Vatican News

Moneyval evaluation begins at Vatican

Vatican City, Sep 30, 2020 / 05:00 am (CNA).- The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering watchdog, Moneyval, began its two-week on-site inspection of the Holy See and Vatican City Wednesday.

According to a Vatican statement Sept. 30, “the scope of this phase of evaluations” is to assess “the effectiveness of the legislative and institutional measures” adopted by the Holy See and Vatican City in recent years.

Cardinal Becciu's lawyer resigns over social media photos

CNA Staff, Sep 29, 2020 / 02:30 pm (CNA).-

The lawyer representing Cardinal Angelo Becciu has resigned over criticism of his social media activities.

Ivano Iai, who had been handling legal and media matters for the cardinal and his family, announced that he had withdrawn from the case after criticism of pictures he posted on social media.

Vatican official hails ‘positive’ results of China deal amid report that Holy See delegation is heading to Beijing

Vatican City, Sep 29, 2020 / 10:00 am (CNA).- A Vatican official hailed the “positive” results of the Holy See’s provisional agreement with China Tuesday amid reports that a Holy See delegation is heading to Beijing to extend the deal.

Pope Francis names leading physicist to pontifical academy

Vatican City, Sep 29, 2020 / 06:30 am (CNA).- Pope Francis appointed the director-general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Tuesday to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

The Holy See press office said Sept. 29 that the pope had named Fabiola Gianotti as an “ordinary member” of the academy.

Archbishop Charles Brown appointed nuncio to the Philippines

Vatican City, Sep 28, 2020 / 06:01 pm (CNA).- Pope Francis on Monday appointed Archbishop Charles Brown as apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, a position which had been vacant since November.

The Sept. 28 appointment transfers Archbishop Brown, a New York native, from his role as nuncio to Albania.

Archbishop Brown was born Oct. 13, 1959, in New York.

Cardinal Becciu allegations mount as Vatican appoints new prosecutor

CNA Staff, Sep 28, 2020 / 05:28 pm (CNA).-

Italian businessman Gianluigi Torzi has provided detailed information to investigators in the ongoing Vatican financial scandal, according to new reports. News of Torzi’s cooperation with prosecutors follows the resignation of Cardinal Angelo Becciu last week, and the announcement that Pope Francis has appointed a new prosecutor to strengthen the case.

Pope Francis meets Armenian Apostolic Church leader amid clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh

Vatican City, Sep 28, 2020 / 10:00 am (CNA).- Pope Francis met with Armenian Apostolic Church leader Karekin II Sunday morning, moving up an appointment scheduled for Monday, because of growing clashes with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory.

Pope Francis appoints extra prosecutor to Vatican City court

Vatican City, Sep 28, 2020 / 06:30 am (CNA).- Pope Francis Monday named an Italian lawyer and professor of commercial law to work as an additional prosecutor in the Vatican City State’s court.

Gianluca Perone teaches commercial law at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. His expertise includes commercial and corporate banking and contract law.

Pope Francis asks order to keep spreading devotion to St. Michael the Archangel

Vatican City, Sep 28, 2020 / 05:30 am (CNA).- Pope Francis encouraged a religious order Sunday to continue promoting devotion to St. Michael the Archangel.

In a message released Sept. 27, the pope congratulated members of the Congregation of St. Michael the Archangel on the forthcoming centenary of their approval by Church authorities.

Cardinal Pell to return to Rome this week

Rome Newsroom, Sep 27, 2020 / 09:10 am (CNA).- Cardinal George Pell is set to return to Rome on Tuesday, his first time back in the Vatican since 2017, when he took a leave of absence from his role as prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy to travel to Australia.

The cardinal is set to fly on Sept. 29, sources close to Pell confirmed to CNA on Sunday, following an initial report by Australian journalist Andrew Bolt in the Herald Sun newspaper.

Retreat House Bandra