Bishop Fellay warns SSPX faithful over possible excommunication

Bishop Bernard Fellay has warned members of the Society of St Pius X that they could face excommunication if the Society proceeds with episcopal consecrations without papal mandate, as fresh reports suggest Rome is preparing a formal response to any such move.

The SSPX announced in February that it intended to consecrate new bishops on July 1 without authorisation from the Holy See, reviving a crisis that many Catholics had assumed belonged to the era of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. 

The Society’s own announcement says that Fr Davide Pagliarani, its superior general, made the decision public on February 2.

Victim of abuse by Salesian priest seeks to be heard by Salvadoran justice system and open criminal proceedings

José Napoleón Lemus assures that he knows at least 50 other victims of Father Giuseppe Corò, with whom he has been able to contact over two decades.

More than two decades have passed since José Napoleón Lemus left El Salvador to try to forget a pain that, at the time, no one wanted to hear. 

Today, with evidence in hand, with a case of abuse accepted by the Salesian congregation, he seeks justice in his country. 

It was 1985 and he was studying his baccalaureate at the Ricaldone Technical Institute, in San Salvador, a Catholic institution under the tutelage of the Salesian congregation.

Lemus was a boy with learning disabilities, who many years later discovered that it was dyslexia. By the end of 1985, his educational problems had escalated and affected him greatly. 

The Italian Salesian priest, Giuseppe Corò, was the rector of the institution and also taught two subjects, religion and sex education, “ironically,” says this Salvadoran.

“He had a good friendship with Father Corò, and he privately interacted with me and quickly told me that if I ever needed help, to seek it out; its doors were open whenever he wanted. I took this gesture as a sign of friendship and began to see him as a second father,” Lemus recounts in a letter he wrote in 2019, where he narrated the abuse.

At the end of the year, in November 1985, Father Corò asked him to meet him, after 6:00 in the afternoon, at the school. The priest gave him directions on how to enter and that the security agents would let him pass.

Upon entering, Lemus relates that the priest took him and began to touch and kiss him. “I was paralyzed,” he said. In an interview with Diario El Mundo, Lemus said that the priest tried to bribe him: “They were words that I will never forget again in my life: ‘If you come at least once a month, you don’t have to worry about studying again.’ It was a sexual bribe in the sense that I could graduate. And I never went back to school,” said this Salvadoran living in Canada.

José left school and that same day he told his mother what had happened. “My mom didn’t believe it. My mom thought it was an excuse that I didn’t want to study,” years later, under pressure not to continue studying and in the midst of being recruited in the armed conflict, Lemus left El Salvador, traveled to the United States and later to Canada, which has been his home for decades.

“I have avoided arriving in El Salvador all my life,” he tells Diario El Mundo in a phone call, acknowledging that he still has nightmares about returning to the country and that this child, whose childhood was stolen, still screams in pain.

A decree and a “rebuke”

But this story is not only recorded in a letter, after seeking help and that all doors will be closed to him, in 2019, the Vice Province “Mary Seat of Wisdom” in Rome, Italy, a special circumscription of the Salesian Congregation at the global level, decided to listen to him, sent representatives to his place of residence in Canada and was heard in a long conversation. 

Although José recognizes that the Salesians who visited him were only looking to prove that everything was false, a year later, in February 2020, he received a letter from the superior of the Vice Province agreeing with him.

It is a decree signed by the Salesian rector, Fr Eugenio Riva, where he refers to a preliminary investigation initiated against the Reverend Giuseppe Corò, accused of crimes “more serious things against sexto” (crimes against the sixth commandment, which according to the Bible dictates to believers: “You shall not commit impure acts”).

That decree concludes that the cleric Giuseppe Corò committed the abuses, although he does not use the term, and that the age of the victims at the time of the events was considered. 

The document ends by saying that appropriate canonical sanctions were decreed against the Italian priest, on February 12, 2020, in relation to his religious life and priestly ministry.

The document cites the Code of Canon Law, Canon 1339 §2, which consists of “rebuking anyone who causes scandal or grave disturbance.”

“The father who is rector of it (Giuseppe Corò), where he is retired, sent me a written apology and told me that they were going to collaborate with me. And the rector also, who is the rector of the Salesians in Central America, was the one who approved the psychological help that I was having for three years here in Canada,” Lemus said.

Manchester and Lichfield dioceses respond to safeguarding disclosures about priest who emigrated to Australia

THE dioceses of Manchester and Lichfield, where the late the Revd Kesh Govan served before emigrating to Australia, have released statements after “serious safeguarding disclosures” about him were confirmed by an independent investigation commissioned by the diocese of Brisbane, in Australia.

Govan took his own life in November (Deaths, 28 November 2025), aged 59, after the investigation concluded that he had groomed and abused several victims.

In identical statements released on Wednesday of last week, the dioceses of Manchester and Lichfield said that they were “aware that an independent investigation commissioned by the Anglican Church in Southern Queensland, Australia has shared serious safeguarding disclosures relating to the late Revd Kesh Govan, who previously served here”.

The statement continued: “News of this nature is deeply distressing, above all for those who have experienced abuse and also for families, friends, and communities. We encourage anyone affected by this news to contact our Safeguarding Team in confidence via email at safeguarding@lichfield.anglican.org.”

A further note from the dioceses confirmed that Govan had also served in Ireland and Australia.

“The individuals who disclosed his abuse to the independent investigation commissioned by the Anglican Communion in Southern Queensland have requested that neither the youth group nor the diocese in which it was located be identified, in order to safeguard their confidentiality. We are honouring this request.”

Govan had been Team Vicar in the Walkden and Little Hulton Team Ministry in Worsley (2000 to 2004) before moving to the Church of Ireland to become Rector of Blessington with Kilbride, Ballymore Eustace and Hollywood, until 2007.

He then served a curacy in Rocester and Croxden with Hollington, in Lichfield diocese, until 2010, when he was appointed Vicar. 

During that time, he was also School Chaplain of JCB Academy. In 2014, he emigrated to Australia, serving as Rector of Nelson Bay until his death.

The dioceses pointed to the free, independent, and confidential support line Safe Spaces and additional confidential support via the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or at nspcc.org.uk.

Madrid closes registrations to volunteer during the Pope's visit with nearly 16,000 sign-ups

The Archdiocese of Madrid closed the registration period for volunteers a few days ago with a total of 15,996 people registered, a figure that comfortably exceeds the initial target of around 10,000 volunteers. 

This result confirms the broad response to the call made in the previous weeks to ensure the organization of the papal events.

The closure of this phase marks a decisive step in the preparation of the apostolic journey, in a context of growing ecclesial mobilization ahead of the Pontiff’s arrival.

A broad mobilization of the Madrid Church

According to the same archdiocese, the volunteers come from 525 parishes, along with 150 religious congregations, 70 educational centers, and more than 200 movements, associations, and ecclesial groups. 

This diversity reflects the transversal involvement of the Church in Madrid in preparing for the event.

Regarding the distribution of tasks, 5,823 volunteers will be dedicated to welcoming duties, while 10,173 will participate in organizing the various events. 

This deployment responds to the expectation of a high influx of faithful, which at some moments is estimated to exceed one million pilgrims.

Profile of the volunteers: majority young people

The analysis of the registrants shows a clear predominance of young people. 

A total of 7,427 volunteers are between 18 and 35 years old, making them the largest group. 

They are followed by people between 36 and 65 years old, with 6,142 registered, while those over 65 represent a smaller presence.

By gender, 66% of the volunteers are women and 34% men. 

Additionally, three out of every four have confirmed their availability to collaborate during the weekend, when the main events of the papal visit will be concentrated.

The training and coordination phase begins

With the registration process concluded, the organization now enters a new stage focused on the training and coordination of the teams. 

During the month of May, various initiatives will be developed that combine technical preparation and spiritual accompaniment.

Among them, a retreat led by Auxiliary Bishop Vicente Martín will be held, aimed at deepening the meaning of service and the vocation of Christian volunteering. 

