Bishops of England and Wales congratulate Andy Burnham after his election as prime minister

The president of the Conference of Bishops of England and Wales, Richard Moth, has congratulated Andy Burnham following his election as leader of the Labour Party and his arrival in the post of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 

On behalf of the Catholic community, he has assured him of their prayers and expressed his willingness to maintain the Church’s collaboration with the new Government.

Burnham enters Downing Street after the resignation of Keir Starmer and after prevailing in the internal process of the governing party. His arrival holds particular relevance for British Catholics because of the religious roots the politician himself has claimed over the years, although his public record remains distant from Church teaching on issues such as abortion, “same-sex marriage” and sexual morality.

“On behalf of the Conference of Bishops and the Catholic community of our countries, I offer my warmest congratulations to Andy Burnham on becoming leader of the Labour Party and now Prime Minister,” Moth stated in a message released by the episcopate.

“Bridge-builders and peacemakers”

The president of the bishops recalled that the new Government begins its work in a context marked by various social and political challenges.

“We live in difficult times. As Christians, we have a duty to be bridge-builders and peacemakers,” he affirmed.

In the face of tensions, hostility and injustice, Moth called for a response of respect for the dignity of every person and with special attention to the needs of families, the marginalised and the most vulnerable.

The prelate assured the new Prime Minister and his family of his prayers in view of the responsibility he now assumes.

Continuing collaboration with the Government

Moth also expressed his gratitude to Keir Starmer and the members of his Cabinet “for their service over the past years.”

The president of the episcopate stated his willingness to work with Burnham and to continue the institutional relationship maintained between the Catholic Church and the British Government.

“I look forward to working with the new Prime Minister to continue our long tradition of constructive collaboration with the Government of the United Kingdom and to advance our common effort in service of the common good,” he indicated.

A cultural Catholic distant from Church teaching

Burnham was raised in Catholicism, served as an altar boy and has attributed part of his social sensitivity to the formation he received in the Church. He has also presented his personal identity on various occasions as linked to the so-called “working-class Catholicism” of northern England.

However, years ago he distanced himself from religious practice and has supported positions contrary to Catholic teaching on life and the family. 

He has defended abortion, the redefinition of marriage and the political demands of the LGBT movement, as well as calling for changes in the Church’s moral doctrine.

The bishops’ congratulations are limited to the institutional level and the desire to maintain cooperation with the Executive. 

The message does not address the differences between the new Prime Minister’s political positions and Catholic teaching.

Cork city protest rally hears calls for purchase of Bessborough grounds

More than 1,000 people, wearing labels bearing the names of the 923 children whose deaths are associated with Bessborough, heard calls on Saturday for the Taoiseach to order the purchase of the site.

Speakers at a city centre rally called for a memorial park on the 60-acre site where it is feared that hundreds of children, and 19 women, may be buried.

On Friday, Mr Martin told  that he has asked Cork City Council to engage with the owners of the grounds of the former mother and baby institution, with a view to “exploring all options for the future of the site”.

His intervention came after An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) cleared the way for the building of 106 apartments on the grounds of the former mother and baby institution.

Last week Cork City Council passed unanimously a motion by Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan that the Government explore the possibility of compulsorily purchasing the Bessborough lands.

On Thursday, nine Cork city Oireachtas members wrote to the Taoiseach calling for the State to acquire the land.

On Friday, Mr Martin described Bessborough as “a place of huge importance and connection for many, many families and people,” and he agreed that a memorial park would be an appropriate use of the grounds.

“We need to do the right thing for all concerned,” he said.

Addressing Saturday’s rally, Carmel Cantwell, of the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group, said her brother William is one of the 923 children who died after being born in the institution and whose burial place is unknown.

“Like so many families, we carry a grief, we have no grave, no marker and no certainty. That absence is part of Ireland’s history and part of Bessborough’s truth - that is why this land matters,” she said.

Describing the former institution’s grounds as “a landscape of loss”, Ms Cantwell said development could not continue there, and the land must instead be recognised as “a site of national conscience where truth is honoured and suffering is acknowledged”.

Bessborough survivors 'traumatised all over again' by apartment plans  

Labour Party senator Laura Harmon said Mr Martin’s engagement was welcome, and she called on him to “ensure that this site is protected at all costs” in memory of the nearly 19,000 mothers and children who passed through Bessborough.

Her city council colleague Peter Horgan, who had appealed Cork City Council’s decision to grant planning permission to Estuary View Enterprises for the building of apartments at Bessborough, addressed claims that the grounds would be too costly to buy.

Quoting claims that the land would become “the most expensive public park in Europe”, he cited billions of euro spent over the years on consultants’ reports.

“There are times in this country when money means something to the higher beings in Dublin, and there are times when money doesn’t,” he said.

Noelle Brown, a Social Democrats member of Dublin City Council who was born in Bessborough, described Mr Martin’s announcement as “a nice breakthrough for us”, but she added that follow-through was needed now.

Former Irish Examiner journalist Conall Ó Fátharta, who for years wrote about Bessborough, said it was an incontrovertible fact that the burial places of 19 mothers and 859 infants, whose deaths were associated with the institution, are unknown.

“The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation concluded that ‘it is highly likely that burials did take place in the grounds of Bessborough’,” he noted.

However, he said that finding was made despite the lack of an extensive investigation of the grounds, and the commission’s archives are now sealed.

“So I ask one simple question: why are the women and children of Bessborough, and indeed any other site, not entitled to the same level of investigation that was rightly done for Tuam?”

"His­tor­ical eras­ure" - Irish Amer­ican org con­demns Bess­bor­ough devel­op­ment plans

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), the oldest and largest Irish American Catholic organization in the US, has formally condemned the decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála, Ireland's independent planning commission, to permit residential development on the grounds of the former Bessborough Mother and

The AOH said in a statement on Friday, July 10, that it maintains that any construction on the site prior to a full, independent forensic investigation is a "failure of due diligence and an active erasure of historical memory."

The AOH said it has issued an urgent appeal to Irish authorities, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Ireland's Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason, all Irish Consulates, and the leaders of all Irish political parties, demanding an immediate halt to development.

The organization argues that the decision to approve construction based on an "absence of evidence" regarding burials in specific sectors of the site is "logically flawed and morally untenable."

