This move follows high-profile cases where spirituality was misused to justify abusive behaviour. With Pope Francis's approval, a working group has been established to study the issue and propose concrete legal changes.

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), in collaboration with the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, announced on 22 November the formation of this group. Archbishop Filippo Iannone, head of the legislative dicastery, will lead the initiative.

The goal is to create a clear legal framework to address spiritual abuse. This has often been considered an aggravating factor in other crimes rather than a crime in its own right.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the DDF, highlighted the need to refine terminology, particularly the term "false mysticism". The cardinal described it as overly broad and ambiguous. He noted its current use in cases involving alleged supernatural phenomena, such as apparitions or visions. The term has also been linked to allegations of clerical abuse.

Particular moral gravity

The DDF's 2024 Norms for Proceeding in the Discernment of Alleged Supernatural Phenomena already label the misuse of mystical experiences to manipulate or abuse as a matter of "particular moral gravity".

However, the new working group will seek to formally categorise spiritual abuse as a distinct delict in canon law.

Recent scandals have drawn attention to the misuse of spirituality for abusive purposes. Former Jesuit Marko Rupnik, for example, faced allegations that he used spiritual justifications to exploit individuals while creating religious art. Similarly, accusations against Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche, and leaders of other Catholic movements have involved claims of mixing spiritual authority with coercive behaviour.

Cardinal Fernández has emphasised the Church's increased vigilance in addressing such issues. "Today, we are more vigilant than before when it comes to the possibility of mystical or spiritual elements being used to exploit or even abuse people" he stated.

Sources

UCA News

Catholic News Agency

English Katholisch

CathNews New Zealand

In a statement expressing frustration at the 52-page report which was adopted in Rome by a two-thirds majority of the 368 delegates, Dr McAleese said, "Not one single thing has shifted even marginally.

"The final Synod report is one big wordy yawn signifying absolutely nothing," she said, so much so that the Pope has decided not to issue a post-synodal exhortation.

However, the final document did recommend an overhaul in the training of future priests, greater lay involvement in selecting bishops, expansion of women's ministries and a revision of church law to mandate greater transparency and accountability throughout the church.

Read more

CNA reports that Pope Francis has appointed Fr Maurizio Chiodi to the DDF. Chiodi is known for his view that the use of contraception within marriage is acceptable and that same-sex relationships could be morally permissible in some circumstances.

Chiodi's views raise eyebrows

Chiodi, a professor at the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Marriage and the Family Sciences, has raised eyebrows within the Church.

In a 2017 lecture in Rome, Chiodi suggested that contraception might be morally permissible within marriage under certain circumstances.

He also stated that homosexual relationships "under certain conditions" could be "the most fruitful way" for those with same-sex attraction to "enjoy good relations".

These views have drawn media scrutiny, with some questioning how they align with traditional Catholic teaching.

Chiodi, a Pontifical Academy for Life member since 2017, has despite the backlash continued to be a significant voice in moral theology.

Cardinal Fernández leadership

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, charged with overseeing doctrinal orthodoxy within the Catholic Church, has been led by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández since September 2023.

In the past year, the DDF has been the focus of internal debate following its declaration 'Fiducia Supplicans' which permits non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples.

As well, it has released a document titled 'Dignitas Infinita' which addresses modern ethical concerns such as gender theory, euthanasia and human dignity.

Cardinal Fernández has praised the new appointments, stating "The consultors bring a broad range of expertise that will enrich the Dicastery's work in addressing contemporary moral and doctrinal challenges".

New appointments include women theologians

The new consultors include experts in theology, canon law and scripture. Their appointments mark a significant step towards gender inclusivity.

Of the 28 appointees, six are women — two religious sisters and four lay theologians.

Two male lay theologians were also named, adding to the diversity of voices expected to guide the DDF.

Source

• CNA

On Thursday, the dicastery published a letter from Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Faith, to the Archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz, José Rodríguez Carballo, in which he confirms the request for the "Nihil obstat" made by the chief shepherd.

It says the church should "continue to offer the faithful who approach it a place of inner peace, consolation, and conversion."

However, following the new norms of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith from mid-May, the authority makes no statement about the authenticity of the supernatural phenomenon. Still, it recognises that there are signs of the work of the Holy Spirit.

