Vatican Denies Claims That The Pope Stayed Silent During Argentina's 'Dirty War'

Vatican Press Secretary, Fr Tom Rosica, said the accusations must be "firmly and clearly denied" (Photo shows Pope supporters in St Peter's Square)

Vatican Denies Dirty War Allegations Against Pope -- BBC

The Vatican has denied that Pope Francis failed to speak out against human rights abuses during military rule in his native Argentina.

"There has never been a credible, concrete accusation against him," said Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, adding he had never been charged.

The spokesman blamed the accusations on "anti-clerical left-wing elements that are used to attack the Church".

Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, led Argentina's Jesuits under the junta.

Correspondents say that like other Latin American churchmen of the time, he had to contend, on the one hand, with a repressive right-wing regime and, on the other, a wing of his Church leaning towards political activism on the left.

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More News On The Vatican Hitting Back At Claims That The Pope Stayed Silent During Argentina's Dirty War

Vatican hits back at claims pope stayed silent during Dirty War -- The Telegraph
Vatican defends Pope Francis against Argentina ‘dirty war’ allegations -- Washington Post
Vatican denies claim that Pope Francis failed to protect Argentina priests -- CNN
Vatican denies Pope ‘Dirty War’ claims -- Financial Times
Vatican lashes out at ‘anti-clerical left-wing’ campaign against pope over Argentina’s ‘dirty war’ actions -- Toronto Star/AP
Pope Francis’s defense against the worst allegation about his role in the dirty war -- Max Fisher, Washington Post
Were Pope Francis' Hands Clean During Argentina's "Dirty War"? -- Abby Ohlheiser, Slate

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio From Argentina Elected Pope, Takes Name Pope Francis I

'Pray For Me,' 76-Year-Old Argentinian Jorge Bergoglio Asks The World As He Is Announced As 266th Pontiff... To Be Named Francis I -- Daily Mail

* Electors sent up white smoke at 6pm GMT indicating that a new Pope had been chosen after two days of voting
* New Pontiff unveiled as Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, taking title Pope Francis I
* Pope Francis appeared before thriving crowds on the balcony of St.Peter's Basilica at 7pm GMT
* He is the first non-European Pope and also the first Jesuit Pope having spent his life in Argentinian capital

The new Pope has been unveiled as Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who will take the name Pope Francis I.

The 76-year-old was welcomed by tens of thousands of overjoyed Catholics in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City after his election was revealed this afternoon at 6pm GMT when white smoke poured out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

Pope Francis becomes the first South American Pontiff and the first Jesuit to hold the title.

His South American origin - also making him the first non-European Pope - is a significant move for the Church, taking the Papacy to a continent in which 42 per cent of the world's Catholics live.

Known as an avid reformer, he becomes the third non-Italian Pope in a row, having being born and spent his life in the Argentinian capital.

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More News On Pope Francis I

Pope Francis I elected: Live -- BBC
Live Updates: Day Two of the Papal Conclave -- Voice of America
Papal conclave in the Vatican - watch live -- The Telegraph
Live Video: Waiting for a Pope -- New York Times
Papal conclave day two: black smoke indicates no decision yet – live -- The Guardian
Papal conclave Live -- Reuters
Live Report: Papal conclave begins -- AFP
The selection of Pope Francis I: Live -- CNN
Live Updates – Papal Conclave -- Voice of America
Live coverage of day two of papal conclave -- Washington Post
Live feed as cardinals deliberate for second day to elect new pope -- Herald Sun
No pope yet: More black smoke on second day of papal conclave (LIVE BLOG) -- Global Post
Papal conclave Live: Faithful wait in St Peter’s square waiting for White smoke -- First Post
Papal Conclave 2013 live stream and TV info: Sistine Chapel smoke cam online (Video) -- Examiner

Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio elected Pope -- BBC
Argentina's Bergoglio elected as new pope -- Reuters
Argentine Jorge Bergoglio elected Pope Francis -- AP
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina elected pope, takes name Pope Francis -- Washington Post
Argentina's Cardinal Bergoglio Elected Pope -- Wall Street Journal
Pope Francis hails from Argentina -- NBC
The New Pope: Bergoglio of Argentina -- New York Times
New pope elected after two days of conclave -- The Guardian
Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio Becomes Pope Francis -- Voice of America
Pope Francis I: Cardinals chose 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church -- CBS
With a Wave, Pope Francis Makes Debut -- ABC News
Pope Francis: the humble pontiff with practical approach to poverty -- The Guardian
New Argentine Pope Faces Church Splits -- Wall Street Journal
CNN Vatican analyst: Pope Francis' name 'precedent shattering' -- CNN
Francis is first pope from the Americas -- AP
Argentina, Latin America react with joy at first pope from the hemisphere -- Washington Post/AP
Profile: Pope Francis I -- BBC