“An absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, particularly when the Commission itself acknowledges that the historical record is incomplete,” said Sean Pender, National President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

“To use that uncertainty as justification for irreversible development turns a failure to conduct a proper forensic investigation into the justification for proceeding.

"We cannot escape the painful conclusion that these children are once again being buried in undignified anonymity so that a shameful chapter of Ireland's history can be buried with them under the foundations of a housing complex.”

The Bessborough site is the final resting place of 859 children who remain unaccounted for. The AOH asserts that for many Americans of Irish descent whose personal and family stories are intertwined with these institutions, the site is not an abstraction; it is a place demanding the same respect accorded to any ancestral burial ground.

The AOH says it is calling for the immediate preservation of the Bessborough grounds as a permanent memorial. The organization has pledged to continue "its advocacy to ensure the dead are given the dignity they were denied in life, framing this not merely as an Irish obligation, but as a standard of common humanity."

Survivors to hold protest against Bessborough apartments in Cork City this Saturday

Survivors of the Bessborough mother and baby home will host a demonstration in the city centre Saturday afternoon to put pressure on the Government to buy the site and prevent plans to build apartments on the land from going ahead.

The protest will take place outside the library on Grand Parade at 2:30pm.

Earlier this month, an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála failed, and plans for more than 100 apartments on the grounds of the former mother-and-baby homes were greenlit. The number of permitted apartments was reduced, but calls from survivors to halt the development altogether were dismissed.

This decision has been met with cross-party condemnation, with a motion calling for the Government to begin a compulsory purchase order (CPO) passing unanimously at this month's Cork City Council meeting.

On Monday, a cross-party coalition of councillors, comprising representatives from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Labour, Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, and the Green Party, assembled on the steps of Cork City Hall, unified in their call for a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of the land.

The public is being urged to support the demonstrators. Cork senator Laura Harmon said: “The Taoiseach and his Government know that there are still unanswered questions about what happened at Bessborough. Nine hundred and twenty-three babies died there, yet only sixty-four are accounted for."

“Survivors continue to come forward with eyewitness accounts, while families are still searching for answers. Granting planning permission before all available records have been examined and before every appropriate modern investigative technique has been used is deeply concerning.

“Tomorrow, survivors will gather in protest against this decision. I urge members of all political parties and none, locals, and activists to stand with survivors and work to preserve this site.”

This development has always been controversial. During the original planning process, there were many strong objections by Bessborough survivors and local Councillor Peter Horgan to the development. 

This included an objection submitted by Carmell Cantwell, who previously spoke to Cork Beo about her experience in Bessborough and losing her son at the site in the 1960s. 

She submitted on behalf of the Bessboro Mother and Baby Support Group, and said that in the absence of a comprehensive archaeological investigation, the State would be breaking promises made to survivors. 

The group fears that development could disturb previously undiscovered burial sites on the property.

"The bishop is the father of the entire community": Iannone explains how new bishops are chosen

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Archbishop Filippo Iannone, has granted his first major interview since Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope and he assumed leadership of the Vatican body responsible for preparing a large part of the episcopal appointments worldwide. 

In a conversation with the Croatian weekly Glas Koncila, the prelate offers a broad explanation of how the Dicastery operates, the criteria guiding the selection of new bishops, and some of the challenges facing the episcopal ministry today.

He also reveals that Rome receives letters from the faithful denouncing problems in dioceses and admits that an increasing number of priests are declining appointments as bishops.

“We continue the line set by Cardinal Prevost at the time”

One of the most striking aspects of the interview is Iannone’s reference to his relationship with Leo XIV. 

The Prefect recalls that he has succeeded precisely the man who now occupies the Chair of Peter and acknowledges that this continuity makes his work easier.

“I have succeeded the Holy Father in this task. He carried out this service for some years before me. That means he gave the Dicastery a certain orientation, and I feel favored in the sense that, by continuing the line that Cardinal Prevost, as Prefect, had indicated at the time, I can move forward with greater ease.” He also adds that he holds regular meetings with the Pope to deal with the Dicastery’s affairs.

The body that prepares episcopal appointments

Iannone explains that the Dicastery’s work goes far beyond drawing up shortlists of candidates that the Pontiff later examines.

“The Dicastery for Bishops handles everything concerning the erection, life, and activity of dioceses, the identification of candidates for the episcopate who will be presented to the Pope for appointment, and also the ministry of bishops in their dioceses,” he notes.

The Prefect stresses that this work is never carried out in isolation but in close collaboration with other dicasteries of the Roman Curia and, especially, with the apostolic nuncios, “who know the reality of the local Churches well.”

“I receive many letters from the faithful around the world”

Far from the image of a Curia detached from the Church’s everyday life, Iannone assures that many of the faithful turn directly to the Dicastery when they believe serious problems exist in their dioceses.

“I receive many letters from ordinary faithful around the world pointing out problems in the life of a diocese. They address the Dicastery, and we assess whether what they say is well-founded or the result of misunderstandings. If it is well-founded, we try to address the problem in order to restore serenity to the life of the community.”

The Prefect recalls that the same supervisory work also existed in the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, which he headed before taking on his current responsibility, when the faithful appealed to Rome believing that certain provisions of their bishops did not conform to the universal law of the Church.

The profile of the bishop sought by Leo XIV

Asked about the model of bishop that currently inspires appointments, Iannone explains that Leo XIV personally conveys the Church’s pastoral priorities to the prelates.

“When he meets with bishops, the Pope points out the priorities the Church faces today: evangelization, care for creation… On other occasions he recalls the fundamental characteristics a bishop must have: care for the interior life, prayer, welcoming others, availability for collaboration, and attention to the least.”

Nevertheless, he sums up this entire ideal in a simple phrase: “The figure, the essential model for the bishop, is always and at all times Christ, the Good Shepherd.”

“The bishop is father of the entire community”

One of the Prefect’s most insistent messages revolves around the bishop’s responsibility as a principle of unity within the particular Church.

Recalling Leo XIV’s words to ecclesial movements, he warns that “every group, every movement in the Church must see itself not as the whole, but as part of a body that is the diocesan community and then the universal community.”

For Iannone, the plurality of charisms is fruitful only when it remains united to communion.

