Dutch bishops have ordered a inquiry into alleged sexual abuses of children by Catholic...

MANILA — Bishops in the predominantly Catholic Philippines called for a total ban on condom advertisements on Wednesday as an ongoing tussle over contraceptives flared again. The influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines issued a resolution saying that condoms do not protect against AIDS, despite advice to the contrary by health officials and activists, as well as international medical opinion. The resolution “On the Government?s Revitalized Promotion of Condoms” seeks a ban on condom advertisements in newspapers and magazines and on radio and television. “The condom cannot really put a stop to AIDS. Moreover, by creating a false sense of security, it condones and encourages promiscuity outside of marriage, and hence contributes to the further spread...

“Unprecedented”, “historic” and “unique”, this is how the recent meetings to discuss the scandal of clerical sex abuse the between the Irish bishops and Pope Benedict were described by the Vatican. It is interesting, though perhaps not totally unexpected, that the words useful and productive do not appear in the official statement. In reality the talks were at best missed opportunity and at worst a mere public relations exercise.The Pope met the Bishops but refused to meet any of the victims of sex abuse in person. Not one of the 24 Irish bishops felt it important to ask the Pope about the Vatican’s role in the mishandling of clerical child sex abuse in Ireland or about the lack of co-operation by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the papal nunciature...

• Bishops given public dressing down over scandal• Papal envoy in Dublin refuses to appear before inquiryPope Benedict XVI gave the bishops of the Irish Catholic church a public dressing down at the Vatican today over the "heinous" child abuse scandal that has capsized the church's moral authority in Ireland.However, doubts remain about the church's openness after the papal envoy in Dublin declined to give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry there.After two days of discussions in the Vatican, during which each of the 24 Irish bishops was called in separately and given seven minutes to explain his conduct, an official statement was issued."The Holy Father observed that the sexual abuse of children and young people is not only a heinous crime, but also a grave sin which offends God and...

There is no honesty in Pope Rat summoning the Irish Bishops to the Vatican. There is no honesty in his attempts to put things right. Why so? Because in 2001 cardinal Ratzinger, as he was then, rewrote the secret doctrine that instructed Bishops on how to deal with sex scandals. He tightened the rules and made...

Ireland's Roman Catholic bishops are preparing for an unprecedented meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the...

Ordaining women as bishops would be "a mistake", some 50 clergy have warned in a letter to the General...

The Church of England's governing body is expected to put renewed pressure on bishops over delays in the introduction of female...

• Bishops told to fight moves with 'missionary zeal'• Secular groups preparing protests for September tripPope Benedict XVI marked the announcement of his first papal visit to Britain with an unprecedented attack on the ­government's equality legislation yesterday, claiming it threatened religious freedom and ran contrary to "natural law".Speaking at the Vatican to visiting Catholic bishops of England and Wales, he described changes to the law as unjust and urged them to invoke "missionary zeal" to resist them.The comments came during a five-yearly trip to the Vatican by the bishops, during which they made presentations on their concerns about the place of religion in an increasingly secular society.The pope's broadside appeared to be aimed squarely at recent legislation that...

Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland are to meet to discuss the fallout of a report over the church's failure to address sex abuse...

Vatican conference to discuss response to clerical sexual abuse in IrelandIreland's bishops have all been summoned to the Vatican for discussions on the clerical child sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Irish Catholic church.Senior Catholic sources said today the pope had summoned them to a meeting in Rome on 15 and 16 February.Senior Catholic church sources confirmed a story in the Irish Catholic newspaper about a meeting to debate the Ryan and Murphy reports into widespread clerical child abuse across the republic.Irish bishops said they received the Vatican's invitations yesterday.A prelate, who wished to remain anonymous, said Pope Benedict would speak to the bishops on the opening day of the meeting and they would be able to tell him what they thought about the scandal.They would...

Dublin Bishops Eamonn Walsh and Ray Field issue joint statement announcing their resignation in wake of damning investigationTwo Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland resigned today in the wake of a damning investigation into decades of church cover-up of child abuse in the Dublin archdiocese.Dublin Bishops Eamonn Walsh and Ray Field offered an apology to child-abuse victims as they announced their resignation during Christmas mass. Priests read the statement to worshippers throughout the archdiocese, home to a quarter of Ireland's 4 million Catholics.Earlier this month two other bishops, Donal Murray of Limerick and Jim Moriarty of Kildare, resigned following the publication on 26 November of a three-year investigation into why so many abusive Dublin priests escaped justice for so long.The...

