Posts tagged Pope Benedict XVI
Vatican Excommunicates Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano For Schism

The Vatican on Friday excommunicated the outspoken Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, its former ambassador to Washington, finding him guilty of promoting schism after repeatedly questioning Pope Francis’ authority. The Italian prelate had in recent years become one of Francis’ harshest critics.

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'Vatican Girl' Disappearance Continues To Baffle 40 Years Later

The disappearance of the 15-year-old Italian, who lived at the Vatican, has sparked a series of investigations and unanswered questions that continue to baffle investigators and the public alike. Indeed, 40 years later, the Orlandi case remains perplexing and accusations that high-ranking members of the church know what happened to her.

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The Haunting Final Sermon Of Cardinal Pell

(OPINION) Cardinal George Pell had no way to know, as he rose to preach during a spiritual retreat in southern Italy, that this was his last sermon — opening with the biblical cry, “Repent, because the Kingdom of God is near.”

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Cardinal Pell’s Death Puts A Spotlight On The Catholic Church’s Future

(ANALYSIS) The Catholic Church recently lost a giant. The recent death of Cardinal George Pell at age of 81 was the literal loss of a giant — he stood at a towering 6 feet, 6 inches. But he was also a man who attracted both controversy and consternation. Now his final words regarding what he thought about Pope Francis and the direction of the church have come into fuller view since his death.

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Will Pope Francis Resign Now That Benedict XVI Has Died?

(ANALYSIS) One of my five things to watch for in 2023 included media speculation over Pope Francis’ health and speculation over his possible retirement. Within three days of that post — and prompted by the death on Dec. 31 of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the age of 95 — speculation increased once again.

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🚀 Launching The New And Improved Weekend Plug-in 🔌

This week we launch a new and improved version of Weekend Plug-in, the best roundup of religion news you’ll find anywhere. The death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is our big story.

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Tens Of Thousands Mourn Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI At Vatican Funeral Mass

Pope Francis joined tens of thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday at a funeral Mass for Benedict XVI, an unusual gathering for a dead pontiff presided by a living one. The Vatican, enveloped in a thick fog, featured heads of state and bishops from around the world who came to Rome to mourn Benedict’s death and remember his papacy.

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Retired Pope Benedict XVI, First Pontiff To Resign Papacy In Six Centuries, Dies At 95

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who served as head of the Roman Catholic Church from 2005 until his surprise resignation in 2013, was a theologian known for his writings and defense of traditional values to counter the increased secularization of the West.

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Pope Francis Says Canada Trip Will Force Him To Cut Back On Future Travel, Leaves Door Open To Retirement

Following a six-day voyage across Canada that included five stops and nine public appearances in Edmonton and Quebec City, Pope Francis said that the trip will result in reduced future travel and even the possibility he may choose to someday retire.

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Pope Francis Retirement Rumors Grow: Will He Follow In Benedict's Footsteps?

(ANALYSIS) The speculation over whether Pope Francis’ age — he turns 86 on Dec. 17 — will cause him to resign has increasingly become a story, first in the Italian press, and subsequently around the world. It is something that will preoccupy reporters throughout the summer.

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Vatican Game That Never Ends: Knowns And Unknowns With Covering Next Papal Election

(OPINION) Currently, there is a season of speculation about Pope Francis’ future and whether his newly chosen cardinals are his final bid to shape the conclave that will elect the next pope. Francis has hinted he might consider the idea of resigning, but Vaticanologists figure Francis will not do so as long as another former pope is alive.

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Pope Benedict XVI: Has His Legacy Been Tarnished Forever?

(ANALYSIS) The focus the past few weeks has been on Germany and the involvement of Benedict XVI in the handling of some abuse cases, decades before he became a key church official in Rome and, eventually, pope. This was also long before the church adopted stricter policies on how to handle cases of clergy sexual abuse.

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Pope Benedict Faulted Over Sex Abuse Claims: New Report Is Just One Chapter In His – And Catholic Church’s – Fraught Record

(OPINION) An in-depth report released last week alleges that former Pope Benedict XVI allowed four abusive priests in Munich to remain in ministry. The pope, then known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, led the German archdiocese from 1977 to 1982.

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From the Vatican’s table to yours: New Christmas cookbook a culinary masterpiece

(REVIEW) David Geisser’s new cookbook in time for the holidays, The Vatican Christmas Cookbook, offers up over 100 recipes from around the world.

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Who's to blame for McCarrick depends on what news sources you read

(OPINION) A week after the Vatican released its much-anticipated investigation of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, there remain many unanswered questions. Whether journalists will delve deeply into these unanswered questions remains to be seen.

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McCarrick report: Vatican hierarchy downplayed past sex abuse reports

A long-awaited Vatican probe into ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick found that many in the Catholic hierarchy — starting with Pope John Paul II — continuously turned a blind eye to a series of red flags that he’d sexually abused children and seminarians.

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It's Not Too Early To Start Gathering String On Catholic Cardinals On The Rise

(OPINION) Will age play a role in determining the next Pope? Some will say the rule of thumb has moved to older popes, as with the U.S. presidency.

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Pope Benedict Becomes Longest-Living Pope In History

At 93 years and 141 days old, Pope Benedict XVI became the longest-living pope in the Catholic Church’s history. His papacy was a tumultuous one, seeing a series of scandals brought to light involving the sexual predation of young boys by members of the clergy and a still on-going battle for transparency within the Vatican Bank.

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Race to be the next pope: New book details the possible candidates

(REVIEW) The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates by the National Catholic Register's longtime Rome correspondent Edward Pentin delves into the lives of the cardinals most likely to follow Francis.

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