“Within the diocesan community, different people and groups can act, and that diversity is a richness when it is joined to concern for unity. If diversity closes in on itself, it becomes an evil and harms the Church.”

That is why he concludes: “The one who must foster these relationships and, when necessary, correct those who depart from this model is the bishop. The bishop is father of the entire community. The capacity to be so is certainly one of the most important requirements for a candidate to the episcopal ministry.”

“There are priests who do not accept”

The interview also leaves a significant observation about the current reality of the episcopate.

Asked about priests who decline an appointment when Rome proposes a diocese to them, Iannone responds clearly: “Yes; I had heard about it before, today I can say I experience it.”

Far from attributing this phenomenon solely to the abuse crisis, he considers it a response to a much deeper transformation.

“The responsibilities of a bishop have increased. Life has become much more complex: the life of dioceses, the life and ministry of the priests for whom a bishop is responsible, the lack of vocations… There are priests who do not accept, and that is a fact.”

He then invites people to abandon the idea that the episcopate is simply an honor.

“Sometimes little thought is given to the fact that the bishop is also a human being; he has his limits like any of us. He can go through moments of discouragement and difficulties in relationships. If someone makes a mistake or holds debatable positions, it is legitimate to criticize him; but we must not stop at criticism alone—we must be willing to help and, above all, to pray for bishops.”

“Applying political categories to the Church is misleading”

Iannone also devotes part of the interview to the relationship between authority, participation, and synodality.

To those who interpret the Church’s life with categories proper to politics, he responds unambiguously: “Applying to the Church categories that belong to the world of politics is misleading. The Church has a different nature.”

That does not mean, he clarifies, excluding the co-responsibility of the faithful. On the contrary, he recalls the teaching of the Second Vatican Council according to which every baptized person participates in the Church’s mission and has the right—and in some cases even the duty—to express concerns to pastors through the bodies provided for by canon law.

“Synodality is not a demand”

In the final part of the interview, the Prefect also offers a concise definition of synodality.

“Synodality is not a demand,” he states. “It means feeling part of a whole and assuming the responsibility that entails.”

He adds that “it is not only the bishop who must bear the weight of the diocese; all the faithful must feel responsible for it.” 

In his view, the more deeply a person lives their faith and participates in the life of the Church, the more authority their voice acquires, because they speak “from within” the community and not as a mere external observer.

“In necessary things, unity”

Finally, addressing the relationship between the universal Church and the particular Churches, Iannone returns to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council to recall that a local Church can only be called fully Church when it remains in communion with the others and with the Successor of Peter.

As a permanent criterion he proposes the well-known maxim attributed to Saint Augustine: “In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, freedom; in all things, charity.” 

A principle which, he maintains, makes it possible to harmonize respect for local traditions with the unity of faith, Church discipline, and sacramental life.

Chilean court orders the Salesian Congregation to compensate eight abuse victims

Chilean justice has ordered the Salesian Congregation in the first instance to pay compensation of 325 million Chilean pesos to eight victims of sexual abuse, after finding that the institution was responsible for omissions, cover-ups, and silencing of crimes committed by some of its priests between 1973 and 2009.

The ruling, issued by a civil court in Santiago, partially upholds the lawsuit filed by nine former students of institutions linked to the congregation, although it only recognizes the right to compensation for eight of them. The decision is not final and may still be appealed by the Salesian Congregation.

The court attributes responsibility to the congregation

The judgment concludes that the sexual abuses continued for more than three decades and that the congregation did not act appropriately to prevent them or respond properly once the facts were known.

According to the ruling, the institution’s civil liability stems from the omissions, cover-up, and silencing of the abuses committed by priests belonging to the order, circumstances that justify the order to pay compensation of 325 million Chilean pesos.

The incidents are said to have occurred in different regions of the country

The abuses confirmed by the court took place between 1973 and 2009 in various establishments and facilities linked to the Salesian Congregation, although the lawsuit claims that some also occurred in vacation homes and private residences used by members of the order.

The locations mentioned in the proceedings include Valdivia and Coñaripe, in the Los Ríos region; Concepción, in the Biobío region; Talca and Molina, in the Maule region; Putaendo, in the Valparaíso region; and the Santiago communes of La Cisterna and La Florida.

The ruling can still be appealed

The judgment is a first-instance decision, so the Salesian Congregation may appeal it before a higher court.

If an appeal is filed, the Chilean justice system will determine whether to uphold, modify, or overturn the conviction imposed in this initial ruling.

Five closures in three months reflect the retreat of the Society of Jesus in Spain due to the lack of vocations

The Society of Jesus is undergoing a new process of reorganization in Spain marked by the decrease in the number of religious and the scarcity of vocations. 

In just three months, the Jesuits have announced the closure of five communities and stable works in different parts of the country, a decision that the order itself attributes to the impossibility of maintaining its presence with the current personnel.

The most symbolic case has been that of Murcia, where on June 16 an uninterrupted presence of almost five centuries came to an end. 

According to El Debate, the provincial of Spain, Father Enric Puiggròs SJ, signed together with the bishop of Cartagena, Mons. José Manuel Lorca Planes, the agreement that ends the stable Jesuit community in the city, acknowledging that “for now” it is no longer possible to maintain a religious community there.

Murcia ends almost 500 years of Jesuit presence

The first Jesuits arrived in Murcia in 1555, barely fifteen years after the founding of the Society of Jesus by St. Ignatius of Loyola and still during the lifetime of its founder. The closure of this community constitutes one of the most significant decisions within the current reorganization process of the Jesuit province of Spain.

At the farewell event, Puiggròs explained that the decision responds to the reorganization process that the order has been developing for years as a consequence of the reduction in the number of available religious.

Five closures in a few months

The closure of Murcia has not been an isolated event. In recent weeks, the stable presence of the Jesuits has also ceased in the parish of San Esteban del Mar, in Gijón, entrusted to the Society for 59 years; in the residence of the Colegio del Salvador in Zaragoza; and in the community of the Clot neighborhood, in Barcelona.

The Jesuit community of Santiago de Compostela will soon be added to these closures, with its closure scheduled for next August.

The succession of these announcements reflects a process of concentration of communities that the Society considers necessary to adapt its presence in Spain to the current vocational reality.

A crisis affecting religious life

Although the situation of the Jesuits is especially significant due to the historical weight of the order in the Spanish Church, the phenomenon is not exclusive to the Society of Jesus.

