The Vatican has signaled a nuanced shift in its stance on providing food and hydration to patients in a vegetative state. The stance is outlined in a new document published by the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV). The text, titled “Small Lexicon on End of Life”, indicates a slight departure from the Church’s previous position. Read more
A rare public dispute between top Vatican officials unfolded at the opening of a conference in Rome on Humanae Vitae, the 1968 encyclical reaffirming the Catholic Church’s opposition to artificial contraception. Jesuit Cardinal Luis Ladaria (pictured), the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Read more
The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life has defended its president, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia (pictured with Pope Francis), against criticism for his recent remarks on euthanasia and assisted suicide. Speaking last week at the Perugia Journalism Festival on “The last journey (towards the end of life),” Paglia stated that the Catholic Church did not provide a Read more
A new Vatican document warns against “lack of concern and sensitivity” towards the weak and elderly during the pandemic and its aftermath. The Pontifical Academy for Life, assisted by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, issued “Old Age: Our Future. The elderly after the pandemic” on February 9. It was signed by Archbishop Vincenzo Read more
A Vatican archbishop says he would “hold the hand” of someone dying from assisted suicide, even though he considers it wrong. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia says he would offer this comfort because “no one is abandoned” by the Church. Paglia, who heads the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life, explained his views during the presentation of an Read more