Around three thousand paedophiles have operated inside the French Catholic Church since 1950. The numbers were released, Sunday by Jean-Marc Sauvé, the head of an independent commission examining church sex abuse. The commission has been investigating for 2 1/2 years. 22 cases of alleged crimes have been forwarded to prosecutors and more than 40 cases Read more
World
As German Synodal Assembly begins, lay Catholics express anger at Vatican
Monday, October 4th, 2021Against the background of lay Catholics’ anger about a Vatican decision not to censure Cologne clergy for mishandling abuse cases, German Catholics — bishops, clergy and laity — gathered in Frankfurt for the start of the three-day Synodal Path Assembly. But before discussions began on the agenda, the leadership decided to allow an hour to Read more
Pope chooses ‘Listen’ as theme for World Communications Day
Monday, October 4th, 2021In the search for truth, Catholic communicators must learn how to listen above all else, the Vatican said. “Listen” will be the theme for the 2022 celebration of World Communications Day, said the statement released Sept. 29. A papal message on the theme should be published on or around the Jan. 24 feast of St Read more
Francis’ theology explicitly shaped by Vatican II
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
Pope Francis said the Second Vatican Council so shaped his theological and pastoral vision that perhaps he has not been as explicit as he should have been in highlighting those ties, especially when it comes to his contributions to Catholic social teaching. He made the comments in the preface to a new book, Siblings All, Read more
Pell did not approve of Benedict’s resignation
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
Speaking openly on his views about the three most recent popes and other matters, Australian Cardinal George Pell says he “never really approved” of Pope Benedict’s resignation from the papacy. And, of the three most recent popes, Pell said he was closest to Benedict. His remarks came during “The Church Up Close” a webinar hosted Read more
German Catholics bewildered cardinal not sacked
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
Many German Catholics have been left bewildered by Pope Francis’ decision to confirm Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki as Cardinal Archbishop of Cologne. Francis has also granted Woelki several months to reflect on the events that led him to offer the pontiff his resignation. The reaction of German conference president, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, to Read more
Cardinal Gregory “saddened” by divisions in US Church
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
The first African American cardinal, Wilton Gregory of Washington said he is “saddened” by the tensions in the US church and sees it as part of his job to bolster Pope Francis’ ministry. The 73-year-old was elevated to the College of Cardinals last November. He spoke from his titular church in the northern outskirts of Read more
Australian Catholic archbishop proclaims support for Uluru Statement
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge has endorsed the Australian first nations Uluru Statement. The Statement was signed in 2017 by 250 aboriginal and Torres Strait islander leaders. It calls for the establishment of a ‘First Nations Voice’ in the Australian Constitution and a ‘Makarrata Commission’ to supervise a process of ‘agreement-making’ and Read more
Cardinal Burke: Steady but slow
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
Controversial vaccine denier Cardinal Raymond Burke describes his recovery from COVID as ‘steady but slow’. In a letter to his followers who are praying for him, Burke says he is experiencing difficulty in recovering from Covid-19 and is challenged to regain certain fundamental physical skills for daily living; among them, he lists general fatigue and Read more
Toppled statue of Spanish priest at California Capitol to be replaced by memorial to Native tribes
Thursday, September 30th, 2021The long-standing statue of a Spanish priest on the grounds of the California State Capitol will be replaced with a monument memorializing Native Americans who lived in the Sacramento area before the arrival of white settlers. Following the statue’s toppling in July 2020 amid the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) Read more