Posts Tagged ‘Nuncio’

Papal ambassador to New Zealand ‘stable’ after serious stoke

Thursday, November 2nd, 2023
papal ambassador novatus rugambwa

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

NZ Bishops meet well-remembered nuncio during Rome Ad Limina

Thursday, October 31st, 2019
ad limina

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

Diplomat facing abuse charges dies awaiting Vatican trial

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015

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

Stories about Irish priests refusing invites to be bishops

Friday, August 28th, 2015

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 nuncio’s Vatican trial suspended because of illness

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

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

Defrocked former nuncio under house arrest at Vatican

Friday, September 26th, 2014

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 denies lack of cooperation in nuncio abuse case

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

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

Nuncio named for Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013

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