In recent years, numerous religious congregations, both male and female, have reduced their territorial presence due to the aging of their members and the scarcity of new vocations, a trend that affects Spain and other countries in Western Europe in a generalized way.

In their communications, the Jesuits present these closures as a new stage in their apostolic mission and emphasize that Ignatian spirituality will continue to be present through schools, institutions, apostolic works, and numerous lay people linked to the tradition of St. Ignatius. 

However, the progressive closure of religious communities also reflects the vocational crisis affecting a large part of consecrated life in the West.

Priest who argued for freedom of belief over gender identity reaches settlement with school

A PRIEST who preached a sermon arguing for freedom of belief over gender identity has secured a legal agreement with the school that dismissed him six years ago.

The Revd Dr Bernard Randall was the chaplain of Trent College, Long Eaton, in Derbyshire. In 2019, the campaign group Educate & Celebrate, with a mission to “smash heteronormativity” and “queer the education system”, visited the school.

Dr Randall told students that they did not have to accept “LGBT stuff” and dismissed Educate & Celebrate as “Marxist, revolutionary and atheist”. He also upheld traditional church teaching on sex and marriage.

The school — where fees are £40,000 a year — referred him to Prevent, the national anti-extremism programme, but no evidence of “counter-terrorism risk or risk of radicalisation” was found. He was made redundant during the pandemic in 2020 and lost his case for unfair dismissal in 2023. That tribunal decision was thrown out last year due to the “appearance of bias” in the panel, with a new hearing to be convened.

Following that ruling, a confidential legal settlement was reached between the college and Dr Randall.

Educate & Celebrate closed in 2024. Dr Randall was denied a licence or “safe to receive” status by the diocese of Derby after his departure from the school. As part of the legal settlement, he is no longer deemed to be a safeguarding risk and can now return to public ministry.

“Seven years have been taken from me for doing my duty as a C of E chaplain in a school with a C of E ethos,” Dr Randall said. “I encouraged pupils to think, to debate, and to love their neighbours whatever they believed. No minister, teacher, or chaplain should be punished for upholding Christian teaching in a Christian setting.”

A spokesperson for the diocese of Derby said: “The diocese is happy to continue supporting Dr Randall’s potential return to ministry as he decides whether and where to apply for a role.

“Over the past few months, through our ongoing contact with him, he has been signposted to current vacancies in the diocese of Derby, Pathways, the Church of England’s recruitment portal, and to the Church’s Clergy Transitions Service, which has confirmed that they are also available to provide further assistance.”

KCK archdiocese pulls priest from public ministry amid misconduct investigation

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has temporarily pulled a priest from public ministry while an investigation is underway into an allegation of misconduct with a minor more than 20 years ago. 

The allegation involves the Rev. Eric Flood, according to an announcement posted Monday on the archdiocese’s website. 

Flood, who is with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, has been serving as the chaplain of the St. John Vianney Latin Mass Community in Maple Hill, which is about 20 miles west of Topeka. 

The St. John Vianney Latin Mass Community and its ministry are under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and administered by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. 

FSSP priests serve around the world and celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments. Monday’s announcement said the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter notified the KCK archdiocese that the Archdiocese of Omaha had recently received the allegation regarding Flood. 

“This allegation was immediately reported to law enforcement, in accordance with mandatory reporting requirements,” it said. “Consistent with the Archdiocese’s commitment to the protection of children and persons in vulnerable situations, and pending the outcome of investigations by civil authorities and the Archdiocese of Omaha, Father Flood has been temporarily withdrawn from the public exercise of priestly ministry, including celebrating Mass and other public ministerial duties.” 

The action, the announcement said, was an administrative measure “intended to protect all parties, including Father Flood, and should not be interpreted as a determination regarding the allegation.” 

“No conclusion has been reached, and Father Flood is entitled to the presumption of innocence and to a fair and impartial process,” it said. “Father Flood is cooperating fully with the investigation and adamantly denies the accusation.” 

Marissa Easter, spokesperson for the archdiocese, said the priests of the Fraternity of St. Peter “are subject to the Archbishop’s authority while they serve in our territory.” 

“But as a religious community, they have missions throughout the world, their own formation, and their own superiors who cooperate with local dioceses and diocesan bishops,” she told The Star in an email. St. John Vianney is one of two Latin Mass communities within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Easter said. 

The other, she said, is St. Rose Duchesne Catholic Church in Mission Woods, which also is under the care of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. The archdiocese said Flood has relocated outside the state of Kansas during the investigation. 

“The archdiocese is cooperating fully with civil authorities, the Archdiocese of Omaha, and the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter,” the announcement said. “Upon completion of this investigation, the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas’ Independent Review Board will conduct a review and provide recommendations to the Archbishop, who will determine any appropriate action.” 

Those with information about the issue are encouraged to contact the Douglas County, Nebraska, District Attorney at (402) 444-7040, the archdiocese said. 

The archdiocese urged anyone with knowledge of any misconduct by a church volunteer, staff or clergy member, regardless of when the incident occurred, to first contact civil authorities, then call or text the archdiocese’s confidential report line at 913-276-8703 or online at www.archkck.org/reportabuse. 

“We ask all to refrain from rumor and speculation and instead entrust this matter to prayer and the proper processes of law enforcement and the Church,” the archdiocese said. 

Other misconduct allegations 

The case is among several involving allegations of misconduct that the archdiocese has been dealing with in recent months. On July 2, the archdiocese announced it had substantiated an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against a former teacher who worked at two area high schools. 

Archbishop Shawn McKnight determined the allegation against James Zimmer to be credible following an investigation by the Independent Review Board, the archdiocese said in a statement posted on its website. 

Zimmer taught at Bishop Miege Catholic High School in Roeland Park from 1969 to 1984, the archdiocese said. 

The allegation was reported to have occurred during that time. Zimmer also taught at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City from 1987 to 1993, according to the announcement. He died on June 1, 2000. 

The archdiocese also continues to investigate former Bishop Miege President Phil Baniewicz, who was ousted last August after allegations surfaced about inappropriate behavior with a minor. 

And the archdiocese is in the midst of a criminal case involving a former Leawood priest. 