In parallel, training sessions will be offered in areas such as security and emergencies, first aid, attention to people with disabilities, and safe environments.

Spiritual preparation and prior accompaniment

In addition to technical training, the Archdiocese has planned a spiritual preparation itinerary. 

The volunteers will receive pastoral materials and proposals for daily prayer, inspired by the Word of God and the magisterium of Leo XIV, with the aim of integrating the spiritual dimension into their service.

Likewise, at the end of May, a sending blessing will be celebrated in the parishes, coinciding with the Sunday Masses prior to the visit. 

During the days of the apostolic journey, personal and community prayer will also be encouraged as part of the day’s development.

With the closure of the volunteer registration stage, Madrid enters the home stretch of preparations for Leo XIV’s visit, alongside Barcelona, which finalized registrations in early April. 

Only the Canary Islands remain to complete this stage.

«Abortion is a priority in Andorra»: Macron meets with co-prince Serrano Pentinat

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, is in Andorra on an institutional visit that extends until April 28, in his capacity as co-prince of the country, a position that shares the head of state with the Bishop of Urgell.

According to La Veu Lliure, it is his second official visit to the Principality, at a time marked by several fundamental debates that affect both the political future and the Andorran institutional model.

First meeting with the episcopal co-prince

One of the central moments of the visit has been the meeting between Macron and the episcopal co-prince, Josep Lluís Serrano Pentinat, in the first official contact between them since the prelate fully assumed his functions.

This meeting holds special relevance, as the co-principality system grants the bishop a direct role in the head of state, which places certain legislative issues - such as abortion - in a dimension that transcends the strictly political.

Abortion, a debate that affects the balance of the State

In this context, the decriminalization of abortion has become one of the main axes of the visit. 

Macron has confirmed that it is a priority issue on his agenda, placing it among the topics that must be addressed openly during his stay.

Currently, abortion is illegal in Andorra. 

Any legislative change would not only imply a legal reform but would directly affect the country’s institutional balance, as it would require the intervention of the co-princes in the process of sanctioning laws.

The role of the episcopal co-prince at the center of the debate

The uniqueness of the Andorran model lies in the fact that the Bishop of Urgell, as co-prince, is part of the head of state. 

This introduces a specific dimension into the debate on abortion, as it is an issue that directly affects Catholic doctrine.

In this framework, any eventual reform raises questions about how to reconcile political initiatives with the institutional role of the episcopal co-prince, in a system that has been maintained for centuries on a delicate balance.

The Government bets on advancing “with prudence”

After his meeting with Macron, the head of Government, Xavier Espot, acknowledged the willingness to advance in the decriminalization of abortion, although he insisted that it must be done “from realism, prudence, and ambition”.

Espot emphasized that the process cannot be approached hastily or put the country’s institutional functioning at risk, in reference to the balance between the different authorities that configure the Andorran political system, making it clear that the issue of abortion remains one of the most complex debates in Andorra, where legal, social, and institutional considerations converge.

Germany redefines the priesthood: less doctrine, more «process», psychology and synodality

According to the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), the new framework document for priestly formation - Ratio Nationalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis - was approved on March 11 by the Dicastery for the Clergy and replaces the text in force since 2003.

The new regulation is inspired by the Ratio Fundamentalis approved in 2016 by Pope Francis and has been developed over several years by a working group of the German bishops’ conference itself.

A training model with a “synodal” and community focus

The document defines priestly formation as an “integral, permanent, community, and missionary” process, in line with the current ecclesial approach promoted from Rome.

Among the main novelties, according to the bishops themselves, a more decentralized model is introduced, which combines seminary life with stays in parishes, as well as the joint training of future priests with other pastoral agents.

In addition, the need to develop what is called a “dialogical existence” is emphasized, placing emphasis not only on academic formation but also on the personal maturation of the candidate.

Greater prominence for psychology and women

One of the highlighted aspects of the new framework is the reinforcement of the role of psychology in the training process, as well as the incorporation of “competent” women at different levels of responsibility within priestly formation.

The document also includes contributions from various groups consulted during its preparation, including formators, theology professors, seminarians, and representatives of abuse victims.

Priestly formation, key to the “Church of the future”

Bishop Michael Gerber, responsible for the commission on vocations and ecclesial services, has defended that this new model responds to the current challenges of the Church.

As he explained, the goal is to train priests capable of facing the difficulties of the contemporary context and working in collaboration with the entire people of God.

Gerber emphasized that formation should not focus solely on specific skills, but on the development of personality and the ability to integrate new experiences throughout life.

The document underscores the need to relativize one’s own judgment, insisting on an open attitude and constant review:

“Study must foster a self-relativization of one’s own way of thinking and judging”

In continuity with the synodal path

The new regulation aligns with the conclusions of the synodal works at the universal level, which insist on greater integration of the priest within the life of the people of God and the promotion of a more participatory ecclesial culture.

From the bishops’ conference, they consider that the formation of future priests will be decisive in shaping this model of Church in the coming years.

Compensation to victims of abuses in the Church will be exempt from taxes

The Council of Ministers has approved a royal decree-law that declares exempt from taxation in the IRPF the compensations intended for victims of sexual abuse within the scope of the Catholic Church. 

The measure ensures that the economic compensations are received in full, without tax deductions, within the repair system agreed between the Executive, the Ombudsman, and the Church itself.

According to the Government, the decision fulfills the agreement signed with the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) to establish a mechanism for recognition and reparation to the victims, avoiding them having to face tax obligations for the amounts received.

The measure corrects a previous situation that had generated uncertainty. 

In most cases, the abuse crimes have prescribed, which has prevented the existence of judicial resolutions. 

As a consequence, the compensations granted outside the courts did not fit into the usual cases of tax exemption, forcing the victims to pay taxes on them.

With the new decree, the Executive establishes a framework that allows these compensations, linked to personal damages of a physical, psychological, or moral nature, not to be reduced by the tax burden.

This exemption is integrated into the mixed repair system designed between the State and the Church, in which the compensations are determined based on the proposals of the Ombudsman and assumed by the ecclesiastical institutions.

Diocese of Almería cedes a hermitage to the Anglican Church in Aguadulce

The Diocese of Almería has signed an agreement that will allow the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (Anglican Communion) to use the hermitage of Our Lady of Carmen, located in Aguadulce, as a stable place of worship. 

The agreement has been signed by the Bishop of Almería, Antonio Gómez Cantero, along with the president bishop of this community, Carlos López Lozano.

According to the same diocese, at the signing ceremony, held in a context of institutional collaboration, the deacon Carlos Romero, responsible for the Anglican community in the province, and the director of the Episcopal Delegation for Ecumenism, José Antonio Díaz Alonso, were also present.

A historical space with its own identity

The hermitage of Our Lady of Carmen is not a recent or secondary building. 

It is one of the oldest temples in Aguadulce, linked to the development of the urban center since the late 19th century and for decades the main center of religious life in the area, before the creation of the current parish. 

Its history is closely tied to the devotion to the Virgin of Carmen, patron saint of the locality.

The agreement in an ecumenical key

From the diocese, this step is framed within the promotion of ecumenical dialogue and the willingness to collaborate between Christian confessions. 

In this sense, the agreement seeks to facilitate coexistence and offer a stable space to a community present in the territory.

The statement recounts that until now, the Anglican community had been meeting provisionally in the parish of San Luis Gonzaga, so thanks to this agreement, it now has a stable space for the celebration of its religious services in Aguadulce, which represents a significant change in its local presence.

A decision with canonical implications

In this context, the initiative of the Diocese of Almería is situated within the framework of ecumenical dialogue, but it must also be interpreted in light of the Church’s own regulations on sacred places. The Code of Canon Law states that:

«In a sacred place, only those things that favor the exercise and promotion of worship, piety, and religion may be admitted, and anything that is not in keeping with the holiness of the place is prohibited. However, the Ordinary may permit other uses in specific cases, provided they are not contrary to the holiness of the place.» (c. 1210).