BREAKING NEWS: A New Pope Has Been Selected -- Live Video And Updates

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Live Updates: Day Two of the Papal Conclave -- Voice of America
Papal conclave in the Vatican - watch live -- The Telegraph
Live Video: Waiting for a Pope -- New York Times
Papal conclave day two: black smoke indicates no decision yet – live -- The Guardian
Papal conclave Live -- Reuters
Live Report: Papal conclave begins -- AFP
Live Updates – Papal Conclave -- Voice of America
Live coverage of day two of papal conclave -- Washington Post
Live feed as cardinals deliberate for second day to elect new pope -- Herald Sun
No pope yet: More black smoke on second day of papal conclave (LIVE BLOG) -- Global Post
Papal conclave Live: Faithful wait in St Peter’s square waiting for White smoke -- First Post
Papal Conclave 2013 live stream and TV info: Sistine Chapel smoke cam online (Video) -- Examiner

Meet The 20 Men Who Could Be Pope

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From Rome To Africa: Meet The 20 Men Who Could Be Pope -- NBC 

As the papal conclave begins in Rome, wrapped in mystery and secrecy, there is no indication that the 115 cardinals will be deciding between just a couple of front-runners in choosing a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.

Milan's Cardinal Angelo Scola and Brazil's Cardinal Odilo Scherer are names that keep cropping up on the lists of papabili, but NBC News Vatican analyst George Weigel says no fewer than 20 men could get votes when balloting starts Tuesday in the Sistine Chapel.

They come from the traditional bastions of Italy, from growth areas like sub-Saharan Africa, even from the United States. Only time — and a puff of white smoke — will reveal which one will emerge as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

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My Comment: An interesting collection of cardinals .... but no one can say with certainty who will be the next Pope.

Papal Conclave Begins -- Live Reports And A News Roundup

'Pray For The Cardinals To Elect The Right Pope': Vatican Holds Last Mass Before Papal Election Which Could Deliver Result By 8pm Tonight -- Daily Mail

* Conclave to get under way in Sistine Chapel as church faces upheaval and uncertainty not seen in decades
* Catholics rudderless as there is no front-runner and no sense a single man has what it takes to fix problems
* Cardinals offer wildly different views over next pontiff and how close they were to a decision on eve of vote
* World's 1.2billion Catholics still in turmoil after Benedict XVI's shock resignation last month for health reasons
* 115 cardinals who are eligible to vote started the day with a mass in St Peter's Basilica at 10am local time
* They will enter Sistine Chapel at 4.30pm, intoning Gregorian chant imploring saints to help guide their voting
* They will then lock themselves inside until one candidate receives at least 77 votes required for victory

Cardinals heard a final appeal for unity today before the conclave to elect the next pope as they celebrated Mass with the Catholic Church facing more upheaval and uncertainty than it has seen in decades.

As a Gregorian chant filled St Peter's Basilica, the 115 cardinal electors filed in wearing bright red vestments, many looking grim as if the burden of the imminent vote was weighing on them.

A few hundred people braved thunderstorms and pouring rain to watch the Mass on giant TV screens in St Peter's Square. A handful knelt in prayer, eyes clenched and hands clasped.

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More News On The Papal Election

Watch live: papal conclave -- The Telegraph
Papal conclave chooses new pope – day one: live coverage -- The Guardian
Live: Papal Conclave to elect new Pope begins in Vatican -- First Post
Complete BBC Coverage -- BBC
Cardinals hold Vatican conclave to elect new Pope: Live. -- The Telegraph

Cardinals head to conclave to elect pope for troubled Church -- Reuters
Conclave ceremonies underway at the Vatican -- L.A. Times
Cardinals celebrate Mass before entering conclave -- AP
Cardinals gather to elect new pope -- Al Jazeera
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel masterpieces frame papal vote -- Reuters
The election of a pope follows carefully choreographed rules and rituals -- Washington Post
Papal conclave has tight structure, uncertain length -- Washington Post
Ritual and Secrecy Surround Conclave -- New York Times
Inside the Conclave: How the cardinals choose a new pope -- MSNBC
Schedule of voting during the papal conclave -- AP
Cardinals Gather to Choose New Pope -- Voice of America
The oath sworn by cardinals before papal vote -- AP
Secrets of the papal conclave -- CBS
Graphic: how a new Pope is chosen -- The Telegraph
Infographic: Picking new Pope from 'Papabili' -- Al Jazeera
Choose your own pope – with our interactive Pontifficator -- The Guardian

