What happened?
The Vatican’s communications chief has resigned after being accused of manipulating a letter from Benedict XVI. Mgr Dario Viganò had asked Benedict to endorse a series of books on the theology of Pope Francis. Benedict declined, criticising the choice of authors. Mgr Viganò partially concealed these sections – his staff blurred the photograph – instead quoting Benedict’s more positive words. Mgr Viganò said the furore had “destabilised” his reform efforts.
What the media are saying
The story “did not look good,” said Jason Horowitz in the New York Times. Especially given that Pope Francis “released a major document in January condemning ‘fake news’ ”. Horowitz observed: “Even by the Vatican’s minimal standards of transparency, doctoring the letter of a retired pope to make him seem more supportive of his successor turns out to be a bit much.”
Nicole Winfield of Associated Press said that “Benedict objected to one of the authors in the volume [Peter Hünermann] because he had been a long-time critic of Benedict and St John Paul II.” Because Viganò removed this passage, his “effort to show papal continuity effectively backfired. Benedict’s harsh criticism of Hünermann laid bare the differences in theological approaches of the two popes.”
What Catholic media are saying
Unanswered questions remain, said Andrea Tornielli at Vatican Insider. “Had Viganò chosen to disclose a private letter, omitting parts of it, without informing its author ?” Tornielli also observed that Mgr Viganò had been a powerful figure: “In June 2015 he had received a full mandate and a free hand from the Pontiff – who had always defended him – to implement the restructuring of the Vatican media.”
At the National Catholic Register, Edward Pentin said that the resignation was unusual, given how many officials have survived – including those who appointed “pro-abortion or pro-contraception academics to the Pontifical Academy for Life” and the unknown official “who gave a papal knighthood to a militant Dutch pro-abortion politician”.
✣Taiwan fears that Holy See may cut ties
What happened?
Taiwanese Catholics are increasingly concerned about a possible diplomatic agreement between China and the Holy See. The deal could force the Church to cut diplomatic ties with the smaller state. China views Taiwan as a rebel province. About 20 countries have full ties with Taiwan: the Vatican is the most high-profile one.
Why was it under-reported
The country’s situation is little understood and is something of a diplomatic curiosity: it uses the title “Republic of China”, and in diplomatic scenarios it asks to be referred to as “China”, although it is a nation of 20m compared to China’s 1.4bn. China is ramping up the pressure. A source quoted a senior member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an influential advisory body, as saying: “Once Taiwan loses the Holy See then the only people left recognising them will be pointless islands no one has ever heard of.”
What will happen next?
Taiwan is putting a brave face on the situation. Earlier this month its premier, Lai Ching-te, said the agreement on bishops would not mean that diplomatic relations will be changed.And the president, Tsai Ing-wen, recently expressed the hope that Pope Francis would one day visit Taiwan.But China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, without specifically referring to the Vatican, has urged Taiwan’s allies to establish “diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China”. Reuters quoted him as saying that this was “obviously the correct choice”.
✣The week ahead
Pope Francis will publish an apostolic exhortation on holiness on Easter Monday. Its impending arrival was announced by French Catholic publishers Téqui earlier this month. At a general audience in 2014 the Pope said: “When the Lord invites us to become saints, he doesn’t call us to something heavy, sad … quite the contrary. It’s an invitation to share in his joy.”
Francis will preside over the Easter Vigil in St Peter’s Basilica this Saturday, starting at 8.30pm Rome time. The Pontiff will celebrate morning Mass on Easter Sunday, followed by his annual Urbi et Orbi address and blessing.
A new Divine Mercy shrine will be inaugurated at Sacred Heart Church in Morriston, Swansea, next Sunday. Bishop Tom Burns of Menevia will preside over the service, which will include Confessions, Mass and veneration of a first-class relic of St Faustina Kowalska (the Polish nun whose visions led to the Divine Mercy image).
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