The British Home Secretary has rejected proposals for buffer zones around abortion clinics throughout England and Wales as disproportionate, after finding that most abortion protests are peaceful and passive.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said in his Sept. 13 decision that after reviewing the evidence, which included “upsetting examples of harassment … what is clear from the evidence we gathered is that these activities are not the norm, and predominantly, anti-abortion activities are more passive in nature.”

The typical activities of those protesting outside of abortion clinics “include praying, displaying banners and handing out leaflets,” Javid noted…

Following a private audience with Pope Francis on Thursday morning in Vatican City, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement regarding the recent moral crisis in the American Catholic Church.

“We are grateful to the Holy Father for receiving us in an audience. We shared with Pope Francis our situation in the United States – how the Body of Christ is lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse…

Many homeless people of Detroit already recognize Father Marko Djonovic’s white Ford Excursion.

When Djonovic rolls up with his friend Marcus Cobb, it’s probably because they’ve got a job to offer, in exchange for lunch and some pay.

“Word is getting out on the street about us,” Djonovic said of his new ministry, which he dubbed Better Way Detroit…

Pope Francis has convened the Presidents of all the Episcopal Conferences of the whole world for a meeting in Rome to discuss the prevention of abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.

The announcement was made by the Vice-director of the Holy See Press Office, Paloma García Ovejero, at a press briefing on the meeting of the Council of Cardinal Advisers, which concluded Wednesday morning…

Pope Francis will be meeting on Thursday with the leaders of the episcopal conference of the United States.

The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, will be received in audience along with Archbishop Jóse Horacio Gómez, the Vice-president of the Conference; and Monsignor J. Brian Bransfield, the General Secretary. The President of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors will also take part in the meeting…

Pope Francis on Saturday met in the Vatican 75 newly-appointed bishops from the mission territories of 34 countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania, and urged them to care for their flocks like the Good Shepherd, by being men of prayer, proclamation and communion. 

The bishops are participating in a seminar that the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has organized September 3-15 to help them in their ministry. 

In a talk to them, Pope Francis said that a bishop is configured to Christ the Good Shepherd and Priest who does not live for himself but offers his life for his sheep, especially the weakest those most in danger, who are made to feel the Lord’s predilection through his gestures and words of comfort. 

Men of prayer, proclamation, communion

As a man of prayer, the Pope said,  a bishop always brings his people and situations before God every day, becoming like Jesus the victim and altar for the salvation of his flock. 

The second task of a bishop is to go out and proclaim the Gospel in places where the Lord is not known or is disfigured and persecuted, and not to remain seated in his office like a company manager or a prince.   In this duty, he should be a humble witness to the Gospel like Jesus, without giving in to the temptation of power, gratification, worldliness or projecting oneself, and without watering down the crucified and risen Jesus…