Now playing Next Green News Bring back meat free Fridays and slash emissions, study urges Pope The Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on a Friday dates back to the 9th century - but many have ditched it in recent decades. 02/11/2022
Now playing Next Ireland New law gives adoptees from Ireland access to birth records Irish officials have hailed the legislation as a landmark step towards making amends for a long, dark chapter in the country's history. 24/10/2022
Now playing Next Belgium Belgian bishops agree to bless same-sex unions, defying Vatican Flemish bishops issued a document allowing the blessings of same-sex unions, defying the Vatican's ruling 20/09/2022
Now playing Next Spain Court upholds ex-priest's 30-year sentence for abusing children The man sexually assaulted seven boys at a boarding school between 2013 and 2016. 14/09/2022
Now playing Next Vatican Pope Francis creates 20 new cardinals who may choose his successor Sixteen of the 20 new cardinals are under the age of 80, and therefore eligible to vote for the next pope. 27/08/2022
Now playing Next Canada Pope prays for healing after 'terrible effects of colonisation' Pope Francis prayed for healing from what he called the "terrible effects of colonisation" as he led a pilgrimage to Lac St. Anne on Tuesday in Canada. 27/07/2022
Now playing Next Canada Pope to beg forgiveness for 'evil' done to indigenous Canadians The Pontiff will apologise to Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors. The visit marks a radical rethink of the Catholic Church’s missionary legacy, spurred on by the first pope from the Americas and the discovery of hundreds of probable graves at the school sites. 25/07/2022
Now playing Next Art Curse-fearing thief returns 2000-year-old sacred relic A Dutch art sleuth has tracked down one of the most sacred artefacts of the Catholic Church. 12/07/2022
Now playing Next Germany Report finds 196 German clerics abused children in Münster diocese The research found that there were at least 610 victims of abuse in the diocese over 75 years, but the true number could be as high as 6,000. 13/06/2022
Now playing Next Germany German priest found dead after being suspended over abuse allegations The diocese in Limburg said the news had "hit them hard" and "raises many questions". 10/06/2022
Now playing Next Germany Church convicts Catholic ex-priest of abusing boy for several years The man was ordered to pay 10% of his income to a charity that supports victims of abuse. 07/06/2022
Now playing Next no comment Christians celebrate Good Friday Catholics celebrate Good Friday with masses and processions. 15/04/2022
Now playing Next Portugal Probe into Portuguese church sex abuse receives nearly 300 claims A panel that began its inquiry in January has received witness statements from 290 alleged victims, with cases involving children as young as two years old. 12/04/2022
Now playing Next Spain Holy Week call for recognition from gay men in Andalucia Members of Spanish brotherhoods who dress Virgin Mary floats for Holy Week accuse religious leaders of hypocrisy over their sexuality. 10/04/2022
Now playing Next Culture news Meet the gay stylists playing a key role in Spain’s Holy Week Despite being heavily involved in the most famous, theatrical and rapturous Holy Week in the world, the LGBT+ community in southern Spain are continually relegated to the margins 08/04/2022
Now playing Next Canada Pope apologises for 'deplorable' abuse of Canadian indigenous people More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s. 01/04/2022
Now playing Next Spain Spain approves investigation into sexual abuse within Catholic Church The Spanish clergy has long been criticised for its failure to investigate allegations of sexual violence. 10/03/2022
Now playing Next Germany German court convicts Catholic Church priest of abusing children The 70-year-old was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay victims €50,000 in damages. 25/02/2022
Now playing Next Italy Abuse survivors demand inquiry into Italian Catholic Church Advocates for victims of sex abuse by Italian clergy launched a campaign on Tuesday to demand an inquiry into the scope of the problem. 15/02/2022
Now playing Next Portugal More than 200 allegations of sex abuse in Portuguese Catholic Church An independent committee was set up in January to examine historical sex abuse. 10/02/2022