Pope Francis has strongly criticised the notion of gender theory as an example of an attitude that sins against God the creator. In an interview published in a book recently released in Italy, the Pope put gender theory in the same category as genetic manipulation and nuclear weapons. These are all threats to creation, that Read more
One outcome from October’s family synod could be that local bishops make decisions case-by-case on Communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics. That’s what Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle of Accra, Ghana, supports, according to an interview published on the Crux website. The archbishop said he believes this is a result Pope Francis wants from the synod Read more
Audits have shown that several religious congregations in Ireland have been tardy in implementing the Church’s child protection guidelines. The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland published reviews on the implementation of policies in 16 religious congregations. Only two orders – the Congregation of the Sacred Heart and the Dominican Read more
The Church of England has decided to change its rules to allow full funerals for people who died by suicide. The church’s General Synod voted overwhelmingly in favour of the change, by 262 votes to 5, with six abstentions. Church officials said the reform will bring ecclesiastical law into line with the 1961 Suicide Act Read more
Senior liturgical officials at the Vatican have emphasised that homilies at Mass must not be boring. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has issued a new Homiletic Directory, which was launched on February 10. Congregation head Cardinal Robert Sarah said for many Catholics, the homily, experienced as “beautiful or awful, Read more
Pope Francis has said that families that choose not to have children are making a selfish choice. The Pope said this in his general audience at St Peter’s Square on February 11, during which he continued a series of reflections on the various roles in the family. A society that “views children above all as Read more
A new Church position has been found for the so-called Bishop of Bling from Germany Pope Francis will reportedly appoint Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst to a new position with the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation. There has been no official confirmation of the appointment, but it appears Bishop Tebartz-van Elst will Read more
An American cardinal has moved to contextualise his claim that he would resist any possible move by Pope Francis away from Catholic doctrine. In an interview on a French television channel, Cardinal Raymond Burke said popes do not have the power to change the Church’s teaching or doctrine. Papal power is “at the service of Read more
Reports released by an Australian royal commission have condemned the way the Catholic Church acted towards sexual abuse victims in several cases. On February 11, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released reports on the John Ellis case and on the Church’s Towards Healing protocol. The four cases dealt with in Read more
New mechanisms could soon be proposed to remove prelates who don’t follow Church guidelines on preventing and reporting abuse of children. A member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Marie Collins, said accountability of bishops is her main priority in this role. The 17 member commission met in Rome over the weekend. Read more