Vatican News

Vatican official, consultant arrested for financial documents leak

November 2, 2015

VATICAN CITY - A Vatican official and a former lay consultant on a pontifical commission were arrested for leaking documents to an Italian journalist who has announced plans to publish them in a book.

Apostolic exhortation on the family could come soon, says cardinal

October 29, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said an apostolic exhortation on the family following the recently concluded Synod of Bishops could be released soon.

It’s in the Pope’s hands now

October 29, 2015

The Synod is not over. Synod delegates may have returned home after three weeks of intense work that produced 94 paragraphs of advice to Pope Francis, including three vaguely worded paragraphs concerning communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics and what sort of welcome the Church extends to gay Catholics. But that’s not the last word.

Church needs to promote women’s gifts

October 28, 2015

VATICAN CITY - If the Catholic Church did more to recognize and promote women it could help their status across society, said the Synod of Bishops on the Family.

Pope says talks not always charitable

October 28, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The first task of the Church “is not to hand down condemnations or anathemas, but to proclaim the mercy of God,” Pope Francis said in a blunt address to delegates at the Synod of Bishops on the Family.

World expects believers to work together for peace, Pope says

October 28, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The world expects all people of religious faith to work with everyone for a better future, Pope Francis told representatives of major religions.

Canadian bishops join worldwide plea for climate change action

October 26, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The presidents of the U.S. and Canadian bishops' conferences joined leaders of the regional bishops' conferences of Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania and Europe in signing an appeal for government leaders to reach a "fair, legally binding and truly transformational climate agreement" at a summit in Paris.

Synod report has new emphasis, not changed doctrine, U.S. bishops say

October 25, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Several hours before the final report of the Synod of Bishops was put to a vote, two U.S. bishops said that what is new is not the church's message, but the synod's emphasis and attitude toward the role of the family in the modern world.

Synod had difficult moments as it tried to proclaim truth, Pope says

October 24, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The first task of the Catholic Church "is not to hand down condemnations or anathemas, but to proclaim the mercy of God," Pope Francis told members of the Synod of Bishops on the family.

Synod report urges 'accompaniment' tailored to family situations

October 24, 2015

VATICAN CITY - While not specifically mentioning the controversial proposal of a path toward full reconciliation and Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried, members of the Synod of Bishops on the family handed Pope Francis a report emphasizing an obligation to recognize that not all Catholics in such a situation bear the same amount of blame.