https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed French bishops on Saturday approved a programme of payouts to victims of sex abuse by priests -- but survivors have already objected that the Church has not gone far enough in admitting responsibility. https://www.thelocal.fr/20191109/french-bishops-vote-to-give-payouts-to-sex-abuse-victims Sat, 09 Nov 2019 21:51:59 +0100 french-bishops-vote-to-give-payouts-to-sex-abuse-victims The Pope has rejected the resignation of France's top cardinal, who has been convicted of a cover-up over child sexual abuse. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190319/pope-refuses-resignation-of-french-cardinal-convicted-of-child-abuse-cover-up Tue, 19 Mar 2019 16:30:42 +0100 pope-refuses-resignation-of-french-cardinal-convicted-of-child-abuse-cover-up French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, who received a six-month suspended jail sentence for failing to report sex abuse by a priest under his authority, is to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican today to tender his resignation. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190318/french-cardinal-barbarin-who-failed-to-report-child-sex-abuse-is-to-resign-today Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:23:16 +0100 french-cardinal-barbarin-who-failed-to-report-child-sex-abuse-is-to-resign-today French prosecutors said Friday they had asked the Vatican to lift the diplomatic immunity of its envoy to France who is under investigation for alleged sexual assault. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190316/france-demands-vatican-lift-envoys-immunity-over-abuse-probe Sat, 16 Mar 2019 09:46:35 +0100 france-demands-vatican-lift-envoys-immunity-over-abuse-probe Around 25,000 Catholic pilgrims packed the French shrine of Lourdes on Monday for Assumption celebrations, held under tight security after several terror attacks, including the murder of a Catholic priest. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160815/pray-for-france-catholics-rally-at-shrine-lourdes-pilgrimage-under-shadow-of-terror Mon, 15 Aug 2016 14:25:37 +0200 pray-for-france-catholics-rally-at-shrine-lourdes-pilgrimage-under-shadow-of-terror French victims of the paedophile priest Bernard Preynat on Monday sent a letter to Pope Francis, requesting a private audience with the pontiff. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160314/victims-of-paedophile-priest-demand-audience-with-the-pope Mon, 14 Mar 2016 11:32:59 +0100 victims-of-paedophile-priest-demand-audience-with-the-pope A man who claims to have been abused by priests as a child was jailed on Wednesday for fronting a four-man gang that swindled 158 clerics out of hundreds of thousands of euros. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160225/sex-abuse-victim-targets-158-priests-in-money-spinnig-scam Thu, 25 Feb 2016 11:28:45 +0100 sex-abuse-victim-targets-158-priests-in-money-spinnig-scam A hardline French Catholic group has bought the gay bar next to its local church, hoping to turn it into a religious meeting place. But the head of the city's gay community tells The Local that the church will need "a whole bunch of exorcists" to turn it around. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150126/french-missionaries-snatch-up-gay-bar-in-auction Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:15:00 +0100 french-missionaries-snatch-up-gay-bar-in-auction Amid falling membership, the Catholic Church in France is doing everything it can to catch up with the modern lives of parishioners, it would seem, even if that means blessing their smartphones. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140602/french-priest-offers-smartphone-blessings Mon, 02 Jun 2014 19:56:00 +0200 french-priest-offers-smartphone-blessings Three months after being unceremoniously kicked out of the priesthood, a former Catholic priest from France arrived in the Vatican this week after a 40-day pilgrimage over the Alps. He now has to persuade the Pope to reinstate him. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130822/french-priest-treks-to-rome-to-plead-with-the-pope Thu, 22 Aug 2013 15:19:00 +0200 french-priest-treks-to-rome-to-plead-with-the-pope The historic Catholic pilgrimage site of Lourdes in south west France was evacuated on Tuesday after flash floods hit the area. Management at the shrine have told The Local they are growing increasingly concerned as waters continue to rise. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130618/lourdes-sanctuary-evacuated-after-flash-floods Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:15:00 +0200 lourdes-sanctuary-evacuated-after-flash-floods Femen, a group of topless feminists staged their latest protest on Sunday this time disrupting a march by supporters of France’s far-right in Paris. Four bare-chested women unfurled a banner which read “Sextermination for Nazism”. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130513/topless-femen-steal-show-at-far-right-march Mon, 13 May 2013 10:47:00 +0200 topless-femen-steal-show-at-far-right-march Paris has a new group of semi-naked activists roaming its streets, going by the name of Hommen. Set up in response to the notorious feminist organisation Femen, the bare-chested male members of Hommen are an emerging force in the anti- gay marriage movement. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130403/hommen-gay-marriage-femen Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:43:00 +0200 hommen-gay-marriage-femen She was once a French government minister, but her bible-waving and penchant for drama make her a target for ridicule. On Sunday, Christine Boutin became an internet phenomenon - that's why she's our French Face of the Week. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130328/boutin-internet Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:58:00 +0100 boutin-internet Putting the blame for paedophilia on the Roman Catholic Church is a way of avoiding the issue, top French cardinal and Archbishop of Paris Andre Vingt-Trois says. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130311/blaming-church-for-sex-abuse-is-too-easy-paris-bishop Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:30:00 +0100 blaming-church-for-sex-abuse-is-too-easy-paris-bishop A quarter of French people believe the strength of the Catholic Church has plummeted during the reign of Pope Benedict XVI, according to a survey published on Thursday, the day the pontiff officially steps down. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130228/catholic-church-weakened-under-benedict-french-survey Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:07:00 +0100 catholic-church-weakened-under-benedict-french-survey At Sunday's anti-gay marriage demo in Paris, a self-styled 'fag-hag' and 'spin doctor for Jesus' got the loudest cheers. In the first of a new series, The Local takes a closer look at the all-singing, all-dancing paradox that is Frigide Barjot – this week’s French Face of the Week. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130117/france-gay-marriage-frigide-barjot-loves-gays-worships-god-fights-gay-marriage Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:06:00 +0100 france-gay-marriage-frigide-barjot-loves-gays-worships-god-fights-gay-marriage French Housing Minister Cécile Duflot has set the cat among the pigeons by requesting that the Catholic church make available its unoccupied Paris properties to house the homeless during the cold winter months. https://www.thelocal.fr/20121203/duflot-seeks-homeless-aid-from-catholic-church Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:37:00 +0100 duflot-seeks-homeless-aid-from-catholic-church The Catholic institute behind last weekend’s anti-gay marriage demonstrations is to sue a feminist group for a counter-demonstration in which participants dressed as naked nuns. https://www.thelocal.fr/20121121/catholic-group-to-sue-naked-feminist-protesters Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:17:00 +0100 catholic-group-to-sue-naked-feminist-protesters A prayer to be held in Catholic churches around France tomorrow for the Assumption has caused controversy by taking a shot at gay families. https://www.thelocal.fr/20120814/national-catholic-prayer-hits-out-at-homosexual-marriage Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:04:00 +0200 national-catholic-prayer-hits-out-at-homosexual-marriage