Archbishop John Hepworth, the leader of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) is resigning on Pentecost Sunday in 2012. Hepworth, who claims to be the victim of rape while in a Catholic Seminary 40 years ago, said the move was prompted by “considerable dissension” within the Traditional Anglican Communion. “Profound doctrinal and moral differences have grown between us,” Read more
In preparation for Christmas, Joseph of Nazareth is Tweeting the journey of the Holy Family. An anonymous German is using Twitter under the name of Joseph of Nazareth and providing a light-hearted commentary on the Christmas story from St Joseph’s perspective. Joseph began Tweeting on 1 December, and has already gained around 9,500 followers and Read more
Philippines Archbishop Luis Tagle was installed on Monday as Manila’s 32nd archbishop, with the Archdiocese’s website mistakenly redirecting Catholics to a porn site. Traditionally a politically important See, the Manila position was held by the iconic Cardinal Jamie Sin, and a mis-understanding in typing the domain name meant visitors expecting to see the Manila bishop’s Read more
The Apostolic Administrator of an Australian diocese is appalled at the decision by a Catholic primary school in the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese to exclude a girl because of her parents’ sexuality. Bishop Kevin Manning said, “To penalise a five year old child because her parents are living in a homosexual relationship is just quite wrong.” Manning Read more
The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, is urging lapsed Catholics to leave the church, reports the Irish Independent. The last two decades has seen an increase of ‘a la carte’ Catholics who are selective in their practice of the faith, using the Church just for baptisms, marriages and funerals. Martin is urging non-believers to have Read more
Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols says religions must be free to “speak from their traditions”, and that their involvement in national debates “enriches democracy”. He warned that if respect for a wide range of opinions is abandoned, society will deteriorate into a situation where we become “either dominators or dominated”, while the abandonment of Christian Read more
US Secretary of State, Hiliary Clinton is urging the world to stop discrimination against gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people, and announced that the US would use diplomatic channels and foreign aid to expand the rights of GLBT people.. “Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,” said in a speech marking Read more
Italy’s Catholic Church has shifted its view and is showing a willingness to revisit its tax-exempt status on property. Criticism of the Church has grown following Premier Mario Monti’s proposal to restore a property tax on first and second homes as part of sweeping austerity measures. Ordinary Italians are being asked to make sacrifices and Read more
Pope Benedict illuminated a huge Christmas tree in Umbria, bring life to the tree by using a Sony Tablet S. As he turned on hundreds of lights forming the “world’s largest Christmas tree”, and speaking from Rome, Benedict said that he has three personal wishes for the Christmas season. My first wish, therefore, is that Read more
Caritas Internationalis President Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga says failure at UN climate talks in Durban is a “moral apartheid” that cannot be allowed to happen. “Just as South Africa’s Apartheid era policies sought divisions along race lines, today the world’s environment and energy policies divide man from nature,” said the Cardinal. Midway through the Climate Read more