A transgender man from Spain, described by a priest as the devil’s daughter, has had a private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. According to reports in a Spanish newspaper, Diego Neria Lejarraga and his fiancé met Pope Francis at the Pope’s residence on January 24. Mr Neria, 48, wrote to Pope Francis last year, Read more
It all depends on how you interpret Humanae Vitae. That’s essential to understanding what Pope Francis “really meant” in his recent string of remarks on having children. In fact, it’s a line that comes from the pope himself. He used it in an interview in March with Italy’s biggest-selling daily newspaper, Corriere della Sera. The Read more
Parishes in Dublin in Ireland are determining for themselves how they discuss family issues ahead the synod in October. The Irish Times reported an invitation by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to priests and parishioners to hold meetings on the subject. In a letter to priests and parishes, Archbishop Martin stated that Pope Francis wants Catholics around the Read more
Pope Francis delivered another gesture this week destined to burnish his legend for both humility and reform, deciding that an annual Mass in which newly appointed archbishops from around the world receive their symbol of office will no longer be held in Rome, but in their home archdiocese. That event, called the Pallium Mass, traditionally Read more
Pope Francis has said he wished that all marriage annulment processes could be free of charge. In an address to the Roman Rota in January, the Pope said: “The sacraments are free. The sacraments give us grace. “And a matrimonial process pertains to the sacrament of matrimony. How I wish that all processes were free.” Read more
Writing a “new” biography of Pope Francis is fraught with challenges. For one, there have already been so many biographies written that it is difficult to imagine how anything new or previously unknown could be presented. For another, the fact that Francis himself is making headlines weekly (at least) rather tends to highlight there may Read more
A judge in Granada in Spain has charged 10 priests and two Catholic lay workers with child sexual abuse. The 12 are suspected of abusing four teenage boys between 2004 and 2007. The most serious offences are alleged to have occurred in a house used by the priests. Pope Francis telephoned one of the alleged Read more
Power grabbing, living hypocritical double lives, curial and personal rivalry, gossip, and over concern about their appearance and the colour of their robes are among just some of the sins Pope Francis’ identified as belonging to the Vatican Curia. The blistering indictment of the Vatican Curia came at the Pope’s Christmas message. The Pope’s top Read more
The tongues are certainly waging worldwide over the Christmas message of Pope Francis. His address to staff at the Vatican – the priests, monsignors, bishops and cardinals gathered for an end of year assessment by the pope of the year that has passed. A few perfunctory words to round out a very busy year or Read more
So the Pope says animals are going to heaven. Even though he is not a nonbeliever Clay Farris Naff finds it a charming concecpt. But he wonders if Pope Francis meant to include bacteria? Another week, another story about Pope Francis saying something a little weird and a little cool. News reports suggested that Francis Read more