Most Popular News Within Last 30 Days
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‘The cleaning of the stables’: Cardinal Pell welcomes Cardinal Becciu’s resignation, thanks Pope Francis
Cardinal George Pell, who served as the prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy from 2014 to 2019, welcomed the resignation of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu. “The Holy...2
Vatican issues statement on end-of-life care, condemns euthanasia
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has issued a statement strongly reaffirming the Church’s ban on euthanasia as “intrinsically evil.” The CDF...3
Powerful Vatican Cardinal Becciu resigns amid scandal
Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, 72, oversaw the internal affairs of the Roman Curia as Substitute (Sostituto) of the Secretariat of State from 2011 to 2018. Pope Francis created him a cardinal in the 2018 consistory and named him Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The prelate, as Edward Pentin notes, has been linked to financial scandals (see 2019 Phil Lawler analysis).4
New Orleans archbishop rededicates parish altar following priest’s arrest
On October 1, Archbishop Gregory Aymond removed Father Travis Clark from ministry after he was charged with obscenity with women. “Days after Clark’s arrest, Aymond went to Saints Peter and Paul [in Pearl River, La.] and performed a ritual to restore the altar’s sanctity,” according to a new lurid and deeply disturbing report.5
Vatican releases financial balance sheet
The Prefecture for Economic Affairs has released a full balance sheet for the Vatican, showing a deficit of €11 million ($12.9 million) on a total 2019 budget of €318 million ($373...6
Cardinal Zen: Vatican Secretary of State lies about China accord
Cardinal Joseph Zen has angrily denied the claim by Cardinal Pietro Parolin that Pope Benedict XVI approved the terms of a secret Vatican accord with Beijing. Saying that the claim is “sickening,” Cardinal Zen said of the Secretary of State: “Parolin knows he is lying, he knows that I know he is a liar, he knows that I will tell everyone that he is a liar.”7
Archbishop thankful as San Francisco eases restrictions on worship
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco has thanked the city’s Mayor London Breed for lifting tight restriction on churches. The city’s new policy allows for congregations of...8
Pope Francis issues Fratelli tutti, his 3rd encyclical
Pope Francis made a brief visit to Assisi on October 3 and signed the encyclical letter at the conclusion of Mass there (video); the following day, the Vatican published the text, along with a summary. Fratelli tutti [Brothers all] has eight chapters and 287 paragraphs, and its theme is fraternity and social friendship. The Pontiff’s first two encyclicals, Lumen Fidei (2013) and Laudato si’ (2015), were devoted to faith and to care for our common home.9
Cardinal Pell returning to Rome—to resume fight against corruption?
Cardinal George Pell is returning to Rome. The former prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy stepped down in 2017 to face sex-abuse charges in his native Australia. Having been exonerated of that complaint, he is heading back to Rome just after a key Vatican rival, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, was removed. The cardinal’s supporters have questioned whether the charges against him were lodged to remove him from his Vatican post and thus end his probe into financial irregularities.10
