“Simply untrue” and “utterly false” were two of the comments by Vatican officials as they strongly denied reports that a commission was set up to examine the possibility of an “ecumenical Mass” which would allow Catholics and Protestants to celebrate a shared Eucharist. This fake news was denied by both Archbishop Arthur Roche, the number two official at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and by Greg Burke, director of the Holy See Press Office.

Church teaching prevents Catholics and other Christian denominations from sharing communion, although shared ecumenical services are quite common. According to the Church’s canon law and the 1993 Ecumenical Directory there are certain cases of emergency or “grave necessity” in which “intercommunion” is possible.

Appeal to include ‘climate refugees’

Colombian superior general Fr Kevin O’Neill said there should be the recognition of what he des­cribed as “climate refugees”. Fiji and other low-lying Pacific islands face the possibility of extinction because of climate change. Under current international law, people who have to locate themselves because of climate change are not covered by the standard definition or category of refugees.

Colombans have been present in Fiji for over 60 years and know intimately the impacts of climate change on small island states in the Pacific, Fr O’Neill  continued.

He also said Columbans would commit to “individual and institutional lifestyle changes and policies” in order to reduce their environmental impact and advance their “reconciliation with all of God’s Creation”.

Francis had voted for Benedict

In a new book based on an interview with Hernán Reyes Alcaide, Pope Francis revealed he had supported Cardinal Joseph Rat­zinger in the 2005 conclave and urg­ed fellow cardinals to do the same.

“Notwithstanding the action of the Holy Spirit that acts in the conclave, at that moment in history the only man with the stature, the wisdom and the necessary experience to be elected was Ratzinger,” Pope Francis said in the interview.

“Otherwise there existed the danger of electing a ‘compromise pope’. And electing a ‘compromise pope’ is not very Gospel-like.”

In his interview, the Pope said he had shared the view of Uru­guayan historian Alberto Methol Ferré that “it wasn’t the moment for a Latin-American pope and that Ratzinger was the most suitable candidate”.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)