Behind the scenes of a papal press conference
At Crux, CNN’s Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher lifted the lid on papal press conferences. The journalists are split into five language groups, Gallagher explained: Italian, English, French, Spanish and German. “Each group must agree on one or two questions for the Pope.”
Journalists debate which question to ask. In the English-speaking group, it’s the more Catholic-specific questions which get left behind – reporters want big headlines, so they ask about immigration or Donald Trump. “For several papal trips now, a question to the Pope on the ‘dubia’ has been proposed, referring to the critical questions posed to Francis by four cardinals about his document Amoris Laetitia.” Journalists are increasingly interested in the dubia, says Gallagher, but “so far” the “more liberal Catholics” in the press pack have blocked the question: they “think it’s a fringe issue”.
Meanwhile, secular journalists “fear that the topic would not make a big enough headline”.
What drives the young men filling seminaries?
At Cincinnati.com, Dan Horn visited a local seminary, Mount St Mary’s, which reflects a growing trend of rising numbers in US seminaries.
“Enrolment plummeted from about 200 in the 1960s to less than 40 in 2011. Then something changed.” Numbers rose sharply in 2012 and have more than doubled in the past five years.
Horn said that the younger seminarians have “embraced the notion they are taking on a secular world that’s sometimes hostile to their beliefs. They see themselves as part of a counter-culture movement, pushing back against consumerism, greed and other forces.”
“They came from that culture. They lived in that culture,” says seminary director Fr Benedict O’Cinnsealaigh. “They know that culture doesn’t have the answers they were looking for.”
Twelve Days of secret catechesis? Well, no
You’ll often be told that “Twelve Days of Christmas” was composed by recusant English Catholics in the difficult years after the Reformation, as an underground work of catechesis: “10 lords a-leaping” is a symbol for the 10 Commandments, and so on.
But at ncregister.com. Steven Greydanus was sceptical. There are no surviving documents which support the legend. Moreover, the Commandments and almost all the other supposedly hidden doctrines were held by Anglicans. (The sole exception is the seven sacraments.) Also, “virtually every idea of Catholic theology that was controverted by Anglicans is absent from the ‘underground catechism’ interpretations” – there’s no possible reference to the papacy, for instance.
✣ The Belvedere Palace in the Vatican is being repainted – with milk from the Pope’s own cows.
The milk, from cows at the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo, is mixed with slaked lime and natural pigments, and hand-patted on to the walls of the 15th-century villa. “We’re not nostalgic for the past,” the Vatican’s chief architect, Vitale Zanchettin, told CNN. “The point is that we think these solutions age better. They are tried and tested.” The palace houses art from the Vatican Museums. Barbara Jatta, museums director, said their choices were guided by Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’.
✣ A news programme delivered entirely in Latin has been saved after a global outcry.
Finland’s YLE radio broadcasts the show, Nuntii Latini, each week, but planned to drop it. It reversed its decision after receiving 3,000 letters of protest – some in fluent Latin.
✣ Jay-Z has appeared in the confessional in a surreal new video release.
The rapper’s occasionally explicit video, “Family Feud”, appears to relate to his guilt about marital infidelity. He told the New York Times that he has not always been faithful to his wife, singer Beyoncé. A teaser for the video shows Jay-Z’s face next to a grille and Beyoncé on the other side.
✣The week in quotations
A uniform worldwide solution is not possible Cardinal Kasper on married priests La Croix international
Church of the Holy Land, don’t be frightened by poverty and insecurity Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa Christmas homily in Bethlehem
Let us take pride in our Christian heritage Prime Minister Theresa May Christmas message
Without Jesus, there is no Christmas. It’s some other celebration Pope Francis at his general audience CNS
✣Statistic of the week
28 Percentage of Poles who say religion is very important in their lives Source: Pew
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.