Vatican Dispatch

Vatican has unique role to play in tempering Iran

rome – as the war between israel and hamas intensifies on the gaza strip, so too does diplomatic activity intended to prevent a wider region...

German bishop authorises same-sex blessings in diocese

a german bishop issued a letter last thursday in which he asked pastors in his diocese to bless same-sex couples. bishop karl-heinz wieseman...

The Catholic Herald

Our man in the Vatican: an interview with the British Ambassador to The Holy See

chris trott, hm ambassador to the holy see, talks to amanda bowman about his work. ‘the mission of the ambassador to the holy see is defined...

Unlocking the 'prophetic vision' of Flannery O'Connor, the writer who swam in Thomism

understanding the hillybilly thomist: the philosophical foundations of flannery o’connor’s narrative art by fr damian ference word on fire, ...

Priests must be like fathers and not spinsters, says Pope on celibacy

rome – pope francis has said that a change in the catholic church's rule on celibacy will not solve difficulties in the church because the d...

The Catholic Herald

In the Stars the Glory of His Eyes: Tales of an Irish Tour Guide in Rome, by K Troy

guided by grace and humour. in the stars the glory of his eyes: tales of an irish tour guide in rome k troy ignatius press, £13.99, 267...

Eleanor Hammond

Synod on Synodality ends with no clear or concrete proposals after a month of silence

rome – a final synthesis produced by pope francis’s month-long synod of bishops on synodality offered no clear or concrete proposals on hot-...

Francis and Rupnik: 'people are going to want an explanation'

rome – back in 1980, william casey, then the campaign manager for candidate ronald reagan, coined the phrase “october surprise” to refer to ...

Differences at Synod on Synodality are a 'source of richness', says Cardinal Nzapalainga

rome – participants in pope francis’s synod of bishops on synodality have reiterated insistence that there are no hostile divisions in the p...

Papal priorities? Traditional vestments cause ‘scandal’ while Rupnik returns to ministry

pope francis has accused young priests who wear traditional priestly garments of “clericalism”. addressing hundreds of synodal participants ...