A Catholic Church official in the Philippines, Tuesday, has downplayed the prophecy of a 12th-century Irish saint who supposedly predicted that the next Pope would be the last and the end of the world would follow. Fr Francis Lucas, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Social Communications and Mass Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Pope resigns’
Benedict’s encyclical on Faith will not be published
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013Pope Benedict XVI will not publish a 3rd encyclical, which had originally been scheduled for release early this year, the papal spokesman has announced. Last year the Vatican had announced that the Pontiff was drafting an encyclical on faith, to complement his two previous encyclicals on hope and on love. But the text is not Read more
Topless feminists cheer pope’s resignation in Paris
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
Topless women activists pounded a huge church bell in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to “celebrate” the pope’s resignation. The nine women from Ukrainian feminist group Femen had their chests and backs emblazoned with the words “Pope No More.” They didn’t explain their action except to say they are “provocateurs” celebrating Pope Benedict XVI’s decision Read more
Ash Wednesday to be Benedict’s last Mass
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
Pope Benedict’s last Mass as pope is on Ash Wednesday, and it will be held in St Peter’s. Benedict XVI was scheduled to preside over the traditional Ash Wednesday Lenten Stations of the Cross at Sant’ Anselmo church, followed by a procession to Santa Sabina Basilica on Rome’s Aventine Hill. “It’s very clear that St. Read more
Papal ring to be destroyed
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013Pope Benedict XVI’s papal ring will be destroyed after he steps down at the end of the month, said Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi. “Objects strictly tied to the ministry of St. Peter must be destroyed,” Lombardi said. The golden ring is known as the “Fisherman’s Ring” because it depicts Peter fishing. Lombardi also said a Read more
Papabili’ profiles
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013Who gets the nod depends on the profile of the new pope that the cardinals who elect him at the next conclave think will guide the Church best. While there are no official candidates, there are some “papabili”, or potential popes, who are frequently mentioned. The list below, compiled by the Reuters news agency, is in alphabetical, not in order of their Read more
Opinion: Pontiff crossed religious divides
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
The news of the Pope’s decision to resign was received by Auckland Catholics with sadness, but also with a genuine admiration for the boldness of this initiative, clearly a decision that was made after a great deal of prayer and reflection on the part of Pope Benedict. The whole Catholic world is in a state Read more
Pope had secret pacemaker operation 3 months ago
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
The Vatican is acknowledging for the first time that Pope Benedict XVI has had a pacemaker for years and that its battery was replaced a few months ago in secret. Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said Benedict had the pacemaker installed “a long time” before he became pope in 2005. He called the latest medical Read more
Opinion: Pope’s resignation raises some questions
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
Just as Joseph Ratzinger’s election was a surprise to some, the way he leaves the papacy surely surprises us all. For although the word from Rome was Benedict was working less and his minders working overtime, I would have been less surprised to wake and learn that Pope Benedict had sadly passed away. For people Read more
Benedict resigns and lightning bolt strikes St Peters
Tuesday, February 12th, 2013
Today, just hours after Pope Benedict announced his resignation as pope, a freak thunderstorm swept over Rome and a lightning bolt struck St Peter’s dome. The thunderstorm was labelled a ‘freak occurrence’. While not unknown in winter, thunderstorms are more likely to hit Rome in spring or summer. Benedict shocked the Consistory and the world saying Read more