Ireland’s Catholic church, government clash over COVID-19 restrictions
Dublin, IrelandReuters Five Roman Catholic bishops from Ireland’s 22 dioceses are set to defy COVID-19 restrictions after instructing local parishes to hold communion and confirmation services this month, drawing a sharp rebuke from the government, which have pleaded with them to wait until they consider further easing curbs later this month. Ireland has been gradually […]
Four new bishops – and first biracial bishop – elected to AME Church
RNS Four new bishops were elected to the African Methodist Episcopal Church on Saturday, the final day of the denomination’s General Conference in Orlando, Florida. Four general officers and two judicial council members were also elected. Rev Francine A Brookins is the first biracial bishop to be elected, and Advocate Thabile M Ngubeni is the first […]
Greek priest charged over acid attack on seven senior bishops
Athens, Greece AP A defrocked Greek Orthodox priest was charged Thursday with multiple counts of causing grievous bodily harm over an acid attack that injured seven senior bishops and three other people. The 37-year-old Greek man was led to court in lay clothing, handcuffs, and under a heavily armed police escort. Journalists and cameramen stand […]
Addressing euthanasia, Vatican doctrine tsar reminds media that bishops aren’t infallible
Vatican CityRNS Next time you see a headline relaying juicy quotes from a Catholic prelate, the Vatican suggested on Tuesday, take it with a grain of salt. The head of the Vatican doctrinal office, once known as the Inquisition, made it clear on Tuesday that only the Pope and the bishops of the church as […]
Vatican says bishops should report sex abuse to police
Vatican CityAP The Vatican told bishops around the world on Thursday they should report cases of clergy sex crimes to police even when not legally bound to do so, in its latest effort to compel church leaders to protect minors from predator priests. The Vatican issued a long-awaited manual for bishops and religious superiors on […]
US Catholic bishops: clergy sex abuse claims tripled in 2019
New York City, USAP US Roman Catholic bishops said Thursday that the church tallied 4,434 sex abuse allegations against clergy in the 2018-19 audit year, triple the number seen the previous year, with much of the increase stemming from a wave of lawsuits and claims by survivors of decades-old molestation. In the latest annual report […]
CATHOLIC CHURCH: OPPOSITION TO AMAZON SYNOD SPURS NEW RIGHT-WING COALITION IN BRAZIL
EDUARDO CAMPOS LIMA, of Religion News Service, reports from Brazil ahead of the Vatican’s Amazon synod which starts this Sunday…
As Amazon burns, Vatican prepares for summit on region’s faith and sustainability
Vatican CityRNS The images of fires destroying wide swaths of Amazon forest this summer have added urgency to preparations for a major October summit of Catholic bishops on faith, sustainability and development in the vast river basin. It has put further pressure on the meeting’s organizers “to do it right,” according to one adviser on […]
Church of England bishops express concerns over ‘no deal’ Brexit
Church of England bishops have expressed their concerns over a ‘no deal’ Brexit saying it is “unlikely” that leaving the EU without an agreement will lead to “reconciliation or peace in a fractured country” and expressing their concern over its effect on the poor. In an open letter released on Wednesday, the 25 bishops – […]
In historic shift, Vatican to consider married priests for Amazon region
Vatican CityReuters A Vatican document on Monday said the church should consider ordaining older married men as priests in remote areas of the Amazon, a historic shift which some say could pave the way for their use in other areas where clergy are scarce. The recommendation, contained in a working document prepared by the Vatican […]