David Gibson: Sacred and Profane
The Battle over Fulton Sheen’s Body: Bishop Jenky goes another round with Cardinal Dolan
By David Gibson — September 5, 2014
The Peoria prelate basically says assurances from Cardinal Edward Egan, Dolan's predecessor, are at the heart of the unusual public clash of hierarchs.
Church “obsessed” with abortion — again? Pope’s Italian ally issues another wake-up call
By David Gibson — May 13, 2014
Bishop Galantino: “I don’t identify with the expressionless person who stands outside the abortion clinic reciting their rosary, but with young people, who are still against this practice, but are instead fighting for quality of life, their health, their right to work.”
FULL TEXT: Nuns respond to Vatican rebuke: “Not an easy discussion”
By David Gibson — May 8, 2014
The LCWR's frank but hopeful statement about meetings with the Vatican's doctrinal chief: "This work is fraught with tension and misunderstanding."
UPDATE: Is Cardinal Mueller taking talking points on the nuns from NCR?
By David Gibson — May 7, 2014
A passage from the Vatican doctrinal czar's blast at the U.S. sisters seems lifted directly from a National Catholic Register story that made the same points the cardinal did this week.
UPDATED: Did Pope Francis really tell a divorced woman to take Communion?
By David Gibson — April 23, 2014
The details about the pontiff's alleged call to an Argentine woman are changing, but if the story is true, it would still be a big deal. Here's why, and what we know so far.
A new Jesuit martyr in Syria, made YouTube appeal
By David Gibson — April 7, 2014
News this morning from the Jesuit curia in Rome says that the Rev. Frans van der Lugt, a 75-year-old Jesuit who refused to leave Syria so that he could remain to work with the poor and refugees from the civil war, has been killed.
Vatican official sees more cooperation after “warm” Francis-Obama meeting
By David Gibson — March 31, 2014
The Vatican’s representative to the United Nations in Geneva saw a "common path" with the White House on social justice issues and "a way forward, a compromise, a solution" on culture war topics after "cordial" meeting
Fortune: Pope Francis is world’s Greatest Leader (Obama not in top 50)
By David Gibson — March 20, 2014
But Bono and the Dalai Lama make the Top Ten. This probably won't help Francis' wish that he not be treated as a celebrity. Still...Maybe Obama will take notes at their meeting next week?
Pope Benedict’s top aide didn’t want Francis elected pope
By David Gibson — March 20, 2014
And Archbishop George Ganswein is still working for Francis. Should Ganswein go? Some say yes.
Rich Catholic donor Ken Langone fears economic populism leads to Nazism
By David Gibson — March 18, 2014
First he was upset at Pope Francis' criticisms of capitalism. Now he's worried that the income inequality debate will take us to Hitler's Germany...
Should Philadelphia’s seminary sell its art work?
By David Gibson — March 17, 2014
Or is there a way to keep the home-grown treasures like portraits by Thomas Eakins, Philip Pearlstine, and Alice Neel?
Pope Francis doubles down, repeats: “Who am I to judge?”
By David Gibson — March 17, 2014
"But look at what that one has done, or that one," the pope said. "But I have done so many (bad) things. Who am I to judge? ... Who am I to gossip about this person? Who am I who has done the same or worse?"
Pope Francis: Scandal kills, and Jesus’ teachings are Christianity, not communism
By David Gibson — February 27, 2014
Also: the pope, in his homily at Mass on Thursday morning, says that all the Christian apologetics in the world won't convince an unbeliever to believe -- but living a genuine Christian life can.
Pope Francis first wanted to be named after Pope John XXIII
By David Gibson — February 11, 2014
A new book reveals that if elected in the conclave of 2005, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio would have called himself after "Good Pope" John, who ushered the Catholic Church into the modern world in the 1960s. Instead, he was elected in 2013 and became the first Pope Francis.
Philip Seymour Hoffman exits on a Catholic stage
By David Gibson — February 6, 2014
Why is the actor being buried out of a Catholic church? And a Jesuit parish to boot?