Two more Catholic bishops have resigned in response to a report which criticised how they handled allegations of clerical...

Two more Catholic bishops have resigned in response to a report which criticised how they handled allegations of clerical...

The Dunmow and Stansted Observer is a weekly tabloid newspaper sold in the West Essex towns of Great Dunmow and Stansted Mountfitchet and nearby villages in the area. It’s part of a two-title Herts and Essex Observer series founded in 1861 and published by Herts & Essex Newspapers, a division of Iliffe News and Media. The editorial offices for the series are in Bishop’s Stortford. It comes out on Thursdays. Website: http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/hertsandessexobserver-news-dunmowandstansted/ Address: Dunmow and Stansted Observer 12 North Street BISHOP’S STORTFORD CM23 2LQ Tel: 01992 526625 Fax: 01992 526686/87...

In a move that would be frowned upon were he a football manager, Pope Benny, has been in discussions with Anglican Bishops – behind the ArchBishop of Cantebury’s back – to tempt them to come and join his club. It is believed many Anglican Bishops upset with women and gay men being admitted to the priesthood are considering the move but are awaiting full details of the transfer package on offer. The Rt Rev John Hind, the Bishop of Chichester is one who has announced he would love to pray for Team Vatican. If he ‘moves’ to Rome it is thought others will follow his lead Read more here . . ....

More than 200 Roman Catholic bishops from across Africa tell corrupt political leaders there to repent or step...

Now this might sound silly but come on, you need to think about it, if not anything else. Why do we have 25 Bishops in the Lords and no other representative from any other religion?If you question the religious belief of people in the UK, many people are non religious; a large group are Christian, another group Muslim, another Jew and other religions like Sikh and Hindu's live in our society. But my question is why aren't any of these other religions represented in the Lords?My view is that someone needs to propose Parliamentary reform that would mean that every religion or at least the main religions in the UK are represented in the Lords. The 25 seats for Bishops should be shared out between the Church, Mosque and Synagogue.My proposal is that we need 7 Bishops, 7 Imams, 7 Rabbis and...

On a chess board the two Bishops are dressed in the same colour, start from roughly the same place, seem to have the same focus, but they never meet. The reason is of course that one uses the white square and the other's the black. The King and Queen, between them have the same basic move but the King can only move one square in any direction and the Queen can go as far as she pleases.The...

• Congregations get option to insist on male clergy• Evangelicals claim move will avoid Anglican splitThe unity of the Church of England is under threat once more after a key committee agreed to automatically remove certain powers from female bishops and give them to their male colleagues.According to the amended law, this move would allow the male bishop to perform certain functions, such as communion and confirmation, in order to accommodate parishioners and clergy hostile to female bishops.It follows heavy lobbying from those opposed to the concept of women bishops who have demanded special care in the event of their ordination, an event unlikely to occur before 2014.A statement from the Church of England said the committee had "received nearly 300 submissions, including more than...

In a poor attempt to convince parents of their effectiveness  the DUP have misinterpreted the significance of a statement by Father Ignatius McQuillan recently published in the Irish News http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/561/2009/7/20/622952_388069193305Exambanw.html  and the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8159283.stm. In a mandatory coalition executive dependent upon mutual cooperation to avoid collapse the DUP must be seen to be outdoing their Sinn Fein partners. As history has revealed the DUP’s effectiveness in tackling anyone with their own developed strategy is virtually non-existent. Sinn Fein’s destruction of grammar schools has been aided and abetted by token opposition and slick slogans. While the conflicted anti-academic selection position...

Dr Rowan Williams warns of church split over US decision to ignore ban on homosexual clergyDr Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, has said he regrets a decision by the US Episcopal church to ignore a ban on ordaining gay bishops and lobby for their inclusion.Williams's comments at the general synod in York were in response to a vote held yesterday in Anaheim, California, where the Episcopal church of the United States is meeting for its triennial gathering.Representatives from the house of deputies, one of two legislative branches in the US church, voted to adopt a resolution declaring the ordination process open to "all individuals".If passed by the house of bishops this week, the resolution will be a blow for Williams, who went to Anaheim last week to urge the Americans to...

