Sacraments Archives

Pope says disabled persons have a ‘right’ to the sacraments

Dec 3, 2020

In a message for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Pope Francis issued a strong call that disabled persons must not be denied the sacraments.

By Elise Ann Allen

Bioethicist calls for right to ‘not be forced to die alone’

Nov 19, 2020

Currently, COVID-19 social distancing restrictions at medical and care facilities often limit visitation rights for family and chaplains. One leading bioethicist insists this violates the right to ‘not be forced to die alone.’

By Charles Collins

Return to Mass a concern for European bishops in COVID aftermath

Sep 29, 2020

In a recent virtual meeting, the heads of European bishops’ conferences discussed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on both the Church and society, highlighting new forms of poverty and reduced numbers at Sunday Masses as key areas of concern.

By Elise Ann Allen

Priest baptism story offers memo for reformers: Look before you leap

Aug 25, 2020

Robert K. Merton, a famous American sociologist, was, by all accounts, a smart guy. Among other things, he popularized the expression “law of unintended consequences” to refer to situations when a person does something for one reason, but he or she finds that it produces all sorts of other unexpected results.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Detroit priest’s invalid baptism had ripple effect, archdiocese says

Aug 24, 2020

The Archdiocese of Detroit is seeking to contact anyone who may have received invalid sacraments after a priest of the archdiocese learned his own baptism as an infant 30 years ago was invalid.

By Michael Stechschulte, CNS

Vatican says baptisms done with plural pronouns are invalid

Aug 6, 2020

On Thursday the Vatican issued a response to a question about the validity of baptisms using a modified formula, insisting that any baptisms celebrated with a formula other than the one approved and in the Church’s liturgical books are invalid.

By Elise Ann Allen

Don’t ‘blackmail’ kids into coming to church, Vatican official says

Jun 25, 2020

Although he said, “I would never go to war” over the proper age to administer the sacrament of confirmation, Archbishop Rino Fisichella said too often it seems that the sacrament is delayed to “blackmail” young people into continuing to come to church.

By Cindy Wooden

Vatican says don’t deny disabled people the sacraments

Jun 25, 2020

In a set of updated guidelines for catechesis released Thursday, the Vatican weighed in on what has long been a debate among theologians, insisting that the Church’s sacraments are a gift, and as such, they cannot be denied to disabled people.

By Elise Ann Allen