Tag: Pope Francis

• Tuesday, May 3rd 2016 - 06:00 UTC

  Venezuela's explosive situation makes Pope Francis send a “personal letter” to Maduro

  

  Pope Francis has sent a “personal letter” to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in which he addresses his concern over the “seriousness” of “the county’s situation”, revealed papal spokesman Federico Lombardi confirmed to journalists this weekend.

• Monday, April 18th 2016 - 12:28 UTC

  Colombia's FARC guerrillas appeal to Pope Francis to help ensure the peace deal

  

  Colombia's FARC guerrilla organization called on Sunday for Pope Francis's support to prevent other armed groups from disrupting its efforts to seal a peace deal with the government. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the country's government say they are close to a deal to end a half-century conflict.

• Saturday, April 2nd 2016 - 09:17 UTC

  Another 'money-sin' in the Vatican: this time involves a former cardinal's penthouse

  The Vatican said it is investigating two former officials over claims money meant for a children’s hospital was used to refurbish a cardinal’s luxury apartment. Costly work at former Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s flat, (seeming to clash with Pope Francis’s recommendations that church officials live as modestly as he), caused a scandal when allegations emerged that the Bambino Gesu Hospital foundation had helped foot the bill.

• Wednesday, March 2nd 2016 - 06:55 UTC

  Falklands soil and pebbles were received by the Pope from Argentine governor

  

  Soil and pebbles from the Falkland Islands together with letters from Tierra del Fuego residents were received by Pope Francis during the recent visit of an Argentine delegation that included president Mauricio Macri, several ministers and three governors, one of them, Ms. Rosana Bertone from the most austral of Argentine provinces.

• Monday, February 29th 2016 - 07:18 UTC

  Francis wanted to understand how Macri was going to address eliminating poverty

  

  It was a 'good, enriching' meeting, a private conversation between the Holy Father and the president “which covered all the areas we expected to cover”, was how the Argentine foreign minister described Saturday's 22 minutes meeting between Francis and visiting President Mauricio Macri.

• Monday, February 29th 2016 - 06:58 UTC

  “Cordial” (frosty) 22 minutes meeting between Francis and president Macri

  

  The long-awaited meeting between Argentine President Mauricio Macri and Pope Francis ended up being a frosty encounter that lasted a mere 22 minutes. The Vatican officially described the sit-down as “cordial,” and Macri told reporters that the pontiff asked him to fight corruption, poverty and drug-trafficking in the country.

• Friday, February 26th 2016 - 06:08 UTC

  Macri and opposition governors will meet Pope Francis on Saturday

  

  Argentine President Mauricio Macri flew after midday to Rome ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Macri flew in an Alitalia commercial flight accompanied by his wife Juliana Awada, their small daughter Antonia and a small delegation of close aides and three provincial governors specially invited for the occasion.

• Saturday, February 20th 2016 - 07:19 UTC

  Francis admits contraception is morally acceptable in fighting Zika virus

  

  Pope Francis suggested that using artificial contraception may be morally acceptable in fighting the Zika virus. But the Argentine pontiff, speaking to reporters as he flew back to Rome from an exhausting visit to Mexico, categorically ruled out abortion as a response to Zika, comparing the practice to a “Mafia” killing.

• Friday, January 29th 2016 - 03:54 UTC

  Pope Francis receives Macri at the Vatican 27 February

  

  Pope Francis will be receiving President Mauricio Macri on February 27, the first official meeting between both leaders since Macri took office in December. The meeting was confirmed by government sources.

• Thursday, January 28th 2016 - 06:19 UTC

  Iran says economic growth crucial to defeating extremism in the Middle East

  

  Generating economic growth in the Middle East is crucial to defeating extremism, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said putting forward his country as a regional trade hub and pillar of stability. Rouhani is on a four-day trip to Italy and France, looking to rebuild Iranian relations with the West some two weeks after financial sanctions on Tehran were rolled back following the implementation of its nuclear deal with world powers.