Vatican expresses concern about proposed Italian law on homophobia June 23, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News The Vatican has informed Italy that a draft law to fight homophobia and discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity could violate the freedom of Catholics to teach and practice their faith.
Vatican orders term limits for leaders of lay movements June 14, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News In an ongoing effort to promote Catholic lay movements and associations and protect their members from possible abuse by the groups’ leaders, the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life has imposed term limits on leadership and ordered the groups to ensure all members have a voice in choosing their leaders.
Pope denies cardinal’s request to resign; agrees ‘we have sinned’ June 10, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Agreeing with German Cardinal Reinhard Marx that Catholic leaders cannot adopt an “ostrich policy” in the face of the clerical sexual abuse crisis, Pope Francis still told the cardinal that he would not accept his resignation as head of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.
Pope leads prayers for Indigenous children who died in Canadian schools June 7, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, Video, World News Pope Francis led hundreds of pilgrims and visitors in St. Peter’s Square in a moment of silent prayer for the Indigenous children who died in Canadian residential schools and for their grieving families.
Citing ‘systemic failures’ in handling abuse, cardinal offers resignation June 4, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, 67, has submitted his resignation to Pope Francis, saying that bishops must begin to accept responsibility for the institutional failures of the church in handling the clerical sexual abuse crisis.
Pope promulgates revised canon law on crimes, punishments June 1, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, Vatican, World News A series of laws and procedures promulgated by now-retired Pope Benedict XVI and, especially, by Pope Francis to protect children, promote the investigation of allegations of clerical sexual abuse and punish offenders are included in a heavily revised section of the Code of Canon Law.
Pope orders minor seminary to move out of Vatican May 25, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis has ordered the minor seminary that is located inside the Vatican and currently at the center of a criminal sex abuse trial to move to a new location in Rome before classes begin in the fall.
Vatican revises synod process, beginning with local consultation May 21, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Synodality, Vatican, World News Approving the revision of the entire process of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis has asked that it begin with serious, widespread consultations with laypeople on the diocesan level.
U.S. climate envoy meets pope, speaks at Vatican conference May 15, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Environment, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Kerry said Pope Francis’ moral authority and teaching on the need to address both climate change and poverty can rally more people to make a greater commitment to helping the environment.
Verify before sharing ‘news,’ pope says in Communications Day message May 14, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Journalism, News, Vatican, World News In the age of instant communications and fake news, journalists — like everyone else — need to recover the practice of going out and verifying information before they share it, Pope Francis said.
Polish pilgrims mark anniversary of attempt to assassinate St. John Paul May 13, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News “How difficult it is to forget the bang of the would-be assassin’s gunshots, which in a single moment could have put an end to this extraordinary pontificate,” the cardinal said.
With book launch, Jesuits prepare to celebrate Ignatian Year May 12, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The roughly 15,000 members of the Society of Jesus, their collaborators and many people who draw on the spiritual heritage left by St. Ignatius of Loyola are preparing to mark a special Ignatian Year beginning May 20 and lasting until the saint’s feast day, July 31, 2022.