For its part, the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (1993) provides for the possibility that other Christian communities use Catholic temples, but it does so in specific terms and under certain conditions, such as the bishop’s authorization and the existence of a justified cause.

«However, if there are priests, ministers, or communities that are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, who lack a place or the necessary materials to celebrate their religious ceremonies with dignity, the bishop of the diocese may allow them to use a church or a Catholic building, as well as lend them the necessary materials for their celebrations.» (n. 137)

In this sense, the stable use of a consecrated space for non-Catholic celebrations introduces an element that, beyond the agreement reached, places this type of initiative in a realm that requires careful evaluation within ecclesial practice.

Leo XIV grants ecclesiastical communion to the new Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad

Pope Leo XIV has granted the Ecclesiastica Communio to His Beatitude Polis III Nona, elected patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans on April 12 by the synod of bishops of this Eastern Church, gathered in Rome. 

This act, provided for by canon law, does not respond to any prior sanction, but rather constitutes the formal recognition of his full communion with the Apostolic See and allows him to fully exercise his patriarchal ministry.

Confirmation of the new Chaldean patriarch

According to information from the Holy See, the granting of ecclesiastical communion took place on April 24, in accordance with the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, which establishes this step as a necessary requirement following the election of a patriarch in the Catholic Eastern Churches.

In this way, the new patriarch, validly elected by his synod, is confirmed in communion with the Roman Pontiff, in a balance proper to these Churches, which combine autonomy in election with unity with Rome.

A bond of unity with the Apostolic See

The the letter addressed to the patriarch, Leo XIV emphasizes that the granting of the Ecclesiastica Communio is an “expression and bond of full communion with the Apostolic See,” thereby highlighting ecclesial unity in the common service to the Church.

The Pontiff also expresses his spiritual closeness to the new patriarch, assuring his prayers so that he may exercise his ministry as “father and head” of the Chaldean Church, guiding the faithful in faith, hope, and charity.

The mission of the Chaldean Church in a difficult context

In his message, the Pope highlights the richness of the apostolic tradition of the Chaldean Church, as well as the witness of the martyrs and confessors who have marked its history.

He also alludes to the difficulties faced by many Chaldean faithful, especially in their lands of origin, where they continue to live complex situations that test their faith.

Leo XIV encourages the new patriarch to support and strengthen these communities, both in their own territory and in the increasingly widespread diaspora.

An election with liturgical significance

The Pope also highlights the significance of the election date, which coincides with the liturgical memory of the apostle Saint Thomas’s encounter with the Risen Christ in the Chaldean tradition.

This episode, he notes, is at the origin of the life of this Church, linked to apostolic preaching and called to persevere in faith even amid difficulties.

Apostolic blessing and final commendation

The letter concludes with the apostolic blessing to the new patriarch, extended also to the bishops, the clergy, the religious, and all the faithful of the Chaldean Church.

The Pope commends the ministry of Polis III Nona to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and to the protection of the saints Addai and Mari, fundamental figures in the tradition of this Eastern Church.

With this act, the beginning of the patriarchal ministry in full communion with Rome is formally consolidated.

Catholic priest jailed for sexually assaulting man at his church home

A Roman Catholic priest has been jailed for 19 months after being convicted of sexually assaulting a man in the house at his church.

Father Stephen Baillie, who was the parish priest at St Joseph's Church in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, abused his victim after they had been on a night out together.

Baillie, who has been a priest for 36 years, had denied the charge but was convicted by a jury at Paisley Sheriff Court last month.

The Diocese of Paisley previously said Baillie, who was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years, had been removed as a parish priest.

The 61-year-old had served at churches in Eaglesham, Clarkston, Paisley, Barrhead and Greenock.

The trial heard his victim was physically sick after Baillie attempted to perform a sex act on him after a night out in June 2024.

The court heard how Baillie assaulted the man while he was "heavily intoxicated and unable to consent".

The attack happened after they shared a bottle of wine over dinner at a restaurant in Clarkston and drank at a bar before going to Baillie's home on Eaglesham Road.

The man told the jury that he had agreed to go to the house to call a taxi and Baillie had offered him more alcohol.

He said Baillie performed a number of sex acts on him while at the house - including when he said he needed to leave to get some air.

At one point the victim vomited and was assaulted again while trying to clean himself up.

Addressing Baillie, Sheriff Eoin McGinty said: "What is clear from the many letters of support and testimonials I have received is that you have helped many people in the past, and I have no doubt that, in some way, you will continue to do so in the future.

"But the fact is your victim was sexually assaulted in a number of ways over a period of time.

"We heard from his long-term partner about the effect and consequences that your attack has had upon him.

"I have concluded that the only appropriate sentence is one of imprisonment."

References and testimonials

Prosecutors also wanted to have a Non-Harassment Order imposed, banning Baillie from approaching or contacting his victim in any way.

However, Sheriff McGinty said he did not feel the measure was necessary as he had not been told about any contact or attempted contact since the date of the offence in June 2024.

Father Baillie's lawyer had asked for him to be spared prison and sentenced to a Community Payback Order.

He highlighted the good work that the former priest had done over the years and said references and testimonials had been provided by people without being asked for them.

He said Baillie had helped generations of people after becoming a priest in 1990 and that he had spent his life "dealing with the sick, dealing with the grieving, dealing with death, funerals, and being a chaplain at hospitals."

The priest had refused to speak about the case or apologise to his victim after being convicted.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Paisley said: "As the offence was reported directly to Police Scotland in November 2024, the diocese was not involved in the police investigation or the subsequent court proceedings.

"The diocese recognised the courage of those who came forward to report this matter and hopes that the sentence imposed will provide some assurance that their voice was heard."

The spokesperson added that the diocese renewed its pledge of compassion and support to anyone who had been harmed in a Church context and its "commitment to accompany them on their path to healing".

They added that a "canonical process" was under way to decide what action to take next and confirmed that Baillie had not exercised public ministry since he was arrested in November 2024.

More than 900 children’s names read out at protest outside former Cork mother and baby home

The minute’s silence outside the gates of the Bessborough former mother-and-baby home was broken by birdsong and the shrieks of children playing nearby.

A reading of 900 names of children who died there or died after discharge had taken a full 50 minutes. 

About 60 people gathered at the gates on Sunday to protest the decision by Cork City Council in February to grant planning permission for 140 apartments to be built on what survivors say should be sacred ground.

Between 1922 and 1998, the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary ran Bessborough as a mother-and-baby home.

In that time, 9,768 mothers and 8,938 babies were admitted, and death certificates were issued for 816 Bessborough children, according to the General Registry Office (GRO).

Reported

However, in 2021, the Mother and Baby Homes Commission reported that it was aware of 923 child deaths related to Bessborough, 107 more than the nuns had disclosed to the GRO.

So far, survivors have found the names of 72 of those 107 children, bringing to 888 the number of Bessborough children for whom names are publicly available. 

The names of 35 of the total 923 children remain unknown. Of those 923, burial records exist for only 64, so the final resting place of 859 is also unknown.

Five years ago, the commission said it was “highly likely” that some of those missing children were buried on Bessborough’s grounds. 

Sacred

After Sunday’s reading, Noelle Brown, a Social Democrats member of Dublin City Council, spoke. 

Born in Bessborough in the 1960s and adopted at eight weeks, Ms Brown said a debt was owed to the children to keep fighting on their behalf, to prevent the development of their burial ground.

“That land is sacred, so I ask you to stay with us in this fight, because it is a fight, like every single thing to do with these issues, it’s a fight, it’s a battle,” she said.

 “I’m not on that list, I survived. I got out. I’m here. And those infants and children aren’t.

“It’s up to all of us to keep them in our memory, to let them never be forgotten.”

A decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála on two separate appeals against planning permission at Bessborough is due on July 9.

First cousins to be eligible for Tuam Mother and Baby site identification programme

First cousins of children believed to be buried at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, will soon be able to participate in the identification programme pending a change to legislation.

Cabinet has approved proposals to amend the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to include first cousins as eligible family members who can provide DNA.

