Joshua J. McElwee

Several prominent canon lawyers are praising Pope Francis' decision to abolish the practice of imposing strict confidentiality rules on the Vatican's legal proceedings in cases involving clergy sexual abuse or misconduct.

Pope Francis Dec. 17 abolished the Catholic Church's practice of imposing strict confidentiality rules on the Vatican's legal proceedings in cases involving clergy sexual abuse or misconduct, in a reform sought for decades by abuse survivors and advocates.

Pope Francis laments in his message for 2020's World Day of Peace that the human community "bears the scars of ever more devastating wars and conflicts," calling on Christians to reject systems of security, such as nuclear deterrence, built on fear of others.

Pope Francis' surprise appointment of Philippines Cardinal Luis Tagle to lead the Vatican department responsible for the Catholic Church in the developing world may mark a possible new phase in the pontiff's nearly seven-year papacy.

Pope Francis has now appointed three of his former confreres in the Society of Jesus to the Vatican's highest posts. He is also including more members of his order in the College of Cardinals. 

The Vatican appeared to make a rare public rebuke of a U.S. foreign policy decision Nov. 20, issuing a statement to reiterate its support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict just days after the U.S. gave its blessing to Israeli annexation of Palestinian territory.

The head of the Vatican's financial watchdog authority will be leaving his post by the end of the month, the city-state said in an unexpected Nov. 18 announcement adding to a months-long saga that has brought to light new questions about the Vatican's monetary controls.

Cardinal George Pell, who was sentenced to six years in prison in March, will remain in jail pending the High Court of Australia's decision on his appeal, expected to come in 2020.

Potential sensitive issues include the government's plan to restart Japan's nuclear power generation capability, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's attempts to revise the postwar pacifist constitution.

NCR interview: "Women should be invited into every ministry or activity we have that's not doctrinally precluded," said Bishop Robert McElroy, one of three U.S. bishops at the Oct. 6-27 Amazon synod.

Concluding a monthlong gathering of Catholic bishops from the Amazon that drew an unprecedented level of criticism from conservative quarters in the church, Pope Francis warned Oct. 27 against Christians who think they are so righteous they wind up worshipping themselves.

The Synod of Bishops for the Amazon has called on Pope Francis to allow for the priestly ordination of married men on a regional basis to address a lack of ministers across the nine-nation region.

The board of the Vatican's financial watchdog authority is defending the organization's director after he was suspended from duty by Vatican police on suspicion of possible financial impropriety, affirming he still has their "full faith and trust."

Bishop Derek Byrne of Primavera do Leste-Paranatinga said he also spoke in favor of ordaining married men: "The duty of the church to provide the Eucharist ... takes precedence over the law of celibacy."

Ten of the 12 small working groups at the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon spent time considering the possibility of ordaining married men to address a lack of Catholic ministers across the nine-nation region.

Analysis: The preparation for the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon region was inclusive and transparent, yet once the official opening business got underway, that transparency effectively ceased. 

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican said Domenico Giani, police chief since 2006 and Pope Francis' primary bodyguard, resigned "out of love for the church."

Among two main possibilities canonists discussed: Francis could issue new norms allowing bishops to deviate from the church canon requiring clerics to remain celibate, or he could invite the bishops to appeal to the Vatican on a case-by-case basis.

About two-thirds of the prelates attending the Vatican's Synod of Bishops for the Amazon are in favor of ordaining married men to address a severe lack of Catholic ministers across the nine-nation region, one of the bishops taking part in the three-week gathering estimated.

Openness to new ways of thinking emerged as the primary theme of the Vatican's Synod of Bishops for the Amazon region on its first day of business, with Pope Francis and the cardinals leading the three-week event telling the participating prelates not to be resistant to new ideas.