Pope Benedict XVI during a Taizé prayer service with young peoplein St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Dec. 29 (Galazka photo) Even with 45,000 people — mostly young adults — gathered in St. Peter’s Square, one could hear the sound of splashing water from the square’s two decorative fountains. There was almost total quiet. [...]
Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles (CNS photos) As the Archdiocese of Los Angeles released Church records on clergy sexual abuse, Cardinal Roger Mahony again apologized to abuse victims, saying he was naive about its impact on their lives. The cardinal, who retired as archbishop of Los Angeles in 2011, also said in [...]
American cyclist Lance Armstrong in South Africa, pictured in a 2010 file photo. American cyclist Lance Armstrong’s admission to doping is just the tip of the iceberg, since high-stakes commercial interests pressure almost every professional cyclist into the illegal practice, said a Vatican official. “It’s a world that is rotten, all of cycling, even [...]
Benedict XVI greets Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, during a private audience at the Vatican January 22, 2013 (CNS photo) Warming diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Vietnam were strengthened further in January when Pope Benedict XVI met Nguyen Phu Trong, the first time a Pope had [...]
Cardinal Jozef Glemp of Warsaw, primate of the Catholic Church in Poland, during the final years of Communism and during the restoration of democracy. Retired Cardinal Jozef Glemp of Warsaw, who served as Primate of the Catholic Church in Poland during the final years of Communism and during the restoration of democracy, died January [...]
At press time, this case still had not been resolved, despite early reports that it would be resolved in days. This has reportedly cost the Vatican as much as 30,000 euros a day due to lost sales when tourists wished to pay with credit cards but had to use cash they did not have with them. [...]
The Pope’s Complete Address to “Cor Unum” on Saturday, January 19, Rome A stained glass window illustrating the parable of the Good Samaritan Dear friends, I welcome you all with great affection and joy on the occasion of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. I thank the president, Cardinal Robert Sarah, [...]
The Doni Tondo or Doni Madonna, sometimes called The Holy Family by Michaelangelo, circa 1507, oil and tempra on panel. 47-1/2 inches A recent talk of the Pope’s raises central issues for our time. But is anyone listening? I don’t quite know how to say this, so I’ll just be blunt: Pope Benedict is [...]
Thousands of demonstrators march in Paris January 13 to protest France’s planned legalization of same-sex marriage (CNS photo) A French bishops’ spokesman urged politicians to “listen to the streets” after hundreds of thousands of people rallied against same-sex marriage. “We’re facing questions about society — what the family is, what marriage is, and whether [...]
A number of signs suggest that the freedom of the Church is under increasing attack. This includes the freedom of the Holy See itself, and thus, of the Pope. We need greater unity among Christians to defend our freedom. There are several “nuggets” of information in articles in this issue. They concern the freedom of the [...]