Elise Harris In his message for this year’s World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis challenged Catholics on their attitude toward the impoverished, asking whether they really listen to and love the needy, or engage in charity only to please themselves. “The condition of poverty cannot be expressed in a word but becomes a…
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Juan Barros Madrid from his post in the Diocese of Osorno after he was accused of covering-up for Chile’s most notorious abuser priest, Fernando Karadima. The Vatican announcement over the weekend also included the accepted resignation of two other Chilean bishops. Bishop Barros submitted his resignation to…
The Church must discover new ways to provide the Eucharist and pastoral support to the people of the Amazon, especially indigenous people threatened by forced displacement and exploitation, a new document has said. The Vatican released the preparatory document for the special Synod of Bishops on the Amazon on June 8. The synod gathering in…
The Church in Congo have said emergency measures will remain indefinitely in place in parishes at risk of Ebola, and urged effective action against the disease by the government of President Joseph Kabila. “Although Masses are continuing, sacraments such as Baptism and Confirmation have had to be suspended,” said Msgr Jean-Marie Bomengola, secretary of the…
Pope Francis said today that the greatest danger modern youth face is not the array of problems that surround them, but rather, the temptation to mediocrity – preferring to stay immobile rather than making a leap toward the next step. Pointing to the Gospel reading from Mark in which a rich young man kneels in…
Religious freedom groups cheered Monday’s 7-2 Supreme Court decision that a Colorado baker had his rights violated when the state civil rights commission said he was required to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, saying that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission showed…
The 15th annual report on the implementation of the US bishops’ ‘Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People’ shows a decrease in allegations of clergy sex abuse from the two previous years. It also indicates the need for continued vigilance since charges were raised by more than 650 adults and 24 minors. The…
A new Vatican document cautions against the dangers of highly competitive children’s sports, political and economic pressures on athletes to win “at all costs” and the unsportsmanlike or violent behaviour of fans. The document on sports also calls on every group or institution sponsoring sports programmes to have expert-guided child protection policies in place and…
Junno Arocho Esteves Peace is a gift that can easily be destroyed through petty gossip and speaking ill of others, Pope Francis said. People who receive and give the sign of peace “should be men and women of peace” and not ruin “the peace made by the Holy Spirit with your tongue”, the pope…
David Agren The Archdiocese of Mexico City and SNAP Mexico – the Mexican chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests – have agreed to work cooperatively to protect children, promote healing and pursue justice in the cases of paedophile prelates. The archdiocese and SNAP Mexico said in a joint statement on June…