To people who have spent their lives studying and combating the Catholic child abuse scandal, the revelations from last week’s grand jury report on six dioceses in Pennsylvania are numbingly familiar.
Pope Francis appears to be eager to make a historic compromise with the Chinese government for the sake of Chinese Catholics. His critics worry that he’s making a huge mistake.
Pope Francis arrived in Yangon, Myanmar on Monday. The UN and the US have accused the country of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, and the question on many peoples' minds is whether the pope will use the term "Rohingya" to describe the group.
The US president, who previously described NATO as "obsolete," also stopped short of a public commitment to collective defense that his allies had hoped for.
In style and substance, Donald Trump and Pope Francis are different world leaders. But when the two men meet this week, there might be more common ground than you think.
Weeks after Donald Trump welcomed him to the White House and praised his good work, Egypt's Abdul Fattah al-Sisi quietly gave himself new powers that judges and rights groups say threaten whatever Egyptian court independence remains.
Marie Collins was sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest in Ireland. In 2014, she joined the Vatican's commission for the protection of minors, hoping to help make changes. Now, she has resigned in frustration.
Pope Francis' environmental encyclical, Laudato Si, inspired a global conversation about the moral dimensions of climate change. Even before this, however, some lesser-known religious leaders, like Father Albert Fritsch, had been trying to bring this message to their parishioners and the world.
Pope Francis told reporters today that anyone who insulted his mother could expect a punch. He was joking, but he was also making a serious point rooted in Catholic tradition.
Marie Collins was sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest in Ireland. In 2014, she joined the Vatican's commission for the protection of minors, hoping to help make changes. Now, she has resigned in frustration.
Half of all pregnancies in the predominantly Catholic Philippines are unintended. That may change as the country begins to roll out its new reproductive health law, but the Catholic Church — and even the pope — are still fighting the push for free contraception.
Pope Francis has already called attention to poverty and inequality, and he's now calling Catholics to pay more notice to the environment. In doing so, he could change not only policy but the way that people view sin and responsibility.
John Allen of the Boston Globe usually sits down at the end of the year to write something about the biggest uncovered Catholic stories from the past 12 months. But the longtime Vatican correspondent says he didn’t need to this year, thanks to a news media sensation focused on Pope Francis.
To people who have spent their lives studying and combating the Catholic child abuse scandal, the revelations from last week’s grand jury report on six dioceses in Pennsylvania are numbingly familiar.
The military coup in Thailand hasn't been popular. Protests are frequent, and now they're using a popular symbol from the movie The Hunger Games, a three-finger salute, to signal their displeasure. That story and more in today's Global Scan.
Advocates for more aggressive action on climate change are counting Pope Francis as a powerful new ally. But the head of the Roman Catholic Church is ruffling some feathers even before coming out with a highly anticipated Catholic teaching on environmental issues.
Items in some western, fast-food chains are disappearing from the menu in China. Why? They potentially contain meat that was beyond its expiration date. Meanwhile a US Congressman gets confused over the nationality of two US government employees, and a survivor of a Taiwanese plane crash describes her ordeal — in today's Global Scan.
“Cultural revolution” and “radical change” are terms you might not expect to come out of the Vatican. But that’s language Pope Francis is using to talk about what he says is need to save planet earth and all of humanity along with it.
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Belief
Pope Francis says religious freedom trumps the right to free speech
PRI's The World
January 15, 2015
Pope Francis told reporters today that anyone who insulted his mother could expect a punch. He was joking, but he was also making a serious point rooted in Catholic tradition.
Justice
The Vatican is 'all words, no action' on addressing child sex abuse
PRI's The World
March 16, 2017
Marie Collins was sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest in Ireland. In 2014, she joined the Vatican's commission for the protection of minors, hoping to help make changes. Now, she has resigned in frustration.
Health
Catholic leaders battle against free birth control in the Philippines
The GroundTruth Project
January 22, 2015
Half of all pregnancies in the predominantly Catholic Philippines are unintended. That may change as the country begins to roll out its new reproductive health law, but the Catholic Church — and even the pope — are still fighting the push for free contraception.
Lifestyle & Belief
Why Pope Francis is 'throwing down a gauntlet' on environmental destruction
Living on Earth
July 25, 2014
Pope Francis has already called attention to poverty and inequality, and he's now calling Catholics to pay more notice to the environment. In doing so, he could change not only policy but the way that people view sin and responsibility.
Belief
Pope Francis was a huge story in 2014, but a veteran Vatican reporter says the media got a lot wrong
PRI's The World
December 30, 2014
John Allen of the Boston Globe usually sits down at the end of the year to write something about the biggest uncovered Catholic stories from the past 12 months. But the longtime Vatican correspondent says he didn’t need to this year, thanks to a news media sensation focused on Pope Francis.
Religion
A new chapter, with the same old words, in the Catholic child abuse scandal
PRI's The World
August 20, 2018
To people who have spent their lives studying and combating the Catholic child abuse scandal, the revelations from last week’s grand jury report on six dioceses in Pennsylvania are numbingly familiar.
Global Scan
How the Hunger Games salute is inspiring Thai protesters
June 03, 2014
The military coup in Thailand hasn't been popular. Protests are frequent, and now they're using a popular symbol from the movie The Hunger Games, a three-finger salute, to signal their displeasure. That story and more in today's Global Scan.
Environment
Pope Francis is making waves on the issue of global climate change
PRI's The World
May 01, 2015
Updated
Advocates for more aggressive action on climate change are counting Pope Francis as a powerful new ally. But the head of the Roman Catholic Church is ruffling some feathers even before coming out with a highly anticipated Catholic teaching on environmental issues.
Global Scan
Thinking of ordering the Chicken Apple Sauce Panini at a Chinese Starbucks? Think again
July 25, 2014
Items in some western, fast-food chains are disappearing from the menu in China. Why? They potentially contain meat that was beyond its expiration date. Meanwhile a US Congressman gets confused over the nationality of two US government employees, and a survivor of a Taiwanese plane crash describes her ordeal — in today's Global Scan.
Environment
Pope Francis sounds the alarm on the environment and he wants everyone to listen
PRI's The World
June 18, 2015
“Cultural revolution” and “radical change” are terms you might not expect to come out of the Vatican. But that’s language Pope Francis is using to talk about what he says is need to save planet earth and all of humanity along with it.