Latest news with #bishops
Fox News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
BISHOP ROBERT BARRON: How state law could force priests to choose between jail or excommunication
When I was auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles some years ago, I spoke up at a meeting of the California hierarchy. We were considering a number of moves being made by the state legislature, including a proposal to require priests to break the seal of confession in matters dealing with child sex abuse. I remember saying, "Brothers, I think we have to draw a line in the sand on this one." And so we did. In every diocese and archdiocese of the state, the bishops roused their people to oppose this legislation. The good Catholics of California consequently flooded Sacramento with letters and petitions ardently defending Catholic prerogatives – and the legislators backed down. It was a victory and an important one. However, similar laws have gone into effect in six other states and most recently the state of Washington legislated along the same lines, requiring priests to violate confidence, even as it exempts healthcare professionals from the same obligation. Happily, the bishops of Washington have filed suit to prevent the implementation of this law, and they have been joined by the Justice Department itself. I was very pleased to submit, with the help of the Thomas More Society, an amicus curiae letter in support of my brother bishops. As I said years ago in California, we have to draw a line in the sand. No one doubts that the motivation behind these legislative moves is a deep and altogether legitimate concern for the safety of children. Catholics share this preoccupation. Indeed, beginning with the implementation of the Dallas accords of 2002, no institution in the world has done more to assure the protection of young people from sexual predation than the Catholic Church. Moreover, every bishop, priest, deacon and lay minister is a mandated reporter, meaning that he or she is obligated by law to convey to the civil authorities any claim of the sexual abuse of a minor. Further, all of those leaders are required to follow, on a constant basis, training in regard to this issue. If you doubt my own dedication to eradicating the scourge of clerical sexual misbehavior, take a look at my book "Letter to a Suffering Church." However, the demand to report cannot be, for Catholics, absolute in the measure that it impinges upon the confidentiality of the confessional. Our belief is that in the sacrament of reconciliation, a penitent opens her heart to Christ himself and receives absolution, which is to say, healing at the level of the soul. What transpires in the privacy of the confessional is, from a spiritual standpoint, a matter of life and death. If there were, therefore, on the part of a prospective penitent, even the slightest suspicion that what he confesses might be shared publicly, he would not seek out this font of grace and the integrity of the sacrament would be utterly compromised. This is why, too, the breaking of the seal results in automatic excommunication of the priest in question. And this explains the awful dilemma currently presented to the priests of Washington state: either they break the seal of confession (and hence face excommunication) or they remain faithful to the sacrament (and hence face jail time). God knows that the Church has faced, over the centuries, more brutal persecution on the part of civil authority, but no Catholic priest in America should be subject to this sort of mistreatment. Permit me to double-down on the properly American dimension of this question. The First Amendment to the Constitution has two very important things to say about religion. The first relevant clause stipulates that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." This means that the sort of arrangement that was obtained in 18th-century England between the government and the Church of England should not obtain in the United States. In other words, there should not be, in our country, any one religion that is specially favored or authorized by Congress. But the second relevant clause, less well-known, stipulates that Congress shall make no provision interfering with "the free exercise" of religion. Though no particular church can be institutionally favored, all churches should be free to express themselves in the public forum. Mind you, this goes beyond the mere permission to worship as one sees fit; it includes the exercise of one's faith in the civic arena. And there is the rub. For all of these laws, which directly target the integrity of the confessional, are egregious violations of the free exercise clause. They militate against both a Catholic priest's right to hear confessions as is appropriate and against a Catholic penitent's right to participate in the sacrament without trepidation. So, Catholics should indeed rise up against this law of the state of Washington and those like it in other states, but I would insist that all loyal Americans should do so as well. For the moment, the state is threatening the Catholic Church, but if this is allowed to endure, what will prevent it from coming, in time, after the free exercise of other religions? Therefore, I say to my Catholic brothers and sisters, but also to all my fellow Americans, "Don't sit still, draw a line in the sand, fight back."
