On 29 October the papal ambassador to New Zealand, His Excellency Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa, suffered a severe stroke. Asking for prayers for His Excellency, Catholic Communications says the 66-year old’s condition is now stable. Rugambwa is Pope Francis’ Nuncio (ambassador ) to New Zealand, Fiji, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Naru, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, Micronesia Read more
Last week, the New Zealand bishops in Rome for their Ad Limina visit met the fondly remembered former papal nuncio Archbishop Angelo Acerbi. Acerbi’s diplomatic career included being held hostage by guerillas in Colombia and becoming the first nuncio to Hungary after the end of communism. Now 94, Acerbi is retired and lives in the Read more
A former papal ambassador awaiting a Vatican trial for abuse of minors and possessing child pornography has died after a suspected heart attack. Former archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, 67, was found dead “during the first hours of the morning”, the Vatican said in a statement on August 28. He was reportedly found in a room with the television Read more
The papal nuncio to Ireland has said he is unable to confirm or deny stories about Irish priests refusing invitations to become bishops. In a lengthy interview in the Irish Times, Archbishop Charles Brown said this was because “when the Pope asks someone to be a bishop, it’s a very personal invitation”. None of the Read more
Former Vatican diplomat Józef Wesołowski has been taken to hospital with an “unexpected illness” on the first day of his trial for alleged child sex abuse. His is the first trial in the Holy See’s criminal court of a senior official on charges of paedophilia and possession of child pornography. Wesołowski, a former archbishop, was Read more
The Vatican has placed its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic under house arrest, after opening a criminal trial against him. Former Archbishop Josef Wesolowski is the first high-ranking official to face Vatican criminal charges for sexually abusing young people. He had already been laicised in June after a canonical trial. On Tuesday, the Vatican Read more
Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi has denied a report that the Holy See refused to extradite a Vatican diplomat who has been accused of sexual abuse. Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, told reporters that the Holy See had not received an extradition request and the Vatican would honour its promises to cooperate with Read more
Pope Francis has named Archbishop Michael W. Banach the apostolic nuncio for Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Pope Benedict XVI had named Banach, a Vatican diplomat, to be an apostolic nuncio, which carries with it the title of archbishop, in February. He was born the son of Wallace and Jane Banach. He grew up Read more