Vatican News

Vatican City, Mar 9, 2010 / 01:03 pm (CNA).- L'Osservatore Romano (LOR) published article yesterday commenting on the Oscar win by Kathryn Bigelow as best director for her film "The Hurt Locker." The film took home five more Oscars than the box-office smash "Avatar," directed by James Cameron.

Vatican City, Mar 9, 2010 / 11:40 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican's spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi commented today on the decades-old sex abuses cases in several European countries that recently came to light and lauded the Church for its "transparency" and "timely and decisive action" in dealing with them. Fr. Lombardi also stressed that focusing just on the problem of sex abuse in the Church gives a "false perspective" on an issue that affects society at large.

Rome, Italy, Mar 8, 2010 / 08:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In a recent letter, Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV) Member Christine de Vollmer asked Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi to issue a formal clarification of his recent comments characterizing a statement written by a group of PAV members as a call for the resignation of the Academy's president, Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

Vatican City, Mar 8, 2010 / 03:35 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A course for young priests on the proper administration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation began Monday afternoon in the Vatican. The classes aim to prepare the priests for especially delicate matters that come up in the confessional.

Vatican City, Mar 8, 2010 / 02:54 pm (CNA).- "Enough! There needs to be a serious house cleaning in our Church. And the Pope is not just going to stand by and watch." These were the words of Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, that were printed in the pages of Italy's La Repubblica newspaper on Saturday.

Vatican City, Mar 8, 2010 / 12:31 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy See has launched this year's Easter appeal for the support of Christians in the Holy Land. The call for support is accompanied by an exhortation to reinforce solidarity and preserve the "Christian origins" of the region.

Vatican City, Mar 7, 2010 / 12:48 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Following his visit to the Roman parish of St. John of the Cross on Sunday, the Holy Father returned to the Apostolic Palace for the Angelus.  In his remarks, the Pope underscored the need to see suffering as an opportunity to bring about "a greater good."

Vatican City, Mar 6, 2010 / 09:24 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy Father met with thousands of members of the Italian Civil Protection Service on Saturday in the Paul VI Hall. He commended their voluntary service in protection of the common good and the dignity of man, comparing their work to that of the Good Samaritan.

Vatican City, Mar 6, 2010 / 02:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa gave his first of three Friday Lenten meditations this morning in the Redemptoris Mater chapel of the Apostolic Palace. He emphasized the importance and meaning of grace within the Church and warned of a tendency in the Western world to reject it.

Rome, Italy, Mar 5, 2010 / 04:20 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Italian historians are taking interest in the role mothers in transmitting faith to their sons. Referring to the examples of St. Jean Vianney, Popes Pius X and Paul VI, the Vatican newspaper suggests that this relationship is fundamental to religious vocations.

Vatican City, Mar 5, 2010 / 02:49 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI met with the bishops of Uganda this morning in the Vatican on the occasion of their "ad Limina" visit to the Holy See. He urged them to be strong in renewing evangelization in the east African country and resisting "the seduction of a materialistic culture of individualism."

Vatican City, Mar 5, 2010 / 02:33 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Plenary meeting planned between the Holy See and the State of Israel for May has been moved back. Talks have not been suspended, and the two sides have agreed to convene the meeting at a later date to "maximize" their time together.

Vatican City, Mar 5, 2010 / 12:57 pm (CNA).- A Polish daily published an article Thursday claiming that the beatification cause of John Paul II has hit a roadblock in regard to the miraculous healing of French nun who suffered from Parkinson's disease.

Rome, Italy, Mar 4, 2010 / 06:10 pm (CNA).- In his first interview since taking his place in the Vatican City as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel Umberto Diaz spoke with Italy's Christian Family magazine for an article titled "Vatican and USA - Together for Peace." The ambassador also reflected on how he believes that President Obama's foreign policy is characterized by audacity and hope.

Vatican City, Mar 4, 2010 / 01:23 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI nominated four clergymen from within the Vatican to the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses on Thursday. The new members will work to celebrate and prepare the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, which will take place in Dublin in 2012.

Rome, Italy, Mar 3, 2010 / 04:20 pm (CNA).- A renowned exorcist in Rome recently released a book of memoirs in which he declares to know of the existence of Satanic sects in the Vatican where participation reaches all the way to the College of Cardinals. A second demonologist, also residing in Rome, entered the debate this week, clarifying the origins of the information and defending the Vatican's clergy as an "edifying and virtuous" collection of prelates.

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2010 / 02:22 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, will start a series of Lenten meditations at the Vatican this Friday. He will deliver a total of three talks before Easter on the theme "Dispensers of the Mystery of God. The priest, minister of the Word and the sacraments."

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2010 / 01:53 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican Television Center will begin broadcasting from the Holy See in high definition starting in October 2010. The new mobile recording and transmission equipment is being purchased from Sony.

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2010 / 11:40 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI taught on the holy life of St. Bonaventure during the Wednesday General Audience at Paul VI Hall. Of this saint it has been said that "all who saw him were pervaded by a love that the heart could not conceal."

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2010 / 10:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy Father will make a trip to Spain this year, according to announcements from both sides of the Mediterranean on Wednesday. On Nov. 6 he will be in Santiago de Compostela for the Year of St. James celebrations.  Then, on Nov. 7 he will visit Barcelona to bless Antoni Gaudi's famous and unique "Sagrada Familia" Cathedral.