Vatican Knew about Theft of Michelangelo Letters, Refused Ransom Demand
The Vatican on March 9 said it has received a ransom demand to recover letters signed by Michelangelo, stolen from the Holy See nearly 20 years ago.Two letters signed by Michelangelo, one written in...
View ArticleVatican Drops Image of Bound Woman after Complaints
Following complaints, the Vatican’s cultural office has removed an image of a naked female torso bound in ropes that was used to advertise a women’s conference.The Pontifical Council for Culture had...
View ArticleVatican Blasts Muhammad Cartoons as Pouring ‘Gasoline on the Fire’
The Vatican’s semiofficial newspaper blasted a series of cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad as “blasphemous” but also condemned the “mad and bloodthirsty” extremists who opened fire at a Texas...
View ArticleNew Palestinian Saints Highlight Region’s Beleaguered Christians
Pope Francis will bestow sainthood on two Palestinian nuns on May 17, a move that’s being seen as giving hope to the conflict-wracked Middle East and shining the spotlight on the plight of Christians...
View ArticleItalians Help Flood of Refugees in Pope Francis' Vision of a 'Church for the...
Sitting outside the central train station here in eastern Sicily, a 16-year-old who would only give his name as “Simon” hunched his knees up to his chest and wrapped himself up into a ball. With little...
View ArticleFilipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle Boosts His Profile Again with Charity Post
Caritas Internationalis, the global Catholic charitable organization, has elected Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as its new president, just months after the up-and-coming prelate welcomed Pope Francis to...
View ArticleAustralians Push for Vatican Cardinal to Testify on Abuse
More than 55,000 people have signed a petition calling for Cardinal George Pell to return to his native Australia and face a government commission on child sex abuse, after allegations that he tried to...
View ArticlePope Francis Urges Couples to ‘Work on Love’ and Take Their Engagement Seriously
The wedding season is in full swing, and Pope Francis used the occasion on May 27 to warn couples not to marry too quickly, while also reaffirming the Vatican’s opposition to gay nuptials.Addressing...
View ArticleVatican Looks to Reform Its Media Operations, Add Multimedia
The Vatican is dragging its media machine into the 21st century, promising to promote social media and streamline its fragmented services with the help of a former BBC executive.Lord Christopher...
View ArticlePope Francis to Greet Children of Prisoners with a Train Ride and a Gift of...
Pope Francis wants to treat the children of Italian prisoners to a train ride within the Vatican walls, a gesture intended to draw Catholics’ attention to Jesus’ command to minister to prisoners and...
View ArticleVatican Defends Australian Cardinal Against Charges He Disregarded Pedophile...
The Vatican threw its support behind its financial chief, Cardinal George Pell, on June 1, after he was accused of being “almost sociopathic” in his handling of clergy sex abuse by a leading member of...
View ArticlePope Francis Calls on Catholics and the Church to Kneel Before Poor Families
Pope Francis praised poor families and their ability to “save society from barbarity,” on June 3, at a general audience at St. Peter’s Square in which he also named war and individualism as twin...
View ArticlePope Aims to Be ‘Messenger of Peace’ in Bosnia
Pope Francis has promised to be a “messenger of peace” during his day trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 6, but despite excitement in the country there are doubts the visit will have a lasting...
View ArticlePope Francis Meets Chilean President Amid Debate Over Easing Tough Abortion Law
Pope Francis on June 5 met Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, while outside in St. Peter’s Square anti-abortion protesters drew attention to one of the most controversial topics up for discussion...
View ArticlePope Warns Against Being ‘Too Attached to the Computer’
Pope Francis has decried the “filth” of online pornography and warned people against wasting time on their computers.Speaking aboard the papal plane after his visit on June 6 to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s...
View ArticleNew Arabic-Language Vatican Guidebook Aims to Explain Catholic Culture
The Vatican has released a new Arabic-language guidebook, the first of its kind, which aims to bring the culture of the Catholic Church to a new audience.Titled The Vatican, its Significance and its...
View ArticlePope Francis Should Take a Tough Tone with Vladimir Putin, Says U.S. Diplomat
In the wake of international criticism over Moscow’s role in ongoing violence in Ukraine, the U.S. on June 10 called on Pope Francis to take a stronger stance on the conflict in his meeting with...
View ArticlePope Francis: ‘Let Us Modify Our Relationship with Natural Resources’
People must change their lifestyles and attitudes to help defeat hunger, Pope Francis said June 11, a hint of what may be coming in his much-anticipated environmental encyclical next week.“We must...
View ArticlePope Francis Will Meet with a Married Gay Activist on Trip to Paraguay
Pope Francis will meet a gay married activist in Paraguay next month, according to an LGBT rights group in that country.The pontiff is due to meet Simon Cazal, co-founder and executive director of...
View ArticleVatican Orders Former Dominican Republic Archbishop to Stand Trial on Child...
In an unprecedented move, the Vatican on June 15 announced its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Jozef Wesolowski, would stand trial on charges he paid for sex with children.Wesolowski, 66,...
View ArticleChildren Need Mother and Father, Says Pope After Gay Pride March
Pope Francis on June 14 stressed the importance of children having heterosexual parents, just a day after Rome’s gay pride march demonstrated the changing attitudes about same-sex couples outside the...
View ArticleThe Earth Is Becoming a ‘Garbage Dump,’ and Other Unofficial Quotes from...
Pope Francis is throwing the full weight of Catholic teaching, and his considerable moral standing, behind the fight against climate change in an unprecedented papal document on the environment that...
View ArticlePope Francis: Seek Forgiveness for Shutting Out Refugees
Pope Francis on Wednesday said people who shut out refugees should seek forgiveness, after clashes on Italy’s borders as European countries try to push back against a wave of migrants fleeing by boat...
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