Capitalism: Papal Bullishness Nov 26, 2008
Capitalism: Italy's anti-globalist finance minister claims that Pope Benedict made a 1985 "prophesy" of this year's market drop ... "It is becoming an increasingly obvious fact of economic history that the development of economic systems which concentrate on the common good depends on a determinate ethical system, which in turn can be born and sustained only by strong religious convictions," the future Pope Benedict XVI said in a paper entitled "Market Economy and Ethics." ... As to Pope... (Investors Business Daily)
Pope may change 'sign of peace' in Mass Nov 25, 2008
By Francis X. Rocca, Religion News Service VATICAN CITY Pope Benedict XVI may change the sequence of the Catholic Mass, including the sign of peace exchanged between worshippers, in order "to create a more meditative climate" of worship, a senior Vatican official said. Cardinal Francis Arinze said the pope had asked all bishops for their views on whether the sign of peace, which is currently shared before Communion, should be moved to an earlier point in the Mass. (USA Today -- News)
Appeals Court Lets Vatican Sex-Abuse Case Proceed Nov 25, 2008
McMurry also sought to depose Pope Benedict XVI, but Heyburn rejected the request. With Monday's ruling, McMurry said, he would seek documents and possibly renew efforts to depose the pontiff. (Newsmax)
Japan Christians marking martyrs Nov 25, 2008
"They died for their faith - not for economic or political reasons," said Vatican representative Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, who is in Japan to attend the beatification on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI.. "They died 400 years ago, but they send us an important message," he said. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Vatican beatifies Japanese martyrs in Nagasaki Nov 24, 2008
During the ceremony -- a public act of blessing martyrs, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, a representative of Pope Benedict XVI, declared the beatification, a stage that comes before sainthood in Catholicism ... Pope Benedict XVI issued the decree last year. (Yahoo! Asia News)
Catholic Church Beatifies 188 Japanese Martyrs In Nagasaki, Kyodo Reports Nov 24, 2008
Cardinal delivered blessings today on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI on those killed between 1603 and 1639, Kyodo said. Beatification is a stage that precedes sainthood in Catholicism. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
Once a quixotic slogan, the idea of actually dismantling every nuclear weapon is attracting mainstream policy thinkers Nov 23, 2008
As the atomic age was dawning, Gandhi was already demanding its end, and today Pope Benedict XVI echoes that call. A host of international organizations, from Greenpeace to Mayors for Peace to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to the German Green Party, are dedicated to the abolition of nuclear weapons. (Boston Globe)
Vatican 'forgives' John Lennon Nov 23, 2008
Although Pope Benedict has criticised many aspects of modern pop culture, he now allows the newspaper of the tiny independent Vatican state to reflect the reality of the world outside in a way that would have been unthinkable in the days of Pope Paul VI who reigned during heyday of The Beatles. Bookmark with. (BBC News)
Vatican forgives John Lennon for Jesus quip Nov 23, 2008
Slide shows: Pope Benedict XVI. APImages from the U.S. visit by Pope Benedict XVI ... Meet Pope Benedict XVI, a defender of traditional Catholic values with a controversial German wartime youth. (MSNBC -- Music)
'Love at first sight' for Bruni and Sarkozy Nov 20, 2008
Her new role has so far seen her meet dignitaries including Pope Benedict XVI and the Queen, while also finding time to pursue her own singing career. Italian by birth but a longtime resident of France, Bruni-Sarkozy discussed having to give up her Italian citizenship when she became a French citizen a few months ago. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Sudan: Catholic Bishops Warn Peace Pact is Losing Drive Nov 19, 2008
Bishop Deng said that the Sudanese bishops answered the call of Pope Benedict XVI who had asked Catholics to reflect on the role of the Word of God. The 10-day assembly focused on the internal structure of the bishops' conference and looked at issues affecting the society at various levels. (allAfrica.com)
Obama Kept Talks With Gene Robinson Quiet During Campaign Nov 19, 2008
He, did, however, receive a phone call from Pope Benedict after the election. That courtesy call came on the same day in which the Vatican also warned Obama not to lift the current U.S. ban on stem cell research, which he has promised to do. (Human Events Online)
World Watch: World leaders speak their heart Nov 19, 2008
"Let us resolve to overcome past prejudices and to correct the often distorted images of the other, which even today can create difficulties in our relations," declared Pope Benedict XVI before the Vatican gathering. He called the meeting "a clear sign of our mutual esteem and our desire to listen respectfully to one another." From November 12-13, a dozen of heads of state, including President George W. Bush, Israeli President Shimon Peres, King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, as well... (Hillsdale Independent, NY)
Male-female marriage has survived 5,000 years Nov 19, 2008
