Pope Francis holds his pastoral staff as he celebrates the closing Mass of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on 28 October. Photo: Paul Haring/CNS. By Carol Glatz Speaking on behalf of all adult Catholics, Pope Francis formally closed the Synod of Bishops by asking young people for forgiveness. “Forgive us i...

Melbourne Auxiliary Bishop Mark Edwards shares a laugh with Indonesian youth delegate Anastasia Indrawan before a session of the Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment at the Vatican on 9 October. The synod’s final document will seek to address issues concerning all young people and not just those issues facing young men and women living in Western countries, s...

The banners of new saints Oscar Romero and Paul VI hang from the facade of St Peter’s Basilica as Pope Francis celebrates the canonisation Mass for seven new saints in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on 14 October. Photo: Paul Haring/CNS. By Catholic News Service Reporters Carrying Pope Paul VI’s pastoral staff and wearing the blood-stained belt of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador...

Then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, retired Archbishop of Washington, and Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington concelebrate Mass in 2010 in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Photo: Nancy Wiechec/CNS. By Cindy Wooden Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, claims former Cardinal Theodore E McCarrick had been told by Vatican officials to withdraw from public life beca...

A woman in a home for seniors in Vienna. Catholic experts have called for palliative care to become standard around the world. Photo: Harald Schneider/EPA. By Jo Ann Zuniga Catholic experts have called for palliative care to become standard around the world. A female religious suffering from metastatic breast cancer in the final stages received medication to ease severe pain and thanke...

Pope Francis holds a letter presented by Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, retired bishop of Hong Kong, during his general audience in early January at the Vatican. Photo: Paul Haring/CNS. By Cindy Wooden The Vatican has announced that all of the Catholic bishops in China are in full communion with the Pope for the first time in decades. Pope Francis lifted the excommunications or irregular...

Sebastian Duhau from Diocese of Parramatta. Photo: ACBC. Twenty-two-year-old Sydney-based Sebastian Duhau will soon be making his way to the Vatican as Australia’s youth auditor at the upcoming General Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment. Mr Duhau, from the Diocese of Parramatta, was nominated and accepted to participate in the General Synod itself, along wi...

Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, President of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, is pictured before a consistory in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on 28 June. Photo: Paul Haring/CNS. By Carol Glatz Responding quickly and appropriately to the problem of abuse must be a priority for the Catholic Church, said Cardinal Sean O’Malley, President of the Vatican’s Pontif...

Pope Francis celebrates the Eucharist during morning Mass in the chapel of his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, at the Vatican on 10 September. Photo: Vatican Media/CNS. By Cindy Wooden Members of Pope Francis’ international Council of Cardinals expressed “full solidarity” with him in the midst of questions about his handling of the clerical sexual abuse scandal and said the Vatican ...

Pope Francis hears confession from a man during a penitential liturgy in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in 2014. Photo: L'Osservatore Romano/Reuters. By Carol Glatz The seal of confession is so important and sacred that a priest would be automatically excommunicated under canon law for directly revealing the contents of a confession. The sacramental seal is absolutely inviolable an...