A leading German cardinal has made an apology to LGBTQ people for the mistreatment they have been subjected to by the Catholic church. Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising (pictured) issued his apology on March 13 at a liturgy celebrating the 20th anniversary of a monthly LGBTQ Mass held in the archdiocese. Speaking at Read more
“The ideas of a ‘Russian world’ and an ‘Orthodox society’ are based on bad theology,” says Russian Orthodox priest and theologian Cyril Hovorun. “They are heretical ideas. Theologically, they must be seriously deconstructed to reveal their fascistic and authoritarian dimension,” he insists. Hovorun, a 48-year-old native of Ukraine, is an archimandrite in the Ukrainian Orthodox Read more
Scandinavia’s Catholic bishops and church leaders (pictured) have let their German confreres know they don’t think much of the German Synodal Way. In their March 9 letter to the German bishops’ conference, the Nordic bishops said they appreciated that there was a “palpable need for change” in Germany. However, the issues addressed were not a Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has “earned the hatred of the whole world,” according to the leader of Orthodox Christianity. “We are entering a new era of cold war,” Patriarch Bartholomew (pictured) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople said in a Turkish-language broadcast interview. “We do not know what will happen next. I Read more
Well over a million refugees have crossed the border from Ukraine into Poland since the Russian invasion began three weeks ago. The Catholic Church in Poland is among those stepping up to welcome and care for for them and is encouraging all Poles to do the same. Poles as one are responding with open arms. The Read more
Lockdown liturgy such as online Mass, walk-up communion and drive-in Eucharist during the liturgical lockdown have shown us the dominant culture of the Church. Where these practices became the default of bishops, the potential failure of the synodal process is high because these practices were made possible by sidelining the laity. What is the potential Read more
Catholic voluntary organisation St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies) has come up with an innovative housing project that will see seven young Christchurch families at a time into warm, dry, secure and affordable homes. So far 55 per cent of the funds needed to complete the project are already confirmed and a fundraising strategy is in Read more
The next assembly of the Synod of Bishops must take up the issue of mandatory priestly celibacy. Now is the time. Following the death of a good man, Bishop Edward Daly — who went to the Lord on August 8, 2016 –, there was an appreciation of his life published on the website of the Read more
Cologne’s cardinal, Rainer Maria Woelki, for a second time, has offered his resignation to Pope Francis. Woelki has been facing strong criticism for several months for his responses to allegations of child abuse in the Church. He chose to take a five-month break from his duties last September after the Vatican report accused him of Read more
The Vatican Secretary of State said that it is not too late for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and that the Holy See is willing to mediate between the two warring parties. Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Vatican is “willing to facilitate dialogue with Russia” and “ready to help” all parties involved to return Read more