Vatican - capitaltimesnews.com

CapitalTimesNews / 2 months

2 min read

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi paid tribute to the late Pope Francis at the Vatican in Rome, where thousands of Catholic faithful gathered to bid farewell to the pontiff. Obi was joined by Cardinal Francis Arinze at the solemn lying-in-state ceremony. In a statement, Obi described Pope Francis as “a moral light in a world darkened by inequality and indifference.” He added, “His life was a testament to leadership as a sacred duty, one rooted in compassion, truth, and service to the poor and marginalized.” Obi revealed that he had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis on three occasions, each leaving a lasting impression. “He radiated peace and inspired faith, and his presence was a quiet yet powerful reminder of the divine responsibility that leadership entails,” Obi said. The former governor of Anambra State also shared his experience as a member of Scholars Occultantes, an international circle of thinkers founded by Pope Francis. “The organisation, dedicated to truth, ethical leadership, and social transformation, gave me a deeper insight into the intellectual and moral force behind his teachings,” Obi explained. Obi urged leaders to reflect on Pope Francis’ life and commit to the values he upheld. “Let this moment not just be one of mourning, but a call to lead with conscience, walk with the people, and govern with love,” he said. “May Pope Francis’ soul rest in perfect peace, and may his legacy live on in all who seek to serve humanity selflessly.”

THEODORE McCARRICK, FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON, DIES AT 94

CapitalTimesNews / 3 months

2 min read

Theodore McCarrick, the former Archbishop of Washington who was accused of sexually abusing minors and adults, has died at the age of 94, according to a statement by his successor, Cardinal Robert McElroy. McCarrick passed away on April 3, 2025, at the Vianney Renewal Center in Dittmer, Missouri. Cardinal McElroy expressed his thoughts for the victims of McCarrick’s abuse, saying, “At this moment I am especially mindful of those who he harmed during the course of his priestly ministry… Through their enduring pain, may we remain steadfast in our prayers for them and for all victims of sexual abuse.” McCarrick was ordained a priest in 1958 and went on to become Archbishop of Newark from 1986 to 2000 before being appointed Archbishop of Washington DC. He was made a cardinal in 2001. However, his career was marred by allegations of sexual misconduct, which led to his resignation from the College of Cardinals in 2018 and his dismissal from the priesthood by the Vatican in 2019. The Vatican report into the McCarrick case found that the late Pope John Paul II had appointed McCarrick Archbishop of Washington, DC, and a cardinal despite being made aware of the allegations of misconduct with adults. The report also found that by 2000, the Vatican was aware that McCarrick had been accused of sexual misconduct with a priest and was known for sharing his bed with young adult men and trainee priests. McCarrick was later criminally charged with three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, but he was deemed not fit to stand trial due to dementia in 2023.

POPE FRANCIS RESTING AFTER BREATHING CRISIS IN HOSPITAL

CapitalTimesNews / 4 months

1 min read

Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized in Rome for two weeks, experienced a brief but alarming breathing crisis on Friday, the Vatican has confirmed. The 88-year-old pontiff, who is being treated for pneumonia in both lungs, vomited during the episode, which caused a sudden worsening of his respiratory condition. Fortunately, the crisis was short-lived, and the pope spent a peaceful night, according to a Vatican statement. On Saturday, he was resting and had eaten breakfast, including a cup of coffee. The Vatican has been providing regular updates on the pope’s health, and while this latest development is concerning, officials say his condition is no longer considered critical. Pope Francis has been hospitalized since February 14, initially for bronchitis, which later developed into pneumonia. The pope’s age and underlying health conditions, including a chronic respiratory disease, make his recovery more challenging. However, he has shown slight improvements in recent days, and his doctors are monitoring his progress closely. Despite his health issues, Pope Francis has remained active, working from his hospital suite and participating in breathing exercises. His hospitalization has not stopped him from carrying out his duties, and he has continued to receive visitors and perform his papal duties.

