Papal basilicas are open to the faithful again, and public Masses are being celebrated as of Monday all throughout Italy. That’s all welcome news here, especially after what was, to be perfectly frank, a dismal time of it for the pope and the Vatican last week. The prospect of financial collapse came to loom so large the Vatican’s own economy czar had to issue a denial, after Francis’s own senior lieutenants let it be known that they consider his financial reform project a failure. I wrote about all that that last week, but sitting of a Sunday and mulling it all over, my thoughts turned to Edmond About and his treatment of The Roman Question, specifically a passage in the last chapter, dedicated to finances in what were then styled the Papal States, and particularly at Rome:
10:36 AM
As papal basilicas reopen, here's hoping for a better week than the last
Last week was a rough one at the Vatican, but there's hope for a turn as papal basilicas reopen to the public and the faithful throughout Italy return to Mass.
Christopher R. Altieri
4 min read
Already a subscriber? Sign in
5freearticles every month
Continue reading with a free account. No card needed.
- Five free articles every thirty days, on any device you sign in on
- The Catholic Herald newsletter, every morning
- Subscribe whenever you like for everything: every article and the magazine
Related articles
AnalysisCatholics were in America long before 1801
From Spanish Jesuit missionaries in Virginia to Maryland’s Catholic settlers, the history of Catholicism in America stretches back to the colonial era
Christine Rousselle
AnalysisThe extreme violence behind the international trade in drugs
Simon Caldwell
AnalysisAssessing Pope Francis's most controversial decisions
Elise Ann Allen/ Crux
AnalysisAs Francis marks 12th anniversary of his election in hospital, we should recall his words during first days as Pope
Charles Collins/Crux
AnalysisTrump's critics should consider parallels with another German leader
Charles Collins/Crux
subscribe to the catholic herald today
Our best content is exclusively available to our subscribers. Subscribe today and gain instant access to expert analysis, in-depth articles, and thought-provoking insights—anytime, anywhere. Don’t miss out on the conversations that matter most.
Subscribe
