Less than a month after issuing an instruction outlining the reasoning and method for giving non-liturgical blessings to same-sex couples and those in irregular unions, the Vatican has published a clarification amid a flurry of backlash and confusion.
Author: Christine
US Bishops Asked to Hold New Rounds of Synod on Synodality Listening Sessions
Dioceses across the U.S. are asked to hold additional listening sessions in the next few months, following a request from the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops which is preparing for the second session of the global Synod on Synodality in October.
Pope Sends Condolences to Victims of Two Suicide Bombings in Iran
Pope Francis expressed his condolences and prayers after two bombings in Kerman, Iran, claimed the lives of 84 people and wounded scores more at a memorial for an assassinated Iranian military officer.
US Demands Release of Imprisoned Nicaraguan Bishop, Other Clergy
The U.S. Department of State has demanded the release of Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa and other imprisoned Nicaraguan religious leaders following a wave of detentions targeting Catholic clergy over the Christmas season.
Church and World Must ‘Respect, Defend, Esteem’ Women, Pope Says
The world and the Catholic Church must respect and defend women and foster a motherly care for others to end dehumanizing cycles of violence, Pope Francis said.
Exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Asks World’s Bishops ‘Not to Abandon Us’ as Wave of Priest Arrests Ends Year in Dictator-Run Country
Since Christmas, Nicaraguan police and paramilitaries have detained more than a dozen priests, including an archdiocesan vicar, as the Sandinista regime escalates a campaign of terror against the Catholic Church — an institution it has struggled to subdue.
Late Pope Benedict Remembered on First Anniversary of His Death
As an expression of ongoing affection and gratitude for the late Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis led tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square in a round of applause for his predecessor on the first anniversary of his death.
The Holy Family Is An Example for All Families
Television shows of the late 1950s and early 1960s certainly gave my generation a definite image of what it meant to be a family.
How Do We Win the Abortion Battle?
For abortion’s opponents, it has been a frustrating year. When it came to the courts, the prolife movement scored its most significant victory when the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 reversed its 1973 decision calling abortion a constitutional right.
Catholic Leaders Say Church Must Vocally Advocate for Migrants Amid Increasing Hostility
Amid increasing anti-immigrant rhetoric and sentiment, the Catholic Church must remain vocal in its ministry to and advocacy for migrants, Catholic leaders said at a Dec. 21 panel.