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Focus must be on justice for those fleeing impact of extreme weather events, says new scientific adviser to VaticanThe pope’s newly appointed scientific adviser said the coronavirus pandemic has forced world leaders to face up to the “existential risk” of the climate crisis.Prof Ottmar Edenhofer said rich countries now had a moral duty to compensate poor countries already suffering the impacts. Continue reading...

Francis contrasts opposition to Covid measures with ‘healthy indignation’ over racismCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coveragePope Francis has taken aim at protests against coronavirus restrictions, contrasting them with the “healthy indignation” seen in demonstrations against racism after the death of George Floyd.“Some groups protested, refusing to keep their distance, marching against travel restrictions – as if measures that governments must impose for...

Pontiff’s endorsement likely to further enrage his conservative opponents in Catholic churchPope Francis has given his most explicit support to same-sex civil unions in a move that is likely to further enrage his conservative opponents in the Catholic church.His comments came in an interview in a documentary film, Francesco, which premiered at the Rome film festival on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Carlo Acutis helped spread Catholic teaching online before his death aged 15 in 2006 Pope Francis said the beatification of an Italian computer whiz-kid was a sign to young people that “true happiness comes from putting God first”.Carlo Acutis, who is on a path to sainthood after being beatified in the Umbrian town of Assisi, helped spread Roman Catholic teaching online before his death...

Pope Francis strays from his prepared text to repeat his frequent complaint about gossiping within church communities and even within the Vatican bureaucracy. Francis did not give specifics during his weekly blessing, but went on at some length to say the devil is the 'biggest gossiper' who is seeking to divide the church with his liesPope Francis says gossip is 'a plague worse than...

Straying from prepared weekly blessing, pontiff urges faithful not to air grievances in publicPope Francis said on Sunday that gossip is a “plague worse than Covid” that is seeking to divide the Roman Catholic church.Francis strayed from his prepared text in his weekly blessing to reiterate his frequent complaint about gossiping within church communities and the Vatican bureaucracy. Continue reading...

Former Labour minister Ruth Kelly is among the women who will oversee Vatican finances and address its cashflow problemsPope Francis has appointed six women to oversee the Vatican’s finances including Ruth Kelly, the former Labour minister, in the most senior roles ever given to women within the Catholic church’s leadership.The appointments mark the most significant step by Francis to fulfil his promise of placing...

Pontiff says his ‘thoughts go to Istanbul’ after decision to convert Byzantine-era monumentPope Francis has said he was “very distressed” over Turkey’s decision to convert the Byzantine-era monument Hagia Sophia back into a mosque.“My thoughts go to Istanbul. I’m thinking about Hagia Sophia. I am very distressed,” the pontiff said in the Vatican’s first reaction to a decision that has drawn international criticism. Continue...

Move could jeopardise potential plan by Pope Francis to change rules in AmazonThe former pope Benedict XVI has spoken out against allowing married men to become priests, in a move that could jeopardise a potential plan by Pope Francis to change the centuries-old requirement in areas of the Amazon.Benedict, who implied upon his resignation in 2013 that he would not interfere with the work...

Sorry doesn’t have to be the hardest word, as Pope Francis proved after slapping the hand of a woman who grabbed himOn New Year’s Day, the Pope veered off script during his address to a packed St Peter’s Square to apologise for his behaviour the previous night. Unsurprisingly, this did not involve the traditional end-of-December misdemeanour of drinking excessively and vomiting on a host’s...

Pontiff admits ‘sometime even I lose patience’, referring to incident with pilgrim at VaticanPope Francis has apologised after slapping a woman’s hand as he greeted pilgrims at the Vatican on New Year’s Eve.‌Francis lost his cool when the woman abruptly grabbed his hand and yanked him towards her just after he reached out to greet a child during a visit to the Vatican’s nativity...

Pope Francis arrives in Bangkok to boost morale of tiny minority of Catholics and speak about human trafficking Continue reading...