Francis Rooney

Pope Benedict XVI’s humble and selfless resignation, effective February 28, should be seen as a fitting closure on a papacy that was quietly significant. When Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected in the 2005 conclave, many pundits viewed him as a temporary officeholder. Yet Benedict XVI fulfilled the legacy he set out for himself when choosing the name of the World War I pope… . Continue Reading »

The death of Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Papal Nuncio (the Vatican’s permanent diplomatic representative) to the United States for the last five years, is a great loss for the diplomatic community in Washington, D.C. Many would be hard-pressed to explain or appreciate the nature of Sambi’s work, but his passing is an opportune time to examine his importance in advancing the aims of the Holy See in global diplomacy… . Continue Reading »