The ordination of bishop Susitino Sionepoe took place on 24 March in the cathedral of Mata’Utu, the capital of Wallis and Futuna. Those present included representatives of local authorities and a delegation from the government of New Caledonia including the president, M. Philippe Germain. The principal celebrant was bishop Michel Calvet, archbishop of Noumea. He was Read more
Pope Francis has published a new document dedicated to youth, bringing full-circle a process of consultation that began last year when the Vatican reached out to young people around the world ahead of an October summit of bishops on how to better approach them. Called Christus Vivit, the document is 180 pages long and takes Read more
The Vatican has upheld its decision convicting the former Archbishop Anthony Apuron in the U.S. territory of Guam for sexually abusing minors. “Our church on Guam can now continue with certainty, our collective journey toward healing and reconciliation. Most importantly, the victims, survivors and their families who have suffered greatly can have some measure of Read more
A priest in northern Poland who led a public burning of books that included Harry Potter titles and other “evil” items parishioners wanted destroyed has apologised. Father Rafał Jarosiewicz called the burning of objects thought to be connected to magic and the occult, and deemed by their owners to be an evil force, “unfortunate”. Images Read more
Women have legitimate claims to seek more equality in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis says. The Church has to acknowledge a history of male domination and sexual abuse of women and children and it must repair its reputation among young people or risk becoming “a museum”, he says. Francis made these comments in the 50-page Read more
Cardinal Pietro Parolin is calling on the media to highlight religious persecution wherever it occurs. Parolin, who is the Vatican Secretary of State, has condemned the ongoing abuse of religious freedom in many parts of the world. “Despite so many efforts to promote and reinforce the fundamental human right of religious freedom, we are actually Read more
Pope Francis says it’s possible French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin “is not innocent.” His comment was made in response to questions from French media about the Cardinal of Lyon during an in-flight press conference after his visit to Morocco last weekend. Last month Barbarin was found guilty on one count of failure to report a charge Read more
At about the same time as Pope Francis was defending migration during his visit to Morocco, Cardinal Robert Sarah was saying promoting migration is a misinterpretation of Gospels. Where Francis said politicians who build walls to keep migrants out would become prisoners of those barriers, Sarah said priests and bishops who defend migration are “bewitched” Read more
Sexual immaturity and poor formation are to blame for the sex abuse crisis the Church is facing, says a Canadian nun with a doctorate in clinical sexology. The crisis does not mean “the end of faith” but rather “the end of a lack of formation and the end of deviance,” and a call to return Read more
Pope Francis appointed on Saturday a French Vatican official to oversee the care of religious communities of a traditional nature, and to assist with the regularization of the Society of St. Pius X. Msgr. Patrick Descourtieux becomes head of the section within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith dealing with such communities. He Read more