Pope Francis slams US presidential candidates for ‘anti-life policies’

Pope Francis slammed both US presidential candidates for what he called anti-life policies on abortion and migration and advised American Catholics to choose the “lesser evil” in the upcoming election.

“Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants or the one who (supports) killing babies,” Francis said. “Both are against life.”

The Argentine Jesuit was asked to provide counsel to American Catholic voters during an airborne press conference en route back to Rome from his four-nation tour through Asia.

Francis stressed that he is not an American and would not be voting.

Neither the Republican candidate Donald Trump nor the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris was mentioned by name.

But Francis nevertheless expressed himself in stark terms when asked to weigh in on their positions on two hot-button issues in the US election — abortion and migration — that are also of major concern to the Catholic Church.

Francis has made the plight of migrants a priority of his pontificate and speaks out emphatically and frequently about it.

While strongly upholding church teaching forbidding abortion, Francis hasn’t emphasised church doctrine as much as his predecessors.

He said migration is a right described in Scripture, and that anyone who does not follow the Biblical call to welcome the stranger is committing a “grave sin”.

He was also blunt in speaking about abortion.

“To have an abortion is to kill a human being. You may like the word or not, but it’s killing,” he said. “We have to see this clearly.”

Asked though what to do at the polls, Francis recalled the civic duty to vote.

“One should vote, and choose the lesser evil,” he said. “Who is the lesser evil, the woman or man? I don’t know.

“Everyone in their conscience should think and do it,” he said.

It is not the first time Francis has weighed in on a US election. In the run-up to the 2016 election, Francis was asked about Mr Trump’s plan to build a wall at the US-Mexican border. 

He declared then that anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants “is not Christian”.

In responding on Friday, Francis recalled that he celebrated Mass at the US-Mexico border and “there were so many shoes of the migrants who ended up badly there”.

The US bishops conference, for its part, has called abortion the “preeminent priority” for American Catholics in its published voter advice.

Ms Harris has strongly defended abortion rights.

Fury over sudden announcement to switch school to Gaelcholáiste

There is fury and bewilderment among staff at a well-known and highly regarded Dublin city school over news that it will convert from an English medium school to a Gaelcholáiste from 2026.

Staff at Synge Street CBS have told RTÉ News of their shock and anger at the fact that the news was broken to them just hours before it was publicly announced by the school's trustees and Minister for Education Norma Foley on Wednesday.

The principal of Synge Street was informed on Tuesday afternoon that the DEIS school would begin a transition in 2026 from a boys only English medium school to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste.

She was left to break the news to staff at a hastily convened meeting on Tuesday evening, in advance of statements issued by the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) and the Minister for Education the following morning.

Some, who share the distress at the way school staff were informed and the speed of the move, are positive about the actual change.

"We all knew change was coming, but the speed of the announcement did come as a shock." But this person added: "But it is a brilliant move and it will be a huge success."

Explaining the late breaking of the news to staff and the school community, ERST said it was caused by the Department of Education.

RTÉ News understands that ERST was told on Tuesday afternoon that approval had been granted and that Minister Foley would announce the decision to Irish language TV station TG4 at an event at lunchtime on Wednesday. 

ERST has told RTÉ News that it informed the school principal "straightaway".

"And then ERST issued its statement at 11am on Wednesday and the Department issued its statement in response," it said in a statement.

Since Tuesday staff at the school have been reeling from the news. For some, it means they must leave the school as they do not have the language skills required to teach through the medium of Irish

One staff member described it as like being in mourning.

"No one was expecting this announcement," another told RTÉ News.

"The shock comes at the fact that we were informed just the evening before."

The transition will begin in September 2026 with that year's first year intake. It will be completed six years later when that same year reach sixth year.

The school's 30 teachers have been told that anyone who wishes to upskill in order to be able to teach through Irish will be supported.

Staff have also disputed an assertion in a statement from the trust that the decision was reached "following a consultation process with the school community". 

Both staff and a parent at the school have said there was no meaningful consultation.

"We are gobsmacked," one school source said.

Staff and others connected to the school are concerned about the impact the decision to become an Irish medium school will have on local families traditionally served by Synge Street. 

These include lower income families who live in the inner city, and also immigrant families who send their both first and second generation boys to the school.

They fear the change will drive these families away.

Synge Street school has educated boys from families across the city for generations. Founded in 1864 as part of a wider move by the Christian Brothers to expand Catholic education in the city, especially for poor boys, the disadvantaged school has been famed in recent decades for its unparalleled success at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition.

In 2022 it became the first to win the competition's top prize on four occasions, and no school has beaten that record.

'Syngers' is also renowned for its roll call of illustrious past pupils, which includes writers, broadcasters, politicians and artists.

However in recent decades the school has been suffering a terminal decline, caused initially by demographic change in the inner city as families moved out to suburbs with modern new schools nearby.

In more recent times Synge Street has lost out as a growing number of families turn their backs on single sex education in favour of co-ed.

It is the last of a number of old Catholic Dublin 8 schools to become co-educational.

Successive leaders at Synge Street have known that the school had to change in order to survive and they have supported and planned for that change.

Sitting in the principal's office in the school many years ago, former principal Dr Michael Minnock gave private expression to his frustration at the lack of change.

"We are a modern capital city, but where is our Lycée?", he asked me. (A Lycée is the French model of school that provides free, non-religious, state education to allcomers.)

Yesterday evening over the phone I reminded him of his remarks. Now retired, he told RTÉ News "the inner city needs one large secondary school and the [Synge St] site is one of the most impressive. This change ought to be welcomed, despite the short time-frame for its implementation".

An emblem of that need for change is a number of parent groups who have been campaigning vociferously in recent years for co-educational post primary school provision in the Dublin 8 area.

They include a group that has campaigned over the past three years for a Gaelcholáiste.

The Gaelcholáiste 2,4,6,8 Group points out that there are five Gaelscoileanna in these postal areas, but sixth class children leaving those schools currently have no Irish medium school that they can progress into.

The group learned about Synge Street's imminent transformation from the media on Wednesday. Although they have questions, they have welcomed it

"There is a lot of relief," Chairperson Julian de Spáinn said. "Parents are very happy because they can now see a way forward for their children's educational future through Irish."

"They started that journey [in primary] and they want to continue that in their own school area.

"Parents have a lot of questions. It is very important to us that it will be lán-gaeilge (fully immersive) from the start. How that comes about will be between the patron and the department."

In 2017 Synge Street's main feeder primary school, Bunscoil Synge, introduced an Irish medium stream in 2017. Since then, and as a direct result, its enrolment has grown by 63%.

Its big brother beside it, Synge Street senior, is among the last of this area's old traditional schools to modernise. It is not before time.

While a growing number of parents in this increasingly gentrified area have been crying out for change, Synge Street has been dying on its feet, its enrolment languishing at just under 300 boys.

