Pope Francis calls on parents to “never condemn” gay children (AP)  Pope Francis on Wednesday called on parents around the world to not condemn children if they are gay.   Francis made the comments while speaking about the biblical figure Joseph during his weekly general audience. He addressed parents facing difficult situations in the lives of their children, such as kids who are sick, imprisoned or killed in car accidents.   But he also addressed parents “who see that their children have different sexual orientations, how they manage that and accompany their children and not hide behind a condemning attitude…”

Ukrainian bishop labels Putin “a modern Herod” (The Catholic Weekly) Russian President Vladimir Putin is a “modern Herod” whose “thirst for power and hegemony” threatens the Ukrainian state’s “pilgrimage to freedom and dignity from the fear of a totalitarian past”, the Eparch of Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, Bishop Mykola Bychok, has said…

Pope appeals for peace in Ukraine as threat of war looms (Vatican News) At the conclusion of his weekly General Audience, Pope Francis asked the faithful “to pray for peace in Ukraine, now and throughout this day.” The Holy Father had called for an international day of prayer for peace to be held on 26 January, as Russia amasses troops on along its border with Ukraine. The Pope asked the Lord to “grant that the country may grow in the spirit of brotherhood and that all hurts, fears and divisions will be overcome…”

Not illegal? Abortion light projection on Catholic shrine part of a growing trend (CNA) Targeted light displays on property might not constitute illegal trespassing under current law, the Thomason Reuters Foundation reported in June 2019. Protesters have been using this tactic for more than a decade. Union members have projected their messages on businesses during labor disputes, and a critic of President Donald Trump projected a message on the Trump Hotel in D.C.  One group opposed to abortion has projected graphic images of an unborn abortion victim on the buildings of abortion provider Planned Parenthood…

Order of Malta in turmoil (CNA) In a turn of events described as a “direct attack” on the Order of Malta’s sovereignty, Pope Francis’ delegate refused to permit a representative of one of the order’s highest-ranking officials to attend a meeting discussing sweeping changes to the 1,000-year-old institution. The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, as it is officially known, is both a lay religious order of the Catholic Church and a subject of international law. In 2017, Pope Francis ordered reforms of both the order’s religious life and its constitution…