Women are leaving the Catholic Church at an alarming rate, many citing “irreconcilable differences.” In a world waking up to the reality of sexism and sex abuse at every level of seemingly every institution, the church’s slowness to adapt and engage with feminist demands has weakened its hold, with some women leaving the faith altogether. Read more
After raising expectations with his Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis is punting on a number of controversial issues that the synod process invited lay Catholics to raise. When the next session of the synod meets this October, the topics of married priests and same-sex blessings will be off the table. The possibility of women deacons Read more
The recent Vatican letter to the German Bishops’ Conference highlights the tension between a synodal, inclusive approach to Church governance involving bishops and laity and the traditional structures of clerical authority. This letter, and the broader debate it represents, is emblematic of a Church at a crossroads. It’s a Church grappling with the need to Read more
On 24 January we learned of six decrees presented by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and promulgated by Pope Francis. I count three Italians, one Spaniard, one Pole and one Canadian. No doubt every single one was a person of great faith. Indeed, one was martyred “in hatred of the faith.” What strikes Read more
The results of a national survey of Catholic priests released by The Catholic Project on Nov. 7 revealed an interesting dynamic in U.S. Catholic life. In the terminology used in the survey questions, young U.S. Catholic priests tend to be theologically traditional and politically conservative, particularly compared to older priests. Meanwhile, U.S. Catholics as a Read more
It’s no secret that the Roman Catholic Church is deeply divided right now, perhaps as much as it’s ever been in the six decades since the end of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). The fractures are most obvious on social media where even priests, bishops and cardinals preach from cyber pulpits all along the theological Read more
Cardinal Christophe Pierre has been apostolic nuncio to the United States since 2016 and, at Pope Francis’ request, he will continue in this role for the foreseeable future, he told America’s Vatican correspondent in an exclusive interview in Rome in early October. After graduating from the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, which trains Vatican diplomats, in 1977, Read more
At the Synod on Synodality, the Western media focused on a limited number of hot-button issues — women’s ordination, married priests and blessing of gay couples. But hidden in the synod participants’ 40-page synthesis are some surprising gems that could lead to significant reform in the church. The hidden gems The first is a new Read more
Despite Vatican disapproval, an important synodal way meeting in Germany took place on 10 November. It was the first meeting programmed to implement the country’s synodal way decisions. The meeting was light on bishops though. Eight of Germany’s 27 diocesan bishops were marked absent. Four chose to boycott the meeting: Cologne’s Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, Read more
Initial reaction to the “synthesis report” from Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality mixed. Conservatives warn that the Church is being ‘warmed up’ to major changes in doctrine, while progressives are complaining their issues have not been addressed or the document does not go far enough. The synthesis report outlines key proposals discussed between some 450 Read more