An official ruling on the alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje in Bosnia is close, Pope Francis has said. Speaking to reporters on his flight back from a short visit to Sarajevo in Bosnia, Pope Francis was asked about the status of a Vatican investigation into the alleged apparitions. Pope Francis said a study from a Read more
An Australian bishop has warned that if same-sex marriage is legalised, children of gay couples will eventually see themselves as another Stolen Generation. Port Pirie diocese’s Bishop Greg O’Kelly, SJ, issued a letter in which he stated that same-sex and traditional marriage were like comparing apples and pears. “The nature of marriage between two same-sex Read more
Cardinal Walter Kasper says Pope Francis wanted him to raise the question of Communion for the divorced and remarried, but this doesn’t mean papal approval. The cardinal has long promoted a proposal to allow divorced-and-civilly-remarried Catholics to receive Communion after a period of repentance. He raised the topic during a talk at a consistory of Read more
A churchgoing man in England has been euthanased against his will, because his killer reasoned that a dog would not have been allowed to suffer like he did. Heather Davidson, 54, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after she smothered cancer victim David Paterson, 82, with a pillow, only hours away from his natural death. Read more
US Catholic leaders working with youth have developed an app to help young people battling with an addiction to pornography. The app, named “Victory”, is based on a calendar system, where the user can mark with colours the days they were victorious over porn or had a setback. White means they were victorious, grey means Read more
A liturgical music specialist who was to have a key role in preparations for a US papal Mass has resigned over differences with his archbishop. John Romeri resigned as head of liturgical music for Philadelphia archdiocese, effective on June 30. It was a role Dr Romeri held for five years. It is unclear what role Read more
A member of the Pope’s commission to protect minors has expressed concern that Cardinal George Pell is in charge of the body’s finances. Peter Saunders had previously called on the Pope to sack the cardinal, following accusations that resurfaced at a royal commission hearing in Ballarat. Cardinal Pell has repeatedly denied claims that he moved Read more
Rome has appointed the superior-general of the Society of St Pius X as a first-instance trial judge in a case involving a Lefebvrian priest. The move by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was announced by SSPX superior-general Bishop Bernard Fellay during a homily. The Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Archbishop Read more
Pilgrims are being warned not to travel alone on a stretch of Spain’s Camino de Santiago after the disappearance of one woman and a series of assaults. In April, American Denise Thiem, 41, went missing after last being seen near the church of Santa Marta in Astorga. She was walking along the Camino Francés, one Read more
Germany’s bishops have denied that a conference dubbed a “shadow council” in Rome was about changing Church teaching. The heads of the Swiss, German and French bishops’ conferences organised a “study day” held at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University last week. It was attended by nine bishops, 17 professors and priests, and selected media representatives. One Read more