conference president Cardinal Pedro Barreto Jimeno (pictured with the Pope) says. The now officially-recognised body “involves bishops, priests, Read more
Man topples ancient Roman busts in Vatican museums
Monday, October 10th, 2022A man toppled two ancient Roman busts in the Vatican Museums on Wednesday, causing moderate damage, before being stopped by staff and arrested, a museums source said. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the man was in his 50s and had “behaved Read more