A Catholic hospital in Nova Scotia must provide physician-assisted suicide assessments to eligible patients who request them, the province’s public health service has ruled. St. Martha’s Regional Hospital will now perform assessments for patients seeking medical assistance in dying at its hospital, said Tim Guest, vice president of the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA). The Read more
World
Catholic bishops accused of spreading hatred
Monday, September 23rd, 2019
Catholic bishops in Burundi are being accused of “spitting venomous hatred” over their message denouncing intolerance and political violence ahead of next year’s presidential elections. The Burundi Conference of Catholic Bishops, message was read out in churches on Sunday. It expresses the bishops’ concern about the country’s next election, which is set for May 2020. Read more
Last Chance: Hear St Louis Jesuits on Great Catholic Music online
Monday, September 23rd, 2019
A chance to listen to the St Louis Jesuits free of charge is on offer from Free audio web streaming service Great Catholic Music (GCM). GCM says it has made the recordings available this week to honor the St. Louis Jesuits’ “music legacy”. The group is getting together for the last time for its final Read more
Pope and German Cardinal in constructive dialogue over binding synod
Monday, September 23rd, 2019
Cardinal Reinhard Marx has held talks with Pope Francis and Cardinal Marc Ouellet about the German bishops’ plans for a “binding synodal path.” Their meetings followed correspondence earlier this month in which Ouellet told Marx earlier the proposed synodal process could not begin without the pope’s approval. Ouellet included a four-page legal assessment of the Read more
Archbishop pings Jesuit over homosexuality and Catholicism
Monday, September 23rd, 2019
Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia is urging caution regarding about information about homosexuality and Catholicism from Fr. James Martin, SJ. He says there is “a pattern of ambiguity” in Martin’s writing and teaching. Martin is the author of “Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Read more
Top theologian refuses to continue on German synodal path
Monday, September 23rd, 2019
A member of the International Theological Commission says she is no longer available to participate in the “binding synodal path” proposed by the German bishops’ conference. Marianne Schlosser, who is a professor of theology at the University of Vienna, says she is concerned about the path’s approach and methodology. She was invited to contribute to Read more
Indonesia rethinks ban on sex outside marriage
Monday, September 23rd, 2019Indonesia’s president has delayed a vote on controversial new laws that would have outlawed sex outside marriage. They’d gained a lot of attention online, with the Australian government updating its advice for tourists heading to Bali. Now President Joko Widodo says the new laws need more consideration and has delayed next week’s vote. Bali’s a Read more
Hong Kong Christians fear religious freedom could be ‘gone forever’
Monday, September 23rd, 2019Hong Kong Christians fear freedom of religion could be “gone forever” despite the withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill and leader Carrie Lam’s efforts to ease tensions in the administrative region. Christians and pro-democracy supporters are worried the Chinese government could make another attempt to ramrod legislation in Hong Kong that would specifically target the Read more
Pope Francis slams ‘abuse’ of Alzheimer’s sufferers, carers
Monday, September 23rd, 2019Pope Francis appealed Wednesday for greater support for people suffering from Alzheimer’s and their carers, saying those with the disease were often abused. Sufferers “are often victims of violence, mistreatment and abuse that crushes their dignity,” Francis said during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, in a message to mark World Alzheimer’s Day on Read more
Pell’s last chance – special leave to appeal lodged
Thursday, September 19th, 2019
George Pell’s legal team has applied to Australia’s High Court for special leave to appeal the jailed cardinal’s child sex abuse conviction. Although special leave cases are not usually granted by the High Court, it’s possible Pell’s could be accepted. This is because judges at his appeal could not agree about Pell’s guilt or innocence. Read more