Catholic Church

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LA Diocese Covered Up Sex Abuse for Decades

 LA Diocese 
 Covered Up 
 Sex Abuse 
 for Decades 
30K-PAGE SETTLEMENT
Jan 22, 2013 7:42 AM CST

LA Diocese Covered Up Sex Abuse for Decades

Court documents reveal decades of secrecy

(Newser) - The Archdiocese of Los Angeles went to great lengths to cover up decades of child abuse among its priests, and details are emerging in extensive confidential records. Despite Cardinal Roger Mahony's private concerns about the problem, he avoided making it public and sometimes took years to defrock priests involved....

Judge: Accused Sex-Abuse Priests Must Be Named

Roman Catholic Church ordered to release its files

(Newser) - A judge today ordered the release of thousands of pages of personnel files that would identify Roman Catholic priests accused of child molestation and their leaders in the church. The ruling by Superior Court Judge Emilie Elias contradicts a previous order in 2010 by another judge that allowed the Archdiocese...

Pope Takes Gay Marriage Opposition to New Heights
Pope Takes Gay Marriage Opposition to New Heights
christmas speech
Dec 21, 2012 7:48 AM CST

Pope Takes Gay Marriage Opposition to New Heights

In Christmas address, he calls it 'manipulation of nature'

(Newser) - The pope used his Christmas speech today, in part, to further denounce gay marriage. Benedict XVI took his opposition "to new heights," the AP reports, saying that homosexuality is a "manipulation of nature" that destroys the "essence of the human creature." The annual speech, one...

Ireland to OK Abortion to Save Mom's Life

Church attacks proposed abortion bill

(Newser) - Ireland is taking a fresh look at its abortion laws after the death of a woman denied a potentially life-saving abortion . The government has pledged to bring in a law that will allow women to have an abortion if their lives are in danger, including, controversially, from their own threats...

Pope's First Tweet: 'I Bless All of You'

Pontiff uses personal Twitter account for first time

(Newser) - As promised , @Pontifex —otherwise known as Pope Benedict XVI—started tweeting today. The pope's first tweet from his personal account was a blessing, USA Today reports. He followed that up by answering a question, one of many posed to him since his Twitter account was announced using...

Vatican: In 9 Days, Pope Will Tweet

@Pontifex personal account to get off the ground next Wednesday

(Newser) - Get ready for one of Twitter's newer handles, @Pontifex , which belongs to none other than one Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiff doesn't plan on using it until Dec. 12, the Vatican revealed today, but come next Wednesday, he'll begin tweeting in six languages. His first tweets will...

Vatican Canonizes 1st Native American Saint

Benedict seeks to honor missionaries from regions where church is lagging

(Newser) - The Vatican canonized seven new saints today, adding to its roster from parts of the globe where the Catholic church is falling behind. America claimed two of those seven spots, reports the Star-Telegram , notably including the first Native American saint, the so-called "Lily of the Mohawks," Kateri Tekakwitha,...

Best Lines From Romney, Obama Roast

Candidates tweak each other, themselves, at charity dinner

(Newser) - The presidential candidates took a break from the campaign to poke fun at themselves and each other last night during the annual Alfred E. Smith charity dinner in Manhattan. Some highlights, from the New York Times and Washington Post :
  • Romney: "As President Obama surveys the Waldorf banquet room with
...

Pope's Former Butler to Testify in 'Vatileaks' Trial

Verdict could come by week's end

(Newser) - As the trial of Pope Benedict's ex-butler enters its second day, the defendant himself is set to testify. Paolo Gabriele will likely confess to leaking confidential Vatican documents, al-Jazeera reports, since he already admitted guilt to prosecutors during a pretrial hearing. What to watch for at today's session:...

Court Upholds Germany's 'Catholic Tax'

German faithful pay between 8% and 9% of their income

(Newser) - You can't be a Catholic in Germany if you don't pay "church tax," a federal court has ruled. Germany requires people registered as Catholics, Protestants, or Jews to pay an extra tax worth 8% to 9% of their income tax bill, but the law was challenged...

Prop. 8 'Architect' Set to Take Over as SF Archbishop

Gay Catholics reeling

(Newser) - Critics are calling it "bombshell by the Bay." The pope has sent a strong message to his Left Coast faithful by naming a key backer of Proposition 8 against gay marriage as the new archbishop of San Francisco. Salvatore Cordileone, who officially takes charge next week, is considered...

NYC Church Endorses Mitt, Draws Outrage

20K sign a petition decrying the pro-Romney bulletin

(Newser) - Church bulletins more often inspire dishes to pass than outrage, but a printout distributed to Mass-goers two weeks ago at Manhattan's Church of St. Catherine of Siena has quite a few people riled up. The bulletin, penned by the Rev. John Farren, contained a reprint of a letter from...

Ancient Scrap of Papyrus Refers to Wife of Jesus

It also quotes him talking of a female disciple

(Newser) - Shades of the Da Vinci Code: A small scrap of fourth-century papyrus contains this potential bombshell of a line: “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife ...’" And a bit later, the text reads, "she will be able to be my disciple." A Harvard historian made...

In Beirut, Benedict Pleads for Syria Peace

'I appeal to you all to be peacemakers,' pontiff tells restive region

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI made a sweeping appeal today for peace in Syria and the Middle East, decrying the violence "which generates so much suffering." Speaking at an open-air Mass before a huge crowd in Beirut, he urged the international community and Arab countries in particular to find a...

Strapped Europe's New Idea: Tax the Vatican

Church's long-held government breaks might be in danger

(Newser) - As Europe continues to seek a way out of its financial straits, some countries are eyeing the wealth of the Catholic Church. Italy's prime minister wants a tax on church properties. British city councils have cut funds for transportation to religious schools, while Ireland considers similar moves. And a...

Cardinal Delivers Pro-Life Prayer at DNC

Pundits see subtle swipes at other parts of Democratic platform, too

(Newser) - In case you didn't stay up late enough to see it, President Obama's speech at the DNC last night was followed by a benediction from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, one of the Catholic Church's most vocal abortion foes. He raised a few eyebrows with this bit of prayer,...

Priest Says Teenage Abuse Victims Can Be Seducers

Father Groeschel apologizes, blames old age, poor health for comments

(Newser) - This inevitably wasn't going to end well: In an interview given earlier this week, a high-profile Roman Catholic leader said that the "youngsters" who are sexually abused by priests are often the instigators, and that priests who are first-time offenders should not go to prison, reports the New ...

Catholics Question Bishop's RNC Role

New York cardinal set to deliver benediction

(Newser) - New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan is headed to the Republican National Convention to deliver a benediction, a rarity in modern times: Not since 1972 has an out-of-town bishop flown in to bless a party convention. While observers at first called it a win for Mitt Romney, now some Catholics are...

Pope's Ex-Butler to Stand Trial Over 'VatiLeaks'

Paolo Gabriele currently under house arrest

(Newser) - Pope Benedict's former butler is going on trial over the "VatiLeaks" scandal, per the order of a Vatican judge today. Paolo Gabriele was charged in May with leaking sensitive information about the Vatican, and is currently under house arrest, the BBC reports. Gabriele was one of just a...

Bishop: US Nuns Making Up New Theology

Church needs obedience, not debate, says Toledo bishop

(Newser) - Church doctrine is for obeying, not so much debating, says the bishop who oversaw the report that condemned the Leadership Conference of Women Religious , a group that includes some 80% of American nuns. By promoting positions contrary to Vatican teachings, the LCWR is creating "a new kind of theology,...

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