The Institutional Burials Act allows for the excavation, recovery, identification and reburial of children's remains at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam.

It provides for a DNA programme to identify human remains but the legislation only allows for close relatives (parents, siblings, aunts/uncles, nieces/nephews, grandnieces/nephews) rather than cousins.

When the act was undergoing prelegislative scrutiny, the potential of technological developments to include cousins was not ruled out however, at the time, scientific challenges were noted.

The Department of Children recently received updated scientific advice from Forensic Science Ireland that supports the inclusion of first cousins in an identification programme.

Minister Norma Foley has said she was "keen to move quickly" when she received the updated scientific advice.

Officials in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality will now work with the Office of the Attorney General to draft amendments with a view to introducing them in the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible according to the minister.

The Special Advocate for Survivors has said she has heard from many people both in Ireland and abroad who wish to give DNA, and who want to have connection and closure to their loved ones buried on the site.

In a statement, Patricia Carey said "it is crucial that all those who believe that they have a relative who died and is buried at the site of the former county home institutions have access to the DNA programme for those 796 children who died and they are buried there".

She pointed out that almost 10,000 children and mothers died in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions across Ireland, and "the vast majority of these are disappeared" as their burial grounds are unknown.

Ms Carey called for the identification of all burial grounds in institutions where they are not currently identified.

She said dignified memorialisation was part of redress for families, where loved ones are disappeared, and it is not known where they are buried.

In particular, she called for immediate Government action to stop the proposed building works for apartments on the grounds of the Bessborough Mother and baby institution where 923 children died and only 64 burial records exist.

Civil marriages now more common than Catholic ceremonies

The number of marriages has fallen by 7.7% between 2014 and 2024.

Information released by the Central Statistics Office shows that over the ten year period, the number of couples tying the knot went from 22,045 to 20,348.

Ceremony preferences have also changed in the past ten years.

Roman Catholic ceremonies were the most common marriage type in 2014 at 13,071, but by 2024, these had fallen by almost 51% to 6,425, making them the second most popular choice for couples.

In 2024, Civil Registrations were the most popular type of ceremony at 6,743.

There was also a 68% rise in the number of Humanist ceremonies between 2014 and 2024.

The five most popular ceremony types in 2024 were: Civil Registrations, Roman Catholic, Humanist, Spiritualist Union of Ireland, and OneSpirit. These accounted for 85% of all wedding ceremonies in Ireland.

Statistician in the Life Events and Demography Division, Seán O'Connor, said: "Each year the CSO publishes detailed statistics as part of our series of releases on Marriages. These include the number of marriages, the ages of bride and groom, the county of marriage, and the form of ceremony.

"Today's release, which is a CSO Frontier Series, provides a 10-year analysis of the different types of marriage ceremonies chosen by people in Ireland, and how the types of ceremonies have changed over the years 2014-2024.

"Overall, fewer couples are getting married in Ireland. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of marriages (including both opposite and same-sex couples) decreased by 7.7% from 22,045 to 20,348."

'There's no one way to do it'

Ciara Elliot, editor of wedding website, 'One Fab Day', said there are now 700 non church venues in Ireland where you can get married.

Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, Ms Elliot said: "We're a less religious, more secular country now so people are making that choice, as you see from the statistics."

"It seems like a weekend or two days is quite standard now. The reality is that Irish people love a party, so it's very hard to get away with anything less. But there's no one way to do it. You can obviously get married without even having a wedding but people want to celebrate. The big difference now is maybe people are doing it because they want to do it, not because they have to do it."

She said: "Even a second and third wedding is still a really important occasion, and they'll just be doing it maybe in a different way, but all the ingredients of a first time around wedding are still there."

"In Ireland in the 1990s, the average age of a bride was 28 - now it is 36. People are definitely putting off the wedding day," she added.

Cathedral in Canada converted into an entertainment center: hockey and parody of religious rites

St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Quebec has been the scene of a controversial event where hundreds of people attended the broadcast of a hockey game inside it, in an atmosphere that included music, lights, and an explicit parody of liturgical gestures.

A Cathedral Transformed into a Performance Hall

According to Tribune Chrétienne, on April 25 and 26, 2026, St. John the Evangelist Cathedral - the mother church of the Diocese of Saint-Jean–Longueuil - was used for the projection on a giant screen of a game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The temple, built in the 19th century and dedicated to worship, hosted about 650 people who occupied the pews as if it were a sports venue. 

Inside, a large screen was installed, and the atmosphere was described as that of a real stadium, with chants, shouts, amplified music, animation with a DJ, and light shows projected onto the building’s structure.

Parody of Religious Gestures and Symbols

Beyond the use of the space, one of the most controversial aspects of the event was the imitation of elements proper to the Catholic tradition in a playful key.

During the broadcast, a participant dressed as a cardinal invited attendees to kneel for a supposed “prayer” directed at player Maurice Richard, reproducing gestures and formulas proper to Christian liturgy.

Likewise, objects similar to votive candles, adapted with the team’s colors, were distributed, while terms like “mass”, “temple” or “religion” were used to describe the event, reinforcing the symbolic identification between the sports spectacle and the religious sphere.

The Organizers Justify the Event

The promoters defended the initiative by stating that hockey is “almost a religion” in the local culture. 

However, in this case, the expression ceased to be a simple metaphor to adopt concrete forms through the reproduction of religious signs and gestures within an entertainment context.

The episode occurs in a broader context of social changes in Canada. 

In recent weeks, the debate over legislative projects related to freedom of expression and the so-called “fight against hate” has generated concern. 

At the same time, the expansion of euthanasia - legalized under the denomination of “medical assistance in dying” - continues to increase, reflecting a profound transformation in the conception of the value of life and the role of the sacred in society.

What happened in the Quebec cathedral highlights a growing cultural tension around the meaning of the sacred and its place in contemporary social life.

Santarsiero's victims ignored: exposed by the accused while the Church does not even confirm receipt of their complaint

On March 26, 2026, a notarial letter was hand-delivered to the Apostolic Nunciature in Lima. 

Its formal recipient: the Apostolic Nuncio in Peru, Mons. Paolo Rocco Gualtieri. 

Its content: a formal complaint against Mons. Antonio Santarsiero Rosa, OSJ, bishop of the diocese of Huacho and then general secretary of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, for alleged systematic sexual abuses - including a minor in the minor diocesan seminary -and psychological maltreatment of persons under his authority. 

The file was simultaneously forwarded to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, presided over by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández.

It was not the first time these facts had reached Rome. 

According to the dossier, documented communications about the same facts had been sent to the Vatican authorities in 2024 and 2025, with no known public response or record of action.

On April 8, 2026, Infovaticana published the complaint. 

On April 9, the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, presided over by Mons. Carlos Enrique García Camader, announced that Santarsiero was stepping away from the General Secretariat «to dedicate himself to clarifying the facts». 

On April 14, the bishop, along with his Vicar Alejandro Alvites, convened and presided over a meeting with the entire diocesan clergy in the auditorium of the I. E. P. Liceo Español San Juan Bautista de Hualmay, Huaura province. 

There, instead of maintaining the minimum reserve required in any ongoing sanction procedure, he publicly identified his own victims before the presbytery and promoted the signing of a statement of support.

Meanwhile, the victims - formal complainants in an open canonical procedure - have received nothing. 

Neither a notification of admission to processing. 

Nor a summons for supplementary proceedings. 

Nor the opening of a channel of communication and assistance. 

Nor a single word of accompaniment from the ecclesiastical authority handling the case. 

Handling it? Absolute silence.

And, while that silence drags on, the investigated party travels to Rome.

What the canonical legislator did not make explicit

Anyone who reviews the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the norms De delictis reservatis, the motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi - in its 2019 wording and in the consolidated 2023 version - and the Vademecum of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on handling abuse cases will find a system carefully articulated around the investigated party: right to defense, presumption of innocence, legal assistance, appeals. 

They will not find, however, a clear and enforceable procedural status for the victim. 

