Declaring that the Catholic Church is unafraid of history, Pope Francis announced that documents in the Vatican Secret Archives relating to the wartime pontificate of Pope Pius XII will be open to scholars in 2020. Researchers, particularly those interested in Catholic-Jewish relations, have pressed the Vatican to open the archives and allow a full study…
South Sudan’s peace deal is fatally flawed, the country’s bishops said as they committed the Church to helping forge new negotiations. They also recommended a series of measures to end the conflict. “We urge all stakeholders and friends of South Sudan to collaborate to seek a new model” for peace, the bishops said in a…
The Missouri House of Representatives has passed the Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act, an omnibus bill that bans abortion when the heartbeat of an unborn child can be detected, which could be as early as six weeks “depending on the method used”. The measure, also limits late-term abortions after five months of pregnancy; declares…
A major gathering of the United Methodist Church has reaffirmed its teaching on homosexuality, rejecting same-sex unions and the ordination of sexually active homosexuals, prompting predictions that some American congregations who reject this teaching will leave the denomination. The international gathering, called a Special Session of the General Conference of the UMC, drew over 800…
The Supreme Court is sending a death-row case back to the lower courts to determine if the inmate’s dementia, brought on by strokes he suffered while on death row, should prevent him from being executed. In the 5-3 ruling at the end of last month, the justices sided with Alabama prisoner Vernon Madison for now,…
Jews and Christians should join forces for peace, Pope says The fruitful friendship and dialogue between Jews and Christians must go beyond the world of experts and academia, Pope Francis said. “It would be wonderful, for example, if in the same city rabbis and parish priests could work, together with their respective communities, in service to those in need and by promoting paths of…
Violent attacks including public lynchings against Christians in India are reportedly becoming increasingly common, with international NGOs and the country’s Catholic bishops raising their voices in protest against mob violence. “The common man of the country is feeling insecurity in his own country due to the increasing cases of mob lynching,” Archbishop Leo Cornelio of…
David Agren Bishops from Texas and Mexico called for solidarity with migrants as a Catholic response to the national emergency declared at the U.S.-Mexico border. They also questioned if the emergency — declared by U.S. President Donald Trump to free up funds for building a border wall — was as urgent as attending to…
Christians must not take advantage of God’s forgiveness — selfishly repeating sin after sin — because God’s wrath for those who refuse to change their ways is just as great as his mercy, Pope Francis has said in a morning homily. “Do not say, ‘God’s compassion is great, he will forgive my many sins’ and…
An Australian court has found Cardinal George Pell guilty on five charges related to the sexual abuse of two 13-year-old boys; sentencing is expected in early March, but the cardinal’s lawyer already has announced plans to appeal the conviction. The jury’s verdict that Cardinal Pell, shortly after being named archbishop of Melbourne in 1996, sexually…