In Philadelphia in the runup to the Pope’s visit you could buy a mozzarella bust of Pope Francis, a bobblehead doll of the pontiff sporting boxing gloves and holding a Philly cheesesteak and a soft pretzel, a plush doll in his likeness and T-shirts that combine Francis with other beloved Philly icons like Rocky Balboa, Robert Indiana’s Love Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Pope’
Who got the the Pope’s skullcap?
Friday, September 25th, 2015Pope Francis has had trouble keeping his skullcap on. When he got off the airplane in Cuba the wind claimed it, and this was not the first time it has happened. Did someone get a first class relic or did he get it back? Does he carry spares? Perhaps it will feature on eBAy, or Read more
Life aboard the Pope’s plane
Friday, September 25th, 2015
As the plane carrying Pope Francis to Washington, DC, nears Andrews Air Force Base on Sept. 22, American TV likely will be full of breathless references to “Shepherd One” being on approach, “Shepherd One” touching down, and, eventually, the pontiff descending the steps of “Shepherd One.” It’s not often that a mere two words manage Read more
Pope Francis, prince of the personal
Friday, September 25th, 2015
One of Pope Francis’ favorite novels is “The Betrothed” by Alessandro Manzoni. It is about two lovers whose longing to marry is thwarted by a cowardly and morally mediocre priest and a grasping nobleman. A good simple friar shelters the suffering couple. Then a plague hits the country, reminding everyone of their mortality and vulnerability, Read more
Wily political strategy of Pope Francis
Tuesday, September 15th, 2015
When Pope Francis makes his first trip to the United States this month, he will act on a grand stage much as previous popes have done. There will be a private meeting with the president and public Masses in Washington, D.C.; New York; and Philadelphia. He will address the United Nations. Two aspects of his Read more
Interview with nephew of Pope Francis
Friday, August 14th, 2015
Pope Francis’ nephew, José Ignacio Bergoglio, the son of the Pope’s only living sister, Maria Elena, this week granted an exclusive interview to the Spanish newspaper ABC. In the candid interview, the Pope’s nephew describes his personal relationship with his uncle, recalls the career the Pope shelved for the priestood, and talks about the possibility Read more
Pope’s visit to South America recalls a dirty war
Friday, July 10th, 2015
Angela “Lita” Boitano was standing about 50 meters away from her daughter Adriana when a car pulled up carrying a group of men who she later learned were Argentinian military policemen dressed as civilians. They grabbed 24-year-old Adriana and bundled her into the car before speeding away. Lita never saw her daughter again. It was Read more
Five facts about the Pope’s visit to South America
Tuesday, July 7th, 2015
Pope Francis begins a highly anticipated seven-day South American trip on Sunday that includes stops in Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. This visit has a special meaning to South Americans because Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is a native of Argentina, and is the first Latin American pope in the history of the Catholic Church. This Read more
Laudato Si’ reveals Pope as a wily operator
Friday, July 3rd, 2015
In the days just before its publication, those involved in drafting the pope’s controversial eco-encyclical Laudato Si’ were much exercised about how it would be received by conservative critics. But Pope Francis, Vatican insiders tell me, was unfazed. He remains so in the face of the onslaught of criticism that has indeed ensued. The pope’s Read more
Pope’s message for day of prayer for refugees and migrants
Friday, June 19th, 2015
The day of prayer for refugees and migrants is 21 June 2015 in New Zealand. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Jesus is “the evangelizer par excellence and the Gospel in person” (Evangelii Gaudium, 209). His solicitude, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized, invites all of us to care for the frailest and to recognize his suffering countenance, Read more