"To be clear," Paul Fahey argues in this essay, "this is not a conservative or liberal problem. Cantalamessa is not chastising any particular political agenda. He is criticizing the subjugation of the Gospel to any ideology."

In his Good Friday homily this year, the preacher to the papal household warned the Church against division. He should have turned around and spoken to the greatest source of it, Pope Francis himself.

The priests who testified on Wednesday are Frs. Angelo Magistrelli, Enzo Pacelli, and Luigi Portarulo. They all appeared to cast doubt on the testimony of a key witness: former Saint Pius X seminarian Kamil Jarzembowski, whose claims regarding the climate and culture of the institution have contributed to public scrutiny and been a focal point of the criminal proceedings.

A statement on the website of the Crookston diocese says that Pope Francis has "asked for, and has now accepted" Bishop Hoeppner's resignation "after an extensive investigation."

When it comes to stepping on their own message, neither the pope nor the Vatican has need of the press corps’ help. This time, however, it's different.

Pope Francis noted the restrictions under which Christians in many parts of the world – owing to the pandemic and other reasons – are worshipping this Easter. “Once again this year,” Pope Francis said, “in various places many Christians have celebrated Easter under severe restrictions and, at times, without being able to attend liturgical celebrations.”

Pope Francis presides at the Stations of the Cross outside St. Peter’s Basilica, April 2, 2021. Image ©Vatican Media CNA Staff, Apr 2, 2021 / 03:00 pm MT (CNA).- Pope Francis led the Way of the Cross, featuring meditations prepared by children, at the Vatican on Good Friday evening. With Italy still facing coronavirus restrictions,

"Fomenting division," Cardinal Cantalamessa said, "is the work par excellence of the one whose name is diabolos -- that is, the divider."