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Nuclear arms proliferation, environmental pollution and economic inequality are threats to world peace -- but so are abortion, birth control and same-sex marriage, Pope Benedict XVI said in a statement released by the Vatican Tuesday (Dec ... " sam wrote on Nov 18, 2008 3:44 PM:" Oct 3, 2008VATICAN CITY (AFP) Pope Benedict XVI on Friday reaffirmed the Catholic Church's condemnation of artificial birth control. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Scandal exposesIslam's weakness Nov 18, 2008
Last March, Pope Benedict personally received into the Catholic faith the Egyptian-born Italian journalist Magdi Allam at the Easter Vigil. In September, Kalisch dropped his own bombshell. (Asia Times Online)
Catholic church's anti-abuse chief quits on eve of scathing report Nov 18, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI has pledged to exert his authority on the issue. But, following a series of high-profile scandals in Britain during the late Nineties, the issue has become less prevalent. (Yahoo News -- Catholic Church Abuse Scandal)
Duquesne University students make documentary on pope's visit Nov 18, 2008
Student journalists from Duquesne University have produced a documentary about the April visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the U.S., which they hope will allow viewers to experience the feeling of being there. "They captured the excitement that surrounded Pope Benedict's visit. What the Holy Father did for the people is realized through their work," said Msgr. Edward Burns, rector of St. Paul Seminary in East Carnegie, who attended many of the papal events. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Is this really the right way to handle it? Nov 18, 2008
wrote on Nov 17, 2008 10:18 AM:" I WAS a Catholic; I no longer am in large part because as per say the 'incident' of Joan of Arc the church asserts its institutional force over individual conscience -- though of course it DENIES that it does. However my experience with Catholic priests at a parish level is that they are by nature 'reconcilers' and the LAST thing they want is a bishop at their elbows telling them who is to receive the eucharist or not. Ray Burke the erstwhile bishop of the La... (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Will the Pope and Obama Clash Over Abortion? Nov 18, 2008
Though Barack Obama won't be announcing his foreign travel plans any time soon, it's a good bet that the new American President will meet Pope Benedict XVI some time next year, perhaps in early July to coincide with the G8 summit in Italy. It promises to be one of the great photo ops of 2009. (Time.com)
Awaiting Damien's canonization Nov 17, 2008
No decisions can be set in ink until the date of the ceremony is decided by Pope Benedict XVI. An announcement isn't expected until February ... The day after canonization: An audience with Pope Benedict XVI has been requested. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Pope says Catholics in politics must follow faith Nov 16, 2008
VATICAN CITY Pope Benedict XVI is encouraging Catholics who get involved in politics to stay true to their church's teaching. Benedict says it is necessary that a new generation of Catholics in politics be "coherent" with the faith they profess. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Intelligence vet Meyer: population drops threaten business Nov 14, 2008
Meyer cited recent efforts by Pope Benedict to begin a conversation about these issues as a positive step. We tend to argue before we understand, he said. (Tampa Bay Business Journal, FL)
Bidens to Visit The Cheneys Today Nov 13, 2008
The full list of those called on Tuesday included President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, King Abdullah of Jordan and President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya. -- Michael D. Shear. (Washington Post)
Calls for moderation, unity mark opening of Lebanon mosque Nov 12, 2008
VATICAN CITY (AP) The spiritual leader of the world s Orthodox Christians prayed with Pope Benedict XVI in the Sistine Chapel and urged Roman Catholics and Orthodox to work together to combat fundamentalism and to promote religious tolerance. Benedict praised his guest, Patriarch Bartholomew I, on the occasion of an Orthodox leader s first service in the chapel, which is famous for its frescoes painted by Michelangelo. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
A Pyrrhic propagandavictory in Rome? Nov 12, 2008
On the face of it, Pope Benedict XVI seems to have handed an enormous propaganda victory to the Muslim scholars who met with Catholic leaders in Rome on November 4-7. Victories of this sort, though, are deceptive. (Asia Times Online)
Obama won't be at summit Nov 12, 2008
On Tuesday, he spoke with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya. An aide said Obama expressed his appreciation for their congratulations on his election. (Pocatello Idaho State Journal, ID)
Bishops pledge to fight Obama on abortion Nov 12, 2008
Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, addresses the semi-annual meeting Tuesday in Baltimore. Join the conversation on religion, spirituality and ethics. (USA Today)
Holocaust survivors appeal to Vatican Nov 11, 2008
The New York-based group, the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, announced a global campaign to lobby Vatican ambassadors so that Pope Benedict will put the sainthood process for his predecessor on hold ... Benedict has yet to decide if Pius can proceed to sainthood. (Boston Globe)
