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.

As museums and historical sites in Italy slowly begin opening their doors after several months of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, technology may prove to be the “renaissance” the country’s tourism industry desperately needs.