Ukraine’s Catholic leader repeats his call for a papal visit (Crux) As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to foment, one of the country’s top Catholic prelates has reiterated his desire for a papal visit, which he believes will help calm escalations and put an end to a nearly 8-year conflict. Speaking during a Feb. 8 online media roundtable, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk said that whether it happens now or once a solution is reached doesn’t matter, but what Ukrainians want is that “the pope goes to Ukraine”…
Fired CVS employee sues for religious discrimination (CNA) A Christian nurse practitioner formerly employed at a CVS Pharmacy in Texas has filed a discrimination complaint, saying that the company illegally discriminated against her on the basis of her religious beliefs against contraception and pressured her to change her beliefs…
Benedict asks abuse survivors for forgiveness (CNA) Pope emeritus Benedict XVI personally requested forgiveness from abuse survivors on Tuesday in a letter responding to a report that faulted his handling of cases during his tenure as Munich archbishop from 1977 to 1982. In an almost 1,000-word letter released on Feb. 8, the 94-year-old retired pope said that his pain was all the greater as he had “borne great responsibility in the Catholic Church,” reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner…
Former priest serving life sentence in prison dies from apparent suicide (CNS) A former priest of the Diocese of Cleveland serving a life term in federal prison for sexually exploiting boys, has died, authorities said. Robert McWilliams, 41, was found unresponsive early Feb. 4 in Allenwood Federal Correctional Institution in White Deer, Pennsylvania, where he was serving his sentence, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It is believed that he died by suicide…
Vatican to launch theological symposium on priesthood (Vatican News) Organized by the Congregation for Bishops, a Theological Symposium entitled “Toward a fundamental theology of priesthood” aims to explore a host of issues including vocations to the priesthood, improving the way laypeople and priests work together, the mission of service, and priestly celibacy, to name just a few…
