Pope Francis cements legacy, stamps Catholic Church future with new cardinals
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis on Saturday further cemented his legacy, elevating 21 prelates to the high rank of cardinal and significantly raising the percentage of electors chosen by him who will have the right to vote for his successor. At a ceremony in St Peter’s Square known as a consistory, Francis “created” 21 new cardinals, […]
Pope wraps up meeting with cardinals on future direction of church
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis on Tuesday wrapped up two days of closed-door meetings with about 180 cardinals, many of them young enough to elect a future pontiff, including discussions about how the Catholic Church’s governance could be made more inclusive. The sessions focused on a new Apostolic constitution that, among other things, allows lay people […]
They called for female leadership at the Vatican. They were arrested
Vatican City RNS The seven women stood outside the gates of the Vatican dressed in cardinal red, each carrying a scarlet parasol emblazoned with a phrase of female empowerment. “Ordain Women”. “Reform Means Women”. “It’s Reigning Men”. They were there to greet the 197 cardinals arriving Monday morning for a highly anticipated discussion with the […]
Question of who might succeed Pope Francis to loom over cardinals’ gathering
Vatican City Reuters Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world gather for events at the Vatican starting this weekend that could amount to a dress rehearsal for an eventual conclave to choose a successor to Pope Francis after he dies or resigns. On Saturday, Francis will induct 20 prelates into the College of Cardinals, the […]
Pope concerned for Amazon and Indigenous peoples, says its first cardinal
Manaus, Brazil Reuters Pope Francis will install the first cardinal of Brazil’s Amazon region this month in a sign of his concern for the rainforest and its Indigenous inhabitants, the man whom he picked for the role said. Dom Leonardo Steiner, Archbishop of the Brazilian city of Manaus, said in an interview that Francis, the […]
Pope Francis fuels new speculation on future of pontificate
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis added fuel to rumours about the future of his pontificate by announcing he would visit the central Italian city of L’Aquila in August for a feast initiated by Pope Celestine V, one of the few pontiffs who resigned before Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013. Italian and Catholic media have […]
Pope elevates 13 new cardinals – then puts them in their place
Vatican CityAP Pope Francis raised 13 new cardinals to the highest rank in the Catholic hierarchy Saturday and immediately warned them not to use their titles for corrupt, personal gain, presiding over a ceremony marked from beginning to end by the coronavirus pandemic. Two new “princes” of the church, from Brunei and the Philippines, didn’t […]
Pope names 13 new cardinals, cements majority vote and the power to reshape the Church
Vatican CityRNS During a ceremony welcoming new cardinals into the Catholic Church, Pope Francis spoke of the danger that occurs “when a man of the church becomes an official”, calling them to more “compassion” in a time when the Vatican faces financial scandals and internal divisions. “So many disloyal actions on the part of ecclesiastics […]
ESSAY: POPE FRANCIS FIRMS UP HIS LEGACY WITH APPOINTMENT OF NEW CARDINALS
US Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE, in an article first published on Religion News Service, looks at how Pope Francis is reshaping the Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals…