The pastoral centre of the Diocese of Matagalpa in central Nicaragua, whose bishop was in Rome to inform the Pope of the situation in his country, has been attacked by men armed with machetes. The attack occurred last week after two months of protests against Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega which have resulted in violence and…
The Archdiocese of Baltimore offered their prayers for the victims and first responders of a shooting at a US newspaper which killed five people. An active shooter, who was taken into custody, was reported at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland at about 2.30pm Eastern time. At least five people were killed in what…
Do not fear the Cross, Pope tells Christians during homily For Jesus, suffering and glory go hand in hand, Pope Francis said, urging Christians not to fall into the temptation of running from the Cross, but to imitate Christ in bending down to embrace the weak and vulnerable. In his homily for the June 29 Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul, the official patrons…
Elise Harris In his latest prayer video, Pope Francis asked Catholics to dedicate the month of July to giving a spiritual gift to their pastors by praying for them, especially the priests who are tired or lonely. “The tiredness of priests…Do you know how often I think about it?” This is the opening line…
Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide was sentenced to 12 months of house arrest following his conviction for failing to inform police about child sexual abuse allegations. Magistrate Robert Stone announced the sentence in Newcastle Lower Court July 3 and ordered an assessment of the 67-year-old archbishop to determine his suitability to serve the sentence at…
Defending the weak or hopeless and becoming a servant to those most in need is the best promotion one can ever receive, Pope Francis told new and old cardinals. “None of us must feel ‘superior’ to anyone. None of us should look down at others from above. The only time we can look at a…
Elise Harris In his latest move on the Chilean clerical abuse crisis, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Horacio del Carmen Valenzuela Abarca of Talca, and Bishop Alejandro Goić Karmelić of Rancagua, both of whom have come under fire for their reaction to abuse allegations. Valenzuela, 64, is one of four bishops…
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington, said last week he will no longer exercise any public ministry “in obedience” to the Vatican after an allegation he abused a teenager 47 years ago was found credible. Bishop James Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, where Cardinal McCarrick served as its first bishop, said in a statement…
A Vatican court has found Msgr Carlo Alberto Capella, a former staff member at the Vatican nunciature in Washington, guilty of possessing and distributing child pornography. Judge Giuseppe Della Torre, head of the tribunal of the Vatican City State sentenced Msgr Capella to five years in prison and fined him €5,000. The Vatican press office…
The question of allowing Protestants married to Catholics to receive Communion at Mass in special cases has to be decided by each individual bishop and cannot be decided by a bishops’ conference, Pope Francis told reporters after a one-day ecumenical journey to Geneva. During an inflight news conference the Pope was asked about his recent…