Pope for only 33 days, John Paul I is known both as “The Smiling Pope” and “The Forgotten Pope.” On Sept. 4, he will be beatified. What were his life and papacy like?
Papal Authority
Posted inFaith, News
What should a retired pope do? Canon lawyers are proposing laws and guidelines
The resignation of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has sparked internal debate over the status and titles of former Popes. One group of canon lawyers and academics are working to draft a ruleset for this navigating papal resignations going forward.
Posted inFaith, News
In new interview, Pope Francis says becoming pope made him less rigid and more merciful
When asked if he felt he had changed during his papacy, the pope said he was told by several people “that things that were dormant in my personality came to the surface; that I became more merciful.”
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
How popes became so powerful—and how Pope Francis could reverse the trend
The papalization of the church reached its most robust form in the first half of the 20th century, but it might be seeing its twilight under Pope Francis.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
The ‘Great Resignation’ and the spirituality of work
Since the spring of 2021, millions of Americans have left the workforce, and many may not intend to return. Humanity’s complex relationship with work is worth revisiting in light of today’s so-called Great Resignation.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
Should there be a pope emeritus? What Pope Benedict’s retirement says about future former popes
On this deep dive episode of “Inside the Vatican,” we examine the lessons from Benedict XVI’s post-papacy—and what needs to change to protect future popes who retire.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
We cannot separate the question of women’s ordination from the church’s history of sexism
While at the surface the question about women’s ordination has been asked and answered, rarely has it been asked in this new context where women’s full human dignity is unreservedly affirmed and defended.
Posted inArts & Culture, Film
‘The Two Popes’: What’s fact and what’s fiction?
‘The Two Popes’ tells a detailed story of the relationship between Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. But does it have all the facts right?
Posted inFaith, Vantage Point
Avery Dulles on women and the priesthood (from 1996)
Responses to 10 of the principal objections that are commonly raised against the Catholic Church’s teaching on the ordination of women.