Isten hozott Magyarországon! That’s a common way of saying, “Welcome to Hungary!” Literally, it means God (Isten) brought you here. And in the case of Pope Francis’ weekend visit to Budapest, the nation’s picturesque capital straddling both sides of the Danube, one could also say “ITA hozott”. ITA, of course, is currently Italy’s flagship airline. Read more
It’s been nearly 14 centuries since the monastery founded by St Hild of Whitby, a prominent abbess in 7th century Anglo-Saxon England, hosted the Northumbrian kingdom’s assembly. There they would discuss the date on which its Christian church would celebrate Easter. That assembly, or synod, would bring the kingdom’s church in line with the Catholic Read more
Theologians and Catholic Church reform groups are overjoyed lay men and women will be full voting members at the upcoming Synod of Bishops. This is the first time any Pope has allowed lay people to do this. It is a substantial development, say several prominent experts. The changes “make the synod more rooted in the Read more
The Vatican is involved in a peace mission to try to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Pope Francis said on Sunday, adding that it was also ready to help repatriate Ukrainian children taken to Russia or Russian-occupied land. “There is a mission in course now but it is not yet public. When it Read more
There are many ways to be Catholic. The comment comes from the West Australian archbishop and member of the preparatory committee for the General Assembly of the Synod, Timothy Costelloe. He says that ongoing consultation with Catholics worldwide needs to give more deference to local church authorities. Pope Francis’s global synod – which began in Read more
A communication breakdown led to permission being given to a group of Anglican clergy (some pictured) to celebrate the Eucharist in the pope’s cathedral, Rome’s Basilica of St John Lateran last Tuesday. Auxiliary Bishop Guerino Di Tora of Rome, vicar for the basilica’s chapter, has acknowledged and apologised for the communication problem, which led to Read more
King Charles’ May 6 coronation procession will be led by a cross containing religious relics gifted to the monarch by Pope Francis. The cross, named the Cross of Wales, contains two shards of the True Cross, which is said to have been used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Royal Palace made the announcement Read more
Many conservative Catholics are upset with Pope Francis, who they complain is changing church doctrine, but they hardly blinked when Pope Benedict got rid of Limbo, a Catholic doctrine that had been taught for centuries. Careful readers will note that rather than closing Limbo, as reported by the media, what the International Theological Commission did Read more
Pope Francis says he could have died when he was rushed to hospital last month. He was unconscious when he was rushed to Rome’s Gemelli hospital with bronchitis on 29 March. Francis suffers from a number of ailments. Part of one of his lungs was removed because of an illness when he was a young Read more
The validity of the Vatican’s Oceania Synod Continent phase of Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality is being questioned by the report itself. “The Vatican’s fictional construct, a new continent it calls Oceania, may have been a step too far” a seasoned observer of Church politics told CathNews. The Vatican’s “Oceania Continent” occupies 33% of the Read more