Rome
At the first gathering of Catholic bishops under Pope Benedict XVI, church leaders this week affirmed the doctrine of priestly celibacy. A handful of bishops had urged that celibacy rules be relaxed, so that some married men could become priests. Such a move, they said, would help ease the dire shortage of clergy that has forced many dioceses to go without proper Communion. But as expected, the synod overwhelmingly endorsed a continuation of the celibacy tradition. It also upheld a longstanding ban against allowing remarried people to take Communion.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
September 13 editorial cartoonsCartoons Saturday's political cartoons include court-approved racial profiling and America's moral compass
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashionIn the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Crossword: September 13, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
