Voices
Austen Ivereigh is European correspondent for America.
Signs Of the Times
Austen IvereighNovember 14, 2011The event marked the 25th anniversary of the first interreligious gathering in the hometown of St. Francis, called in 1986 by Pope John Paul II.
Austen IvereighNovember 14, 2011
Of all the challenges faced by the Vatican in organizing the 25th anniversary of the historic interreligious gathering in Assisi in 1986, the hardest was how to make it newsworthy. The 176 delegates—representing, said the Vatican, ”not only the world's religions, but all people of good will,
In All Things
Austen IvereighNovember 02, 2011LONDON You do not need to be a close observer of the drama centered this past fortnight on St Paul s Cathedral and the protesters encamped there to notice today a great shift one that carries strong implications for the relationship of Anglican Christianity with the world of finance nbsp Two we
In All Things
Austen IvereighOctober 27, 2011BASILICA DI SAN FRANCESCO ASSISI As I write this Pope Benedict has just left with heads of the delegations of different faiths back to Rome where tomorrow he will greet them again in an audience in the Apostolic Palace I will be analysing today s event in detail in a forthcoming article for Am
In All Things
Austen IvereighOctober 27, 2011BASILICA DI SAN FRANCESCO ASSISI Speaking to some 300 representatives of the world s major religions gathered in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli Pope Benedict XVI this morning expressed shame for the complicity of faith in violence and praised agnostics and other searchers for helping
In All Things
Austen IvereighOctober 27, 2011SANTA MARIA DEGLI ANGELI ASSISI The 200-odd religious leaders called here by Pope Benedict XVI have just watched a video about the history of the Assisi interfaith gatherings It was well made scenes of war contrasted with the commitments of religious leaders to peace It was colourful multilin
In All Things
Austen IvereighOctober 27, 2011SANTA MARIA DEGLI ANGELI ASSISI A lot of journalistic ink has been spilled on the differences between the interreligious gathering led by the Pope today and the first one called by John Paul II in 1986 Back in the summer Vatican heavyweights were brought out to clarify any misunderstandings
In All Things
Austen IvereighOctober 26, 2011ASSISI ITALY I ve arrived in the home town of St Francis to await the arrival here of Pope Benedict and more than 200 faith leaders who tomorrow will deepen the commitment of religion to peace The event will commemorate the historic first such gathering called by Pope John Paul II on 27 October
Austen IvereighOctober 10, 2011
The government is now committed to tackling both the financial deficit and the "social deficit."
In All Things
Austen IvereighAugust 09, 2011LONDON Last night there were more buildings aflame in the city than at any time since World War II Some 6 000 police were unable to cope as across the capital -- and in other cities in the UK -- gangs of hooded youths took to the streets in copycat riots torching and looting in the third night o