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O'Malley, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM), urged Vatican offices to exercise pastoral prudence and avoid displaying Rupnik's art, which could imply exoneration or indifference to the suffering of abuse victims.

O'Malley's proactive stance contrasts with recent comments from Paolo Ruffini, head of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication.

Ruffini defended his office's use of Rupnik's artwork, stating "Removing, deleting, destroying art has not ever been a good choice". He stressed the importance of not prejudging Rupnik, as the investigation by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) is ongoing.

Rupnik, renowned for his large-scale mosaics adorning over 200 Catholic sites worldwide including the Vatican's Redemptoris Mater Chapel, faces accusations from at least 30 adult women.

Despite the severity of the allegations, Ruffini maintained that using existing images of Rupnik's work does not undermine the Church's commitment to supporting victims.

Abuse doesn't know age

The controversy arose during Ruffini's address at the Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta where he suggested that removing Rupnik's art would not signify greater solidarity with victims.

He also said that "we're not talking about minors" and noted that, as Christians, "we are asked not to judge".

Ruffini's remarks sparked backlash, with critics arguing that the Church should demonstrate sensitivity by discontinuing the display of Rupnik's art until the investigation concludes.

One observer took issue with Ruffini's apparent dismissal of the allegations since they involve adults rather than minors, saying "Abuse doesn't know age".

In contrast, O'Malley's letter to Vatican departments highlighted the need to avoid sending a message that suggests the Holy See is indifferent to the psychological distress of abuse victims.

"Pope Francis has urged us to be sensitive to and walk in solidarity with those harmed by all forms of abuse" O'Malley wrote, and "to bear this in mind when choosing images to accompany the publication of messages, articles and reflections through the various communication channels available to us."

Sources

National Catholic Reporter

Crux Now

CathNews New Zealand

This could lead to his excommunication and removal from the clerical state.

On 20th May, senior officers of the Vatican's Dicastery opened an extrajudicial penal trial against Viganó.

The decree states that this process was deemed appropriate without prior investigation, as the evidence was already collected and publicly available.

Archbishop Viganó, a former nuncio to the United States, is accused of making public statements that deny elements necessary to maintain communion with the Catholic Church.

The statements include rejecting the legitimacy of Pope Francis, breaking communion with him and rejecting the Second Vatican Council. Such actions are defined as schism under Canon 1364 of the Code of Canon Law. This mandates automatic excommunication for such offences.

The trial is set to follow Canon 1364, which also allows for additional penalties if the gravity of the offence warrants them, including dismissal from the clerical state.

If Viganó is convicted, the penalties will require papal confirmation.

Pope's leadership a "cancer"

Archbishop Viganó was summoned to the Vatican to respond to the charges and presented himself on 20th June. He submitted a written defence, later published on a supporter's blog, describing the charges as an "honour".

In the letter, he referred to Pope Francis by his given name, Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Viganó also referred to his leadership as a "cancer" within the Church.

"It is no coincidence that the accusation against me concerns the questioning of the legitimacy of Jorge Mario Bergoglio and the rejection of Vatican II: the Council represents the ideological, theological, moral and liturgical cancer of which the Bergoglian ‘synodal church' is necessary metastasis" the archbishop wrote.

Vigano considers himself as a successor of the apostles and in full communion with the Church, however he rejects the "neo-modernist heresies of the Second Vatican Council".

A canon lawyer who reviewed Viganó's defence noted that his statements affirm the charges of schism, calling it a clear declaration of separation from the Church. This reinforces the prosecution's case.

The extrajudicial procedure is expected to conclude swiftly. If Viganó is found guilty, his excommunication will be publicly declared and remain in force until he repents. The penalties, including potential dismissal from the clerical state, would then await the Pope's confirmation.

According to Vatican News, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said on Thursday in reaction to the news: "Archbishop Viganò has taken some attitudes and some actions for which he must answer."

Parolin added: "I am very sorry because I always appreciated him as a great worker, very faithful to the Holy See, someone who was, in a certain sense, also an example.

"When he was apostolic nuncio he did good work."

Sources

America Magazine

The Pillar

AP News

Catholic News Agency

CathNews New Zealand

The new cases mark the latest development in the case of Rupnik, a Jesuit accused of having committed serious sexual, spiritual, and psychological abuse against at least 20 women over a period of decades.