The Rev. Richard Storey, who resigned last September as pastor of Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood amid an investigation into a separate issue, was charged in Johnson County District Court on May 13 with felony theft. 

The total suspected unauthorized spending by Storey was $159,326.92, according to court documents. The alleged theft included $77,000 for cruises, a nearly $24,000 “casino cash withdraw” and $27,000 for travel to several international destinations. 

The theft is alleged to have occurred between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2025. 

Storey pleaded not guilty on June 2 and is out on $25,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.

Kenya bishop suspends 7 priests, announces new clergy accountability measures

Bishop Hieronymus Emusugut Joya of Kenyaʼs Catholic Diocese of Maralal announced in a pastoral letter a series of clergy accountability measures and suspended seven priests, saying the decisions follow an assessment of the diocese and “credible information” concerning clergy conduct and the administration of Church property.

In the letter, Joya reflected on his nearly four years of episcopal ministry since taking charge of the Maralal Diocese in October 2022, outlining financial, administrative, and pastoral challenges he said he encountered upon his arrival and the reforms he has since undertaken.

“It is painful to state that I found the diocese with multiple problems but no one was willing to tell me the cause of the problems and how to get the solution,” he wrote in the four-page letter dated July 12.

The Kenyan-born member of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries wrote that, alongside seeking donations and grants to support the diocese, he initiated assessments, financial audits, restructuring, and debt repayment.

“That helped me to conduct assessment of the diocese, carry out audits in all parishes, institutions, offices; set up systems and structures; do restructuring; and pay debts and some loans,” Joya said in the letter.

He went on to respond to the criticism that he had frequently appealed for financial support and failed to act against priests alleged to be living contrary to their vocation or possessing property whose acquisition could not be explained.

Addressing concerns over fundraising, he wrote: “I want everyone to know that I have mobilized hundreds of millions of shillings in the time I have been [here] — more than all the money all Christians of this diocese have done for their Church without counting on the major projects that have been done directly in various parishes and institutions.”

Turning to the issue of clergy discipline, the bishop said he had acted only after obtaining sufficient information.

“I never suspect or hold any priest accountable for any wrongdoing without credible information. Since I now have some information and identified such priests, I announce here two things,” he said.

The first, he wrote, is the introduction of new obligations for priests in the Diocese of Maralal under Canon 277 §3 of the Code of Canon Law.

The measures require priests to be in their presbyteries before 7 p.m. for evening prayers and prohibit them from spending the night away from the priests' residence without the bishop’s permission.

The measures also state that no layperson is to sleep or stay in a priest’s house or a religious sister’s convent without the bishopʼs authorization.

The norms further prohibit priests from drinking alcohol in bars or presenting themselves for liturgical celebrations “drunk or with the hangover of alcohol.”

The new rules also prohibit priests from engaging in private business outside “the business of the Church,” acquiring property they cannot explain, or cohabiting or engaging in relationships “with a person of the opposite sex or same sex.”

Additional measures concern the administration of parish and institutional finances, the functioning of finance councils and parish councils, annual budgets and audits, the authorized use of diocesan vehicles, and adherence to both Church and civil law.

In another measure, Joya announced the suspension of seven priests under Canons 1336 §§1–4 and 1281 §3 of the Code of Canon Law. He said the suspensions will remain in force “until the issues of abuse of ecclesiastical power, negligence of administration, and mismanagement of the temporal goods of the Church are resolved.”

The suspended priests are Fathers Paul Maina, Peter Musau, Stephen Lekasuyan, Peter Nderitu, Christopher Letikirich, John Dida, and Jonathan Namoni, whom Joya noted had already been suspended on July 10.

The pastoral letter did not specify the particular allegations against the priests or indicate whether the suspensions arise from the same circumstances. The letter also did not detail the specific canonical restrictions imposed on each priest beyond citing the relevant provisions of Church law.

Additionally, the letter also did not indicate whether the priests received individual canonical decrees explaining the reasons for their suspension, the scope of the disciplinary measures, or the conditions each would be required to meet before the suspension is lifted.

Inviting the faithful to accompany the suspended priests in prayer, Joya wrote: “Pray for these priests of ours at this moment they are starting a life of deep reflection on the value of their vocation and the importance of working for the common good of the Church.”

Alongside the disciplinary measures, the bishop announced five new priestly appointments in his diocese, including parish, pastoral center, and media apostolate assignments.

The pastoral letter concluded by asking the faithful to continue praying for him as he “endeavors to save the diocese from the difficult challenges it is undergoing.”

Diocese issues statement on priest accused of child porn, explaining Nowak’s status

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has issued a statement explaining why a priest now federally charged with child porn possession has remained on their payroll since his initial suspension in 2019.

Jeffrey Nowak was charged last week with receipt and possession of child pornography after investigators say Scottish law enforcers linked him to an online group exchanging such images. Nowak had been placed on administrative leave by the Diocese years before in response to allegations of inappropriate contact with children and harassment of a seminarian.

In addition to still collecting a paycheck, Nowak also remained a priest though he was forbidden from ministry. The Diocese explains in a statement released July 15 that these circumstances were required by canon law. They could not effectively fire Nowak on accusations alone. Now, with the federal child porn charges, they will ask the Vatican to remove Nowak's priestly status.

The following is the statement by the Diocese of Buffalo in its entirety:

“In the spirit of transparency and full cooperation with law enforcement authorities, the Diocese of Buffalo wishes to provide the following background concerning the status of Jeffrey Nowak as a suspended priest of the Diocese and further details relating to his removal from active ministry:

“In 2019, the Diocese was advised of numerous complaints about Rev. Nowak.  None of the complaints included any allegation of inappropriate sexual contact, possession of child pornography or sexual abuse of a minor.  However, given clear evidence of inappropriate conduct of Jeffrey Nowak with adults, then-Bishop Richard Malone removed him indefinitely from active ministry in 2019.  

The Diocese further required Rev. Nowak to engage in professional counseling which he repeatedly failed to do. In 2020, then-Apostolic Administrator Bishop Edward Scharfenberger reviewed Rev. Nowak’s circumstances and decided to remove him from the Office of Pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians through a process required by canon law, despite the fact that he was on indefinite leave.

