Pope Francis has called for much broader involvement from European nations to combat the loss of lives of African refugees crossing the Mediterranean. In the latest incident, hundreds are feared dead after a boat carrying an estimated 700 people capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa. Nearly 200,000 people have been rescued at sea by Read more
Pope Francis has warned religious orders against letting low numbers of new vocations influence whom they accept into religious life. The Pope was speaking to a conference of religious formation directors in Rome on Saturday. He told the 1200 directors that they must be “gravely attentive” to those they are guiding. This is so that Read more
The two recently appointed Pacific cardinals have been assigned to Roman Curia offices. Pope Francis named Cardinal John Dew of Wellington, New Zealand, to be a member of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Cardinal Soane Mafi of Tonga was named a member of the Read more
In a formal act, Pope Francis has called on the Church to refashion itself as a place, not of judgment or condemnation, but of pardon and merciful love. The Pope did this in an official Bull of Indiction convoking the extraordinary jubilee Year of Mercy, which will run from December 8, 2015, to November 20, Read more
This summer, Pope Francis plans to release an encyclical letter in which he will address environmental issues, and very likely climate change. His statement will have a profound impact on the public debate. For one, it will elevate the spiritual, moral and religious dimensions of the issue. Calling on people to protect the global climate Read more
Turkey has recalled its envoy to the Vatican after Pope Francis described the mass killing of Armenians under Ottoman rule in World War One as “genocide”. Turkey has reacted with anger to the comment made by the Pope at a service in the Armenian Catholic Rite in Rome on Sunday. Pope Francis said that humanity Read more
Catholic reform leaders from around the world will meet next week in Ireland for a conference organised by a censured Redemptorist. The International Network of Church Reform Movements conference, organised by Fr Tony Flannery, is expected to attract 40 representatives. Fr Flannery said the topics expected to be discussed include the “reform agenda of Pope Read more
In a rare move, the Vatican has publicly defended the recent appointment of a controversial bishop accused of covering up child abuse in Chile. The Vatican press office stated: “Prior to the recent appointment of His Excellency Msgr Juan de la Cruz Barros Madrid as bishop of Osorno, Chile, the Congregation for Bishops carefully examined Read more
It’s 8.10 pm at the Vatican City and just a few meters away from Saint Anne’s Gate (Porta Sant’Anna) is a grey Fiat Ducato van. Its boot is filled with canned food, milk, juices, crates of fruit and toothbrush and toothpaste kits. Before getting in, a small group of people recite the Our Father. There Read more
Two excommunicated traditionalist bishops plan to consecrate a new generation of bishops to spread their movement which is dubbed “The Resistance”. According to Reuters, French Bishop Jean-Michel Faure said the new group rejected Pope Francis and what it called his “new religion”. Bishop Faure and Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson both incurred automatic excommunications last month Read more