By MARY E. HUNT
The jury is still out on Pope Francis in a pontificate that may well be shaped by women. A month after Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was named Bishop of Rome, his Prefect of the Congregation for
Pope stresses “fundamental” importance of women in Church
Pope Francis emphasised the “fundamental” importance of women in the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, saying they were the first witnesses of Christ and have a special role in spreading the faith.
By Naomi O’Leary
The pontiff’s decision a week
Silent or supportive, U.S. conservatives give gay marriage momentum
By Peter Henderson
On a frosty December night last year, about two dozen guests slipped into the Alta Club, a century-old private retreat a block away from the temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that dominates
My Prayer: Let Women Be Priests
By ROY BOURGEOIS
AFTER serving as a Roman Catholic priest for 40 years, I was expelled from the priesthood last November because of my public support for the ordination of women.
Catholic priests say that the call to be a
Hans Küng on Election of Pope Francis
By Michael Enright
For such a conservative group of middle-aged and elderly men, the Princes of the Church do seem to have a few surprises up the sleeves of their vestments. The 115 cardinals sequestered themselves in the Sistine Chapel
Vatican spokesman brings flowers as women’s second-class status in church comes under scrutiny
BY NICOLE WINFIELD
The Vatican’s spokesman came to his press briefing Friday bearing flowers for female journalists to mark International Women’s Day. “On behalf of all of us men, congratulations and happy Women’s Day!” said a beaming Rev. Federico Lombardi.
Former Catholics say rigid church forced them to leave
Opposition to female ordination and the prohibition on marriage for priests are among the factors causing an exodus from the Catholic Church.
By: Leslie Scrivener
Joanna Manning, former nun, award-winning religion teacher, advocate for the poor and activist-intellectual, was battle-weary.
Catholic Patriarchy: What the Papal Transition Means and What Feminists Can Do About It
By Mary Hunt
The obvious question is why any self-respecting feminist would worry about the Pope, the Roman Catholic Church, and its machinations. My simple answer is POWER. Religion is one of the many sources that shape how power is
Shadow of shame: The conflict facing gay priests
I am delighted that my research and I are referenced in this fine article.
By Dani Garavelli
LOOKING back from a distance of more than 20 years, Fr Joe can see that his decision to join the priesthood was motivated
Cardinal O’Brien’s confession turns spotlight on Scottish Catholic church
Admission of sexual misconduct exposes former head cleric and church to claims of hypocrisy especially over gay rights
By Severin Carrell
The Scottish Roman Catholic church is facing a series of questions about the conduct of its former leader and