Dublin archdiocese is trying to improve access to St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral on Easter Sunday this year, after a traffic cordon was imposed. The city centre will be closed to all vehicles from 6am on Easter Sunday until 8pm that night, as events take place to commemorate the 1916 Easter rising. A spokeswoman for the archdiocese Read more
World
Curia blamed for delaying abuse-related reforms
Friday, February 19th, 2016A member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has detailed two instances where she believes the Roman Curia has frustrated reform. Marie Collins, an abuse survivor, referred to commission’s proposal that a Vatican tribunal be set up hold bishops to account for their handling of abuse cases. This was approved by the Read more
Donald Trump rips Pope over Mexico border visit
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016
US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has criticised Pope Francis for planning to visit the border between the US and Mexico this week. On a Fox Business Network show, last week, Mr Trump was asked what he made of Pope Francis being at the border, standing with migrants. “So I think that the Pope is a Read more
- Trump’s anti-Catholic rhetoric rises before South Carolina primary
- Pope to Mexican leaders – remember your young ones
- Pope warns Mexican church against dealing with ‘today’s pharoahs’ at the expense of the poor
- The unscripted message of Pope Francis in Mexico
- Under the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Francis calls for a caring church
Aust prelate stops MP’s speech at Catholic conference
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016
Melbourne’s archbishop has stopped a speech by an Australian MP at a Catholic conference because the speaker supports same-sex marriage. Archbishop Denis Hart intervened to cancel a planned keynote speech by MP Cathy McGowan at a Catholic Social Services Victoria conference this month. The reason given was that her views are contrary to Church teachings. Read more
Pope and Patriarch appeal for reconciliation and unity
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016
Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill have issued a deep and thorough call for reconciliation and unity amongst their two traditions. The two leaders met for 135 minutes in Cuba on February 12. It was the first meeting of this kind for nearly 1000 years. A joint statement was issued, in which Francis and Kirill Read more
Campaign to teach proper dating on US campuses
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016
A campaign to bring back authentic dating as an alternative to merely “hooking up” is gaining traction on US college campuses. The “Bring Back Dating” campaign from the Love and Fidelity Network was hosted at 36 US campuses last week. The sites included Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Brown and Princeton. Love and Fidelity Network executive director Read more
Straight and gay couples invited to Lourdes
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016
Couples, married or not, heterosexual or homosexual, were invited to spend Valentine’s Day in Lourdes. According to an AFP report, a flyer was put out by Tarbes et Lourdes diocese touting a “couples weekend”. “Come to Lourdes to say I love you,” the flyer stated. It featured the silhouettes of a man and a woman Read more
Vatican dismisses documentary on JPII relationship
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016The Vatican has distanced itself from a BBC documentary expected to examine the relationship between St John Paul II and a married woman. The Secret Letters of Pope John Paul II was due to be aired on Monday on the BBC’s Panorama programme. Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, a Polish-born American philosopher, worked on a translation of one Read more
In new book, Pope Francis answers kids’ tricky questions
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016A new book will contain Pope Francis’s answers to challenging questions posed to him by children and young people. The book, to be published on March 1 by Loyola Press, is titled “Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World”. It will feature 30 letters and drawings from children aged 6-13 Read more