Roman Catholic
Pope Francis fires Memphis bishop after Vatican investigation
By Paul O'Donnell — October 24, 2018
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The move is another indication that Francis is moving, albeit fitfully, to hold bishops more accountable and not only on issues related to sexual abuse.
Three Ohio dioceses to release abusive priest list
By John Seewer — September 26, 2018
CLEVELAND (RNS) — 'The Diocese of Columbus understands this is an important step to restore the confidence of our faithful in their church and its clergy,' a diocese spokesman said.
German bishops apologize for thousands of sex abuse cases
By Kirsten Grieshaber — September 25, 2018
BERLIN (AP) — The apology came on the same day that Pope Francis acknowledged that the sex abuse scandal rocking the Catholic Church was driving people away.
National meeting signals ‘coming of age’ for Hispanic Catholics in US
By Bobby Ross Jr. — September 24, 2018
GRAPEVINE, Texas (RNS) — The four-day bilingual gathering was called a 'crucial turning point for the Catholic Church in America' as the U.S. bishops discerned ways to better respond to its coming Latino majority.
Abuse scandal hits diocese of cardinal set to meet with pope
By Nomaan Merchant — September 13, 2018
(AP) — Daniel DiNardo, the cardinal leading a delegation to a Vatican meeting about the church abuse crisis, has been accused of not doing enough to stop a priest who was arrested this week on abuse charges.
Pope OKs probe into West Virginia bishop as he meets with US delegation
By Nicole Winfield — September 13, 2018
(AP) — Francis on Thursday accepted the resignation of a West Virginia bishop, Michael Bransfield, who has been accused of sexually harassing adults.
Pope Francis closes Ireland visit with appeals to divided Catholics
By Christine A. Scheller — August 27, 2018
DUBLIN (RNS) — For many, Pope Francis' visit to Ireland was clouded by the latest revelations of clergy sex abuse in the U.S. and Australia and Catholic bishops' attempts to cover them up.
Catholics and lawmakers respond to sex abuse report
By Jack Jenkins — August 16, 2018
(RNS) — Two days after Pennsylvania's 'catastrophic' report on clergy sex abuse, questions remain about its effect on American Catholics and how states will prosecute such crimes in the future.
Timing is everything in Pennsylvania’s clergy sexual abuse report
By Thomas Reese — August 7, 2018
(RNS) — Understanding the grand jury report properly will mean following the timeline. By the ’90s, the number of alleged abuses nationally had returned to the levels of the 1950s. Did Pennsylvania's?
Report: Church leaders pressured victims, cops over abuse
By Mark Scolforo — August 4, 2018
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A grand jury investigating clergy sex abuse in six Pennsylvania Roman Catholic dioceses found that church leaders were more interested in preventing scandal than protecting children.
Eritrean Christians released from shipping container prisons
By G. Jeffrey MacDonald — July 24, 2018
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) – For the last two decades, Eritrean authorities have persecuted religious groups, frequently arresting church leaders and detaining them in small shipping container prisons where advocates say they're routinely deprived of water, food, proper sanitation and medicines.
Fifty years later, scientist’s finding on birth control still challenges Catholic teaching
By Frank Maurovich — July 24, 2018
(RNS) — Many Catholic theologians warn that preserving an unscientific stance on birth control will weaken the Catholic Church's credibility on all sexual issues, not just birth control.
The belief behind weeping Virgin Mary statues
By Mathew Schmalz — July 23, 2018
(The Conversation) — In a Catholic parish in Hobbs, New Mexico, a statue of the Virgin Mary has been “weeping,” likely setting in motion an investigation by the local bishop and renewing questions about the meaning for the faithful about such phenomena.
Vatican-OK’d journal strikes out again at US evangelicals
By Nicole Winfield — July 18, 2018
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Two of Pope Francis' top communications advisers — an Italian Jesuit and an Argentine Protestant pastor — penned 'The Prosperity Gospel: Dangerous and Different' for the current issue of the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, published Wednesday.
Priests, celibacy and sex
By Thomas Reese — July 16, 2018
(RNS) — Sex between a Catholic priest and adult can be more than simply a violation of celibacy. It can also be a violation of professional ethics. The church needs to learn from the “#MeToo” movement about the danger of sex between adults who are not equal in power.
