Articles by Ed Condon
5 bishops who could move the youth synod
Oct 1, 2018 / 16:00 pmThis week the Synod of Bishops begins its fifteenth ordinary general session, convoked to discuss the themes of young people, the faith, and vocational discernment. The session will take place over three weeks, from October 3-28, and include bishops and other delegates gathered from around the world.
CNA Explainer: What rights does a pastor have?
Sep 29, 2018 / 08:30 amChicago rainbow flag burning raises questions about a pastor's canoical rights
Denver archbishop releases letter responding to claims by priest
Sep 28, 2018 / 11:30 amThe Archdiocese of Denver has released a letter in response to a series of accusations posted online by one of his priests. Fr. David Nix alleged in a blog post that he had been left homeless by the archdiocese. The letter, signed by Archbishop Samuel Aquila, said that Fr. Nix’s account made a number of false claims, and called the situation “unfortunate.”
Francis calls for 'permanent catechumenate' for married couples
Sep 27, 2018 / 09:42 amPope Francis has stressed the need for ongoing formation for couples, before and after marriage, saying that even the basic teachings of the Church “could not be taken for granted.” The pope spoke in an address to participants in a recent course on marriage and family life held in Rome.
‘Shame and sorrow’: English bishops promise independent review of safeguarding procedures
Sep 26, 2018 / 13:30 pmThe bishops of England and Wales have released a statement addressing the recent sexual abuse scandals in the Church, both in the UK and abroad. They also announced an independent review of current policies and procedures for child protection and for handling complaints of sexual abuse.
Chicago priest removed 'temporarily' following rainbow flag burning
Sep 25, 2018 / 06:15 amAccording to the archdiocese, Fr. Paul Kalchik has “left willingly” from his Chicago parish “to receive pastoral care.”
Experts respond to new policies for handling allegations against bishops
Sep 20, 2018 / 14:45 pmFollowing the announcement of new policies for bishops by the USCCB, experts in the fields of law and child protection have been considering their potential effectiveness.
Never again, again: Bishops promise action, but will it make a difference?
Sep 19, 2018 / 12:10 pmSomething must be done - this is the consensus of cardinals, bishops, priests, and laity as the Church continues to grapple with the fallout of the sexual abuse crisis. What, exactly, will be done remains to be seen.
Cardinal Wuerl to ask pope to accept his resignation
Sep 12, 2018 / 15:50 pmAn archdiocesan spokesman has confirmed that Cardinal Donald Wuerl will soon ask Pope Francis to accept his resignation as the Archbishop of Washington, D.C.
What Pope Francis can clarify about the Vigano testimony- and what he can't
Sep 11, 2018 / 11:15 amIt has been more than two weeks since Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò released his 11-page testimony about the McCarrick scandal. Rome is expected to make "necessary clarifications” in the coming days, but ahead of those clarifications, efforts have been made to substantiate some of claims made by Viganò about how McCarrick’s case developed and what was done, or not done, to address allegations made against him.
The Viganò report, and what Wuerl didn’t know
Aug 31, 2018 / 11:07 amOn Aug. 25, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò released a 11-page “testimony” which made specific allegations against a number of high-ranking Church authorities – including Pope Francis - who, he said, had been aware of accusations of misconduct against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick for many years.
Seminarians were McCarrick aides amid abuse investigation
Aug 30, 2018 / 09:49 amThe Archdiocese of Washington has confirmed that seminarians were permitted to serve as assistants to Archbishop Theodore McCarrick while the archbishop was being investigated for the alleged sexual abuse of a teenager.
Where did retired McCarrick live after alleged Vatican sanctions?
Aug 27, 2018 / 16:09 pmThe Archdiocese of Washington has declined to confirm new details about the post-retirement living arrangements of Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, and maintained that Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Washington’s archbishop, was unaware of alleged Vatican sanctions against McCarrick.
Former nunciature official: 'Vigano said the truth'
Aug 26, 2018 / 21:17 pmMonsignor Jean-François Lantheaume, the former first counsellor at the apostolic nunciature in Washington D.C., has said that the former nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, told “the truth” in his explosive statement released to the press on Aug. 25.
Seton Hall announces ‘independent review’ of seminary accusations
Aug 23, 2018 / 09:10 amSeton Hall University has announced an independent review of accusations of sexual abuse and harassment against seminarians. The university is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Newark, and is home to Immaculate Conception Seminary and St. Andrew’s Hall college seminary.
‘Amoris laetitia’ must be read ‘always in continuity’ with Church teaching, pope says
Aug 22, 2018 / 12:00 pmA letter from Pope Francis on Amoris laetitia has been published in which the pope says the 2016 apostolic exhortation is “always in continuity” with the traditional teaching of the Church, and must be read and understood “in its entirety and from the beginning.”
Investigation launched into sexual harassment claims at Philadelphia seminary
Aug 17, 2018 / 11:01 amBishop Timothy Senior, auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia, has announced that the archdiocese is investigating a claim of sexual harassment made by a former student at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.
New allegations surface regarding Archbishop McCarrick and Newark priests
Aug 17, 2018 / 04:00 amRecent allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick include reports that he made sexual advances toward seminarians during his tenure as Bishop of Metuchen and Archbishop of Newark.
What did Wuerl know about alleged abuser- and how did he respond?
Aug 15, 2018 / 15:00 pmCardinal Donald Wuerl and the Diocese of Pittsburgh say that when the former Pittsburgh bishop approved the transfer of a priest accused of serial sexual abuse, he was unaware of the allegations made against the priest. The transfer is described in the Aug. 14 report issued by a Pennsylvania grand jury charged with investing clerical sexual abuse in six Catholic dioceses.
Cardinal Wuerl named in Pennsylvania grand jury report, responds to criticism
Aug 14, 2018 / 13:30 pmCardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., and the former Bishop of Pittsburgh, has been named more than 200 times in a Pennsylvania grand jury report, released Aug. 14, after an 18-month investigation into historic allegations of sexual abuse in six Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses.