Mercedes-Benz is making a hybrid Popemobile for Benedict XVI, often dubbed the ‘green Pope’ by Italian media. According to the German weekly paper Wirtschaftswoche, it is expected the green Popemobile would be ready for Benedict’s visit to Germany in September. Vatican Spokesman Federico Lombardi told news agency AFP that the car, which is currently under Read more
A special “no agenda” meeting called by Pope Benedict at the Vatican on June 13 discussed several concerns about Religious Life. Respected Vatican journalist, Andrea Tornielli reports that while there was no public agenda, the meeting involved the leaders of the Roman Curia and covered the importance of maintaining separation between men’s and women’s religious communities the need Read more
“Baptism unites the church, not ordination,” theologian and author Anthony T. Padovano told more than 1,800 reform-minded Catholics gathered June 10-12 at Detroit’s Cobo Hall. Addressing the inaugural national meeting of the American Catholic Council on June 11, he said, “The pope does not unify or sanctify the church and make it catholic or apostolic. Read more
The Vatican, the United States, the United Nations are all in agreement in condemning Syria’s outrageous use of force against its own people and have called for reform. In receiving the Syrian ambassador’s credentials, Pope Benedict took the opportunity of saying the Holy See urges the troubled Syrian government to respect Syrian citizens’ desire for reform, Read more
Theologian Elizabeth Johnson was recently critiqued by the US bishops. As the keynote speaker at assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in 2008 she spoke of the universal need to extend and accept forgiveness. A lesson she must now put into practice herself. In the course of her address she quoted Bernard Haring: “At this time the church is Read more
Burglars dressed in boilers broke in to CathCom, Essex, but left empty handed after they saw an image of the Pope. Security cameras showed them opening the front door of the building, getting into the offices and disconnecting computers ready to take away – when a man spied a large image of Pope Benedict. The Read more
A funny thing has happened as the story of a recent Vatican crackdown on a legendary monastery in Rome has made its way into the English-language press. I mean that literally — the story has been turned into a joke, thereby obscuring its real significance. For those with eyes to see, the suppression of the Read more
The profound changes, historical, are not always the most spectacular. What just happened this week in Rome is like a palace revolution unimportant but it is highly significant. Because it confirms the direction taken by the papacy of Benedict XVI and the entire Catholic Church. In a word, Rome has “taken over” a whole sector Read more
We are living in a particularly difficult time; there is an undeniable crisis of authority in the Church. It is not a simple problem and instant answers, although desirable, are not possible. Bishop Morris’s resignation highlights one of the Pope’s fundamental roles: to preserve the unity of the Church. He has the task of building bridges between diverse and sometimes opposing groups Read more
Last Friday night we were forced to make agonizing choices – which TV programme? The netball, the rugby or The Wedding? Issues implied by one of the topics merit our serious attention. Any debate on the British Monarchy is like a debate on the Church – in many ways they are similar. Neither has democratic Read more