Kissing the papal ring is sometimes allowed and sometimes not. Just to keep up to date: at the moment, it is allowed. Pope Francis was photographed allowing nuns and priests to kiss his papal ring during his weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday. But earlier in the week – on Monday – a Read more
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun has denied an apparent accusation by the apostolic administrator of Hong Kong Diocese that he is disobedient toward Pope Francis. Read more
Access to clean, fresh water is a fundamental human right that must be defended. This is especially so in poor areas where people are suffering the deadly effects of climate change, Pope Francis said on World Water Day last week. Commemorated annually on 22 March, the day provides a way of concentrating efforts to resolve Read more
Pope Francis has accepted Chilean Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati’s resignation and immediately named a temporary replacement. Ezzati’s resignation came after he was placed under criminal investigation in the country’s spiralling church sex abuse and cover-up scandal. Spanish-born Capuchin friar and current bishop of Copiapo, Chile, Monsignor Celestino Aos Braco will replace Ezzati in the interim. Ezzati, Read more
Pope Francis has honoured four priests and a nun for their distinguished service to the Catholic Church in Timor-Leste. Holy See representative, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi, presented the missionaries with the Decoration of Honor. This honour is given by the pope to laypeople and clergy for outstanding contributions to the Church. Read more
An international Jewish education charity has signed a deal with Pope Francis to extend a programme that brings children from different societies, cultures and religions together. World ORT announced that it had shook hands on an extension to the pontiff’s Scholas World Youth Encounter, which will allow a huge “youth encounter” to take place in Read more
Pope Francis rejected Cardinal Philippe Barbarin’s offer to resign after they met in the papal office on Monday. Barbarin (68) offered his resignation as the archbishop of Lyon after receiving a six-month suspended prison sentence for the non-disclosure of sexual abuse against minors. He is appealing the sentence. He immediately offered his resignation for the Read more
A Vatican official says China’s government should not fear “distrust or hostility” from the Roman Catholic Church, amid speculation over whether President Xi Jinping will meet Pope Francis this week. Read more
Six years ago, on March 13, the College of Cardinals surprised the world with the election of the Argentine Jesuit Jorge Bergoglio as pope. Taking the name Francis, he won the admiration and respect of Catholics and non-Catholics alike with his simplicity and concern for the poor and marginalized. With each passing year, however, criticism Read more
Lent is a time to ask for God’s grace to chip away at hypocrisy, which is seen in the natural human attempt to appear “worthier than we are,” Pope Francis said. “I must appear to be what I am, and that is our work in Lent,” the pope said March 8 during his early morning Read more