Not because the legislator decided to exclude them - it would be absurd to think so - but because there are principles so elementary, so obvious, so structural to the very concept of «process» in any civilized legal tradition, that the canonical legislator, presumably, did not consider it necessary to spell them out in detail.

Well then: what is not made explicit, in the current canonical practice, simply is not applied.

Upon the legislator’s silence, diocesan practice has built a regime in which the victim:

— Is not informed of the admission of the complaint.

— Is not assigned a file number.

— Is not notified of the procedural phase in which the process is.

— Is not allowed to submit writings.

— Is not allowed to provide supplementary evidence.

— Is not allowed to propose witnesses or proceedings.

— Is not allowed to make even a minimally reasonable follow-up of the case.

— Is not given notice of decisions that directly affect them.

— Is not informed of the filing, referral to Rome, or sanction imposed, except in the generic - or not so formal - terms that the authority deems appropriate.

Imagine, for a moment, transferring this model to the criminal sphere of the State. 

Imagine a victim of a serious crime who comes to report it and is told that they cannot appear in the procedure, that they will not be notified of anything, that they cannot provide evidence, that they will not have a copy of the proceedings, that they cannot appeal the filing, and that they will find out about the outcome, if at all, through the press. 

Can you imagine the absurdity? 

Can you imagine a judicial body seriously defending that such a thing is compatible with a process worthy of the name?

Well, that is, today, the de facto reality of canon law applied to sexual abuse cases.

Dozens of cases, the same pattern

The person writing this follows, along with other professionals, dozens of files opened in Spain and Latin America. 

The dynamic is always the same: the complaint is received, an internal procedure is initiated from which the victim hears nothing more, an investigation is conducted of which only the ecclesiastical authority and, if applicable, the investigated party are aware, and it is concluded - with sanction, filing, or referral to Rome - in an act of which the victim finds out, if they find out, through third parties or the press.

Therefore, this is not about local pathologies attributable to specific bishops, poorly organized curias, or negligent instructors. 

This is about a structural pattern. 

And a structural pattern requires a structural explanation.

The usual justification is the lack of resources. 

There is no personnel. No means. No budget. It is worth dismantling this argument calmly.

First, the alleged insufficiency of resources does not exempt, in any known legal system, compliance with the essential guarantees of the process. 

An overloaded body may take longer; what it cannot do is decide to dispense with notifying the parties. 

The scarcity of means affects the pace, not the substance.

Second, the elementary acts that are being omitted - acknowledgment of receipt, assignment of file number, notification of the procedural phase, opening a bidirectional communication channel - do not require extraordinary resources. 

They require will. 

The diocese of Huacho has been perfectly capable of convening its entire clergy in a parish hall and promoting the signing of a statement of support for the investigated bishop. 

The logistical capacity exists. 

The question is whom it decides to direct it toward.

Third, and perhaps most relevant: the zero cost of a receipt notification contrasts with the enormous cost - pastoral, legal, reputational, and human - of the institutional revictimization produced by silence. 

The supposed economy of means turns out, in the end, to be infinitely more expensive for the Church itself.

The core of the problem: a law without a victim

It is worth formulating the diagnosis with the utmost clarity possible: the current canonical criminal law, in its practical application, has consolidated a conception of the process in which the victim is the object of the procedure, not a subject of it. 

They are the source of the notitia criminis, but cease to exist procedurally the moment that news is incorporated into the file. 

They are the origin of the machinery, but are considered extraneous to its functioning.

This conception is incompatible with three principles that belong to the hard core of any minimally guarantee-based procedural system, and that do not need to be explicit in a specific canon to be enforceable, because they are part of the very definition of a fair process:

1. The principle of audience. Whoever has a legitimate interest in the procedure has the right to be heard in it. 

The victim of an abuse has, without question, a legitimate - and qualified - interest in the procedure followed against their aggressor. 

Denying them audience is not an organizational opportunity decision; it is a structural violation.

2. The principle of contradiction. A procedural truth cannot be built on the exclusive basis of information provided by one party. 

The initial complaint does not exhaust the victim’s possible contribution: new elements, new evidence, new testimonies, contradictions in the investigated party’s version that only the victim can point out may arise. 

Closing the door after the complaint is equivalent to deliberately renouncing an essential source of evidence.

3. The principle of information. Without information, there is no defense, no protection, no possibility of reacting to harmful decisions. 

A victim who does not know what phase their procedure is in, what decisions have been made, what deadlines apply, and what remedies are available, is a victim who has been emptied of any supposed right that is claimed to be recognized for them.

How long?

The question that remains hanging in the air is whether the Church is willing to continue maintaining this state of affairs. 

Whether it is willing to continue handling cases like that of Huacho, that of Lute in Chiclayo, and so many others, under a procedural model that, applied in any other forum, would be declared null and void outright for violation of essential guarantees.

What is not being asked is to mimetically transfer the categories of civil or criminal procedural law of the State to the canonical sphere. 

What is being asked is the minimum: that receipt be acknowledged, that a file number be assigned, that the procedural phase be reported, that a bidirectional communication channel be opened, that the victim be allowed to provide evidence and propose proceedings, that they be notified of decisions that affect them, that they be given a copy of the file when requested, and that they be allowed to appeal if applicable.

The minimum. The elemental. What is inherent to the very concept of process.

As long as this does not happen, cases like Huacho or that of Lute in Chiclayo will continue to cast a shadow over the Church that no statement, no commission, no institutional management can dispel. 

The problem is not communicational. 

It is structural. And it demands immediate normative and practical correction.

Vatican examines the decisions of Martin, Bishop of Charlotte, regarding the traditional liturgy

The Dicastery for Divine Worship has confirmed the receipt of a formal appeal against the Bishop of Charlotte, Michael Martin, for his refusal to respond to requests regarding liturgical matters, thereby opening a process that could review his actions in one of the dioceses most tense due to the implementation of Traditionis Custodes.

Rome will examine the case following the complaint against Bishop Martin

According to an official letter dated February 16, 2026, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has received a “hierarchical appeal” filed on February 9 against the Bishop of Charlotte. 

The complaint refers to the prelate’s “apparent refusal” to respond to requests related to liturgical matters.

Although the letter does not delve into the substance of the matter, it does represent a significant step: Rome formally acknowledges the existence of the conflict and opens the way to a possible review of the decisions made in the diocese.

A conflict marked by restrictions on the traditional Mass

The appeal is framed within a context of growing tension in Charlotte, where Bishop Michael Martin has strictly applied the provisions of Traditionis Custodes, the motu proprio promulgated in 2021.

Bishop Martin himself has recently defended his decisions as not responding to personal criteria, but to obedience to Vatican norms. 

In that vein, he has insisted that the faithful linked to the traditional liturgy cannot determine diocesan policy, although he has acknowledged “goodness and holiness” in them.

However, his measures have provoked widespread rejection among sectors of the faithful who consider it a particularly restrictive - and in some cases creative - application of Roman norms.

Charlotte, epicenter of liturgical tension

Since his arrival in 2024, Bishop Martin has been the protagonist of several controversial episodes. 

The most significant took place in May 2025, when he reduced from four to one the authorized locations for the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass, limiting it to a single chapel.

This decision was later followed by new provisions that affected not only the traditional liturgy but also practices widespread in sacramental life. 

Among them, the prohibition of altar rails, kneelers, and prie-dieus for the reception of Communion, in effect since January 2026.

The bishop justified these measures by appealing to the norms of the episcopal conference and to a conception of Communion as a processional act, explicitly ruling out other traditional forms.

Uncertainty about Rome’s response

The Dicastery’s admission of the appeal introduces a new element into this scenario. 

Although it does not necessarily imply a correction in the short term, it does open the possibility that the Holy See will evaluate the bishop’s actions.

Until now, Bishop Martin himself has downplayed the possibility of changes from Rome, going so far as to state that he saw “relatively few” options for the pontificate of Leo XIV to introduce substantial modifications in this area.

