East Timor government blocks president’s planned visit to Vatican
The government of East Timor, one of Asia's most Catholic countries, is blocking a planned trip by its president to the Vatican, where he plans to invite Pope Francis to visit.
Synod’s words on ‘synodal’ church puzzle some people
"Synodality," which means "walking together" and is a key concept of Pope Francis' papacy, was used repeatedly in the final document of the Synod of Bishops on young people but infrequently in synod discussions.
Bishops to start 2019 with spiritual retreat
The retreat was planned in response to Pope Francis' request to a delegation of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops leaders during a meeting at the Vatican Sept. 13. The meeting with the pope focused on the U.S. bishops' response to the widening clergy sex abuse crisis.
Text of Cardinal Wuerl’s letter to Catholics of Washington Archdiocese
The following is the text of the Oct. 12 letter Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl addressed to the faithful of the Archdiocese of Washington following the announcement that Pope Francis has accepted his resignation as archbishop of Washington
Cardinal Wuerl led high-profile endeavors in 32 years as a bishop
Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, whose resignation as archbishop of Washington was accepted Oct. 12 by Pope Francis, was a high-profile figure in the U.S. church well before his 2006 appointment as archbishop of the nation's capital.
Chinese bishop says agreement is sign that universal church is one
The Catholic Church is one throughout the world, and Pope Francis' agreement with the communist government of China is a sign of that, Bishop John Baptist Yang Xiaoting of Yan'an told members of a Rome parish.
Top cardinal lashes out at Archbishop Vigano’s ‘open rebellion’ on McCarrick case
Because rumors of Cardinal McCarrick's sexual misconduct were not proof, then-Pope Benedict XVI never imposed formal sanctions on him, which means Pope Francis never lifted them, Cardinal Marc Ouellet wrote to Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former Vatican nuncio to the U.S.
Church leaders must face truth of abuse, Cardinal DiNardo says
The president of the U.S. bishops' conference welcomed Pope Francis' Oct. 6 pledge to fight attempts to cover up cases of sexual abuse and to stop offering special treatment to bishops who have committed or covered up abuse. Cardinal DiNardo and the pope were set to meet again Oct. 8.
At synod, young people call for more involvement, representation
Young people from around the world told Pope Francis and members of the Synod of Bishops that they no longer want to remain on the sidelines but want to take an active role in the church.
A plan for negligent bishops?
A five-point policy for investigating and removing a bishop anywhere in the world was approved two years ago by Pope Francis. An editorial wonders when the policy will be employed, for the sake of justice.