A report from the Australian Church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council into sexual abuse has linked priestly celibacy and child abuse. It is the first time the Church has made such a link. However the finding is not a first step to ending celibacy for priests. The 40 page report touches briefly on celibacy, saying “Obligatory celibacy may also Read more
Rob Galea is probably the biggest pop star you’ve never heard of. He plays to hundreds of thousands of people every year. He gets mobbed on the streets of many countries. He was invited to perform on the US version of The Voice, but was too busy. Is he based in Hollywood? London? No, Rob Read more
A New Zealand-born priest of the Liberal Catholic Church has been handed a suspended jail sentence in Australia for two counts of bigamy. Alec Stevenson, 70, illegally married two women over four decades, after marrying his first wife in New Zealand in 1962. But he never divorced his first wife, with whom he had three Read more
Among the dangers of a “sterile” form of celibacy are bitterness and gossip, Pope Francis told a group of Italian priests and bishops on July 26. When a priest disagrees with his bishop or when bishops disagree with each other, they must air their differences – even loudly – but never talk behind each other’s backs, Pope Read more
A group representing some priests in Ireland has welcomed Pope Francis’s reported hints that he will sort out the celibacy issue. Association of Catholic Priests spokesman Fr Seamus Ahearne said the Pontiff’s views have been welcomed by the majority of Ireland’s priests. The ACP represents about 10 per cent of clergy in Ireland. Earlier this Read more
The Vatican is disputing the accuracy of comments attributed to Pope Francis on priestly celibacy and the extent of paedophilia in the clergy. On July 13, Rome daily La Repubblica ran an article by its former editor Eugenio Scalfari, based on an interview he did with the Pope on July 10. The Pope reportedly described Read more
The Catholic Church was within its rights not to renew the teaching contract of a Spanish married priest, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. In a nine to eight vote decision, the court ruled the decision not to renew Jose Antonio Fernandez Martínez’s contract “was legitimate and proportionate”. Fernandez Martínez was ordained in Read more
A group of 26 Italian women – all claiming to be in affairs with priests – have written to Pope Francis pleading with him to end the celibacy requirement. The women said that there were many more like them who were “living in silence”. “We love these men, they love us, and in most cases, Read more
A senior Italian bishop says the Church should listen to arguments for gay relationships, Communion for divorcees and ending mandatory celibacy for priests. Bishop Nunzio Galantino, who is secretary-general of the Italian bishops’ conference (CEI), said he wants Church leaders to open their minds on these issues. “My wish for the Italian Church is that Read more
A papyrus dubbed “the Gospel of Jesus’ wife” appears to have been of ancient origin, testing has revealed. Harvard University biblical scholar Karen King, who first revealed the papyrus, hopes questions over whether it is a modern fake will now fade. It consists of just eight lines and 33 words of an interrupted conversation, which Read more