Pope Francis has named two experienced journalists to lead the Vatican press office.
Greg Burke, from St Louis in the United States, will succeed Fr Federico Lombardi, who retires after 10 years as head of the press office.
Spanish journalist Paloma García Ovejero will fill in Mr Burke’s spot as vice director, making her the first woman to hold the position.
Mr Burke served as special communications adviser in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State from 2012 before he was named by Pope Francis as the vice director of the press office last December.
A graduate of Columbia University’s school of journalism and a numerary member of Opus Dei, Mr Burke spent 24 of his past 28 years based in Rome as a journalist – with the National Catholic Register, Time magazine and the Fox News network.
Mgr Dario Viganò, prefect of the Secretariat of Communications, paid tribute to Fr Lombardi’s service and his “ecclesial vision”.
Ms García Ovejero, who worked as the Italy and Vatican correspondent for Spanish radio broadcaster Cadena COPE, downplayed her role as the first female vice director of the press office, saying that the first women who served the Church “were the ones who found the empty tomb and proclaimed the Resurrection to the Apostles”.
“I am in no way the first woman. The first woman above all in the Church, in the Vatican and in the press office, is the Virgin Mary,” she told CNS.
She said the post was “another way of serving the Church”.
Pope’s trip to Azerbaijan to include Armenia peace plea
Pope Francis will meet Orthodox, Muslim and Jewish leaders during his three-day visit to Georgia and Azerbaijan.
During his September 30-October 2 trip, the Pope will also meet Chaldean Catholics in Georgia. The visit, his 16th outside Italy, will include two Masses as well as meetings with heads of state, religious leaders and local faithful, according to a schedule released this week.
He will also meet civil authorities in both countries, particularly in Azerbaijan, which has been in a situation of tension with Armenia since 1988 over control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian area of Azerbaijan. During his return flight to Rome from Armenia, the Pope said he hoped to promote peace between the two countries, saying he would tell the people of Azerbaijan “that not making peace over a little piece of land – which is not a big deal – is something dark”.
“I say this to all the Armenians and the Azerbaijanis: possibly, they can’t agree on the ways of making peace, and on this they need to work. But I don’t know what else to say. I will say what comes to my heart at the time, but always in a positive way, seeking viable solutions that work,” the Pope said.
Mosaic restored after 900 years
An Italian team has completed a restoration of Crusader-era mosaics in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
The work involved removing centuries of soot and dirt at a site traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus.
The team, from the Piacenti Restoration Centre, discovered a seventh mosaic of a golden angel in addition to the six they already knew existed.
About 1.55 million mosaic pieces were reviewed and restored.
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.