A recent Lourdes meeting of the French bishops was characterised by the growing polarisation in the country and differences among the bishops following the introduction of gay marriage legislation last year. While some bishops took an active part in anti-gay marriage protests others took a discrete distance.

Last month, the Family and Society Council of the bishops’ conference was in the eye of the storm following its decision to cancel an invitation for a conference to a feminist philosopher who support gender theory. The cancellation of the invitation came after an online petition garnered 1,100 signatures. The Catholic daily La Croix described the signatories as “a minority, promoted to be thought police”.

Fr Bernard Podevin, spokesperson of the French bishops, told Le Figaro that the Lourdes debate was “a moment of truth” marked by “fraternity” but also “methodological disagreement”.

Call to cut alarmist rhetoric on migrants

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster said: “What I would appeal today is that the debate about immigration is done with a sense of realism and a sense of respect – and that it is not cushioned in expressions which are alarmist and evocative of anger or of dismay or distress at all these people coming to this country. …The reality is that the vast majority of migrants to this country add to our well-being.

“We have to grow to appreciate the richness that immigration brings, not simply to the Catholic church but to the life of hospitals and many public sector areas where we are now embracing and dependent on people who come to this country willing to give and wanting to support their families back home.” he added.

Pope as all Christians’ ‘universal shepherd’

Br Alois Löser, head of the Taizé ecumenical community in France, has said in an article in the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung that Christians should come together under one roof with the Pope as their universal shepherd. He said this should be done even before Christians achieve doctrinal unity.

“It is a fact that no Christian voice attracts as much attention as that of the Bishop of Rome. He is seen by many worldwide as Christianity’s spokesman,” said Br Loser.

Good news for Milani

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has withdrawn its negative evaluation of the late Fr Lorenzo Milani’s Pastoral Experiences. This ws announced by Cardinal Giuseppe Betori of Florence in an interview with Toscana Oggi.

The Holy Office had never formally condemned the book but in 1958 it had asked that it be withdrawn from circulation. Bertori said that last November he had written to Pope Francis who had referred the matter to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which informed Bertori it had no reservation about the book. Fr Milani was a reformist priest who wrote about the social political situation in Italy and contributed, through his actions and theories, to the betterment of education. His writing also criticised the Church whom he accused of becoming more involved in ‘ritual’ than faith.

Starving in Damascus

People are starving in Damascus. This shocking statement was made by Apostolic Nuncio to Syria Archbishop Mario Zenari in an interview on Vatican Radio. He said the international community cannot accept this situation. “Aid is ready: [it is] there at the gates of villages and neighbourhoods, and because of lack of security, humanitarian agencies are unable to enter,” he said.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)