Swiss Catholics out of doghouse over Eucharistic desecration

A Swiss diocese has announced that three people who shared the Eucharist with their dogs have not been excommunicated because they “did not act with sacrilegious intent.”

The Diocese of Chur announced in an April 17 statement that it had completed an investigation into an incident that took place at a blessing of the animals held last October 4, at Good Shepherd Parish in Zurich.

“Due to a poor weather forecast, the blessing was moved indoors and combined with a Eucharistic celebration. During this Eucharistic celebration, three people shared portions of their hosts with their dogs,” the diocese said.

Diocesan Bishop Joseph Bonnemain heard about the incident and began an investigation.

“The findings clearly showed that the three individuals did not act with sacrilegious intent. Consequently, these individuals cannot be accused of sacrilege, as they lacked this sacrilegious intent. Therefore, they did not incur the excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See as a penalty for their actions,” the diocese said.

Canon law states that “One who throws away the consecrated species or, for a sacrilegious purpose, takes them away or keeps them, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.”

At issue, according to the diocesan statement, is whether a person can commit sacrilege against the Eucharist without intending to do so.

According to the Canon Law Society of America’s canonical commentary: “The canon envisions three possible delictual situations: disrespectfully throwing away the sacred species (usually consecrated hosts) or scattering them in an inappropriate place, intentionally taking them from the tabernacle for sacrilegious purposes (e.g. satanic ritual), or keeping them for such obscene purposes although they were obtained legitimately (e.g. at a Eucharist).”

Chur’s bishop concluded that a delict, or canonical crime, could not have taken place without sacrilegious intent on the part of the Catholics involved.

Canon law establishes that Catholics who break a law can not be punished if they are “without fault, ignorant of violating the law or precept. However, “ignorance which is crass or supine or affected” does not remit the possibility of punishment.

The diocese called the incident “deeply regrettable” and said the bishop has arranged a retreat with the entire parish team to delve deeper into Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist, Desiderio desideravi.”

According to the local website SwissCath, a rosary of reparation was held Jan. 3 at the same church where the incident occurred. The rosary of reparation was initiated by local laypeople and drew about 40 participants.

Bishop Bonnemain, a priest of Opus Dei appointed by Pope Francis in 2021 to lead the Chur diocese, has seen a number of controversies in recent years.

He has faced pushback from diocesan priests after he issued a code of conduct that enjoined clergy to avoid “​​sweeping negative assessments of allegedly unbiblical behavior based on sexual orientation,” and refrain from asking “offensive questions about intimate life and relationship status” or about “previous marriages and divorces.”

More than 40 priests refused to sign the document, arguing that the norms would prevent them from teaching Catholic doctrine on sexuality, providing suitable marriage and ordination preparation, and asking questions appropriate to their role in sacramental confession.

Priests also criticized norms requiring them to “recognize sexual rights as human rights, especially the right to sexual self-determination.”

The bishop also faced a backlash after saying that he would not sanction priests blessing same-sex civil unions, and for his proposal (later withdrawn) that marriage between a man and woman should be given a new name, such as “bio-marriage,” to distinguish it from other kinds of unions.

The Diocese of Chur itself has also reliably produced news. 

In August 2022, a female parish leader recited prayers beside a priest during the Liturgy of the Eucharist at a Mass, prompting Bonnemain to open a preliminary canonical investigation and sign a joint episcopal letter on Jan. 5 this year calling for liturgical norms to be respected.

Last December, the diocese announced that new local legal regulations meant that Church employees would no longer be automatically dismissed if they did not agree with the Church’s doctrines and moral teachings.

In Switzerland, religious corporations are subject to public employment laws. Bishop Bonnemain was part of the negotiations over the new laws in the canton of Zurich, which covers the Diocese of Chur.

The new laws mean that the Church can no longer require its employees to accept Church teaching on sexual relationships as part of the criteria for employment.

German Church defends blessings document after Pope voices concerns

Church leaders in Germany defended a document on blessings for couples in “irregular” situations after Pope Leo appeared to criticise it.

Irme Stetter-Karp, president of the Central Committee of Lay Catholics (ZdK) said that there was no reason to retract the text Segen gibt der Liebe Kraft (“Blessing gives strength to love”) because it merely recommended offering blessings to couples who did not wish to enter into a sacramental marriage or to whom this was not available.

“Nothing more and nothing less. There is no possibility of confusion with the sacrament of marriage,” she said, insisting that the German Church would continue its reform process but maintain communications with the Holy See.

“It is well known that Pope Leo is concerned that a blessing must not be confused with the sacrament of marriage,” Stetter-Karp said, observing that he “stands therefore in continuity with his predecessor Francis, which he has just confirmed when asked by journalists on his return flight from Africa”.

During his flight from Equatorial Guinea to Rome on 23 April, the Pope responded to a question about a statement from the Archbishop of Munich and Freising Cardinal Reinhard Marx commending the use of the blessings document in the archdiocese.

The joint conference of the German bishops’ conference and the ZdK issued the document in April 2025 as a platform for pastoral action following Fiducia Supplicans, the document published by the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith in December 2023.

In a letter to clergy and lay ministers, Marx asked that the theological meaning of such a blessing be explained to those “who still struggle with this blessing”. Ministers who prefer not to give this blessing should refer interested couples to the relevant dean or other clergy.

A blessing is distinct from a sacramental marriage, said Marx said, but this does not mean such couples – who in many cases may have already had a civil wedding – should be marginalised in the church or in the parish. No couple should be turned away, and where necessary, this could also be the Church’s contribution to healing and reconciliation.

Pope Leo’s comments last week emphasised that “we do not agree with the formalised blessing of couples” beyond the terms of Fiducia Supplicans, which he said made clear that “all people receive blessings”.

“To go beyond that today, I think that the topic can cause more disunity than unity, and that we should look for ways to build our unity upon Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ teaches,” he said, while arguing “that the unity or division of the Church should not revolve around sexual matters”.

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, who was president of the bishops’ conference until February this year, said: “Even if there are different assessments within the universal Church, I see this practice [of blessings] in the Diocese of Limburg in a responsible framework. It serves the people and, in my view, does not endanger the unity of the Church.”

The document originates in a request by the Synodal Way and later included the blessings of same-sex relationships presented in Fiducia Supplicans.

In most German dioceses, it is recommended or tolerated, though Augsburg, Eichstätt, Cologne, Passau and Regensburg reject it altogether. 

It is envisaged that the revised German Benedictionale will include a “blessing for couples who love each other”.

Presbyterian church stands down fourth minister in matter of months

A Presbyterian minister in Coleraine has been removed from his post but remains “in good standing”, it has emerged.

Rev Ross Collins, who had been at Ballywatt Presbyterian Church near Portrush for 12 years, is the fourth minister to be released by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) in recent months.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing, and his departure is not believed to be in connection with a safeguarding issue.

Although released from his position, it is understood Rev Collins remains a minister without charge, meaning he can apply for another role if one comes up.

The PCI said: “We can confirm that the minister of Ballywatt Presbyterian Church, Rev Ross Collins, has been released from his charge.

“He remains a minister in good standing in the PCI and is available to be called to serve another congregation.

“In line with normal procedures, we will not be making any further comment.”

Rev Collins was contacted for comment but was not available.

A former minister who did not wish to be named questioned the PCI’s handling of the matter.

He said: “I’m not sure if this is an appropriate way to treat ministers.

“Being removed from your charge is a pejorative statement, so he may face reputational damage from this.

“If he goes for another job as a minister, any congregation will be asking ‘What happened at Ballywatt?’.

“From a practical point of view, he has a wife and children. How long will he get paid for and be allowed to live in the manse? Where is the church’s duty of care towards him?”

Earlier this month, Sunday Life reported that the minister of Richhill Presbyterian Church had been stood down amid an enquiry by the Armagh Presbytery.

Rev Alastair McNeely had been the minister for more than 30 years.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing, and his departure is not believed to be related to a safeguarding issue.

Rev McNeely was contacted for comment but was not available.

Last December, Connor Presbyterian Church minister Rev Philip Thompson was temporarily stood down.

