Essay: Francis now has the cardinals he needs for the next conclave. Is it enough?
US Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE, in an article first published on Religion News Service, says the College of Cardinals has never been so diverse – or unpredictable…
Essay: Reform of Vatican Curia to be considered at meeting of cardinals
US Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE says that as the cardinals discuss curial reforms this weekend, they will also be thinking about who among them might be the next pope…
Essay: Are lay cardinals next?
PHYLLIS ZAGANO, adjunct professor of religion at Hofstra University, author and former member of the 2016-2018 Pontifical Commission for the Study of Women in the Diaconate, says Pope Francis’ reforms raise the question of reviving the tradition of lay cardinals with women in the mix…
Pope rules baptised lay Catholics, including women, can lead Vatican departments
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis introduced a landmark reform on Saturday that will allow any baptised lay Catholic, including women, to head most Vatican departments under a new constitution for the Holy See’s central administration. For centuries, the departments have been headed by male clerics, usually cardinals or bishops, but that could change from 5th June […]
Explainer – Who runs the Vatican while Pope is hospitalised?
Rome, ItalyAP The Vatican has detailed laws, rituals and roles to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns. But none of them apply when he is sick or even unconscious, and there are no specific norms governing what happens when a pope becomes incapacitated. As a result, even though Pope Francis […]
In Christmas message, Pope Francis calls on Vatican officials to embrace change
Vatican CityRNS As the decade comes to an end, Pope Francis focused on change – of all sorts – during his 21st December Christmas speech to the cardinals and heads of the Vatican departments that make up the Roman Curia. “Christian life is a journey, a pilgrimage. The history of the Bible is a journey, marked by […]