Honolulu diocese is planning to return to the traditional order of the sacraments of initiation because Confirmation of teens isn’t working well. In a pastoral letter, Bishop Larry Silva said Confirmation is “often experienced more as a graduation from the Church than as a free gift of God’s grace”. He cited Pope Francis’s 2013 description Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Baptism’
Pope tells new priests never to refuse Baptism
Tuesday, April 28th, 2015Pope Francis has told several newly ordained priests never to refuse Baptism to anyone who asks for it. Speaking after presiding at an ordination Mass at St Peter’s Basilica on April 26, the Pope also warned the newly ordained against being vain priests. “A priest is ugly who lives for his own pleasure,” Pope Francis Read more
Church of England boots devil reference from Baptism liturgy
Friday, July 18th, 2014
The Church of England has removed all reference to the devil from the wording of its official Baptism liturgy. New wording approved by the church’s General Synod asks whether parents and godparents will “turn away from sin” and “reject evil”. In the traditional service, the request was to “reject the devil and all rebellion against Read more
Priest apologises for berating unwed Filipino teen at her baby’s Baptism
Friday, July 11th, 2014
A priest in the Philippines who scolded and harangued an unwed teenage mother at her baby’s Baptism has apologised, but may face sanctions. A video of the incident at a church in Cebu province was posted on Facebook by the 17-year-old’s grandmother. The video was also posted on Brute Show’s YouTube account, which provided an English Read more
Archbishop suggests ban on naming godfathers to combat mob
Friday, July 4th, 2014An Italian archbishop has proposed a 10-year moratorium on naming godfathers of baptised children, as a way to stem the influence of mob bosses. Archbishop Giuseppe Morosini of Reggio Calabria made the suggestion to Pope Francis last month. Initially the Pope rejected the proposal, but appears to have rethought the matter after visiting Calabria, home Read more
Baptising children of gay couples – a new battleground?
Tuesday, July 1st, 2014
Despite numerous controversies over dismissing gay Catholics from church posts and the U.S. hierarchy’s campaign against same-sex marriage, Catholic leaders have carefully, if quietly, avoided doing anything to block gay couples from having their children baptised. But a move by a bishop in Wisconsin to route all such decisions through his office is raising questions Read more
Pope reaches out to Martians
Friday, May 16th, 2014Pope Francis says if martians came to earth he would baptise them if they wanted to be. The pontiff made the interplanetary approach during a speech during mass at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican City to highlight how there were no closed doors to the Holy Spirit. He said the Spirit blows where it Read more
Child of lesbian couple baptised in Catholic Church in Argentina
Tuesday, April 8th, 2014A child of a lesbian couple has been baptised in the Catholic Church in Argentina, in a first for the South American nation. The child’s godmother is Argentina’s president Christina Fernandez de Kirchner. Continue reading
Pope baptises unmarried couple’s child in Sistine Chapel
Tuesday, January 14th, 2014
Pope Francis Sunday, baptised the child of an unmarried couple during a ceremony in the Sistine Chapel, reports Christianity Today. The unnamed parents and their child took part in the traditional Baptism Of The Lord mass with 31 others, commemorating the day St John baptised Jesus. Pope Francis has been critical of priests who refuse Read more
Church of England removes devil from baptism liturgy
Monday, January 6th, 2014The Church of England is accused of “dumbing down” the sacrament of baptism as it introduces new wording to the service. The Church is introducing a christening ceremony that removes the requirement on parents and godparents to “repent sins” and “reject the devil”. Critics claimed the new wording, designed as an alternative to the current Read more