VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who as Vatican secretary of state drew rising criticism for failures of the Vatican bureaucracy he oversaw, stepped down Oct. 15 with a speech praising the pontificate of retired Pope Benedict XVI and stressing its continuity with that of Pope Francis. The cardinal made his remarks at a […]
Vatican
Will Francis Offer Hope To Liberation Theology?
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis’ Sept. 11 meeting with Dominican Father Gustavo Gutierrez was an informal one, held in the pope’s residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, and not listed on his official schedule. Yet the news that Pope Francis had received the 85-year old Peruvian priest, who is widely considered […]
Pope Writes Letter to Secular Italian Paper
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Writing in one of Italy’s major secular newspapers, Pope Francis called for a “sincere and rigorous dialogue” between the Church and nonbelievers as an “intimate and indispensable expression” of Christian love. The pope’s words appeared in a 2,600-word letter published in the Sept. 11 edition of the […]
Pope Hears Concerns About Curial Reform
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis met with Vatican officials Sept. 10 to hear their questions and suggestions about his ongoing reform of the Vatican bureaucracy. The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, said the meeting lasted nearly three hours and, except for a brief greeting by the pope, was devoted […]
Pope Asks Pols to Protect All Humanity
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The goal of politics and economics is to serve all of humanity, starting with the poorest, the most vulnerable and the unborn, Pope Francis told British Prime Minister David Cameron, president of the Group of Eight industrialized nations. “Money and other political and economic means must serve, not rule,” the pope […]
The Church Is the People of God
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, As we continue our series on reflections on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, this week we will concentrate on “The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church,” or “Lumen Gentium.” The Council’s explanation of the nature of the Church has become second nature to us. Perhaps in […]
Aftermath of Vatican II Misinterpreted Missions
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – On the subject of the Second Vatican Council, Ralph Martin is nothing if not an enthusiast. The theologian, who teaches at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and served as an official expert at the October, 2012, world Synod of Bishops on the new evangelization, said the “wonderful […]
Benedict Assesses Legacy of Vatican II
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, published a short reminiscence of the council by Pope Benedict XVI. In the essay, the pope recalls his presence at the opening of Vatican II, which he […]
Vatican Restructures Its Course on Religious Life
by Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — To mark the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and reflect on the major changes it brought to consecrated life, the Vatican’s congregation for religious has overhauled the course it offers on theology and canon law. The Second Vatican Council’s call for religious to return to the […]
Vatican Hires Financial Expert to Protect Against Crime
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – In an effort to comply more fully with international standards against financial criminal activity, the Vatican has hired an outside expert in combating money laundering and financing terrorism. Rene Brulhart, a 40-year-old Swiss international lawyer, started working as a consultant to the Vatican in September on “all matters related to anti-money […]
