Posts Tagged ‘Benedict XVI’

Vulnerable adult definition clarified by Vatican

Thursday, February 8th, 2024
Vulnerable adult

The Vatican has narrowed the definition of cases directly overseen by its main doctrinal office, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. On January 30, the dicastery announced that it would specifically investigate and judge cases involving individuals “who habitually have an imperfect use of reason.” This announcement delineates the jurisdiction of the doctrinal Read more

Vatican II and synodality: a friendly response to Joan Chittister

Monday, June 19th, 2023

We are now just a few months away from the October 2023 assembly of the Synod on the “synodal process”. A second assembly is scheduled for October 2024. Both will be held at the Vatican. The working document for this first assembly is to be unveiled to the press on June 20 and the names Read more

Papal medalist Stephen Hawking honoured by Vatican

Monday, March 19th, 2018

A series of tweets from the Vatican express sorrow and prayers for Stephen Hawking who died last week. Hawking was an esteemed member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. St John Paul II named Hawking a member of the Academy in 1986. Its members are chosen on the basis of their academic credentials and professional Read more

Fake news: ex-Pope Benedict’s dying

Thursday, October 19th, 2017

A fake news report has convinced several media outlets that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is dying. In fact, he isn’t dying. The report is “pure invention,” Benedict’s personal secretary Archbishop Georg Ganswein says. Ganswein is also alleged to have said Benedict was “like a candle that fades slowly”. “He is serene, at peace with God, Read more

Cardinals: Maradiaga bashes Burke, as Benedict lauds Sarah

Thursday, May 25th, 2017

Two prominent and sometimes controversial cardinals, both seen as conservatives, recently have drawn stinging criticism in one case and a stirring defense in another, and both have come from extremely high-ranking sources. American Cardinal Raymond Burke was recently dismissed as a “disappointed man” upset over the loss of his power by fellow Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Read more

Encyclical on contraception was difficult for me – Benedict XVI

Friday, September 16th, 2016

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI has revealed that while he agreed with the conclusion Pope Paul VI drew in his encyclical letter (Humanae Vitae) on artificial contraception, he struggled with the reasoning Pope Paul used to arrive at his conclusion. “In the situation I was then in, and in the context of theological thinking in which Read more

Benedict XVI says he broke up Vatican gay lobby

Tuesday, July 5th, 2016

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has alleged that a so-called gay lobby was operating in the Vatican when he was Pope, but he broke it up. Benedict’s comments were reported in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra. The comments are in a new book of interviews between the retired Pope and journalist Peter Seewald. Corriere della Read more

Benedict XVI endorses Francis’s ministry of mercy

Friday, July 1st, 2016

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has endorsed the mercy-filled ministry of his successor, Pope Francis. Benedict did this at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican at a ceremony held to celebrate the anniversary of his ordination as priest 65 years ago. Francis was at the event, as were some 30 cardinals and invited guests. The retired Read more

Pope Francis says so far he hasn’t thought about resigning

Friday, June 3rd, 2016

Pope Francis has said that up to this point in his papacy he hasn’t thought about resigning. The Pope was asked about the subject by two young YouTube stars at a function at the Vatican on Sunday. He was asked if he has ever considered resigning because he finds the demands of his job too Read more

Vatican denies claims on Ratzinger and Fatima third secret

Tuesday, May 24th, 2016

The Vatican has rejected claims that Pope Benedict XVI said the Third Secret of Fatima was not released in its entirety in 2000. Such claims, expressed in recent articles, were described by the Vatican as “pure inventions” and “absolutely untrue”. The claims relate to when the Pope emeritus was prefect of the Congregation for the Read more