A prominent Polish cardinal who was recently sanctioned by the Vatican over sexual abuse allegations has been hospitalized since last week and remains unconscious, Polish media reported Tuesday. Retired Archbishop Henryk Gulbinowicz was sanctioned by the Vatican last week after the 97-year-old was accused of sexually abusing a seminarian and of covering up abuse in Read more
The Church of England has vowed to consider its stance on LGBT+ rights issues such as same-sex marriage by 2022 in a major new publication – but critics have accused it of being all talk, no action. Three years in the making, the Church of England has published a set of resources titled Living in Read more
A third Jesuit priest, Fr Robbie Wirth has died of COVID-19, the 66th person in Malta to die while infected with the virus. He was 86 years old. In an email to Jesuit alumni, the order remembered Fr Robbie as “a very jovial person and a person who worked incessantly to promote the Sacred Heart of Read more
Palmerston North is still without a new Catholic bishop, a year after the resignation of Charles Drennan. Drennan, the former bishop of the Palmerston North diocese, resigned in October last year after an investigation into a complaint made by a young woman about behaviour of a sexual nature. Cardinal John Dew of Wellington has been Read more
Royal Mail is celebrating Christmas with a series of six special stamps telling the story of the Nativity through stained-glass windows. Scenes from windows in six churches across the country, covering a range of eras, styles and techniques, are included in the set, which will be on sale from Tuesday. The Nativity story is a Read more
Timaru’s Sacred Heart Basilica is reopening for its first service since closing for earthquake strengthening nearly two years ago. Holy Family Parish priest Father Chris Friel said he and the parishioners were looking forward to Sunday’s mass, the first in the historic building since February 2019. Friel, who was ordained in the ornate church in Read more
Pope Francis is removing the ability of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State to administer its own financial portfolio. This follows a major shake-up of authority among Vatican offices after a series of financial scandals that included the unusual resignation of a cardinal in September. In an Aug. 25 letter, made public by the Vatican Nov. Read more
Vatican officials announced Nov. 6 that the Holy See will release Nov. 10 a long-awaited report on the investigation about the ascent to power of now-disgraced former U.S. Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick. The report’s release comes days before the U.S. bishops gather virtually Nov. 16 and 17 for their annual meeting. “On Tuesday, 10th November Read more
Pope Francis’ Christmas liturgies at the Vatican will be offered without public participation this year, as countries continue to react to the coronavirus pandemic. According to a letter seen by CNA and sent by the Secretariat of State to embassies accredited to the Holy See, Pope Francis will celebrate the Vatican liturgies of the Christmas Read more
Disabled people live in damper homes, earn less and have fewer social connections, according to a new report. The findings from Stats NZ measure the level of inequality for the one in four New Zealanders who are disabled. It found the median personal income for disabled people aged between 15 and 64 was less than Read more