Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

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St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro, Ky. Credit: Farragutful via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Owensboro priest's faculties reinstated by CDF 

Apr 29, 2021

By Jonah McKeown

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has reinstated the faculties of a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro... Read more

Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in Rome June 28, 2018. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Cardinal Ladaria: Pastoral care, Church law are not in conflict in marriage cases

Apr 28, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The cardinal spoke at a study day devoted to the 2001 instruction Potestas ecclesiae. Read more

CDF to hold study day on 2001 instruction for dissolution of marriage ‘in favorem fidei’

Apr 23, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The dissolution of a marriage bond “in favorem fidei” (in favor of the faith) can be approved by the pope... Read more

A priest holds palms on Palm Sunday.

Diocese: Priest’s omission of palm blessing in protest over Vatican ruling ‘reprehensible’

Mar 31, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

A Catholic diocese in Italy has said that a priest’s refusal to bless palms on Sunday because of the Vatican’s... Read more

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn at the Vatican April 8, 2016.

Cardinal Schönborn: Vatican ‘no’ to same-sex blessings marked by ‘communication error’

Mar 30, 2021

In new comments, Cardinal Schönborn has said that the Vatican’s rejection of blessings for same-sex couples was marked by a... Read more

Cardinal Christoph Schonborn at Amoris Laetitia press conference at the Vatican on April 8, 2016.

Viennese cardinal displeased by Vatican 'no' to same-sex blessings

Mar 25, 2021

Christoph Cardinal Schönborn has declared he was “not happy with the explanation of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the... Read more

Pope Francis at his general audience address in the library of the Apostolic Palace March 17, 2021

Yes, Pope Francis was involved in the CDF’s document on same-sex blessings

Mar 25, 2021

By Andrea Gagliarducci

Following a Vatican clarification that the Church cannot bless same-sex unions, some media outlets have speculated about Pope Francis’ involvement... Read more

Then-Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, now prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, speaks at the Holy See press office, Sept. 8, 2015.

More than 200 German-speaking theology professors criticize Vatican ‘no’ to same-sex blessings

Mar 22, 2021

More than 200 theology professors in the German-speaking world have signed a statement criticizing the Vatican’s rejection of blessings for... Read more

Thomas Sternberg, president of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), speaks at a ‘Synodal Way’ press conference.

Catholics and Protestants in Germany announce intercommunion move despite Vatican objections

Mar 16, 2021

By CNA Staff

Catholics and Protestants in Germany have announced that they will press ahead with intercommunion at an event in May despite... Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing at the German bishops’ spring meeting in February 2021. Credit: Sascha Steinbach/epa pool.

‘There are no easy answers’: Head of German Catholic bishops responds to Vatican’s ‘no’ on same-sex blessings

Mar 15, 2021

A leading German Catholic bishop has responded to the Vatican’s rejection of blessings for same-sex couples by saying that there... Read more

The then Archbishop Luis Ladaria at the Vatican Press Office Sept. 8, 2015.

Full text: Vatican’s doctrinal office response and note on the blessing of same-sex unions

Mar 15, 2021

By CNA Staff

Here is the full text of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s response to a question on... Read more

Vatican’s doctrinal office: Catholic Church cannot give blessings to same-sex unions

Mar 15, 2021

The Vatican’s doctrinal office on Monday clarified that the Catholic Church does not have the power to give liturgical blessings... Read more

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in Rome on Oct. 23, 2019. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Vatican cardinal clashes with German theologian over ‘Eucharistic meal fellowship’

Feb 10, 2021

A Vatican cardinal has responded to a German theologian who criticized him for opposing a proposal for a “Eucharistic meal... Read more

Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in Rome June 28, 2018. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Vatican cardinal: Protecting Catholic doctrine will ‘always be necessary’

Feb 2, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Vatican’s doctrinal chief has emphasized the Catholic Church’s duty to promote and protect her teachings as passed down by... Read more

Vatican exonerates retired bishop of multiple abuse claims but issues canonical rebuke

Jan 26, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

The Vatican’s doctrinal congregation has exonerated retired Bishop Joseph Hart of Cheyenne over numerous accusations of the sexual abuse of... Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing. Courtesy: Diocese of Limburg.

Leading German Catholic bishop renews intercommunion call after Vatican objections

Nov 9, 2020

Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops' conference, reaffirmed Sunday his view that intercommunion with Protestants should be possible,... Read more

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in Rome on Oct. 23, 2019.

Vatican cardinal: Pope Francis ‘concerned’ about Church in Germany

Sep 22, 2020

A Vatican cardinal said Tuesday that Pope Francis has expressed concern about the Church in Germany.  Read more

The offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Palliative care is not enough -- Catholics must share Christ’s hope, says Vatican

Sep 22, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Palliative care for the dying is important, but medical interventions are not enough; Catholics have a responsibility to be with the... Read more

The then Archbishop Luis Ladaria at the Vatican Press Office Sept. 8, 2015.

Vatican doctrine czar: We've done everything possible to dialogue with Irish priest

Sep 22, 2020

The prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) said Tuesday that the Vatican had “done everything... Read more

Vatican reaffirms euthanasia is ‘intrinsically evil act,’ calls Catholics to accompany the dying

Sep 22, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

In a new document released Tuesday, the Vatican’s doctrinal office reaffirmed the Church’s perennial teaching on the sinfulness of euthanasia... Read more