'No sign of life' at Haiti school Nov 11, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI sent a message of sympathy to Haiti, Vatican Radio said on Sunday. "It's a real calamity. This building was not suitable for a school," said Jean Joseph Exume Haiti's Justice Minister on a visit on Monday. (BBC News -- Americas)
Advice for the president-elect Nov 11, 2008
ON the other hand, if you really believe this, athen the Papal Estates (much of modern Italy) must immediately revert back to Pope Benedict to rule. Repeat this after me: a dictator is a dictator is a dictator. (DeKalb Daily Chronicle, IL)
Somali gunmen kidnap two Italian nuns Nov 11, 2008
Chief Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi told Reuters that Pope Benedict had been informed of the kidnapping and was praying for the abducted nuns. Lombardi expressed hope for their quick release "without harm, suffering". (AlertNet)
Can't hardly wait Nov 10, 2008
Yet "everybody wants what they can't have," said Benedict Coulter, president of Trailer Park Inc., a Hollywood marketing firm. And not everyone can have the front-row seat or next-day bragging rights - privileges rewarded only to the line toiler. (Boston Globe)
Catholic bishop supports married priests Nov 10, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI made it clear at a Vatican summit in 2006 that he believes in mandatory celibacy for priests as a nonnegotiable job requirement for showing devotion to God and the people they serve. The Vatican requires celibacy of priests ordained under the Latin rite, but married men can become priests in the Eastern Orthodox rite. (MSNBC -- International)
Hope fades at Haiti school rescue Nov 10, 2008
Page last updated at 23:30 GMT, Sunday, 9 November 2008. Please turn on JavaScript. (BBC News)
Germans Honor Kristallnacht Victims Nov 10, 2008
The German-born Pope Benedict XVI called for prayers for Kristallnacht's victims in "profound solidarity with the Jewish world." Only last month Benedict backed the beatification of his controversial World War II predecessor Pope Pius XII, defending his actions during a "complex historical moment." His position has sparked bitter debates between Catholics and Jews. At Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial, survivors and their families participated in a ceremony that included a... (Suite101.com)
Pakistan's anti-Taliban support could backfire Nov 10, 2008
Ambassador; Iraq; War; community-technology-lifestyle; iran; Thousands greet Pope Benedict XVI as he drives through Washington, D.C., on April 16, 2008. Benedict XVI; pope; washington dc; A Washington, D.C.-based cab driver recovered from a traumatic time in his life thanks to the power of music. (Washington Times)
* World News Quick Take Nov 10, 2008
Pope Benedict condemned the trade in human organs as an abomination on Friday and urged caution in removing organs for transplant from dying donors who might not actually yet be dead. The pontiff told scientists and bioethicists meeting at the Pontifical Academy for Life that the worldwide illegal organ trade often made victims of innocent people, including children. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Pope not snubbing Mexico by declining event invitation, envoy says Nov 10, 2008
MEXICO CITY A Vatican envoy tried to reassure disillusioned Mexicans today that Pope Benedict XVI was not snubbing the deeply Roman Catholic country with his decision not to attend an event here next year. The Vatican says the pope declined an invitation to attend World Family Day in January because Mexico City sits too high above sea level for someone his age 81. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Sadc forces for DRC Nov 10, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI added his voice to the calls for peace, condemning the "bloody clashes" and "atrocities" committed in Congo and calling for a return to peace. AFP Digg | | | | | | Copyright 2002-2008 iafrica. (iAfrica.com)
Germany, Israel Mark 70 Years Since Kristallnacht Nov 10, 2008
Germany's southern neighbor Austria _ where Kristallnacht claimed 30 Jewish lives _ also commemorated the day, while German-born Pope Benedict XVI called for prayers for Kristallnacht's victims in "profound solidarity with the Jewish world.". Benedict himself served briefly in the Hitler Youth corps as a young man in Germany. (Newsmax)
Pope says he's still pained by Kristallnacht Nov 9, 2008
German-born Pope Benedict XVI says he still feels the pain of Kristallnacht, the Nazi pogrom that effectively began Hitler's campaign to systematically destroy Jews in Europe. Benedict was recalling the 70th anniversary Sunday of the "Night of Broken Glass," when synagogues were trashed and around 30,00 Jewish men and boys sent to concentration camps. (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Pope decries 'atrocities' in Congo fighting Nov 9, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI is calling for peace efforts to stop what he calls "systematic atrocities" in Congo, and encouraging help for swelling number of refugees from fighting in that African nation. Benedict told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square Sunday that he was giving his blessing to Church workers and other people who are trying to ease the suffering of the refugees. (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
German-born pope voices pain over 1938 Nazi pogrom Nov 9, 2008
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - German-born Pope Benedict voiced on Sunday his lingering pain over the night 70 years ago when the Nazis whipped up anti-Jewish riots in a pogrom known as the "Kristallnacht", a harbinger of the Holocaust ... Pope Benedict XVI waves at the end of his general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican November 5, 2008 ... Pope Benedict, born Joseph Ratzinger in Bavaria in 1927, was forced to join the Hitler Youth as a teenager, though both his parents opposed the... (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
Pope Benedict: Pius XII Was a Great Figure Nov 9, 2008
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI praised Pius XII on Saturday as a great historical figure and implied that excessive attention had been paid to what the wartime pontiff did or did not do to save Jews from the Holocaust ... Benedict did not specifically mention the allegations that Pius failed to use his papacy to save more Jews from the Nazi extermination campaign ... "In recent years, when Pius XII is spoken of, attention is concentrated in an excessive way on only one problem, treated, for... (Newsmax)
Pope assails organ trade, warns on transplants Nov 8, 2008
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict condemned the trade in human organs as an abomination and urged caution yesterday in removing organs for transplant from dying donors before death ... Benedict called legal organ donation an act of love and said there were long waiting lists for vital organs to save lives. (Boston Globe)
Pope: Human organ trade is an abomination Nov 8, 2008
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict condemned the trade in human organs as an abomination Friday and urged caution in removing organs for transplant from dying donors who might not actually yet be dead ... Benedict called legal organ donation an act of love and said there were long waiting lists for vital organs to save lives ... In his speech, Benedict did not discuss the Church's guidelines for determining death, which some Catholic bioethicists want to narrow because of reported abuses. (MSNBC -- Health)
Across the divide Nov 8, 2008
The members of the new Catholic-Muslim Forum - 25 from each side - were attempting to establish a new dialogue after the disastrous fall-out from a speech by Pope Benedict in Germany two years ago, which was interpreted in many parts of the Islamic world as equating Islam with violence ... On the third and last day of their discussions, the participants all trooped off to attend a private papal audience in the Renaissance splendour of a Vatican audience hall where Pope Benedict told them they... (BBC News -- Europe)
EXCLUSIVE - Holocaust group to lobby pope over Pius sainthood Nov 8, 2008
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Holocaust survivors and their descendants will lobby Pope Benedict to stop the process of making his wartime predecessor Pius XII a saint, saying beatifying him would be a tragedy for Catholic-Jewish relations. Pope Benedict XVI waves at the end of his general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican November 5, 2008 ... On Thursday, Pope Benedict's deputy, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said Jewish accusations were "outrageous" and that no one could tell the Vatican... (The Star Online, Malaysia)
A healthier, holier church Nov 8, 2008
It doesn t seem to have occurred to Pope Benedict that his theology of self-hate for gay people might be a root cause of the problem ... How can any Catholic university claim to be truly American educating those people for whom it is self-evident that God creates all persons equal and still tacitly support Pope Benedict s self-hate theology for gay people ... I would like to respectfully suggest that the members of the psychology, philosophy, theology, education and counseling departments of... (Winona Daily News, MN)
Pope urges Christians, Muslims to end biases Nov 8, 2008
Christians and Muslims must overcome their misunderstandings, Pope Benedict XVI told Muslim clergy and scholars Thursday as he pressed for greater freedom of worship for non-Muslims in the Islamic world. Images. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Death definition uncertain: Pope Nov 8, 2008
POPE BENEDICT XVI yesterday called on the scientific community to find a new consensus to define when someone's life ends. His comments, made during a meeting with a delegation of Catholic scientists and doctors, came two months after a Vatican newspaper published an article questioning if brain death meant the end of life. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Benedict seeks to end Muslim rift Nov 7, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI called on each community to overcome past prejudices. Pope Benedict XVI has called for mutual respect between Christians and Muslims to heal tension between the two faiths ... In remarks on the third and final day of the conference at the Vatican, Pope Benedict said: "Political and religious leaders have the duty of ensuring... each individual's freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.". (BBC News -- Europe)
