Pope

5000 journalists in Rome and no actual news

Friday, March 8th, 2013

In the absence of actual news, the 5,000 journalists gathered in Rome for the election of a successor to Pope Benedict XVI are awash in conspiracy theories. Some may have substance, but probably only by coincidence. An example is the question of why three of the four cardinal-electors with archdioceses in Germany were among the Read more

Give us a younger pope with new ideas say US Catholics

Friday, March 8th, 2013

A majority of Catholics in the US want a pope who is younger and with some new ideas. Most saying they want the next pope to make the church’s teachings more liberal, according to the latest NYTimes/CBS News Poll. 70% say Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican have done a poor job of handling sexual Read more

Transparency dampened as US Cardinals silenced

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

While Cardinals from other countries continue to speak informally to media on the streets near the Vatican, the public daily media briefing by US cardinals has been shut down. The cancellation has come at the request of the ‘College of Cardinals’. A spokeswoman for the American cardinals said “concern” was expressed at Wednesday’s closed-door meeting Read more

New pope profile clearer as common themes emerge

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

While no date has yet been set for the Conclave to elect the new pope, the profile of who might be pope is becoming more clear according to Vatican Spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi. At Wednesday’s general congregations meetings, Cardinals’ focussed their attention on common themes and issues they think a new pope will need to Read more

Vatican not amused at makeshift Corpus Dei bishop

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

The Vatican is said not to be amused by a fake bishop, Monday, trying to sneak into secret talks held in preparation to elect a new pope. Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi, would not comment on the man’s alleged attempt to enter the general congregations meeting. “All I can say is that everyone seated for the congregation Read more

Two cardinals still yet to arrive at pre-conclave meeting

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

The Vatican, Wednesday reported that 153 Cardinals are present at the pre-conclave ‘general congregation’ meetings. Four cardinals arrived in Rome overnight, three of them cardinal electors, cardinal Lehman from Germany, the Egyptian cardinal Naguib, and from Hong Kong cardinal Tong Hon. Two cardinals are still to arrive, cardinal Nycz from Warsaw and Vietnamese cardinal Pham. Read more

Conclave date: Waiting arrival of 5 cardinals

Wednesday, March 6th, 2013

The Vatican is waiting on five more cardinals to arrive before a date is set for the conclave to elect a new pope. The five cardinals still to arrive in Rome include Egyptian Patriarch Antonios Naguib, and Cardinals Karl Lehmann of Germany, Jean-Baptiste Pham of Vietnam, Kazimierz Nycz of Poland and John Tong Hon of Read more

Readers say what they want from a new pope

Wednesday, March 6th, 2013

Sex abuse and its handling by Church authorities is the top priority for the new pope, according to a recent readership survey conducted by ucanews.com. The survey – conducted from February 18-28 – attracted 2,300 responses, with the majority (72 percent) from Asia. More than three quarters identified sexual abuse and how Church authorities respond Read more

Cardinals want briefing on secret Vatileaks report

Wednesday, March 6th, 2013

Cardinals meeting in Rome want to be briefed on a secret Vatileaks report into alleged corruption and mismanagement in the Vatican, reports Reuters. “They want to be briefed on the report,” said a cardinal, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. “But it is a very long report and technically it is secret,” Read more

March 11 conclave start, just media speculation

Tuesday, March 5th, 2013

As cardinals met for their first ‘general congregation’ meeting, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago dismissed media  speculation that a date has been set for the start of the conclave to elect a new pope. Yesterday, before the cardinals met, media were reporting March 11 to be the conclave’s start, however George told CBS Chicago that Read more