Catholic News Service
ROME -- A number of priests and religious women have been among the nearly 2,000 people who have died in Italy because of illness connected with COVID-19.
Victims irritated by bishops’ secrecy
MONTREAL -- The Canadian bishops’ standing committee for the Responsible Ministry and Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons met for the first time in January, but the fact that the identities of the majority of its members is kept secret irritates victims, who see a lack of transparency.
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon, five weeks after a French appeals court overturned his conviction for failing to report clerical sexual abuse.
GENEVA -- A United Nations report addressing gender-based violence and discrimination connected to religious beliefs "is now attacking the very reality it is called to defend," a Vatican representative told a U.N. meeting in Geneva.
AMMAN, Jordan -- Turkey and Greece are trading blame following the deaths of Syrian refugees trying to flee to Europe, but some observers believe Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is weaponizing the Syrian refugee humanitarian crisis.
Pope Francis establishes 'climate action' week
VATICAN CITY -- Saying he wanted to renew his "urgent call to respond to the ecological crisis," Pope Francis asked Catholics around the globe to participate in the international observance of "Laudato Si' Week" May 16-24.
University of Notre Dame revokes awards given to L'Arche founder Vanier
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The University of Notre Dame Feb. 23 revoked the Notre Dame Award that was conferred upon Jean Vanier in 1994 after the L'Arche organization he established found credible allegations that Vanier sexually exploited six women.
Australian High Court releases Cardinal Pell's appeal submissions
CANBERRA, Australia -- Australia's High Court has released the full set of submissions for Cardinal George Pell's March 11 and 12 final appeal hearing against historic child sexual abuse crimes.
The Catholic world in Canada is reeling with the news that Jean Vanier, founder of the ecumenical L'Arche communities that provide group homes and spiritual support for people with intellectual disabilities, used his status to have "manipulative" sexual relationships with at least six women.
German bishops to elect new president at meeting
BONN, Germany -- This year's spring assembly of the German bishops' conference, scheduled in Mainz March 2-5, will be dominated by the election of a successor to the its current president, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising.