Opinion

Pope Francis adjusts canon law appeal period for members of religious orders

cns@catholicnews.com (Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service) — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:32:00 -0400

Saying he wanted to protect the rights of members of religious orders facing expulsion, Pope Francis made small changes to canon law, giving them more time to appeal their dismissals.

Pope Francis promulgates revised canon law on crimes, punishments

cns@catholicnews.com (Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service) — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 10:11:49 -0400

VATICAN CITY -- A series of laws and procedures promulgated by now-retired Pope Benedict XVI and, especially, by Pope Francis to protect children, promote the investigation of allegations of clerical sexual abuse and punish offenders are included in a heavily revised section of the Code of Canon Law.

Pope Francis amends canon law so women can be installed as lectors, acolytes

cns@catholicnews.com (Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service) — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:36:57 -0500

VATICAN CITY -- Recognizing "the gifts of each baptized person" -- women and men -- Pope Francis ordered a change to canon law and liturgical norms so that women could be formally installed as lectors and acolytes.

Brazilian bishop claims Pope Benedict opened path to women deacons

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 13:39:45 -0400

VATICAN CITY -- A change to the Code of Canon Law made by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 provides a canonical path to allow the ordination of women deacons, a Brazilian bishop said.

Survivors demand that Church leaders 'break the code of silence' at abuse summit

cns@catholicregister.org (Catholic News Service) — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:46:54 -0500

VATICAN – Abuse survivors and support groups were very clear about what they want the world's bishops, religious superiors, the pope and the Vatican to do to protect children and end clerical sexual abuse.

WikiLeaks releases dossier on Knights of Malta controversy

cns@catholicregister.org (Catholic News Service) — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 09:40:36 -0500

VATICAN – Internal documents relating to the public crisis that led to the resignation of the grand master of the Knights of Malta in 2017 were released by WikiLeaks.

Canon law examined in wake of push for politician excommunication over abortion

cns@catholicregister.org (Catholic News Service) — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 12:21:36 -0500

WASHINGTON – On Jan. 22, the New York Statehouse burst into cheers after a landmark abortion bill had been passed.

Proposal would increase power of archbishops in dealing with sex abuse

mikes@catholicregister.org (Michael Swan, The Catholic Register) — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 11:01:00 -0500

A proposal by American bishops has borrowed from medieval practice to offer a solution to the complex canon-law conundrum of how to hold bishops to account for sexual misconduct and abuse coverups.

Saint Paul University professor axed after sex abuse complaint

mikes@catholicregister.org (Michael Swan, The Catholic Register) — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 16:32:40 -0400

One of the world��Ƶapp leading experts in Church law as it applies to the liturgy has been removed as a full professor at Ottawa��Ƶapp Saint Paul University after a complaint from a man who says he was abused as a teen.

Explainer: How Vatican abuse trials work

cns@catholicregister.org (Catholic News Service) — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 07:23:45 -0400

VATICAN – Any member of the clergy accused of the sexual abuse of a minor is tried according to procedures outlined in the Code of Canon Law and specific norms spelled out in "Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela" ("Safeguarding the Sanctity of the Sacraments").