cardinals
Pope Francis names Cardinals to remake the Curia
By David Gibson — April 13, 2013
On Saturday, the one month anniversary of his election, Pope Francis unveiled the team of cardinals he will use to implement an overhaul of the scandal-plagued Roman Curia, This is pretty speedy action for any administration, and constitutes warp speed for the Vatican. Serious business?
Pope Francis signals new course for the papacy
By David Gibson — March 18, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Ahead of his formal installation on Tuesday, Pope Francis is continuing to send clear signals that he intends to lead a papacy markedly different from his predecessor’s reign -- and perhaps different from that of any other pope in modern times.
The story behind Pope Francis’ election
By David Gibson — March 15, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Everything about a conclave is supposed to be secret, but there are always leaks afterwards, and even broad hints from the cardinals about how a pope was elected. This time is no different.
Pope Francis’ first day hints at a change in papal style
By Alessandro Speciale — March 14, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Not only is he the first Latin American and the first Jesuit to serve as pope, but Pope Francis seems bent on shaking the ritualized world of Vatican traditions and taboos.
Pope Francis has a long to-do list, and it starts with the Curia
By David Gibson — March 14, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Naming yourself after St. Francis of Assisi is one thing. Running the Vatican is another. And taming the Vatican bureaucracy is likely to be one of Pope Francis' most difficult assignments.
Bergoglio: A pope of paradox for a church in transition
By David Gibson — March 13, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A hierarchy looking to make a clear statement about where the troubled church is headed chose on Wednesday (March 13) the first member of the influential Jesuit order to be the next pope. Yet they also chose a humble man who lives simply and took the name Francis (also a first) that evokes the founder of another great religious order.
Pope Notebook: Dolan as Hilarius II? Mahony as Innocent XIV? Benedict’s ‘coup d’etat’; no Dennis Rodman yet
By David Gibson — March 13, 2013
As everyone waits for white smoke – while under umbrellas in the chill of a wet Roman March – thoughts turn to many, many other things...Such as rumors that New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, a relentless jokester, would take the name Hilarius II if elected.
Photo gallery: Rome prepares for a papal conclave
By Sally Morrow — March 12, 2013
The conclave to elect a new pope began on Tuesday (March 12) and Catholics gathered for Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Religion News Service photos by Andrea Sabbadini Click any image below to view photo slideshow.
ANALYSIS: Papal election is anyone’s to win … or lose
By David Gibson — March 12, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Everyone gathered around the papal conclave had theories, many had favorites, and most declared it all so unpredictable that the winner – or even how long it would take to find him – was anybody’s guess.
Sistine Chapel plays a key role in electing a new pope
By Alessandro Speciale — March 11, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The tradition of voting for the new pontiff in the Sistine Chapel dates back to the Renaissance, but the location of the voting didn't become a fixed feature of the conclaves until the 19th century -- and only with John Paul II's rules did the Sistine Chapel become the official theater of papal elections.
Cardinal Dolan in Rome: popular if not papabile
By David Gibson — March 10, 2013
ROME (RNS) If ordinary Romans still had in a say in selecting their bishop – also known as the pope – the way they did in the early centuries of the church, then Cardinal Timothy Dolan might already be pontiff.
Cardinal Mahony knows the new Pope
By David Gibson — March 9, 2013
The retired archbishop of Los Angeles even has a cappuccino with him almost every day. But he's not giving any names -- and no one else may know what will happen in this week's conclave either.
Vatican: Conclave to start on Tuesday
By David Gibson — March 8, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The conclave to pick a new pope will begin on Tuesday, an apparent compromise between cardinals who wanted to get things going and those who wanted more time to size up potential contenders.
Clash of the Cardinals: The Italian-American media war heats up
By David Gibson — March 8, 2013
The U.S. cardinals may have been barred from holding their popular daily press briefings but the war of words between the Italian cardinals and their allies – who are suspected of engineering the silencing – and the Americans only seemed to escalate.
The papal election timeline: Coffee, cocktails, then conclave
By David Gibson — March 7, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Because the closed-door conclave doesn't allow cardinals to do much talking to each other, they're taking their time getting started to allow the electors to size up the candidates.
