Articles by JD Flynn
Analysis: The Amazon synod and the English language
Jul 4, 2019 / 12:00 pmThe recent history of Church synods suggests that the results of the Amazon meeting will likely not match the intensity of the rhetoric preceding it. But the rhetoric- and what it can teach us about the state of the Church - matters.
Analysis: One year after McCarrick, what's next for the Church?
Jun 19, 2019 / 15:20 pmExactly one year after revelations about the sexual abuse of then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick were made public, the Church in the U.S. remains in a state of serious scandal, and Catholics remain angry and discouraged. But what’s next for the Church - what happens after McCarrick - depends as much on the decisions of ordinary Catholics as it does on the policy decisions of the U.S. bishops.
Analysis: How will the USCCB vote in first elections since McCarrick scandal?
Jun 17, 2019 / 17:00 pmWhile the spring meeting of the U.S. bishops’ conference has only just concluded, some bishops are already looking to the election of new conference officers at their November meeting. While the elections are still five months away, bishops are already discussing their options - particularly in light of the scandal the Church in the U.S. has faced in the last year.
Analysis: As USCCB meeting continues, what are lay Catholics looking for?
Jun 13, 2019 / 06:12 amNearly all U.S. bishops know by now that U.S. Catholics are experiencing crises of faith and confidence at a scale that far exceeds even the Church’s sexual abuse scandal in 2002. They were presented with data this week noting that the rate of Catholics defecting from the practice of the faith has risen dramatically in recent years, and they are reminded in their own dioceses that practicing Catholics, priests among them, are deeply discouraged of the last year, and struggling to trust.
Analysis: Bp. Bransfield, the USCCB, and the Holy Spirit
Jun 6, 2019 / 16:01 pmThe U.S. bishops arrive in Baltimore next week for their second plenary meeting in the year of serious crisis that began last June. They will meet, again, under the specter of another demoralizing scandal. This one involves a well-connected bishop, a ledger of extravagant gifts, and allegations of abuse from priests and seminarians subject to the bishop’s authority.
DiNardo denies mishandling priest abuse case and confession allegations
Jun 5, 2019 / 16:06 pmThe Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston disputed reports that Cardinal Daniel DiNardo mishandled a sexual abuse claim against a priest, and denied that the archdiocese had ever received reports that the accused priest violated canon law regarding the sacrament of penance.
California confession bill amended, but still would require priests to violate seal
May 20, 2019 / 09:16 amCalifornia’s state senate will vote on a bill that would require priests to violate the seal of confession in certain limited circumstances. An amended text of the bill passed the Senate’s appropriations’ committee May 16.
Analysis: Is Pope Francis' new abuse plan the answer Catholics are looking for?
May 9, 2019 / 10:04 amPope Francis, the “pope of surprises,” lived up to his nickname this morning, by releasing a comprehensive canonical plan to address the investigation of bishops accused of sexual abuse or coercion, or of interfering in investigation of such conduct.
Speaking out, hopeful, and waiting for change
May 3, 2019 / 03:00 amEsther Harber says she was raped by a priest, and spent years trying to be heard in the Archdiocese of New York. But she says she hasn't lost hope.
Analysis: With bishops in a tight spot, will priests get squeezed?
May 1, 2019 / 03:50 amAs bishops address the clerical sexual abuse crisis, will they ensure the canonical rights of priests?
Commentary: What he's done for us at Easter
Apr 19, 2019 / 09:53 amEaster tells us that we become saints through the work that he, and his grace, do in us, and through us, and for us.
'Sister strike' gets her own baseball card
Apr 8, 2019 / 11:15 amA religious sister can expect that if she is faithful to her vows, fervent in prayer, and zealous in following Jesus, her face might someday wind up on the front of a holy card.
Analysis: In DC, Archbishop Gregory's promise of honesty will define him
Apr 5, 2019 / 14:00 pmArchbishop Wilton Gregory told Washington Catholics Thursday that “the only way I can serve this local archdiocese is by telling you the truth.”
Analysis: Gregory, Apuron, 'zero tolerance,' and pontifical secrets
Apr 4, 2019 / 15:12 pmThursday morning, the Vatican announced the fates of two American archbishops: one has become the next Archbishop of Washington, and the other has been declared guilty of child sexual abuse; his final appeal had been exhausted.
Archbishop Wilton Gregory asked to lead Washington archdiocese
Mar 28, 2019 / 12:29 pmPope Francis is expected to appoint Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta to serve as the next Archbishop of Washington, multiple sources have independently reported to CNA. Gregory would become the seventh Archbishop of Washington, succeeding Cardinal Donald Wuerl.
Vatican diplomat accused of corruption and 'romantic' relationship while at UN
Mar 15, 2019 / 12:09 pmAn archbishop who served as the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations is accused of financial and professional misconduct, including the use of Vatican staff and influence to assist and support financially a woman with whom he had a romantic relationship. Sources say that although Vatican officials were informed of the man’s conduct, he was quietly reassigned to a new diplomatic post without facing sanctions.
Analysis: The stakes of Pell's Vatican trial
Mar 5, 2019 / 05:00 amThe Vatican has announced that a canonical process against Cardinal George Pell will soon begin in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Pell was convicted last year by an Australian jury on five counts of child sexual abuse.
Fasting and Abstinence at Lent: A CNA Explainer
Mar 5, 2019 / 03:00 amWhat does the Church require in Lent, and why? Here are some answers from CNA
Pell awaits sentence in solitary confinement
Mar 4, 2019 / 22:28 pmCardinal George Pell is incarcerated at the Melbourne Assessment Prison while he awaits the results of a sentencing hearing held last week. Pell was convicted last year of child sexual abuse.
Rosica resigns from college board after plagiarism apology; Jesuits withdraw award
Feb 25, 2019 / 14:47 pmA Canadian priest who apologized last week for plagiarism has resigned from the governing board of a Catholic college affiliated with the University of Toronto.