Criticism Of Wartime Pope "Outrageous" Nov 7, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI recently said he hoped the path for sainthood could move ahead but also reportedly agreed to consider freezing the process until the Vatican's wartime archives are opened. Bertone said the possible beatification, the last formal step before sainthood, is an internal affair and "a religious matter that requires respect.". (CBS News -- World)
Black Pope Wouldnt Be a First Like Obama Is Nov 7, 2008
However, if the churchs cardinals selected a black Pope after Pope Benedict XVI dies, he wouldnt be even the second or the third ... And its a possibility, as Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria was touted for years as a potential candidate to succeed Pope John Paul II, before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. (Newsmax)
Divided Modernity Nov 6, 2008
Shorto argues, rather convincingly, that today's impasse between believers and atheists - think Pope Benedict on one side, Christopher Hitchens on the other - is the consequence of Descartes wiring the mind-body divide in the "DNA" of modernity. As demonstrated by his most recent book, the wonderful "Island at the Center of the World," Shorto is a skilled raconteur. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Latest: Obamania grips the globe Nov 6, 2008
South Africa's iconic first black leader Nelson Mandela wrote in a message to Obama: "Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place. "We wish you strength and fortitude in the challenging days and years that lie ahead," he added. Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki declared a national holiday on Thursday to mark the victory of Obama, whose late father was from Kenya. "This is a momentous day not only in the... (iAfrica.com)
Pope stresses religious freedom at forum Nov 6, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI has stressed the importance of religious freedom in an address to the Vatican's first Catholic-Islam forum. "Political and religious leaders have the duty of ensuring ... each individual's freedom of conscience and freedom of religion," Benedict said at the end of the three-day forum. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
RELIGION ABROAD: Pope prays for Obama Nov 6, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI waves to people in St Peter's Square the day after Obama was elected president of the United States ... Also on Wednesday, Pope Benedict XVI congratulated the president-elect on the "historic occasion" of his election. (USA Today)
`Unimaginable' Obama Victory `Resonates Well Beyond' U.S.: Global Voices Nov 6, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI, the leader of more than 1 billion Catholics around the world, hopes Obama ``can respond to the expectations and the hopes of those that look to him,'' Vatican spokesman told reporters in Rome. He said Benedict also wants the new American president to ``favor human growth and dignity with respect to essential human and spiritual values. (Bloomberg -- US)
Vatican tells workers to stop slacking Nov 5, 2008
The Vatican, located across Rome's Tiber River and home to Pope Benedict XVI, relies on earnings from $1 billion in stocks, bonds, and real estate to top up donations from Catholics around the world. While the Holy See benefited in the 1990s from booming stock markets and a strong dollar, it plunged into the red in 2003 and again in 2007 because of the US currency's tumble. (Boston Globe)
Vatican: May God help Obama bring peace Nov 5, 2008
"All of us are hoping that Obama will be able to meet the expectations and hopes directed at him," said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, who is chief spokesman for the Vatican and for Pope Benedict XVI.. Lombardi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the Vatican hoped the man elected to be the United States' first black president would work for the cause of rights and justice, "finding suitable ways to promote peace in the world, fostering people's development and dignity while... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- World)
Vatican-Muslim summit in Rome Nov 5, 2008
Catholic-Muslim ties soured after Pope Benedict XVI's speech in 2006, in which he linked Muslims with past violence. The speech provoked Muslim outrage and triggered violent protests. (BBC News -- Europe)
Common ground Nov 4, 2008
A lecture by Pope Benedict quoting a 14th Century Byzantine emperor's accusation that Muhammad encouraged the use of violence in spreading Islam led to a furious reaction among Muslims and contributed to the sense of a widening gap between the religions. The high-ranking delegation going to Rome includes the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, an Iranian Ayatollah, a Jordanian prince and British converts to Islam. (BBC News)
Pope, physicist Hawking at evolution gathering Nov 4, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI (R) greets British professor Stephen Hawking during a meeting of science academics at the Vatican. . (MSNBC -- Environment)
Vatican brings back clocking in for staff to improve time-keeping Nov 4, 2008
The cards have been issued to everyone from the lowest office staff to the heads of departments, even if they are priests and archbishops, though there has been no mention if Pope Benedict XVI carries one. According to reports some elder clerics in the Vatican have complained that clocking in and out is a headache, especially when they have to leave on pastoral duty. (BBC News -- Europe)
