Pope Francis

“The summit will bring 464 Catholic clergy and laypeople, including women, to the Vatican to discuss hot-button issues ranging from sexual abuse to LGBTQ inclusion and female ordination.” - RNS

“under the new changes, five religious sisters will join five priests as voting representatives for religious orders.” - NPR

Also… Pope Francis clears way for women and lay Catholics to vote in upcoming bishops’ meeting - RNS

“Vatican report blamed host of bishops, cardinals and popes for downplaying evidence of misconduct” - Fox

“…the Vatican confirmed that Francis was referring to his position in 2010 when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires and strongly opposed moves to allow same-sex marriage. Instead, he favored extending legal protections to gay couples under what is understood in Argentina as a civil union law.” - Fox

“The footage appears to be taken from a 2019 interview with the Mexican broadcaster Televisa. But. .. the statement about civil unions was edited out, both when the interview was run in Mexico and when the Vatican itself released its own version.

“A documentary that premiered at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday included Pope Francis speaking in support of legal civil unions for homosexual couples. ‘Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God….What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.’” - WORLD

More:

“Like most social encyclicals, Fratelli Tutti addresses a hodgepodge of topics. These range from detailed analysis of contemporary populism to explorations of the meaning of kindness, reciprocity and gratuitousness…. [it] insists on the need for Christians and others to be open to learning from others.

“The pontiff said he hopes a UBI will pave the way for the full transformation of society. He called for a ‘humanist and ecological conversion that puts an end to the idolatry of money and places human life and dignity at the center.’” - Acton

“Every week, thousands of Catholics from all walks of life swarm into St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican to participate in Mass with Pope Francis, who has put concern for the poor at the center of his papacy. But now, a few lucky people may have the opportunity to attend a private Mass with the pontiff. All they have to do is own a Rolls-Royce.

“One year after Pope Francis called for a summit of Catholic bishops at the Vatican, abuse survivors flocked to the Eternal City on Thursday (Feb. 20) to report a lack of progress and accountability in the fight against clergy sex abuse.” - RNS