MondayVatican
Pope Francis has started to form his team. And he has done so from the very top. As Secretary of State, Pope Francis has decided to appoint Pietro Parolin, an Italian hailing from Veneto and born in 1955, who until now was Papal Nuncio in Venezuela. He is an experienced diplomat whose career [...]
For the first time since 1977, Pope Benedict XVI will not take part in the annual meeting of his former students. To them, he explained that «as Pope Emeritus, I intended not to take part in public events.» And so he will not be at the Ratzinger’s Schulerkreis meeting. The gathering (to be [...]
Pope Francis did not speak in political terms. After the violence and the deaths in Cairo, he merely chose to add a prayer for violence to stop in Egypt. In fact, Benedict XVI did not speak in political terms either when he issued last year the post-synod document Ecclesia in Medioriente. [...]
The media called it «operation financial transparency». And it is. The work done within the Vatican Walls during the past few years was all intended to create a Vatican financial system to overcome the image of opacity and dubious dealings that – rightly or wrongly – was associated with Vatican financial matters.
In fact, [...]
Pope Francis closed his trip to Brazil for World Youth Day with an hour and 20 minutes of press conference of open question and answers. Pope Francis spoke about several topics, from the possible presence of a gay lobby within the Vatican ranks to the communion for divorced and remarried people. Among all [...]
From Pope Francis’ trip to Brazil for World Youth Day, we will remember his appeal to young people to «rock the boat»; his visit to a favela in Rio, an almost ritual visit for popes; and his unscheduled movements, which have put to the test his security.
Yet, there was a [...]
Pope Francis’ last move is the appointment of a pontifical commission to look at the organization of the economic-administrative structure of the Holy See. In essence, it is an external team of auditors who will advise how to streamline the expenses and activities of the 37 semi-autonomous offices which make up Vatican City [...]
Those who expected Pope Francis to devolve the structure of both Vatican City State and the Holy See were probably disappointed. Yes, Pope Francis underlined repeatedly that «structures are important, but up to a certain point. » On the other hand, Pope Francis is also keenly aware that Vatican City State is «that [...]
Pope John XXIII will be canonized. But the real news is that he will not be canonized as a result of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints acknowledging a miracle attributed to his intercession. John XXIII will be saint because Pope Francis has decided so. He made his proposal and submitted it [...]
It is now time to make decisions. Pope Francis is in a hurry, he wants to fill the most important pieces of the curial puzzle. After more than 100 days as bishop of Rome, it is now time to act as a pope for real. And above all, to start deciding whom to [...]
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