In terms of communication, Pope Francis “is better than Ratzinger, he is a modern man, he is the Pope of the Internet, he is the Pope of the world of globalization”. That is the verdict of Umberto Eco, the world famous Italian semiotician, essayist, philosopher and author of the best-selling novel, “The Name of the Read more
Cardinal Oscar Rodrigues Maradiaga, the archbishop of Tegucigalpa in Honduras, who is the Chair of the group of eight advisors, is to visit New Zealand next week shortly after their first landmark meeting concludes on Thursday, (Rome Time). The eight Cardinals, appointed by Pope Francis, who come from around the world will be looking to reshape the current Read more
In a wide-ranging interview with a left-leaning Italian newspaper, Pope Francis has lamented a “Vatican-centric” view prevailing within the Roman Curia and said “I’ll do everything I can to change it”. On the subject of Church leaders, he said: “You know what I think about this? Heads of the Church have often been narcissists, flattered Read more
Pope Francis dialogues with La Repubblica’s founder, Eugenio Scalfari. The conversation takes place in the Vatican after the Pope’s letter to La Repubblica. Pope Francis told me: “The most serious of the evils that afflict the world these days are youth unemployment and the loneliness of the old. The old need care and companionship; the Read more
People like to categorise – it makes things easier to understand and it provides a degree of predictably and certainty But Pope Francis is not easily labeled, he continues to surprise. Is he changing more than just the tone of the church with his renegade style? Elizabeth Tenty, writing in the Washington Post, lists eight Read more
Papa Francisco is full of surprises. You never know what’s going to come out of his mouth, but it often has something to do with what goes in. “Buon pranzo” (have a good lunch) has become his signature sign off. This summer, he shook things up in Rio by insisting that faith is not a Read more
When addressing the cardinal conclave, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Buenos Aires warned of “self-preferentiality” and “theological narcissism,” which he said would lead to a “sick” Church. He particularly criticized the “mundane Church that lives within itself, of itself and for itself.” Six months into his papacy, it is crystal clear that this Argentine cardinal, Read more
A man I know said to me yesterday that I must be outraged about what Pope Francis is saying. I inwardly rolled my mind’s eye. Let me just tell you who this guy is. He’s a professed non-believer. A former Catholic. The worst kind, right? And he’s a bit in your face about it too, Read more
Pope Francis and eight cardinals are set to meet at the Vatican this week to revise the Church’s constitution, news reports said. The Telegraph quoted Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga of Honduras saying the cardinal have received suggestions on Vatican reform from around the world. The current Church constitution was drawn up in 1988 by Pope Read more
Pope Francis’ recent interview with an Italian Jesuit magazine has been blown out of proportion by the media, according to Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. “I don’t know why people, especially the media, are making an interview that looks very normal, and does not say anything new doctrinally… sound controversial,” Tagle told ucanews.com in Read more