World

Pope to visit Canada to apologize for Indigenous abuses

Editorial Bureau May 14, 2022

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, who has been using a wheelchair because of a bad knee, is going ahead with plans to visit Canada this summer so he can apologize in person for abuse suffered by Indigenous people at the hands of the Catholic church. The Vatican on Friday announced that Francis will

Europe

Cardinal: Pope OK’d spending 1M euros to free kidnapped nun

Editorial Bureau May 6, 2022

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis authorized spending up to 1 million euros to free a Colombian nun kidnapped by al-Qaida-linked militants in Mali, a cardinal testified Thursday, revealing previously secret papal approval to hire a British security firm to find the nun and secure her freedom. Cardinal Angelo Becciu’s bombshell testimony could pose serious security […]

World

Pope’s Ukraine diplomacy a political and spiritual tightrope

Editorial Bureau May 5, 2022

VATICAN CITY — His appeals for an Orthodox Easter truce in Ukraine went unheeded. His planned meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church was canceled. A proposed visit to Moscow? Nyet. Even his attempt to showcase Russian-Ukrainian friendship fell flat. Pope Francis hasn’t made much of a diplomatic mark in Russia’s war in […]

World

Pope offers to meet Putin, still waiting to hear back

Editorial Bureau May 4, 2022

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has told an Italian newspaper that he has offered to travel to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin to try to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, but that he hasn’t yet heard back. Francis said he made the offer about three weeks into Russia’s invasion, via the Vatican secretary […]

Europe

Pope appoints key posts, including nun in development office

Editorial Bureau April 24, 2022

ROME — Pope Francis made key appointments in his newly reformed Vatican bureaucracy Saturday, naming new deputies for the doctrine office and confirming the highest-ranked woman in the Holy See as the No. 2 in the development office. The appointments are some of the first since Francis last month issued his long-awaited overhaul of the […]

Europe

Hungary’s Orban meets pope with Ukraine war as backdrop

Editorial Bureau April 22, 2022

VATICAN CITY — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Thursday as the war in Ukraine and the millions of refugees it has created cast a shadow over two leaders who have long sought closer ties with Russia. The 45-minute meeting was the second between Francis and Orban in […]

Europe

Pope marks Holy Thursday ahead of prison feet-washing ritual

Editorial Bureau April 15, 2022

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark Holy Thursday, hours before he was expected at an Italian prison to perform a foot-washing ritual for a dozen inmates in a gesture of humility. Attending the Mass were some 1,800 priests. Francis in his homily advised priests not to focus […]

Finance

Pope Francis to visit Lebanon in June during economic crisis

Editorial Bureau April 6, 2022

BEIRUT — Pope Francis will visit Lebanon in June, the president’s office said Tuesday, in an apparent show of support for the country experiencing an unprecedented economic meltdown. Francis has held special prayers for Lebanon and has repeatedly said he plans to visit the small country since the economic meltdown began in October 2019. The […]

World

Pope still working on meeting Russian Orthodox patriarch

Editorial Bureau April 4, 2022

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Francis said Sunday he was still working on arranging a meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, despite the leader’s seeming justification for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and said he wouldn’t rule out travelling to the region if it would help. Speaking to reporters en route home […]

Europe

Pope heads to Malta; Migration, Ukraine war top his agenda

Editorial Bureau April 2, 2022

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis headed to the Mediterranean island nation of Malta on Saturday for a pandemic-delayed weekend visit, aiming to draw attention to Europe’s migration challenge that has only become more stark with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Francis is likely to encourage Europe’s embrace of Ukrainian refugees while also urging countries to extend […]