A sub-category of News.
We are still recovering from the announcement that revealed the name of the new Pope: the American Robert Francis Prevost, who has taken the name Leo XIV. From where I was positioned, although I could see the square and the balcony, I couldn’t hear the audio from the balcony very clearly. I only caught the…
Rome woke up under a leaden sky. As one might expect, many faithful pilgrims, and curious onlookers are still gathering in St. Peter’s Square, hoping to catch sight of the white smoke. This morning’s two ballots ended without a result. Yesterday, everyone was surprised by the delay in the smoke signal (black), which was perceived…
This morning before the first votes a big, dreary rain cloud was staring me in the face as I sat at the entrance to St. Peter’s Square. I was right next to the door of a bar inside which I can escape should it come pelting down. I can enter the bar whenever I would…
Above: Vienna Antonio Salieri’s name has often been overshadowed by myths—particularly those surrounding his supposed rivalry with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart († 1791). However, when Salieri passed away on May 7, 1825, he left behind a legacy far richer than these rumors suggest. Revered as a composer, conductor, and teacher, his influence on European music was…
Much has been said about the mercy of the late Pope Francis, as compared with the supposed rigidity of his two immediate predecessors. I will not draw comparisons here, nor will I pretend to judge these men on their merits. I wish to use the occasion to specify what work a moral teacher must do…
It is so much easier to destroy than to build. It takes barely a second and hardly any effort to tear something down; it requires no imagination, dedication, or moral perseverance. Watch a young child carefully build a crenellated castle out of blocks, an all-day labor of love, then proudly display his work to his…
Interview by Matt Gaspers This year marks the eighth anniversary of The Dictator Pope, a groundbreaking exposé in which you explain how Pope Francis’s election was sought and achieved by the St. Gallen Mafia, a group of progressive prelates led by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini (d. 2012). How successful do you think Francis was in…
Theresa Ickinger, a post-conciliar champion of the Faith active in many realms, spoke at one of my first Roman Forum meetings in the early 1970s. I cannot remember which of her battles she recounted to us, but I do recall that it took place in Philadelphia. She noted that after discussions with the church authorities…
With the Mass Pro Eligendo Pontifice in the morning and the procession of the Cardinals into the Sistine Chapel, the Conclave of May 7, 2025, officially begins. Cardinal Re, Dean of the Sacred College, gave a speech urging his fellow cardinals not to be guided by personal considerations. I imagine the Cardinals enter with minds…
A few days ago, Catholic and political social media started buzzing. As many Catholics picked up their beads, revisited novenas, and committed to extra prayers for the papal conclave, the White House and President Donald Trump’s official accounts shared an AI image of him dressed as pope. And of course, chaos ensued. The image seemed…
