In a meeting room under Holy Name Cathedral, a rapt group of black Roman Catholics listened as Barack Obama, a 25-year-old community organiser, trained them to lobby their fellow delegates to a national congress in Washington on issues like empowering lay leaders and attracting more believers. “He so quickly got us,” said Andrew Lyke, a Read more
At our school we have a motto; ‘Opere Et Veritate’ or ‘In word and in deed.’ It calls on us as students to put our words into actions, a concept that seems simple but often is not undertaken. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis as we know him, has been dubbed by not only the Read more
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the bishop dubbed the “bishop of bling”, who had been suspended over alleged lavish spending. Bishop of Limburg Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst has been accused of spending more than 31 million euros ($NZ49 million) on renovating his official residence in Limburg diocese in Germany. The cleric, dubbed the “bishop Read more
Former United States president Jimmy Carter has said the Catholic Church’s practice of not ordaining women gives tacit permission for discrimination and abuse. Mr Carter said this during an interview with National Public Radio in the United States ahead of publication of his latest book. “ . . . [T]he fact that the Catholic Church, Read more
A victim of clergy sex abuse, Marie Collins from Ireland, is one of eight appointments by Pope Francis to a new Vatican commission to safeguard children. Among the members are Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, four laywomen, one Italian professor, and two priests. The Vatican said the eight would be responsible for determining the commission’s structure, Read more
Pope Francis has warned the Italian Mafia that they will end up in hell if they do not change their lives and stop doing evil. He made these remarks during a prayer vigil in Rome for victims of the Mafia. “Men and women of the Mafia, please change your lives, convert, stop doing evil,” the Read more
Fortune magazine has named Pope Francis as the world’s greatest leader in a world “starved of leadership”. The global business magazine’s list of 50 men and women had been chosen for “energising their followers and making the world better”. Continue reading
Pope Francis has announced 24 hours of special opportunities for prayer, Confession and forgiveness on March 29-30. This will happen in Rome and in parishes and dioceses around the world. Continue reading
Pope Francis used to pick up La Nacion newspaper every day at a kiosk across from the city’s cathedral. Each edition was bound by a rubber band. But then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, being frugal, would save the rubber bands and return them in a ball at the end of every month. Guide Javier Cortese offered the anecdote Read more
When the head of an international religious order visited Japan many years ago, I was asked to be his translator. One evening at a convent of the order, the superior greeted a large group of nuns, saying what a pleasure it was to be with them for the visitation (shisatsu). I thought I had turned Read more