Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel of Addis Abeba is head of the Ethiopian Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic church that uses the Alexandrian liturgical rite and is in full communion with the Holy See.

On October 17, the prior of the Taizé Ecumenical Community (France), the abbot general of the Cistercian order, the bishop of Reykjavík (Iceland), and a delegate from the World Communion of Reformed Churches spoke with the press.

Pope Francis described the abuse scandal as “a global scandal, that makes one reflect on the human sacrifices of children as pagans once did.” He added, “The greatest scandal, to me, is the frivolous priest.”

The conversation, whose transcript has just been released, took place during the Pope’s recent apostolic journey to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. “I have said many times that a perversion of the Church today is clericalism,” the Pope said. “But 50 years ago the Second Vatican Council said this clearly: the Church is the People of God.... I know that the Lord wants the Council to make headway in the Church. Historians tell us that it takes 100 years for a Council to be applied. We are halfway there. So, if you want to help me, do whatever it takes to move the Council forward in the Church.”

Pope Francis preached on Luke 10:1-9 on October 18, the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist.

Archbishop José Antonio Eguren, 56, sued another journalist in August.

The Pope made his remarks in an October 18 meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Father Joseph Gatto, appointed president-rector of Christ the King Seminary in 2014, has been placed on leave following an allegation of misconduct with an adult.

“My deeds will be judged by history,” said John Baptist Le Dinh Luong, a human rights activist. “I will be happy to be in prison if the nation grows up in freedom and democracy.”

During a recent visit to Rome, Taiwan’s deputy president, Chen Chien-jen, invited Pope Francis to visit Taiwan.

The eastern Indian state of Jharkand (map) is 68% Hindu, 15% Muslim, and 4% Christian, with nearly 12% adhering to the indigenous Sarna religion.

Father Thomas Berg is professor of moral theology, vice rector, and director of admissions at St. Joseph’s Seminary (Dunwoodie) in the Archdiocese of New York.

The West African nation of 19 million is 80% Muslim.

“As far as we know, our response has nothing to do with the current Pennsylvania investigation that has just begun,” a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Buffalo said.

“This is the first time I have ever heard of a federal investigation into child sexual abuse in a Catholic diocese or church,” said a prominent victims’ attorney. The federal investigation “is no surprise considering the horrific misconduct detailed in the statewide grand jury report,” the Diocese of Greensburg said in a statement.

“Although we have principled concerns about certain aspects of PEPFAR and the Global Fund prevention activities that we find inconsistent with Catholic teaching and do not implement or advocate for those activities, overall PEPFAR is one of the most successful global health programs in history,” Archbishop Timothy Broglio, chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in reference to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

“Such an attack is an insult to God and humanity because a cemetery is a sacred place,” said Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem. “We ask that the police take the necessary action to stop these attacks.”

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano has issued a third public testimony, answering the criticism of Cardinal Marc Ouellet and challenging other prelates to speak out against corruption in the Church.

The Vatican has informed French authorities that Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will not testify in a French court at the trial of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon. The French cardinal is charged with failing to take action against a priest who was found guilty of abuse; court documents show that Cardinal Ladaria wrote to Cardinal Barbarin, recommending that he take action “while avoiding public scandal.”

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, addressed his remarks to a UN committee on disarmament.