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 [...]
The February 22 consistory will start shaping the future Church. The numbers are clear. From now to 2017, 32 cardinals will turn 80, thus losing the right to vote in a future conclave. And from now to Feb. 22, there will be 106 cardinal electors, so Pope Francis had in fact 14 “red [...]
This year has been the year of two Popes, and it ended with the «image» of two joined Popes. On December 23, Pope Francis went to visit the Pope emeritus Benedict XVI: Christmas wishes, sunrises and photo opportunity, together with a Pope Francis invitation for lunch to Pope Benedict. This latter obviously accepted: [...]
Pope Francis gave himself a «birthday gift». On December 17 the Pope received Cardinal Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The Pope listened to the report that he asked Amato to write about Peter Faber, the first companion of St. Ignatius and “a model of virtue,” according to [...]
The Holy See path to adapt its legal system to international anti-money laundering standards has been quick, coherent and convincing, according to the «progress report» issued by the Council of Europe’s committee MONEYVAL on December 12.
«It is clear from this review – the report states in par. 128 – that much work [...]
After three days of discussions, the Council of Eight Cardinals advising Pope Francis on the Curia Reform made official its first proposal: establishing a specific commission for the protection of children who have been victims of abuse. The proposal represents one further step in the fight against clergy pedophilia, a fight pushed forward [...]
The Church according to Pope Francis is outlined in the nearly 260 page-long Apostolic Exhortation «Evangelii Gaudium» (The Joy of the Gospel), that he wrote in two weeks in Spanish (with some neologisms and slogans) with a clear core message: the Church must come out, to the streets, and announce the Gospel [...]