Vatican News

Ponder Christ’s Passion amid the coronavirus crisis, pope urges

Vatican City, Apr 8, 2020 / 03:30 am (CNA).- Meditating on Christ's Passion can help us as we struggle with questions about God and suffering during the coronavirus crisis, Pope Francis said at his general audience Wednesday.

Speaking via livestream due to the pandemic, the pope urged Catholics April 8 to spend time in Holy Week sitting in silent prayer before a crucifix and reading the Gospels. 

Saving elderly from coronavirus ‘a priority,’ Vatican’s laity dicastery says

Vatican City, Apr 7, 2020 / 02:35 pm (CNA).- During the coronavirus pandemic, saving the elderly must be just as important as saving others, the Vatican’s Laity, Family, and Life dicastery has said.

In an April 4 statement, the dicastery said “despite the complexity of the situation we live in, it is necessary to clarify that saving the lives of the elderly who live within residential homes or who are alone or sick, is a priority as much as saving any other person.”

Holy See responds to High Court’s acquittal of Cardinal Pell

Vatican City, Apr 7, 2020 / 05:15 am (CNA).- The Vatican has welcomed the Australian High Court’s decision to quash Cardinal George Pell’s sexual abuse conviction.

A statement from the Holy See press office, issued April 7, said: "The Holy See, which has always expressed confidence in the Australian judicial authority, welcomes the High Court’s unanimous decision concerning Cardinal George Pell, acquitting him of the accusations of abuse of minors and overturning his sentence.”

Analysis: Freed from prison, will Cardinal Pell now face Vatican trial?

Washington D.C., Apr 6, 2020 / 10:20 pm (CNA).- The High Court of Australia ordered the acquittal of Cardinal George Pell on Tuesday. 

While Pell’s criminal trials in Australia are now at an end, the same accusations which saw him first convicted, then denied appeal, then acquitted, must now be addressed by the Church’s own legal process. That canonical process, on hold while the Australian justice system ran its course, can now begin.

Moving 'Vicar of Christ' title in Vatican yearbook is ‘theological barbarism’, says cardinal

Vatican City, Apr 6, 2020 / 08:30 am (CNA).- A cardinal has criticized the Vatican’s official yearbook after it listed the term Vicar of Christ to a section headed “historical titles” in its latest edition, published March 25. 

A Vatican spokesman said the change merely highlights the historical dimension of the title.

Pope creates emergency fund to tackle coronavirus in mission territories

Vatican City, Apr 6, 2020 / 07:30 am (CNA).- Pope Francis has created an emergency fund for those affected by coronavirus in mission countries.

The pope has earmarked $750,000 for the fund, Agenzia Fides reported April 6. 

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples, said the pope was seeking to mobilize “the Church’s entire vast network to face the challenges ahead”.

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