Catholic church
As the Pope heads to Portugal, he lays the groundwork for church’s future and his legacy
Francis seems aware that he has limited time to solidify changes he believes necessary for the 21st century church – and where better to display them than a World Youth Day.
- by Nicole Winfield
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Opinion
Vale
When I met Sinead O’Connor, she looked like a monk who smoked Marlboro Lights
She wanted to rescue God from the church; she sang of healing and compassion and spoke for the voiceless. I loved her.
- by Julia Baird
The night Sinead O’Connor took on the pope on television
Under the guise of being a pop star performing a song, O’Connor held court for three minutes on the miseries of discrimination and abuses of power.
- by Jon Caramanica
Updated
Religion
Pope Francis undergoes three-hour abdominal surgery
The 86-year-old pope was taken to hospital after his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square.
Catholic schools up fight against payroll tax, government open to lifting exemption threshold
The government says it is open to sparing private schools that charge students less than $13,000 a year from the impost of payroll tax.
- by Madeleine Heffernan and Broede Carmody
Father Brennan tells Albanese and Dutton to find common ground on Voice
One of the Catholic Church’s leading proponents of the Voice says the PM and the opposition leader bear responsibility for the tone of the debate.
- by Rob Harris
Catholic Church fails to overturn $1.9m payout to victim of paedophile priest
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne sought leave to appeal the damages payout to a victim of Desmond Gannon, but the challenge was denied by the Court of Appeal.
- by Cameron Houston
Sainthood push for US nun whose body was found intact four years after death
Pilgrims are flocking to Missouri to see the impeccably well-preserved body of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster.
- by David Millward
Volunteer, thrill-seeker and very ‘good golf player’: Clare Nowland is revered
The 95-year-old, who was Tasered by police and is now clinging to life in hospital, helped prop up her community for decades.
- by Angus Thompson
Exclusive
State Parliament
Catholic trust wins out as Minns moves to solve Sydney’s cemeteries crisis
The Labor government has sided with a Catholic trust in a bid to solve Sydney’s long-running dispute over the management of the city’s cemeteries.
- by Michael McGowan
‘It’s probably easier to stay in the anger than to be vulnerable’
Chrissie Foster’s youngest daughter escaped the abuse her two sisters suffered from the family priest – but not the fallout.
- by Susan Horsburgh