Francis X. Rocca
Francis X. Rocca is an author at Religion News Service.
All Stories by Francis X. Rocca
No “Doubt” about the Holocaust
By Francis X. Rocca — February 5, 2009
The culture page of tomorrow’s edition of the official Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano obliquely addresses the themes of this week’s two big Vatican stories: sex abuse and Holocaust denial. A laudatory review of Doubt, about a priest accused of child molestation, says the movie shows that “reaching the truth is unfortunately a difficult result to […]
The face of traditionalism
By Francis X. Rocca — February 2, 2009
Bishop Richard Williamson may be under fire for his comments denying the Nazi genocide of the Jews, but his Facebook friends haven’t deserted him. According to Williamson’s page on the social networking site, the bishop’s “personal interests” include “reading and listening to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.”
Bishop Williamson again
By Francis X. Rocca — January 29, 2009
Seems that Richard Williamson, the Holocaust-denying traditionalist bishop whose excommunicaton Pope Benedict canceled last week, just can’t help himself. On Tuesday, his superior announced that he’d forbidden Williamson from speaking publicly “on political or historical questions.” But the very next morning, an Italian newspaper quoted Williamson insisting: “There is no proof that there were gas […]
Updike’s last abode
By Francis X. Rocca — January 28, 2009
John Updike was a writer who cared about religion, so it seems fitting to note his death here. Admirers of his work will find these images, of the hospice where he died, sad but irresistible, as we wonder how the master would have described his last surroundings. Maybe he left some last pages that will […]
Vatican: Holocaust denial is “unacceptable”
By Francis X. Rocca — January 27, 2009
A front-page editorial in the Monday-Tuesday issue of the official Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano insists that Pope Benedict is committed to ecumenism and Vatican II’s reupdiation of anti-Semitism, and calls the Holocaust denial of traditionalist Bishop Richard Williamson (at left) “unacceptable.”
Yesterday’s news
By Francis X. Rocca — January 24, 2009
Eight years is a long time in Washington (ask any Democrat or Republican right now), but not in Rome, where most developments of any significance are measured in centuries. That may be why an item this week in the official Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano struck at least one U.S. news outlet as something like a […]
A Vatican mystery
By Francis X. Rocca — January 14, 2009
What explains the Holy Family’s temporary disappearance? Our CNS colleagues investigate.
Papal refuse
By Francis X. Rocca — January 9, 2009
A long article on sanitation and recycling in Vatican City, appearing in tomorrow’s edition of L’Osservatore Romano, contains this tid-bit: Before the pope’s general audience every Wednesday, authorities confiscate from those attending an average of 12 trash bags full of knives, scissors, glass bottles and other potentially dangerous objects.
The Pope and Gaza
By Francis X. Rocca — January 8, 2009
Provocative piece by Sandro Magister arguing that the Vatican’s treatment of Israeli-Palestinian issues remains consistently lopsided. A key passage: “Of course, the authorities of the Catholic Church do not defend the existence of Israel – which its enemies want to annihilate, and is ultimately at stake in the conflict – with the same explicit, powerful […]
V-Chip Christianity?
By Francis X. Rocca — January 7, 2009
A Church of England pastor who removed a crucifix from the front of his church has explained that the sculpture “expressed suffering, torment, pain and anguish. It was a scary image, particularly for children.” At least one commentator thinks that the vicar may have missed the point.
A bible for every taste (and for those with none)
By Francis X. Rocca — December 30, 2008
Defying the publishing industry’s doldrums, Bible sales remain robust, thanks in part to niche versions like the comic book Manga Bible. Other options include hot pink fake-leather binding, and a “Soul Surfer” edition featuring “tips on catching a good wave.”
Pray to stay
By Francis X. Rocca — December 30, 2008
Fascinating Wall Street Journal piece on a German housing development for low-income residents, built in the 16th century and still in operation. Tenants live virtually rent-free-as long as they pray for their benefactors’ souls.
Reading Benedict XVI
By Francis X. Rocca — December 26, 2008
Readers with an interest in religion (like you!) should be grateful to blogger Andrew Sullivan for his extensive and passionate treatment of the topic. But gratitude doesn’t preclude a demand for accuracy. In a Christmas Eve post on some recent, controversial words of Benedict XVI, Sullivan makes much of the pope’s failure to mention the […]
Cradles of democracy
By Francis X. Rocca — December 22, 2008
It’s a seasonal tradition in America to argue over the propriety of nativity scenes in the public square. But craftsmen in Naples, Italy, have no qualms about bringing the public square into their nativity scenes, in the form of political creche figurines representing Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and others.
Call to worship
By Francis X. Rocca — December 18, 2008
Unless BlackBerry acts fast, this prayer book application could lock up the practicing-Catholic smartphone market for the iPhone. Of course, as Umberto Eco observed long ago, Catholics tend by nature to be Apple people.
