After Ukraine controversy, Pope again condemns “madness of war”
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis on Wednesday issued a fresh condemnation of all wars, days after irking Kyiv and Western capitals for appearing to suggest that Ukraine should surrender and negotiate peace with its Russian invader. Francis had told Swiss broadcaster RSI that Ukraine should “show the courage of the white flag” and open talks […]
Vatican says Russian aggression must end to allow peace in Ukraine
Vatican City Reuters The first condition for any negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is that Russia should halt its aggression, the second in command to Pope Francis said in a newspaper interview on Tuesday. Ukraine’s foreign ministry summoned the papal nuncio on Monday to express “disappointment” with previous comments by Francis that Ukraine […]
Israel tones down criticism of Vatican’s Gaza remarks
Vatican City Reuters Israel on Thursday toned down its criticism of the Vatican, saying that remarks by Pope Francis’ deputy on the killings in Gaza were “regrettable” rather than “deplorable”. Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin had said on Tuesday that Israel’s military response to the Hamas militant group was disproportionate and caused “carnage”. Cardinal […]
Israeli embassy protests after Vatican denounces Gaza “carnage”
Vatican City Reuters Israel protested with the Vatican on Wednesday after Pope Francis’ deputy defined what is happening in Gaza as “carnage” resulting from a disproportionate Israeli military response to Hamas. “It is a deplorable statement. Judging the legitimacy of a war without taking into account all relevant circumstances and data inevitably leads to wrong […]
Vatican defends wartime Pope Pius XII as conference honours Israeli victims of Hamas incursion
Rome, ItalyAP The Vatican secretary of state on Monday strongly defended World War II-era Pope Pius XII as a friend of the Jews as he opened an historic conference on newly opened archives that featured even Holy See historians acknowledging that anti-Jewish prejudice informed Pius’ silence in the face of the Holocaust. Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s defensive remarks […]
Cardinal Parolin brings Pope Francis’ message for peace to South Sudan
Vatican CityRNS Pope Francis’ number two official at the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, visited the African nation of South Sudan on Monday to promote the pontiff’s peace efforts in a country that has been embroiled in a bloody civil war. Parolin landed in the capital of Juba, where he met with President Salva Kiir and […]
Pope approves Shanghai bishop but Vatican chides China for not consulting
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis has approved a new Bishop of Shanghai as the Vatican chided China for transferring him there without consultation, in violation of bi-lateral accords. A Vatican statement on Saturday said the Pope had named Bishop Joseph Shen Bin to head the vacant Shanghai diocese position. Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from […]
Pope renews cabinet of cardinal advisers, adds new members
Rome, Italy AP Pope Francis has renewed his cabinet of cardinal advisers from around the world, naming a handful of new members Tuesday and reconfirming others to help him run the Catholic Church. Francis instituted the Council of Cardinals one month into his papacy, on 13th April, 2013, with a primary goal of advising him […]
Sight-Seeing: In Advent, we hope and wait. Climate change doesn’t lend itself to either
US Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE – in an article first published on Religion News Service – writes that Advent is supposed to be a time of anticipation and hope, but the threat of global warming brings me anxiety and fear…
Vatican confirms renewal of contested accord with China on bishops’ appointments
Vatican CityReuters The Vatican on Saturday said that it and China had renewed a secret and contested agreement on the appointment of Roman Catholic bishops in the communist country. It was the second time the accord, which is still provisional, was extended for another two years since it was first reached in 2018. The latest […]