The Vatican says the Church’s effort to listen to the 1.34 billion Catholics worldwide through a synodal process is facing challenges. The synod’s diocesan phase is expected to last until 15 August. “Many of the faithful perceive the synodal process as a crucial moment in the Church’s life, as a learning process as well as Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked an “infodemic,” Pope Francis said during a meeting where he praised a Catholic media group combating vaccine misinformation. Francis also denounced fake news about COVID-19 and vaccines on Jan 28, but he also urged that people who believe such mistruths are helped to understand real scientific facts. “We can hardly Read more
Two high ranking church officials in Germany have expressed support for optional celibacy for priests. Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich, one of Pope Francis’ most trusted aides, has spoken out in favour of banning mandatory clerical celibacy. He also supports allowing Catholic priests the option of marrying. Four days earlier, Archbishop Heiner Koch of Berlin Read more
A high-ranking official in an important catholic diocese quit his job because of internal opposition to attempts to deal with clergy sex abuse. Msgr Peter Beer, who served from 2010-2020 as vicar general of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, said the horrific details that emerged from a recently published report on sex abuse in Read more
A project to create small gated communities in rural towns exclusively for Catholic families has drawn criticism in France. But this is the plan from Monasphère, a real estate development company that two young Catholic entrepreneurs founded in 2021. “We propose a form of thematic housing – like an eco-hamlet – around Christian spiritual sites,” Read more
An Australian nun, whose rock version of the Lord’s Prayer once competed against Elvis for a Grammy, has died. Sister Janet Mead wanted to reach young people, so she started singing rock music. But she was never comfortable with fame and devoted her life to charity work. Her 1973 version of the Lord’s Prayer, featuring Read more
A 40-year-old Vietnamese Dominican priest serving ethnic groups in Vietnam’s Central Highlands was killed while hearing confessions. Father Joseph Tran Ngoc Thanh was serving in Kontum Diocese where there is a relative lack of priests. The attack took place on Jan 29, shortly before the celebration of the Vespers Mass on Saturday evening at the Read more
Archbishop Michel Aupetit said on Friday he will stay on in his position as a member of the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops, after receiving encouragement from Pope Francis. In an interview with Vatican News on Feb 4, Aupetit said Pope Francis “renewed his support for me” and again said he thought the former archbishop of Read more
Cardinal Peter Turkson, who is considered one of Pope Francis’ top allies on humanitarian issues such as migrants and the environment, has reportedly resigned as prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD), an office he’s led since 2016. Several Vatican sources confirmed reports of the cardinal’s resignation, which first appeared Thursday evening Read more
Pope Francis has approved further clarifications regarding restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass in an effort to ensure that liturgical reform is “irreversible” and that liturgical celebrations adhere to the changes made after the Second Vatican Council. The clarifications, published Dec. 18, ban priestly ordinations and confirmations in the old rite and limit the frequency Read more