In an unexpected move, Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the former private secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, as a nuncio in the Vatican diplomatic corps. The move follows tensions between Archbishop Gänswein and Pope Francis (pictured together), marked by the former’s desire for a new role in Rome following Benedict’s death. Elisabetta Piqué, Read more
In a new book interview, Pope Francis has made startling revelations about his involvement in the 2005 conclave. Speaking to Vatican journalist Javier Martinez Brocal, Francis candidly discussed the political manoeuvres within the Vatican during pivotal papal elections. He disclosed that he felt “used” by certain cardinals to block the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Read more
Liturgical reform is crucial in the ongoing renewal of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis said this to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on Thursday. After what has been labelled as a significant address, discussion took place against the backdrop of the dicastery’s annual plenary assembly. The assembly focused Read more
The promulgation of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, stands as a pivotal moment that ushered in a new era for the Catholic Church. Sixty years hence, we can reflect on the impact of this document on New Zealand’s theological landscape and liturgical practices. Sacrosanctum Concilium is the cornerstone of Vatican II because Read more
It’s no secret that the Roman Catholic Church is deeply divided right now, perhaps as much as it’s ever been in the six decades since the end of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). The fractures are most obvious on social media where even priests, bishops and cardinals preach from cyber pulpits all along the theological Read more
The surviving relatives of the late Pope Benedict XVI stand to inherit small amount of money from his legacy, according to the executor of his last will and testament. When the retired pope died at age 95 on December 31, 2022, his longtime assistant, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, got to work as executor of the will Read more
Many conservative Catholics are upset with Pope Francis, who they complain is changing church doctrine, but they hardly blinked when Pope Benedict got rid of Limbo, a Catholic doctrine that had been taught for centuries. Careful readers will note that rather than closing Limbo, as reported by the media, what the International Theological Commission did Read more
Emeritus Pope Benedict (95), is very sick and Pope Francis is asking for prayers. “I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the Church. “Let us remember him. He is very sick, asking the Lord to console and sustain him in this Read more
Experts are drafting proposed new laws on the status of a retired pope. In the 728 years that have passed since St Celestine established this legal precedent, the right of a pope to resign remains ensured in church law. The law is not very detailed, saying only that the decision must be made freely and Read more
Pope Francis said he would not live in the Vatican nor return to his native Argentina if and when he ever retires, but would instead like to find a church in Rome where he could continue hearing confessions. “I’m the bishop of Rome, in this case, the emeritus bishop of Rome,” Francis said in an Read more