As reported by the Italian news agency Ansa, the testimonies of five alleged victims were presented at the Vatican dicastery by Italian lawyer Laura Sgrò on April 3.

The complainants include two women who shared their testimony at a press conference in February, while the other three are heretofore unknown cases.

Read More

"More broadly, the norms adopted by Rome indicate the right direction, but we currently have no mechanism to monitor their implementation."

Zollner, director of the Institute of Anthropology at Rome's Gregorian University, believes the summit Pope Francis called in 2019 to deal with abuse was a major step in the right direction.

The problem is that the rules and procedures the Church adopted after the summit aren't being applied sufficiently or evenly at the local level, he says.

At the universal level, several norms have been established. They apply to the whole church Zollner says.

One is the Vox estis lux mundi (you are the light of the world) motu proprio by Pope Francis.

Promulgated in May 2019, it established new procedural norms that have since been consolidated to combat sexual abuse and ensure that bishops and religious superiors are held accountable for their actions.

It also expects all clerics, and men and women religious, to report to their superiors any sexual and spiritual abuse they become aware of.

Zollner notes the law is not perfect in any institution, and improvements to the current regulations could be made - to canon law, for instance.

He says canonical processes must become more transparent, and procedures and systems must be applied appropriately everywhere.

"If we want new legislation to have a lasting and profound effect, it must be accompanied by a change in attitude" he says.

Transparency needed

Like Zollner, a woman who says she suffered spiritual and sexual abuse by a priest wants the new anti-abuse protocols to be properly implemented and monitored.

Gloria Branciani is demanding transparency from the Vatican and a full accounting of the hierarchs who for 30 years covered for her much-exalted abuser.

Branciani, who was a consecrated member of the Loyola Community, has detailed the alleged abuses of the celebrated Jesuit artist Marko Rupnik.

He had a fondness for three-way sex "in the image of the Trinity" Branciani says.

If this is found to be the case, it could constitute a grave perversion of Catholic doctrine known as false mysticism.

Another former Loyola Community member, Mirjam Kovac, spoke of the "spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience" Rupnik forced upon her.

The two former nuns said they hope now to obtain truth and justice, without any "personal revenge".

Vatican response

The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has contacted several institutions to obtain documentation related to Rupnik.

Last October, Pope Francis entrusted the DDF with the task of examining the case after deciding to "waive the statute of limitations to allow the proceedings to take place".

His decision followed PCPM reports last September detailing "serious problems" in the handling of the Rupnik case and "the lack of closeness to the victims".

"After expanding the search ... it will now be necessary to study the acquired documentation in order to identify which procedures can and should be implemented" the Vatican Press Office says.

• La Croix
• AP News
• Vatican News

On January 30, the dicastery announced that it would specifically investigate and judge cases involving individuals "who habitually have an imperfect use of reason."

This announcement delineates the jurisdiction of the doctrinal office, specifying that cases involving vulnerable adults with temporary limitations on their ability to understand, will or resist an offence should be referred to other Vatican departments.

This move seeks to address longstanding questions regarding the treatment of vulnerable adults within Church procedures, particularly in comparison to minors under the age of 18.

The discussion surrounding the protection of vulnerable adults from clerical sexual abuse has evolved over the past 15 years, with Church documents progressively acknowledging this group's need for safeguarding.

However, ambiguity regarding the scope of this protection has prompted debates, especially concerning adults in positions of dependency such as those under the spiritual guidance of clergy.

The recent clarification from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith underscores a more precise approach to defining its jurisdiction, limiting its investigative responsibilities to minors and those with a habitual impairment in reasoning.

The Vatican indicates that other cases of abuse involving vulnerable adults fall under the purview of various other dicasteries, depending on the nature of the alleged perpetrator and the victim's specific vulnerabilities.

This development represents the Vatican's ongoing efforts to address and mitigate clerical sexual abuse, highlighting a structured and differentiated approach to various victim categories.

It acknowledges the complexity of vulnerability and the need for specialised attention across different ecclesiastical bodies to ensure justice and protection for all Church community members.

Historically, the Church's legal framework has evolved to address the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults by clergy.

John Paul II's 2001 document Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela initially tasked the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with overseeing cases of minor abuse.

