Vatican News

Vatican City, Jul 17, 2010 / 10:20 pm (CNA).- The bishop-elect brings extensive experience to the role. He has been serving as vicar in the Franciscan house of formation in Seoul, South Korea, where he is also the spiritual assistant and guardian of the O.F.M. community.

Vatican City, Jul 17, 2010 / 10:11 pm (CNA).- Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said Saturday that the new norms on sexual abuse are an "important step," but, he warned, law "is not everything" in the battle against serious sins. He observed that the Church's path to a "purer and more evangelical witness" will not be short.

Vatican City, Jul 17, 2010 / 10:26 am (CNA).- Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt was appointed as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations on Saturday. He comes into the role from years of diplomatic corps experience, including his most recent post as Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq and Jordan.

Vatican City, Jul 16, 2010 / 11:20 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Wednesday, Vatican Radio director Fr. Federico Lombardi countered a seemingly incriminating study that reports emission towers from the Holy See's radio station have damaged nearby residents' health. The Vatican spokesman said that a second study addressing the matter will soon be presented to the court.

Vatican City, Jul 16, 2010 / 10:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- An annual meeting of the Populorum Progressio Foundation dedicated to allotting funds to projects for vulnerable people across Latin America and the Caribbean will take place later this month. During the meeting, a substantial donation will be made in the Pope's name for the rebuilding of a Haitian school damaged in January's earthquake.

Vatican City, Jul 15, 2010 / 03:35 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Monsignor Charles Scicluna took part in a press briefing on Thursday for the release of modified Vatican norms on how to examine and punish cases involving the "most serious sins." He fielded a number of questions as to its content but underscored the importance of ongoing action for successfully bringing about change in the Church.

Vatican City, Jul 15, 2010 / 02:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- During a briefing today with journalists for the release of new norms on cases of "the most serious sins" in the Church, Fr. Federico Lombardi spoke about the work that continues to be done in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). He said that the congregation is working on new, comprehensive documents compiled from the experiences of individual bishops' conferences to create better guidelines for handling abuse cases on a local level.

Vatican City, Jul 15, 2010 / 11:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Thursday, the Holy See published new norms for the treatment of crimes considered to be "most serious" within the Church. In a press briefing, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi explained the updates, including an extension of the statute of limitations for cases involving the sexual abuse of minors and the official addition of other "delicta graviora" to the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).

Vatican City, Jul 13, 2010 / 10:53 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Tuesday, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict decided the theme for the 2011 World Day of Peace celebration will be "Religious freedom, the path to peace."

Rome, Italy, Jul 12, 2010 / 10:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In an emotional homily given Saturday in the chapel of the Center of Studies for the Legion of Christ in Rome, recently named Pontifical Delegate Archbishop Velasio De Paolis called on the Legionaries to be encouraged on their new path and to trust in the grace of God for the future.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Jul 11, 2010 / 10:06 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his first Angelus prayer from the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father recalled the parable of the Good Samaritan. He said that the story from Luke's Gospel should lead us to change our thinking and living to Christ's logic, that of charity.

Vatican City, Jul 10, 2010 / 11:39 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican's accounts continue to run in the red but have improved from last year, the Holy See announced on Saturday. Deficits from the past are gradually being reabsorbed.

Vatican City, Jul 9, 2010 / 05:22 pm (CNA).- The Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano has offered up praise for Disney-Pixar's "Toy Story 3" for providing moviegoers with a profound reflection on transcendental human themes and a lesson on true friendship through the experience of the film's toy stars.

Vatican City, Jul 9, 2010 / 10:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Archbishop Velasio De Paolis, C.S., as the of the Pontifical Delegate to the Legion of Christ. Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi told journalists Friday that "as soon as possible" he will personally meet with the Legion's superiors to discuss the scope of his role.

Vatican City, Jul 8, 2010 / 03:53 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- More information regarding the soon-to-be-announced modifications to the Vatican's canonical guidelines for dealing with abusive priests and other sins came to the surface on Thursday. In addition to the previously leaked content, sins such as the attempted ordination of women and "crimes against the faith" will also be addressed by the pending Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) document.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Jul 8, 2010 / 12:42 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Having arrived at Castel Gandolfo to begin his summer vacation, the Holy Father greeted those present from a window overlooking the square and thanked them for their friendship.

Rome, Italy, Jul 8, 2010 / 03:31 am (CNA).- The Leadership Conference of Women Religious' (LCWR) support for the U.S. health care bill passed in March was a topic in lengthy discussions between LCWR officials and Vatican leaders, who also discussed the doctrinal investigation of the group.

Vatican City, Jul 7, 2010 / 08:32 pm (CNA).- Celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood at a recent Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said the mission of the priest is "to bring heaven down to earth, to bring about the communion of all men and women with God."

Vatican City, Jul 7, 2010 / 02:31 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Updates to canon law on the gravest sins in the Church can be expected in the coming days, Vatican sources report. The modifications are expected to give "greater clarity" to the Vatican protocol for suspending and laicizing priests.

Vatican City, Jul 7, 2010 / 01:40 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy Father retired on Wednesday afternoon to his residence at Castel Gandolfo where he will be spending the greater part of the next few months. He asked for prayers as he retires for a time of rest, work, study and writing.