May
Ritual, symbol and a popemobile tour mark Leo’s inaugural Mass
Pope Leo XIV launched the celebration with a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy’s global reach.
Pope Leo’s Australian friend on a revolution in the Vatican
Father Tony Banks has known Bob Prevost for 44 years – including four trips to Australia – and thinks his friend will “take a serious look at the role of women in the church”.
First American pope urges church to ‘build bridges’
Cardinal Robert Prevost, elected the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has taken the name Pope Leo XIV.
‘They picked a good man’: The humble pope who took on Vance
Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was elected the new head of the Catholic Church, shares Pope Francis’ commitment to helping the poor and migrants.
Why Pope Leo XIV shouldn’t be a media star like Pope Francis
If he must speak out – after all, it’s in his job description – I’d also like him to speak out about the things on which late pontiff was largely silent.
Black smoke: No pope elected on cardinals’ first vote
Some cardinals said they’d hope to have a decision this week, but no pontiff has been elected on the first day of a conclave for centuries.
What ‘Conclave’ gets right, and wrong, about papal politics
How accurate is the Oscar-winning movie’s depiction of the vote for a new pope? Very. But not fully.
Trump posts image of himself as Pope
The idea of ‘Pope Trump’, as some called it, was immediately polarising. Some Catholics did not see the humour in it.
Nazi gold, organised crime: New pope faces unholy financial crisis
The late pontiff sought to battle corruption, but his successor faces a steep challenge in balancing the books.
April
Journalist Paul Kelly repents over Conclave quote error
It’s hardly a cardinal sin, but The Australian’s veteran scribe has put one of Ralph Fiennes’ key lines in the mouth of Father Frank Brennan.
Cardinal convicted over London property scandal drops out of conclave
Angelo Becciu, 76, withdrew from the secretive Vatican meeting after reportedly being shown requests signed by the late Pope Francis saying he should not vote.
Hushed chats, willful snubs: Geopolitics on show at Pope’s funeral
Dozens of leaders from around the world gathered for the pontiff’s funeral, but all eyes were on Donald Trump to see who he would greet and who he might avoid.
Trump turns on Putin after Vatican meeting with Zelensky
The president’s comments come after he met Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky at the pope’s funeral in that was described as a “very productive discussion”.
Trump, Zelensky meet in Rome as Pope Francis buried
World leaders and hundreds of thousands of Catholic faithful farewelled the pontiff in a funeral that highlighted his concern for the most marginalised.
Australia’s lone Cardinal in Rome for Pope’s funeral
Melbourne-based Cardinal Mykola Bychok will also participate in the conclave to select a new pope.
Pope Francis often criticised Trump. He knew how to charm him, too
Fundamental differences between the two men led to some fiery public clashes. But both knew how to excite a crowd – and popularity is a currency Trump respects.
MAGA Catholics move to take back control of the church
A growing number of Americans hope that Pope Francis’ death will mark a decisive conservative shift for the papacy.
Favourites jostle in multimillion-dollar papal betting market
Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has a 26 per cent chance of becoming the next pope, according to prediction markets.
Pope Francis brought humanity but leaves a church in decline
Modelling a different kind of leadership to that of his predecessors, Francis intended to break the cycle of decay. What unfolded next was very different.
Who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral?
Cardinals met at the Vatican on Tuesday to schedule proceedings, and plan the conclave to elect his successor, as world leaders prepared to pay their respects.