Cardinal George Pell, the most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of child sexual abuse offences, has lodged an application with Australia’s High Court to appeal his guilty verdict. The application to the country’s highest court is Cardinal Pell’s last avenue of appeal and comes 27 days after the Supreme Court of the Australian state…
The Vatican confirmed last Friday that Pope Francis will travel to Thailand and Japan in November with stops scheduled in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Pontiff will visit Thailand from November 20-23 in commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the Vatican Mission to Siam in 1669. He will then travel from November 23-26 to Japan,…
The deans of five Argentine law schools have protested the appointment of a supporter of legalised abortion as Argentina’s Ombudsman for the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents since “it’s a clear violation of the federal juridical order”. On June 26, the Argentine House of Representatives confirmed Marisa Graham, a well-known abortion advocate in Argentina,…
A priest and a nurse working at a Catholic school in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand have been held in custody after being charged with sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl. Church officials in the state, where the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party runs the government, say the case was fabricated amid a hostile atmosphere generated toward…
A law passed in the Australian state of Victoria last week would require priests to violate the Seal of Confession if anything in the confession gave them reason to suspect occurrences of child abuse. The new law carries a sentence of up to three years in prison if a mandatory reporter does not report abuse to…
The life of a bishop is full of surprises, Pope tells prelates New bishops need to prepare for a life filled with God’s surprises, with daily plans that change at the last minute and, especially, for a life dedicated to spending time with God and with the people, Pope Francis has said. “God surprises us…
Priests ‘unable’ to comply with new Confession law The leader of Tasmania’s Catholic Church has said priests in his archdiocese will not comply with a law that would require them to break the seal of Confession to report suspected child abuse. The law, passed last week, makes religious ministers mandatory reporters of child sexual abuse,…
Zambia’s bishops have urged South African leaders to do more to stop xenophobic attacks, and a South African archbishop has warned of a rising tide of hatred and violence in the country. “Xenophobia and its resultant chaos are not just criminal but cruel, barbaric and abominable,” Zambia’s bishops said in a September 7 statement titled,…
With Hurricane Dorian leaving widespread destruction in the Bahamas last week, Catholic agencies are coordinating response efforts for those affected by the storm. “The devastation, especially on Abaco and Grand Bahama, is significant,” said Nikki Gamer, media relations manager for Catholic Relief Services. Dorian slammed into the Bahamas as a Category 5 hurricane on September…
Thousands participated in Saturday’s March for Life in the Costa Rican capital, urging that the president not sign a technical regulation for the performance of therapeutic abortion. The event was organised by Wake Up Costa Rica, Democracy in Action, and the Autonomous University of Central America. Joining the march were politicians who urged President Carlos…