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Tag: Catholicism

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Pope Francis tells gay man: ‘God made you like this’

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Juan Carlos Cruz, who was sexually abused, says pontiff told him God did not mind that he was gay A survivor of clerical sexual abuse has said Pope Francis told him that God had made him gay and loved him, in arguably the most strikingly accepting comments about homosexuality to be uttered by the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Juan Carlos Cruz, who spoke privately with the pope two weeks ago about the abuse he suffered at the hands of one of Chiles most notorious paedophiles, said the issue…

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Pope calls for two-state solution in Israel and Palestine

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Pope Francis uses traditional Christmas Day message to address damage done by controversial Trump speech two weeks ago The pope has reinforced calls for a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in his traditional Christmas Day message delivered just over two weeks after the US president, Donald Trump, inflamed tensions in the region. Speaking before the faithful in St Peters Square in Rome, Francis said the children of the Middle East continued to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. This month, Trump…

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Crimes of the Father by Thomas Keneally review something rotten in Catholicism

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The Booker prize winners powers remain undimmed, as he shines a light on institutionalised abuse, and denial, in the Catholic church, It is over half a century since a young the church turns a blind eye. Psychologist and monk Father Frank Docherty is, his younger brother says (and no doubt speaking for the author), the real bloody deal as far as priests go. Exiled by his home cardinal in Sydney as a young priest in the 1970s, on account of his radicalism, opposition to apartheid and the Vietnam war, he…

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The Boy With the Perpetual Nervousness review a tale of betrayal by the church

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Graham Caveneys defiant, important memoir details how the Catholic establishment fails abuse victims Pope Francis has taken great strides in challenging all sorts of entrenched attitudes and prejudices in the Vatican that have given the Catholic church such a bad name of late. Progress has been disappointingly slow, however, on the commission he appointed in 2014 to tackle the appalling scandal of clerical sexual abuse. In March of this year bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over 10, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of 1.99…

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Cardinal George Pell to plead not guilty to historical sexual abuse offences

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Australias most senior Catholic cleric appears at Melbourne magistrates court for first hearing Cardinal George Pell has appeared in the Melbourne magistrates court charged with multiple historical sexual abuse offences. Seated behind his lawyer, Robert Richter, QC, dressed in a simple black suit and clerical collar, Pell did not speak throughout the six-minute filing hearing. Richter said that while Pell was not required to enter a plea unless and until the matter was committed for trial, he would, because of the media and public interest in the case, indicate a…

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Pope Francis creates fourth pathway to becoming a saint

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Candidates for beatification, which was previously limited to those involved in miracles, can now include Christians who lay down their lives to save others Christians who lay down their life to save others, following in the footsteps and teaching of Jesus, will now be eligible for beatification, Pope Francis has said. Beatification is the first step on the path toward

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Gluten-free bread for Holy Communion is toast, says Vatican

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Unleavened bread used for communion during Catholic masses can be genetically modified but not entirely gluten-free, church rules The unleavened bread used to celebrate the holy communion during Catholic masses can be made with genetically modified organisms, the Vatican said Saturday, but they cannot be entirely gluten-free. Low-gluten bread is allowed but there must be enough protein in the wheat to make it without additives. Cardinal Robert Sarah of the Vaticans Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments said the guidance was needed now that Eucharistic bread…

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Cardinal George Pell charged with multiple sexual offences

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Pell says he will return to Australia to clear his name after being charged Move against third-ranking official in Vatican sends shockwaves around church Cardinal George Pell, Australias most senior Catholic and the third-ranking official in the Vatican, has been charged with multiple sexual offences by police. The charges were served on Pells legal representatives in Melbourne on Thursday and they have been lodged also at Melbourne magistrates court. He will appear at the court on 18 July. Cardinal Pell is facing multiple charges and there are multiple complainants, Victoria…

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Trudeau asks Pope Francis to apologise to indigenous people for church’s abuses

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President invites the pope to travel to Canada to say sorry to thousands placed in residential Catholic schools where they were abused Justin Trudeau has urged Pope Francis to visit Canada to apologise tomet the pope last week, Trudeau and Francis agree that climate change is caused by human activity. We talked about how important it is to highlight the scientific basis of protecting our planet and the moral and ethical obligations to lead, to build a better future for all people on this earth, Trudeau said. At last weeks…

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Pope Francis expresses shame over Catholic church sexual abuse scandals

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Armoured vehicles and bomb-sniffing dogs used as heavy police presence guards every aspect of Good Friday Way of the Cross procession in Rome Thousands of people, including nuns, families with toddlers and young tourists, endured exceptionally tight anti-terrorism checks to pray at the Good Friday procession at the Colosseum, where Pope Francis expressed shame over humanitys failings. Francis, wearing a plain white coat, presided over the traditional evening Way of the Cross procession from a rise overlooking the popular tourist monument as the faithful took turns carrying a cross and…

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