During the investigation, the inquiry received “credible and consistent testimonies” from six adult women without disabilities that Jean Vanier initiated sexual behaviors with them often “in the context of spiritual accompaniment” over the period of more than 30 years from 1970 to 2005.

Archbishop Wester said bishops raised to the pope questions about a recent speech Fr. Martin delivered to the presidents of Catholic universities, “and his work in general with the LGBT community.”

Under the bill, minors seeking an abortion will be required to receive notarized approval from at least one parent, guardian, or from a judge

Meet Abbot Hugh Allan, pastor to one-sixth of the globe’s surface

The Easter bombings killed 259 people and injured more than 500.

Friday’s gathering was held in the square outside the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the department responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes of abuse by clergy or religious according to Church law.

For more than a decade, the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts has been at work on a set of major revisions to Book VI of the Code of Canon Law, which covers penal law in the Church.

The petition points to several instances of child rape pornography found on the site in the past year.

After the attack that left nine dead, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, chairman of the German bishops’ conference denounced racism and radical nationalism, saying that these cannot be justified from a Christian perspective.

Under the proposal, pregnancies more than 20 weeks into pregnancy would require a health practitioner to believe with reason that the abortion is “appropriate” given the women’s physical and mental health and well-being.