Fashion icons Versace and Vogue have joined forces with the Vatican to showcase the Church’s influence on fashion. Liturgical vestments with intricate patchworks of gold and silver thread embroidery, jewelled mitres and historic papal tiaras (one comprising 18,000 diamonds) have been provided for the exhibition by the Sistine Chapel sacristy. In all, raiment from 15 Read more
On April 1, 1987, the most popular artists, actors, fashion designers, writers and musicians in America converged on St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. Liza Minnelli showed up, along with Calvin Klein, Tom Wolfe and George Plimpton. Yoko Ono arrived a bit early; she was giving a speech. One could have easily mistaken Andy Warhol’s Read more
Cardinal Zen would do well to take a short course in Catholic history. In what is both false and misleading, Cardinal Zen keeps repeating the claim that the Vatican’s behavior in its relations with Beijing on the appointment of bishops in China is “unprecedented.” It is not and it is false to claim it is Read more
A former judge of the Roman Rota, the Vatican’s highest appellate court, has accepted a plea bargain in an Italian criminal court. He faces a conditionally suspended sentence of one year and two months in prison on charges of sexual molestation and possession of child pornography. Read more
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kuin, 86, sits down for lunch. Chatting and smiling, he lists the options for main course at a private dining room in Bishop Lei International House, a church-owned hotel founded originally as a school for the De La Salle brothers. It’s perched high in the Mid-Levels of Hong Kong Island, high but Read more
What is happening right now is no way unprecedented in recent Catholic history in China. Moral outrage and high emotion are a potent cocktail. Such is what is reverberating around the world right now about the Vatican’s moves to replace two bishops in China. The events have triggered reports and comments in the Catholic media Read more
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI’s health is currently under the spotlight. The question is whether he is ill or not. His brother, 94 year-old Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, says the Pope emeritus is suffering from a nerve disease, which is paralyzing him little by little. Georg says the illness forces Benedict to use a wheelchair more often. Read more
Hong Kong Catholics held an all-night prayer vigil to protest a proposed deal between the Vatican and Beijing. More than 200 people gathered to voice their concerns over a deal they say will “sell out” faithful Chinese Catholics. “It’s a precarious situation. There’s a real danger of division,” a priest said. Those attending the vigil Read more
A Chinese Catholic bishop, Guo Xijin, says he will step down in favour of Communist-approved bishops. Guo is one of the “underground” bishops — recognized by the Church but not by Chinese authorities — who have been asked by the Vatican to step down. He will be replaced by a Communist-approved bishop. Guo currently lives Read more
Isabella McCafferty of Wellington will represent New Zealand at the Vatican in March for an international youth gathering. Ms McCafferty works with the Church’s Catholic Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the Wellington Archdiocese. She is in the pastoral ministry and her work supports families and young people across 22 parishes. Ms McCafferty meanwhile also Read more