Allegations in the Polish media of a former papal secretary’s negligence have resulted in an envoy from the Holy See making a ten-day visit to Poland. The Vatican’s embassy in Poland says the subject of the investigation is retired Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz (now aged 82). Prior to his retirement he was the archbishop of Krakow Read more
Pope Francis has thanked and congratulated retired former Pope Benedict XVI for his 70 years service as an ordained priest. After praying the Angelus with pilgrims in St Peter’s Square on Tuesday – the anniversary of Benedict’s priestly ordination – Francis led pilgrims in applauding his predecessor. Benedict’s 70th is “an anniversary that touches all Read more
Australian charities have condemned new Morrison Government laws that will target and potentially shut them down for advocating on behalf of their communities. Amendments to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC) Regulations tabled by the government give the Charities Commissioner discretion to deregister a charity for minor offences. Under the new laws, charities could Read more
France’s nuclear legacy in French Polynesia is the subject of high level discussions in Paris this week. The discussions aim to ‘turn the page’ on the aftermath of the weapons tests. Between 1966 to 1996, France carried out 193 tests in the South Pacific. French president Emmanuel Macron called the meeting after a new study Read more
The Catholic parish in Washington that President Joe Biden often visits for Sunday Mass said in a statement following the contentious US bishops’ meeting that it has no plans to deny Communion to those participating in its liturgical celebrations. Referencing the bishops’ overwhelming June 18 decision to begin drafting a document originally conceived to address Read more
Canadian authorities are investigating multiple fires that destroyed four Catholic churches on Indigenous land in the past week. They are the latest in a string of recent events affecting the country’s Indigenous communities. The churches were destroyed as Canada confronts its history of systemic abuse of Indigenous communities. Recent discoveries of hundreds of human remains Read more
The Fiji Times reports that the Methodist Church has warned its leaders that it would take action against those influencing church members not to get vaccinated. Speaking during a virtual meeting regarding the church’s stand on covid-19 on Thursday, the church’s general secretary, the Rev Iliesa Naivalu has reminded pastors that they were answerable to Read more
There’s a big divide between the self-righteous and the people who proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, says Pope Francis. This is because where the self-righteous are inclined to heap conditions upon others and promote themselves as the only “keepers of the truth”, those who proclaim the Gospel are humble and trust in God. The Read more
Pope Francis has praised the work of a Jesuit priest who has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ people within the Catholic Church. In the handwritten letter (in Spanish), the pontiff described Father James Martin’s work as imitating the “style of God.” Martin, who carries out his apostolate among the LGBTQ community, read the personalized Read more