News from the Universal Church
Is the much-criticized China-Vatican deal now openly faltering? By Cindy Wooden (CNA) In an unusual move, the Vatican in November issued a public statement of regret, essentially accusing the Chinese government of violating its agreement with the Vatican over the appointment of Catholic bishops. “The Holy See noted with surprise and regret the news of the [...]
Another figure close to Pope Francis and the Vatican who has been pressing publicly for the immediate commencement of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the bloodshed is Jeffrey Sachs, Ph.D., economist and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. Dr. Sachs, not a Catholic, was named by Pope Francis to the [...]
By Matthew Trojacek PATRIARCHAL AWARD IS PRESENTED TO DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF HUNGARY Pope Francis in September met in Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan with hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate, but not with Patrirach Kirill, who did not attend On September 13, in the building of the Government of Hungary, Metropolitan Hilarion of Budapest and Hungary [...]
By Javier Arias (InfoVaticana) German Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, gave an interview in September to the Spanish-language website InfoVaticana. In the interview, published on September 23, the cardinal addressed in frank language questions on the recent consistory of cardinals held in Rome at the end [...]
Commentators greeted the Vatican’s new directives regarding Opus Dei’s ecclesial oversight with varying analyses of both their causes and their effects. Here is a sampling: Eric Sammons at Crisismagazine.com: “Most observers see these changes as an ecclesial slap at the prelature, although no one’s really sure why this slap occurred. Opus Dei has always been publicly [...]
The Policy intends to generate a sufficient return to fund the activities of the Holy See through investments aligned with Church teaching—while maintaining accountability By Vatican News/ITV staff The Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Father Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who recently released the Statute of the Investment Committee [...]
One ignored "periphery": the working class, suffering from family devastation By Anthony Esolen Pope Francis' visit to the Roman parish of Saint Peter Damian at Monti di San Paolo on the southern suburbs of the city on May 21, 2017. The Holy Father meets the children and young people of the parish (Galazka photo) [...]
Oversight and leadership changes meant to "safeguard its charism," says Francis. The head will not be a bishop By Courtney Mares (CNA) October 6, 2002, St. Peter’s Square: Canonization of Josemaria Escriva De Balaguer, founder of Opus Dei (Photos Galazka) Pope Francis issued a document on July 22 that changed the oversight of Opus [...]
Seen as "breaking the stained-glass ceiling," they will have an unprecedented influence on appointments By Christopher White (NCR), with ITV staff Pope Francis on July 13 appointed three women to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, fulfilling a pledge he made earlier this month that for the first time in the office’s history, women would be granted [...]
Our "de facto" split threatens to spin out of control... By Robert Moynihan A centrifuge spins, separating a substance into heavier and lighter parts, until what was once a united substance is divided. A centrifuge breaks things apart. We now face a centrifugal process in the Church. This process threatens to spin the Church into pieces, into [...]
