Pope Francis Archives - Page 27 of 464

Pope Francis

After China, India and Nigeria, Vatican cannot stay quiet on Nicaragua

August 05, 2022

Earlier this week, the government of Nicaragua ordered the closure of seven Catholic radio stations linked to a bishop who has been critical of President Daniel Ortega, as reported by Reuters. The announcement was made by Bishop Rolando Alvarez. The Nicaraguan telecommunications agency said the stations did not meet technical requirements to be on air.

Pope appoints medical assistant: yet another resignation signal?

August 05, 2022

On Thursday, in what could be a further sign of a looming papal resignation, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had appointed a nurse from the Vatican’s health services to be his “personal medical assistant”, an entirely new role. Massimiliano Strappetti – Vatican coordinator of nurses and health facilities – will take up the position.

Not all popes deserve to be canonised

August 04, 2022

Some popes, like St Gregory the Great, are outstanding embodiments of Christian virtue. But the popes of the last century were not set in that mould

Pope Francis should speak up for Taiwan

August 04, 2022

On Tuesday, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan, the island democracy which China views as a renegade province. Although the US does not officially recognise Taiwan as an independent state, in reality most countries – including the US – view Taiwan as a country in its own right. For the Chinese Communist Party

Pope Francis resignation: how Benedict made it more likely

August 03, 2022

As the Catholic Herald recently reported, rumours continue to abound about Pope Francis’ future after the Holy Father recently told reporters he can no longer travel like he once did, and one day may have to retire. Pope Francis repeated a phrase – “the door is open” – adding that there was nothing wrong with

Door is open: Pope resignation rumours grow as he repeats phrase on future

August 01, 2022

The rumour mill surrounding Pope Francis’ future will hardly have been calmed as the Pontiff returned from his “pilgrimage of penance” to Canada. Travelling back to Rome, the Pope told reporters he can no longer travel like he did because of knee problems, calling the visit “a bit of a test” which showed he needed

Merely Catholic Podcast – Sacred or Sinister: the Pope’s Opus Dei initiative

July 29, 2022

Opus Dei found unwelcome fame and undeserved notoriety at the hand of thr infamous but hugely successful novelist Dan Brown. It has returned to the public stage this week, not in the form of the imaginative parody the Da Vinci Code presented, but because of the pope’s most recent letter. Entitled ‘Ad charisma tuendum’ “For

Pope’s visit won’t reverse collapse of Canadian Catholicism

July 28, 2022

Pope Francis arrived in Quebec on Wednesday as part of his pilgrimage of penance, atoning for the sins of the Catholic Church against indigenous Canadians, around 37 per cent of whom remain Catholic. But the visit is unlikely to reverse a huge decline of the Catholic faith in the North American country – not least