CTV News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Pope Leo XIV affirms celibacy for priests, demands ‘firm' action on sex abuse
Pope Leo XIV leads a meditation with the participants into the Jubilee of Bishops inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ROME — Pope Leo XIV affirmed Wednesday that priests must be celibate and insisted that bishops take 'firm and decisive' action to deal with sex abusers, as he gave marching orders Wednesday to the world's Catholic hierarchs. Leo met in St. Peter's Basilica with about 400 bishops and cardinals from 38 countries attending this week's special Holy Year celebrations for clergy. A day after he gave an uplifting message of encouragement to young seminarians, Leo offered a more comprehensive outline of what bishops must do to lead their flocks. It's an issue the former Cardinal Robert Prevost would have long pondered given his role as the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops. In that job from 2023 until his election in May, the Chicago-born Prevost vetted bishop nominations for Pope Francis, identifying the type of leader who would further Francis' view of a church where all are welcome and dialogue is the decisive form of governance. History's first American pope reaffirmed Wednesday that the primary role of bishops is to forge unity in his diocese among clergy and to be close to his flock in word and deed. Bishops must live in poverty and simplicity, generously opening their homes to all and acting as a father figure and brother to his priests, Leo said. 'In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power,' he said. Bishops must remain celibate 'and present to all the authentic image of the church, holy and chaste in her members as in her head,' he said. Referring to cases of abuse, he said bishops 'must be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force.' It was the second time in a week that Leo has commented publicly on the abuse scandal. On Friday night, in a written statement to a crusading Peruvian journalist who documented gross abuses in a Peruvian Catholic movement, Leo said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse. He identified sexual and spiritual abuses, as well as abuses of authority and power in calling for 'transparent processes' to create a culture of prevention across the church. Francis, who in many ways placed Leo in position to succeed him, had also reaffirmed celibacy for Latin rite priests while acknowledging it was a discipline of the church, not doctrine, and therefore could change. But he refused appeals from Amazonian bishops to allow married priests to address the priest shortage in the region. Prevost spent two decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru and would know well those arguments. But on Wednesday he reaffirmed the celibate priesthood as the 'authentic image' of the church. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Pope Leo issues orders insisting that priests must be celibate
Pope Leo XIV has issued a clear mandate to the world's Catholic hierarchy, affirming the necessity of priestly celibacy. Leo's directives, which also included "firm and decisive" action from bishops in addressing sex abuse within the Church, came during a significant address to hundreds of global Catholic leaders. Speaking from St. Peter's Basilica, Leo met with approximately 400 bishops and cardinals representing 38 countries. The gathering was part of this week's special Holy Year celebrations for clergy, and followed a day after the Pope delivered an encouraging message to young seminarians. This address, however, offered a more comprehensive outline of the responsibilities bishops must undertake to guide their congregations. As Cardinal Robert Prevost, Leo served as the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops from 2023 until his election in May. In that pivotal role, the Chicago-born Prevost was responsible for vetting bishop nominations for Pope Francis, seeking out leaders who would advance Francis's vision of an inclusive Church where 'all are welcome and dialogue is the decisive form of governance'. Beyond the critical issues of celibacy and abuse, the pontiff reiterated that the primary duty of bishops is to foster unity among clergy within their dioceses and to maintain a close relationship with their flock "in word and deed". He further instructed that bishops must embody poverty and simplicity, generously opening their homes to all, and acting as both a "father figure and brother"to their priests. 'In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power,' he said. Bishops must remain celibate 'and present to all the authentic image of the church, holy and chaste in her members as in her head', he said. Referring to cases of abuse, Leo said bishops 'must be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force'. It was the second time in a week that Leo has commented publicly on the abuse scandal. On Friday night, in a written statement to a crusading Peruvian journalist who documented gross abuses in a Peruvian Catholic movement, Leo said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse. He identified sexual and spiritual abuses, as well as abuses of authority and power, in calling for 'transparent processes' to create a culture of prevention across the church. Francis, who in many ways placed Leo in position to succeed him, had also reaffirmed celibacy for Latin rite priests while acknowledging it was a discipline of the church, not doctrine, and therefore could change. But he refused appeals from Amazonian bishops to allow married priests to address the priest shortage in the region.
