Pope Francis appeared to flatly reject proposals in some theological circles to add “co-redemptrix” to the list of titles of the Virgin Mary, saying the mother of Jesus never took anything that belonged to her son, and calling the invention of new titles and dogmas “foolishness.” “She never wanted for herself something that was of … Read more
On Thursday top Vatican officials hailed Swedish teen Greta Thunberg, recently named TIME Magazine’s “Person of the Year” for her environmental advocacy, as a “great witness” of Church teaching on care for creation and the human person. Speaking to reporters at the Dec. 12 publication of Pope Francis’s message for the 2020 World Day of … Read more
In his continual effort to quell worldwide conflicts, Pope Francis Thursday chastised world leaders for lacking the will to make change, and also insisted true peace implies an “ecological conversion” or it won’t work. In an annual message for the World Day of Peace, which is celebrated on Jan. 1, the pope implied that violence … Read more
After hearing the recent apology of an Argentinian bishop who asked forgiveness from all those abused by priests and religious in her country, one victim said that instead of being a comfort, the plea made her angry. “I don’t believe anything, for me it’s a mockery,” said Valeria Zarza, a former member of Argentina’s Hermanos … Read more
Father Justino Sarmento Rezende, one of the few indigenous priests participating in this month’s Synod of Bishops on the Amazon, has weighed in on the issue of celibacy, saying it is a virtue everyone can live, but refrained from offering an opinion on the issue of married priests in the Amazon. Asked during an Oct. … Read more
When a top papal advisor earlier this week suggested that Catholic prelates “exit” the clerical abuse scandal, in order to lift the “cloud” hanging over the Church, there was an understandable uproar from victims. In effect, the resulting controversy involving Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, … Read more
As the case of ex-cardinal and ex-priest Theodore McCarrick makes fresh waves in the media, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin has said an investigation into who knew what and how McCarrick rose to power despite open rumors of sexual misconduct is ongoing, but he was vague on a timeline. Speaking to the press … Read more