Maria Elena Bergoglio was in her home west of Buenos Aires last week when she heard her brother Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the new pope. Confessing to being a little selfish she admitted to praying during the 2005 conclave that he not to be elected, she told CNN, Monday. Last week, soon after the white Read more
People flocked to St Peter’s Square earlier today in anticipation of yet another huge crowd, for Pope Francis’ Inauguration Mass, among them were pilgrims from New Zealand and the South Pacific. At 10pm the streets were blocked and cafes and restaurants were closed, leaving just security personnel, who shared food and coffee with a handful of Read more
Vatican Spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi has insisted Pope Francis’ bodyguards show flexibility when the pope embarks on impromptu walkabouts. “If the pope says, ‘I want to go greet these people’, the pope goes ahead, and the security people go along,” said Lombardi “This is something brand new.” “You have to respect the pope’s personal style,” Read more
While often quiet, there is no evidence that Argentina Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio played a role in covering up abuse cases, reports the Washington Post. Several prominent rights groups in Argentina say the archbishop went out of his way in recent years to stand with secular organizations against crimes such as sex trafficking and child Read more
Dear Brothers and Sisters, I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry on the solemnity of Saint Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the patron of the universal Church. It is a significant coincidence, and it is also the name-day of my venerable Read more
Aljazeera Friday, discredited media reports that former Buenos Aires Cardinal, Jorge Mario Bergoglio played a major role, if any in Argentina’s brutal military dictatorship. Aljazera reports claims suggesting that Bergoglio was friendly with the military dictatorship seem less credible because Bergoglio was a young priest at the time of the Dirty War. Media have released a Read more
Spokesman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Fr John Ribat welcomed the news and said it was most encouraging that the new Pope clearly defined his mission moments after his declaration, which is to rebuild the church using examples of two iconic saints – Francis of Assisi and Francis Read more
A yellow Labrador Retriever was among the firsts privileged to receive a physical blessing from Pope Francis’s hands this weekend. Belonging to a visually impaired radio journalist, Asia entered the Vatican’s vast Paul VI audience hall on Saturday and quietly sat down close to his owner as the pontiff thanked thousands of journalists from all Read more
The Prime Ministers of Samoa and Fiji have expressed pleasure at the election of Pope Francis. Speaking to Radio Australia last Thursday, The Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilepe Sailele, who is a Catholic, said he was delighted at the election of a Pope from a developing country. The Prime Minster of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama,in Read more
On behalf of the Bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful of Aotearoa New Zealand we send you our prayerful good wishes and congratulations on your election to the See of Peter. You are someone chosen to be Bishop of Rome from a country far away; we too are very far away deep in the Southern Read more