Pope Francis has ordered cardinals to take a pay cut and reduced the salaries of most other Vatican clerics as the coronavirus pandemic hits the Holy See’s income. Francis issued a decree introducing the proportional cuts starting on April 1, the Vatican said on Wednesday. The pontiff has often insisted that he does not want … Read more
Former Irish president Mary McAleese says she made Pope John Paul II apologise for ‘sexism’ after he asked her husband if he’d prefer to be in charge of the country instead of married to the leader Mary McAleese took part in Focus Ireland’s International Women’s Day event Former president of Ireland reflected on the first … Read more
Pope Francis leaves Iraq after successful first-ever papal visit to the country Francis and his entourage were waved off by Iraq’s president at Baghdad airport He will fly back to Rome after covering more than 900 miles on his four-day trip The 84-year-old pontiff urged Iraqis to embrace diversity and reject extremism By Tim Stickings … Read more
Pope Francis today held a historic meeting with the top Shia Islam cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on day two of his landmark visit to Iraq. The 84-year-old, who defied security fears and the pandemic to become the first pontiff to travel to the Gulf, met with the Grand Ayatollah in Najaf as his four-day trip … Read more
Pope removes conservative African cardinal who warned Islam would ‘invade the world’ after clash with Vatican Robert Sarah was a favourite among conservatives in the Catholic Church Some even hoped he could have succeeded Pope Francis as Pontiff eventually He frequently clashed with Pope Francis and resigned in accordance with law By Matt Drake For … Read more
The Pope appoints two women to Vatican posts previously only ever held by men in Francis’s latest show of support for equality Pope Francis have appointed two women to posts previously held only by men One of them now have the right to vote in the all-male assemblies of bishops In 2020, Francis assigned six … Read more
Pope Francis, 84, receives his first dose of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine Vatican began vaccinating its population of 800 against Covid on Wednesday Pope Francis, 84 and with only one lung, was among the first to get a shot Pope Emeritus Benedict, 93, received his jab early on Thursday, Vatican said Francis told Catholics it is their … Read more
Pope Francis allows Catholic women to play a greater role in Mass – but says priesthood is still off-limits Pope France changed law to allow Catholic women to play bigger role in Mass However, women are still not allowed to be priests, a role still reserved to men Head of the Catholic church came under … Read more
Pope Francis appears for the first time since sciatica forced him to skip New Year Mass and wishes the world ‘peace and serenity’ Pope Francis led the traditional Angelus prayers in the Apostolic Palace ‘I send you all my best wishes for peace and serenity in the new year,’ he said Comes after the Pope skipped … Read more
Pope Francis urges countries to strive for peace as he leads just 200 masked faithful at an early evening Covid-restricted ‘midnight’ mass in St Peter’s Basilica Pope celebrated the mass in St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, on Christmas Eve Mostly employees of the state attended papal ceremony whilst wearing masks Mass was held at 7.30pm instead … Read more