This was expanded by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 to include developmentally disabled adults over 18.

Pope Francis further refined these definitions in his 2019 document Vos Estis Lux Mundi which distinguished minors and vulnerable persons based on their capacity to understand or resist abuse.

Source

• OSV

The Vatican's document, signed by Pope Francis and Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, was published on the Holy See's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith website on November 8.

Currently, the translation is available only in Italian and Portuguese.

The document is a clarification that came in response to inquiries from Brazilian Bishop Jose Negri of Santo Amaro.

In July, before the recent Synod on Synodality, Negri posed six questions to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding the role of LGBT individuals in church sacraments.

Life of faith open to all

The document states that "A transgender person, even if they have undergone hormone therapy and sex-reassignment surgery, can receive baptism under the same conditions as other faithful, if there are no situations in which there is a risk of generating a public scandal or disorientation among the faithful."

The dicastery also reiterated the church's position that children of gay or transgender couples can be baptised, provided there is a well-founded hope they will be raised in the Catholic faith.

The same applies to transgender children and adolescents.

"In the case of transgender children or adolescents, they can receive baptism if they are well prepared and willing."

Echoing the words of Pope Francis, the document stresses that "the Church is not a customs house, but the fatherly home where there is room for every person with his or her difficult life."

Not satisfied with merely opening the door the document keeps the door wide open, stating that "another person in the family circle" other than the godparents, can also "vouch for the proper transmission of the Catholic faith to the person to be baptised."

The document shows that there are many rooms in the Father's house and states that baptism cannot be prevented "even if doubts remain about a person's objective moral situation." It recommends applying "pastoral prudence" in each circumstance.

LGBT+ Ministry

The document also emphasises that there is no current universal canonical legislation that prevents transgender individuals from serving as witnesses at a Catholic marriage.

While the responses encourage pastoral prudence and the need to prevent scandal and confusion among the faithful, the document underlines God's unconditional love and the church's openness to all people.

The document notes that while gay individuals in a relationship akin to marriage, particularly if known in the community, should probably not serve as godparents, they may be invited as witnesses to a baptism.

Again "pastoral prudence" applies.

Context

In July, speaking with a transgender person, Francis reached out saying "Even if we are sinners, he (God) draws near to help us. The Lord loves us as we are, this is God's crazy love."

Then during World Youth Day in Portugal Francis told the crowd there is room in the Church for everyone.

"In the Church there is room for everyone, everyone" he told hundreds of thousands of young people gathered in a large park in Lisbon. "Everyone, everyone, everyone!" he said several times.

"That is the Church, the Mother of all. There is room for everyone."

"This (document) is an important step forward in the Church seeing transgender people not only as people (in a Church where some say they don't really exist) but as Catholics" said Fr James Martin on X (Twitter). He is a prominent Jesuit priest and supporter of LGBT rights in the Church.

Sources

• Reuters
• OSV News - via UCANews.com
• NBC News
• La Croix International

The police have twice investigated Saunders (73) and not charged him, and are now calling on Church authorities to allow them to see the report.

The Vatican report identifies Saunders as a "predator" who sexually assaulted four Aboriginal men and boys and groomed dozens more.

It also says Saunders spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on grooming his victims by plying them with gifts of alcohol, phones, cash and travel.

Besides slamming Saunders' behaviour, the Vatican report is also critical of the two West Australian police investigations into the bishop's alleged offending and their decision not to charge him.

The Vatican noted the first complaint about Saunders was made in 2018. Police began investigating and by March 2020 Saunders had stood aside from his long-standing role as head of the diocese.

In 2020, Australia's Channel 7 heard about the investigation. It later reported that Saunders ordered his staff to collect and burn hundreds of office documents, files and photographs after the abuse allegations went to air.

In May 2021, just over a year after Saunders stood aside, the police decided not to press criminal charges against him. They said the ages of the victims at the time of the alleged acts could not be substantiated through evidence at that time.

It is an outcome that did not impress the Vatican investigators who say the police "mishandled" the inquiry for various reasons.

These included "limited resourcing and competing priorities, a lack of will by senior management to tackle the systemic issues, a strained ­relationship between police and the Kimberley Aboriginal Legal Service, and evidence gaps relating to establishing the ages of the victims at the time of the alleged offences".

