Tag: Vatican

• Friday, September 20th 2013 - 07:52 UTC

  Francis calls for a more welcoming church with priests acting as pastors and not dogmatic bureaucrats

  

  Pope Francis said the Catholic Church should not allow its bans on gay marriage, abortion and contraception to dominate its teachings, but must be a more welcoming Church where priests are understanding-pastors and not cold, dogmatic bureaucrats.

• Thursday, September 19th 2013 - 07:40 UTC

  Pope prepared to discuss the issue of divorced and remarried Catholics

  

  Pope Francis has said that next month he will meet with a group of eight cardinals to discuss the issue of divorced and remarried Catholics. The pope also referred to the scandals that have beset the Church, confirming that it is necessary to face the most serious problems with clarity, but without pessimism.

• Friday, September 13th 2013 - 00:39 UTC

  Celibacy ‘is not Church dogma’ and ‘can be discussed’, says Vatican’s number two

  

  The Vatican’s new secretary of state has surprised many in the Catholic Church, after saying in an interview with a Venezuelan newspaper that the issue of priests remaining celibate is up for discussion.

• Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 17:31 UTC

  Chronicle of a removal foretold: Francis names new ‘prime minister’

  

  Pope Francis and his orthodox reform approach sets a new tone for a Vatican beset by scandals by naming a veteran diplomat as secretary of state, a role often called the “deputy pope”.

• Thursday, August 8th 2013 - 14:00 UTC

  Pope tightens money-laundering standards for Vatican financial activities

  

  As part of the Vatican's ongoing efforts to ensure that all its financial activity complies with international standards, particularly those aimed at preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism, Pope Francis has expanded the role and the reach of the Vatican's Financial Intelligence Authority.

• Monday, July 29th 2013 - 21:49 UTC

  Francis speaks openly about the Church’s problems during his trip back to Italy

  

  Pope Francis said the troubled Vatican bank must become “honest and transparent” and that he will listen to the advice of a commission he has set up on whether it can be reformed or needs to be shut down altogether.

• Monday, July 22nd 2013 - 00:22 UTC

  Scandal-hit Vatican bank struck by ‘gay lobby’ conspiracy claims Italian magazine

  

  A few hours before Francis started his first overseas tour to Brazil, the Vatican’s ‘gay lobby’ was back in the headlines after the alleged exposure of a homosexual prelate appointed by the pope to a key position at the Vatican bank, IOR.

• Saturday, July 20th 2013 - 05:42 UTC

  Operation clean up to reform scandal–plagued Vatican administration

  

  Pope Francis, moving to overcome major crises in the Holy See, set up a special commission to reform its economic and administrative departments, the Vatican said on Friday.

• Friday, July 19th 2013 - 06:29 UTC

  Pope Francis wants direct contact with the crowds when he visits Brazil next week

  

  Pope Francis will not use bullet-proof ‘Pope-mobiles’ on his visit to Brazil next week to allow him more direct contact with crowds despite the security risks, according to a Vatican release.

• Saturday, July 13th 2013 - 15:57 UTC

  Francis sweeping reforms to Vatican legal system include from child abuse to money laundering

  

  Pope Francis is introducing changes to the Vatican legal system and has announced reforms on laws governing child abuse to penalties for staff who leak confidential information. The latest overhaul of the Holy See comes after years of scandals which have damaged the image of the Catholic Church.