DUBLIN (AP) — Pope Francis declared as he arrived in Ireland that he shares the outrage of rank-and-file Catholics over the cover-up of the “repugnant crimes” of priests who raped and molested children, and vowed that he was committed to ending the “scourge.” Seeking to respond to a global outcry over sex abuse by priests, Francis cited measures taken by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, to respond to the crisis. But Benedict never acknowledged the Vatican’s role in fueling a culture of cover-up, and Francis provided no new details of any measures he would take to sanction bishops who fail to protect their flocks from predator priests. “The failure of ecclesial authorities — bishops, religious superiors, priests and others — to adequately address these repugnant crimes has rightly given rise to outrage, and remains a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community. I myself share these sentiments,” the pope said Saturday (Aug. 25), in a speech to government officials and … [Read more...]

(RNS) — Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war who embraced patriotism loudly and religion quietly, died Saturday (Aug. 25) at the age of 81. McCain was diagnosed in July 2017 with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. The longtime Arizona Republican senator, reared in the Episcopal Church, attended a Southern Baptist megachurch in his later years. He viewed himself as a Christian but had “a distrust of the religious right and a faith that is too public, too political,” author Stephen Mansfield, author of books about the faiths of presidents and presidential candidates, told Religion News Service in December 2017. It was during McCain’s runs for president, especially his second campaign in 2008, that he spoke about his faith. But, even then, he tended to tell a story about a silent expression of belief in God. In a family memoir, a campaign ad as well as a televised interview with megachurch pastor Rick Warren, he recalled a guard in his prisoner of war camp … [Read more...]

LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Pick any road in Redding, Calif., and community members will tell you they aren’t surprised to see handmade thank-you signs lining the streets. Typically the signs consist of block letters, hearts and firefighter figures meant to convey Californians’ gratitude for emergency helpers following one of the state’s worst fires. “I think it’s been really powerful for this community to learn what it means to say ‘thank you,’” said the Rev. Janet Chapman of First Christian Church of Redding (Disciples of Christ). “I hope we never forget that.” In northern California, the Carr fire and Mendocino Complex fires are 70 percent contained. In total, more than 800,000 acres across the state have burned, making it one of the worst fire seasons in California’s history. While the fires are mostly contained, about 1,600 structures, mostly homes, were consumed. The road to recovery stretches well into the future. In addition to firefighters, the Red Cross and local … [Read more...]

(RNS) — In his response to a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing allegations of sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by Roman Catholic clergy, Pope Francis condemned the abuse as a crime and called the church to solidarity with its victims. “With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives,” Francis wrote in a letter published Monday (Aug. 20). “We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.” It was a statement some following the Catholic Church’s clergy sexual abuse crisis called “the boldest we have heard from the Vatican” and others, “too little, too late.” What makes the letter different from other statements by Francis and previous popes is that it addresses the Pennsylvania grand jury reportspecifically and not just sex abuse in general, said the Rev. James Martin, a … [Read more...]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Of all the horrific details contained in the Pennsylvania grand jury report on child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, one sentence stands out: “The main thing was not to help children, but to avoid ‘scandal.'” When sex-abuse cases dominate headlines, a familiar pattern often emerges. If it took place at a large organization — be it a church, a large state university or a group such as USA Gymnastics — misconduct is often covered up in hopes of saving the institution’s reputation, and the money that accompanies it. Why is the role of institutions so powerful? Because they command emotion. They inspire loyalty. And they have established ways of doing things that rev up when problems surface. Perhaps most relevantly, they often have a community built around them, geographically or otherwise. And preserving that community can become a priority — even over something as seemingly fundamental as protecting the youngest among us. In short, when bad … [Read more...]

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis issued a letter to Catholics around the world Monday condemning the “crime” of priestly sexual abuse and its cover-up and demanding accountability, in response to new revelations in the United States of decades of misconduct by the Catholic Church. Francis begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be involved in any effort to root out abuse and cover-up. He blasted the self-referential clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned for their reputation than the safety of children. “With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives,” Francis wrote. “We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.” The Vatican issued the three-page letter ahead of Francis’ trip this weekend to … [Read more...]