A Vatican paper says the alleged rejection of a Down Syndrome baby in a surrogacy case is a result of a culture that turns babies into consumer products. Surrogate mother Pattaramon Chanbua from Thailand is caring for seven-month-old Gammy after an Australian couple chose his healthy twin sister, but abandoned him. The couple, David and Read more
Homosexuality is only partly genetic with sexuality mostly based on environmental and social factors, scientists believe. A study found that, while gay men shared similar genetic make-up, it only accounted for 40 per cent of the chance of a man being homosexual. But scientists say it could still be possible to develop a test to Read more
A Spanish priest infected with the Ebola virus in Liberia is the first patient to be sent back to Europe with the deadly disease. An air force plane from Spain was sent on August 6 to get Fr Miguel Pajares, 75, who was in West Africa doing missionary work. The illness has claimed the lives Read more
Filipinos have been warned not to treat Pope Francis like a celebrity during his visit to their country early next year. Bishop Pedro Arigo of Puerto Princesa said activities during the Pope’s visit from January 15 to 19 should be “simple and not extravagant”. “Sometimes people treat occasions like this as if a celebrity is Read more
The Vatican’s congregation for worship has ruled that priests are not to leave the altar to make the Sign of Peace with the faithful at Mass. In a recent circular, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments listed several “abuses” of the Sign of Peace that are to be stopped. These Read more
A lay coalition in an American archdiocese has drawn up a list of potential successors to an embattled archbishop, who is being called upon to resign. The Catholic Coalition for Church Reform in St Paul-Minnesapolis has identified seven nominees to replace embattled Archbishop John Nienstedt. During the first half of November, an “election-like process” will Read more
A Global Day of Prayer for Peace is being organised for August 6, the feast of the Transfiguration. The international pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need and Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Rafael Sako of Iraq appealed to all people of good will to join in. A statement from Aid to the Church in Read more
Pope Francis wants to reform the papacy to allow greater unity between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, a newly appointed senior adviser says. Enzo Bianchi was appointed on July 22 as a consultor of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The Tablet reported him saying the Pope could allow a council of bishops, including Read more
Cardinal Edward Clancy, who has been described as one of the great archbishops of Sydney, has died aged 90 on August 2. Known as a workaholic, a moderating force and a conservative, without being reactionary, that didn’t stop Cardinal Clancy having his share of disagreements with Rome. In fact, he once told a young priest Read more
Pope Francis has listed his top 10 tips for bringing greater joy into a person’s life and the first is “live and let live”. Francis gave his list in an interview with an old acquaintance Pablo Calvo, which formed part of a feature article in the Argentine magazine Viva. The interview was given to mark the Read more