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
In a candid discussion with reporters on September 23, Pope Francis warned against what he termed bad compassion. Francis defined bad compassion as the law not to let the child grow in the mother’s womb or the law of euthanasia in disease and old age.” Clarifying, he added “I am not saying it is a Read more
As the clock ticks down to the October 14 Australian referendum on the Indigenous Voice, religious leaders in Australia are under the spotlight. Despite the political risks of taking a stand, some urge these leaders to move beyond mere words and show decisive support for the constitutional change. Francis Sullivan, who formerly led the Catholic Read more
Pope Francis strongly denounced body shaming among young people and revealed his past involvement in such behaviour during his childhood in Argentina. Francis commented on the issue while speaking to university students in Asia via a video link. The pope was moved by a young woman from India who shared her experiences of feeling embarrassed Read more
Conventional wisdom holds that it takes a century for an ecumenical council to flower and bear fruit. Altering customs and thought habits, especially when linked to faith, takes a long time. Simply getting the word out of a council’s teaching and its implications can take decades. Then, there are people and institutions for which new Read more
Pope Francis was visibly moved when on the way home from Marseille he was presented with a photograph of a young migrant child. Francis was in Marseille to address a Mediterranean forum on migration. The image was captured by Reuters photographer Yara Nardi who accompanied the Pope on his journey from Rome to Marseille. “As Read more
Among the many popular and impious sayings about Rome, some dating back to early times, there is this little gem: Roma veduta, fede perduta. Basically, it means you risk losing your faith when you go to the Eternal City. It’s certainly a phrase that was bantered about during the 16th century when Martin Luther (an Read more
Pope Francis has been the subject of what seems like unrelenting criticism for several years. At times, it is difficult to keep up with the sheer volume of critiques and attacks on the Holy Father coming from Catholic media outlets, Catholic journalists, columnists and writers; as well as, more surprisingly, cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests. Read more
According to US Bishop Daniel Flores, October’s Synod on Synodality aims to address human reality – not abstractions. Flores (pictured) is a member of the global assembly’s preparatory commission. He says the Synod aims to share Christ and his Gospel more effectively. We can’t respond with the Gospel if we don’t know the reality people Read more
Libya needs global solidarity after its devastating and deadly floods, Pope Francis says. There’s a desperate search for thousands of people missing after a powerful storm burst dams near the Mediterranean city of Derna on 10 September. That event unleashed a torrent of water that devastated at least a quarter of Derna’s buildings. Buildings along Read more