But the suddenness of this week's announcement, its unseemly haste, has deeply hurt this school community, and some are asking; why was it done in this unnecessarily brutal way?

Eight bells return to belfry of Notre Dame in Paris

Eight bells, one weighing over four tonnes, are being returned to the belfry in Notre Dame cathedral in Paris just months before it is due to reopen five years after a devastating fire.

Teams repairing damage from the 15 April 2019 blaze had to remove the bells - from the largest, "Gabriel", to the smallest, "Jean-Marie" - from Notre Dame's north tower last July to complete their work.

The bells themselves have been cleaned of lead dust thrown off by the church's burning roof and restored at a foundry in Normandy in northern France before their delivery by truck back to Paris.

Notre Dame rector Olivier Ribadeau Dumas was to bless the peal of eight bells, each named after a significant figure from the cathedral's history, later today.

Heavyweight "Gabriel" weighs more than 4.1 tonnes, while the lightest, "Jean-Marie" clocks in at a dainty 782 kilogrammes.

Notre Dame has 20 bells in total, including two massive bourdons - the largest weighing 13 tonnes - producing the lowest notes that hang in the south tower, which are rung for major church events such as Easter, Christmas or the death or election of a Pope.

First completed in 1345 after almost two centuries of construction, the cathedral is set to reopen on 7 December after a massive restoration effort that is still under way.

Around 10 million people per year visited the church before the fire.

Sexual abuse survivor calls for State apology

David Ryan, who featured in the Blackrock Boys documentary which led to the scoping inquiry into alleged abuse at schools run by religious orders, has called on the State to issue an apology to victims and survivors.

The scoping inquiry found that there were 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse in relation to 308 schools recorded by the religious orders that ran the schools.

The allegations were made about 884 distinct alleged abusers.

Since the publication of the report, the adult sexual abuse counselling service One In Four has received over 300 calls.

Mr Ryan's phone has also been ringing nonstop for the past week, with calls from friends, family and the media wondering what his thoughts are regarding the scoping inquiry report.

"I'm being honest, I haven't read the report. It's just too much, too raw. Too soon. I'll do it on my own time, but what has come out, I'm happy with," he said.

"There are mixed emotions. Some people aren't too happy, some people are happy.

David Ryan and his brother Mark had been sexually abused repeatedly on the campus of Blackrock College during the 1970s

"But I'm going to sit on the fence at the moment. I'll do it in my own time when I'm ready."

According to the scoping inquiry report, the religious orders’ records indicate that over half of the 884 persons accused of historical sexual abuse are known to be deceased.

Mr Ryan’s perpetrators are amongst that cohort.

His mission is to see other alleged victims and survivors get justice.

The scoping inquiry has "set the ball rolling" but he wants to see the commission of investigation to be completed quickly.

State apology

In May 1999, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern apologised on behalf of the Irish people to victims of childhood abuse in residential institutions run by religious congregations.

A Commission of Inquiry was established with the primary focus of providing victims with an opportunity to tell their stories of the abuse they suffered and a redress board was established.

The Ryan Report was published in 2009.

David Ryan said another apology is necessary.

"I know Bertie Ahern did his, but another one has to be done now because there's more people that have been hurt, severely hurt, and the pain is still there. I mean, we're all suffering still", he said.

The scoping inquiry by senior council Mary O’Toole and her team got under way in March 2023.

It involved people speaking to the Inquiry’s Survivor Engagement team about their childhood experiences, the impact on them as children and as adults up to the present day.

Scoping inquiry participation

Mr Ryan described speaking to the scoping inquiry team as "a very, very tough day", however, he knew he ad to do it.

David Ryan said a commission of investigation needed to be done 'quickly' and redress dealt with

"Some people were in for a couple of hours. I know Mark was in for over two and a half hours doing his. I don't know how long I was.

"I was there for a while, but it's tough. A lot of questions, but if you don't answer the questions, they can't go any further with it. The more they got, the more they can do and they got a 700-page report".

Mr Ryan said he and Mark, along with Liam O'Brien from RTÉ's Doc on One "opened a huge can of worms", which he said "had to be done".

Commission of Investigation

The report recommended that a Commission of Investigation be established and that victims and survivors receive redress.

Minister for Education Norma Foley has also not ruled out the inclusion of state schools in an inquiry.

Mr Ryan said a commission of investigation needed to be done "quickly" and redress dealt with.

"It cannot be put back and put back. I mean, I never know when I'm going to go. I would like this before I go, for my sake and for Mark's sake," he said.

"Everything has to be done. I just can't emphasise this so much. I mean, (they need to) stop sitting on their backsides now. Come on, let's get this up and going."

Through help and guidance from One In Four and counselling from Towards Healing, which provides professional support for people who have experienced institutional, clerical or religious abuse in Ireland, Mr Ryan is learning to cope and "decode" his brain from being "brainwashed as a child".

"There are dark days still," he said.

"I mean, there's certain anniversaries, certain days that it will always just trigger straight away, but I'm learning to cope with it," he said.

Advice for victims and survivors

The scoping inquiry report pointed out that the CSO's 2022 Sexual Violence Survey showed low levels of men-reported sexual violence, including sexual violence experienced in childhood.

The CSO suggested that, in the age cohort of persons aged 35 years and older, some 15,300 men and 26,000 women are estimated to have experienced sexual violence as a child in a school.

Asked if he had any advice for people who may have experienced abuse but have not been able to speak about it yet, Mr Ryan said they should pick up the phone.

He pointed out that some may not feel ready to go to gardaí, but should call One In Four.

"They will guide you in what to do and where to go, that's how to do it, talk to them and once you talk to them, it'll flow," he said.

Grieving Mark

David's grief for Mark has become evident in recent weeks, he acknowledges the grieving process is likely to have been stalled due to the distraction of the scoping inquiry.

"I have his photographs in my bedroom and his urn is up in the room with me and the awards that we got for the Doc on One are all there.

"Every day I see him, and he has that smile on his face and I look at him and say, look at you, Mark Ryan."

David and his family and close friends will say goodbye to Mark on his anniversary at the end of this month when they scatter his ashes on Dublin Bay.

"It’s bittersweet," he said.

"I miss him terribly."

Synge Street CBS to become co-educational Gaelcholáiste

The Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) has announced that one of its best-known schools, Synge Street CBS, will become a co-educational Gaelcholáiste from September 2026.

Founded in 1864, Synge Street CBS is an all-boys secondary school located on Synge Street in south Dublin which, until now, only offered education to boys through English.

The neighbouring primary school, Bunscoil Sancta Maria Synge Street, has been offering Irish medium education to boys and girls since 2017.

Since the inclusion of the Irish stream, enrolments at the school have increased by approximately 42%.

Starting in September 2026, Synge Street CBS secondary school will offer Irish medium education to boys and girls.