Australian Catholic bishops respond

In a statement this week, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference described the allegations as "very serious and deeply distressing, especially for those making the allegations."

It said the independent report had been provided to the Holy See, with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith continuing the investigation.

Conference president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe explained the Church's investigation into allegations against Saunders couldn't start until the Western Australia Police Force inquiries had concluded in 2021.

In 2022, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge oversaw the Church's investigation for the Vatican.

Costelloe entrusted the process to an experienced and independent specialist investigations organisation. Its comprehensive inquiries examined several serious allegations.

"That independent report has been provided to the Holy See, with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith continuing the investigation.

"We will respect the enduring confidential nature of this process ... Saunders, who has maintained his innocence, is able to ...[communicate] directly with the Holy See.

"In due time, the Holy See will make its determinations. It is hoped that this will not be unduly delayed."
Source

• The Australian
• The Guardian
• The West Australian
• Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

In an interview with the National Catholic Register, Fernández (pictured) acknowledged that while the core doctrine remains unchanged and the Gospel is immutable, the Church continually seeks to expand its comprehension of these profound truths.

Fernández, a 61-year-old Argentine theologian, cautioned against bishops who claim a "special gift of the Holy Spirit to judge the doctrine of the Holy Father," noting that such a path could lead to "heresy" and "schism."

"Remember that heretics always think they know the true doctrine of the Church," Fernández said.

In a letter accompanying Fernández's appointment, the Pope emphasised the importance of "guarding the faith" and expressed the hope that the dicastery would focus on this essential mission.

Fernández echoed the Pope's sentiment in his interview. "I believe that this dicastery can be a space that can welcome these debates and frame them in the secure doctrine of the Church, thus avoiding for the faithful some of the more aggressive, confusing and even scandalous media debates," he said.

Tension between Vatican and theologians

Martin Lintner, OSM, a Servite priest and theologian teaching at the Philosophical-Theological College of Brixen/Bressanone, Italy, is hopeful the appointment of Fernández brings a shift in the Vatican's approach to theologians and their roles within the Church.

Lintner has been denied approval by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to become the college's next dean. This decision comes after six months of waiting and a visit by Bishop Ivo Muser, who initiated the approval process.

The denial has brought to light the ongoing tension between the Vatican and theologians regarding theological positions and teaching roles.

Writing on the Lintner case, theologian Massimo Faggioli noted: "The relationship between [theologians] and the institutional Church has seen some changes since Francis's election. For one thing, there's been an obvious truce following the John Paul II and Benedict XVI eras. Yet it seems that theology has been more responsive to the pope's impulses than the Curia has."

Part of the difficulty in analysing Father Lintner's case is that, like other theologians who have been denied Vatican approval, no reason has been given for the decision.

Lintner described the appointment of Fernández as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith as "a sign of hope," because Fernández himself was once denied a nihil obstat, literally, "nothing obstructs."

"His bishop at the time, now Pope Francis, stood up for him and in this way obtained approval from the Vatican Curia. So he knows from his experience what it's all about."

Sources

Catholic News Agency

America Magazine

National Catholic Register

The pope visited the dicastery shortly after 9 am on Sept 5, the Vatican said in a brief statement. Francis also greeted other dicastery officials after meeting with the 79-year-old Ladaria.

On July 1, Pope Francis appointed Argentine Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández, 61, as Ladaria's successor as doctrine chief.

Ladaria was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, then called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in 2017. He succeeded German Cardinal Gerhard Müller.

Read More

In his first interview since assuming the role, Archbishop Fernández (pictured) spoke about various pressing issues, including clerical abuse, the German Synodal Way, same-sex blessings and his approach to his new responsibilities.

The archbishop, who hails from La Plata, Argentina, revealed that he had written a letter to the members of the Vatican's doctrine dicastery, expressing his admiration for the current prefect, Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer SJ, as a theologian and for his work style.

However, "I will do it ‘my way' as the Italian song says," Fernández added in the interview with the Spanish Catholic website InfoVaticana published on July 5.

Emphasising the importance of Pope Francis' call for synodality, Archbishop Fernández stated that he would prioritise listening and understanding before making any decisions. He acknowledged the considerations put forth in the letter the pope sent him, expressing his intention to apply them in some manner.

Same-sex blessings

On the issue of same-sex blessings, Archbishop Fernández aligned himself with the Church's stance against same-sex unions, stating that marriage in its strict sense is the union of a man and a woman capable of procreation.

However, Fernández suggested that if a blessing could be given without causing confusion, it should be analysed and confirmed.

Archbishop Fernández discussed the complexities surrounding the handling of clerical abuse cases, citing the need to believe the accusers while ensuring due process for the accused priests. He acknowledged the challenges of striking a balance and learning from canonists to navigate these delicate situations.

When asked about the opposition to his appointment and concerns that he might deviate from the expected role of the prefect, Archbishop Fernández responded by highlighting the value of having a Latin American occupy such a position.

"Does it not seem good to you that for some time in history a Latin American who has been a parish priest of the peripheries, who grew up in a small town in the countryside, with a sensitivity close to the pain of the discarded of society, with a life story very different from that of a European or American, but who at the same time is a doctor in theology, occupies this position?

"Once again, I tell them that I will learn from history, I will respect the processes, I will dialogue, but I will do it 'my way'."

Sources

Catholic News Agency

InfoVaticana

CathNews New Zealand

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith is one of the Vatican's most influential departments.

Known as an influential papal theological adviser, Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez will take up his appointment in September this year.

That's just a month before the Sixteenth Ordinary Synod of Bishops, scheduled for this October in Rome. At this - the synod on synodality's third and universal phase - the bishops will reflect on synthesised feedback from all corners of the world.

Importantly, Francis's theme for this synod is the "Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission".

Marriage of two minds

Known as a trusted papal advisor, Fernandez is widely believed to have been a key author behind some of Francis' most consequential documents.

These include, for example, the 2016 papal exhortation "God is Love". That exhortation discussed enabling divorced Catholics who remarry in civil ceremonies to receive Communion.

It's an issue many hope will open the way for people who currently can't receive Communion to be allowed to do so.

Others are likely to object. The conservative hierarchy will. So will rank-and-file faithful. Many may not want such a change codified in teaching about the sacraments.

Changing times

Change is in the air and Francis is preparing for it.

His new appointee will lead the doctrine office immediately after decisions coming out of the synod on synodality are finalised.

In his letter to Fernandez about his prestigious appointment, Francis wrote:

"I entrust to you, as the new prefect of the Dicastery ... to safeguard the teaching that flows from the faith to ‘give reasons for our hope, but not as an enemy who critiques and condemns' (Evangelii gaudium, 271)."

He also says: "The dicastery over which you will preside in other times came to use immoral methods.

"Those were times when, rather than promoting theological knowledge, possible doctrinal errors were pursued. What I expect from you is certainly something very different.

"So as not to limit the significance of this task ... it is a matter of ‘increasing the understanding and transmission of the faith in the service of evangelisation, so that its light may be a criterion for understanding the meaning of existence, especially in the face of the questions posed by the progress of the sciences and the development of society." Francis wrote.

About Fernandez

The new Prefect is 60 years old. His roles to date include terms as dean of the Faculty of Theology of Buenos Aires, president of the Argentine Society of Theology, and president of the Argentine bishops' faith and culture commission.

The Holy See press office says his writings are marked by "a significant biblical basis and a constant effort to create a dialogue between theology and culture, evangelising mission, spirituality and social issues."

He is replacing 79-year-old Jesuit Cardinal Luis Ladaria who is retiring.

Ladaria took over the office in 2017 after Francis removed conservative German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller.

Francis is likely to appoint Fernandez as a cardinal, meaning he would be eligible to vote in future conclaves for the next two decades.

Source

• CTV News
• The Pillar

McCarrick is a laicised former cardinal,

McCarrick's legal team filed the report on 27 February in Massachusetts' Dedham District Court based on a medical evaluation that found McCarrick, 92, is suffering from impaired cognition.

The court has now impounded that report.

Assistant Norfolk District Attorney Lisa Beatty said the state will now bring in its own expert to evaluate McCarrick to determine if he can go to trial.

The state's evaluation date has yet to be set, but both sides will be back in court in April for a status conference.

As a result, any eventual ruling on McCarrick's motion to be declared incompetent is not likely for months.

McCarrick has been accused of sexually abusing both adult and child victims over decades, a scandal that burst into the public in 2018.

