In a letter, anonymous prelates criticise Pope Francis as “autocratic, vindictive”
Vatican City RNS A letter criticising Pope Francis for promoting “ambiguities in matters of faith” and at the same time ruling the Catholic Church with an iron fist, is circulating in the Vatican after being published anonymously on Thursday. The document appeared in The Daily Compass, a conservative Catholic outlet in Italy, and was translated […]
Pope says impeding migrant rescues at sea is “gesture of hate”
Marseille, France Reuters Pope Francis said on Friday that migrants who risk drowning at sea “must be rescued” because doing so was “a duty of humanity” and that those who impede rescues commit “a gesture of hate”. Francis, 86, spoke at an inter-religious prayer service before a monument dedicated to those lost at sea. Earlier, […]
Essay: Many Ukrainians are fleeing to the Greek Catholic Church in Lviv, which has a long and complex history in the Orthodox faith
In an article first published on The Conversation, J EUGENE CLAY, a scholar who has spend 30 years exploring the role of religion in Eastern Europe, looks at the role the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, both historically and in the nation today…
Wanted: 25 men to guard the Pope. Must be Catholic. Must be Swiss
Vatican CityReuters The world’s smallest army, in the world’s smallest state, is growing and looking for a few good men. The Swiss Guard, the elite and colourfully dressed force whose main mission is to protect the Pope and the 44 hectare Vatican City, currently stands at 110 members. A Swiss Guard stands during a mass […]
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 […]
Sight-Seeing: Avoiding a deadlocked conclave
US Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE, in an article first published on Religion News Service, says that before he dies or retires, Pope Francis needs to make changes in the process of electing a new pope to avoid the possibility of a deadlocked conclave…
Pope orders inquiry into German Church’s handling of abuse allegations
Berlin, GermanyReuters The Pope has dispatched two senior foreign bishops to investigate the Archbishop of Cologne’s handling of sexual abuse allegations in Germany’s largest archdiocese, the pontiff’s representative in Germany said on Friday. Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki has been criticised for his handling of historic child sex abuse allegations, in particular for his decision to […]
Pope weighed Iraq virus risk but believes God will protect
Aboard the papal planeAP Pope Francis said Monday he weighed the risks of a high-profile trip to Iraq during the coronavirus pandemic, but said he decided to go ahead with it after much prayer and belief that God would look out for the Iraqis who might get exposed. Francis described his decision-making process en route […]
Addressing euthanasia, Vatican doctrine tsar reminds media that bishops aren’t infallible
Vatican CityRNS Next time you see a headline relaying juicy quotes from a Catholic prelate, the Vatican suggested on Tuesday, take it with a grain of salt. The head of the Vatican doctrinal office, once known as the Inquisition, made it clear on Tuesday that only the Pope and the bishops of the church as […]
Pope Francis says “We are all in the same boat”, during Urbi et Orbi ceremony
Vatican CityRNS As the world grapples with the spread of the coronavirus, Pope Francis delivered a homily of hope on Friday, comparing the pandemic to a storm that can be overcome only by coming together in faith. “We have realised that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at […]