Facing a shortage of priests and decreased revenue, the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week an ambitious new reorganization plan that will create what it calls “families of parishes,” grouping three to six churches together that will share priests and resources. The plan — to be carried out over two years — is different Read more
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Detroit Catholic Archdiocese to create ‘families of parishes’ of 3 to 6 parishes each
Monday, June 8th, 2020DC archbishop doubles down on criticism of Trump shrine visit
Monday, June 8th, 2020Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington doubled down on his criticism of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine earlier this week, saying Friday that a place dedicated to the memory of the late Polish pope should have “never been used as a place for a political statement.” “Long before he Read more
Vatican police arrest Italian in investigation of London real estate deal
Monday, June 8th, 2020Vatican police on Friday arrested Gianluigi Torzi, an Italian middleman who was part of a controversial deal in which the Vatican used Church money to purchase a luxury building in London as an investment. Torzi, who was arrested after questioning by Vatican magistrates, was accused of extortion, embezzlement, aggravated fraud and money laundering, the Vatican Read more
Vatican: No active coronavirus cases among employees
Monday, June 8th, 2020The Vatican said Saturday the city state no longer has any active positive cases among employees, after a 12th person had tested positive in early May. According to the director of the Holy See press office, Matteo Bruni, as of June 6 there are no longer any coronavirus cases among Vatican and Holy See employees. Read more
Trump angers US bishops
Thursday, June 4th, 2020
As President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited a shrine to Saint John Paul II on Tuesday, Archbishop Wilton Gregory rebuked those who organised the visit. Gregory said arranging for Trump to visit the shrine was “baffling and reprehensible.” He is outraged at what he called a politicised photo opportunity. Protesters from a Read more
LGBT community needs better spiritual guidance
Thursday, June 4th, 2020
Now the Catholic Church is starting to address how to minister to the LGBT community, Italian Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi is inviting Catholics to look at gays and lesbians “as God looks at them.” “When communities will truly begin to look at people as God looks at them, then homosexual people — and everybody else Read more
Church in Brazil fights fake news during pandemic
Thursday, June 4th, 2020
The Catholic Church in Brazil is currently fighting both fake news and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the pandemic lockdown, fake news on the internet seems to have intensified in Brazil. Much of it is directed against the Church, often by people who claim to be Catholic. One event that triggered a new wave of Read more
Holy See cuts corruption, centralises procurement and contracting
Thursday, June 4th, 2020
Centralising procurement procedures and contracting are among several measures the Vatican is establishing to cut waste, root out corruption and bring the Holy See’s finances into the 21st century. Pope Francis approved new norms governing contract bids and procurement procedures in his latest effort to reform the Vatican’s finances. The Vatican’s financial situation was reportedly Read more
Faith, not efficiency, at heart of church’s mission
Thursday, June 4th, 2020
Faith, not efficiency is at the heart of the Church’s mission, Pope Francis said in a message to the pontifical mission societies after their recent general assembly was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Cardinal Tagle, says Francis “is not against efficiency and methods” that could Read more
Polish priests defy bishop amid pedophilia scandal
Thursday, June 4th, 2020Priests in the Polish diocese of Kalisz have refused to sign letters of loyalty to their bishop after a child abuse cover-up. More and more Catholics in Poland are calling on the Church to properly investigate crimes. The documentary “Hide and Seek” by Marek and Tomasz Sekielski, which was watched by almost 7 million people Read more