Anglican priests’ holy orders – their ordinations – may not be invalid, says Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Text. Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) ruled Anglican orders are “null and void” – a ruling Coccopalmerio, who is said to have one of the Vatican’s top legal minds, is revisiting. “When someone Read more
A group of Hasidic Jews meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican had him itching to dance. A cellphone video of the group with Francis shows him swaying in time to the Hasidic beat. Read more
“A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system,” warns Pope Francis in his landmark environmental encyclical Laudato Si (“On Care for Our Common Home”). Indeed, the scientific consensus is very solid. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), “97 percent or more of Read more
Pope Francis welcomed Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to the Vatican last week as a new agreement between the Vatican and Myanmar was signed. The occasion saw Suu Kyi and Francis formally agree to a diplomatic relationship between the Vatican and Myanmar. The agreement says it aims to “establish diplomatic relations at the Read more
Forty new Swiss Guards were sworn in at the Vatican on Saturday. The role of the Swiss Guards is to protect the Pope, Although the Guards have both traditional and modern weapons, Pope Francis told the new recruits they won’t be expected to sacrifice their lives in his service. Instead, they must serve “the power Read more
Imprisoned for 13 years by Vietnam’s communist leaders and then exiled until he died in 2002, the Venerable Cardinal Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan lived a life of heroic virtue Pope Francis has ruled. Francis declared Francois Xavier “Venerable” last Thursday. Francois Xavier’s story of imprisonment, much of which was spent in solitary confinement, has Read more
Pope Francis has spoken out about the name “mother of all bombs” saying the word “mother” shouldn’t be used for a weapon. Speaking to a group of students visiting the Vatican on Saturday, Francis told them how ashamed he is of the bomb’s name. Mothers give life, not death, and suggesting a bomb could also Read more
The Vatican has confirmed President Donald Trump will meet Pope Francis on 24th May. The visit is scheduled during Trump’s first overseas trip since he took office. The meeting will take place in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. After meeting the Pope, Trump will see Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Read more
Solutions to poverty need to offer ways to include the marginalised, poorest members of society, says Margaret Archer. Archer is the President of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences. She was speaking at the plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, held at the Vatican this week. The meeting focused on the theme Read more
Pope Francis reflected on last weekend’s Apostolic Voyage to Egypt during this week’s General Audience. In it he recalled the various stages of his packed schedule, which included “dialogue between Christians and Muslims”, the role of Christians in Egypt and meetings with many priests and religious. Read more .