MondayVatican
The highlight of the circumscribed press release about the meeting between Pope Francis and the U.S. president Barack Obama is that both parties affirm their mutual commitment to bring an end to the plague of the human trafficking. Human trafficking seems to be Pope Francis’ most important diplomatic challenge. Yes, there had been [...]
Pope Francis established a group of Eight Cardinals to advise him about a reform of the Curia and the government of the universal Church. He has several people he trusts working with him, like Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the Pope’s vicar for the diocese of Rome. But the most influential adviser is in fact Pope [...]
One year ago, March 13, Pope Francis won over the world with his «buonasera» and shook up the Church with the idea that a revolution was about to come. One year after, how much of this expected revolution has been carried out? Has the Roman Curia really changed? And is it possible to [...]
Cardinal Walter Kasper has called for a «Council-like solution» to the issue in his presentation during the consistory on the family. This «Council-like solution» is a reference to the approach taken by the Second Vatican Council to issues like religious freedom and ecumenism. i.e., not to change the tradition, but to create new openings. [...]
The signal was a letter signed by Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and delivered to every head of dicastery of the Roman Curia. The economic outlook for the Holy See in 2014– the Secretary of State wrote – requires «immediate measures to limit spending» on personnel. Which means: a hiring freeze, no overtime or [...]
The clock starts today for a very important week for the reform of the Church. The Council of Cardinals will begin its three-day meeting today. After that, informal meetings, until February 20 and 21, when the cardinals will gather in an ordinary public consistory. On Saturday, February 22 there will be a consistory [...]
One year after the historical resignation of Benedict XVI, a document of the UN Committee on the Human Rights simply proves that nothing has changed in the spirit of the world. In the end, Pope Francis must face the same demons and ghosts that have always been menacing the Church, and that [...]
Pope Francis is seemingly putting on a new hat, an institutional one. At a time when conclusions are being drawn from the reform process started under Benedict XVI and continued by his successor, Pope Francis is counterbalancing the weight of external consultants who, one way or another, have featured prominently during the first months [...]
The Roman Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls has been entrusted to Benedictines for 1300 years. There was such a strong tradition of ecumenical dialogue there, that Benedict XVI ultimately decided to give the basilica a specific mandate to promote ecumenism. Popes have been concluding the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity [...]
The evolution of Vatican communication under Pope Francis can eventually “rehabilitate” the Benedict XVI’ pontificate, which had been at least undermined by a certain kind of media narrative. There are two peculiar examples on how the Vatican communication became more pro-active, handling problems in the most proper way and trying [...]
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