Pope Francis has hinted he could be open to blessing same-sex couples provided certain conditions are met. The blessings must not be confused with the wedding ceremonies of heterosexuals, and decisions as to whether to bless these couples should be decided on a case-by-case basis he said. Francis shared his views on several hot theological Read more
Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate has debunked a series of fake news and disinformation spreading on social media, including about the “sale” of Istanbul’s cultural and religious landmark Hagia Sophia to the Vatican. In a weekly bulletin against disinformation, the Directorate refuted the claims about a $38 billion deal with the Vatican for Hagia Sophia, stressing Read more
Academic scholars, including historians and theologians, have stressed the need for more focus and efforts on studies on the richness and diversity of Catholicism in Asia, which they say remain largely underdeveloped. The remarks came during a hybrid roundtable discussion titled “Catholic Studies in Asia: Prospects and Challenges” hosted by the Asia Research Institute (ARI) Read more
Israeli police said they arrested several people suspected of spitting in the direction of Christian pilgrims and churches in Jerusalem this week as religious tensions flared anew in the contested capital that the three Abrahamic faiths consider holy. As Jews celebrate Sukkot, the weeklong Feast of Tabernacles that marks the fall harvest and commemorates the Read more
Celibacy is not a direct cause of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. The comments come from Hans Zollner SJ, a distinguished psychologist with a doctorate in theology. He made the comments in an interview with Infovaticana. “Celibacy is not a direct cause of abuse; what can become a risk factor is a ministry poorly Read more
Always listen to the pope regardless of who he is, says Cardinal Christophe Pierre. In an address the day before he was elevated to the College of Cardinals, Pierre says it is difficult for Catholics to claim allegiance to the pope while openly criticising the incumbent. Pierre’s reminder always to listen to the Pope comes Read more
Hong Kong Cardinal Stephen Chow has spoken about his vision for evangelisation in China. He emphasised sharing the love of God without the primary goal of converting individuals to Catholicism. “I think it is important that we say that Pope Francis made a distinction. Evangelisation is really to help people to understand the love of Read more
In what some call a scathing statement, the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors blasted Church leadership for not delivering on sexual abuse prevention outcomes. The Commission is condemning Church leadership for its glaring failures to prevent abuse. Established by Pope Francis in 2014, the commission has pledged to push church authorities for Read more
Pope Francis has stressed the importance of hope as the foundation for addressing the crises faced by Europe, particularly among the younger generation. “Hope needs to be restored to our European societies, especially to the new generations” he told people gathered in St Peter’s Square for his weekly general audience on September 27. “In fact, Read more