During a recent event Pope Francis stressed the importance of prioritising the care of people and evangelisation in the application of the Catholic Church’s canon law. Francis spoke at a February 14-18 course sponsored by the Roman Rota, a Vatican tribunal that deals primarily with marriage cases. The pope challenged the idea that canon law Read more
Because evangelising is not saying, ‘Look, blah, blah, blah’ and nothing more. There is a passion that involves everything: the mind, the heart, the hands, going out… everything, the whole person is involved with this proclamation of the Gospel, and for this reason we talk about the passion for evangelising. After having seen in Jesus Read more
A hero of the 2017 London Bridge attack could be made a saint, since Pope Francis has opened a new way to canonisation. Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria, 39, became known as the ‘skateboard hero’ after he used his board to beat Islamist attackers during the Borough Market attack. Three terrorists – who had already driven a Read more
Female genital mutilation must stop, Pope Francis told reporters on the plane when returning from a four-day trip to Bahrain on Sunday. Defending women’s rights, Francis specifically condemned as a “criminal act” female genital mutilation (FGM) and trafficking women for prostitution. Both these crimes are “humiliating affronts to women’s dignity” he said, urging officials to Read more
Pope Francis is urging people to pray and offer concrete support for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked both countries last week, toppling buildings and killing tens of thousands. Hearing the call, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will be providing at least NZ$800,000 of immediate Read more
In an odd tweet, Francis seemed to endorse the practice of flipping the bird, claiming that extending one’s middle digit indicated a certain level of “honesty” against the forces of corruption. The tweet was part of a series in which Francis extolled the virtues of all the various fingers in an aphoristic fashion. Read more
It’s hard to forget the evening of March 2013 when the “new pope” — Franciscus — appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica just after being elected Bishop of Rome. After a few brief words in Italian, he was about to bless the massive crowd in the square below. But he paused and surprised Read more
“Commentators of every school, if for different reasons, with the possible exception of Father Spadaro SJ, agree that this pontificate is a disaster in many or most respects; a catastrophe.” Thus spake George Pell. The Australian cardinal, who died of a heart attack on January 10, has been described by friends and admirers as a Read more
Turkey and Syria need our help urgently, say Pope Francis, Orthodox patriarchs and other church leaders. Both countries were struck by two powerful earthquakes on Monday last week. They need solidarity from all of us – and they are “in part already martyred by a long war”, the pope says. By Sunday 12 February, the Read more
I always tried to give Cardinal George Pell the benefit of the doubt, which is why it is so disappointing to find out that the Australian prelate, who died January 10, was the author of a memorandum attacking Pope Francis. The memo, published on a Vatican blog last March under the pseudonym “Demos,” was circulated Read more