Arab News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pope Leo XIV affirms celibacy for priests, demands ‘firm' action on sex abuse
ROME: Pope Leo XIV affirmed Wednesday that priests must be celibate and insisted that bishops take 'firm and decisive' action to deal with sex abusers, as he gave marching orders Wednesday to the world's Catholic met in St. Peter's Basilica with about 400 bishops and cardinals from 38 countries attending this week's special Holy Year celebrations for clergy. A day after he gave an uplifting message of encouragement to young seminarians, Leo offered a more comprehensive outline of what bishops must do to lead their an issue the former Cardinal Robert Prevost would have long pondered given his role as the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops. In that job from 2023 until his election in May, the Chicago-born Prevost vetted bishop nominations for Pope Francis, identifying the type of leader who would further Francis' view of a church where all are welcome and dialogue is the decisive form of first American pope reaffirmed Wednesday that the primary role of bishops is to forge unity in his diocese among clergy and to be close to his flock in word and deed. Bishops must live in poverty and simplicity, generously opening their homes to all and acting as a father figure and brother to his priests, Leo said.'In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power,' he must remain celibate 'and present to all the authentic image of the church, holy and chaste in her members as in her head,' he to cases of abuse, he said bishops 'must be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force.'It was the second time in a week that Leo has commented publicly on the abuse scandal. On Friday night, in a written statement to a crusading Peruvian journalist who documented gross abuses in a Peruvian Catholic movement, Leo said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse. He identified sexual and spiritual abuses, as well as abuses of authority and power in calling for 'transparent processes' to create a culture of prevention across the who in many ways placed Leo in position to succeed him, had also reaffirmed celibacy for Latin rite priests while acknowledging it was a discipline of the church, not doctrine, and therefore could change. But he refused appeals from Amazonian bishops to allow married priests to address the priest shortage in the spent two decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru and would know well those arguments. But on Wednesday he reaffirmed the celibate priesthood as the 'authentic image' of the church.
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Pope Leo XIV affirms celibacy for priests, demands 'firm' action on sex abuse
Pope Leo XIV affirmed Wednesday that priests must be celibate and insisted that bishops take 'firm and decisive' action to deal with sex abusers, as he gave marching orders Wednesday to the world's Catholic hierarchs. Leo met in St. Peter's Basilica with about 400 bishops and cardinals from 38 countries attending this week's special Holy Year celebrations for clergy. A day after he gave an uplifting message of encouragement to young seminarians, Leo offered a more comprehensive outline of what bishops must do to lead their flocks. It's an issue the former Cardinal Robert Prevost would have long pondered given his role as the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops. In that job from 2023 until his election in May, the Chicago-born Prevost vetted bishop nominations for Pope Francis, identifying the type of leader who would further Francis' view of a church where all are welcome and dialogue is the decisive form of governance. History 's first American pope reaffirmed Wednesday that the primary role of bishops is to forge unity in his diocese among clergy and to be close to his flock in word and deed. Bishops must live in poverty and simplicity, generously opening their homes to all and acting as a father figure and brother to his priests, Leo said. 'In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power,' he said. Bishops must remain celibate 'and present to all the authentic image of the church, holy and chaste in her members as in her head,' he said. Referring to cases of abuse, he said bishops 'must be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force.' It was the second time in a week that Leo has commented publicly on the abuse scandal. On Friday night, in a written statement to a crusading Peruvian journalist who documented gross abuses in a Peruvian Catholic movement, Leo said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse. He identified sexual and spiritual abuses, as well as abuses of authority and power in calling for 'transparent processes' to create a culture of prevention across the church. Francis, who in many ways placed Leo in position to succeed him, had also reaffirmed celibacy for Latin rite priests while acknowledging it was a discipline of the church, not doctrine, and therefore could change. But he refused appeals from Amazonian bishops to allow married priests to address the priest shortage in the region. Prevost spent two decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru and would know well those arguments. But on Wednesday he reaffirmed the celibate priesthood as the 'authentic image' of the church. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
