In a strongly-worded editorial in its publication, Desde la Fe, the Mexico City archdiocese accused the local government of provoking social division by enacting a new law permitting same-sex marriages. It accused Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard "of provoking constant social division through his political activism" and by "implementing the legal practice of abortion and homosexual unions".
In his Sunday homily, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera told a gathering of lay Catholic family groups, "Let's not be discouraged by the apparent triumph of evil, of contrary values, of the individualistic vision of the family and a society that fails to support the true needs of households".
The law permitting same-sex marriage took effect on March 4. It changes the definition of marriage to "the free union of two persons", regardless of gender.
Church condemns 'anti-life' libel ruling
Polish Church leaders reacted angrily to an appeal court ruling upholding an earlier judgment that their country's top-selling Catholic newspaper libelled a single mother who sought an abortion, by comparing her to Nazi war criminals.
"No established law can undermine God's Commandments and the order of Christ; abortion is the first cause of death in Europe," Archbishop Damian Zimon of Katowice said.
The archbishop issued the statement after a ruling by the appeal court in Katowice that the archdiocese's Gosc Niedzielny weekly must apologise and pay $10,000 in damages to Alicja Tysiac after a two-year, high-profile libel suit.
Archbishop asks for protection
Church leaders in Pakistan have criticised their government for showing a "lethargic attitude" towards attacks on religious minorities. The government has, in effect, given free reign to the Taliban, thus encouraging "the imposition of jazia - a tax for being non-Muslim - by militant organisations, "as well as 'kidnapping for ransom, target killing and internal displacement'," said a statement from the Pakistan Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.
The statement said recent violent incidents against Sikhs, Hindus and Christians pose a "grave threat to the life, liberty and property of the members of religious minorities in the country".
New measures to combat sexual abuse
"Church bodies have a responsibility to act clearly and consistently towards all suspected cases and accusations (of abuse)," the Austrian bishops' conference said in a March 5 statement.
"Care must be directed, above all, towards the victims, and appropriate consequences drawn for the perpetrators. We therefore believe improvements are necessary to the measures we have taken previously," the bishops said.
The document said all dioceses had taken steps during the past 15 years to prevent abuse by clergy by opening special offices, or Ombudsstellen, to handle abuse claims and establishing training programs for clergy and lay Church workers. The bishops said the detailed guidelines adopted by the Vienna archdiocese would form the basis for new instructions for the Church nationwide.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)