Pope Leo issues orders insisting that priests must be celibate
Leo's directives, which also included "firm and decisive" action from bishops in addressing sex abuse within the Church, came during a significant address to hundreds of global Catholic leaders.
Speaking from St. Peter's Basilica, Leo met with approximately 400 bishops and cardinals representing 38 countries.
The gathering was part of this week's special Holy Year celebrations for clergy, and followed a day after the Pope delivered an encouraging message to young seminarians.
This address, however, offered a more comprehensive outline of the responsibilities bishops must undertake to guide their congregations.
As Cardinal Robert Prevost, Leo served as the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops from 2023 until his election in May.
In that pivotal role, the Chicago-born Prevost was responsible for vetting bishop nominations for Pope Francis, seeking out leaders who would advance Francis's vision of an inclusive Church where 'all are welcome and dialogue is the decisive form of governance'.
Beyond the critical issues of celibacy and abuse, the pontiff reiterated that the primary duty of bishops is to foster unity among clergy within their dioceses and to maintain a close relationship with their flock "in word and deed".
He further instructed that bishops must embody poverty and simplicity, generously opening their homes to all, and acting as both a "father figure and brother"to their priests.
'In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power,' he said.
Bishops must remain celibate 'and present to all the authentic image of the church, holy and chaste in her members as in her head', he said.
Referring to cases of abuse, Leo said bishops 'must be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force'.
It was the second time in a week that Leo has commented publicly on the abuse scandal.
On Friday night, in a written statement to a crusading Peruvian journalist who documented gross abuses in a Peruvian Catholic movement, Leo said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse.
He identified sexual and spiritual abuses, as well as abuses of authority and power, in calling for 'transparent processes' to create a culture of prevention across the church.
Francis, who in many ways placed Leo in position to succeed him, had also reaffirmed celibacy for Latin rite priests while acknowledging it was a discipline of the church, not doctrine, and therefore could change. But he refused appeals from Amazonian bishops to allow married priests to address the priest shortage in the region.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Gia Giudice faces backlash as she seeks presidential pardon for her father Joe
Gia Giudice is now seeking a presidential pardon for her father Joe Giudice, six years after he was deported to Italy following his fraud conviction. In 2014, Gia's parents Joe and Teresa Giudice were sentenced to prison after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and three types of bankruptcy fraud. While Teresa was released after serving 11 months behind bars, Joe - an Italian citizen who was brought to the U.S. as a one-year-old - was deported back to his home country in 2019 following his release from prison. He now lives in the Bahamas and has been asking Trump for a second chance so he can reunite with his daughters. Inspired by the pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley were recently granted, Gia, 24, is hopeful Trump will offer her father the same lenience. On July 4th, Gia shared video of her writing and mailing character letters to Trump, hopeful it would lead to a pardon. But Gia quickly faced backlash for her request, with followers calling her efforts amid recent ICE raids 'tone deaf' and another dubbing it 'privilege at it's finest.' 'Hi guys, my name is Gia Giudice. I'm the daughter of Joe Giudice and today I'm using my voice for something deeply personal,' she began in the video. 'My dad was deported over four years ago. Since then, our family has lived in an emotional limbo. No matter how strong we try to be, the absence of a father, of a parent, it's something that never stops hurting. 'Growing up, my dad was present at every cheer competition, every dance recital, holiday. He was our provider, our protector, and he still is, just now from thousands of miles away. 'Watching the Chrisley family receive a second chance inspired me. It showed me that people can be forgiven, that families can be restored and that sometimes the justice system has room for grace. 'That gave me hope. Hope that maybe my dad could come home too. A pardon would mean more than just legal forgiveness. It would mean healing for my sisters, for my mom, for my family, and for me. We've missed birthdays, graduations, even the small moments that matter the most. 'This isn't just about one man. It's about a family who deserves to be whole again. I'm using my platform to speak not just as a public figure, but as a daughter who deeply misses her dad. We are not asking for sympathy, we're asking for a second chance. So, let's bring Joe home together. 'President Donald J. Trump, I really hope you receive these character letters about my dad Joe Giudice.' Gia's post sparked mixed and heated response from followers. 'This is rather tone deaf considering your father committed a white collar crime and got deported but people are getting deported and sent God Knows Where without even having criminal records. Your fans want you to use your influence to help the less fortunate and I don't blame anyone for not having sympathy for your father who is dealing with consequences based off of choices he MADE,' one wrote. 