Catholic Church
Cardinals gather in Rome as debates on church reform heat up
By David Gibson — February 19, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Anticipation is mounting for a series of closed-door discussions on Thursday and Friday, when the cardinals will hold what are expected to be frank talks about issues such as contraception, cohabitation, gay marriage and whether divorced and remarried Catholics can receive Communion.
Some Mormons and Protestants talk about Pope Francis
By Michael J. O'Loughlin — February 9, 2014
At an interfaith workshop in Washington, I was delighted in the ideological diversity in the room.
St. Thomas Aquinas would not have fired the pregnant Catholic teacher
By David Gibson — February 6, 2014
A Montana Catholic school is saying it had to fire Shaela Evenson when she got pregnant -- her contract has a morals clause. But a leading Catholic law and theology professor says not so fast.
What really endangers children? Churches that look away.
By Boz Tchividjian — January 16, 2014
In the past years, most of us have become growingly aware of how common it is for pastors and others within faith communities to allow known or suspected sex offenders to have access to children. Sometimes this is fueled by ignorance, and other times it is fueled by a desire to place institutional “needs” over the value of a child’s soul.
Cardinal (not Karl) Marx rips capitalism, backs Pope Francis
By David Gibson — January 10, 2014
"Capitalism should not become the model of society," says Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich, one of Francis' top advisers. “To think that somewhere there are pure markets which give rise to the good through free competition is mere ideology."
Peace activist John Dear parts ways with the Jesuits
By David Gibson — January 8, 2014
(RNS) The Rev. John Dear has long been known as something of a Lone Ranger type in an order that is known for its powerful communal ethos and its strict vows of obedience.
ANALYSIS: Yes, the pope is still Catholic, despite what you heard
By David Gibson — January 7, 2014
(RNS) The Vatican once again has had to dispel media reports that went well beyond what Pope Francis actually said. With this pope, it probably won't be the last time.
Pope Francis to pick new cardinals and begin reshaping the hierarchy
By David Gibson — January 6, 2014
(RNS) Any day now, Pope Francis is expected to make his first appointments to the College of Cardinals, the select group of about 120 scarlet-clad senior churchmen whose main duty is to advise the pope while he reigns – and gather in the Sistine Chapel when he dies or resigns to name his successor. Will one of the 14 or so picks be the next pope?
Administration, nuns battle over contraception mandate at Supreme Court
By David Gibson — January 3, 2014
(RNS) The Obama administration and faith-based foes of a rule that employer health insurance policies provide free birth control coverage continued back and forth legal filings on Friday (Jan 3.), though with an odd twist: The Justice department says an order of nuns is exempt from the mandate, while the nuns’ lawyers say they are not.
$250,000 bail set for Philadelphia’s Monsignor William Lynn
By David Gibson — December 30, 2013
(RNS) “If the conviction is in question, is not the punishment in question?” asked Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina in setting a $250,000 bail for Philadelphia's Monsignor William Lynn, whose conviction of sheltering abusive priests was overturned.
Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstedt steps aside while `inappropriate contact’ investigated
By David Gibson — December 17, 2013
(RNS) Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstedt, who has come under fire for failing to take action against priests suspected of sexual abuse, announced Tuesday that he is stepping aside while police investigate an accusation that he inappropriately touched a boy on the buttocks during a group photo after a 2009 confirmation ceremony.
Pope Francis backs public breastfeeding! And that makes him traditional…
By David Gibson — December 17, 2013
The pontiff's most "radical" suggestion in a recent interview -- that a nursing mother should breastfeed her baby even in front of the pope -- may be fodder for La Leche League types. But he is invoking an ancient devotion while endorsing a pragmatic work of mercy.
ANALYSIS: Pope Francis’ Vatican reforms may prompt curial pushback
By David Gibson — December 16, 2013
(RNS) In private conversations, Pope Francis often acknowledges that reforming the Vatican will be a difficult task opposed by powerful interests in the church. Developments on Monday (Dec. 16) showed the challenges from within.
Students, alumni rally around fired gay teacher at Catholic school
By David Gibson — December 13, 2013
(RNS) The publicity over the firing of a gay teacher at a Catholic school is likely to complicate efforts by church leaders like New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who said this month that the bishops have been “outmarketed” on gay rights and “caricatured as being anti-gay.”
ANALYSIS: Pope and Change: What Pope Francis can learn from President Obama
By David Gibson — December 12, 2013
(RNS) Pope Francis’ trajectory from near anonymity to the heights of power is remarkably similar to that of President Obama's. But can the pontiff avoid the pitfalls that have dogged the president?
