A top cardinal and leading papal diplomat has said that amid the ongoing war in Gaza, peace in the Holy Land requires a change of mentality in which both sides recognise and respect each other’s right to exist, regardless of whether there is one state or two. “I don’t know if two states are better…
Organisers of Pope Francis’s ongoing Synod of Bishops on Synodality have announced that ten different working groups hadvebeen formed in the Roman Curia to address specific topics that came out of last year’s session. These topics, they said, are restricted to issues mentioned inside of the synod hall and include hot-button questions such as…
When he was elected Successor of Peter in 2013, Pope Francis asked the pontifical academies to study the phenomenon of human trafficking, making the fight against it one of the first and most enduring hallmarks of his papacy. Now, it appears the Pope has set a new topic in his sights: So-called “gender theory”, saying…
After Pope Francis made remarks in a recent interview implying that Ukraine ought to raise a “white flag” and open negotiations in its ongoing war with Russia, his remarks were met with fierce backlash from both Ukrainian civil and ecclesial authorities. Speaking while making a visit to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish of Saint George…
A growing rift between the Vatican and Israel was exacerbated recently when the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See hit back against a top Vatican official who said the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza is disproportionate. On the margins of a February 13 event commemorating the 95th anniversary of the Lateran Pacts, which regularised the…
In a new interview, Pope Francis said he is in good health and denied any plans to resign, saying he has several foreign trips planned for this year, including a summer stop in Polynesia and a potential return trip to Argentina. Speaking of his health, Francis in the interview jested that “I’m still alive” despite…
As the Church begins its Advent and Christmas seasons, the pastor of Gaza’s lone Catholic parish stressed the importance of stepping up one’s spiritual life amid the tragedies of war, and said the Pope’s attention to them has been a major consolation. “It is truly a tough time,” said Fr Gabriel Romanelli, an Argentinian priest…
A new ruling from the Vatican’s doctrinal office says that transsexual individuals can be baptised, and also opens a cautious door to allowing transgender and homosexual couples to serve as godparents, while indicating that the “homosexual lifestyle” remains sinful and that more suitable options ought to be considered. The decision, which came in response to…
Pope Francis issued another public appeal for peace in the Holy Land and throughout the world on Sunday, and made a phone call to United States President Joe Biden to discuss options for ensuring access to humanitarian aid and the release of hostages. Patriarchs and Church leaders in the Holy Land also issued a statement…
The Pope signalled openness to giving blessings to same-sex couples provided that doing so is not confused with the sacrament of marriage.