Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is understood to have accepted an invitation to visit New Zealand. He is the Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelisation of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, and is responsible for the appointment of New Zealand’s bishops. However the purpose of Tagle’s visit it to speak at the National Clergy Assembly, in October. Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Vatican’
Francis, Bishop, and Servant of the Servants of God
Monday, May 15th, 2023
A grey and drizzly Rome was under an intense security lockdown on Saturday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to town for the day. The Italian government deployed some 1,500 security agents, stationed snipers on rooftops, and enforced a no-fly zone for the visit of the president whose country continues to fight the troops from Read more
Pope and Ukraine President Zelensky meet over war and peace
Monday, May 15th, 2023
When Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky went to the Vatican last week, the Pope stole a march on him. Francis went to the door to greet him rather than wait for formal introductions. They spent 40 minutes speaking privately in their first face-to-face meeting since the war began. They discussed “the humanitarian and political situation in Read more
Vatican involved in secret Ukraine peace mission
Monday, May 1st, 2023The Vatican is involved in a peace mission to try to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Pope Francis said on Sunday, adding that it was also ready to help repatriate Ukrainian children taken to Russia or Russian-occupied land. “There is a mission in course now but it is not yet public. When it Read more
Pope critical of Russia: Vatican website hacked
Thursday, December 1st, 2022
A Vatican spokesman said Wednesday that the Holy See has taken down its main vatican.va website amid a series of apparent attempts to hack the site. “Technical investigations are ongoing due to abnormal attempts to access the site,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told Reuters Nov. 30, without elaboration. The perpetrator and motives of the alleged hacker or Read more
NZ omitted from Oceania Catholic climate crisis conference
Monday, November 21st, 2022
The New Zealand Catholic Church is not on the expert speaking list at an Oceania Catholic climate crisis meeting. A world first, the conference is driven by the Australian Catholic University with support from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. New Zealanders, however, are still invited to register and listen in over Zoom. Read more
Vatican-China deal: things worse for Catholics
Thursday, November 10th, 2022
The Vatican’s decision to renew the secretive Vatican-China deal amid Beijing’s crackdown on religious freedom conditions is making things worse for Catholics, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) members say. USCIRF Commissioner David Curry (pictured) says “USCIRF is disappointed that the Vatican had decided to renew the provisional agreement with the Chinese government Read more
Cardinal Zen trial adjourned by Hong Kong court
Monday, October 3rd, 2022
A court in Hong Kong has adjourned the trial of outspoken Catholic activist Cardinal Joseph Zen and four co-defendants until October 26. Retired Catholic bishop and Cardinal Joseph Zen and five co-defendants pleaded not guilty at the West Kowloon Magistrates Court to failing to properly register their 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which offered financial, legal Read more
Papal statement rejecting ‘Doctrine of Discovery’ underway
Thursday, September 29th, 2022
Preparations for a papal statement rejecting the Doctrine of Discovery are underway. Canada’s Catholic bishops’ conference (CCCB) and Vatican officials are working together on the document. They aim to create a statement rejecting an entire tradition of legal reasoning, said Jonathan Lesarge, CCCB spokesman. It is likely to address core concerns of Indigenous people in Read more
Vatican’s £124m investment property case UK ‘trial of the century’
Monday, August 8th, 2022
The Vatican’s £124m investment property deal with a British financier will be scrutinised by the English Courts. It will be the first time in the Vatican’s 2,000 year history it has had to appear before UK judges. Some are calling it the trial of the century. The issue involves a complex land deal in London Read more