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Abuse crisis Safeguarding Vatican

Vatican note clarifies abuse of ‘vulnerable adults’

In cases of a cleric sexually abusing a “vulnerable adult”, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith only investigates and judges cases involving “persons who habitually have an imperfect use of reason”, the Vatican said in a note published yesterday. Source: OSV News.

Pope Francis Vatican

Blessings are signs of Church’s closeness: Pope

Pope Francis has again insisted that an informal blessing of a gay or other unmarried couple is not a blessing of their union but a sign of the Church’s closeness to them and its hope that they will grow in faith. Source: CNS.

North America Vatican

Francis calls for release of Haiti hostages

Pope Francis has called for the release of six religious sisters and other hostages who were kidnapped while travelling on a bus in the Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince. Source: Global Sisters Report.

Bioethics Health Vatican

Pope warns against inequality in healthcare and clinical research

Inequalities in healthcare and clinical research must be prevented, Pope Francis has told medical doctors, health practitioners, researchers, ethicists and other experts attending a conference at the Vatican. Source: CNS.

Finance Vatican

Vatican continues expenditure reforms with release of new documents

Continuing the long-running updating of laws and norms regarding Vatican expenditures and processes for awarding contracts, Pope Francis issued two documents yesterday. Source: OSV News.

Pope Francis Vatican

War is a crime against humanity: Pope

Pope Francis made a strong appeal for peace yesterday, calling modern warfare “a crime against humanity” that sows death among civilians and destroys cities. Source: National Catholic Register.

Architecture Vatican

Canopy over main altar of St Peter’s Basilica to undergo restoration

The nearly 400-year-old sculpted canopy towering over the main altar of St Peter’s Basilica will be surrounded by scaffolding for most of 2024 as it is washed, repaired and restored. Source: CNS.

Pope Francis Vatican

Pope urges Vatican bureaucrats to resist ‘rigid ideological positions’

In his annual Christmas address to members of the Roman Curia, Pope Francis urged the Church’s governing bureaucracy to be open to change and to resist “rigid ideological positions” that prevent them from moving forward. Source: Crux.

Legal Matters Vatican

Convicted cardinal wants to ‘shout to the world that I’m innocent’

In his first major media appearance since being convicted of financial crimes by a Vatican tribunal and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison, Cardinal Angelo Becciu said, “I want to shout to the world that I’m innocent”. Source: Crux.