Raf Casert

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The two women stand at opposite ends of a long table, leading service.

Two tales from one city show the challenges Pope Francis faces to retain his flock in Europe

Pope Francis will be visiting Belgium from Thursday to Sunday, facing a flock ravaged by countless scandals of priest sexual abuse and dwindling in the face of modernity, where women and gay people insist on an equal role and rights.

Bishop of Antwerp, Johan Bonny, poses for a portrait at a church in Lier, Belgium, on May 24. Bonny, a prominent Belgian bishop, criticized the Vatican on Sept. 27 for failing to defrock a former bishop who admitted sexually abusing children, saying it had led to massive frustration with the highest Roman Catholic authorities. (AP/Virginia Mayo)

A Belgian bishop says the Vatican has for years snubbed pleas to defrock a pedophile ex-colleague

A prominent Belgian bishop on Sept. 27 criticized the Vatican for failing to defrock a former bishop who admitted sexually abusing children, saying it had led to massive frustration with the highest Roman Catholic authorities.

Belgian bishop lashes out at Vatican over gay unions decree

A Belgian bishop has lashed out at the Vatican over its decree that the Catholic Church won't bless same-sex unions since God "cannot bless sin."

Europe's Christmas dilemma: risk empty chairs next year?

That's the stark dilemma Belgium's prime minister has set to urge smaller festive family gatherings, as Europeans battle with containing the surging COVID-19 pandemic over the holiday season.

 

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