A rare exhibit of the Holy Tunic of Christ, believed to be the garment worn by Jesus during His passion, is drawing record crowds to the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Argenteuil, near Paris. Open from April 18 to May 11, the exhibit is expected to attract over 400,000 pilgrims, more than double the 2016 attendance.…
If Asia is the “continent of the future”, for the Catholic Church it also represents “the future of evangelisation”, in a territory and with a portion of humanity that combines tradition and innovation. All this is fully expressed and defined in the personality and vision of 67-year-old Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the…
After the funeral of Pope Francis, the focus is on the future. What qualities should the new pope have? Opinions differ on this. Also among church representatives from Germany. The preliminary phase of the papal election began even before the funeral services for the late Pope Francis. “Last Tuesday, the so-called pre-conclave began with the…
Blessing for all? Also for remarried divorcees and homosexuals? A new paper from the Catholic Church in Germany is causing controversy. Critics believe it oversteps the mark and want to lodge a complaint. A group of conservative Catholics is criticising new rules in Germany according to which homosexuals can also be blessed in church as…
Each day between now and the May 7 conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis, John Allen is offering a profile of a different papabile, the Italian term for a man who could be pope. There’s no scientific way to identity these contenders; it’s mostly a matter of weighing reputations, positions held and influence wielded over…
Each day between now and the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis, on a date yet to be set, John Allen is offering a profile of a different papabile, the Italian term for a man who could be pope. There’s no scientific way to identity these contenders; it’s mostly a matter of weighing reputations, positions…
The Catholic Church in Germany has published instructions for the blessing of remarried and homosexual couples. According to the authors, this is in the spirit of the late Pope. Nevertheless, there is criticism. Germany now has rules on how remarried divorcees and homosexuals can be blessed in church. As announced by the German Bishops’ Conference…
Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell has taken centre stage in the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. As Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Farrell holds a critical role overseeing Church operations during the sede vacante – the period of papal vacancy. Cardinal Farrell, 77, confirmed the Pope’s death from…
The Vatican announced Monday that the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis, scheduled for April 27, has been postponed following the death of Pope Francis. The Holy See Press Office confirmed the suspension of the canonisation, which was to coincide with the Vatican’s Jubilee of Adolescents and expected to draw over 80,000 teenagers to Rome from…
It is not only in Christian countries that the dead Pope is being honoured. In Muslim Jordan, too, flags of mourning are being flown today and over the next few days. The flags at Jordan’s state and public institutions have been flying at half-mast since Tuesday. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan ordered a three-day flag of…
John L. Allen Jr.