Gerry Bennett, ERST Chief Executive, said that the change in the school's status came about with the support of the Department of Education and following a consultation process with the school community.

"This development will mean from that time there will be a Gaeltacht campus on the site comprising Synge Street CBS and Bunscoil Sancta Maria, Synge Street," he said.

Mr Bennett said that Synge Street CBS will join ERST’s current eight "lán Gaeilge" schools - four secondary schools, Gaelcholáistí, and four primary schools, Gaelscoileanna.

"Synge Street CBS will remain a vibrant community embracing diversity and inclusivity among staff, students and parents and continue its commitment as an Edmund Rice School to being respectful, being responsible and being ready," he added.

Minister for Education Norma Foley welcomed the announcement saying it is "great news for the school and the local community".

She said: "I am conscious there has long been a demand for a Gaelcholáiste in Dublin 2,4,6 and 8 and I am delighted that we now have one in the heart of Dublin 2.

"This will increase the provision for Irish-medium education at post-primary level in the wider South Dublin city area.

"This announcement marks a new era for CBS Synge Street, a school with a deep-rooted history in its community."

Ms Foley thanked the ERST for working with the Department and expressing their interest to explore a transition to a co-education, Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste.

Why is the Pope doing a long tour when he's so frail?

Pope Francis, who has often appeared to revel in confounding and surprising others, is at it again.

Many times over the years, he has seemed to suggest he is slowing down, only to ramp up his activities again.

At nearly 88 years old, he has a knee ailment that impairs mobility, abdominal problems caused by diverticulitis and is vulnerable to respiratory issues owing to the removal of most of one of his lungs.

Last autumn, the Pope said his health problems meant that foreign travel had become difficult. 

Soon after, when he cancelled a trip to the UAE, it led to heightened speculation about the extent of his medical difficulties.

But that was then.

Now, he is in the middle of the longest foreign visit of his 11-and-a-half year papacy. It has been one packed with engagements, and as well as Timor-Leste it involves three countries – Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Singapore – in which Catholics are a minority.

So why is the Pope travelling so extensively and so far from home?

His supporters say his passion drives him.

“He obviously has an enormous amount of stamina and that is driven by his absolute passion for mission,” says Father Anthony Chantry, the UK director of the Pope’s mission charity Missio, who has just been appointed to the Vatican administration’s evangelisation department.

“He talks about all of us having a tireless mission to reach out to others, to set an example.”

Evangelisation

Christian “mission” is something that has evolved over the centuries. It is still about spreading the gospel but now the stated aim is focused on social justice and charitable endeavours.

Throughout his trip Pope Francis will meet missionaries, including a group from Argentina now based in Papua New Guinea. But on numerous trips around Asia including this one, he also skirts close to China, a country with deep suspicions about the Church, its mission and its motives.

The Pope has frequently emphasised the importance of evangelisation for every Catholic. Yet in many parts of the world, it is still hard to separate ideas of “missionaries” and “evangelisation” from notions of European colonisation.

As the number of Catholics in Europe declines, is “mission” and “evangelising” in Asia and Africa now about Church expansion in those parts of the world?

“I think what he is preaching is the Gospel of love that will do no one any harm. He's not trying to drum up support for the Church, that's not what evangelisation is about,” says Father Anthony.

“It isn't to be equated with proselytising, that is not what we have done for a long time. That is not the agenda of the Holy Father and not the agenda of the Church. What we do is we share and we help people in any way we can, regardless of their faith or not having any faith.”

Father Anthony says being a Christian missionary in the modern day, for which Pope Francis is setting an example, is about doing good work and listening, but sometimes, “where necessary”, also challenging ideas.

“We believe God will do the rest, and if that leads to people accepting Jesus Christ, that's great. And if it helps people to appreciate their own spirituality – their own culture – more, then I think that is another success.”

Certainly the Pope has long talked of interfaith harmony and respect for other faiths. One of the most enduring images of his current trip will be his kissing the hand of the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta and holding it to his cheek.

He was warmly welcomed by people coming out to see him in the most populous Muslim-majority country in the world.

Pope Francis will end his marathon trip in Singapore, a country where around three-quarters of the population is ethnic Chinese, but also where the Catholic minority is heavily involved in missionary work in poorer areas.

For centuries now, Singapore has been something of a strategic regional hub for the Catholic Church, and what Pope Francis says and does there is likely to be closely watched in China, not least by the Catholics living there. It is hard to get a true picture of numbers, but estimates suggest around 12 million.

The lack of clarity over numbers is partly because China’s Catholics have been split between the official Catholic Church in China and an underground church loyal to the Vatican that evolved under communism.

In trying to unite the two groups, Pope Francis has been accused of appeasing Beijing and letting down Catholics in the underground movement who had not accepted the Chinese government’s interference, and who face the continued threat of persecution.

Careful path

Deals struck between the Vatican and Beijing in recent years appear to have left a situation where the Chinese government appoints Catholic bishops, and the Pope gives in and recognises them. China says it’s a matter of sovereignty, while Pope Francis insists he has the final say – though that is not the way it has looked.

“He won't be pleasing everyone all the time, but I think what the Holy Father really wants to indicate is that the Church is not a threat to the state,” says Father Anthony Chantry. “He is treading a very careful path and it's fraught with difficulties, but I think what he's trying to do is just to build up a respectful relationship with the government in China.”

Rightly or wrongly, it is all in the name of bringing more people into the fold. Some of Pope Francis’ predecessors have been more uncompromising in many ways, seeming to be more accepting of a smaller, “purer” global Catholic community, rather than make concessions in either foreign relations or in the way the Church views, for example, divorce or homosexuality.

While some popes have also clearly been more comfortable in study and theology than travel and being surrounded by huge crowds, some have leaned into the politics of their position.

It is very clear when travelling with Pope Francis that while he can often look tired and subdued during diplomatic events, he is quickly rejuvenated by the masses who come out to see him, and energised by the non-dignitaries he meets, particularly young people.

This is certainly not a pope who shuns the limelight – it is being among people, some would say mission, that appears to be his lifeblood.

Father Anthony Chantry says this latest, longest papal trip is just a continued display of how the Pope feels the Church should engage with both Catholics and non-Catholics.

“The whole thrust is that we have got to reach out to others. We have to make everyone feel welcome. I think he (Pope Francis) does that really well, but I don't think he's trying to score any points there, it's just him.”

There is very little the Pope has done since his election in 2013 that has not rankled Catholic traditionalists, who often feel that his spirit of outreach is taken too far. His actions on this trip are unlikely to change that.

