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October 22, 2018

Church's 'beautiful, yet challenging' stance on sexuality welcomes all, calls for conversion, Synod groups say

Yadira Vieyra, center, a synod delegate who works with migrant families in Chicago, attends a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 11.
VATICAN – No one is excluded from the love of God or from being welcomed into the Catholic Church, but God's love and the church's welcome also come with a call to conversion, said the English-language groups at the Synod of Bishops.
Published in International
October 19, 2018

Fr. Raymond de Souza: Long line of martyr-bishops marked by men of no fear

St. Pope John Paul II, left, and St. Oscar Romero.

VATICAN – The twin canonizations — along with five others — of Pope St. Paul VI and St. Oscar Romero prompted many to look for similarities between the two. But the more suggestive similarity is between “San Romero” — as they call him in El Salvador — and the pope whose 40th anniversary is marked this week.

Published in Register Columnists
October 18, 2018

Church needs women to fight clericalism, extreme masculinity, Cardinal Ouellet says

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, leaves a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 18.
VATICAN – The church needs to further integrate women into ecclesial life to confront the problems of clericalism and an exaggerated sense of masculinity, a Vatican official told the Synod of Bishops.
Published in International
October 17, 2018

Montreal bishop calls on church to renew religious education

Montreal auxiliary Bishop Thomas Dowd takes a selfie before Pope Francis' audience with young people and members of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican Oct. 6.
VATICAN – Improved religious education and a stronger sense of belonging to a community were some of the topics touched upon as the Synod of Bishops moved into its final round of speeches.
Published in International
October 15, 2018

Superiors general believe women should have voting power at synod

Protesters chant outside the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith before the opening session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct 3. Protesters demanded that women be given the right to vote at the synod.
VATICAN – Although bishops should make up the majority of voting members at a Synod of Bishops, the fact that the body is only consultative means women should be included as full members just as priests and religious brothers are, said three priests who are voting members.
Published in International
October 11, 2018

Some married men would answer a call to priesthood, Belgian bishop says

Pope Francis greets a youth delegate before a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 4.
VATICAN – Speaking to the Synod of Bishops on behalf of Belgium's bishops' conference, a bishop said he was sure some young married men would become priests if they were asked.
Published in International
October 11, 2018

Adults must keep eyes on Christ to help young people, Cardinal Cupich tells synod

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago leaves a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican Oct. 11.
VATICAN – Unless they recognize themselves as sinners rescued by Jesus, adults cannot be effective in helping young people find the path to faith and doing God's will, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago told the Synod of Bishops.
Published in Faith
October 10, 2018

Editorial: Bishops get it right

The more than 80 Catholic bishops and eparchs in Canada pledged at their recent annual gathering in Cornwall, Ont. to implement the new CCCB guidelines on preventing sexual abuse.

Good riddance to confidentiality clauses. If one outcome captures the spirit of the Canadian bishops’ new document on sex abuse, that might be it. No more confidentially clauses.

Published in Editorial
October 10, 2018

Vatican releases list of twelve synod members drafting final report

Cardinals wait for Pope Francis' arrival at a gathering with young people and members of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican Oct. 6.
VATICAN – Twelve synod members have been named to a commission to draft the final report summarizing the discussion at the Synod of Bishops on young people. The report will be given Pope Francis.
Published in International
October 9, 2018

Sex abuse crisis, role of women recurring discussions at synod, members say

Pope Francis speaks during a gathering with young people and members of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican Oct. 6.
VATICAN – Despite many positive and joyful moments during the Synod of Bishops on young people, bishops also have set aside the agenda to discuss the serious scandals and unfolding allegations affecting the church, two synod fathers said.
Published in International
September 25, 2018

Clergy caught in ‘siege mentality,’ says head of Vatican's expert on sex abuse

esuit Father Hans Zollner, president of the Center for Child Protection, speaks in 2015 at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome during a news conference officially launching the Center for Child Protection in Rome.

ROME – The Catholic Church is on trial and what happens next will define its place in the world to come, said one of the Vatican’s foremost experts on clergy sex abuse.

Published in International
September 24, 2018

Philadelphia's Archbishop Chaput shares theological critique of youth synod working document

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia arrives for the opening session of the Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 5, 2015.
PHILADELPHIA – Archbishop Charles Chaput offered Friday on First Things a critique by a theologian of the working document for the upcoming Synod on Youth, which highlights five principal theological difficulties in the document.
Published in International
September 24, 2018

Bob Brehl: Will Vatican meeting lead to real change?

Pope Francis prepares to meet bishops during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sept. 19.

Frustrated by the Church’s inability to defuse long-running clergy sex scandals, Pope Francis has summoned the worldwide presidents of Catholic bishops conferences to the Vatican in February to find better ways to protect children and eradicate predatory priests.

Published in Register Columnists
September 24, 2018

East African bishops to prioritize fundamentalism at synod on youth

oung people pray during Mass in 2015 at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Nairobi, Kenya. Bishops from East Africa said they will prioritize fundamentalism at October's Synod of Bishops, because of its impact on young Catholics.
NAIROBI, Kenya – Due to its impact on young Catholics in Africa, fundamentalism will be a topic that bishops from East Africa prioritize in their talks with other delegates during the synod's intervention sessions.
Published in International
September 24, 2018

Pope Francis signs working agreement with China on naming bishops

A priest hears confession on Holy Thursday, March 29, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing. For the first time in decades, all of the Catholic bishops in China are in full communion with the Pope, the Vatican announced Sept. 22.
VILNIUS, Lithuania – For the first time in decades, all of the Catholic bishops in China are in full communion with the Pope, the Vatican announced.
Published in International
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