Get our news on your inbox! x

Remember me Forgot password

MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, June 4th 2025 - 09:36 UTC

Tag: Pope Francis

  • Monday, April 18th 2016 - 12:28 UTC

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

    Timoleon Jiménez called on the Catholic Church to take a “leading role” and asked Francis to openly support efforts to seal a 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

    The official picture of the Argentine delegation headed by President Macri and ministers with Pope Francis in the Vatican . Gov Bertone on the left.

    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

    “They talked about terrorism, drug-trafficking, poverty, inequality, and most of the time about the union of Argentines”, revealed Susana Malcorra

    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

    Francis entered at 9.37am Saturday. “Good morning, Mr. President. How are you are doing,” he told Macri, who replied “How are you doing, Francis? Pleased to see you.”

    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

    The Argentine president is seen chatting with Salta governor Uturbey at Ezeiza

    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

    “Abortion isn’t a lesser evil, it’s a crime,” said Francis. “Taking one life to save another, that’s what the Mafia does. It’s a crime. It’s an absolute evil.”

    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

    The first time Francis met with Macri was in 2013 when he was the mayor of the City of Buenos Aires. He attended his wife Juliana Awada and daughter Antonia.

    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

    Underscoring the growing warmth, Rouhani said he expected Italian PM Matteo Renzi to visit Iran in the coming months to help boost bilateral economic alliances. (Pic AFP)

    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.

  • Thursday, January 21st 2016 - 07:46 UTC

    “Do not forget the poor” Francis tells the global economic elite in Davos

    New technologies such as robotics must also not be allowed to replace humans with “soulless machines,” the pope said in a message to the WEF in Davos.

    Pope Francis told members of the world's wealthy political and economic elite that they should not be deaf to the cry of the poor and must consider their own role in creating inequality. New technologies such as robotics must also not be allowed to replace humans with “soulless machines,” he said in a message to the World Economic Forum in Davos.