In a separate case, Rev Alan Johnston was removed from his position at Killinchy Presbyterian Church. 

However, it is understood he has now returned to his post.

The PCI descended into chaos last November after the PSNI launched an investigation into serious safeguarding failures.

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland also launched an enquiry.

In February, Sunday Life revealed Dermot Parsons, director of the church’s Council for Social Witness, had left his position. The circumstances surrounding his departure are not known.

Mr Parsons, who had been in the post since 2021, had overall responsibility for safeguarding the church’s congregations, care homes, addiction centres and its ex-offenders’ hostel.

It has been claimed that Mr Parsons and Rev David Brice, the secretary and convenor to the Council for Social Witness respectively, ignored a damning report in 2023 by the then head of safeguarding Dr Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin.

This highlighted failings in safeguarding including a lack of resources and inadequate record keeping.

The PSNI previously said it had received 101 safeguarding referrals relating to the PCI.

It was announced last month that Jim Gamble, who formerly headed up the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, had been appointed to carry out an independent external review of the PCI’s governance and safeguarding arrangements

Archbishop Farrell: A Church in crisis is a sign that the Church is very much alive

Mary Byrne O'Connell, Patrick Byrne, Patrick Hill, John Curry, and Bridget Trench are not names we know. These people were five of the 15 visionaries here at Knock in 1879. To say the least, they were very ordinary, not well known, not unlike Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, or Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucía, the three children to whom Our Lady appeared in Fatima. They certainly were not wealthy or influential, if anything they were the opposite.

The apparition here at Knock was silent. Something happened and we have to make sense of it.

In Knock, we have an apparition to ordinary people - people like ourselves, and we have a silent apparition, a vision that we have to make sense of. In a very real sense, the apparition at Knock is a vision to the Church, to the people of God. The Church is the people God brought together in Christ. The Church is the people God gathered together in Christ, to whom God is close. This is the great gift of the Second Vatican Council, its great rediscovery: "God speaks to us as friends," as the Council teaches (see Dei Verbum 2).

Why do we celebrate the Mass in our own language today? Because our own language is the language of the people of God, the language of our own prayer, the language of our lives, the language of our pleas.

Why do we celebrate this Mass around the altar? Because together we are the people of God, and our Lord is in our midst, and journeys with us, as together, we work out where our Lord is bringing us.

After the vision here at Knock had taken place, people and priests together had to work out what it was. It had to be determined whether it was an authentic vision. That was an important step. But, far more important, it had to be owned by the people of God. And Knock has been owned by the people. Today it is being owned by us: our presence here today is not only an expression of our faith, but it is also an expression of ownership. In our presence and prayer here today, the vision of Knock is bearing fruit; the Lord is at work among his people - the Lord is gathering His flock, leading us home (see John 10:3-4, 11; Isa 40:11; 34:11-16; Ezek; Psalm 23:1-4).

It is not just in Knock or in places of pilgrimage that the Lord is gathering His people. The Lord is gathering His people everywhere; He is gathering them in Dublin. As we just heard in the Gospel of Mark, whose Feast we celebrate today, about the seed that grows in mystery, "the seed grows night and day, the sower knows not how" (see Mark 4:27).

A Church in Crisis - A Church that is Alive

The Kingdom of God is alive, and it is growing in ways we do not appreciate. As the parable says: "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know" (Mark 4:26-27).

You may say to me, "but the Church is falling down around our ears!" And the Church that we knew certainly is! You may say to me, "our churches are empty, very few are going to Mass," and nobody will doubt that. You could point to a 101 things, to say that the Church in Ireland, and in Europe generally, is in crisis, and you would not be mistaken. But the gospel itself asks us to see: God is at work among us. God is at work in all of God's creatures.

The crisis is not a sign that the Church is in decline, but that the Church is alive.

Pope Francis put it wonderfully, "the Church always has difficulties," he said. The Church "is always in crisis, because she's alive," he pointed out, "living things go through crises. Only the dead don't have crises" (Video Message of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, 3 August 2021).

Our Church is alive! We are in crisis, but we are alive! "Only the dead don't have crises." In his wisdom and in the light of faith, Pope Francis could see clearly that it was in the nature of a crisis to reveal what was in people's hearts (see Austen Ivereigh, A Time to Choose in The Tablet of 25 April 2026: 4).

The crisis which we are living has many causes, but its call is clear. It is a call to re-discover our calling and our mission as the Body of Christ. Pope Leo put it like this a few days ago, "Mindful that the aim of mission is not [Church's] own survival" but "the Church... [That is all of us, together are] called to live with confident courage, as a small flock bringing hope to all" (Letter of Pope Leo to the Cardinals, April 2026).

How that is to be done is something we have to work out together - "the small flock bringing hope to all"? Smallness is not the issue. Remember the mustard seed in today's Gospel! Working together is the challenge. Weakness is not the issue. Remember that the power-conscious Saint Paul learned - and learned painfully - that the "weakness of God was stronger than human strength" (see 1 Cor 1:25). Weakness is not the issue: being a living member of the Body of Christ (see 1 Cor 12:27) is the issue. Every single person is a vital part of the Body of Christ. Every one of us has something to give, something that only we can give.

The Church is the Body of Christ, and Christ is alive among us and within us. He is calling us to be with each other in Him. It is ordinary people He calls. I say again: the crisis in the Church is not a crisis of vocations, but a crisis of vocation! Together, we must work out how to live out our calling to follow Christ - our baptismal calling - in the Dublin of today. Together, we have to work out how, we share our suffering, how - together - we can carry our crosses (see Mark 8:34-25), but also how together we can discover and share "the joy of the gospel."

The visionaries at Knock had to work out what they had seen. In that, they were living out their vocation. They were being synodal, ever before the term was in use! Let us not confuse the label with the reality. The visionaries at Knock had to work out what they had seen. Together, with the priests and their bishop, those in the ministry of leadership, they had to work things out.

In our Church today, we have to let certain things go. There is loss in this, but also a liberation: letting go frees us up. The Holy Spirit is at work among us. This is what we mean by "synodality." To use another image from Saint Mark, we are attached to old wine skins (2:22) which are no longer fit for purpose. The "new thing" (see Isa 43:18-19; Rev 21:5) God is creating cannot fit into old structures. Journeying together into the future, and this is the meaning of synodality, means making decisions together and not doing things or making decisions in isolation.

All this involves a change in the style of how we are the Church, how our parishes and communities work. There are things we have to do, if we are effectively to proclaim "the Good News of God" (see Mark 1:14). We will have to recognise more profoundly our charisms, our gifts. And, as a recent Report on the Synod clearly underlines, we will certainly have to actively enable the participation of women in our one mission (see General Secretariat of the Synod, Final Report of Study Group No 5 on Women's Participation in the Life and Leadership of the Church).

What is at stake? At stake is the reality of our Christian vocation, and the credibility of our mission. Last Sunday, in Angola, Pope Leo named it forcefully: "Today we need to look to the future with hope and to build the hope of the future. Do not be afraid to do so." (Homily, Kilamba, Angola, 19 April 2026).

"Do not be afraid!" are the first words of Jesus to those to whom He is close.

Our Lady of Knock, pray for us.

Saint Mark, pray for us.

Saint John XXIII, Saint Paul VI, John Paul II, pray for us. Amen.

A joy and privilege to be received by the Pope, says Archbishop of Canterbury

THE Archbishop of Canterbury has praised the Pope for speaking out against injustice and about hope; has commended working together for the common good; and has endorsed the strengthening power of common witness, in an address after a private meeting at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Monday morning.

She prayed with Pope Leo on this, the third day of a four-day visit that she has termed a pilgrimage, “continuing the journey that began in Canterbury”, and told him: “It is a joy and a privilege to be received by you, together with this delegation from Lambeth Palace.”

