In an extremely unusual, if not unprecedented move, Pope Francis expelled from the priesthood two retired Chilean bishops accused of sexual abuse of minors.
International News
Kenya Bishops Reject Condoms in Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Condom use can never be advocated by the Catholic Church, according to the bishops of Kenya at a health conference in Mombasa. They insisted condom use is not part of the Church’s moral teachings, even as they expressed alarm at their country’s high rate of new infections.
Australian Archbishop Challenges Synod to Recapture ‘Gospel Fire’
Australian Archbishop Peter Comensoli’s message to delegates at the Synod of Bishops on young people was a call to action for a young Church reignited by a “Gospel fire,” harkening back to the days of Pentecost when the Church itself was first young.
French Nun Counsels Church to Listen to Youth First
In an interview with The Tablet, Sister Nathalie — who is serving as an auditor during the synod — said that the mission of her office has been “to help young people have a personal relationship with Jesus.”
Parental Permission Not Needed For Child Euthanasia
In a prestigious medical journal, doctors from Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children have laid out policies and procedures for administering medically assisted death to children, including scenarios where the parents would not be informed until after the child dies.
Synod Tackles Sexuality, Abuse, Role of Women
After a brief shout-out for the “communal and fraternal” atmosphere within the summit of bishops, speakers at a press briefing in the Vatican on Tuesday acknowledged that sexuality, the abuse crisis and the role of women in the Church are burning topics for many young people today.
Cardinal Says Archbishop Is Guilty of Political ‘Frame Job’
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops, accused Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who linked Pope Francis to scandals surrounding former Cardinal McCarrick, of a “deplorable and incomprehensible” attack against the Holy Father.
Vatican Gazes to Cosmos, Plans to Share with Public
When people ask why the Vatican has an observatory, one Jesuit priest says it’s because it cannot afford a particle accelerator.
Cardinal: Scandal Caused by Church Leadership, Not Media
The days of making “weak excuses” in response to the sexual abuse crisis are over, said German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising.
Pope: Health Care Institution Cannot Replace Compassion
Caring for the sick, especially those near death, cannot be reduced simply to giving them medicine, but must include providing healing and comfort that gives their lives value and meaning, Pope Francis said.