Pope Benedict’s Last Day As Pontiff In 90 Seconds

From The Washington Post: Elizabeth Tenety, editor of The Washington Post’s blog “On Faith,” describes Pope Benedict XVI’s final day as the leader of the Catholic Church, and his departure from Vatican City to his temporary new home in Castel Gandolfo.

Pope Benedict XVI Leaves Vatican For Final Time

Benedict XVI Leaves Vatican On Final Day As Pope -- BBC

Pope Benedict XVI has left the Vatican on his final day as Pope, saying he "will simply be a pilgrim" starting his last journey on earth.

The 85-year-old pontiff was flown by helicopter to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome.

At 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) he will officially cease to be the Pope.

His deputy, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, will be in charge of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics until a new pope is elected next month.

Earlier, Benedict met his cardinals, vowing "unconditional obedience and reverence" to his eventual successor.

He will become the first pontiff in 600 years to step down.

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More News On Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI resignation -- BBC Live
Pope Benedict XVI's final day: Live Report -- AFP
Pope Benedict XVI Last Day Live Streaming Online (VIDEO) (LIVE UPDATES) (PHOTOS) -- Huffington Post
Text of Pope Benedict XVI’s final public words as pontiff, delivered in Castel Gandolfo -- Washington Post/AP
Pope leaves Vatican before abdication -- Reuters
Pope Benedict quits Vatican with promise to obey successor -- Reuters
After Pledging Loyalty to Successor, Pope Leaves Vatican -- New York Times
Pope Benedict XVI says goodbye to the Vatican -- CBS/AP
'Thank you for your friendship': Benedict leaves Vatican for final time as pope -- NBC
'I am no longer the pope,' Benedict XVI says as he bids public farewell -- CNN
Benedict Departs Vatican, Pledges Obedience to Next Pope -- Voice of America
Pope Benedict XVI leaves Vatican for final time ahead of resignation -- FOX News
Benedict XVI leaves Vatican, issues final tweet -- USA Today
Pope Benedict XVI’s Legacy: Most Europeans Say He Was ‘Not Influential’ in New Poll -- Ollie John, Time

Vatican: Pope Benedict XVI To Step Aside On Feb. 28

Pope Benedict To Become First Pontiff In 600 Years To Resign -- FOX News

In a sudden announcement that caught Catholics around the world off guard, Pope Benedict XVI said he will resign at the end of February, becoming the first pontiff to step down in nearly 600 years.

The 85-year-old pontiff made the announcement Monday, saying he no longer had the strength to carry out his papal duties.

"After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry," the pope said according to a statement released by the Vatican.

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More News On Reports That Pope Benedict XVI To Resign On February 28

Pope Benedict XVI to resign Live -- Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI resigns – live reaction -- The Guardian
Pope Benedict XVI to resign: His announcement.
Pope Benedict XVI to step aside on Feb. 28, Vatican says -- NBC
Pope Benedict stepping down, cites poor health -- Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI to resign, citing age and waning energy -- Washington Post
Pope Benedict XVI Says He Will Resign -- New York Times
Pope Benedict XVI to Resign Papacy for Health Reasons -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation explained -- CNN

My Comment: I am not a Catholic (I am Russian Orthodox), but I am sensitive to the power of faith. Many in the Western world may have walked away from the Church .... but this is not the case in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The next Pope will be in a position to profoundly events in the world, and this why this blog will be following this news story very closely.

Israel Condemns Vatican’s ‘Concentration Camp’ Remarks

From The New York Times:

ROME — Tensions rose between the Vatican and Israel on Thursday after Israel condemned a high-ranking Vatican official for comparing the Gaza Strip to “a concentration camp.”

"Look at the conditions in Gaza: more and more, it resembles a big concentration camp,” Cardinal Renato Martino, the president of the Council for Justice and Peace, said in an interview published Wednesday in an online publication.

He defended his comments in the center-left daily newspaper La Repubblica on Thursday. While noting that Hamas rockets into Israel were “certainly not sugared almonds,” he called the situation in Gaza “horrific” and said conditions there went “against human dignity.”

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