An obstructionist Vatican, a chronic shortage of priests and a shrinking worldwide congregation: the list is daunting
By Andrew Brown
When 117 cardinals gather in Rome to choose the next pope this month, the first thing that will determine their
Church needs saving from its dysfunctional structure
By DIARMAID MACCULLOCH
The Catholic Church, aka the western church of the Latin rite, trades on tradition. That is what so fascinates many people: the lure of its continuity, the certainty, the serene provision of answers.
As anyone mildly acquainted
Benedict XVI Could Turn into a Shadow Pope
Progressive Catholic theologian Hans Küng, whose authority to teach Catholic theology was rescinded by the Vatican in 1979, spoke to SPIEGEL about the challenges facing the next pope and the need for reform of the Catholic Church.
By Peter Wensierski
WHAT THE POPE CAN PRAY FOR
BY JANE KRAMER
In the twelve days since Benedict XVI announced his retirement, I’ve been wondering whether the Church of Rome might not have been better served—at least from the point of view of progressive Catholics—by the Pope keeping his
Nurse destroys archbishop’s gay marriage stance with a stroke of her pen
A 65-year-old former nurse has told the leader of England’s Catholics to ditch the robes, the Latin and activism against gays and start helping the needy
A 65-year-old former nurse has delivered a withering telling off to the Archbishop of
Leading dissident priest slams covert pope selection process
A leading dissident Austrian priest whose call to disobey some Roman Catholic teachings drew a rebuke from Pope Benedict last year urged Church leaders to throw off their secrecy and canvas churchgoers on who should lead them next.
Rev. Helmut
What kind of pope do Roman Catholics need?
By Cristina LH Traina
Selection of the next Pope will factor in a host of complicated variables as wings of the Church compete for ascendancy.
Pope Benedict XVI’s impending resignation has already fuelled all the usual speculation about candidates for
What’s the message on the runway for Baroque fashions?
By Thomas F. O’Meara
When I was a boy, more than 50 years ago, ecclesiastical clothes were impressive. They were unusual and colorful, antique and sacral; they were distinctively Roman Catholic. The colored watered silk, the jeweled gloves, the red
Catholicism’s Curse
A must read!
By FRANK BRUNI
But while I have nothing against priests, I have quite a lot against an institution that has done a disservice to 
them and to the parishioners in whose interests they should toil. I refer
German Catholics vent their dissatisfaction with the Church
A study on Germany’s Catholic community reveals the discontent of faithful with the ecclesiastical institution. But proposals for solutions are lacking
By ALESSANDRO ALVIANI
The Pope’s ecclesiastical policies are “backward-looking” and suspected of trying to take the Church back to