'Are you currently aware of whats going on with immigration at the moment in this country? Smh,' another asked. 'Wasn't he in the US for years and didn't pursue citizenship?!? With everything going on, your family is asking for a pardon!?! Y'all are beyond tone deaf…This is utterly ridiculous…' another wrote. 'Gia. Your dad had YEARS to become a citizen and didn't. He broke laws and this is his consequence. Why is he any different from anyone else who was deported for criminal behavior? Because he has daughters? Because he had money? The laws apply to everyone. I know you miss him & want him here-I get it. But hes only a flight away-and at least you can afford to visit. Regardless-if he gets an exception then why shouldn't everyone else? Maybe work on changing the laws for everyone instead of your dad getting special treatment.' 'mind u, this is an ACTUAL convicted felon. but go off,' another said. 'Next you can write various letters on behalf of all the families being ripped apart across the United States. Individuals that have not committed any crimes but are still being deported with no judicial process or judicial review. Your video is incredibly insensitive considering everything that is going on. Please do better,' one wrote. 'Wait.. she posted this on july 4th? The entitlement is absurd,' another pointed out. 'Privilege at its advice would you give all the other young people who are having their families torn apart for far less reasons? Im curious,' one posted. Another called Gia a 'mini' Savannah Chrisley, the woman who lobbied for her parents Todd and Julie to receive a pardon after they were found guilty in 2022 of defrauding banks out of $30 million. 'Okay mini Savannah Chrisley. Chill out,' they wrote. The comments section did contain several supporters, including Gia's mother (and Joe's ex-wife) Teresa Giudice. She posted a string of red heart emojis. One said: 'Get out of her comments with the negativity it's her Father for goodness sake.' Teresa and Joe were married from 1999 to 2020 and share four daughters together Gia, Gabriella, 20, Milania, 19, and Audriana, 15. She is now married to Luis Ruelas. Joe has been pleading his case to the president on Instagram as of late. 'I'm Joe Giudice. I served my time, and I've been deported from the U.S. for nearly a decade,' he recently wrote on the platform. 'I was raised in Jersey, I'm a father of four amazing daughters, and I just want to be allowed to visit them again.' 'President Trump, I respect you and I'm asking for a second chance.' Giudice's former Real Housewives colleague Siggy Flicker, who Trump appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council earlier this year, commented that she's working on it. Flicker wrote: 'I'm trying. Joe should be back home with his beautiful daughters!!!!!!' Giudice's criminal conviction and subsequent deportation also ended his marriage – with ex-wife Teresa also sentenced to 11 months inside. At the time of their conviction, the Justice Department released a statement that made an example of the former couple and highlighted the risks of 'cheating the government' by failing to pay taxes. U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said: 'The Giudices together deceived financial institutions with patently false loan applications; were dishonest when they sought the protection of the bankruptcy court and hid assets and income from the trustee; and Giuseppe [Joe] Giudice cheated the government by failing to pay taxes on years of significant income. 'When they pleaded guilty, both admitted swearing to statements they knew were lies. Prison is the appropriate penalty for these serious financial crimes.' Giudice said in 2023 that he still doesn't believe he did much wrong – and slammed the US for dumping him 'like a dog' in Italy. He said: 'I got thrown into a country that I knew nothing about. All right, basically, just dumped there like, like, like, I don't know, like, I guess a dog, you know what I mean. Not even a dog gets dumped like that. 'And, you know, thank God, Italy took me in and, and basically took care of me. You know, they actually treated me like a person, not like the US. 'The US treats you like garbage. I mean, they treat their own citizens like garbage. You know what? I mean, it's ridiculous the way they treat people there when you get involved in, you know, certain things like this.' An audibly angry Giudice also complained he would never have been charged with fraud in the Bahamas or Italy – and claimed murderers get treated better than fraudsters in the US. The dad-of-three continued: 'I mean, my charges don't even exist here. You know, tax things don't exist in The Bahamas. 'Tax things don't exist in, in Italy. You know what I mean, you know, you, you just don't go to jail for that stuff. You know what I mean, you get a fine, you get whatever. 'But, I mean, you don't go to jail. You don't break your you know, they don't break families up in, you know, like they do over there. 'I mean, they throw people behind bars there for years for that stuff. You know what I mean? And it's ridiculous, you know what I mean? A fine, you know, a slap on a wrist, six months. 'You know, anything you do as a first offense should be more than a fine, not 15-years, or whatever the hell they give by, you know, for certain things like this, which I've seen them all in there. 'You know what I mean? Who had 20 years. Who had 30 years. For tax things? You know what I mean? I'm not talking about, you kill somebody. 'Murderers get out before people like do tax frauds in the states. You know what I mean? First time, you should get a slap on a wrist, a fine. All right, take the money away, do whatever you gotta do. 'But, you know, to break up a family and, you know, destroy their lives over one mistake. I don't think it's fair.' Despite being furious over his jail sentence and deportation, Giudice said - as he did on Instagram - he hopes to overturn his deportation order and return to the US to be closer to his daughters.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Reuters