As the Church of England is preoccupied by matters synodical and episcopal, it appears that Gordon Brown is to have one final push to bequeath to the nation a legacy. Having already tampered with (indeed, abolished) the Royal Prerogative in the appointment of Church of England bishops, the Prime Presbyterian of Scotland is to begin the formal unravelling of the Church-State settlement which has endured since the Reformation: he is to remove the 26 bishops who sit in the Upper House as the Lords Spiritual.What constitutional, legal or moral right does a Scot have to tamper with the laws of England?In typical Blairite ‘Third Way’ fashion, in order to avoid a constitutional crisis, the bishops are not to be physically removed: they will retain the trappings of power, but lose their right...

The Church of England's ruling body is to debate whether to reduce the number of bishops in a bid to save...

General Synod to debate reduction in senior clergy amid falling investment returns and £352m pension deficitThe Church of England is to debate trimming the number of bishops and other senior clergy, amid falling investment returns and a £352m pension deficit.The measure, proposed by the diocese of Bradford, will be discussed at next month's meeting of the General Synod, the church's legislative body. In a paper the diocese said that despite a "large decline" in church membership and full-time paid clergy there had been no serious consideration given to the need to reduce the number of senior posts and the structures around them.In 2008 the church commissioners, who manage investments for the Church of England, spent £7.3m maintaining houses for diocesan bishops and £14.5m in grants...

Rules aimed at clergy living with women or who have left ministry, but sexual abuse will be dealt with by separate bodyPope Benedict XVI has authorised new powers for bishops to dismiss "errant" priests from their ministry.The guidelines, issued by the Congregation for Clergy – the Vatican body which oversees the priesthood – will make it easier and faster for bishops to dismiss priests who are living with women, have left their ministry or who have engaged in scandalous behaviour. The new powers do not apply to cases involving clerical sex abuse, which will continue to be dealt with by a separate body.Cardinal Claudio Hummes told the Catholic News Service that the new, quicker administrative procedure was prompted by "many situations where canon law did not seem adequate for meeting...

If you haven't already noticed, I take a pretty dim view of the way members of the House of Lords are selected (click on labels for 'House of Lords' postings below for more detail), not to mention the way undemocratically selected bishops and arch-bishops have the cheek to lecture the public on democracy.A quick survey of published details about the the 23 bishops who attended the House of Lords in the year ending March 2008 shows that they put in an average of 22.4 days each.The keenest five were the bishops of Southwark (83), Chester (46), Manchester (45) Southwell (44) and Liverpool (38).The lowest attendances were clocked up by the bishops of Chichester (3), Truro (5), Canterbury, Arch-bishop (7) Carlisle (9) and Durham (9).Top of the claims for daily expenses was the Bishop of Truro,...

Cranmer has been sent a link to this statement by the Bishop of Rochester which appears on Iain Dale's Diary. Mr Dale is not best pleased with Cranmer at the moment, so His Grace is pleased that Mr Dale is finding spiritual nourishment from Bishop Michael, a most reliable alternative. After a discussion on global capitalism, Mr Dale said: 'I was very impressed by the Bishop of Rochester. In fact, he came out with the quote of the lunch...If you want a moral lead, don't look to the bishops. I certainly wouldn't.'And one of Mr Dale's more insightful and discerning communicants adds in the comment thread: "Always excepting the excellent Cranmer of course!"Bless him.The spiritual decline and political fall of the Church of England is rooted in Bishop Michael's observation. The reality is that...

Yesterday I attended a round table lunch at the Centre for Policy Studies. To be honest, it was a little intimidating. There were about twenty people there including Maurice Saatchi, David Butler, Janet Daley, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Rochester, Sir Samuel Brittan, Peter Kellner, Theresa May, Tessa Keswick, Sir John Egan, Stryker McGwire from Newsweek to name but a few. The subject under discussion was THE FUTURE OF CAPITALISM. It was a lively ninety minutes. I listened and said very little, apart from upbraiding Tory MP John Hayes for his dismissal of the virtues of liberal Conservatism. I was very impressed by the Bishop of Rochester. In fact, he came out with the quote of the lunch...If you want a moral lead, don't look to the bishops. I certainly wouldn't.I didn't dare...

This was a surprise, and a sad one. Michael Nazir-Ali is one of the very few English Bishops who are courageous enough to stand up for the gospel, and speak out on ethical and social matters. His resignation is a loss to the C of E, and will mean even greater pressure on the few other Bishops who are bold and orthodox.Newspapers and blogs are speculating about his reasons for going, but one...