The pontiff is to give more women top jobs and break the grip of Italian cardinals, his key aide tells John Follain in Vatican City
By John Follain
POPE FRANCIS plans to appoint lay women to top jobs in the
Pope stresses “fundamental” importance of women in Church
Pope Francis emphasised the “fundamental” importance of women in the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, saying they were the first witnesses of Christ and have a special role in spreading the faith.
By Naomi O’Leary
The pontiff’s decision a week
Pope to review Vatican bureaucracy, scandal-ridden bank
Pope Francis, who has said he wants the Catholic Church to be a model of austerity and honesty, could restructure or even close the Vatican’s scandal-ridden bank as part of a broad review of its troubled bureaucracy, Vatican sources say.
Pope Francis – experienced manager set for reform
Francis of Assisi began his saintly career following what he said was God’s command: “Rebuild my Church.” The new pope who took his name heard the same message from the cardinals who elected him.
By Tom Heneghan
The 13th-century Francis
How an 11-Year-Old Girl Made the Catholic Archdiocese Bend
Did Pope Francis ensure Bucks County’s Caroline Pla can play football?
By Larry Mendite
By now you have probably heard that Pla will play. Pla, as in Caroline Pla from Bucks County; play, as in play football. The only question
Hans Küng on Election of Pope Francis
By Michael Enright
For such a conservative group of middle-aged and elderly men, the Princes of the Church do seem to have a few surprises up the sleeves of their vestments. The 115 cardinals sequestered themselves in the Sistine Chapel