The Vatican’s new No. 2 has been released after more than 10 days in a hospital. The Vatican has refused to say what was wrong with Monsignor Pietro Parolin, only that he underwent surgery unexpectedly and missed the Oct. 15 ceremony at which he was to take up his duties as secretary of state. The Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Cardinal Pietro Parolin’
New Secretary of State misses hand-over ceremony
Friday, October 18th, 2013
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
Is Pope Francis about to eliminate celibacy?
Tuesday, September 17th, 2013The mainstream media is all atwitter made by Pope Francis’s incoming secretary of state about the possibility of eliminating clerical celibacy. Is this a sign of things to come? Is this yet another indication of Pope Francis “breaking with tradition”? Is this an indication the mind of Pope Francis himself? Is it a major new Read more
Church official says celibacy open for discussion
Friday, September 13th, 2013
A Church official has been quoted by reports as saying that celibacy for priests in the Catholic Church is open for discussion. In an interview with a Venezuelan newspaper El Universal, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, new Secretary of State for the Vatican, said “celibacy is not an institution but look, it is also true that you Read more
Bertone hits out at Rome ‘vipers’
Friday, September 6th, 2013The Vatican’s outgoing Secretary of State has lashed out at the “vipers” in the curia who undermined him – a day after Pope Francis named his successor. Asked about his seven years in office by the Ansa news agency, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said: “I see the record of the past seven years as positive. Of Read more
Parolin a telling choice as Pope Francis’ No 2
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013
Vatican watchers and even cardinals have been anxious to see how effective Pope Francis will be in tackling much-needed Curia reforms, and on Saturday he made what might be the single most important appointment in his tenure – and one that gives every sign that the Argentinian pontiff means business when he talks about change. Read more
Pope appoints diplomat as Vatican Secretary of State
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013
Pope Francis on Saturday announced the appointment of Archbishop Pietro Parolin as secretary of state, replacing Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Archbishop Parolin, 58, is currently the Vatican envoy to Venezuela and served as the Vatican’s deputy foreign minister from 2002 to 2009. He has led various Vatican diplomatic delegations in thorny geopolitical negotiations, including talks to Read more