News

Worldly mentality leads to pride, gossip, pope says at morning Mass

In his homily during morning Mass Sept. 4, the pope said that the hearts of men and women are like "a battlefield" where the spirit of God and the spirit of the world "fight each other."

Archbishop Chaput to pope: Cancel youth synod, meet about bishops

Archbishop Charles Chaput wrote to the pope asking him to cancel the synod of bishops in Rome on the concerns of young people in the church, set for this October, and instead plan for a "synod on the life of bishops."

Dallas bishop asks pope to convene synod to discuss clergy abuse

Bishop Edward J. Burns has asked Pope Francis for an extraordinary synod to address issues in the latest Catholic clergy sex abuse crisis, including "abuse of power, clericalism, accountability and the understanding of transparency in the church."

Another study puts Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria deaths in the thousands

Few believed the initial official figures that said 64 people died in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria in September 2017, a stunningly low statistic that officials released shortly after what is considered one of the island's worst natural disasters on record.

International religious freedom report cites 28 nations falling short

The report included seven recommendations for the Trump administration, and eight for Congress, to more fully advocate for religious freedom worldwide.

Some Kenyan priests leave to marry, continue service in breakaway church

When the Rev. Peter Njogu was ordained a Catholic priest in 1989, he had made up his mind to be celibate for the rest of his life and serve God. But little did he know that 13 years later, all of that would change.

Top Pa. senator opts for victims’ fund over remedy for sex abuse suits

Pennsylvania's Catholic dioceses should set up a fund to compensate survivors of clergy sexual abuse in lieu of the state lifting the statutes of limitation on lawsuits, said state Sen. Joseph Scarnati, to which the dioceses agreed.

St. Joseph is powerful intercessor, model of service, pope says

Pope Francis told the Oblates of St. Joseph that for decades he has relied on the intercession of St. Joseph, and "never, ever has he told me no."

Australian bishops, religious say seal of confession is sacred

Australia's Catholic bishops and religious orders, responding to recommendations from the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, accepted 98 percent of its suggestions, but said they could not accept recommendations that would violate the seal of confession.

Why the church law forbids violating the seal of confession

The seal of confession is so important and sacred that a priest would be automatically excommunicated under canon law for directly revealing the contents of a confession.