In his weekly editorial, Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, welcomed the birth of baby number 7 billion into the world. “Dear baby number 7 billion, I don’t know if you are a girl or a boy, whether you are Indian or Chinese, born in a great city or a tiny village. I don’t know if Read more
A brazen topless protester from the Ukrainian women’s rights group Femen sneaked past security and partially stripped in front of St Peter’s Basilica just after the Pope’s Sunday Angelus message. Alexandra Shevchenko was arrested at the Vatican after dropping to her knees in St. Peter’s Square, holding up a sign reading “Freedom for Women” and removing Read more
The Vatican’s official newspaper has come to the defence of boy hero Tintin.
The book Tintin in the Congo, has been placed in the adult section of British bookstores after being branded racist for its depiction of Africans.
The book, published by Egmont, has a protective band around it and warns that its portrayal of Africans as wide-eyed simpletons would offend some readers and was based on “the bourgeois, paternalistic stereotypes of the period.”
However, the idea that Tintin, the fearless journalist with the funny hair, could be racist is merely the imagining of an “integralist political correctness,” says the Holy See’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano.
The paper called the boy reporter, a creator of Belgian artist Herge, a Catholic hero.
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“Ridiculous” is how Vatican spokesman, Fr Frederico Lombardi, SJ, describes the claims circulating online that the German bishops disrespected Pope Benedict during his recent visit to the country. A YouTube video showing the Pope and German president Christian Wulff has been misconstrued by bloggers and other members of the media, Lombardi said. Some have claimed Read more
Chances of reconciliation between the traditionalist Society of St Pius X and the Vatican look slim. Father Paul Morgan, a district head in Britain, said in a November newsletter that despite recent talks between society leaders and Vatican officials, the group is far from agreeing to Rome’s proposal. On September 14 at the Vatican presented Read more
The Catholic primate of Ireland, Sean Brady, says he’s profoundly disappointed at the Irish government’s announcement that it is to close its embassy to the Vatican. “I wish to express my profound disappointment at this decision which means that Ireland will be without a resident ambassador to the Holy See for the first time since Read more
Benedict XVI has shifted responsibilities in the Roman Curia to enable the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments to focus more on liturgy. With an apostolic letter promulgated “motu proprio” (on his own initiative), the Holy Father established a new office within the Tribunal of the Roman Rota. The document, “Quaerit Semper,” assigns to Read more
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has released a document calling for a radical reform of the world’s financial and monetary system. It also proposed the creation of a global political authority to manage the economy and a new world economic order based on ethics. The note, entitled “Towards reforming the international financial and Read more
The Vatican on October 19 sent a message to Hindu leaders asking them to resist “hateful propaganda” against Christians and allowing Christians to practice their faith in peace. A principal cause of conflict is the conversion to Christianity of Dalits or “untouchables.” The aggression against Christians stretches across much of India, from the eastern state Read more
