What's happened
Pope Francis's recent comments on abortion and women's roles in the church have sparked outrage in Belgium and beyond. His remarks, made during a visit overshadowed by the clergy sex abuse scandal, have led to calls for accountability from Belgian officials and criticism from various groups advocating for women's rights within the church.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Politico, Pope Francis's remarks labeling abortion as murder have drawn sharp criticism from Belgian officials, including VUB Rector Jan Danckaert, who called the comments 'unheard of' for a foreign head of state. The Independent highlights the pope's struggle with the clergy sex abuse scandal during his visit, noting that his comments have intensified calls for accountability. The New York Times reports that the decision to exclude discussions on female deacons from the synod agenda has disappointed many Catholics seeking reform. These contrasting perspectives illustrate the complex dynamics at play within the church as it navigates contemporary societal issues.
How we got here
Pope Francis's visit to Belgium coincided with ongoing discussions about the role of women in the Catholic Church and the handling of sexual abuse cases. His comments on abortion, labeling it as murder, have reignited debates about the church's stance on reproductive rights.
More on these topics
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Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory
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Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest.
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Alexander De Croo is a Flemish liberal politician, economist and businessman. He currently holds the office of Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister of Finance and Development Cooperation.
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Roger Joseph Vangheluwe is a former prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Bruges from 1985 to 2010 when he resigned after admitting that while he was a priest and a bishop he had sexual relations over 15 years with his nephew, who was a minor.
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The Catholic Church, sometimes referred to as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with approximately 1.3 billion baptised Catholics worldwide as of 2018.
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Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State, is the Holy See's independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. Vatican City became independent from Italy with the Lateran Treaty, and it is a distinct territory under "full ownership, exclusive domi