Italians donate less to Church, President of Italian bishops attacks government
Cardinal Zuppi, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) has criticised the government for unilaterally changing the law on the eight per thousand income tax (8xmille in Italian), but has missed the point. In reality, there is a fear that the distribution mechanism could change, reducing the funds by half. Not to mention the collapse in the number of signatures on tax returns in favour of the Church, which dropped by 20% between 2013 and 2021.
Conclave’s three-way race: Prevost was favoured from the start
The most plausible reconstruction of the first ballot is that the future Leo XIV is neck and neck with Parolin, with the conservatives united behind Erdo. However, with the latter's candidacy quickly fading, making it likely the third candidate will win. It will be a quick election, with the extensive pre-conclave proving decisive.
The US still needs Europe but only if it remains free
On 27 May, Samuel Samson, a 26-year-old senior advisor to the Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, published an official newsletter outlining the Trump administration's relations with Europe. It immediately caused a scandal, with calls for regime change. Like JD Vance's speech in Munich, it is actually a warning to Europeans not to betray their cultural roots.
Marriage is not an ideal. Leo XIV 'corrects' Francis
In his homily for the Jubilee of Families, the Pope rejects the premise of all the misunderstandings caused by Amoris Laetitia, returning to the classical conception of morality established by John Paul II in Veritatis Splendor.
Pope Leo XIV 'caresses' French traditionalists
In his letter to the French bishops for the centenary of the canonisations, Pope Leo XIV places Saints John Eudes, John Mary Vianney, and Thérèse of the Child Jesus at the foundation of the missionary revival and the rebirth of vocations — topics that were taboo in the previous pontificate.
Italian bishops’ report on abuse hides more than it clarifies
Although presented as a report on abuse within the Church, the Italian bishops' report appears to be a self-referential exercise designed to demonstrate the measures being taken to prevent and combat abuse. The figures refer only to reports, but says little about their reliability or the characteristics of this phenomenon.
Saint Paul VI to journalists: 'prophets of the word'
An intellectual and a learned man, Pope Montini inherited his love of journalism from his father, equating it with an art and defining it as a ‘courageous mission in the service of truth’.
Religious Education: America and Europe go different ways
Comparing the United States and Europe’s approaches to religious education reveals two forces moving in opposite directions. In the United States, students can attend classes for that purpose outside of school hours, with one hour specifically set aside for this purpose. In Montana, for example, this free hour is encouraged. However, in Poland, the Tusk government is moving in the opposite direction.
Satisfaction without enthusiasm. The post-Paglia era is an unknown quantity
While the departure of Monsignor Paglia is certainly a cause for satisfaction, those called to replace him do not guarantee the intention to return the Pontifical Academy for Life and the John Paul II Institute to their origins.
‘Standing outside abortion clinics is about freedom for everyone’
‘In the United Kingdom, freedom of expression is under threat, but facing legal action gave me the chance to express my faith, and I am grateful for the support and prayers of so many people.’ Livia Tossici Bolt, the Italian-British scientist who was recently convicted for protesting near an abortion clinic, speaks to the Daily Compass.
Duka: Countering gender ideology is a priority for new Pope
The Archbishop Emeritus of Prague discusses evangelisation and the revival of catechesis. He also addresses the pressing issues facing Leo XIV, including the Chinese dossier, the German synodal drift, and rainbow ideologies, which he views as an extension of communism.
