Vatican News & Updates - Page 45

February 18, 2022

Vatican pulls representatives from Taiwan, Hong Kong without explanation

The Roman Catholic Church has shuffled its representatives in key East Asian countries, drawing speculation that the Vatican is making good faith moves to appease the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), an accusation that Catholic prelates deny.

February 8, 2022

Retired Pope Benedict XVI asks for forgiveness over handling of clergy sex abuse cases, but denies wrongdoing

Retired Pope Benedict XVI asked forgiveness Tuesday for any “grievous faults" in his handling of clergy sex abuse cases, but denied any personal or specific wrongdoing after an independent report criticized his actions in four cases while he was archbishop of Munich, Germany.

January 26, 2022

Pope urges parents to 'never condemn' their gay children

Pope Francis urged parents on Wednesday not to condemn their children if they are gay, in his latest gesture of outreach to the LGBTQ community, which has long been marginalized by the Catholic hierarchy.

January 24, 2022

Pope Emeritus Benedict attended meeting where pedophile priest's transfer was discussed

Retired Pope Benedict XVI has acknowledged that he did attend a 1980 meeting at which the transfer of a pedophile priest to his then-diocese was discussed, saying an editorial error was responsible for his previous assertion that he wasn't there.

January 21, 2022

Pope Francis pledges justice for victims of abuse after predecessor faulted

Pope Francis pledged Friday to provide justice to victims of clergy sexual abuse, a day after an independent audit faulted his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, for having botched four cases of abusive clergy when he was archbishop of Munich, Germany.

January 20, 2022

Retired Pope Benedict XVI faulted over handling of abuse cases in Germany

A long-awaited report on sexual abuse in Germany's Munich diocese on Thursday faulted retired Pope Benedict XVI's handling of four cases when he was archbishop in the 1970s and 1980s. The law firm that drew up the report said that Benedict strongly denies any wrongdoing.

January 6, 2022

Pope Francis encourages a 'courageous and prophetic faith,' decries consumerism

Pope Francis marked Epiphany on Thursday by encouraging people to shake off consumeristic “tyranny" and crises of faith in lives and societies and instead find the courage to work for justice and brotherhood in societies dominated by what he called the “sinister logic of power."

January 5, 2022

Pope Francis should let Catholics pray like Catholics

A growing share of Americans—three in 10—identify as "none." Or, none of the above when asked about their religious affiliation. Houses of worship are emptying, and those still left in the pews probably expect their spiritual shepherds to welcome more prayer, not less.

January 1, 2022

Pope Francis honors mothers, says violence against women is 'almost Satanic'

Pope Francis began the new year with a sermon on the Virgin Mary, saying that to hurt a woman is a direct insult to God and decrying the harm done to women around the world.

December 25, 2021

Pope Francis celebrates Christmas Eve Mass as virus surges in Italy

Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass before an estimated 2,000 people in St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday, despite the resurgence in COVID-19 cases that has prompted a new vaccine mandate for Vatican employees.