When Pope Francis was elected pope, the Vatican was in trouble. The Roman Catholic Church’s mishandling of sexual abuse and a series of financial scandals had challenged the credibility of the institution and emptied its pews. For Francis, the root of the church’s problems was clericalism: the belief that religious people belong to a superior Read more
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, 93, left the Vatican for the first time last week since his 2013 resignation. Benedict went to visit his older seriously ill brother, Msgr Georg Ratzinger who is being cared for in his home. The Vatican says the Emeritus Pope’s visit was “purely private” and he would stay in the Bavarian Read more
The Pope’s schedule for 2020 does not include any trips abroad, the Vatican has announced. His zero-trip 2020 is very different from the way he spent 2019: then, Francis – who is in his eighties – made a record seven international trips to eleven different countries. “At the present time, and in view of the Read more
Anyone who tuned into the broadcast version a Two Cents Worth podcast last week may be forgiven for thinking they had tuned in to a church service. It began with a recitation of the first part of the Our Father. But Two Cents worth is advertised as being “Stories that make sense of business and Read more
Pope Francis has appointed Fabio Gasperini, a lay financial advisor, as secretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA). The 58-year-old Roman was named to the post, second highest at APSA, on June 15. He is the first layperson to get that position and succeeds Msgr. Mauro Rivella who completed his Read more
Vatican prosecutors on Monday provisionally released Gianluigi Torzi, an Italian middleman in a controversial deal in which the Vatican used Church money to purchase a luxury building in London as an investment. A statement from the Vatican press office said Torzi, who was arrested in the Vatican on June 5, was granted provisional liberty after Read more
President Trump praised former papal nuncio Archbishop Carlo Viganò in a tweet last week. “So honored by Archbishop Viganò’s incredible letter to me. I hope everyone, religious or not, reads it!” Trump tweeted, linking to a letter which the controversial former papal nuncio addressed to him on Sunday. With that tweet, Trump introduced Viganò to Read more
“Every effort” should be made to protect children from exploitation “which deprives boys and girls of their childhood and which jeopardizes their integral development”, says Pope Francis. Children’s situations have been made worse because of “the current health emergency situation,” Francis says. Many children and young people are “forced into jobs that are inadequate for Read more
The Holy See Press Office on Friday announced papal appointments to two positions in the Vatican. Pope Francis appointed Dr. Raffaella Vincenti as office head of the Vatican Apostolic Library. Dr. Vincenti had previously served as secretary of the Library. Pope Francis also named Professor Antonella Sciarrone Alibrandi as a Member of the managing board Read more
Pope Francis spoke out against the sin of racism in a speech about George Floyd’s death that was broadcast around the world. He said the sin exists among those who say they fight for all human life – yet it doesn’t fit with the belief system that defends human life at all stages. “We cannot Read more