Nebraska bishop to take medical leave of absence
At the request of Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Pope Francis granted his temporary leave due to what the bishop said was medically diagnosed depression and anxiety. He will undergo "the best psychological and medical treatment available"
Archbishop Lori: Bishops must focus on poor, not seek personal gain
Archbishop Lori, who was appointed earlier this year to investigate allegations of sexual and financial improprieties made against Bishop Michael J. Bransfield, said Pope Francis "warns us against using our ministry for financial gain or personal comfort."
10 Catholics named to receive papal honors
Pope Francis has recognized 10 individuals, most with local ties to the Philadelphia Archdiocese, for their exceptional service to the church. They will be honored at a vespers service Dec. 9.
Third-party reporting system for church may start in February
A system to field sexual misconduct allegations against bishops could be in place by the end of February, a USCCB official said. The date would be ahead of Pope Francis' deadline of May 31.
Spanish Jesuit will lead Vatican’s economy office
Pope Francis named Jesuit Father Juan Antonio Guerrero, who has a background in economics, to lead the Holy See's Secretariat for the Economy, which had been led by Australian Cardinal George Pell.
Bishops urged to pay more attention to young people
Pope Francis' call for the church to support teens and young adults in parishes and programs is a call to action for the U.S. church that "we should not and cannot allow to slip away," said Bishop Frank Caggiano.
Vatican no longer sees Diocese of Fairbanks as mission territory
Pope Francis has decided to remove the Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska, from the list of missionary dioceses around the world dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Providing no explanation, the Vatican announced the change Nov. 11.
West Virginia bishop seeks ‘amends for harm’ to church by predecessor
Bishop Mark E. Brennan of Wheeling-Charleston told Catholics in the statewide diocese he was working to have retired Bishop Michael J. Bransfield "make amends for harm he caused during his tenure" as mandated by Pope Francis.
U.S. bishop supports synod call to study diaconate for women
Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego said the proposal to continue to study the possibility of opening the permanent diaconate to women -- a proposal Pope Francis said he accepted Oct. 26 -- would have implications for the church globally.
God in all things: Synod looks at indigenous ‘theology of creation’
Many Amazonian indigenous peoples consider the natural world sacred because God is present in all of creation, and at the Rome synod on the Amazon, Pope Francis urged respect for their worldview and cultures.