In a significant step towards the renewal of Vatican Diplomacy, Pope Francis designated Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, one of the Pontiff’s principal advisers, Coordinator ofa study group hat will assess the role of Papal Representatives throughout the world. This move, promoted by the Pope’s reformist vision, seek that the Apostolic Nunciatures and other Holy See bodies operate in a more missionary and synodal way, in tune with the changes gestating in the Catholic Church. New Focus for the Nunciatures The Nunciatures, which act as Embassies of the Vatican in the different counties, play a crucial role in the communication between the Poe and the local Churches, as well as in the representation of the Holy See to the Governments. Under he leadership of Cardinal Gracias, the study will focus on improving the functioning of these key institutions, guaranteeing that their work is not limited to a merely diplomatic role, but that it be more aligned with the pastoral and evangelizing mission of the Church. Cardinal Gracias will not be alone in his task. Important figures such as Cardinal Mario Grech, who heads he Synod’s S, and. Monsignor Luciano Russo, Secretary of the Papal Representatives, will be at his side and contribute to the study that, according to Pope Francis’ expectations must be ready before June 2025. An Unprecedented Mandate This effort arises as part of a series of identified points by the Pope during the first session of the Synodal Assembly in October 2023. One of those issues is the need to redefine the relationship between the Papal Representations and he local Churches, ensuring that there is greater closeness and synergy between them. The final aim is that the Nunciatures be true bridges that foster understanding and cooperation on pastoral and ecclesial subject Although this topic will not be addressed directly in the next Synod session, planned for October 2024, it will offer participants a preliminary report, with the objective of detailing work plans and receiving feedback on the study’s progress. A Synodal and Missionary Focus On several occasions, Pope Francis has highlighted the importance of making the Church a more synodal institution, namely, that she listen and respond to the needs of the local communities. In this context, not only must the Nunciatures function as diplomatic delegations but also as vehicles that promote a spirit of collaboration and mission. This structural renewal is in consonance with the Pope’s pastoral focus, who has called the Church to come out of her traditional structures and be more active in evangelization and social commitment. Cardinal Gracias, who has extensive experience in Vatican diplomacy and profound knowledge of the Church in Asia, is a key figure to take this transformation forward. His leadership in this study group underscores the seriousness with which the Vatican addresses this reform process. Key Meetings and Projections for the Future The group’s work has already begun with a series of meetings in Rome between leaders of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State and Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of different Continents. The initial conversations seek to lay the foundation for an in-depth and multidimensional analysis of the role played by Papal Representatives today. It is hoped that the study group’s recommendations can influence not only the Nunciatures’ structures , but also the formation of the Holy See’s diplomatic personnel, which has been prepared traditionally in the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. The objective is to form future diplomats with a more pastoral and less bureaucratic mentality, in agreement with Pope Francis’ missionary vision. Towards a Church More Open to the World This assessment and reform process is a further step in Pope Francis’ wider project to make the Church a more open and transparent institution in constant dialogue with the world. Ecclesial diplomacy, traditionally centered on relations between States, is called to play a more active role in the pastoral life of local communities, especially in contexts where he Church faces specific challenges, such as religious persecution or lack of resources.

Monk appears in the FPÖ campaign – abbey distances himself

The appearance of a Cistercian at an election campaign rally of the right-wing populist FPÖ is causing a stir in Austria. 

"The Lilienfeld Abbey distances itself from the participation of a father in a party event," says a message from the Cistercian Abbey Pius Maurer. 

The performance is an unannounced private activity, continued the notification. 

"The Church basically does not make a recommended election for any party." This also applies to fathers in the area of Lilienfeld Abbey.

Videos in social networks show how the Austrian Cistercian Justin Minkowitsch stands in front of an advertising banner of the FPÖ in the Habit. 

The religious emphasizes: "Not all of us tick the same way in Lilienfeld." 

In doing so, he alludes to the controversy over the campaign slogan of the FPÖ "Your Wille Geschehehe". 

Previously, the Austrian bishops and Minkovich's abstentions publicly criticised the religious turn in the election campaign. Abt Maurer described the use of the sentence as party propaganda as "tasteless" and "tactless".

Minkowitsch, on the other hand, praised the use of the sentence as a reference to a "democratic principle". Therefore, as a religious, he shows presence at the FPÖ event. Christianity is political, said Minkowitsch. The FPÖ is the only party worth mentioning, because it is committed to protecting life. He is "infinitely grateful" for this.

The performance caused discussions in Austria. While FPÖ circles described the clergy as "Mut-Parrer", the press spokesman of Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP), Daniel Kosak, wrote in X: "Apparently, there is a Father at an FPÖ event. If that is the case, it would be quite a crossing of the border."

Pope Francis wants priests and bishops with a down-to-earth attitude

Pope Francis has admonished the bishops and priests in East Timor not to behave like bosses. 

He said at a meeting with clergy, religious and catechists in the country, 98 per cent of whom are Catholics, on Tuesday morning (local time): "The priest is an instrument of blessing. He must never take advantage of his role, he must always bless, comfort, be a servant of compassion and a sign of God's mercy."

During the meeting in Dili Cathedral, the Pope went on to say that addressing him with an honourific title such as "Lord" should "not make you feel superior to the people - you come from the people! You were born of mothers of the people! You grew up among the people! Don't forget the culture of the people that you have received."

Francis warned the clergy against the temptations of arrogance and power. "My grandmother always told me that the devil gets in through your pockets," said Francis. He called on them to see the ministry not as social prestige, but as service. "And if any of you do not feel like a servant of the people, go and ask a wise priest for advice to help you acquire this important dimension."

Working for justice and against corruption

The tasks of the clergy are to proclaim the Gospel, to serve the poor and to commit themselves to the economic and social fortunes of the country and to work for justice and against corruption. 

Francis called for vigilance: Corruption can also often infiltrate Catholic communities and parishes, he said.

Bishops, priests, religious and catechists took part in the meeting in Dili Cathedral. 

Around 98 per cent of the 1.4 million Timorese are Catholics, and people in church offices have a particularly respected position in society. 

The Catholic Church supported the country's struggle for independence against Indonesia at the end of the 20th century and has been part of the national identity ever since.

Tribunal rejects claim that crystal meth helped a priest in his pastoral ministry

A vicar who claimed his crystal meth habit helped him relate to his parishioners has been expelled by the Church of England.

Police raided the home of Rev Geoffrey Baulcomb, 78, and found a stash of the Class-A drug along with the tranquilliser ketamine.

He accepted a police caution for possessing the substances and told church officials he had been buying and using drugs, including heroin, 'periodically' for 20 years.

Baulcomb retired from the historic St Mary the Virgin church in Eastbourne, East Sussex, several years ago, but was still an ordained priest at the time of the offence.

The CofE's disciplinary tribunal 'utterly rejected' his claim that taking drugs 'assisted him in carrying out his pastoral mission'.

Retired vicar Rev Geoffrey Baulcomb, 78, who claimed his crystal meth habit helped him relate to his parishioners, has been expelled by the Church of England. Pictured: St Mary the Virgin church in Eastbourne, East Sussex where he was formerly appointed

In its judgment, the panel said Baulcomb had argued that 'experimenting with drugs or providing a venue at his home for drug taking better enables him to relate and minister to people'.

