“I heard that one of those Catholic popes was molesting children again!” said my mother-in-law’s friend the other day, presumably referring to the news in Kansas City. One isn’t sure where to begin addressing a statement like that. As it turned out, I didn’t have to. She was so busy making comments about how awful “those Read more
The shortage of outback priests will be a point of discussion when a congregation of Australian Bishops meet in Rome, and may be discussed with the Pope. The administrator of the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese, Bishop Kevin Manning said a lack of men joining the priesthood is of great concern. He thinks one of causes of low Read more
Visale parish of the Roman Catholic Church in West Guadalcanal hosted a farewell party for participants of the priests’ retreat at Visale Station on Wednesday.
Solomon Star stringer John Toki said the farewell party was highlighted with feasting organised by communities in the parish.
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The Vatican has appealed to diocesan bishops to encourage laicised priests to play a more active role in parish life. This information is contained in a letter from Cardinal Ivan Dias, the prefect for the Evangelisation of Peoples. The letter, dated February 2 2011, was to a priest who had written to the congregation on behalf Read more
The leader of Vienna’s Roman Catholic community urged his flock on Wednesday to step up their religious fervor rather than hope for sweeping changes demanded by dissident priests such as letting women join the priesthood or ending celibacy rules. In the midst of a revolt backed by hundreds of priests in the traditionally Catholic country, Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn published an open letter (here in German) acknowledging the need for a new spirit at a time that church membership is shrinking.
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A drive by Austrian priests to reform the rules around the ordination of women and an end to celibacy is getting widespread support. In a recent poll conduced by the Oekonsult polling institute, 71.7% of Austrians said the “priests initiative” was both “fair and reasonable”, with 64.7% saying they would sign a “call for insubordination”. The “Priests’ Read more
Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass noted the stark inequity in the case of a Joliet, Ill., diocesan Catholic priest who was sentenced to 60 days in jail for stealing some $300,000 from his parish, while a Joliet diocesan deacon who stole about the same amount from his church, was given six years in prison.
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Wednesday 17 August was ‘the’ day for Fr Roy Bourgeois to recant from his support of women’s ordination. All he has to say to avoid dismissal from the Maryknoll Fathers are the two words “I recant,” however doing so means he will not be true to himself. “Wednesday is the day,” Father Bourgeois said in Read more
Sexual abuse victims in Ireland may no longer be able to sue the Catholic Church for damages if a landmark court ruling determines priests are not considered as employees. In a case heard this month the Church claimed it is not “vicariously liable” for priests’ actions. This is the first time the Church has used the Read more
Catholic priests in Ireland say they will not reveal peoples’ sins told to them in confession, despite the Irish government requiring priests to report alleged incidents of child abuse. “More than any other issues, it is probably the one that will unite both the liberal and conservative winds of the Church,” Fr Tony Flannery said Read more