Catholic Church
New book examines Sting’s enduring Catholic imagination
By Yonat Shimron — July 21, 2021
(RNS) — Before bursting onto the international rock scene as the principal songwriter and lead singer for the Police, Sting grew up Catholic. The faith’s images, symbols, stories and hymns appear everywhere in his music, writes Evyatar Marienberg in a new book.
The Latin Mass is not going away soon
By Thomas Reese — July 20, 2021
(RNS) — But local bishops may now deny it to dissenters who oppose the reforms of Vatican II.
Canadian churches on First Nations land are burning
By Renée Roden — June 29, 2021
(RNS) — As of Tuesday afternoon, six churches on First Nations land in western Canada have been set on fire or burned down. Four of the churches are within an hour’s drive of one another in southeastern British Columbia.
Facing enrollment declines, some Catholic dioceses are betting on online schools
By Yonat Shimron — June 9, 2021
(RNS) — Catholic schools saw a 6.4% decline in enrollment at the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Now some dioceses are trying to attract new students with online schools.
Reforming the Vatican Curia: Never easy, and never over
By Thomas Reese — June 2, 2021
(RNS) — Francis’ heart is in the right place, but the forthcoming document on Curia reform will not likely do the job.
Incoming Bishop Stephen Chow says he feels the pressure of leading Hong Kong diocese
By Claire Giangravé — May 24, 2021
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As Jesuit Father Stephen Chow prepares to lead the divided diocese of Hong Kong, caught by internal struggles and outside influence from China, he relies on St. Ignatius for guidance and promises to listen with empathy.
Vatican’s revamped Center for Child Protection will attack ‘systemic’ abuse in the church
By Claire Giangravé — April 28, 2021
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — On Sept. 1, the Center for Child Protection at the Gregorian University in Rome will become the Institute of Anthropology, Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care.
As policies shift, Protestants and other faith groups join Catholics in helping immigrants at the border
By Jack Jenkins and Alejandra Molina — April 13, 2021
(RNS) — As the number of arrivals increases, Catholic groups are often relying on an array of faith-based ecumenical partners to handle the influx of people hoping to cross the border.
Church faces backlash for showing Mass at a cinema, as Italy faces severe lockdown
By Claire Giangravé — April 7, 2021
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The case highlights growing tensions between Italians and the Catholic Church, which critics say has been granted more leeway while the weary peninsula faces another severe lockdown more than a year into the pandemic.
Pope Francis shuts down proposals to bless same-sex couples
By Claire Giangravé — March 15, 2021
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In a new document sure to disappoint those who thought Pope Francis represented a softening toward LGBTQ marriages within the church, the Vatican rejected proposals that would allow priests to bless LGBTQ unions, saying 'God cannot bless sin.'
Johnson & Johnson vaccine creates a week of confusion for Catholics
By Jack Jenkins — March 5, 2021
(RNS) — An attempt to clear up confusion about the moral acceptability of the vaccine only created further uncertainty.
Yes, the Catholic Church benefitted from federal PPP loans. Good for them.
By Thomas Reese — February 12, 2021
(RNS) — If I were a bishop, pastor or president of a school, I, too, would have gone after every penny I could legally get.
Nun named to voting position at Vatican praises ‘brave’ pope
By Nicole Winfield — February 10, 2021
(AP) — Sister Nathalie Becquart in all likelihood will have a right to vote in the next synod of bishops, scheduled for 2022, given her new rank.
Catholic LGBTQ nuns are speaking up again, and this time they have no intention of going away
By Claire Giangravé — January 26, 2021
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — New book tells the stories of 23 lesbian and queer religious sisters from different backgrounds, communities, age groups and ministries.
A group of Catholic bishops issues statement condemning bullying of LGBTQ youth
By Jack Jenkins — January 25, 2021
(RNS) — The signers also directed part of their comments directly to LGBTQ people, saying, ‘know that God created you, God loves you and God is on your side.’