Pope Francis has called for unity among Christians, urging reconciliation between Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants while reflecting on the centuries-old “Filioque” dispute that has divided Western and Eastern Christians. During his general audience on 16 October, Pope Francis focused on the Nicene Creed, recited by Catholics during Mass. He reflected on the addition of the Read more
In a high-rise apartment in New York City overlooking the Freedom Tower and the Statue of Liberty, Catholic thought leaders both conservative and liberal gathered. They were there to pray together and share a fine meal over a glass of Cabernet Francis — all in an effort to overcome polarisation. In the Catholic world, it’s Read more
Schism is an entrenched idea within Church History. The conclusion – that some members of the Church have stepped so far beyond the bounds of orthodoxy and propriety that the rest can no longer consider themselves in communion with them – goes back to Antiquity. Schisms of old could be vicious and violent affairs. Just Read more
In September 2019, returning from a visit to Africa, Pope Francis reflected on the flight home to Rome on the tensions that were tearing at the unity of the Church. Threat of schism “I pray that there will be no schism,” the Pope told the Vatican press corps, “but I am not afraid.” Since then, Read more
Will there be a Viganò schism? Surely not a schism like the ones in the handbooks of Church history. But news that the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith had summoned Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò to answer to charges of schism reveals something of this Catholic moment and Catholic culture. From 2011-2016, Read more
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has been found guilty of schism and excommunicated, the Vatican’s doctrinal office says. He was the papal nuncio in Washington from 2011-2016. In 2018 Viganò reportedly hid after alleging Pope Francis and other senior clerics knew of US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s sexual misconduct for years and did nothing about it. He Read more
Recently a community of Poor Clare nuns in Spain announced their decision to leave the Catholic Church, thus committing the canonical crime of schism and incurring excommunication. Italian Archbishop Carlo María Viganò is also undergoing a Vatican extrajudicial process for schism. Just what are schism and excommunication in the Catholic Church? An explanation follows. Schism Read more
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has formally charged Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó with schism. This could lead to his excommunication and removal from the clerical state. On 20th May, senior officers of the Vatican’s Dicastery opened an extrajudicial penal trial against Viganó. The decree states that this process was deemed appropriate Read more
Cardinal-elect Víctor Manuel Fernández, set to lead the Vatican’s chief doctrinal office, has expressed his readiness for theological debates, emphasising their role in deepening the Church’s grasp of the Gospel. In an interview with the National Catholic Register, Fernández (pictured) acknowledged that while the core doctrine remains unchanged and the Gospel is immutable, the Church Read more
A liturgy row is threatening to split India’s Syro-Malabar Church. The Eastern-rite Church in the southern Indian Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese is refusing to say the synod-approved Mass. The refusal is in open defiance of a pontifical delegate’s directives. The liturgy row The archdiocese’s priests and the laity want celebrants to face the congregation throughout the Mass. Read more