“For a brief period, Rev. Nowak resided at the Bishop Head residence for retired priests, however, Rev. Nowak was not a “retired” priest but a priest whose faculties to function as a priest had been indefinitely suspended. Rev. Nowak subsequently moved to his parents’ home in Lackawanna.

“Following Bishop Michael Fisher’s appointment to the Diocese of Buffalo in January 2021, Bishop Fisher personally met with Rev. Nowak, having reviewed details of his removal from active ministry, and informed Rev. Nowak that he would not consider reappointing him to a parish, nor allow him to function as a priest within the Diocese.  Bishop Fisher further made clear that he would advise against any other bishop or diocese accepting Rev. Nowak as a priest in their diocese, should he pursue that route.  Bishop Fisher encouraged Rev. Nowak to personally seek voluntary removal from the clerical state by the Vatican, a process known as “laicization.”  

As there was no allegation of child sexual abuse or other criminal allegation, the Diocese had no grounds to petition the Vatican to remove Rev. Nowak from the clerical state against his will.

“As required by canon law, the Diocese must provide some level of financial sustenance to priests of the Diocese, even if they have been removed from active ministry, though not formally removed from the clerical state.  As such, Rev. Nowak was provided a modest monthly stipend, considerably less than what an active priest receives, and also less than what a retired priest receives. 

“In light of the abhorrent criminal conduct recently alleged by federal investigators, the Diocese is no longer providing any financial support to Rev. Nowak, who remains incarcerated pending his trial.  Moreover, Bishop Fisher has now instructed the Diocese’s Judicial Vicar to gather the necessary documentation based on these latest allegations to petition the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to dismiss Jeffrey Nowak from the clerical state.”

Case against Derry priest charged with child sex offences adjourned due to technical issue

A technical issue prevented progress in the case against a suspended Londonderry priest charged with child sex offences when it came before court Thursday.

Edward Gallagher (59) is currently in custody at Maghaberry Prison.

Gallagher was arrested and charged after he was confronted by a group of people outside a hotel in Derry on April 17 last year.

The former parish priest and curate in the Diocese of Derry currently faces a number of charges alleged to have been committed between April 2 and April 17, 2025.

He is charged with attempting to sexually communicate with a male he believed to be under the age of 16.

He also faces charges of possessing an indecent image of a child; possessing an extreme pornographic image; making and distributing or showing indecent images of a child; causing unknown children to watch a third person engaging in sexual activity; and sexually communicating with unknown children.

Gallagher appeared before Derry Magistrates’ Court via videolink for a planned preliminary enquiry (PE), which is held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to send a case forward to trial.

However, the court was told that the relevant papers were unavailable because of technical issues.

Addressing Gallagher, the judge said he was “going to make an investigation” into the matter.

The case was adjourned until Thursday, July 23.

Gallagher previously served as parish priest in Donegal and Tyrone.

He also served as curate in Limavady, Cappagh in Co Tyrone, and Holy Family Parish in Derry.

Before his suspension, Gallagher was administrator of Long Tower Parish in Derry and had also served as associate pastor and pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in the city.

‘We need to do the right thing’ - Taoiseach orders talks with Bessborough landowners over apartments construction

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has vowed to “explore all options” in a row over planned construction of apartments on the site of former Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork.

A decision last week by An Comisiún Pleanála to uphold planning permission from Cork City Council for a new apartment complex on the site was met with outrage as activists demanded a memorial site be built instead.

Councillors in Cork City voted unanimously in favour of a motion calling on Government to make a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on the land in question.

However, Mr Martin has resisted those calls amid claims that 900 women and children are buried there.

In February, city planners approved plans from developers Estuary View Enterprises for 140 apartment units on site of the former Cork Heritage Park, which is situated on the grounds of the former Bessborough institution, in which over 900 infants were buried.

A formal state apology was made to women and their families over the maltreatment they suffered while in the mother and baby home in the past century. 

The Taoiseach provided an update on his intentions going forward, taking to social media to announce his plans to “do the right thing”.

“I have asked Cork City Council to engage with the landowners at Bessborough with a view to exploring all options for the future of the site,” Mr Martin wrote.

“Bessborough is of huge importance to many people and families, at home and abroad.

“We need to do the right thing for all concerned.”

Social Democrats party leader Holly Cairns has responded to the Taoiseach’s call for dialogue, praising the “extraordinary work of campaigners” in addressing the sensitive issue.

‘Dark day’ as planning upheld at site of former Cork Mother and Baby Home

“Councillors on Cork City Council have voted, on two separate occasions, to buy the land at Bessborough,” she said in a statement.

Ms Cairns rebuked Mr Martin’s suggestion that “the right thing” should be done, instead urging the desgination of the site as “a site of conscience”.

“[The Taoiseach] could unseal all records about burials from the Mother and Baby Homes Commission and request that the Attorney General order an inquest into the deaths of the hundreds of women and children who died there,” she continued.

“These women and children were failed by the State in life. We must not fail them in death.”

Pope names Michael Router as new Bishop of Derry

Pope Leo has named Bishop Michael Router as the new Catholic Bishop of Derry.

He moves from the Diocese of Armagh, where he has been Auxiliary Bishop for the last seven years, to succeed Bishop Donal Mckeown who has been in post since 2014.

Earlier this year, Bishop McKeown submitted his resignation to the Pope, having reached the age of 75.

Bishop-elect Router's installation is due to take place in September.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Bishop Router said his appointment was "an immense honour" but had come as "a bit of a shock and quite a surprise".

"We had just organised a major congress in Armagh, so my thoughts were far from moving from there," he said.

"But I am absolutely delighted.

"I've heard so much good about the Diocese of Derry and everyone I've talked to in the last 24 hours or so has told me that I'm a very lucky man to be coming here."

Earlier around 100 people attended a service in St Eugene's Cathedral to welcome the Bishop-elect to the diocese.

A native of County Cavan and a priest for almost four decades, Bishop Router told parishioners the Church holds a very different position on the island of Ireland than it did a generation ago and "no longer occupies the centre of public life".

"Many people, particularly younger generations, no longer identify naturally with the institutional Church," he said.

"The wounds caused by abuse and failures of leadership continue to cause severe pain and upset for many and we must never cease asking forgiveness, listening with humility and working patiently towards healing and reconciliation.

