The divergence of the conservative American church from Francis’ agenda is now so obvious as to be unremarkable, even when U.S. bishops ignore a Vatican warning.
Author: JASON HOROWITZ
A Latin Expert’s Odyssey, From the Vatican to the Gay Rights Movement
Francesco Lepore likes to challenge the status quo. He now writes a general-interest column in Latin, with the latest on “Ioseph Biden” and “Vladimirum Putin.”
Vatican Warns U.S. Bishops: Don’t Deny Biden Communion Over Abortion
Conservative American Catholic bishops are pressing for a debate over whether Catholics who support the right to an abortion should be allowed to take Communion.
Pope Francis Rejects German Cardinal’s Offer to Resign
Cardinal Reinhard Marx had sought to quit as a way to take responsibility for the church’s earlier failures to address sexual abuse by priests.
Wedding Receptions Are Back, and Italy’s Candy Makers Are Delighted
The sugarcoated almond confections known as confetti are the favorite of brides but also of the Vatican.
Pope Widens Church Law to Target Sexual Abuse of Adults by Priests and Laity
The new rules explicitly criminalize the sexual exploitation of adults by priests who abuse their authority, and the changes also apply to laypeople with power in the church.
Send in the Bugs. The Michelangelos Need Cleaning.
Last fall, with the Medici Chapel in Florence operating on reduced hours because of Covid-19, scientists and restorers completed a secret experiment: They unleashed grime-eating bacteria on the artist’s masterpiece marbles.
Italy’s Vaccine Drive Runs Up Against a Sacred Institution: Summer Vacation
The inoculation campaign in the country is speeding up, but it is heading smack into the holiday period, prompting fears among officials that some would rather get away than get a shot.
Capri — First Choice of the Jet Set — Gets First Dibs on Vaccines
Eager to jump-start the lagging tourist economy and compete with Greece and Spain, Italy allows residents of its island playgrounds to get first in line for inoculations.