The Vatican has invited social activist Naomi Klein to help lead a high level conference on the environment later this week. Ms Klein, who campaigns for an overhaul of the global financial system to tackle climate change, will take centre stage at the conference alongside Cardinal Peter Turkson. The cardinal is president of the Pontifical Read more
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith might not consider a commission’s report on the Medjugorje phenomenon until after the northern summer. There had been a report in Italian media that the CDF had considered the report – by a commission led by Cardinal Camillo Ruini – at a “feria quarta” meeting on June Read more
The Church risks alienating two generations of believers if it has a defensive and strident reaction to the US Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. That was the warning issued by researcher Kaya Oakes after an historic 5-4 US Supreme Court ruling affirming the right of same-sex couples to marry throughout the nation. The ruling’s interpretation of the Read more
Pope Francis has criticised “worldly pastors” who say and do great things, but who do not listen. Preaching on June 25 regarding Jesus’ authoritative teaching, the Pope said there are three things to look for to distinguish true preachers of the Gospel from false prophets. These are: How do they speak, what do they do Read more
A German bishop says the Church should revoke the revised Good Friday prayer for the Jews introduced when use of the 1962 Missal was widened. Bishop Heinrich Mussinghoff of Aachen said he could not “understand or implement” the revised version. Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificam allowed for wider use of the 1962 Read more
The working document for October’s synod on the family has affirmed the need for the Church to speak its message of mercy more clearly. The Instrumentum Laboris was released by the Vatican on June 23. It includes portions of the final document from the 2014 synod and is also informed by responses from bishops’ conferences and others Read more
An Australian inquiry has found an arrangement between police and the Catholic Church resulted in complaints of child sex abuse not being investigated. A Police Integrity Commission has recommended that New South Wales police reconsider the practice of “blind reporting”. This involves the names of alleged victims of child abuse and other details being deleted Read more
The cause for the sainthood of Fr Edward Flanagan, the priest who founded Boys Town, is heading for Rome. The Omaha Archdiocese in Nebraska closed the diocesan phase of the investigation with a June 18 Mass at St Cecilia’s Cathedral. The notary for the diocesan tribunal investigating the cause said he was struck by stories Read more
A Brisbane priest has hit out against the distribution to school children of a letter from Australia’s bishops arguing against same-sex marriage. The decision to publish and distribute the “Don’t Mess with Marriage” booklet in Catholic schools across Australia has angered Fr Terry Fitzpatrick. “I feel angry and disappointed, but not surprised, that the hierarchy Read more
Pope Francis deliberately restructured his environment encyclical Laudato Si’ in order to make it accessible to everyone. Italian Bishop Mario Tosi, formerly secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said the Pope changed the structure of the document from its first draft. The initial version had a long introduction of a theological, liturgical, Read more