Congregation for Clergy Archives

‘Front-line’ priests should have priority access to vaccine, cardinal says

May 4, 2021

riests who are ministering “on the front lines” in parishes, prisons and hospitals should be considered “at-risk” and receive priority in COVID-19 vaccination programs, said the head of the Vatican Congregation for Clergy.

By Carol Glatz

Parishes are not ‘businesses’ that can be led by anyone, cardinal says

Jul 29, 2020

The recent Vatican instruction on pastoral care clarifies the responsibility of every member of the church community to work together in the shared mission of evangelization and warns against turning the parish into a mere provider of services, said Cardinal Beniamino Stella.

By Carol Glatz

Vatican issues guidelines for parishes in the Pope Francis era

Jul 20, 2020

Monday the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy issued a set of non-binding guidelines for parishes to implement Pope Francis’s vision of a Church that reaches out, meeting people where they are.

By Elise Ann Allen

Vatican-recognized exorcists’ group offers guidelines for ‘quality control’

Jul 19, 2020

The guidelines come in response to a perception that there are too many rogue operators, both clerical and lay, who claim to perform exorcisms but who aren’t authorized to do so.

By Crux Staff

Cardinal says with ‘rare exceptions,’ priests with kids should leave

Feb 27, 2019

The Vatican cardinal in charge of clergy said Wednesday that apart from “very rare” exceptions, a priest with a child should leave the priesthood.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Priest’s child demands Vatican set record straight on ‘internal policies’

Feb 23, 2019

Vincent Doyle, the child of a Catholic priest, says that men in such situations shouldn’t have to choose between priesthood and paternity.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Laity must have role in fighting clericalism, Vatican official says

Sep 5, 2018

Clericalism has led to a distorted view of authority that has contributed to the problems of sexual abuse and the abuse of power and conscience affecting the Catholic Church, said the head of the Vatican’s clergy office.

By Junno Arocho Esteves

Serving isolated parishes may mean ordaining married men, cardinal says

Jan 22, 2018

The idea of exceptionally ordaining older married men of proven virtue to celebrate the Eucharist in isolated Catholic communities is something that should be discussed, said Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy.

By Cindy Wooden