New Zealand canon lawyer Msgr Brendan Daly (pictured) says the Church needs more lay people in governance roles. Its episcopal appointment process could also be altered so it is more open – it could save a lot of unnecessary distress, he says. The clerical sexual abuse scandal shows the necessity for these changes, he wrote Read more
Tens of thousands of people took part in Italy’s national March for Life in Rome on Saturday. About 40,000 people participated in the “Choose Life” rally on May 21, the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica reported. “We are here to reaffirm the right of children to come into the world. They do not get to Read more
Catholic New York, the biweekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of New York, will cease publishing in November the archdiocese announced on May 19. “We know that this is a painful decision for many, beginning with the excellent team who have dedicated themselves to producing an outstanding, award-winning periodical — one of the best, if not Read more
Cardinal Joseph Zen, former archbishop of Hong Kong, appeared in court Tuesday after his unceremonious arrest by Chinese Communist Party officials. According to Catholic News Agency, the 90-year-old cardinal, who was arrested with four other pro-democracy advocates, was a trustee of a relief fund used to bail out protesters and pay legal fees. The five Read more
The cardinal tasked by Pope Francis with overseeing the Church’s global synod says he is not worried about the German reform process stressing that the synod cannot ignore difficult questions. Cardinal Mario Grech said that the criticisms of Germany are part and parcel of what it means to be a synodal Church which offers a Read more
Canada’s palliative care programmes are suffering while assisted suicide programmes are “growing like a cancer”. Fewer than 50 percent of patients wanting palliative care can access it. These findings contradict the Government’s stated plans to its improve its palliative care provision. Evidence is mounting that assisted suicide is actively damaging the already inadequate palliative care Read more
The Vatican’s top finance man Fr Juan Antonio Guerrero has warned that in economic matters Vatican finances must serve Church’s mission and not the other way around. “As the pope has often repeated, it is not for us to serve the economy, but for the economy to serve us,” said Father Guerrero at a symposium Read more
According to Pope Francis, women have been “in charge” since the “afternoon of the apple,” alluding to the Genesis story of Adam and Eve. Francis’ comments came as he answered a question from U2’s lead singer Bono, the co-founder of the anti-poverty organisation ONE. Bono told the pope that in ONE’s “Poverty is Sexist” campaign, Read more
Days after experiencing a “permanent ban” on TikTok, pro-choice activist group Ruth Sent Us was back on the platform. The group is advocating for demonstrations in front of Supreme Court justices’ homes. Their account was restored with no notice or explanation, a Ruth Sent Us spokesperson says. The group has been organising demonstrations following indications Read more