Robert S. Bennett was known as one of Washington's most important lawyers. He also was an influential Catholic who lent credibility to the U.S. bishops' efforts to fight clergy abuse and supported charitable causes.
I have never doubted the right to life of the fetus. But I now see that also at stake in matters of law and abortion are women's full moral agency and their right to bodily integrity.
While visiting a remote community in the Arctic, the pope addressed environmental concerns. "This land, like every individual and every people, is also fragile, and needs to be cared for," Francis said.
For the first time during his tour of Canada, Pope Francis on July 28 apologized for the "evil" of clergy sex abuse, vowing that Catholic Church leaders must pledge to "never again" allow such atrocities to occur.
Francis sees the role of the Curia in a totally different way from earlier popes. The Curia is staff, not part of the chain of command. It is more like civil service than a governing elite. This is revolutionary.
Pope Francis' June 29 apostolic letter, Desiderio Desideravi, will be of little interest to the vast majority of Catholics who do not oppose the reforms, but need to be drawn deeper into the mystery of the Eucharist.
Inspired by Fratelli Tutti, a recent conference explored ways the Catholic community can bring bold, creative proposals to current problems and help build a post-pandemic world more attuned to a Catholic vision.
David Kertzer plumbs Vatican archives for evidence of Pius XII's moral failures, including public silence on Nazi atrocities and destruction of files on clerics accused of sex abuse.
While Pope Francis has clearly condemned abortion, the Vatican has repeatedly pushed for a pro-life message that extends to life-related issues beyond ending abortion, which has been a focus for the American church.