Here is a summary of the major stories we’re keeping an eye on today: The Bishop Barros story continues to progress, as we reported yesterday, with some members of the pope’s own commission on sexual abuse now going public with …
Category: News Briefs
Victim Letter Given to Abuse Commissioner in 2015 Casts Doubt on Papal Denials of Barros Evidence
I first asked the question, “Where Does Pope Francis Really Stand on Clerical Sex Abuse?” in October of 2015. One of the two cases I cited was that of his episcopal appointment to Osorno, Chile, Bishop Juan Barros. At the …
Vatican Issues Statement Contradicting Cardinal Zen
A new statement from the Holy See Press Office today indicates that despite assertions to the contrary from an outspoken Chinese cardinal, Pope Francis is fully aware and approves of recent diplomatic steps taken by the Vatican to appease the …
Cardinal Eijk Asks Pope to Clarify Questions About “Remarried” Divorcees
As Katholisch.de, the official website of the German bishops, reports today, Cardinal Willem Eijk, the Dutch cardinal and Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht, requested that Pope Francis bring light into the confusion concerning the question as to how to deal with …
Bishop Andreas Laun Signs Kazakhstan Statement on Marriage
Today, on the Feast of the Epiphany, another courageous bishop joins the ranks of those six other prelates who have already signed the declaration of the three bishops of Kazakhstan professing the immutable truths about sacramental marriage and opposes the altering …
Three More Bishops Join Their Voices to Kazakhstan Statement
On December 30, the Feast of the Holy Family, three bishops from Kazakhstan — Tomash Peta, Metropolitan Archbishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana, Jan Pawel Lenga, Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Karaganda, and Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of …
Pope Reported to Have Placed Married Priests on Amazonian Synod Agenda
John Phillips of The Telegraph (UK) reported this morning that Pope Francis has now “placed a request for Roman Catholic priests to be allowed to marry in Brazil on the agenda of a forthcoming synod on the Amazon region”. Phillips, citing …
Cardinal Sarah Publicly Refuted by Pope Francis on Liturgy Changes
In a new open letter rebutting points made by Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments (CDW), pope Francis has made clear that he is not in agreement with the African cardinal’s commentary on …
Cardinal Burke Comments After Visiting Relic of St. Thomas More
Upon the occasion of visiting the relic of St. Thomas More, Cardinal Raymond Burke reflected in comments to the National Catholic Register on the heavy responsibility of those who act as jurists and members of government (presumably, the cardinal intended …