Italy
Francis cardinals make up almost half of electors of next pope
By Thomas Reese — May 22, 2018
(RNS) — Pope Francis continues to remake the College of Cardinals so that almost half of the men who will choose his successor have been chosen by him.
Beyond Halloween: Witches, devils, trials and executions
By Thomas Reese — October 24, 2017
(RNS) — As Halloween approaches, the Rev. David Collins, a Jesuit professor of history at Georgetown University, takes us back to a time in European history when witches were persecuted and executed by society.
Italy uses imams in prisons to deter extremism among inmates
By Frances D'Emilio — July 12, 2017
(AP) — Italy has relied mostly on arresting and deporting suspected extremists to try to keep the country safe from terrorism. But the Italian government has come to embrace prevention, too, especially in the prisons it doesn't want to become training grounds for potential extremists.
In the shadow of St. Peter’s, a Mormon temple rises
By Josephine McKenna — June 8, 2017
ROME (RNS) The LDS church has an estimated 26,000 members in Italy; its members are young and they're growing.
London attacker’s mother blames internet for son’s radicalization
By Reuters — June 6, 2017
ROME (Reuters) The mother of the Italian-Moroccan jihadi who helped carry out a deadly attack in London last week said on Tuesday she had tried to keep her son from falling under the sway of Islamic State ideology, but the internet and his London friends changed him.
Steven Spielberg movie to examine notorious Catholic kidnapping of Jewish boy
By Josephine McKenna — February 23, 2017
BOLOGNA, Italy (RNS) The film is certain to cast fresh light on this real-life drama about a 6-year-old forced from his family and raised as a Catholic with the blessing of Pope Pius IX. The child grew up to become a priest.
Italian prisoners honor Pope Francis with flash mob dance
By Josephine McKenna — December 1, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The 'Pope is Pop' Zumba routine by dozens of prisoners highlighted the pontiff's calls for prison reform and greater acceptance of the world’s migrants.
Parallel lives? Trump and Berlusconi
By Massimo Faggioli — November 12, 2016
(RNS) Similarities to Italy’s former prime minister should make Trump-supporting Christians nervous.
New earthquake rocks Italy, buildings collapse but no deaths reported
By RNS staff — October 30, 2016
NORCIA, Italy (Reuters) Panicked Norcia residents rushed into the streets and the town's ancient Basilica of St. Benedict collapsed, leaving just the facade standing.
A McDonald’s at the Vatican? Cardinals aren’t lovin’ it
By Josephine McKenna — October 18, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) They say a fast-food joint in the shadow of St. Peter's would defile the area's character and Rome's culinary tradition. Plus, a Hard Rock Cafe store near the Holy See is in the works.
Vatican daily paper sees missed opportunity in Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize
By Josephine McKenna — October 14, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) An editorial in the daily, L’Osservatore Romano, praised Dylan for his 'very great talent' yet expressed doubt about whether the songwriter really deserved the same plaudits as contemporary literary writers.
Who is the archbishop Pope Francis sends into the streets to help Rome’s migrants?
By Josephine McKenna — October 5, 2016
ROME (RNS) He is Konrad Krajewski, 'Don Corrado,' as he is known, and he is nothing like a typical Vatican official. But there's only so much even he, and the pontiff, can do to help these refugees.
Pope Francis makes surprise visit to quake zone
By Josephine McKenna — October 4, 2016
ROME (RNS) 'From the first moment, I felt that I needed to come to you! Simply to express my closeness to you, nothing more,' the pontiff told survivors in an emotional meeting in the devastated town of Amatrice.
Faith-based volunteers help search for quake victims in Italy
By Josephine McKenna — August 25, 2016
ROME (RNS) 'Everything is destroyed,' says a local bishop.
Pope expresses ‘heartfelt sorrow’ over earthquake
By Josephine McKenna — August 24, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis, saddened by an earthquake that struck central Italy overnight, canceled a speech he was to have given at his general audience and instead prayed with the crowd for victims and survivors.
