Analysis: Pope Francis centralizes authority with reform of Diocese of Rome catholicworldreport.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from catholicworldreport.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Pope Francis presides over the funeral Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square on Jan. 5, 2023. / Vatican MediaRome Newsroom, Jan 15, 2023 / 11:00 am (CNA).It was widely anticipated that a major reform of the Diocese of Rome was coming, as Pope Francis has been thinking about it for some time.But no one expected it to come when it did: On Jan. 6, one day after the funeral of Francis predecessor as Bishop of Rome, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.With the reform, Pope Francis firmly took over the reins of the vicariate, or hierarchy, of the diocese. Everything is centralized, and everything must pass, at least formally, under the control of the pontiff.Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, the pope s vicar for the diocese, sees his role deeply diminished. The diocese s auxiliary bishops strengthen their direct link with the pope. In the end, the pope has made it clear that he is the one who also formally presides over the Episcopal Council, a new body established as an ".
Who will be the next leader of Italy s Catholic bishops conference? – Catholic World Report catholicworldreport.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from catholicworldreport.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice. / Francesco Pierantoni via Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0)/Pufui PcPifpef via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Rome Newsroom, Mar 29, 2022 / 03:45 am (CNA).There are four names in contention for the presidency of the Italian episcopal conference ahead of a vote in May.The bishops will gather that month to choose their new president. The top three names will be passed to Pope Francis. The pope is free to choose one of the names or to appoint another bishop entirely to the role. For this reason, rumors about who is in the running are based more on the pope s likely preferences than the indications of the country s bishops. So who are the four figures currently being mentioned?Cardinal Matteo Zuppi has always been considered a strong candidate. The archbishop of Bologna since 2015 and a cardinal since 2019, the 67-year-old is closely associated with the influential Community of Sant Egidio. Formerly a much-loved parish priest in Rome, Zuppi.