News (World)
World News
Vatican Summit Discusses Married Priests
- Written by: Gerry O'Connell
By The Universe's Vatican Correspondent Gerry O'Connell: Pope Benedict will today hold a summit meeting in the Vatican on Thursday to discuss the case of excommunicated Zambian Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo and the status of married priests around the world.
Dicastery examine Archbishop Milingo
- Written by: Alex Walker
VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy See Press office released the following communique late yesterday afternoon:
"The Holy Father has called a meeting of the heads of dicasteries of the Roman Curia, for Thursday, November 16, in order to examine the situation that has arisen following the disobedience of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, and to reflect upon requests for dispensation from the obligation of celibacy and requests for readmission to the priestly ministry, presented by married priests over the course of recent years. No matters are scheduled on the order of the day."
Parishes get bigger as priest numbers fall
- Written by: Christa Pongratz-Lippitt
Some 109 parishes in the German diocese of Hildesheim were amalgamated to 39 on the Feast of All Saints on 1 November. This affects 213,000 Catholics, around one-third of the Catholics in the diocese. Two years ago, 54 parishes were amalgamated to 19. The clustering is part of the diocesan reform programme and is a reaction to the shortage of priests. The church authorities see several advantages in larger parishes. Many people are more mobile now and "quite naturally" plan their lives in larger social dimensions, they say. There is a greater pool of talent in larger parishes, and greater numbers in church means more people experience the Eucharist together.
Pope demands action on sex abuse
- Written by: Alex Walker
The Catholic Church must take all necessary steps to prevent further occurrences of child sex abuse by clergy, Pope Benedict has said.
New migration fills British pulpits
- Written by: Alex Walker
Poland is bucking the Europe-wide decline in vocations, and its priests are in demand
Luke Harding in Krakow
Wednesday March 15, 2006 The Guardian
After working for 12 years in a village near Krakow, Richard Swider headed off last week to the airport. The 50-year-old Pole got on a Ryanair flight and two hours later arrived in Glasgow, en route to a new life in the north of Scotland.
He is not the proverbial Polish plumber. Instead of dealing with Britain's blocked U-bends, he has come to cater for a market that has opened up for Poland's ever-mobile population - pastoral care. Father Swider is one of dozens of priests arriving each month to look after British parishes, and to minister to the growing number of Polish migrant workers, because the supply of home-grown priests in Britain has dried up. "I'm happy because there is a big need," Father Swider said. "In Scotland I can serve God, the diocese, and the people. And it's interesting work." {mos_sb_discuss:17}