I’ve lived for fifteen years in Rome – though not consecutively. But I’ve had the rather unique experience of being in Rome for the passing of four popes: Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and now Benedict XVI. The atmosphere at each of these moments could not be more different. Paul VI’s funeral Read more
Shutting down the US Cardinals’ media briefing is akin to shutting down efforts in New Evangelisation. This is how conservative Catholic columnist George Weigel, writing in the National Review Online, describes the media blackout on Cardinals that came into force yesterday. In the name of transparency, U.S. cardinals had held a series of parallel news briefings with the Read more
In the absence of actual news, the 5,000 journalists gathered in Rome for the election of a successor to Pope Benedict XVI are awash in conspiracy theories. Some may have substance, but probably only by coincidence. An example is the question of why three of the four cardinal-electors with archdioceses in Germany were among the Read more
While Cardinals from other countries continue to speak informally to media on the streets near the Vatican, the public daily media briefing by US cardinals has been shut down. The cancellation has come at the request of the ‘College of Cardinals’. A spokeswoman for the American cardinals said “concern” was expressed at Wednesday’s closed-door meeting Read more
While no date has yet been set for the Conclave to elect the new pope, the profile of who might be pope is becoming more clear according to Vatican Spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi. At Wednesday’s general congregations meetings, Cardinals’ focussed their attention on common themes and issues they think a new pope will need to Read more
The Vatican is said not to be amused by a fake bishop, Monday, trying to sneak into secret talks held in preparation to elect a new pope. Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi, would not comment on the man’s alleged attempt to enter the general congregations meeting. “All I can say is that everyone seated for the congregation Read more
The Vatican, Wednesday reported that 153 Cardinals are present at the pre-conclave ‘general congregation’ meetings. Four cardinals arrived in Rome overnight, three of them cardinal electors, cardinal Lehman from Germany, the Egyptian cardinal Naguib, and from Hong Kong cardinal Tong Hon. Two cardinals are still to arrive, cardinal Nycz from Warsaw and Vietnamese cardinal Pham. Read more
The Vatican is waiting on five more cardinals to arrive before a date is set for the conclave to elect a new pope. The five cardinals still to arrive in Rome include Egyptian Patriarch Antonios Naguib, and Cardinals Karl Lehmann of Germany, Jean-Baptiste Pham of Vietnam, Kazimierz Nycz of Poland and John Tong Hon of Read more
Cardinals meeting in Rome want to be briefed on a secret Vatileaks report into alleged corruption and mismanagement in the Vatican, reports Reuters. “They want to be briefed on the report,” said a cardinal, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. “But it is a very long report and technically it is secret,” Read more
As cardinals met for their first ‘general congregation’ meeting, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago dismissed media speculation that a date has been set for the start of the conclave to elect a new pope. Yesterday, before the cardinals met, media were reporting March 11 to be the conclave’s start, however George told CBS Chicago that Read more