‘The Rome diocese has officially opened the procedure that could lead to sainthood for Pope John Paul II, asking Catholics to come forward with evidence “in favour or against” his reputation of holiness.
An edict published at the weekend marked the start of a procedure that could lead to John Paul, who died last month, being […]
‘ Pope Benedict XVI pledged Sunday to work to end Roman Catholicism’s 1,000-year-old rift with the Orthodox Church, delivering a message of healing on the first trip of his papacy.
Benedict flew by helicopter to the Adriatic port of Bari, home to the relics of St. Nicholas of Myra, a fourth-century saint popular among both Roman […]
‘The planned multimillion-dollar auction of the only car Pope John Paul II ever owned was put off on Thursday until a judge can resolve a father-and-son tiff over who owns it.
The Illinois judge ordered the humble blue 1975 Ford Escort returned to Jerome Rich from Kruse International, the Indiana rare automobile museum and auction house […]
‘Pope Benedict XVI met with bishops from Rwanda on Saturday and called for peace and reconciliation in the African country.
The pope, in an audience with the bishops, recalled the 1994 Rwandan genocide and urged priests and faithful to “remain firm in the faith, to persevere in hope” and to overcome “all temptations of discouragement.”
More than […]
‘The parents of Terri Schiavo met briefly with Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday at a general audience in St. Peter’s Square, touching the pope’s hands and presenting him with a picture of their daughter.
Schiavo’s family, who had a 15-minute private meeting with Cardinal Renato Martino and other Vatican officials Tuesday, have thanked the Vatican for […]
‘German-born Benedict XVI watched a film Thursday about his Polish predecessor that included scenes of Nazi persecution of Poles and Jews, prompting him to denounce the barbarity of World War II that both he and John Paul lived through.
The made-for-TV movie “Karol, A Man Who Became Pope,” was shown to Benedict in a Vatican auditorium, […]
‘Although 78 and seen by some as a transitional figure, Pope Benedict XVI moved quickly in the first month of his papacy, standing firm on the moral code for his flock while reaching out to Jews and other non-Catholics and seeking to break down a half-century-old barrier with China.
When he was elected as pope April […]
‘Pope Benedict XVI ordained 21 new priests for Rome on Sunday, but with the number of recruits for the clergy falling in western Europe, many of the men he ordained in St. Peter’s Basilica came from Latin America and Africa. Before the 21 men came forward individually to kneel before Benedict and put their hands […]
‘ Encouraging obedience and missionary zeal, Pope Benedict XVI ordained a group of new priests Sunday, with many of the men coming from Latin America and Africa as the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe struggles with falling numbers of recruits for the clergy.
Just before the men stepped up one by one to pledge their […]
‘The process of canonizing John Paul II will likely take time, the cardinal in charge of the Vatican’s saint-making office said Saturday, a day after Pope Benedict XVI called for fast-track sainthood for the late pontiff.
Benedict on Friday announced he was lifting the mandatory five-year waiting period for the start of the process toward beatification, […]
‘In his fourth week on the job, Pope Benedict XVI yesterday made his most important appointment yet, filling his former post as chief conservator of the Catholic faith with a California archbishop who will become the highest-ranked American ever at the Vatican.
William J. Levada, who has led the San Francisco archdiocese since 1995, will boost […]
‘Pope Benedict XVI has told the Israeli ambassador to the Vatican he intends to visit the main synagogue in Cologne, Germany, in August, becoming the second pontiff in history to visit a Jewish place of worship.
Ambassador Oded Ben-Hur said the pope told him of the planned visit after an audience with the diplomatic corps assigned […]
‘Pope Benedict said on Friday he had put his predecessor Pope John Paul on the fast track to possible sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.
In a surprise announcement to priests in Rome, the Pope told them he had dispensed with Church rules that impose a five-year waiting period after a candidate’s death before the procedure […]
‘Pope Benedict XVI reached out on Thursday to countries that don’t have diplomatic relations with the Vatican, inviting them to establish ties with the Holy See.
Benedict didn’t name the countries, saying only that he appreciated messages that came from some of them following the death of Pope John Paul II and his election as pope. […]