An indigenous performance at a tree planting ceremony in the Vatican gardens on Friday celebrated the feast of St. Francis and the opening of the Synod of bishops on the Pan-Amazon region. The ceremony was organised by the Global Catholic Climate Movement, the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network and the Order of Franciscan Friars Minor. Among those Read more
The Pope’s Council of Cardinals says the Roman Curia needs to be more international and include more young people and women. Commonly referred to as the “C9,” the group was established by Pope Francis after his election as Bishop of Rome in 2013 to advise him in matters of Church governance and reform. Read more
“When three years ago I accepted my appointment in the commission, I said that if I had found a conflict between what was happening behind closed doors and what was being said publicly, I would not have stayed. This has happened and this is why I have left.” Marie Collins’ home phone in Dublin is Read more
The Curia is blocking Pope Francis’s Commission for the Protection of Minors, says Marie Collins. Collins is the only clerical sex abuse survivor serving as an active member on the Commission. She said she is stepping down because the group’s work is being “hindered and blocked by members of the Curia.” She cited lack of Read more
The council of cardinals advising the Pope on Church governance have discussed the way bishops are chosen for dioceses around the world. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ, said the cardinals’ council reflected on what criteria is currently used to select prelates “in the light of their pastoral identity and mission”. The cardinals have also Read more
Two hundred theologians have declared that reform of the Roman Curia must be widened to become reform of the whole Church. The theologians, from throughout the world, issued a declaration at the end of a theological congress in Germany earlier this month. The title of the gathering in Munich was “Opening the Council – Theology Read more
The Pope’s advisory council of cardinals is to focus on the possible decentralisation of the Church’s structures. In a press release on Saturday, the Vatican announced this and gave an update on the council’s meeting last week. In their next meeting in February, the so-called C9 council, which advises the Pope on Church governance, will reflect Read more
Despite opposition from some quarters and fresh revelations of Vatican scandal, Pope Francis is at peace with his reformist course, a senior advisor says. Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga said that anyone trying to do good “will have opposition”. “The books of the Bible said, especially the Book of Wisdom, ‘If you want to follow Read more
A new Church position has been found for the so-called Bishop of Bling from Germany Pope Francis will reportedly appoint Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst to a new position with the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation. There has been no official confirmation of the appointment, but it appears Bishop Tebartz-van Elst will Read more
Power grabbing, living hypocritical double lives, curial and personal rivalry, gossip, and over concern about their appearance and the colour of their robes are among just some of the sins Pope Francis’ identified as belonging to the Vatican Curia. The blistering indictment of the Vatican Curia came at the Pope’s Christmas message. The Pope’s top Read more