The president of the German bishops’ conference has admitted that he has difficulties with the notion of the new evangelisation. Cardinal Reinhard Marx told the French Jesuit journal Etudes that he finds this “concept” to be problematic. The term “new evangelisation” was referred to by St John Paul II in Redemptoris Missio (33). Its application Read more
A Vatican spokesman has said he never intended to sue a Canadian blogger who received a lawyer’s letter threatening possible legal action. Fr Thomas Rosica, CSB, who works as an English language assistant to the Holy See Press office, issued a statement that “it was never my intention to sue” blogger David Domet. Mr Domet Read more
ISIS is no more Muslim than the Irish Republican Army was Catholic, the Archbishop of New York has said. During an interview on CNN, Cardinal Timothy Dolan said: “The IRA claimed to be Catholic. They were baptised. They had a Catholic identity.” But, he continued, “what they were doing was a perversion of everything the Read more
The wrong body was cremated at the funeral of a British politician in January after an incredible mix-up. The West Midlands European Parliament MP Philip Bradbourn, 63, had died of bowel cancer in December at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield. But another man’s body was cremated at the Conservative politician’s funeral on January 16 Read more
Pope Francis has moved to confirm the authority of Cardinal George Pell in cleaning up the Vatican’s finances. In a new set of legislative norms approved by the Pope, the Secretariat for the Economy, headed by Cardinal Pell, has been given sweeping powers. Francis appears to have largely put aside recommendations from the Pontifical Council Read more
The head of Vatican security says ISIS militants have threatened the Vatican, but there is no sign of any planned attack. The commander of the Vatican gendarmes, Domenico Giani, said security patrols of the Vatican perimeter are always on high guard. “There are not only the threats of the Islamic State, but also the risk Read more
Last year, the Catholic Church in the United States spent US$43million on child abuse prevention and education. The figure was mentioned by priest psychologist Msgr Stephen Rossetti at a conference on safeguarding children in Ireland last month. Msgr Rossetti is a professor at The Catholic University of America and a visiting professor at Rome’s Pontifical Read more
Pope Francis is expected to canonise the parents of St Therese of Lisieux during the synod on the family in October. The canonisations of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin were announced by Cardinal Angelo Amato during a conference last month, according to a Catholic News Service report. “Thanks be to God, in October two spouses, Read more
An Italian film that attempts to defend Pope Pius XII over his wartime role has been criticised by Catholic and Jewish media. “Shades of Truth” is the account of a fictional present-day American journalist and critic of Pius who changes his mind after carrying out research. Some Jews have accused Pope Pius of failing to Read more
An Italian magazine has published alleged details of lavish spending by the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy, headed by Cardinal George Pell. But the secretariat has strongly rejected the claims published in L’Espresso magazine. Basing its reports on alleged leaked receipts from the secretariat, L’Espresso claimed the cardinal spent $A720,000 in setting up his new department. It Read more