Former cardinal and convicted sex abuser Theodore McCarrick has been laicised by Pope Francis and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). McCarrick is a former cardinal and archbishop emeritus of Washington and was a powerful figure in ecclesiastical, diplomatic and political circles in the US and around the world. The 88-year old Read more
Pope Francis has named Cardinal Kevin Farrell as the Vatican camerlengo. The camerlengo (chamberlain) is responsible the Vatican’s administration during the vacancy created by the death or resignation of the pope. Only the pope may choose the cardinal to fill the position of camerlengo, though he may choose instead to leave it vacant. The camerlengo Read more
An October 2018 letter to Pope Francis from a group of gay priests has been released ahead of this week’s summit in Rome about sex abuse in the Catholic church. In the letter, the Netherlands-based Working Group of Catholic Gay Pastors confront Francis on his views about homosexuality and ask him not to validate gossip Read more
The Pope says the liturgy is not about a ‘past that no longer exists’ or a ‘presumed future’ Nor can it be reduced to a matter of taste, becoming the subject of ideological polarisation, because it is a primary way Catholics encounter the Lord. Read more
This month’s meeting in Rome, called by Pope Francis to deal with the sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, may well be a failure before it even starts. The stakes for the meeting have been ratcheted up, at least for the American church, as the Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy sex abuse has summoned Read more
Another wide-ranging and frank press conference with Pope Francis on his flight home from World Youth Day in Panama raised a number of questions for reporters—and resulted in some wildly divergent headlines. Among the confused questions: Is Pope Francis open to married priests? Is he committed to maintaining celibacy for priests? Will men who are Read more
Pope Francis has agreed to canonise Blessed John Henry Newman, Blessed Maria Teresa Chiramel Mankidiyan and Fr Salvatore Vittorio Emilio Moscoso Cardenas (martyr). He has also declared several people to have lived lives of heroic virtue. Newman was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. He was a 19th century theologian, poet, Catholic priest and Read more
Microsoft’s President Brad Smith met Pope Francis on Wednesday to discuss the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). He also discussed ways to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor nations. Read more
Environmental campaigners have issued a challenge to Pope Francis: go vegan for Lent and receive $1m for the charity of his choice. The purpose of the Million Dollar Vegan campaign, led by 12-year-old Genesis Butler, is to encourage people to eat less meat and dairy in order to fight climate change. Global warming cannot be Read more
A former cardinal sacked from a senior Vatican post by Pope Francis has written his own Manifesto of Faith. The Manifesto is the work of 71-year old German Gerhard Mueller who is a leading member of the Church’s conservative wing. It repeats basic Catholic teaching that Catholics must be free from sin before receiving Communion. Read more