It was Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the papal Secretary of State, who proposed the most important reform of the Secretariat of State in a speech delivered at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Parolin proposed the establishment of an “office for mediation” within the Secretariat of State, as had already happened in the past. The office [...]

The approach of the highly-anticipated publication of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation that concludes the two Synods on the family may result in discussion focusing on an important topic. This topic is often overshadowed, though it is disturbing: how much has the Protestant Reformation had, and how much does it still have, an impact [...]

Reforms will be accomplished. Pope Francis reiterated this point once again while meeting the members of the Roman Curia for Christmas greetings. The meeting was noteworthy because several “curiali” were absent, so many that Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, had to acknowledge the fact publicly. Is this a signal [...]

On the one hand, a well-defined international profile. On the other hand, particular attention to internal affairs, with a stronger Secretariat of State. The discussion over the Vatican’s ongoing reforms swings between these two poles. At the moment a definitive vision seems to be lacking.

It is worthwhile reporting the latest on Vatican reforms [...]

The Papal rescript that confirmed the reform of the canonical procedures for marriage annulments and harmonized the norms concerning local tribunals was published by the Holy See Press Office on December 11, together with an article that Msgr. Pio Vito Pinto, President of the Rota, drafted for L’Osservatore Romano. However, the rescript [...]

Pope Francis has deconstructed the narrative on his own pontificate. In the view of the news media (especially the secular media), Pope Francis’ election opened a new season in the life of the Church. Under Pope Francis, the Church reportedly started to combat corruption, to tackle scandals and to live in poverty as [...]

The trial that began last week in the Vatican over “the passing on of classified documents” represents the strongest ever defense of its state sovereignty by the Holy See. This defense comes along at a good time. At the same time that this trial was beginning, the Holy See spoke in Geneva [...]

Marked by shock over the Paris attacks, the past week began with Pope Francis’ visit to the Christuskirche Lutheran Church in Rome on Sunday, November 15. What he said during the visit – completely off the cuff – has apparently established the primacy of conscience over doctrine and over things Pope Francis called [...]

Certainly this new Vatileaks season prompts us to reflect on the way Pope Francis is carrying out his reform. Three years after the first big Vatileaks episode, it seems that the same old Vatican world that opposed Benedict XVI is still alive and active behind Pope Francis. The only difference is that [...]

Perhaps the latest leak of confidential Vatican documents is also the latest act of a war being waged on the Vatican – Italian border. But beyond Italians concerned with the Vatican, there are other international powers, lobbies and multinationals involved. On the one side the Holy See defends its sovereignty, that is, in [...]