Talk to us
CathNews, the most frequently visited Catholic website in Australia, is your daily news service featuring Catholics and Catholicism from home and around the world, Mass on Demand and on line, prayer, meditation, reflections, opinion, and reviews. And, what's more - it's free!
Vatican upholds ban on scattering ashes, allows preservation in sacred places
The Vatican has upheld a rule mandating that the ashes of the deceased be preserved in a consecrated place, but it also said family members could request “a minimal part of the ashes” be kept in a sacred place of “significance for the history of the deceased person”. Source: CNS.
Vigilance needed in fight against Vatican corruption: Pope
In a meeting with the Vatican’s Office of the Auditor General yesterday, Pope Francis urged staff to fight the “insidiousness of corruption” in the Holy See and Vatican City State. Source: Vatican News.
Pope, Council of Cardinals discuss role of women in the Church
With the input of two women and a priest, Pope Francis and members of his international Council of Cardinals have this week discussed the role of women in the Church. Source: OSV News.
St Peter’s Basilica unveils charity projects ahead of 2025 Jubilee
As preparations continue in Rome for the 2025 Jubilee year, St Peter’s Basilica has announced two new charity projects aimed at helping refugees and prisoners. Source: Vatican News.
Pope asks theologians to help ‘de-masculinise’ the Church
Asking pardon for speaking plainly, Pope Francis told members of the International Theological Commission that “one of the great sins we have had is ‘masculinising’ the Church”, which also can be seen by the fact that only five of the commission members are women. Source: CNS.
Catholics can receive a plenary indulgence by praying before a Nativity scene
Catholics will be able to receive a plenary indulgence by praying before a Nativity scene in a Franciscan church as part of the 800th-anniversary celebrations of the Rule of St Francis and the creation of the first Nativity scene. Source: CNA.
Church leaders hopeful hostage deal leads to end of Gaza war
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has expressed happiness at the hostage-exchange agreement reached between Israel and Hamas yesterday, and said he hoped it would lead to the end of the war. Source: NCR Online.
Vatican Museums expand access to necropolis
In the month Catholics traditionally honour the dead, the Vatican Museums opened a new entrance to an ancient necropolis where carved marble sarcophagi sit near open graves filled with bones. Source: CNS.
Vatican partners with Volkswagen to deliver all-electric car fleet
The Vatican has announced that it is partnering with the car manufacturer Volkswagen to introduce an all-electric, zero-impact car fleet in the Vatican by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, a goal established by Pope Francis in 2020. Source: CNA.