The international scientific body governing stem cell research is abandoning the absolute 14-day limit on culturing human embryos in the laboratory, putting pressure on Canada’s law prohibiting the practice.
International News
Analysis: A Bit of Clarity About Spectacular ‘Resignation’ of German Cardinal
Covering the Catholic Church is a tough gig for reporters, not least because we’re often forced to be killjoys. We’re forever put in the position of raining on a media parade, and such was the case again Friday with the sensational “resignation” of Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich.
Pope Francis Leads Prayers for Indigenous Children Who Died in Canadian Schools
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.
Immigration Summit Laments ‘Empty’ Central American Towns
At an emergency immigration meeting this week, a prominent moment for Bishop Mario Dorsonville was a conversation with an El Salvadorian bishop who described the growing emptiness of some of his diocesan towns.
Eucharist Is Bread of Sinners, Not Reward of Saints, Pope Francis Says
It was the second year the Mass was held with a reduced congregation and without the traditional outdoor Corpus Christi procession afterward as part of the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Citing ‘Systemic Failures’ in Handling Abuse, German Cardinal Offers Resignation
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.
Vatican Athletics Team Prepares to Take Part in ‘Games Of The Small States Of Europe’
What does a librarian in his late 60s, several monsignors, a nun, a survivor of modern-day slavery, and a pharmacist have in common? They are all members of Vatican Athletics, which will be participating in Saturday’s Games of the Small States of Europe.
Canadian Catholic Leaders Express Sorrow Over Deaths of Indigenous Children
Archbishop J. Michael Miller of Vancouver said he was “filled with deep sadness” after learning of the discovery of the bodies of more than 200 children buried on the site of what was once Canada’s large Indigenous residential school.
With World Still in Knots, Pope Francis Turns to Mary With Prayers
Reaching the finish line of a monthlong rosary marathon, Pope Francis again turned to Mary, asking her to untie specific knots that have individuals and the whole world tangled in suffering and difficulty, either because of the COVID-19 pandemic or people’s selfish reactions to it.
Pope Francis Promulgates Revised Canon Law on Crimes, Punishments
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.