Pope wraps troubled visit to Belgium by praising victims and demanding abusers be judged

BRUSSELS (AP) — Pope Francis demanded Sunday that sexually abusive clergy be judged and their bishops stop covering up their crimes as he ended a troubled visit to Belgium by responding to the outrage over the scandal here that has devastated the church’s credibility. “Evil...

Belgian Catholic university denounces visiting pope's views on women after he digs in on their role

BRUSSELS (AP) — Pope Francis’ burdensome trip through Belgium reached new lows on Saturday when defiant Catholic university women demanded to his face a “paradigm change” on women’s issues in the church and then expressed deep disappointment when Francis dug in. The...

Pope gets an earful from Belgian king and abuse victims over scandals and failures to respond

BRUSSELS (AP) — On a brutal day for the frail and aging Pope Francis, the king of Belgium, its prime minister and the rector of the Catholic university that invited him here all ripped into the institution he heads for a spectrum of sins: for covering up cases of clergy sex abuse and being far...

Tone deaf and color blind? Catholic Church struggles to keep accused abusers out of religious art

BRUSSELS (AP) — Little brings more heavenly bliss to the faithful or otherworldly wonder to casual visitors than ethereal hymns cascading amid the columns of Catholic cathedrals. That is, unless the composer is a known molester or someone accused of sexual abuse. A few days before...

Pope travels to the heart of Europe to appeal for peace and to boost his dwindling flock

LUXEMBOURG (AP) — Pope Francis called for Europe to be a beacon of peace in war and a welcome home for migrants and refugees as he arrived in the heart of the continent on Thursday to encourage the dwindling Catholic flock in a onetime bastion of Christianity. Francis received a...

Belgium's appalling abuse legacy clouds pope's trip as survivors pen letter seeking reparations

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Fresh off a four-nation tour of Asia, where he saw record-setting crowds and vibrant church communities, Pope Francis travels to Belgium this week as the once-staunchly Catholic country again confronts its appalling legacy of clergy sex abuse and institutional cover-up. ...

Pope expels a bishop and 9 other people from a Peru movement over 'sadistic' abuses

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis took the unusual decision Wednesday to expel 10 people – a bishop, priests and laypeople -- from a troubled Catholic movement in Peru after a Vatican investigation uncovered “sadistic” abuses of power, authority and spirituality. The move...

Pope Francis expels 10 people from a troubled Catholic movement in Peru after a Vatican investigation uncovered abuses

Their churches no longer feel safe. Now Nicaraguans are taking their worship home

When their church no longer felt safe, deacon Francisco Alvicio and his congregation made a plan. Cautiously, discreetly, they took their worship to their homes. “If I’m pursued at the church, I still have my Bible,” the 63-year-old Nicaraguan said. Praying in...

Two tales from one city show the challenges Pope Francis faces to retain his flock in Europe

HALLE, Belgium (AP) — The congregation at the Don Bosco church solemnly took the holy host after it was blessed during a Sunday service by Nancy Speeckaert — a woman. Only a week earlier, to equal excitement, she had also blessed a wedding. On both occasions, the humble...