After the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (now a dicastery) found McCarrick guilty of abuse in 2019, he was laicised by Pope Francis.

The three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over age 14 in Massachusetts are the only criminal counts he currently faces.

McCarrick amassed power and favours

Raising the question of competency years after the fact is a standard legal strategy employed by priests accused of sexual abuse, according to Mitchell Garabedian.

Garabedian is the attorney representing McCarrick's Massachusetts victim in civil lawsuits filed in New York and New Jersey.

"My client is determined and strong and not deterred by McCarrick's antics," Garabedian said.

Robert Hoatson, president of Road to Recovery, which helps victims of priest sex abuse, said McCarrick amassed power and favours for years on his way to becoming a cardinal. That created a form of protection that McCarrick enjoyed and kept him from facing the consequences, Hoatson said.

"One of the reasons why this has been held up so long, he literally charmed the entire world," Hoatson said.

"He was beloved, he could charm anybody."

If McCarrick is ultimately deemed incompetent to stand trial, the charges do not automatically go away.

Instead, the court must first determine if McCarrick can be brought back to competency through medical treatment.

Given his age and reported condition, that scenario is unlikely, raising the possibility McCarrick may never face justice in the criminal courts.

Sources

National Catholic Reporter

ABC News

Reuters

More women

Francis suggested that the prestigious ITC could consider including more women in their group.

Not because it's the 'done thing' according to current fashion, he added.

Rather, Francis suggests, women bring a different intellectual perspective to theology, which can make it "more profound and more 'flavourful'."

Of the 10th Commission's 28 members, five are women. Francis appointed them for five-year terms in 2021.

Three theological questions

Working in an advisory capacity to the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the ITC has agreed to explore three theological questions Francis suggested.

These include themes of the Christological faith professed by the Council of Nicea; certain current anthropological questions; and the theology of creation from a Trinitarian perspective.

Francis expressed his pleasure that members would explore these questions, reminding members of their obligations.

They must carry out their work "in the path traced out by the Second Vatican Council, which … constitutes the sure compass for the journey of the Church" in our day," Francis said.

Francis then proposed three "directions" for the ITC to follow.

• Creative fidelity to Tradition

Tradition must either grow or die out, Francis warned. He highlighted the dangers of refusing to grow, but falling back on "the way it's always been done." He invited theologians to help correct this tendency in the Church.

• The theologian's role

A theologian has a vocation to go beyond existing doctrine, because "he is trying to make theology more explicit," Francis explained.

They must be open to the contributions of other disciplines.

This means "treasuring" a "strong form" of "transdisciplinarity" as the gathering and deepening of all human knowledge "within the space of Light and Life offered by the Wisdom that emanates from God's revelation".

"Theologians must go further [than catechists], try to go beyond.

"But I want to distinguish this from the catechist: When instructing children and adults in the faith, the catechist must give the correct doctrine, solid doctrine; not the possible new things, of which some are good…"

He encouraged them to teach theology in a way that provokes "wonder and awe" to those who hear them.

• Collegiality

Collegiality is especially important in the context of the ongoing synodal process, he said.

The Holy Spirit

Francis finished by saying he hopes the Commission's work might be tranquil and fruitful, undertaken in a spirit of mutual listening, dialogue, and communal discernment, and in openness to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• Vatican News

It is two years since the original step-by-step guide was released.

Called "Version 2.0", the updated guidelines provide a new section of the Code of Canon Law dealing with crimes and punishments in the Church.

"Book VI: Penal Sanctions in the Church" went into effect last December and was the result of almost two decades of work which clarifies, updates, adds and strengthens the Code's list of crimes and provisions available for sanctioning the guilty.

As a step-by-step guide, the "Vademecum on certain points of procedure in treating cases of sexual abuse of minors committed by clerics" was updated to include references to the revised canons.

The dicastery says the text "does not have the force of law". Rather, "it is intended to meet a growing need for knowledge" about the procedures to be followed when accusations of abuse are made.

The Vademecum's revision also reflects contributions from "academic centres and studies in the field that have come in the last two years," as well as suggestions made by those who work with victims and survivors of abuse, the dicastery says.

The changes are minor ones, however.

Specific changes

New reference numbers have been provided for many of the canons.

