The news of ex-Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick's crimes is deeply troubling for two reasons.   The first is that it is a serious blow to the church's moral authority. We suffered something like this in 2002, with the disclosure of priestly abuse in Boston and elsewhere.   There was a time...
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On Aug. 20, Pope Francis wrote a letter to the people of God regarding recent reports of sexual abuse in the Church. Following is the complete text of the Holy Father’s letter, as posted on Aug. 20 to the Vatican website.  Vatican City, 20 August 2018  Letter of the Holy Father...
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Perhaps the most surprising thing about the encyclical "Humanae Vitae" 50 years on, is how reports of its imminent death were continually exaggerated. Very few brave souls would have predicted in 1968 that the document would ever enjoy enthusiastic support from more than a few female Catholic intel...
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The power of God's name is manifested in the lives of people who live their faith in an authentic way, while it is taken in vain by those who live in hypocrisy, Pope Francis said.     By adhering to the commandment to not take the name of the Lord in vain, Chris...
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis blamed "clericalism" in the Catholic Church for creating a culture where criminal abuse was widespread and extraordinary efforts were made to keep the crimes hidden.     Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has targeted clericalism as an illness...
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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Aug. 16 announced three key goals and a comprehensive plan to address the "moral catastrophe" of the new abuse scandal hitting the U.S. church.    The plan "will involve the laity, lay experts, the clergy an...
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WASHINGTON—Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is hosting a series of meetings this week responding to the broader issue of safe environments within the Church. An update will be offered upon their conclusion.
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CHICAGO (CNS) – Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, speaking during an Aug. 2 panel discussion, described how Catholic teaching on the death penalty has developed and stressed that putting people to death – even criminals who are certainly guilty of terrible acts – makes it seem tha...
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WASHINGTON—In June, the National Religious Retirement Office distributed $25 million to 360 religious communities to aid in the care of senior members. The funds were made possible by the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection, which benefits elderly Catholic sisters, brothers, and p...
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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The sexual-abuse allegations surrounding now-former Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick have prompted some church figures to call for a more thorough reckoning of the U.S. church's clerical sexual-abuse policies.             "We...
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