Cindy Wooden is a journalist with Catholic News Service.
The superior general of the Jesuits has expelled Father Marko Rupnik from the order, citing his "stubborn refusal" to obey measures imposed following credible accusations that he spiritually, psychologically or sexually abused some two dozen women and at least one man.
The expulsion
A week after undergoing abdominal surgery, Pope Francis' recovery is going well enough that his doctors are making plans to discharge him from Rome's Gemelli hospital, the Vatican press office said.
"The medical staff reports that his clinical course is proceeding smoothly, without
"The church is not properly understood as a pyramid, with a primate governing from the top, but neither is it properly understood as a federation of self-sufficient churches," said an agreed statement from the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, celebrated a penitential rite at the basilica's main altar June 3 after a man climbed up on it naked before being apprehended.
As first Communion season winds down and wedding fever rises, Catholic counters are busy.
The Central Office of Church Statistics, a department of the Vatican Secretariat of State, keeps track of baptisms, first Communions, confirmations and Catholic marriages reported by dioceses around the
Asserting that "it is in the family that many of God's dreams for the human community are realized," Pope Francis asked Catholic universities and Catholic couples around the world to support the "Family Global Compact."
"We cannot resign ourselves to the decline of
Catholics should make an "examination of conscience" about how they use social media, how they allow it to influence them and about the opportunities it provides them to share the Gospel, build community and care for others, said the Vatican Dicastery for
Pope Francis prayed that Catholics in China would be free to share the Gospel and live their faith fully.
At a time when Vatican-Chinese relations are strained because of apparent differences over an agreement to name bishops, the pope publicly marked the annual
Christians should pray on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit would give them the courage and strength to share the Gospel, Pope Francis said.
"No matter how difficult the situation may be -- and indeed, at times it may seem there is no room
Pope Francis formally recognized the martyrdom of an Italian priest shot by Nazi soldiers after they discovered he was helping his parishioners hide about 100 Jews.
The martyrdom of Father Giuseppe Beotti, who was arrested and shot July 20, 1944, in Sidolo in