In the past few days, the Lord allowed me to visit Iraq, carrying out a project of Saint John Paul II. Never before has a Pope been in the land of Abraham. Providence willed that this should happen now, as a sign of hope, after years of war and terrorism, and during a severe pandemic. Read more
An extensive conversation with Pope Francis has been appropriately called “una ‘enciclica laica,’ ” a “secular encyclical” by his interlocutor, the journalist Pier Bergonzi. In the course of the interview, Francis was asked if he might consider writing an encyclical on sports. His response leaves open an intriguing possibility: “Perhaps this conversation can be defined Read more
When did the church commit itself to better relations between Muslims and Catholics? I suppose the church really committed to dialogue and positive engagement at the Second Vatican Council, with the famous declaration on the relationship of the church to non-Christian religions, “Nostra Aetate.” There’s a paragraph in there dedicated to Islam and opening up Read more
Within an hour of Pope Francis arriving in Iraq, U.S. President Joe Biden was calling the visit a “symbol of hope for the entire world.” “Pope Francis’s visit was a historic and welcome first for the country,” Biden said. “It sent an important message, as Pope Francis said himself, that ‘fraternity is more durable than Read more
Why are some US bishops of the Catholic Church telling Catholics to avoid the newly approved Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine? Why did some U.S. Catholic leaders rush to issue warnings about this vaccine even though the Vatican has already said that it can be morally acceptable to receive it? Most importantly, why did these Read more
Pope Francis says his four-day visit to Iraq was a “pilgrimage of peace.” The first Catholic pope to visit Iraq, Francis’s history-making four-day trip began in Baghdad last Friday. His key message stressed peace in Iraq where wars, terrorism and sectarian conflicts have plagued it over several decades. “May there be an end to acts Read more
Pope Francis said: “I don’t do any physical activity. “My doctor has recommended it, but my answer is always the same, ‘I don’t have time’.” He enjoys siestas, saying: “As soon as I finish lunch, I go to my room, take my shoes off and lie down fully dressed. Read more
“Pastorally dangerous” and “unhelpful” is how South African ethicist Anthony Egan SJ is labelling the Archdiocese of New Orleans claim the Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine is “morally compromised”. He made the claims in America Magazine. Egan’s irritation is that just one day before the US Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorisation to a Read more
Wairarapa MP, Kieran McAnulty, says his distancing from the Catholic Church is due to the marriage equality debates. Born and raised Catholic, McAnulty likes Pope Francis but says his regular relationship with the Church is a little strained. “The marriage equality debates started and I just felt that the Church at the time didn’t reflect Read more
In a new book Pope Francis hints at possible retirement, saying he’ll either be in office or emeritus when he dies. Regardless of whether Francis dies in office or emeritus, he intends staying in Rome and wants to be buried there. He does not want to be buried in Buenos Aires, where he spent most Read more