Posts Tagged ‘Vatican Secretary of State’

Long-awaited reform of Roman Curia almost ready

Thursday, July 15th, 2021

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin says the long-awaited constitution for a reformed Roman Curia is basically finished. It is now undergoing a legal review by the Church’s canon lawyers, he says. How the Catholic Church continues to deal with the clergy sex abuse crisis, bioethical issues in society and the upcoming Vatican maxi-trial Read more

Survival of the fittest – adapt or civilisation will collapse

Thursday, December 6th, 2018

Civilisation will collapse unless we make some urgent changes, Sir David Attenborough told delegates from almost 200 nations at the UN Climate Summit (COP24) taking place in Katowice, Poland. “Right now, we’re facing a man-made disaster of global scale,” Attenborough said on Monday, just two months after a UN report underlined the need to keep Read more

New papal diplomat department established

Thursday, November 23rd, 2017

A new papal diplomat department inside the Vatican’s Secretariat of State has been established. The department will oversee papal diplomats’ selection and work, career advancement and working conditions. Named the “Section for the Diplomatic Staff of the Holy See”, the new department will be led by Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawlowski. About 300 priest diplomats will Read more

Australian bishops in Rome to restore faith

Monday, October 9th, 2017

Australian bishops have been meeting top Vatican officials, including the Vatican secretary of state and the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, to discuss the situation of the Catholic Church in Australia. The Australian delegation – which included Denis Hart, Archbishop of Melbourne, Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of Brisbane and Justice Neville Owen Read more

New Vatican secretary of state says change will come to his office

Friday, December 6th, 2013

The Vatican’s new secretary of state, considered one of the most powerful in the Vatican, said this week that he knows Pope Francis intends to reform his office. Archbishop Pietro Parolin, who took over as the Vatican’s secretary of state Oct. 15, said the pope and the group of eight cardinals advising him on church Read more

New Secretary of State misses hand-over ceremony

Friday, October 18th, 2013

The new Vatican Secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, has officially assumed his new role, but he could not attend the hand-over ceremony because of emergency surgery. The reason for the surgery was not made known at the time, but a Vatican source later said the 58-year-old archbishop — seen as the key person to Read more

Pope appoints diplomat as Vatican Secretary of State

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013

Pope Francis on Saturday announced the appointment of Archbishop Pietro Parolin as secretary of state, replacing Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Archbishop Parolin, 58, is currently the Vatican envoy to Venezuela and served as the Vatican’s deputy foreign minister from 2002 to 2009. He has led various Vatican diplomatic delegations in thorny geopolitical negotiations, including talks to Read more

Powers of Vatican secretary of state may be reduced

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Pope Francis’ creation of a group of cardinals to help him govern the Church does not mean he is giving up any of his papal authority — but it may reduce the powers of the Vatican secretary of state. Paolo Gherri, who teaches the theology of canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University, said he Read more

Vatican gives reminder on clerical garb

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has sent a letter around the Roman Curia, reminding clerics to turn up for work in traditional clerical garb — dog collar and black cassock. But an experienced Vatican-watcher suggests it is really a hint to those visiting from outside. Continue reading