Cardinal: Not a ‘Dry Eye in the House’ at Pope Francis’ Election
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — There was not a “dry eye in the house” at the Sistine Chapel the moment when former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the next pope, with the 115 cardinals meeting for the conclave then burstin…
Cardinals Prepare to Elect a New Pope
GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — Roman Catholic cardinals are scheduled to meet Monday in Rome to begin the process of selecting the next pontiff in the wake of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.The meeting will not be the official co…
With Pope’s Departure, World’s Attention Turns to His Successor
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images(ROME) — As Pope Benedict XVI flew off from Vatican City on Thursday to start a secluded life at the papal retreat outside Rome, the world’s attention turns to who will replace him at the helm of the Roman Catholic Church….
Benedict XVI Begins Final Day as Pope
GABRIEL BOUYS,GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — Pope Benedict XVI, the first pontiff to resign in 600 years, will step down on Thursday to lead a secluded life of prayer, far from the grueling demands of the papacy and the scandals that h…
Pope Benedict XVI Delivers Farewell Address
GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — On his final full day as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI thanked a huge crowd for respecting his historic decision to step down and told them that God will continue to guide the…
What’s Next for Pope Benedict XVI?
GABRIEL BOUYS,GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images(ROME) — The party for the world’s most prominent soon-to-be retiree began on Wednesday when Pope Benedict XVI hosted his final audience as pontiff in St. Peter’s Square.More than 50,000 tickets were request…
Cardinal Donald Wuerl: American Pope Would Be Unwise
ABC News(VATICAN CITY) — Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, on Wednesday argued against electing a pope from the United States because the pontiff would be conflicted about delivering the “spiritual challenge” that a superpower needs fro…
Can a Voting Cardinal Skip the Papal Conclave?
Franco Origlia/Getty Images(ROME) — Monday’s announcement by British Cardinal Keith O’Brien that he will not be attending the conclave begs the question: can he refuse to do so?As of Monday, the pope accepted O’Brien’s resigna…
Can a Voting Cardinal Skip the Papal Conclave?
Franco Origlia/Getty Images(ROME) — Monday’s announcement by British Cardinal Keith O’Brien that he will not be attending the conclave begs the question: can he refuse to do so?As of Monday, the pope accepted O’Brien’s resigna…
Results of ‘Vatileaks’ Probe for ‘Pope’s Eyes Only’
L’Osservatore Romano Vatican-Pool/Getty Images(ROME) — Pope Benedict XVI decided to keep secret the contents of an investigative report on the “Vatileaks” scandal, ruling that the only person who will get to see it will be the next pope.Th…
Pope Pushes Up Date for Conclave to Choose His Successor
L’Osservatore Romano Vatican-Pool/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — With his resignation set for Thursday, Pope Benedict XVI published a declaration on Monday to allow the College of Cardinals to begin choosing his successor almost immediately after he ste…
Vatican Disputing Scandal Rumors Amid Pope’s Resignation
Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — As Pope Benedict XVI prepares to step down from the papacy this Thursday, the Vatican has also been forced to deal with reports in the Italian media about an alleged scandal involving gay clergy being blackm…
Papal Conclave 2013 Not Politics as Usual
Joe Raedle/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — More than 100,000 pilgrims came to St. Peter’s Square Sunday to attend Pope Benedict XVI’s last Sunday prayer and blessing. The crowd interrupted the pope several times with applause, but Benedict was business as us…
As the Pope Goes, So, Too, Do His Tweets
L’Osservatore Romano Vatican-Pool/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — It wasn’t long ago that Benedict XVI became the first pope to bless us all via Twitter. But as His Holiness is set to resign at the end of this month, apparently his Twitter account …
Poll: Outgoing Pope Popular, But Not as Much as His Predecessor
Joe Raedle/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The Catholic Church has rebounded in overall public esteem in the United States as it’s moved away from the height of its child abuse scandals a decade ago, a trend that’s continued under the now-departi…
Pope Benedict XVI Appoints New Boss to ‘God’s Bank’
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(VATICAN CITY) — It was more than just a routine personnel matter Friday for Pope Benedict XVI to name a new president of the Vatican Bank: German lawyer Ernst von Freyberg. The appointment may well be the last of the pope&…
Pope Benedict Will Live in Quiet Retirement
GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — Pope Benedict XVI, the first Roman Catholic pontiff to abdicate in nearly 600 years, told priest and clergy gathered in Vatican City on Thursday that he would hold no public office when his resignation be…
Catholic Church Growing in Third World, but European Cardinals Control Power
Joe Raedle/Getty Images(NEW YORK) – As Catholics across the globe begin the holy season of Lent, many look toward Rome and wonder if the Vatican will break with tradition and choose the first pope from outside Europe in modern times.The Catholic…
Pope Benedict XVI Had Pacemaker Surgery Three Months Ago
TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) — The Vatican on Tuesday denied rumors that Pope Benedict XVI has bone cancer and that recent surgery to replace the battery in his pacemaker contributed to his decision to resign from office.Benedict underw…
What Will Pope Benedict XVI Do After He Resigns?
Joe Raedle/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — When most people retire, they think of going to Florida, playing Bingo or filling their spare time with favorite hobbies.When U.S. presidents leave office, they do charity work and oversee the building of their pres…