It added: 'The Tribunal considered [his] attempt to justify drug taking as a part of his ministry as entirely misconceived, displaying a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of his Holy Orders.'

Police found the drugs at Baulcomb's £250,000 cottage near Eastbourne in December 2022. 

He told church officials: 'I purchased drugs periodically over the last 20 years. I was offered and accepted a simple caution. 

'The small amount of crystal meth found was purchased last May and I sampled a small amount.

'I totally accept I was wrong to have them. I am only too well aware of the high standards of my calling as a priest.'

He also admitted injecting himself with heroin on an earlier occasion in the presence of the drug dealer who had supplied it.

He later asked the Church for mercy on the grounds that it was part of his mission from God.

Police found the drugs at Baulcomb's £250,000 cottage near Eastbourne in December 2022 (file pic)

Parishioners last week stood by their ex-priest. One said he gave engaging sermons. 

Another said: 'He obviously needed help.'

Baulcomb was handed a permanent ban from any position in the Church. It comes two months after former Co-op Bank boss Paul Flowers, an ex-minister nicknamed the Crystal Methodist for his drug use, admitted swindling a friend out of £100,000. 

He faces jail when sentenced next month.

New 10-million-euro convent for Benedictine ‘Irish Dames of Ypres’ baulks secular trends

The recent opening of a new home for the Benedictine nuns at Kylemore in the remote west of Ireland, offers a rare instance of hope for those saddened at the general trend of convent closures that has been a feature for decades in Ireland.

Kylemore Abbey, located in Connemara on the so-called Wild Atlantic Way in County Galway, has been run by Benedictine nuns since 1920. A boarding school was established there, but after it closed in  2010, the nuns found themselves scattered in various buildings around the estate — and so it was decided to build a new convent, the first female Benedictine monastery to be built in 400 years in the country.

There are 15 nuns in the new convent, the premises of which was blessed recently by Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy, who said that the ceremony was “a rare event in Ireland and perhaps in western Europe”.

Designed by architect Michael Horan, the 10-million-euro-building enables the nuns to welcome more visitors for retreats and other religious events, in addition to the sisters making soap, candles and chocolate.

The new Benedictine monastery has become one of the most popular attractions in Connemara, drawing an estimated 500,000 visitors annually. Up to 150 people are employed there at the height of the tourist season.

Set within 1,000 acres of mountainside, the Benedictine abbey and accompanying visitor centre is owned by The Kylemore Trust, a non-profit organisation led by the Benedictine nuns, which describes Kylemore as “a place of welcome and spirituality to thousands of visitors and pilgrims”.

It all stands in dramatic contrast to general trends in Ireland when it comes to religious orders.

“Convents were once ubiquitous in Irish towns and villages,” wrote journalist Dearbhail McDonald, who also presented the RTÉ documentary The Last Nuns in Ireland earlier this year. “Indeed, the number of nuns and sisters, relative to our population, was once among the highest in the world, nuns’ wimples and habits a part of the daily fabric of Irish life.”

She notes that during the 1960s, there were about 14,000 women religious in Ireland, and adds:

“Now there are fewer than 4,000, with an average age of 80 and rising.”

Kylemore Abbey has been run by Benedictine nuns since 1920. Kylemore’s history is rooted in the post-Reformation exodus of Catholics from these islands, which led to the foundation of a convent in Brussels by Lady Mary Percy in 1598.

Houses founded from Lady Mary’s house in Brussels were established at Cambray in France (which then moved to Stanbrook, Yorkshire) and at Ghent (which would move to Oulton Abbey, Staffordshire).

Ghent, in turn, founded several Benedictine Houses, one of which was at Ypres, also in Belgium, established in 1665.

Throughout the centuries, Ypres Abbey attracted the daughters of Irish nobility, as students and postulants. The Abbey enjoyed the patronage of influential Irish families living in exile from religious persecution.

Known as The Irish Dames of Ypres, the Benedictine nuns moved to Dublin in 1688 at the request of King James II but returned to Ypres following James’s defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

After more than two centuries in Ypres educating women and living their Benedictine lives of prayer and spirituality, their Abbey was destroyed in the early days of World War I.

The nuns fled as refugees, first to England, later to Macmine, in County Wexford, Ireland, before they eventually bought Kylemore Castle in Connemara and settled in Kylemore in December 1920.

The old convent was inside a castle built in 1868 as the home of Mitchell Henry, a doctor whose family was involved in textile manufacturing in Manchester, England.

By 2007, the nuns were living in a farmhouse on the castle grounds. In 2009, the monastery came close to closing but this was averted with help from supporters.

The nuns have maintained an educational dimension to their ministry through links with the famous (and Catholic) University of Notre Dame in the US, which has established a residential centre for both students and staff at the abbey.

European Protestants approve publication of controversial document on gender, sexuality

The Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe, which brings together 96 ecclesial communities, has issued a 22-page final report following its recent 9th general assembly in Sibiu, Romania.

The Hungarian Reformed Church withdrew from the assembly because of its “substantial theological concerns” about a study document on gender, sexuality, marriage, and the family.

The document “sparked a broad debate,” Riccardo Burigana of the Study Center for Ecumenism in Italy wrote in the Vatican newspaper. “A plurality of positions emerged from the debate, which however led to a deep harmony, also thanks to the use of the method of differentiated consensus, with a view to continuing a reflection that must involve, as has been said on several occasions, the local churches.”

By a 69-4 vote, with three abstentions, the Protestant communities approved the publication of the document.

Participants in the assembly also discussed democracy, migration, dialogue, and peace. 

The theme of the assembly was “In the Light of Christ – Called to Hope”; the keynote address, delivered by Swiss theologian Christine Schliesser, was entitled “’Gimme Hope!’ Towards a New Theology of Hope.”

Connecticut diocese announces bankruptcy reorganization plan

The Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut—along with its insurance provider and its parishes—has announced its intent to file a bankruptcy reorganization plan that will make $30 million available to abuse survivors and other unsecured creditors.

The diocese stated that it came to this decision after the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors “abruptly withdrew” from a previous agreement.

The diocese made its announcement on September 6—three days after the retirement of its bishop, Bishop Michael Cote, and the Pope’s appointment of Archbishop Christopher Coyne of Hartford as apostolic administrator.

Vatican official, Latin American bishops’ officials discuss abuse prevention

The secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors joined officials from 22 bishops’ conferences in Colombia for a three-day discussion of “The Culture of Care in the Church of Latin America and the Caribbean: Sharing the Path of Transparency and Reparation.”

Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, the pontifical commission’s secretary, said that safeguarding is “not the work of a ‘lone ranger’ ... No; it is the work of the Church, and it is an evangelistic responsibility to make our Church a safe space and home.”

