Papacy Archives - Page 3 of 3

On Benedict XVI anniversary, why he'll go down as 'Great Reformer'

Church
Apr 18, 2016

By consensus, while emeritus Pope Benedict XVI was a great teaching pontiff, ecclesiastical governance on his watch often left something to be desired. Space does not permit a full listing of meltdowns and crises, but here are a few highlights: The appointment in 2007, followed by the swift fall from

On the celibacy of St. John Paul II

Church
Feb 23, 2016

With the recent revelations of St. John Paul II’s close relationship with a married woman, the philosopher Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, many commentators are wondering whether we need to revise our understanding of Karol Wojtyła the man. Barbara Latza Nadeau, writing in The Daily Beast, asks the question surely on many people’s

Letters confirm popes are people, too

Church
Feb 16, 2016

Papal watchers have known for years that Pope John Paul II had close friendships with several women, and until now, there’s never been any suggestion of something untoward about it. Nor is there now. In fact, the bond between the Polish pope and a married Polish-American woman, Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, has

Three years ago brought history’s greatest act of papal humility

Church
Feb 11, 2016

By sheer coincidence, I was in Rome on Feb. 11, 2013. My wife and I had already moved back to the United States from Rome, but on that date I had returned to give a talk on religious freedom at the Italian Foreign Ministry, which is why I happened to

Catching up with the Energizer Bunny of popes

Church
Jan 23, 2016

ROME — Pope Francis exudes a drive that would put the Energizer Bunny to shame, and the week that just closed is a classic example of his activist spirit, from taking a strong stand against gay marriage to changing Church rules to allow women and girls to take part in

7 iconic Pope Francis moments

Church
Dec 29, 2015

“Has there been another world leader who needed so few words to make his point?” asks Yahoo’s Amy Sullivan. Early on in Francis’ papacy, one of the hot-button debates commentators were keen on was style v. substance. That is, they wanted to know if Francis’ gestures were merely symbolic, or if