A French court has ordered Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, to face trial in early January on charges of failing to denounce a sexually abusive priest. The court says the trial will take place without the presence of co-defendant Vatican Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Read more
World
Cardinal Bo calls out Myanmar’s military for brutality
Thursday, September 13th, 2018Myanmar’s military continues to persecute ethnic Kachin, the predominant Christian group in a conflict-torn part of the country, as well as Rohingya Muslims, says Cardinal Charles Maung Bo. Read more
Restoring trust in the Church means promises must be kept
Monday, September 10th, 2018
Restoring trust in the Church will come over time only if “we do the things we say we’re going to do,” Brisbane’s Catholic archbishop says. Mark Coleridge, who is also the head of the Australian Bishops’ Conference, says a “willingness to act no matter the cost” is the only way to restore trust in the Read more
Catholic business executive organisation suspends Holy See tithe
Monday, September 10th, 2018
A Catholic business executive organisation says it is “placing its annual donation to the Holy See in escrow until it has had questions of financial accountability clarified. “We certainly pledge our continued devotion to Holy Mother Church, and recognise the tithe has been an important commitment of Legatus since our founding,” a letter sent to Read more
Prosecution appeals Wilson’s sentence; defence appeals conviction
Monday, September 10th, 2018
Two sides go head to head: the prosecution appealing former Adelaide archbishop Philip Edward Wilson’s “inadequate” sentence and his defence team appealing Wilson’s conviction. Wilson has been found guilty of concealing the crimes of paedophile priest James Fletcher who was convicted of child sexual abuse in 2004 and died in jail in 2006. Magistrate Robert Read more
Chinese Catholics resist religious oppression
Monday, September 10th, 2018
Chinese Catholics are resisting Beijing’s campaign to restrict religious freedom. As the law forbids minors from entering places of worship, Catholics are “reinventing” their homes as temporary “churches” for services that can include the whole family. “Each family is continuing its faith activities at home and maintaining its strong bonds with God,” says a young Read more
New leadership for Washington archdiocese possible
Monday, September 10th, 2018
New leadership may be on the cards for the Washington archdiocese. Although he has not mentioned standing down, Cardinal Donald Wuerl has acknowledged calls from local priests and others for new leadership. Allegations he mishandled clergy sex abuse reports – such as in relation to the alleged sexually coercive behavior of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick – Read more
Archbishop of Paris sets pastoral priorities including lay people
Monday, September 10th, 2018The Archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit has set new pastoral priorities for the coming year that include lay people for the coming year. Aupetit has called for a study into the possibility of housing families and lay people in the buildings of the Paris seminary building. Sharing meals and time for communal prayer, “seminarians will Read more
Tyburn nuns’ new community: the Tyburn monks
Monday, September 10th, 2018The Tyburn nuns’ community extended last month when two priests became Tyburn monks. Colombian priests, Fr Manuel Agudelo Marin, 52, and Fr Hector Nagles Santa, 53, are the first postulants of a male branch of the order of contemplative Benedictines. Read more
Bangladeshi nun dedicates life to God and healing hearts
Monday, September 10th, 2018A Bangladeshi nun has dedicated her life to serving God and healing the hearts of Bangladeshi people suffering various forms of psychological distress. Read more