All instances of the word "congregation" have been changed to "dicastery" in accordance with the pope's reform of the Roman Curia.

The original 2020 guidelines included a statement saying "The anonymity of the source should not automatically lead to considering the report as false".

The updated guidelines repeat and expand the guidelines to add "... especially when it is accompanied by documentation that attests to the likelihood of a delict".

The updated "Norms regarding delicts reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith" published in October 2021 have also been tweaked.

It is no longer simply advisable for an accused cleric to be assisted by a lawyer or advocate. That is now mandatory. The accused can choose his own counsel or one will be appointed for him.

Source

• CruxNow

Marie Collins (pictured), a survivor of clerical sexual abuse, who served on the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, said she was concerned that the Vatican reforms could lead to the body losing independence.

Collins said that the Curia reorganisation unveiled by Pope Francis on March 19, which will see the Commission become part of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will further undermine the work of the body she was once part of.

"When I was on the Commission, we got a lot of resistance to our work from the doctrinal congregation. They basically felt that we were interfering. And that, I believe, is the norm in the Vatican. They really do not like anyone who are seen as outsiders coming in," Collins told The Irish Catholic.

Collins quit her Vatican role in 2017, warning that "the reluctance of some in the Vatican Curia to implement recommendations or cooperate with the work of a commission, when the purpose is to improve the safety of children and vulnerable adults around the world, is unacceptable."

Under the pope's new apostolic constitution for the Roman Curia, due to take effect in June, the Commission will now work "within" the newly renamed Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. However, it will continue to have its own offices, officials and statutes.

Collins said if Pope Francis thought a department should oversee the commission's work, the doctrinal dicastery would be the wrong one.

The problem "all along" with how the church handled abuse was that "it was looked at as a legal problem and a problem of discipline. But it's not, and the (doctrinal dicastery) has a very bad history of dealing with survivors in a caring and healing way; that has not changed in recent times, either," she said.

But Cardinal Seán O'Malley of Boston, who heads the Commission for the Protection of Minors, praised the reforms of "Praedicate Evangelium" ("Preach the Gospel"). He insisted that "for the first time, Pope Francis has made safeguarding and the protection of minors a fundamental part of the structure of the Church's central government: the Roman Curia.

"Linking the Commission more closely with the work of the new Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith represents a significant move forward in upgrading the place and mandate of the Commission. This can only lead to a stronger culture of safeguarding throughout the Curia and the entire church," O'Malley said.

Cardinal O'Malley continued, "the renewed and reaffirmed Pontifical Commission will play an increasingly incisive role in ensuring the church is a safe place for children and vulnerable persons."

Sources

National Catholic Reporter

CathNews New Zealand

Pope Francis and the council of cardinals propose all activity in the Roman Curia should be united under a simple mission: evangelisation.

The new constitution, "Praedicate Evangelium" ("Preach the Gospel"), is expected to set up a new "super dicastery" for evangelisation that would give it prominence among all Vatican bodies.

This would mean a lesser role for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly the Holy Office of the Inquisition, the oldest institution in the Curia and known as "La Suprema".

For years it policed theologians, set out the boundaries of Catholic doctrine and vetted all major Vatican documents.

Under Francis, the congregation has taken more of a back-seat role.

"Pope Francis always emphasises that the church is missionary. That is why it is logical that in first place we have put the Dicastery for Evangelisation and not the Doctrine of the Faith," said Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, the coordinator of the council of cardinals.

"In this way the Holy Father has sent a significant message of reform to the people of God."

The new constitution puts evangelisation at the heart of the Roman Curia's mission. This means every aspect of Catholicism's civil service must flow from it.

The changes also send a signal to dioceses around the world to follow suit.

Along with evangelisation, the constitution makes clear that the Curia is there to serve both the pope and the local church. This means that diocesan bishops are going to be placed at the same level as prefects in Vatican departments.

Other changes in the new constitution include the establishment of the Pontifical Council for the Protection of Minors as part of the Curia.

This would give the child-protection body greater authority and make it more effective. One of the difficulties the commission has faced to date has been a lack of any legal status in the Vatican.

In addition, it is rumoured that the constitution will set up a new dicastery that carries out charitable works in the name of the pope.

Source

• America Magazine
• Chicago Catholic
• Image: NCR