Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, Archbishop Arthur Roche has this week released a letter saying Catholic men and women formally installed in the new ministry of catechists are not simply religious education teachers but are engaged in “the proclamation and transmission of the faith”.

The Vatican has this week issued the preparatory document and a “handbook” for dioceses as part of the global church’s preparation for the 2023 assembly of the Synod of Bishops, discussing the theme, “For a synodal church: communion, participation and mission.”

Pope Francis addressed the people from his studio window overlooking Saint Peter’s Square on 8 August, as he led the Angelus. His message – that Without Christ, Christians could only “get by” because He is the only one who can nourish their souls and He is the only one who can “forgive us from that evil that we cannot overcome on our own.” By Junno Arocho Esteves, CNS.

Pilgrims and well-wishers gathered at Rome’s Gemelli hospital to greet Pope Francis as he made his first public appearance in a week after undergoing intestinal surgery, appearing on the 10th-floor balcony of his suite of rooms at the hospital on 11 July.

Pope Francis has last week appointed Australian Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Tito Yllana as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Cyprus and Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine. By Vatican News.

The Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday celebrations at the Vatican this year was limited to 200 congregation members due to the COVID-19 lockdown. In his homily, Pope Francis said Jesus calls on all Christians today to “overcome barriers, banish prejudices” and to recognise the Lord “here in our Galilees, in everyday life.” By Junno Arocho Esteves and Cindy Wooden.

While homosexual men and women must be respected, any form of blessing a same-sex union is “illicit”, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has this week affirmed. By Carol Glatz.

A catechist always must teach what the church teaches and that includes the vision and teachings of the Second Vatican Council. It must focus on leading people to a personal relationship with Christ and building a community of believers where the talents of each person are valued and where all go out to share the Gospel and serve the poor, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis has shown that fighting abuse and protecting the vulnerable require both the sword of Saint Michael the Archangel and the silent and protective heart of St Joseph – two icons that prominently adorned St Peter’s Basilica during the 2018 Synod on young people.

The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has last week released a 17-page document offering a step-by-step guide for how bishops, religious superiors and canon lawyers are supposed to handle accusations of alleged abuse by clerics against minors.