The official word, via Vatican Radio: Pope Francis issued two Apostolic Letters motu proprio on Tuesday, by which he introduced reforms to the legal structures of the Church, which deal with questions of marital nullity. One of the Letters motu proprio, known by its Latin title, Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus – or “The Lord Jesus, Clement Judge” – reforms the Code of Canon Law (CIC) governing the Latin Church, while the other, Mitis et misericors Iesus or “Clement and merciful... Read more
[getty src=”487280054?et=Bqy-uURjQm5ZMC-0sLptOg&viewMoreLink=on&sig=u0sRW-I_MwQKYll2RlBQfu6hPqYCUBJS99uF4P8F4kA=&caption=true” width=”594″ height=”391″] View image | gettyimages.com From The Washington Post: Pope Francis’s message Sunday couldn’t have been clearer: With hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into Europe, Catholics across the continent had a moral duty to help by opening their churches, monasteries and homes as sanctuaries. On Monday, the church’s spiritual leader for southern Hungary — scene of some of the heaviest migrant flows anywhere in Europe — had a message just as clear: His Holiness is wrong. “They’re not... Read more
Someone asked me this morning if I knew anyone personally who would benefit from the changes announced today, and I had to say, “Honestly, it’s all too new to tell.” I serve as an advocate in my diocese, helping newly divorced work their way through the annulment process; people who have already begun an annulment will likely have to continue under the old process, though, because the new law doesn’t take effect until December. And, frankly, I expect the rollout may have a... Read more
Someone asked me this morning if I knew anyone personally who would benefit from the changes announced today, and I had to say, “Honestly, it’s all too new to tell.” I serve as an advocate in my diocese, helping newly divorced work their way through the annulment process; people who have already begun an annulment will likely have to continue under the old process, though, because the new law doesn’t take effect until December. And, frankly, I expect the rollout may have a... Read more
View image | gettyimages.com From The Washington Post: Pope Francis’s message Sunday couldn’t have been clearer: With hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into Europe, Catholics across the continent had a moral duty to help by opening their churches, monasteries and homes as sanctuaries. On Monday, the church’s spiritual leader for southern Hungary — scene of some of the heaviest migrant flows anywhere in Europe — had a message just as clear: His Holiness is wrong. “They’re not refugees. This is an... Read more
The official word, via Vatican Radio: Pope Francis issued two Apostolic Letters motu proprio on Tuesday, by which he introduced reforms to the legal structures of the Church, which deal with questions of marital nullity. One of the Letters motu proprio, known by its Latin title, Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus – or “The Lord Jesus, Clement Judge” – reforms the Code of Canon Law (CIC) governing the Latin Church, while the other, Mitis et misericors Iesus or “Clement and merciful... Read more
Not surprising, but a timely overview: As he upends church convention, Francis also is grappling with a conservative backlash to the liberal momentum building inside the church. In more than a dozen interviews, including with seven senior church officials, insiders say the change has left the hierarchy more polarized over the direction of the church than at any point since the great papal reformers of the 1960s. The conservative rebellion is taking on many guises, in public comments, yes, but... Read more
From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A Marquette University grad’s poignant note to President Barack Obama about his hopes as a gay man and a Catholic have garnered him an invitation to join the president when Pope Francis comes to the White House on Sept. 23. Aaron Ledesma, 23, who has been chronicling his return to the church in a blog titled The Gay Catholic, first thought he was being punked when he answered a call from a blocked number on Aug.... Read more
This is extraordinary—and, I think, unprecedented. It’s also a testament to the intense interest in all things Francis, as he makes his first visit to the United States. From The New York Times: Time Warner Cable is rolling out the Papal Visit 2015 channel, a sort of C-Span for fans of the pope, telecasting around the clock on Channel 199 in most areas from the opening event of Francis’ tour, a Mass in Havana on Sept. 20, until Shepherd One lifts off from... Read more
In characteristically awkward translation, from the Vatican press office: The attention of journalists that tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8, 2015 , at 12.00 am , in the Hall “John Paul II” of the Holy See Press Office, will be held the press conference of presentation of the two letters datae motu proprio of Pope Francesco Mitis iudex Dominus Iesus and Mitis et Misericors Iesus, on the reform of the canonical process for the causes of declaration of nullity of marriage, respectively, in the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of... Read more
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