In a rare piece of writing published since his retirement, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI pointed to the need for the Church to extend its pastoral care to non-believers. A letter written by Benedict was published as an introduction to a book by former Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The book was titled “Faith and the Read more
“That there is the Casa di Santa Marta, where Pope Francis lives. That down there is the monastery where Pope Ratzinger retired. And this right here is the Terrace of Scandals.” I am strolling on the roof of the Palazzo San Carlo with the man who for eight years was the most powerful person in Read more
A photograph taken in Argentina in 2007 shows two cardinals, Jorge Mario Bergoglio and Tarcisio Bertone, sitting side by side, although their chairs are on two different levels. At the time, Bertone was the Vatican’s Secretary of State, having traveled to a village in northern Patagonia “in the name of His Holiness Benedict XVI” to Read more
The new Vatican Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, has officially assumed his new role, but he could not attend the hand-over ceremony because of emergency surgery. The reason for the surgery was not made known at the time, but a Vatican source later said the 58-year-old archbishop — seen as the key person to Read more
Pope Francis’ creation of a group of cardinals to help him govern the Church does not mean he is giving up any of his papal authority — but it may reduce the powers of the Vatican secretary of state. Paolo Gherri, who teaches the theology of canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University, said he Read more
Pope Benedict has completed the third volume of his Jesus of Nazareth trilogy and may follow it with a new encyclical for the Year of Faith. Since the Pope has already written encyclicals on hope and charity, there has long been speculation that he would address the third theological virtue with an encyclical on faith. Read more
Gossipy rumors have been mixed with more than a pinch of midsummer madness and served, stirred but not chilled, as a James Bond-like intrigue cocktail for Vatican conspiracy theorists who like to keep a glow on their paranoia. The main ingredients are the leaked confidential papers of Pope Benedict XVI in an incident that has Read more
Pope Benedict has expressed full confidence in his Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, in a personal letter clearly intended to end speculation that the cardinal might be replaced. The letter, released on July 4, was dated July 2, just before the Pope left on his summer vacation at Castel Gandolfo. In it, the Pope Read more
In moments of crisis, there’s a natural desire among many Catholics to rally around the flag, meaning to show support for the church and the pope. It’s not about denial, because Catholics are nothing if not sober realists about the church’s failures. It’s instead about saying to the world that despite it all, there’s still Read more
The Fiji Sun has reported that in meetings with Fiji’s new non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See, Naivakarurubalavu Solo Mara, Pope Benedict and Vatican officials wish Fiji well The Pope received Mara in an official audience for the presentation of his Letters of Credence on Friday 5 May at the Clementine Hall in Vatican City. He Read more