A friend of mine, who had spent many years establishing a successful printing business in the Midwest, opened his local newspaper to find a story about a fancy redevelopment project that the city had proposed in his neighbourhood. How nice, he thought, until he realized that planning officials were going to put the project on Read more
Dear Pope Francis, it is extremely disappointing that almost all the photos of you since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have shown you without a mask. This is bad on so many levels. You should know better. Please, wear a mask. Your friends in the media, including myself, have for the most part given Read more
Pope Francis has again indicated support for same-sex civil unions. His most recent comments were made in “Francesco,” a new documentary on his life and ministry. The film premiered Oct. 21 as part of the Rome Film Festival. In the film, Francis says that “Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. Read more
Pope Francis is back to his mask-less old ways a day after donning a face mask for the first time during a liturgical service. A day after donning a face mask for the first time during a liturgical service, Pope Francis was back to his mask-less old ways Wednesday despite surging coronavirus infections across Europe Read more
A man living in the same Vatican residence as Pope Francis has returned a COVID-positive test. The Vatican says those with whom the symptomless man had direct contact are in quarantine, as is he. The man is the first to test COVID-positive at the Santa Marta residence – which has about 130 rooms and suites Read more
After having been freed from jail in April when Australia’s High Court ruled unanimously he never should have been convicted of child sexual abuse in the first place, and after watching his erstwhile Vatican archenemy not just fall but plummet from grace last month, Cardinal George Pell completed his comeback tour Oct. 12 with a Read more
Pope Francis used his post-Angelus remarks to call for more female leadership in the church. He would like women to “participate more in areas of responsibility in the church.” “Today there is a need to broaden the spaces for a more incisive female presence in the church,” he said on October 11, “because in general Read more
Pope Francis has taken delivery of a hydrogen-powered climate-friendly Popemobile. The latest version of the Popemobile is a Toyota Mirai (meaning ‘The Future’) which he first had the use of on a visit to Japan in November 2019. Toyota customised two of the automobiles for Pope Francis’ visit, and one of these is now part Read more
There are many aspects to reform in the church. Different people and different reform groups, have their own take on what, or who, needs reform the most urgently. I must admit the recent article by Antonio Spadaro on Pope Francis has prompted me to think more about it.[1] I would like to share some of Read more
“Fratelli Tutti” the new papal encyclical on fraternity and social friendship, is an important teaching document that must be read by anyone who wants to know where Pope Francis is coming from. Through the centuries, popes have written letters or encyclicals on important issues, sometimes addressed to bishops, other times to all Catholics, more recently Read more