POPE FRANCIS

Pope Francis said that after retirement, he would not return to his native Argentina nor stay in Vatican. He said, he would like to find a church in Rome band continue hearing confessions. In an interview with Spanish broadcaster TelevisaUnivision, Pope Francis said, "I'm the bishop of Rome, in this case the emeritus bishop of Rome". He has always shown interest in hearing confessions and visiting the sick at hospitals.

Discarding age-old Catholic traditions, Pope Francis on February 6 designated a woman - Sister Nathalie Becquart - as an undersecretary of the synod of bishops. Besides, Becquart will be the first woman to exercise voting rights in the Church's decision-making body. Reportedly, previous synod sessions had witnessed a rise in the number of women participating as experts and listeners. Becquart's appointment and plausibility of participating in… read-more

Pope Francis has altered age-old canon laws to officially allow laywomen to become altar servers and readers during public worships. Citing the move as ‘need of the time’ in his letter, Pope has clarified that the amendment would curb the Bishop’s power to prevent women in performing rituals. Meanwhile, the Pope’s decision came in light with the 2016-created second commission which provisioned possibility of women appointed as deacons.

In a letter to bishops conferences, Vatican Liturgy Office head Cardinal Robert Sarah has stressed for resumption of in-person Masses as soon as anti-COVID measures permit. He stated that "physical presence by the faithful in churches was vital, indispensable, irreplaceable.” The Vatican also opined that government authorities cannot interfere in liturgical practices as the Pope Francis has given approval to the content of the letter.