Cardinal George Pell has said the final report of the recent synod did not make an opening for the divorced and civilly remarried to receive Communion. Cardinal Pell said the text of the report has been “significantly misunderstood” and has no direct reference to the matter. Cardinal Pell said that “the discernment that is encouraged Read more
Suspended Irish Redemptorist Fr Tony Flannery wants a synod of the Irish church, but says the Irish hierarchy hasn’t wanted to know. Writing on his blog after the synod on the family in Rome, Fr Flannery noted that Pope Francis sees the synodal process as the pattern for the whole church. Fr Flannery quipped that Read more
A gay former official at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has written a letter to Pope Francis in which the Church is accused of homophobia. Msgr Krzysztof Charamsa told Francis the Catholic Church is “full of homosexuals” despite being “frequently violently homophobic”. The Polish theologian called on “all gay cardinals, gay bishops Read more
Up to 60,000 Australian survivors of child sex abuse could receive monetary compensation through a national redress scheme if Labor wins the next federal election. Labor will set aside A$33million for the creation of a scheme. This is aimed at offering counselling services and compensation for survivors of institutional child sex abuse. The agency would Read more
Officials in the Russian region of Arkhangelsk have banned Halloween being celebrated at local schools. The Education Ministry in the region in north-western Russia stated that Halloween is “incoherent to basic traditional values and causes a negative influence on fragile minds”. Russians began – unofficially – celebrating Halloween after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Read more
In his closing address to the synod of bishops meeting about the family, Pope Francis said the gathering has been about overcoming closed hearts. Pope Francis said that the synod was not about settling all the issues to do with the family, but rather to see them in the light of the Gospel. He said Read more
Senior cardinals have said a news story that the Pope has a brain tumour was intended to weaken his authority. Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias told The Tablet the story indicates there are people who want to damage the Pope. “It’s the first thought that came to me. Somebody is trying to weaken the Pope’s position Read more
Actor Liam Neeson has been slammed for his part in an “anti-Catholic” campaign by Amnesty International calling for abortion decriminalisation in Ireland. The campaign features a short film made by “Father Ted” creator Graham Lineham and his wife. The film called ‘Chains’ criticises the Eighth Amendment to Ireland’s constitution, which makes it almost impossible for a woman to Read more
A Church of England bishop given the Anglican equivalent of a saint’s feast day was a paedophile, the church has acknowledged. Bishop George Bell of Chichester, who died in 1958, sexually assaulted a child in the 1940s and 1950s. The Church of England has issued a formal apology to the victim, who wishes to remain Read more
Wartime Pope Pius XII co-operated in plots against Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, a new book claims. “Church of Spies: The Pope’s Secret War Against Hitler” by intelligence specialist Mark Riebling details actions by Pius to stop Hitler. The author wrote that Pius cooperated in a variety of plots, initiated by patriotic, anti-Nazi Germans, to assassinate Hitler Read more