All Christians must work to combat anti-Semitism until it is banned from society. We share common religious roots with Jews, Pope Francis says. Francis’s comments about anti-Semitism were made to the World Congress of Mountain Jews earlier this week. These Jews, who come from modern-day Iran, were targeted for extermination by German troops in World Read more
As the Vatican copes with the growing clergy sex abuse scandal and declining number of priests worldwide, it is laying the groundwork to open formal debate on an issue that has long been taboo: opening up the priesthood to married men in parts of the world where clergy are scarce. Pope Francis has convened a Read more
Catholic women say there’s a clerical stained glass ceiling in the Vatican, and they want to shatter it. They want to vote in major policy meetings. They want Pope Francis to deliver on his promise to put more women in senior positions in the Holy See’s administration. And some of them say they want to Read more
Irish primate Archbishop Eamon Martin says Archbishop Carlo Mario Viganò hijacked the World Meeting of Families in August. Viganò achieved this by releasing an 11-page letter accusing Pope Francis of mishandling sexual abuse claims on the final day of his visit to Ireland. In the letter, Viganò claims Francis was aware of sexual misconduct concerns Read more
A Chilean court has ruled the Archdiocese of Santiago prevented a thorough investigation into sexual abuses committed by a former priest, Fernando Karadima. Survivors believe they have won a major victory in their quest for justice as the original lawsuit they brought before the court was dismissed five years ago. However, new evidence obtained from Read more
Fighting hunger shouldn’t be so difficult, Pope Francis says. At a time of technological and scientific progress, “we ought to feel shame” for not having advanced in “humanity and solidarity” enough to feed the world’s poor, he says. Just because we have faced emergencies and desperate situations of those most in need doesn’t mean we’ve Read more
In an exclusive conversation with America, conducted Oct. 11, Cardinal Donald Wuerl spoke about the reasons he asked the pope to accept his resignation, stating that “what is important now is to be able to move beyond the questions of doubt, fallibility and not concentrating on myself but helping this church to get to a Read more
Cardinal Donald Wuerl has formally resigned as Archbishop of Washington. He has been under increasing pressure to step down since a Pennsylvania grand jury report about clergy abuse criticised his handling of abuse cases when he was Bishop of Pittsburgh. Last month, Wuerl went to Rome to ask Pope Francis to accept his resignation. In Read more
Kim Jong-un has spoken of how he would “ardently welcome Pope Francis” if Francis were to agree to visit Pyongyang. His invitation is seen as a gesture designed to highlight peace on the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in will relay Kim’s desire to host a papal visit when he visits the Vatican later Read more
The synod’s final document on young people, faith and vocational discernment will be drafted by 12 synod members including Australian archbishop Peter Comensoli. The document will be given to Pope Francis. Those preparing the final document include five cardinals, three bishops and four priests who come from or work in Italy, India, Ghana, Ukraine, Mexico, Cuba, Read more