Pope Leo takes first action to address abuse by Catholic clergy
VATICAN CITY, July 5 (Reuters) - Pope Leo on Saturday appointed a French archbishop as the new leader of the Vatican's commission on clergy sexual abuse, in the U.S. pontiff's first public move to confront an issue that has damaged the global Church's credibility. Thibault Verny, 59, will be president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors while also remaining the archbishop of Chambery in southeast France. The Vatican commission was created by Pope Francis in 2014 in an effort by the late pontiff to respond after sexual abuse scandals affected the Church in countries across the world. The scandals have damaged the Church's standing as a moral voice, led to lawsuits costing millions in countries across the globe, and resulted in a number of resignations of bishops. Verny said he was committed to improving the Church's safeguarding measures. "We will promote the ... equitable sharing of resources so that all parts of the Church, regardless of geography or circumstance, can uphold the highest standards of protection," he said in a statement. Verny replaces Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the former archbishop of Boston. O'Malley, 81, had been serving beyond the Church's traditional retirement age of 80 for bishops. O'Malley had led the group since its creation. While some victims have praised the commission's efforts, it has also been roiled by the resignations of several of its members over the years. In 2023, a prominent Jesuit priest and papal adviser stepped down, saying publicly that he had concerns over the way the group was operating. Verny was first made a member of the commission by Francis in 2022. He has also led the French Church's safeguarding efforts. O'Malley praised the appointment, saying in a statement Verny is "a collaborative leader committed to advancing the global adoption of protection and safeguarding, to as best possible assure the safety of those in the care of the Church throughout the world".
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Pope Leo XIV signals continuity on fighting abuse with new head of child protection board
Pope Leo XIV signaled commitment to continuing the fight against clergy sexual abuse by appointing France 's Bishop Thibault Verny to head the Vatican's child protection advisory commission on Saturday. Verny, 59, replaces American Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the retired archbishop of Boston. O'Malley was the founding president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, an advisory group Pope Francis established in 2014 to advise the church on best practices to fight abuse and protect children. As the abuse scandal spread globally during Francis' 12-year pontificate, the commission initially lost influence and its crowning recommendation — the creation of a tribunal to judge bishops who covered up for predator priests — went nowhere. After many years of reform and new members, it has become a place where victims can go to be heard and bishops can get advice on crafting guidelines to fight abuse. Verny, who is currently the bishop of Chambery, France, has been a member of the commission since 2022 and heads the child protection council of the bishops conference in France, where the church has been rocked by revelations of decades and abuse by priests and bishops. He was among commission members who met with Leo last month. The bishop has been responsible for doing an annual audit of the French church's centers for receiving victims, an initiative that was started after a devastating 2021 report into the French scandal estimated 330,000 children in France had been sexually abused over the past 70 years by church personnel. Cardinal O'Malley praised the appointment, saying Verny has developed in-depth experience helping victims and working with law enforcement and civil authorities to ensure accountability 'for the serious failures of the church in France.' In a statement, O'Malley also praised Leo for continuing to consider the commission a priority. 'The Holy Father's words and deeds in these early months of his pontificate assure the world that the Church will not grow complacent in her efforts to as best possible ensure the protection of children, vulnerable adults and all people in our communities,' he said. Verny, for his part, praised O'Malley's leadership as courageous and having served as 'a moral compass' for the church, a reference to O'Malley's occasional statements of outrage when even Francis bungled an abuse case. 'I am committed, together with the members and personnel, to building on that legacy,' Verny said in a statement. The American-born pope made the appointment the day before heading for a six-week vacation at the papal summer retreat south of Rome. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
