Archive for September, 2005

Pope meets dissident theologian Hans Kung

‘Pope Benedict XVI met over the weekend with the controversial Swiss theologian Hans Kung, one of the chief critics of the Roman Catholic Church.
The pontiff, a staunch defender of traditional doctrine, hosted the meeting Saturday at his Castelgandolfo summer residence.
The meeting with Kung, a pioneer of theological dialogue with non-Christian faiths who was banned from […]

Wednesday, September 28th, 2005

Pope Appeals to Tourism to Respect Persons

‘Benedict XVI appealed to the tourist industry to respect persons and to foster dialogue among cultures as he noted the approach of World Day of Tourism.
After praying the midday Angelus on Sunday with crowds gathered at the papal summer residence, the Pope said that tourism is an “extremely relevant social phenomenon in the contemporary world,” […]

Tuesday, September 27th, 2005

Pope Benedict prays for victims of Rita

‘Pope Benedict XVI called Sunday for special prayers for the victims of Hurricane Rita and the rescue workers trying to help them.
“Our thoughts go especially to those who are affected by the natural disasters in the United States and other parts of the world,” Benedict said during his Sunday blessing from his balcony at the […]

Monday, September 26th, 2005

Pope expected to ban gay priests

‘Pope Benedict XVI is said to have approved a document saying that homosexual men should not be ordained as Roman Catholic priests, a conservative Catholic Web site has reported.
The long-anticipated document, prepared at the request of the late Pope John Paul II, reportedly calls on bishops to bar even chaste homosexuals from seminaries because their […]

Thursday, September 22nd, 2005

Pope Benedict accused of Sexual Abuse Cover-up

‘The US government has told a Texas court that Pope Benedict should be given immunity in a molestation case.
The lawsuit accuses him of conspiring to cover up the sexual molestation of three boys by a seminarian.
Court documents filed by Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler say Benedict enjoys immunity as a head of state, the Vatican.
He […]

Thursday, September 22nd, 2005

Pope John Paul II’s last words released

‘Pope John Paul II’s last words, mumbled weakly in Polish, were: “Let me go to the house of the Father,” according to a Vatican account of the pontiff’s final days.
The Vatican publishing house has produced a 220-page volume, with entries in chronological order starting Jan. 31, the day the Holy See’s press office announced that […]

Sunday, September 18th, 2005

Pope meets anti-Islam Author - Oriana Fallaci

‘Pope Benedict has had a meeting with Oriana Fallaci, the Italian author of best-selling books that criticise Islam, it was reported on Tuesday.
Italian news agency Ansa quoted Vatican sources as saying the private meeting took place on Saturday at the Pope’s summer residence in Castelgandolfo, near Rome.
The Vatican was not immediately available to comment, but […]

Thursday, September 1st, 2005