Sep 03 Ex-Cardinal McCarrick, 91, pleads not guilty in sex assault By Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press An activist says former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's court appearance in a sex abuse case marks a new phase in the global struggle to hold clerics accountable. Continue reading
Jul 04 Pope Francis in hospital for scheduled intestinal surgery By Frances D'Emilio, Associated Press Pope Francis went to a Rome hospital on Sunday for scheduled surgery on his large intestine, the Vatican said. The news came just three hours after Francis had cheerfully greeted the public in St. Peter’s Square and told them he… Continue reading
Jul 02 Trudeau denounces church burnings, vandalism in Canada By Jim Morris, Associated Press Several Catholic churches have recently been vandalized or damaged in fires following the discovery of more than 1,100 unmarked graves at the sites of three former residential schools run by the church in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Continue reading
Jun 30 Canadian Indigenous group says more graves found at new site By Associated Press It follows two other reports of similar massive findings at two other such church-run schools, one of more than 600 unmarked graves and another of 215 bodies. Continue reading
Jun 30 Pope to meet with Indigenous survivors of Canada’s residential schools amid demands for apology By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Pope Francis has agreed to meet in December with Indigenous survivors of Canada's notorious residential schools. The meeting comes amid calls for a papal apology for Catholic Church's role in the abuse and deaths of thousands of native children. Continue reading
Jun 28 Polish church report lists sex abuse of over 300 children By Monika Scislowska, Associated Press Poland's Catholic Church lists 292 clergymen who are alleged to have abused over 300 boys and girls from 1958 through 2020. Continue reading
Jun 06 Pope voices ‘pain’ over Canadian deaths, doesn’t apologize By Frances D'Emilio, Associated Press Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his pain over the discovery in Canada of the remains of 215 Indigenous students of church-run residential schools and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on “this sad affair.” But he didn’t offer… Continue reading
Jun 01 Vatican law now criminalizes abuse of adults by priests, laity By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Pope Francis has changed church law to explicitly criminalize the sexual abuse of adults by priests who abuse their authority, and to say that laypeople who hold church office can be sanctioned for similar sex crimes. Continue reading
Mar 16 Watch 6:52 Could the Vatican’s decree on same-sex unions turn people away from church? By Amna Nawaz After Pope Francis initially signaled support for same-sex unions, the Vatican decreed Monday that the Catholic Church cannot support them, saying God “cannot bless sin.” The latest decree has disappointed LGBTQ advocates and cast doubt on the church’s acceptance of… Continue watching
Mar 15 Vatican bars same-sex union blessing, says God ‘can’t bless sin’ By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press The Vatican's orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response Monday to a question about whether Catholic clergy can bless gay unions. Its conclusion was "negative."… Continue reading