Pope Francis sought to assure Moneyval inspectors of the Vatican’s financial operation last week that his financial reforms are underway. His assurances followed a financial scandal at the Holy See that resulted in him dismissing a senior cardinal. Speaking to Moneyval inspectors from the Council of Europe’s financial monitoring arm, Francis outlined the recent actions Read more
Pope Francis welcomed Cardinal George Pell to the Vatican for the first time since the Australian cardinal’s conviction for child sexual abuse was overturned. The pair met in a private audience without masks. In greeting Pell, Francis thanked him for his witness. The meeting was confirmed in the Holy See’s daily bulletin. The Vatican released Read more
Pope Francis’ repeated non-use of a face mask is again in focus as Four Swiss Guards test positive for COVID-19. The four are in isolation while their contacts are being traced, the Vatican said Monday. The Swiss Guards provide ceremonial guard duty during papal Masses, man the Vatican gates and help protect the 83-year-old Pope Read more
Investors should remove their support from companies not committed to the environment, says Pope Francis. On Saturday he added his voice to calls from a number of world leaders for an more environmentally sustainable economic model. Speaking in a video message for an online event called “Countdown Global Launch, A Call to Action on Climate Read more
According to much of the journalistic commentary, Pope Francis has just issued an encyclical on economics. Reuters, the New York Post, MSN…, the list goes on. All have similar headlines along the lines of: “Pope says trickle-down policies fail society” or “Pope says free market has failed in the pandemic”. Some of the headlines are Read more
Pope Francis’s new encyclical Fratelli tutti touches on many issues relevant to national and international economic policy. These will generate considerable debate and, given the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, deserve consideration. The majority of the almost 200 pages focus on issues that go beyond economics and economic policy. The Pope makes many valuable Read more
Pope Francis and Warren Buffett both blame free market policies for rising inequality. In his latest encyclical (Fratelli Tutti), Francis points out “The marketplace, by itself, cannot resolve every problem, however much we are asked to believe this dogma of neo-liberal faith. “Neo-liberalism simply reproduces itself by resorting to the magic theories of ‘spillover’ or Read more
Pope Francis’s new encyclical Fratelli Tutti is a call for everyone to see the world as being without borders and view everyone as their brothers and sisters, says Catholic Archbishop of Wellington Cardinal John Dew. “Fratelli tutti is a profound document,” says Dew, vice-president of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference. “It can change minds and Read more
For Catholics, Oct. 4 is widely recognized as the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Among the best-known and most venerated of the saints, Francis of Assisi has become synonymous in religion pop culture with brown habits, birdbaths and the blessing of animals on his feast day. But beyond pets, Francis is also known as Read more
Pope Francis Social Encyclical: ‘Fratelli Tutti’ was launched at the Vatican, Sunday 4 October, 2020. The document focuses on fraternity and social friendship as the ways to build a better, more just and peaceful world – with the contribution of all: people and institutions. The official summary follows, with a link to download the full Read more