March 29, 2019 Pope Francis issues new law requiring Vatican officials to report sexual abuse allegations 'without delay' Pope Francis has issued sweeping new sex abuse legislation for Vatican personnel and Holy See diplomats overseas, requiring the immediate reporting of abuse allegations to Vatican prosecutors, a policy shift aimed at being a model for the Catholic Church worldwide.
March 28, 2019 Pope Francis explains ring-kissing snub, says he pulled hand away to prevent spread of germs Pope Francis recently raised eyebrows when he pulled his hand away as people lined up to kiss his ring – a tradition that goes back centuries, and symbolizes respect.
March 26, 2019 All-female board of Vatican women's magazine quits, citing sexism A history professor who, as founder of the Vatican’s women’s magazine, was most high-profile woman at the Holy See, has quit because of what she described as sexist working conditions.The all-female editorial board of the magazine, called Women Church World, also quit.
March 26, 2019 Mexico asks Vatican, Spain to apologize for centuries-old conquest, says it was carried out with 'sword and cross' Mexican left-wing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has asked Spain and the Vatican to apologize to his country for the conquest of the Americas five centuries ago, a move met with a stark rebuttal in Spain.
March 7, 2019 Top French cardinal sentenced in 'historic' case for not reporting child abuse by priest France’s most senior cardinal was found guilty on Thursday of failing to report the allegations of sexual abuse of minors by a priest to authorities.
March 6, 2019 Pope Francis: What the Virgin Mary can still teach us about motherhood and women in our modern age Mary shows us with her motherhood that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak, but of the strong; she teaches us that there is no need to mistreat others in order to feel important.
March 4, 2019 Vatican to open archives on WWII-era Pope accused of staying silent during Holocaust On Monday, Pope Francis said he will open up the archives on World War II-era Pope Pius XII, whom many Jewish groups long have said did little to stop the Holocaust.
February 28, 2019 Lawyer for cardinal convicted of molesting choirboys apologizes for calling crime 'a plain vanilla sexual penetration' A lawyer who downplayed a cardinal’s sexual abuse of two children by saying it was merely a “plain vanilla sexual penetration” case says he misspoke and has apologized.
February 19, 2019 Reporter's Notebook: Catholic Church faces its demons in clergy-abuse summit About 200 bishops, the heads of Catholic Conferences from around the world, and prominent clergy, are set to gather in Rome at the Vatican to begin an unprecedented summit on clergy abuse.
February 19, 2019 Vatican admits having secret guidelines for priests who father children The Vatican is acknowledging the existence of a secret document containing guidelines for priests who break their celibacy vows and father children.