"Alongside these realities we face declining numbers of clergy, changing parish structures and the onerous task of passing on the faith in an increasingly secular culture."

He said those realities could not simply be ignored or be solved by "nostalgia for a past that cannot return".

He said as Bishop he would "minister among you not with all the answers but with a willingness to listen, especially to those who have become distant from the Church."

He also paid tribute to the "courage and generosity" of his predecessor, who had guided the Diocese through "a period of significant social, cultural and ecclesial change".

'Gifted preacher'

The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin, who is from Derry, said the new bishop could expect "a warm welcome from the people" of the city.

"Bishop Michael brings many gifts to his new role," Martin said, adding that as Auxiliary Bishop in Armagh he was a source of "tremendous support" who would be greatly missed there.

He described the Bishop-elect as "a gifted preacher and communicator", who would bring a "natural pastoral instinct" to the role.

Martin also paid tribute to outgoing Bishop McKeown, who he said is a "a person of genuine empathy, kindness and compassion".

"He is a true 'son of encouragement' and a caring pastor," Martin said.

Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Andrew Forster also paid tribute to the outgoing Bishop, saying it had been "a joy and a privilege to serve alongside Donal".

He said he now looked forward to "walking alongside" his successor "as we seek to share the light of Christ in our Dioceses."

Catherine Corless says development at Bessborough is ‘atrocious’

The historian who uncovered the names of the 796 children who died in the Tuam mother and baby home said it is “atrocious” that a development got the go-ahead on the grounds of Bessborough in Cork City.

Catherine Corless was speaking at the world premiere of The Lost Children of Tuam, which opened at the Galway Film Fleadh on Saturday. 

The film received a 10-minute standing ovation from the audience.

The film depicts the story of her 14-year battle against the Catholic Church and State to uncover the truth of what happened to hundreds of children who died there, some of whom are believed to have been buried in a septic tank on the grounds of the former religious-run institution.

Directed by Frank Berry (Michael Inside), and produced by Liam Neeson and Element Pictures, Ms Corless, played by Monica Dolan, captures how the children’s mass grave in Tuam became an international scandal.

The site is currently being excavated and examined, and a temporary mortuary has been set up for the children being recovered.

Ms Corless, who said the entire experience has been “surreal”, used the questions-and-answers session to highlight how other mother and baby homes have not had their land excavated.

The Tuam exhumation got underway a year ago, and 77 children have been located so far.

Ms Corless said what is happening in Bessborough in Cork is “atrocious” after An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld a decision to allow the development of 140 apartments on the site of the former institution.

“There is a great group of people down there who have tried over the years,” she told the audience.

“The sisters down there, it should be demanded from them and asked where these 900 babies are. Where are they buried? They say they don’t know. That can’t be right.

“Developers are coming in and building on the site where the remains have to be there somewhere. 

"What they offered was to bring in some archaeologist, where they are digging to see if they find anything. That is terrible.

"Hundreds of women went in there and suffered terribly, and the babies — God help us, it’s like Tuam — but still they got the final planning permission to go ahead. 

"I think that is absolutely inhuman to do that.”

The crowd erupted into applause, and she urged the people of Cork to keep going with their campaign to find the 923 children who died there — the majority of whom do not have burial records.

Former president Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina were in attendance at the sold-out opening night of the film, along with Dan Barry from The New York Times. Mr Barry was one of the producers on the film.

Lost children of Tuam

He spoke about how Neeson had contacted him after he wrote a piece on the lost children of Tuam, and they began developing the film.

Director Berry said that when he was sent the script, he “could not turn it down”.

Real-life survivors PJ Haverty, Carmel Larkin, Teresa O’Sullivan, Peter Mulry, and Pat Duffy all appear in the film.

Real-life footage of protests and the pope’s visit to Ireland in 2018 are all used to help portray Corless’s battle for justice.

Her husband, Aidan Corless, also has a part in the film, which focuses on their relationship as Corless sets out to find out what happened in the Tuam mother and baby home.

Anna Corrigan, whose mother Bridget Dolan was in the home and had two boys taken from her by the nuns (one died and one is missing), said she was “deeply moved” by the film.

Diocesan Changes 2026 - Cork & Ross

The diocese has published the details of the new appointments which will be effective on July 25th 2026.

Bishop Fintan has said that he is grateful to the priests who are undertaking new appointments this year and to those who retire from a fulltime appointment.

"I continue to be grateful to all of you for your ministry and your commitment to serve the people of the diocese.

I also extend a warm welcome to the priests who are coming from abroad to minister in our diocese. We are deeply appreciative of their generosity in responding to the needs of our local Church here in Cork and Ross and we look forward to the gifts, experience and richness they will bring to our faith communities."

Retirement

Fr Pat Nugent CC in the Family of Parishes of Carrig na bhFear, Glanmire, Glounthane, Watergrasshill and Glenville retires from this full-time appointment, though his priestly ministry will continue.

Appointments:

Canon Robert Brophy, Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Ballineaspaig, Curraheen Road, Sacred Heart and Wilton will continue in this role as Co-PP and Moderator while also fulfilling the role of Assistant Director of Vocations for the Diocese.

Canon Teddy O’Sullivan Co-PP and Moderator in the Family of Parishes of Douglas and Rochestown, Frankfield/Grange and Turner’s Cross continues to be Co-PP in the same Family of Parishes.

Canon John Paul Hegarty Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Ballyphehane, The Lough and Togher to be Assistant Priest (AP) in the same Family of Parishes.

Fr Patrick A. McCarthy, returning from sabbatical leave to be Co-PP and Moderator in the Family of Parishes of Douglas and Rochestown, Frankfield/Grange and Turner’s Cross.

Fr Bernard Cotter returns from Sabbatical leave as Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Aughadown, Castlehaven and Myross, Kilmacabea, Rath and the Islands and Skibbereen.

Fr Daniel Pyburn, Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Ballinhassig, Clontead, Courceys and Kinsale to be Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Ballyphehane, The Lough and Togher.

Fr Cian O’Sullivan Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Clogheen and Kerry Pike, Farranree, Gurranabraher and Knocknaheeny and Hollyhill and Director of Vocations for the Diocese will begin a period of sabbatical leave taking up a new appointment in the Summer of 2027.

