2 h. ago Child sexual abuse scandal cast long shadow over Pope Francis’s papacy

Issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominated his trips abroadPope Francis: cardinals to meet in Rome to set date for funeral – liveIn 2002, the Boston Globe published a series of articles exposing the scale of child sexual abuse in the local Catholic church. It shone a spotlight – the title of a later movie based on the investigation – on the church’s dark shameful secrets.Eleven years later, Francis became pope. Wave after wave of abuse revelations continued to crash at the Vatican’s doors amid mounting anger and revulsion among the faithful and beyond. The issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominate his trips abroad. He was slow to grasp the scale and systemic nature of the issue and apparently reluctant to take firm action to deal with abusers and those who covered up abuse. Continue reading...

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2 h. ago Child sexual abuse scandal cast long shadow over Francis’s papacy

Issue dogged Francis throughout his time as head of Catholic church, with abuse survivors saying he failed to do enoughPope Francis: cardinals to meet in Rome to set date for funeral – liveIn 2002, the Boston Globe published a series of articles exposing the scale of child sexual abuse in the local Catholic church. It shone a spotlight – the title of a later movie based on the investigation – on the church’s dark shameful secrets.Eleven years later, Francis became pope. Wave after wave of abuse revelations continued to crash at the Vatican’s doors amid mounting anger and revulsion among the faithful and beyond. The issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominate his trips abroad. He was slow to grasp the scale and systemic nature of the issue and apparently reluctant to take firm action to deal with abusers and those who covered up abuse. Continue reading...

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3 h. ago Vatican honours Isis attack victims in one of last acts of Pope Francis papacy

Vatican names 167 of its faithful killed in the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka as ‘witnesses of faith’

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4 h. ago Defending migrants was a priority for Pope Francis from the earliest days of his papacy

The plight of migrants was one of Pope Francis’ top priorities

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16 h. ago Pope Francis’ approach did not win him friends within the church bureaucracy. But he lit the path for us all | Francis Sullivan

While his legacy in confronting the sex abuse scandal is still incomplete, Francis demonstrated that change is possible and mercy can be realPope Francis, groundbreaking Jesuit pontiff, diesPotential candidates to succeed Pope FrancisEarly in his papacy Pope Francis said the name for God is mercy. He understood the church had become too doctrinaire, divisive and judgmental for too many people. The drift of Catholics from conventional practice in the west said as much. He knew the church had alienated the LGBTQ community, discriminated against women and resisted full participation for divorced and remarried Catholics. He acknowledged that previous popes had not confronted the clerical sex abuse scandal. He wanted to do better and the Catholic world was with him, the institution was not.The Catholic church by its nature is a conservative institution. It uses inertia as a management tool. Change is a slow and drawn-out affair. Francis regularly railed against clericalism because of its...

Politics

27 h. ago Political and religious leaders around the world pay tribute to Pope Francis

Pontiff remembered for defence of the vulnerable, and commitment to peace, social justice and the environmentPope Francis, groundbreaking Jesuit pontiff, dies aged 88Latest updates: tributes paid after Pope Francis diesPolitical and religious leaders around the world have paid tribute to the life and legacy of Pope Francis, whose 12-year papacy came to an end with his death in Rome early on Monday morning.Many recalled Francis’s unfailing defence of the poorest and most marginalised, and his profound commitment to peace and the environment. Continue reading...

Politics

29 h. ago Pope Francis brought an outsider’s eye to the papacy – with a focus on justice, ecology and humanity | Catherine Pepinster

He will be remembered as one of the great communicators of Christian faith – but healing the church’s divisions was beyond himCatherine Pepinster is a former editor of The TabletJust three days before he was admitted to hospital for bronchitis in February, Pope Francis delivered a strongly worded message to the US about Donald Trump’s attitude to migrants. In a letter sent to the country’s Roman Catholic bishops, he made clear that he completely disagreed with Trump’s mass deportation plans for illegal migrants. “What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.”The sentiment was not only reserved for Trump. Throughout his 12 years as pope, Francis, who died this morning at the age of 88, focused on the dignity of people, especially those viewed by others as outsiders – whether migrants, prisoners, whom he often visited, or LGBTQ+ people. “Who am I to judge?” he famously said when asked about his ...

Politics

29 h. ago Pope Francis brought an outsider’s eye to the papacy – even if healing the church’s divisions was beyond him | Catherine Pepinster

He will be remembered as one of the great communicators of Christian faith, with a focus on justice, ecology and humanityCatherine Pepinster is a former editor of The TabletJust three days before he was admitted to hospital for bronchitis in February, Pope Francis delivered a strongly worded message to the US about Donald Trump’s attitude to migrants. In a letter sent to the country’s Roman Catholic bishops, he made clear that he completely disagreed with Trump’s mass deportation plans for illegal migrants. “What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.”The sentiment was not only reserved for Trump. Throughout his 12 years as pope, Francis, who died this morning at the age of 88, focused on the dignity of people, especially those viewed by others as outsiders – whether migrants, prisoners, whom he often visited, or LGBTQ+ people. “Who am I to judge?” he famously said when asked about his attit...

Politics

30 h. ago Pope Francis dead: Vatican confirms pontiff's death at 88 in heartbreaking statement

Pope Francis assumed the papacy in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He was known for his action on climate change and being critical of consumerism

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