Josephine McKenna

Josephine McKenna has more than 30 years' experience in print, broadcast and interactive media. Based in Rome since 2007, she covered the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and election of Pope Francis and canonizations of their predecessors. Now she covers all things Vatican for RNS.

All Stories by Josephine McKenna

Religious procession past Mafia boss’ home irks Italy’s Catholic clergy

By Josephine McKenna — July 7, 2014

ROME (RNS) Catholic bishops condemned the detour of the traditional procession, which carried a statue of the Madonna past the house of 82-year-old Peppe Mazzagatti, a Mafia boss under house arrest.

Pope Francis’ meeting with abuse victims wasn’t a PR stunt, Vatican says

By Josephine McKenna — July 7, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Asked why Pope Francis' first meeting with abuse victims included no Americans, even though the U.S. scandal prompted worldwide attention, the Vatican's chief spokesman said it was “not such an easy thing to organize an event like this.”

Pope sends delegation to Paraguay to investigate Pa. priest accused of molesting boys

By Josephine McKenna — July 3, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis is sending a cardinal and a bishop to Paraguay to investigate the activities of a priest previously accused of sex abuse in Pennsylvania, the Rev. Carlos Urrutigoity.

Vatican’s UN envoy says bishop’s defrocking shows church takes abuse seriously

By Josephine McKenna — July 2, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, 65, is the highest-ranking church official to be found guilty of sex abuse and has two months to appeal his sentence before facing criminal proceedings at the Vatican.

Italian archbishop calls for 10-year ban on godparents to stop Mafia infiltration

By Josephine McKenna — July 2, 2014

ROME (RNS) Now that the pope has signaled he wants to challenge Italy’s organized crime groups, an Italian archbishop is suggesting a 10-year moratorium on naming godfathers at baptisms.

Vatican financial watchdog signs accord with U.S. Treasury Department

By Josephine McKenna — June 30, 2014

(RNS) Monday’s announcement came less than a month after Pope Francis dismissed the five-man board of the financial watchdog in a controversial move that underscored his hard line on cleaning up Vatican finances.

Vatican diplomat Jozef Wesolowski convicted of sexual abuse, defrocked from the priesthood

By Josephine McKenna — June 27, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski was removed from his post in the Dominican Republic and recalled to the Vatican last August amid claims that he had abused boys in Santo Domingo.

Vatican confronts shifting landscape on family issues

By Josephine McKenna — June 26, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The document said every bishops’ conference opposed “redefining” marriage between one man and one woman or even recognizing same-sex unions, but said the children of gay couples had the right to be baptized.

Italian priest charged with soliciting sexual favors from desperate refugees

By Josephine McKenna — June 25, 2014

ROME (RNS) The priest is accused of at least 10 episodes of sexual violence against immigrants since 2009, and he also faces embezzlement charges after the alleged discovery of 10,000 euros ($13,600 ) inside his church.

The Economist accuses Pope Francis of ‘following Lenin’

By Josephine McKenna — June 24, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) "By positing a link between capitalism and war, (Pope Francis) seems to be taking an ultra-radical line: one that consciously or unconsciously follows Vladimir Lenin in his diagnosis of capitalism and imperialism as the main reason why world war broke out a century ago," the financial magazine says.

Pope Francis says Mafia members are ‘excommunicated’

By Josephine McKenna — June 23, 2014

ROME (RNS) Francis' determination to challenge organized crime groups has provoked warnings that he himself could become a mafia target.

Pope Francis condemns the ‘evil’ of legalizing drugs

By Josephine McKenna — June 20, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) “To think that harm can be reduced by permitting drug addicts to use narcotics in no way resolves the problem," Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis to visit the heart of Italy’s mafia country

By Josephine McKenna — June 19, 2014

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis' frank determination to challenge organized crime groups has sparked warnings that he could become a mafia target. Last May, he warned mobsters that they would "go to hell" if they did not repent.

Italian women seek freedom to marry the priests they love

By Josephine McKenna — June 18, 2014

ROME (RNS) Even when their love is reciprocated by a man of the cloth, the women known as "God's rivals" are frequently rejected by family and friends. They're sidelined in their careers and forced to hide emotional and sexual expression.

Is Pope Francis sick, or just taking a summer break?