Pope Francis in talks with Chilean bishops © Vatican Media (CBA)
Pope Francis has ended his three-day talks with Chile's bishops on how to deal with the abuse scandal there. At the conclusion, Francis handed each of the bishops a letter and announced personnel consequences.
On Tuesday, Angela Merkel embarked on her longest foreign trip to date: Until 20. In May, the German chancellor will visit various countries in Latin America, kicking off with a visit to Brazil. Human rights organizations in the country have high hopes for the visit – not least because of the renewed murders of activists and terror against the landless in recent times. There is even a bounty on one bishop's head. –
The Vatican is in the headlines. Critics call for abolition of world's smallest state in face of "Vatileaks" affair and rumors of corruption. Also in the gospel the Vatican is not provided for. But wait, says the catholic journalist Volker Resing in the our site interview. Europe needs this untimely bastion.
Surely the Vatican must always change as well. This is also necessary, but those who hope or believe that it will now perish are mistaken, I think. It would be a pity. I believe that the Vatican is a unique institution and that the Church can be glad to have such a leader.
But the fact is, the Vatican is in crisis. Even in Luther's time, history has taught that the renewal of the Church was accompanied by a crisis of the Vatican. Too cumbersome, too outdated, say critics even today. They also see it as an opportunity. Which then?
Federal Minister of Labor Ursula von der Leyen reportedly to become new Federal President. German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a strong case for her party colleague in the coalition round on Tuesday morning, agencies report, citing leading Union circles.
What is now needed is the approval of the FDP and its renunciation of its own candidate for the election on 30 September. June, it says today in the Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger. Bonn political scientist Gerd Langguth has also expressed sympathy for von der Leyen as head of household at Bellevue Palace. "She could hold office with a special human warmth," the professor at Bonn University told the "Passauer Neue Presse" newspaper. As a member of a "party with a C in its name," Saxony-Anhalt's Economics Minister Reiner Haseloff also wants to see "equality of opportunity between the sexes" preserved with von der Leyen's candidacy. She is "a classic conservative politician" because of her commitment to family policy, Haseloff told the "Mitteldeutsche Zeitung" newspaper. Von der Leyen has the ability to win over others and is therefore a good choice.
CSU also raises claims Ex-CSU leader Erwin Huber apparently wants to steer the discussion about filling the highest office of state in a completely different direction. He called on party leaders to think about "whether it might not be time for a CSU candidate after 60 years". The CSU has not yet provided a Federal President, but has played a major role in shaping Germany. This already gives rise to a certain claim to occupy this office one day, he told the "Passauer Neue Presse" – although without naming names. The Minister of Labor herself reacted rather reservedly on Tuesday evening on ZDF to the mention of her name for the high office. "It may be the time for speculation, but a good solution for this country must now be found under great time prere." And therefore it applies to them to be silent.
Symbolic image of abuse © Julian Stratenschulte
The Irish association for victims of abuse in Catholic educational institutions is calling for a meeting with the church leader on the occasion of Pope Francis' planned visit to Ireland in the summer.
Cardinal Karl Lehmann has criticized Pope Benedict XVI from the Protestant Church. rejected. If the Protestant side in Germany expresses the view that during Benedict XVI's term in office. If the bishops say that not much has happened yet in terms of ecumenism, this is "not only directed at the wrong address, but also does not apply in terms of content," the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference said in a newspaper interview over the weekend. "How is that now with the pill, the condoms?" In recent weeks, including after the pope's interview with German television stations, representatives of the Protestant Church in Germany had repeatedly criticized the church leader's commitment to ecumenical ies.
For decades, Canadian Jean Vanier helped people and did endless work for acceptance of the disabled. But after his death, a dark shadow now falls on the founder of Ark Communities.
The new interim leader of the Archdiocese of Santiago in Chile, Bishop Celestino Aos, met Friday with victims of sexual abuse by priests. He asked for apology for the violence suffered by the victims.
Things don't always have to be deadly serious at the Vatican, either: Journalist Greg Burke has kept his American sense of humor even in the Vatican. Now he becomes its deputy press secretary.
After the sharp criticism of Catholic bishops by Green politicians, Renate Kunast, parliamentary party leader of the Greens in the Bundestag, has called on the church to take a closer look at the social situation. At the same time, she stressed in an interview with the Catholic News Agency (KNA) in Berlin on Friday, church representatives must also face clear criticism when they say clear words. There is no "official bonus.