Giving thanks for the Anglican Centre in Rome, which she described as “a living fruit of the historic 1966 meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey”, she said that that historic encounter continued to bear fruit through the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission, “and the many relationships of trust that have grown between our two Churches — signs of a shared confidence in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“In our world today, we are called to live and to preach the gospel with renewed clarity. In the face of inhuman violence, deep division, and rapid societal change, we must keep telling a more hopeful story: that every human life has infinite value because we are precious children of God; that the human family is called to live as sisters and brothers; that we must therefore work together for the common good — always building bridges, never walls; that the poorest among us are closest to the heart of God; and that the forces of death are overcome by the risen life of Christ. This is the vision of Jesus Christ — it must be where we fix our eyes in the years to come.”

Archbishop Mullally is due to travel to Ghana and Cameroon in July, on the first of her visits around the Anglican Communion in the coming years. She said: “Your Holiness, you have spoken powerfully about the many injustices in our world today, but you have spoken even more powerfully about hope. Your pilgrimage to Africa was full of life and joy. The world needed this message at this time — thank you. It reminded us that, despite our sufferings, people long for life in all its fullness, and countless people are working each day for this vision of the common good.”

She told him: “Before ordination, I was a nurse, and that experience continues to shape my ministry. God continues to call me to a ministry of being alongside others in their suffering and sadness, and in their healing and joy.

“As I begin this ministry, I hope to be a shepherd who loves and cares for the Church, who encourages hospitality despite our differences, who speaks prophetically into our present reality, and who proclaims Christian hope with the confidence that the gospel of Jesus Christ remains good news for our world today.

“In our ecumenical journey, I believe the Holy Spirit is inviting us into a deeper practice of hospitality — not simply as welcome, but as a form of ministry: a willingness to make space for one another as those created in the image of God and called to grow more fully into his likeness.

“Already, we receive from one another gifts we cannot generate alone: depth in prayer, courage in witness, perseverance in suffering, and faithfulness in service. In these, our common witness is strengthened.”

She continued: “May we continue to work together in that hope, trusting that the one who has begun this good work among us will bring it to completion. I’m mindful, too, of how much His Majesty the King valued his recent visit, especially the shared prayer and spirit of fraternity it embodied. Please be assured of a warm welcome for the Church of England should you honour the United Kingdom with a visit.”

The Archbishop presented the Pope with gifts: an antique edition (1910) copy of The Dream of Gerontius by St John Henry Newman; a Peruvian retablo — a traditional devotional artwork — depicting the nativity scene, offered with particular sensitivity to Pope Leo’s many years’ pastoral ministry in Peru; and the personal gift of a jar of honey from the beehives in Lambeth Palace Gardens.

This was the first time that the two have met face to face, but they have already spoken in solidarity over calls for peace, after criticism of the Pope by President Trump. 

“It’s the first visit, and I think the first purpose is to start to build a relationship and to pray together; so it’s a spiritual encounter,” the Bishop in Europe, Dr Robert Innes, told Radio 4’s Sunday before the visit.

“I don’t expect there’ll be any kind of deep theological statement issued as a result, but I hope they will talk about the eucharist and ways in which we can deepen our mutual understanding and togetherness so that they’ll give renewed impetus to those other organs of inter-Church co-operation.”

A statement from Lambeth Palace before the visit said that its purpose was “to strengthen Anglican-Roman Catholic relations through prayer, personal encounter, and formal theological dialogue. It aims to deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels.”

Before the visit, the Archbishop had asked Anglicans across the Church of England and around the Anglican Communion to “join and journey with me in prayer. Our world needs the peace, justice, and hope that Jesus Christ brings, and I give thanks that our Churches can walk together as we share that good news with the world.”

On Saturday, she prayed in the papal basilica’s St Peter’s and St Paul Outside the Walls. 

Concerning speculation about whether the two would be pictured praying together, Dr Innes said: “I don’t know whether we will see pictures of that encounter, but I was here when King Charles came and prayed with the Pope, and the visual image of them praying together in the Sistine Chapel was very memorable and remarkable. The symbolic impact of these kinds of occasions is what carries the ecumenical movement forward.”

On Sunday morning, the Archbishop presided at a sung eucharist with holy baptism in All Saints’, Rome, the Church of England congregation in the city, before preaching at evensong at St Paul’s Within the Walls, part of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, later in the afternoon. 

She also made pilgrim visits to pray at the pontifical basilicas St John Lateran and St Mary Major.

She was due to join the Pope for midday prayer today in the chapel of Urban VIII. She will also meet officials from the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and will be given a tour of the Vatican Museums. 

Tonight, she will officiate at choral evensong in the Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, where she will commission the director of of the Anglican Centre, Bishop Anthony Ball, as her Representative to the Holy See.

Vatican restricted retired Belgian bishop

The Diocese of Namur, in southern Belgium, said April 21 that retired Bishop Rémy Vancottem was informed five years ago that he could no longer celebrate Mass in public or participate in bishops’ conference bodies due to his mishandling of an abuse case.

The 82-year-old Vancottem led the diocese from 2010 until his retirement in 2019, at the age of 75.

The disciplinary measures came to light following inquiries by the Belgian weekly magazine Humo.

The magazine published an article April 20 highlighting that the diocese will host four bishops following the return to Belgium from France of the 85-year-old Archbishop André Léonard. 

The diocese is also home to Bishop Fabien Lejeusne, who has led the diocese since December 2025, and the retired prelates Bishop Pierre Warin and Bishop Vancottem.

The magazine reported that Vancottem lived with his sister in the town of Arlon and had little contact with the local Church.

“He still strolls through the city streets daily with his sister’s dog, but he rarely speaks to anyone. There is no sign that he is an emeritus bishop: he is shabbily dressed and there is no cross on his lapel,” it said.

The magazine quoted an anonymous source saying that Vancottem had been “punished by the Vatican.” It also noted that he did not take part in Pope Francis’ 2024 visit to Belgium.

Vancottem declined to comment when contacted by the magazine.

In response to journalists following up the Humo report, the Namur diocese said that Vancottem had received a confidential letter in March 2021, delivered by Archbishop Augustin Kasujja, the then-apostolic nuncio to Belgium.

The letter informed him that he was subject to disciplinary measures following a decree signed by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the then-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops.

The Vatican imposed the restrictions after it concluded that Vancottem had failed to show “all due diligence and sufficient follow-up in an investigation requested by the Holy See” in the case of a priest who sexually abused a minor and was ultimately dismissed from the clerical state.

The diocese said that when the victim attempted to file a complaint with the civil authorities, she was informed that the statute of limitations had expired. She then contacted the Vatican.

The diocese noted that Vancottem was retired when he was told of the disciplinary measures. 

It underlined that the restrictions related to his negligent handling of the abuse case and not to any criminal or sexual acts by the bishop himself.

It said the Vatican had asked Vancottem and the diocese to respect the confidential nature of the disciplinary measures.

The diocese added that the situation would be handled differently if it occurred today, as the Church in Belgium has “a firm commitment to total transparency and zero tolerance.”

Vancottem is not the only bishop to have been subjected to confidential disciplinary measures from the Vatican. 

The most famous case is that of the U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who faced curbs on his public activities in the late 2000s, before he was dismissed from the clerical state in 2019 for sexual abuse.

In France, which neighbors Belgium, it emerged in 2023 that the Vatican had ordered the retired French Archbishop Maurice Gardès to lead a life of prayer and penance in 2021 following allegations of sexual assault and spiritual abuse.

In an April 22 op-ed for the Belgian newspaper La Libre, journalist Bosco d’Otreppe questioned the need for secrecy in the Vancottem case.

“As such, this sanction reflects the stricter measures taken under Pope Francis’ pontificate to combat abuse. However, it is difficult to understand why the bishops’ conference has not been more transparent with the faithful on this matter,” he wrote.

He asked how Church authorities could ensure compliance with a ban on public celebration of the Mass if almost no one knew of its existence.

“More fundamentally, it is in the name of the faithful — for whom the bishop is a shepherd — that the truth must be acknowledged,” he said.

“Hiding it creates taboos and deprives Catholics of information and legitimate means to understand and participate in the life of their Church.”