Americans have shifted toward a pro-life stance in recent weeks during a period when some states are considering legislation that would legalise abortion up until birth, according to a new poll. The Marist Poll at Marist College conducted in mid-February found that equal numbers of Americans – 47% – identified themselves as pro-life and as…
Pope Francis has offered his solidarity and prayers to victims of a massive fire in the centre of the Bangladeshi capital, which has reportedly claimed well over 70 lives, at time of writing. “His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn of the loss of life and of the injuries caused by the conflagration in the…
The Catholic Church should not be afraid of crisis; through crisis, it will grow and spring new life, according to Dominican Fr Timothy Radcliffe. “If you look at human beings, we grow up through crisis,” said the 73-year-old English theologian. “It’s our way. And so, we believe, I believe, it’s the fate of the Church…we…
Plagiarism priest submits teaching resignation to college A long-time Vatican spokesman who apologised last week for plagiarism has resigned from the governing board of a Catholic college affiliated with the University of Toronto. “As a sign of contrition and acknowledgement of the error, I freely submitted my resignation (February 24) to the Collegium of the University of St Michael’s College,” Fr Thomas…
Australian Cardinal George Pell has been taken into custody for the first time since historic child sex abuse charges against him were set for hearing in May 2018. The former prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy and former member of Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals will remain behind bars ahead of his sentencing…
The holiness of God is a power that is constantly expanding and will defeat all evil once and for all, Pope Francis has said. “Evil’s days are numbered,” the Pope said on February 27 during his weekly general audience. “One thing is certain: It is evil that should be afraid, and this is beautiful.” Continuing…
The death penalty is a cruel violation of the basic right to life and robs people of the chance to repent and make amends for the crimes they have committed, Pope Francis said. The right to life is “the source of all gifts and of all other rights” that must be protected, the Pope said…
The Catholic Church needs “new legal structures of accountability” for bishops accused of sexual abuse or of negligence in handling abuse allegations, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago told the Vatican summit on safeguarding. Addressing Pope Francis and some 190 presidents of bishops’ conferences, heads of Eastern Catholic churches, religious superiors and officials of the…
A state senator in California introduced a bill yesterday which would seek to force priests to violate the sacramental seal of Confession in suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. Clergy are already mandatory reporters in the state of California, but there is a legal exemption for material disclosed in the confessional. Senator Jerry Hill…
Opening the Vatican summit on child protection and the clerical sexual abuse crisis, Pope Francis said, “The holy people of God are watching and are awaiting from us not simple, predictable condemnations, but concrete and effective measures” to stop abuse. The February 21-24 summit meeting has brought together almost 190 Church leaders: the presidents of…