The Vatican is concerned that the US Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) has “serious doctrinal problems which may affect many in consecrated life” and is to undergo a forced reform. The announcement, made on April 18 by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, came in an 8 page “doctrinal assessment” based on an investigation by Read more
The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, says the Archdiocese has welcomed the announcement of a Parliamentary enquiry into how religious organisations handle allegations of sexual abuse of children and will co-operate fully with the enquiry. On Tuesday Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu announced a year-long parliamentary enquiry into the handing of criminal abuse of children. Read more
A practicing Catholic, Melinda Gates, recently delivered a talk at TED, putting birth control back on the global agenda. Gates said that the topic of contraception has become a hot topic in recent years, but asked whether it should be. She believes that many of the world’s social change issues depends on ensuring that women Read more
The vast majority of Ireland’s Catholics want married priests and women priests, reports the Independent. The finding is the result of a poll conducted by Ireland’s Association of Catholic priests (ACP) which has one of its founding members silenced and sent to a monastery for a period of reflection. The ACP claim a mandate from mass-goers Read more
As preparations get under way for World Youth Day, organisers in Rio have launched a new smartdevice App, and announced that a “week of missions” will precede WYD. At the request of Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and to help young people prepare to participate in World Youth Day, a “week of Read more
A lawyer representing 45 victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy is calling for a Royal Commission following a police report linking dozens of suicides to sexual abuse by clergy. Most cases concern sexual abuse by Catholic brother, Robert Best and former priest Gerald Ridsdale. “An inquiry would horrify the community”, Vivian Walker told the Read more
He blessed SM Baguio when it opened in 2003, but the bishop of Baguio will no longer conduct blessings, let alone hold Masses in the mall in protest of its expansion project. “I have decided – and the priests agree with me – to suspend permission, to hold Masses in SM (Baguio) and even blessings Read more
A body of 800 priests in Ireland is disturbed over the Vatican’s silencing of one of its founding members for his liberal views. As reported in CathNews, Redemptorist Fr Tony Flannery last week was asked by the Vatican to stop writing articles in the Redemptorists’ monthly magazine. In a statement released on Tuesday, Fr Brendan Read more
Professor Richard Dawkins and Sydney’s Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell, battled it out for an hour on Australian Television. In a debate that the Sydney Morning Herald says bordered on barely concealed mutual disdain, boiled over more than once and the Science v God, Atheist v Belief, Logic v Faith debate left all parties bruised. Pell was given Read more
Jesuit seminarian, Joseph Hoover (top centre) was sentenced, Monday, to six days in a county jail work program and two years court probation in the first successful case relating to the Occupy Oakland movement. Hoover was found guilty of a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a thoroughfare during a violent demonstration in January that resulted in the arrests Read more