Pope opens two-year consultation on church's future Pope Francis has launched a two-year worldwide consultative process that could change the way the Catholic Church makes decisions and leave its mark long after ... World • 10 Oct 21
French clergy abused over 200,000 children in 70 years At least 216,000 children were victims of abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in France since 1950, a report has found. World • 05 Oct 21
Bishops apologise for Canadian indigenous school abuses The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has apologised "unequivocally" to Canada's indigenous peoples for a century of abuses at church-run residential schools set up by ... World • 25 Sep 21
Rise in contacts with Safeguarding Children's board There was an increase in the number of requests for advice last year from the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in ... Ireland • 22 Jun 21
Pope rejects German Cardinal's offer to resign Pope Francis has rejected German Cardinal Reinhard Marx's offer to resign as archbishop of Munich over the Church's sexual abuse crisis, a letter released by ... World • 10 Jun 21
Canon law updated to address paedophilia by priests Pope Francis has updated the Catholic Church's criminal code, reinforcing penalties for priests who sexually abuse minors, measures long sought by activists against paedophilia. World • 01 Jun 21
Hundreds of clerical abuse cases in German diocese An independent study commissioned by the Catholic Church uncovered hundreds of cases of sexual violence allegedly committed by clergy and laymen in Germany's top diocese. World • 18 Mar 21
Vatican says church cannot bless same-sex unions The Vatican said that priests cannot bless same-sex unions and that such blessings are not valid, in a ruling that greatly disappointed gay Catholics who ... World • 15 Mar 21
Pope Francis names 13 new cardinals Thirteen new cardinals have been created by Pope Francis in a ceremony that took place at the Vatican on the eve of the first Sunday ... World • 28 Nov 20
Cavan priest will not proceed with public mass - bishop The Catholic Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise has been assured by Fr PJ Hughes that public mass will not be held in his Co Cavan ... Ulster • 22 Nov 20
Pope defends civil unions for gay couples Pope Francis has said that homosexual couples should be protected by civil union laws, in what is being seen as some of the clearest language ... World • 21 Oct 20
Teenager one step from becoming first millennial saint A British-born Italian teenager who dedicated his short life to spreading the faith online and helping the poor was beatified by the Catholic Church over ... World • 12 Oct 20
Cardinal Pell 'returning to Rome' after rival ousted Australian Cardinal George Pell was reportedly to return to Rome tomorrow for the first time since being acquitted of sexual abuse charges, just days after ... World • 28 Sep 20
Vatican announces surprise resignation of top cardinal One of the most influential Vatican cardinals, Angelo Becciu from Italy, has resigned his position unexpectedly, the Holy See announced without explanation. World • 25 Sep 20
Pope Francis names women to Vatican economic council Pope Francis has appointed six women to the Vatican's economic council, a first for the financial watchdog overseeing the administrative and financial structures of the ... World • 07 Aug 20
Vatican advises reporting sex abuse claims to police The Vatican released guidelines yesterday for bishops and other senior officials on dealing with clerical child sex abuse claims, clarifying rules on tackling a decades-old ... World • 17 Jul 20
Vatican urges Catholics to disinvest in fossil fuels The Vatican has urged Catholics to disinvest from the armaments and fossil fuel industries and to closely monitor companies in sectors such as mining to ... World • 18 Jun 20
Pell knew of clergy abuse for decades - inquiry Cardinal George Pell was aware of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Australia as far back as the 1970s and failed to seek the ... World • 07 May 20
Cardinal Pell leaves prison after unanimous acquittal Australian Cardinal George Pell has walked free after winning a long-running battle to overturn his child sex abuse convictions. World • 07 Apr 20
Bishops' new guidelines over attending mass, funerals Vulnerable people and those with underlying health conditions have been asked not to attend mass, funerals or the celebration of confirmation. Coronavirus • 11 Mar 20
Priests in Argentina jailed over sex abuse of children The abuse of some 20 children took place at a school for deaf and hearing-impaired children between 2004 and 2016 World • 26 Nov 19
Pope names economic chief to succeed disgraced cardinal Pope Francis has named the Vatican's new economy minister to succeed Cardinal George Pell, who is appealing a conviction in his native Australia for sexually ... Religious and Social Affairs • 14 Nov 19
Australian court to hear final appeal by George Pell Australia's High Court has agreed to hear former Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell's final appeal to overturn his conviction for sexually assaulting two teenage choirboys. World • 12 Nov 19
McAleese says comment on St John Paul II misrepresented Former president Mary McAleese has told the country's most senior Catholic bishops that she is being wrongly accused of misrepresenting Saint John Paul II's views ... Ireland • 08 Nov 19
McAleese urges church to allow women become deacons Former president Mary McAleese has called on the Catholic Church to allow woman to become deacons. Ireland • 02 Nov 19