Bishop Herrera discussed the commission’s recent Universal Guidelines Framework and said he had “a very sincere and enriching dialogue with the bishops and religious conferences” about the framework.

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Creating a culture of care, along with a shared responsibility toward transparency and reparation were among themes discussed by the participants from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Bishops, priests, religious and lay men and women representing dioceses, religious orders and Catholic organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered to discuss the Church’s commitment to Safeguarding and protecting minors and vulnerable adults.

The meeting, which was sponsored by the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM), was held in Bogotá, Colombia from September 3-5 and reflected on the theme: “The Culture of Care in the Church of Latin America and the Caribbean: Sharing the Path of Transparency and Reparation.”

Among those present was Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, who participated at the three-day conference as a guest speaker.

In a video message recorded during the conference, Bishop Alí Herrera highlighted the collaborative spirit at the meeting and emphasized that Safeguarding “is not the work of a ‘lone ranger,’” nor is it a job a person does “because he or she likes it.”

“No; it is the work of the Church, and it is an evangelistic responsibility to make our Church a safe space and home,” he said.

“We all have the responsibility to be witnesses; that any parent who places in our hands their children’s future can have the certainty that we trust completely in the Lord’s words: ‘Let the children come to me’ and we are going to protect, respect, love and announce the Gospel of Jesus.”

Promoting a Culture of Care 

In his opening address at the conference, Auxiliary Bishop Lizardo Estrada Herrera of Cuzco, Peru, CELAM secretary general, encouraged participants to share their experiences and good practices “to trace in synodality a path that will allow the whole region to implement policies of transparency to create safe ecclesial environments.”

He also urged the representatives of the various bishops’ conferences, as well as the religious and lay men and women present to “reaffirm their willingness to work together to prevent future cases of abuse and help victims recover.”

Over 40 representatives from 22 Bishops Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean, serving in National Safeguarding Commissions, the Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Culture of Care, the Latin American Confederation of religious orders (CLAR), as well as Catholic organizations, including Caritas Latin America, participated at the event.

At the conference, participants had an opportunity to share and discuss the challenges and progress made in their respective dioceses in implementing Safeguarding initiatives and policies.

They also discussed the scourge of sexual abuse, the legal and canonical aspects within the context of their countries, and the importance of networking with one another to create a culture of care and ensure that the Church becomes a safe space for children and vulnerable adults.

At the conference, Bishop Alí Herrera presented the Universal Guidelines Framework (UGF), which aim to enhance pastoral capacities in the area of Safeguarding, and protocols to ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. He also updated participants on the forthcoming publication of the Commission’s Annual Report.

Summarizing his experience at the meeting, the Commission secretary said the three-day conference provided a space to have “a very sincere and enriching dialogue with the bishops and religious conferences on the Universal Guidelines Framework.”

“It is very valuable to listen to the challenges on the ground in each of the countries,” Bishop Alí Herrera said. “I have seen that in Latin America we are growing a network, and I am taking some homework back to Rome to continue working and discussing specific aspects with them.”

Cardinal Schönborn: ‘We must accept the decline of Europe’

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, OP, archbishop of Vienna, said in a recent interview with a French Catholic magazine that in the face of rising secularization and the growth of Islam in many historically Christian nations, Catholics should “trust in the work of grace” and remember that the Church is “an expert in humanity.”

“The Church is alive and will always be, albeit under different circumstances. We must accept the decline of Europe. We tend to gaze at our ecclesiastical navel, but it is an undeniable continental movement,” Schönborn said, speaking to Famille Chrétienne. 

“In 20 years, the European population will not be the same as it is today, and it is already not the same as it was 50 years ago. This is inevitable, above all due to the decline in the birth rate in Europe but also due to immigration and the increasing presence of Islam. This poses new challenges for us Christians. We must also not forget that the Lord is at work in his Church! Just think of the 12,000 baptisms of adults and young people in France this year.”

The Austrian cardinal, who helped to produce the Catechism of the Catholic Church, said that despite the decline of the Church’s influence in Europe, he is convinced that the Church “has not yet breathed its last.”

“Despite secularization, the great questions of men and women remain the same as before: birth, growth, education, illness, economic worries. And then there is the family, marriage, and death,” Schönborn noted. “There is a lot of talk about change, but too little attention is paid to the constants of society. The Church must remember that it is an expert in humanity, as Paul VI said.” 

The cardinal called the idea that France and Europe are “no longer Christian” because of Islam’s influence “absurd,” but he firmly stressed that “Catholics should return to the Church.” 

“If Catholics have left the Church, we should not be surprised that they are in the minority,” he continued, calling for a “fraternal rapprochement” with Islam, echoing the words of Pope Francis, noting that Christians “do not take up arms but trust in the work of grace.” 

“Both our religions have an absolute appeal. For Muslims, God has demanded that the whole world be subjected to him and the Koran. As for Christ, he has entrusted us with a universal mission: ‘Make disciples of all nations.’ Neither of them can therefore renounce their mission. But the Christians’ way of acting is not that of the Koran but the following of Christ in all dimensions of our lives,” he said. 

Addressing the ongoing Synod on Synodality — the final session of which will take place in October in Rome and is expected to produce a final report for the pope’s approval — Schönborn said “synodality is central to Francis’ pontificate, but there is continuity with previous synods, which have been about communion, participation, and mission.”

“You may be disappointed that the specific topics are a little up in the air, but this is first and foremost a synod about the ‘modus operandi’ within the Church,” Schönborn said. 

“In my diocese, I have experienced this synodality with the priests in small groups and tried to live it through spiritual conversation. Everyone agreed that the exchange had never been so deep.”

Asked about Fiducia Supplicans, a document published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in December 2023 that authorized nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples and others in “irregular situations,” Schönborn said he believes the document shows “confusion” on the part of the Church. The cardinal had previously, in 2021, criticized the Vatican’s rejection of blessings for same-sex couples, saying the document was marked by a “clear communication error.”

“I experienced it as I experience things — concretely,” the cardinal said. “If friends say to me: ‘Our son has just announced to us that he is homosexual and that he has found a partner,’ I then ask them: ‘Is he still your son?’ Most often, the answer comes naturally. I believe that with the two successive documents from Rome [the 2021 Responsum ad Dubium and Fiducia Supplicans], the Church has shown its own dismay in the face of this question. These texts, in my eyes, are shaky. We are faced with a question for which there can be no right answer.”

“The path that Pope Francis proposes to us is that of discernment, trying to see what the Lord is showing us,” he continued. “Incidentally, the misfortune of the German [Synodal Way] is that they want sharp, unambiguous answers. And unambiguity does not work in concrete life.”

Asked about Pope Francis’ restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass by way of the 2021 document Traditionis Custodes, Schönborn expressed the hope that the “new generation” might “easily” move from the TLM to modern movements and “prayer groups” such as the Emmanuel Community. 

The Austrian prelate added: “Let us accept that Francis has his reasons for closing the doors again, at least partially, just as we have accepted that Benedict XVI had his reasons for opening them. Let us trust that the Lord is leading the Church.”

Schönborn was finally asked what “profile” the next pope after Francis, who turns 88 in December, should have.

“On that day, the Holy Spirit will lead the Church. We should not worry. If it is an African, it will be an African. Maybe it will be an Asian or a man from old Europe. But the most important thing is that he believes that he is a servant of Christ and that he loves the Church. This is how the Church will move forward,” Schönborn said.

Beheaded child Jesus statue fully restored in New York

Since May of 2020, there has been a distinct rise in attacks on Catholic churches in the United States. 

There have been so many – mostly instances of arson or property damage – that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has started tracking them, with the number currently resting at 346 incidents across 43 states. 

While many of the headlines focus on the damage, it has become refreshing to see the follow-up reports of Catholic communities banding together to fix the damage and grow closer as a community in faith. 

That’s exactly what happened at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in Queens, New York, where a 42-year-old statue was beheaded in June.

On June 30, a man stopped his taxi across the street from the church in order to approach a statue of the Child Jesus that was positioned at the forefront of images of the Holy Family. 

The man struck the statue of Jesus until its head broke off before fleeing the scene.  

According to CBS, he was later arrested and charged with a hate crime. 

In the video report, featured above, the statue can be seen fully restored and back in its place at the front of the church property. The restoration job was completed so well that it’s hard to even notice that there was any damage to the statue at all. 

Father Sean Sukiel, parish priest at Holy Family, noted that there was never a question about whether they would restore the statue: 

"It just gets tiring when this happens to us, but we're not going to let [it] ruin our faith. We're going to keep coming back and we're not going to remove our statues. We're not going to start hiding our statues. No, this is our property and we're proud of our faith," Fr. Sukiel said.

When asked if the parish holds any hard feelings against the vandal, Fr. Sukiel went on to express that the parish wants justice, but they do forgive the man. He said: 

“...we hope and pray that whatever it is that he's going through, that he finds peace in his own heart and his own life," Fr. Sukiel added.

On hand for the rededication of the statue was Bishop Robert Brennen of the Diocese of Brooklyn. He commented to CBS that the vandalism was “kind of small” when compared to the sufferings many Christians experience for their faith, all over the world. 

The bishop celebrated Mass with the parishioners of Holy Family, after which he blessed the statue and tied the day’s readings in with the vandalism:

"Well, you know the scriptures that came to us today were from the prophet Isaiah. He said, 'Say to those who are frightened, fear not, be strong. Your God is here to save you.' And that statue says it so eloquently and we say it to one another," Bishop Brennan said.

Military Apologizes for Assault on Catholic Priest in Nigerian Diocese, Bishop “concerned about unanswered questions”

The military has apologized for the August 5 assault on Fr. Bernard Unum and his stewards in Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Wukari, the Local Ordinary of the Nigerian Episcopal See has told ACI Africa.

On August 5, the Nigerian military personnel invaded All Saints Ikyaior Catholic Church and assaulted Fr. Unum and his stewards, one of them losing his eye.

In a Monday, September 9 interview with ACI Africa, Bishop Mark Maigida Nzukwein acknowledged the efforts taken by the military to make amends.

“The assault on the Priest and his stewards, which led to a steward losing his sight, was a deeply distressing event for our community. I can confirm that the incident involved military personnel from Taraba, who travelled from Makurdi to carry out the operation. Brigadier General Kingsley Uwa, who commands in Jalingo, Taraba State, has taken full responsibility. He personally reached out and assured us that a thorough investigation is underway to understand why this happened and to hold those responsible accountable,” Bishop Maigida said.

He added, “General Uwa not only took responsibility but also apologized for the harm done to both the Priest and the steward. He acknowledged the trauma they endured and committed to making amends.”

“We are now focusing on the healing process, as both individuals have been significantly impacted by the incident. I have recommended that the military not only visit me but also physically meet with the steward to begin this healing journey. Their presence and acknowledgment are crucial for the victims' recovery,” the pioneer Bishop of the Nigerian Diocese that Pope Francis erected in December 2022 told ACI Africa September 9.

He continued, “I appreciate the steps the military has taken so far, but I remain concerned about the unanswered questions surrounding the assault.”

The Local Ordinary of Wukari called for collective efforts to heal the community and prevent future incidents.

In the September 9 interview with ACI Africa, Bishop Maigida reflected on the possible reasons for the military Parish invasion, saying, “What I heard is that they were saying that the priests were harbouring criminals.” 

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop noted that the military knows where the “real” criminals are, “deep in the bush, where bandits and kidnappers operate with impunity.”

“They know where the bandits are hanging in the bush, but they will not go there. Instead, they come to the villages, arresting innocent people,” Bishop Maigida lamented.

He recounted how the Priest was subjected to physical assault despite identifying himself. “They met him in his house, asked him for his ID card, and when he brought it out, they started beating him,” he said.

Bishop Maigida further said, “It is our hope that this incident will lead to reforms, and we can continue with our farming season, ensuring food security and peace by the grace of God.”

Archbishop of Cyprus in favor of ending the occupation of the Esfigmenos Monastery

The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Esfigmenos on Mount Athos, Archimandrite Bartholomew, was received by Archbishop George of Cyprus, at the Archiepiscopal Palace in Nicosia on Monday, September 9, 2024, during a four-day visit to Cyprus.

The Archbishop expressed his deep sorrow over the continued occupation of the central building complex of the Esfigmenos Monastery on Mount Athos, as well as the obstruction of the implementation of lawful decisions by various parties acting in their self-interest.

The Archbishop of Cyprus stressed the urgent need for an immediate end to the occupation for the sake of Mount Athos and the Orthodox Church as a whole. He also stressed the need for the faithful to remain vigilant against the danger of propaganda by the occupiers of the Monastery, whose aim is to draw them away from the Eastern Orthodox Church and convert them to the religious community to which they belong (“Church of the True Orthodox Christians of Greece”), using religious fanaticism as a means.

Finally, the Archbishop of Cyprus informed the Abbot of the Monastery and his entourage of the challenges facing the Church and Cyprus in general. He also asked them to pray on Mount Athos for himself, the Church of Cyprus, and the people of Cyprus.

'Absolutely outstanding' 12-century picture stone unearthed in Germany likely depicts bishop who brought Christianity to region

A man doing home construction in Germany has discovered a rare boulder with a 12th-century carving — a "picture stone" that may depict a Christian bishop who visited the area around 800 years ago.

The medieval find is a "sensation," as there are only about 20 other known picture stones in the region, Detlef Jantzen, chief archaeologist of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the state where it was found, told Live Science. 

