The Vatican has said reports that Pope Francis is to soon name a special administrator for Medjugorje are “premature”. But a National Catholic Register article stated that this remains a hypothesis among others currently under consideration. In a note to journalists on July 4, Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said “in recent days rumours have Read more
Church aid agencies are playing their part to support people in Vietnam whose livelihoods have been devastated by industrial marine pollution. On April 6, dead fish began washing ashore along 200 kilometres of the coastal provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue. Nearly three months later, authorities announced that toxic Read more
Judges in Belgium have fined a Catholic nursing home for refusing to allow the euthanasia of a lung cancer sufferer on its premises. The St Augustine rest home in Diest was ordered to pay a total of €6,000. This was after it stopped doctors from giving a lethal injection to Mariette Buntjens. Days later, the Read more
An Indonesian bishop says he will suspend a priest who has decided to run for political office. Bishop Ludovicus Manullang of Sibolga in North Sumatra said he would suspend Fr Rantinus Manalu. The priest is to run for public office in local elections next year. Fr Manalu is known for his anti-corruption stance and support Read more
The Sisters of Mercy in the United States are among religious orders being asked to come to Rome for further conversation. This follows an apostolic visitation of women’s religious orders in the US several years ago. The Sisters of Mercy’s US communications director confirmed the request to visit Rome, but said there would be no further Read more
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of a Brazilian archbishop who has been dogged by scandals and controversies. Archbishop Aldo di Cillo Pagotto, 66, from Paraíba has been accused of a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old male. The archbishop was also under investigation by a local prosecutor for alleged “connivance” in the sexual exploitation of Read more
A Catholic radio station is facing state pressure after it aired a homily in which a priest called South Sudan officials “monkeys”, “criminals” and “devils”. Bakhita Radio aired a homily by a South Sudan priest, Monsignor Racco Taban, in which he criticised officials for their role in recent violence in Wau. Civilians were targeted on Read more
Pope Francis has cancelled his planned speech at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp this month, saying he would prefer silence. Francis is scheduled to visit the camp in Poland on July 29. During World War II, 1.1 million people were killed by the Nazis at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Francis is in Poland from July 27-31, primarily for the Read more
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has alleged that a so-called gay lobby was operating in the Vatican when he was Pope, but he broke it up. Benedict’s comments were reported in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra. The comments are in a new book of interviews between the retired Pope and journalist Peter Seewald. Corriere della Read more
When a priest accused of sexual abuse dies, care should be taken as to how his funeral is conducted, new Irish child protection guidelines say. The National Board for Safeguarding Children published updated guidelines on Wednesday. They give recommendations if an accused priest dies before an investigation has concluded. In such a case, “careful thought Read more