Pope Francis is calling for peace and prayerful solidarity with Venezuela’s anti-government protest victims. The current trouble began in March after President Nicolas Maduro dissolved the opposition-led National Assembly. This caused a constitutional crisis and subsequent political stalemate. “I promise my own prayers for this beloved nation and express my closeness to the families who Read more
Discernment is one of the words Pope Francis repeats most, especially when speaking to priests and seminarians. He often expresses his desire for greater formation in discernment – a concept that may seem obscure without an understanding its importance to the Pope’s Jesuit formation. “When a Jesuit says ‘discernment,’ they’re employing a term that has Read more
A lot has been written about Pope Francis’s goal of making the church more democratic, with less control by the Vatican and more power to individual bishops. In an ideal world, not only would the Vatican have less say in choosing bishops, but priests and laity would have a larger role in the selection of Read more
Pope Francis rejects the idea that the church is a “gerontocracy” ruled by old men. While it’s true many may need help to get up and down the small steps to the altar for Communion, Francis says it doesn’t automatically make them old. In fact, he has a surprising sounding description for them: “We aren’t Read more
The Vatican Museum has released a documentary about Pope Francis’s idea of art. The documentary “My idea of art” explores the Pope’s concept of art through 11 celebrated works. Read more
A growing crowd wants Cardinal Robert Sarah’s head on a platter. Open a liberal Catholic periodical and you are likely to find a call for the dismissal of the Guinean cardinal who heads the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship: “It’s past time for [Pope Francis] to replace Cardinal Sarah” (Maureen Fiedler, National Catholic Reporter); “New Read more
Pope Francis has named the new President of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. He is Professor Joachim von Braun. Von Braun is the Ordinary Professor of Economics and Technological Change, as well as the Director of the Center for Development Research at the University of Bonn in Germany. He was formerly the director general of Read more
Lithuania’s first Soviet-era martyr, Blessed Archbishop Teofilius Matulioni, was beatified yesterday. Thirty-thousand people gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, to attend the official beautification ceremony, which was broadcast live on Facebook. Pope Francis recognised Blessed Teofilius as a martyr in December last year. At the beatification Mass, Vatican Representative Cardinal Angelo Amato spoke of Blessed Teofilius’s “heroism” under Read more
Pope Francis won’t be convening the traditional pre-consistory meeting before creating five new cardinals tomorrow. The Vatican says the consistory will have a courtesy meeting today and Mass will be celebrated tomorrow, which is the Solemnity of the Saints Apostles Peter and Paul. At this time Francis will impose the Pallia on the new cardinals. Read more
The four so-called dubia cardinals, who have been asking Pope Francis to clarify the doctrinal consequences of Amoris Laetitia, asked him for an audience in May. Francis has not answered their request or replied to the letter. They released a copy of their letter to the press. The letter was written by Cardinal Carlo Caffarra Read more