POPE FRANCIS REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION WITH RESPIRATORY AND KIDNEY PROBLEMS

CapitalTimesNews / 4 months

2 min read

Pope Francis remains in a critical condition with respiratory and kidney problems, more than a week after being admitted to hospital, the Vatican has announced. According to a statement released on Monday morning, the Pope had a good night’s rest and is currently resting. The Vatican statement said, “The night went well, the Pope slept and is resting.” This update comes after Sunday’s statement revealed that the Pope was still receiving high-flow oxygen therapy and had undergone blood transfusions. Blood tests also showed that he had “initial, mild, renal insufficiency” – a kidney problem – that is “currently under control”. The Pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 after experiencing breathing difficulties for several days. He was initially treated for bronchitis before being diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. On Sunday, the Pope’s thrombocytopenia – a condition characterized by low platelet count in the blood – was stable, the statement said. The Pope participated in the Holy Mass on Sunday morning, together with those taking care of him during his hospital stay. The Vatican did not offer a prognosis, citing the “complexity of the clinical picture”. On Saturday, the Vatican announced that the Pope had experienced a respiratory crisis and was in a “critical” condition. However, a later update on Sunday revealed that he had “not presented any further respiratory crises”. Earlier on Sunday, the Pope issued a statement asking Catholics to pray for him, as he was unable to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer in person for the second consecutive week. The pontiff is particularly susceptible to pneumonia due to his medical history, having contracted pleurisy as a young man and undergoing a partial lung removal. This is not the Pope’s first hospitalization, as he has been admitted multiple times during his 12-year tenure, including being treated for bronchitis at the same hospital in March 2023.

POPE FRANCIS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER ASTHMATIC RESPIRATORY CRISIS

CapitalTimesNews / 4 months

1 min read

Pope Francis is in critical condition after suffering a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen, the Vatican announced on Saturday. The 88-year-old Pope, who has been hospitalized for a week with a complex lung infection, also received blood transfusions after tests showed a condition associated with anemia. “The Holy Father continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday. At the moment the prognosis is reserved,” the Vatican said in a late update. Earlier, doctors reported that Francis was battling pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection, which they described as touch-and-go. The Pope is expected to remain hospitalized for at least another week. Despite the Pope’s absence, the Vatican carried on with its Holy Year celebrations on Saturday. In an earlier update, the Vatican reported that Francis slept well overnight. The Pope’s health has been a concern in recent years, and his hospitalization has sparked widespread concern among Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

POPE FRANCIS NAMES FIRST WOMAN TO HEAD MAJOR VATICAN OFFICE

Nicolas Adekeye / 6 months
0
2 min read

Pope Francis on Monday named the first woman to head a major Vatican office, appointing an Italian nun, Sister Simona Brambilla, to become prefect of the department responsible for all the Catholic Church’s religious orders.The appointment marks a major step in Pope Francis’ aim to give women more leadership roles in governing the church. While women have been named to number two spots in some Vatican offices, never before has a woman been named prefect of a dicastery or congregation of the Holy See Curia, the central governing organ of the Catholic Church.The historic nature of Brambilla’s appointment was confirmed by Vatican Media, which headlined its report: “Sister Simona Brambilla is the first woman prefect in the Vatican.” The office is one of the most important in the Vatican. Known officially as the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, it is responsible for every religious order, from the Jesuits and Franciscans to smaller newer movements.In an indication of the novelty of the appointment and the theological implications involved, the pope simultaneously named as a co-leader, or pro-prefect, a cardinal, Ángel Fernández Artime, a Salesian.But the appointment, announced in the Vatican daily bulletin, lists Brambilla first as prefect and Fernández second as her co-leader, which theologically is necessary since the prefect must be able to celebrate Mass and perform other sacramental functions that currently can only be done by men.Brambilla, 59, is a member of the Consolata Missionaries religious order and had served as the number two in the religious orders department since last year. She takes over from the retiring Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, 77.Pope Francis made Brambilla’s appointment possible with his 2022 reform of the Holy See’s founding constitution, which allowed lay people, including women to head a dicastery and become prefects.Brambilla, a nurse, worked as a missionary in Mozambique and led her Consolata order as superior from 2011-2023, when Francis made her secretary of the religious orders department.Her appointment is the latest move by the pope to show by example, how women can take leadership roles within the Catholic hierarchy, albeit without allowing them to be ordained as priests.

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PETER OBI PAYS TRIBUTE TO LATE POPE FRANCIS AT THE VATICAN

THEODORE McCARRICK, FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON, DIES AT 94

POPE FRANCIS RESTING AFTER BREATHING CRISIS IN HOSPITAL

POPE FRANCIS REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION WITH RESPIRATORY AND KIDNEY PROBLEMS

POPE FRANCIS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER ASTHMATIC RESPIRATORY CRISIS

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