Fr Anthony O’Mahony Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Drimoleague, Dunmanway, Kilmichael and Uibh Laoire to be Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Ardfield/Rathbarry, Barryroe, Clonakilty, Kilmeen and Castleventry, Rosscarbery and Lisavaird, and Timoleague.

Fr Michael Anthony Buckley CC in the Family of Parishes of Bantry, Caheragh, Goleen, Muintir Bháire and Schull to be Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Drimoleague, Dunmanway, Kilmichael and Uibh Laoire.

Fr Sean Crowley CC in the Family of Parishes of Blackpool, The Glen and Ballyvolane, South Parish, Ss Peter and Paul’s, St. Patrick’s, Sunday’s Well, and The Cathedral to be Co-PP in the Family of Parishes of Ballinhassig, Clontead, Courceys and Kinsale.

Fr Marius O’Reilly CC in the Family of Parishes of Blackpool and The Glen and Ballyvolane, South Parish, Ss Peter and Paul’s, St. Patrick’s, Sunday’s Well and The Cathedral to be Director of Vocations for the Diocese and Parish Chaplain in the same Family of Parishes.

Fr Pat O’Mahony SMA CC in the Family of Parishes of Douglas and Rochestown, Frankfield and Grange and Turner’s Cross to be CC in the Family of Parishes of St. Joseph’s Mayfield, Upper Mayfield and Pastoral Care of Holy Family Church, Military Hill. 

Fr Kenneth Cooney SMA to be CC in the Family of Parishes of Blackpool and The Glen and Ballyvolane, South Parish, Ss Peter and Paul’s, St. Patrick’s, Sunday’s Well and The Cathedral.

Fr Jilson Kokkandathail CC in the Family of Parishes of Blackpool and The Glen and Ballyvolane, South Parish, Ss Peter and Paul’s, St. Patrick’s, Sunday’s Well and The Cathedral and Chaplain to the Syro Malabar Community to be CC in the Family of Parishes of Bantry, Caheragh, Goleen, Muintir Bháire and Schull.

Fr Mathew Jacob (Archdiocese of Changanacherry, India) to be CC in the Family of Parishes of Blackpool and The Glen and Ballyvolane, South Parish, Ss Peter and Paul’s, St. Patrick’s, Sunday’s Well and The Cathedral. Fr Mathew will also fulfil the role of Chaplain to the Syro Malabar Community.

Fr Fergus Ryan OP CC in the Family of Parishes of Ardfield and Rathbarry, Barryroe, Clonakilty, Kilmeen and Castleventry, Rosscarbery and Lisavaird, and Timoleague to be CC in the Family of Parishes of Blackpool and The Glen and Ballyvolane, South Parish, Ss Peter and Paul’s, St. Patrick’s, Sunday’s Well and The Cathedral.

Fr Prasad Rao Chinthakunta MSC (Indian Province) to be CC in the Family of Parishes of Clogheen and Kerry Pike, Farranree, Gurranabraher and Knocknaheeny and Hollyhill.

Fr Tijo John MSC (Indian Province) to be CC in the Family of Parishes of Clogheen and Kerry Pike, Farranree, Gurranabraher and Knocknaheeny and Hollyhill.

Fr Alex Kulandaisamy MSC (Indian Province) to be CC in the Family of Parishes of Ballineaspaig, Curraheen Road, Sacred Heart and Wilton. Fr Alex will also serve as Part-time Chaplain (2 Days per week) to the Mercy University Hospital.

Fr Raphael Ssemmanda (Diocese of Masaka, Uganda) to be CC in the in the Family of Parishes of Douglas & Rochestown, Frankfield/Grange and Turner’s Cross.

Fr Jaison Mathew CMI, Chaplain in Cork University Hospital has returned to his order.

Paul Ryan was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate on Sunday 21st June 2026 in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Timoleague. Deacon Paul Ryan is appointed Deacon in the Family of Parishes of Ardfield and Rathbarry, Barryroe, Clonakilty, Kilmeen and Castleventry, Rosscarbery and Lisavaird, and Timoleague.

Saiz Meneses distances himself from the debate on the Seville mosque: "It is a matter of rights and freedoms"

The Archbishop of Seville, Monsignor José Ángel Saiz Meneses, has refrained from commenting on the project to build a mosque in the Polígono Sur and has placed the issue within the context of the right to religious freedom recognized by civil legislation and by the doctrine of the Church.

Asked about this matter last Friday, following the presentation of the Archdiocese’s financial information for the 2025 fiscal year, the prelate described the issue as a “sensitive matter” and stated that, in his view, “two elements must be taken into account: rights and freedoms.”

He then developed his response by drawing on three successive references. First, he cited Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as well as the possibility of publicly manifesting one’s beliefs. 

It is worth recalling that the Holy See did not participate in the approval of this text in 1948, as it was not then a member of the United Nations, although subsequent papal teaching has invoked it on various occasions as a reference in matters of human dignity and religious freedom.

The Archbishop then appealed to Article 16 of the Spanish Constitution, which guarantees “the ideological, religious, and worship freedom of individuals and communities, with no other limitation on their manifestations than what is necessary for the maintenance of public order protected by law.”

Finally, he cited the conciliar declaration Dignitatis humanae, from the Second Vatican Council, to recall that “the protection and promotion of the inviolable rights of man is an essential duty of every civil authority” and that it is the responsibility of public authorities to safeguard religious freedom through just laws and to facilitate the necessary conditions for its exercise.

In conclusion, Saiz Meneses specified that the exercise of these rights must be carried out “in accordance with state, regional, and local legislation and in accordance with the municipal regulations of each city.”

The Archbishop’s statements come as the administrative processing of the project promoted by the Fundación Mezquita de Sevilla to build an Islamic complex in the Polígono Sur continues. 

The City Council has postponed the granting of the building permit in order to obtain new technical and legal reports following the objections submitted by Vox.

The municipal group maintains that the primary intended use of the building would be as a place of worship rather than a sociocultural center, which, in its view, could have implications for its urban planning compatibility. 

The Fundación Mezquita de Sevilla rejects this interpretation, maintains that the project complies with current regulations, and argues that the permit should be granted in accordance with the law.

During his intervention, the Archbishop made no assessment of the specific project or of the objections raised in the urban planning procedure, limiting himself to outlining the legal and doctrinal framework that, in his view, should govern the exercise of religious freedom.