It is no longer “exceptional” that some priests turn down an appointment as bishop, says the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. Cardinal Marc Ouellet told the Catholic News Service that this does happen nowadays, but the number of priests who do so is not high. Priests decline an appointment as bishop, which is offered Read more
German Catholics have criticised Vatican questions ahead of the synod on the family as proceeding from an idealised image of the family. This was the main criticism in a summary of replies of German Catholics to the 46 questions of the second Vatican questionnaire on the family. Germany’s Catholic bishops released the summary of responses, Read more
A questionnaire that is part of the preparation for the next session of the Extraordinary Synod [The Synod on the Family] is available online. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops are inviting people to use the questionnaire as an opportunity to add their “voice” to the global discussion which began last year. Completed questionnaires must be returned by Read more
The Vatican last year sent out a survey to Catholics around the world focusing on attitudes to sex and sexuality. The responses are now in — and they show that the Church is badly in need of reform. Can Pope Francis meet such expectations? Adolescents find it embarrassing to talk about sex with adults. Even Read more