By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
New York
Probably the most delicate cause for sainthood currently working its way through the Vatican system will be further studied this year, according to the Holy See's top official for saints, but he offered no projection of when Pope Pius XII might be formally beatified and, eventually, canonized.
Portuguese Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, spoke in a Feb.1 interview with the newspaper of the Italian bishops' conference, L'Avvenire.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
New York
In the abstract, if one were to choose some aspect of Roman life least likely to scorch the "buzz meter," meaning least likely to set tongues wagging and cause eyebrows to shoot up because of some bold new direction, a terrific candidate would have been the "gray lady" of the Italian journalistic scene, L'Osservatore Romano, the "pope's newspaper."
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
Since the opening of their 35th General Congregation on January 7, the Jesuits gathered in Rome have been at pains to minimize perceptions of a rift with the Vatican or with Pope Benedict XVI. The new Jesuit General, Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, offered a memorable image, suggesting that the relationship between the Jesuits and the papacy is like a marriage ? there may be occasional tensions, but they?re rooted in a deep bond of love.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
Looking ahead to next October's Synod of Bishops on the Bible, a cardinal and one of the most noted experts on scripture in the Catholic hierarchy has launched what amounts to a "preemptive strike" appealing to his brother bishops to concentrate on practical matters, rather than revisiting theological questions settled by the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
This morning the Jesuits offered a press briefing in Rome on the ongoing work of their 35th General Congregation. The session was conducted by Fr. David Smolira, former Provincial of the British Province and currently director of the Jesuit Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Smolira began with an overview of the congregation and then responded to questions on a range of topics, which I summarize below.
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
According to press accounts in Argentina, the country's nominee to become ambassador to the Holy See, Alberto Iribarne, has been rejected by the Vatican on the grounds that he's divorced and living with another woman.
Technically speaking, sources said, the Vatican has not explicitly turned down Iribarne's nomination, but it has rather declined to grant the necessary accreditation since his name was submitted in mid-December. Under the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, a state is free to refuse a given ambassadorial nominee, and is not obligated to furnish a reason.