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Pope Francis removes Bishop Strickland from office
On November 11, the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Francis has removed Bishop Joseph Strickland from the office of bishop of the Diocese of Tyler (Texas). The Pontiff appointed Bishop Joe...
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith confirms that the Catholic faith and Freemasonry are irreconcilable
Responding to a query from a Philippine bishop, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has published a note affirming that “active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is...Brazilian bishop resigns at 62; accused of sexually harassing priests, seminarians
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Valdir Mamede of Catanduva, Brazil. The Brazilian newspaper Diário da Região reported that the 62-year-old prelate resigned after...Pope Francis calls for ‘paradigm shift’ in theology for world of today
On November 1, Pope Francis issued the apostolic letter Ad theologiam promovendam [For promoting theology], which revises the statutes of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.The apostolic letter, issued motu proprio (at the Pope’s own initiative), is currently available on the Vatican website only in Italian.
Pope Francis discusses Synod and homosexuality in new interview
In an interview with RAI, the Italian state television network, Pope Francis praised the Synod on synodality, discussed homosexuality, and confirmed plans to attend the UN climate summit in Abu Dhabi.The Pontiff also praised Pope Benedict XVI’s efforts to address clerical sexual abuse.
“I believe that we have arrived precisely at that exercise of synodality that St. Paul VI wanted at the end of the [Second Vatican] Council because he realized that the Western Church had lost the synodal dimension that the Eastern Church has instead,” Pope Francis said.
“It’s true that today it’s a bit fashionable to talk about [homosexuality],” he said. “The Church receives everyone. Another thing is when there are organizations that want to enter. The principle is this: The Church receives all those who can be baptized. Organizations cannot be baptized. People can.”
Catholic Church in Ukraine faces extermination, bishops say
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, the Ukrainian Catholic archbishop of Philadelphia, warned that in the portions of Ukraine under Russian occupation, the Catholic Church is being “eliminated as a visible body.”“If the repression lasts a long time, basically the Church is extinguished,” he said.
Polish bishops voice concerns about Church unity after Synod meeting
Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, stressed the desire of the Polish bishops “to preserve unity in the faith,” at a November 8 press conference reporting on the October session of the Synod of Bishops.The archbishop said that “the teaching of the Church must remain unified and cannot differ from one country to the next.” He noted that the Polish bishops’ conference had responded to the German “Synodal Path” with a 150-page document, sent to all Synod members, “stressing its incompatibility with Catholic teaching.”
Noting the controversial issues that had been discussed at the October session, the leader of the Polish episcopal conference underlined the importance of unity on Church teaching. He said that the frequent calls for an “inclusive” Church were problematical because that approach “implies an acceptance of how a person defines him or herself, as if defining oneself were in obvious conformity with reality, inherently unquestionable, and therefore demanding affirmation.”
Aleksander Banka, a Synod delegate who also spoke at the press conference, remarked: “The expectations of Western European Churches are out of step with the needs of churches in other parts of the globe”.
Brooklyn bishop ‘appalled’ over music video shot in parish, will investigate
Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn said that he was “appalled” that Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church permitted a pop singer to record a video in which she danced lewdly on the altar.“The parish did not follow diocesan policy regarding the filming on Church property, which includes a review of the scenes and script,” the diocese said in a statement.
Report: Pope Francis looks at ‘synodal reforms’ to papal election process
At Pope Francis’s request, Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ, 81, is drafting changes to papal election procedures, “sources close to the Vatican’s Secretariat of State” have told The Pillar.Under the proposed changes, cardinals who are 80 years of age or older, and thus ineligible to vote in the papal election, would be barred from the general congregations that take place before the vote. In addition, cardinals would no longer address all of their confrères: instead, they would speak with one another in small groups, with their remarks being summarized for their brother cardinals.
Diane Montagna, a journalist accredited to the Holy See Press Office, reported that in addition, “Cardinal Ghirlanda is seeking to convince Pope Francis to undertake a truly revolutionary act, by revolutionizing who elects the Pope.”
“Professing to ‘return to the early Church,’ the idea would be to have cardinal-electors, the majority of whom Pope Francis has chosen, comprise 75% of the vote, while the remaining 25% percent would be made up of laymen and women and religious sisters, papally appointed by Pope Francis in advance of the Apostolic See becoming vacant,” wrote Montagna, who cited “well-informed Vatican sources.”
Brooklyn bishop removes pastor over controversial video
Bishop Robert Brennan has removed the pastor who allowed the recording of a suggestive music video in the sanctuary of his Brooklyn parish church. The bishop also presided at a Mass of reparation at the church.The Brooklyn diocese announced that Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, who had been pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation parish had been relieved of his responsibilities—both as pastor and as the diocesan vicar for development.
