Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco said it loud in an Aug. 10 homily: there is “an anti-Christian persecutory regime,” even in Europe, acting in a subtle way. His warning must not be underestimated: it is part of a wider reflection, that is directly connected with the topic of discussion of the upcoming gathering of Ratzinger [...]

The sostituto (deputy) of the Vatican Secretariat of State will not be in the Papal party traveling to Ireland. This does not mean that Pope Francis is not carefully pondering candidates to replace Giovanni Angelo Becciu, created Cardinal and appointed to lead the Congregation for the Cause of Saints.

The sostituto plays a [...]

Perhaps, Pope Francis did not enjoy a real honeymoon with the media. Certainly, it has been said for years that media sympathy toward Pope Francis was great, and that this directly elevated the popularity of the Church.

The “Church of no”, it was said, turned into the “Church of yes” thanks to Pope [...]

From the case of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in the United States to that of the Chilean bishops, through the Honduran and Australian situations, the Church is apparently going to face a new “annus horribilis” on sex abuse by clergy, following 2010 – right during the Year for Priests proclaimed by Benedict [...]

The book on the genesis of Humanae Vitae by professor Gilfredo Marengo will disappoint many who were hoping it would support the notion that the teaching of the late Paul VI’s encyclical had been overcome, or at least become more relative.

Professor Marengo, dubbed to the be head of a commission to reinterpret Humanae [...]

The passing of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran can be considered the end of an era: that of the important Vatican diplomats, cultivated men of the Church with the skill of building bridges, that defined the Holy See for more than 30 years.

Cardinal Tauran was since 2007 president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, [...]

Pope Francis’ decision to tap Paolo Ruffini as Prefect of the Vatican dicastery for communication is not only important because it is the first time a lay person is at the helm of a Holy See’s dicastery. It rather represents a definitive shift of paradigm by Pope Francis. And there is something paradoxical [...]

With three decisions made on June 26, Pope Francis gave his final shape to the Roman Curia and to the College of Cardinals. The decision to expand the order of Bishops within the College of Cardinals, the appointment of the new president for the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See [...]

Meeting the World Council of Churches on June 21, Pope Francis said dialogue is not a strategy, but a necessity, and that in the end dialogue always seems to be “operating with a loss.” He was obviously referring to ecumenical dialogue, but the speech showed Pope Francis’ rationale.

On June 20, excerpts [...]

The 25th meeting of the Council of Cardinals ended with the release of a “progress report” on reforms and the title of the new Apostolic Constitution that will regulate functions and competences of the Curia office. Pope Francis will obviously be able to make all the adjustments he wants to the draft. At [...]