Pope Francis has suggested a Lutheran spouse of a Catholic should “talk to the Lord” in discerning whether or not to receive Communion with her husband. Francis made the remark during a Q&A at a visit to Rome’s Evangelical Lutheran church on Sunday. A Lutheran woman said she is married to a Catholic man and Read more
Sharp debate on the degree to which US bishops should adjust their priorities to match those of Pope Francis preceded approval of an election-year guide. The US bishops, meeting this week in Baltimore, approved an election guide called “Faithful Citizenship”. It stresses the moral imperative to evaluate political candidates according to their position on marriage Read more
Pope Francis’s personal security detail was nearly doubled at his general audience on Wednesday in the wake of the Paris terror attacks. Francis was surrounded by nearly 20 dark-suited bodyguards during his tour through St Peter’s Square aboard his open-sided popemobile, more than the normal 12 who usually jog alongside him. At each of the Read more
The Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has said the work of the Church is not to reflect the opinions of its members. “The Church’s job is to reflect the point of view of her head and founder: Jesus Christ,” Cardinal Gerhard Müller said in Chile earlier this month. The cardinal Read more
UK broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has given qualified support to assisted dying and has criticised the Catholic Church’s stance on contraception. Speaking on the BBC’s Costing the Earth programme, Sir David was asked if he supported the right to die. “I suppose I do really, but [only] if you could solve all the problems of Read more
Pope Francis has condemned any religious justification for the terrorist attacks in Paris last week as “blasphemy”. Speaking at his Sunday Angelus address at St Peter’s Square, the Pope expressed his pain at the violence and offered his condolences to France’s president and people. “Such barbarity leaves us bewildered and makes us ask ourselves how Read more
Former Irish president Mary McAleese has raised the issue of the Church’s attitude to corporal punishment of children with Pope Francis. Ms McAleese’s revelation that she did this came as Ireland’s parliament last week removed the common law defence of “reasonable chastisement” of children. In an interview, the former Irish president said she raised with Read more
A motion in the Australian senate to protect the Catholic Church’s right to distribute its “Don’t mess with marriage” pamphlet has been blocked. Former Australian cabinet minister Senator Eric Abetz put up the motion in the senate on Thursday. This was on the same day as it was confirmed that Tasmania’s anti-discrimination commissioner is to conduct an Read more
The Vatican has announced a criminal investigation into two journalists who have written books based on leaked papers relating to the Holy See’s finances. A statement from Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ, said the Vatican’s police force had reported the activities of Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi to the city state’s prosecutors. This was Read more
A US diocese has converted an ambulance into a mobile confessional. The move by Lafayette diocese in Louisiana is for the upcoming Year of Mercy. The ambulance was donated to the diocese. Bishop Michael Jarrell said he hopes this will be a way for more Catholics to be able to confess their sins. “I think Read more