Known in German as "bildstein," these stones have been found along the Baltic coast in parts of what is now Germany and Poland. While they vary in style and form, they typically show people with a few identifying attributes, such as clothing.

The newfound carving may depict Otto of Bamberg (lived 1060 to 1139), a bishop who served royalty and a missionary who sought to convert people in Pomerania, which is now part of Germany and Poland.

"Whether the bildstein is showing Otto or not: This is an absolutely outstanding find, that leads us back to the time when Christian religion first came to Pomerania, brought by Otto, who is at the same time famous for his success to negotiate peace between the Polish duke and the Pomeranian nobility," Jantzen, who also works with the State Office for Culture and Monument Preservation, told Live Science in an email

The stone was found in August, when Peter Wittenberg, a homeowner in the village of Klotzow, began moving soil by his house so he could reach its foundation. He found the 3-foot-long (1 meter) boulder just below the ground's surface, but he only realized it was "something special" when he saw that it had a "very old fashioned carving," Jantzen said.

Wittenberg's architect connected with an art historian, and soon, news of the "outstanding find" spread to the state archaeological office, which brought it to a laboratory to examine, Jantzen said.

Based on the granite carving's decoration and symbols, the team dated it to the 12th century. It shows an "upright standing person, clad with a kind of cap, a shawl, a short robe and maybe shoes," Jantzen said. "In its right hand the person is bearing something that looks like a banner. The face is not depicted in detail, but the eyes are clearly visible and maybe the hair is protruding from under the cap."

But it's one particular detail — a carved cross at the "loose hanging end of the shawl" — that stands out, as it's the only known picture stone with a cross on it, Jantzen said.

A few details, including the cross, suggest the carved individual is Otto. It's possible the shawl and cross are a pallium, a religious cloth worn by popes, archbishops and very honorable bishops, Jantzen said. Written sources detail that in 1111, "Otto received the pallium from pope Paschalis II," Jantzen said, adding that "when Otto was traveling in Pomerania in 1124 and 1128, he was the first and only possible bearer of a pallium at that time in that area."

What's more, Otto probably passed through Klotzow on his journeys in the area, Jantzen noted.

While it's unknown what purpose picture stones served, ideas include that they stood upright as a type of remembrance of an individual and some may have been tombstones.

Once the team's analysis of the picture stone is complete, they hope to put it on permanent display in the village where it was recovered, Jantzen said.

New abuse allegations emerge against once-venerated French priest

More abuse allegations have been made against Abbé Pierre, the late French Roman Catholic priest and campaigner who was long venerated as a modern-day saint.

In July, the Emmaus anti-poverty charity which Abbé Pierre founded said it had heard allegations of sexual assault and harassment from seven women and it believed them.

Emmaus has now decided to expunge Abbé Pierre from the organisation after 17 more women spoke out about having suffered abuse at his hands.

The priest, who died in 2007 aged 94, used to regularly appear in polls as one of the most popular French people of modern times because of his tireless work for the poor and homeless.

The Emmaus movement, which he founded in 1949, operates in more than 40 countries. In France, his caped and bearded figure became an emblem of Christian self-sacrifice.

Now, following a second release of witness statements gathered by Egaé, an independent consultancy, the movement has decided to remove Abbé Pierre’s name from its various organisations.

The Abbé Pierre Foundation is to be retitled, while the board of Emmaus France is to vote on removing the priest’s name from its logo. The Abbé Pierre Centre in Esteville in Normandy, where he lived for many years and is buried, is to close for good.

A decision will also be taken on how to dispose of hundreds of statuettes, busts and other images of the charity’s creator.

“We are in a state of shock, very hurt and very angry,” said Christophe Robert, who heads the Abbé Pierre Foundation. “We extend our fullest support to all the victims who have had the courage to speak out.”

A first blow fell in July when the Emmaus movement revealed allegations made by seven women, who said they had been victims of sexual aggression mainly in the form of breast-touching and unwanted kisses.

The 17 women who have come forward since have made claims that are in some cases more serious.

One woman – designated as "J" by the Egaé consultancy – said she had been forced to give oral sex to Abbé Pierre, and made to watch him masturbate. "J" is now dead but she told her story to her daughter.

The consultancy's report also includes the experience of woman named as "M" who in the 1990s came to the priest in distress, asking for help to find a home.

“Their dozen or so meetings were always accompanied by forced kisses and breast-touching. Abbé Pierre put his hand on her (private parts) though her trousers,” according to the report.

Another charge relates to a girl, designated "X", who was only eight or nine years old when the priest allegedly abused her in the mid-1970s, touching her chest and kissing her “with his tongue.”

A staff-member at the National Assembly, where Abbé Pierre was a deputy from 1945 to 1951, is quoted as saying that “he behaved like a sexual predator, who assaulted his female colleagues and had sexual relations with them.”

The Egaé report said that there were many more accounts, but it had left out those which were given anonymously or where the complainants were reluctant to reveal full details. The most recent claims relate to when the priest was 92.

The sudden fall of a modern-day icon – only last year he was the subject of a hagiographic biopic – has been greeted with less surprise than might have been expected. Successive revelations about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church have seen to that.

More perplexing to many is growing evidence that colleagues in Emmaus – and in the Catholic Church – were aware of Abbé Pierre’s sexual behaviour, but failed to speak out.

Partly this was because in these earlier times – the first alleged assaults were in the 1950s – such actions were not treated very seriously.

But when stories of Abbé Pierre’s unwanted advances became impossible to ignore, it seems certain that church and charity colluded to keep his name out of the press, and thus preserve his achievement for the poor and homeless.

Born Henri Grouès in 1912 in Lyon, Abbé Pierre was ordained in 1938, taking a vow of chastity. He worked in the Resistance in World War Two, and became a household name in the winter of 1954 when he made a famous appeal on behalf of the homeless.

According to an investigation by Le Monde newspaper, church hierarchy learned of his predatory behaviour the following year when, on a visit to US and Canada, he was asked to cut the trip short because of complaints from women.

Biographer Pierre Lunel said that after the 1954 appeal “there were groupies of every kind who just wanted to pull out a hair of his beard. It was total hero-worship. At that point there were definitely sexual adventures.”

In 1957 Abbé Pierre went to a clinic in Switzerland, ostensibly to recover from exhaustion but in reality to keep him out of trouble. After that the church insisted he be accompanied by a "socius" – a church helper whose real job was to keep an eye on him.

In fact from the 1960s his relations with the church grew more distant, while his charity became a large and complex organisation. For the next 40 years he remained as a figurehead, and a reference in France for humility and self-giving.

Speaking on Monday, the head of Emmaus International, Adrien Caboche, confirmed that throughout that time Abbé Pierre’s non-observance of his vow of chastity had been no secret to those in the know.

“We were aware of course that Abbé Pierre had an emotional and a sexual life. But we were all stunned by the violent aspect which has now been revealed.”