The latest in The Roman Catholic Church

Vatican hosts unusual Christmas Latin test

2011-12-21T16:30:28Z

The Vatican on Wednesday hosted an unusual Latin competition for Christmas between schoolchildren from Austria and Liechtenstein, with participants allowed to call on cardinals for help.

The test entitled "Puer Natus Est" ("A Child is Born") included translations of liturgical texts from Latin into ...

Tweeting cardinals spread the word in 140 characters

2011-12-03T13:30:27Z

As the Vatican's top culture man, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi breaks off from his rounds at least once a day to shoot off a tweet to his followers, either snappy quotes from the Bible, famous philosophers and dons, or details about art festivals, all designed to keep religion relevant for a younger generation.

"The conc...

Vatican laments 'illegitimate' bishop at China ordination

2011-11-30T16:31:12Z

The Vatican on Wednesday said it disapproved of the presence of an excommunicated Chinese bishop at an ordination ceremony, having asked that no "illegitimate" clergy take part.

The ordination of Luo Xuegang in Yibin in Sichuan was approved by both China's official church and the Vatican -- a sign tensions could be thawing after a run...

Excommunicated bishop attends ordination in China

2011-11-30T04:30:39Z

A Chinese bishop excommunicated by the Vatican attended an ordination ceremony on Wednesday, a move likely to anger the Holy See, which had asked that no "illegitimate" clergy take part in the rite.

The ordination of Luo Xuegang in Yibin in the southwest province of Sichuan was approved by both

2011-11-29T05:30:09Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday it was sincere about better ties with the Vatican, a day before the planned ordination of a bishop that will be a test of whether the two sides can rein in tensions over control of religio...

Vatican gives approval for Chinese bishop's ordination

2011-11-28T16:30:39Z

The Vatican gave its approval on Monday for the ordination of a Chinese bishop in a conciliatory gesture to China's official church but called on "illegitimate" bishops not to attend the rite.

Pietro Luo Xuegang, 47, who built his career within the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA) -- China's official church, will be ordained as bishop...

Catholic liturgy changes for first time in 40 years

2011-11-27T17:30:21Z

After 40 years of praying in exactly the same way, English-speaking Catholics around the world had a challenge waiting for them Sunday when they turned up to Mass.

The Mass liturgy, or the text of the most sacred Roman Catholic rite, has been re-launched across the English-speaking world to comply with the Vatican's wish for a more traditional and spiritual tone.

At Saint Monica's, ...

Analysis:Catholics, Muslims pursue dialogue amid Mideast tension

2011-11-25T11:00:13Z

BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN, Jordan (Reuters) - Only five years ago, critical remarks by Pope Benedict about Islam sparked off violent protests in several Muslim countries.

Never very good, relations between the world's two largest religi...

Thousands welcome pope on visit to voodoo heartland Benin

2011-11-18T18:30:27Z

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Benin to a joyous welcome from thousands Friday in a nation considered a voodoo heartland and warned against "unconditional submission" to the market and finance.

Residents lined the streets as Benedict passed in his popemobile, including women wearing skirts with his picture, and even fishermen saluted with their paddles from their boats in the l...

Vatican takes legal action over kissing ads

2011-11-17T16:30:50Z

The Vatican said Thursday that it was taking legal action to prevent the publication of a photo montage showing the pope kissing a leading imam as part of a Benetton advertising campaign.

The White House slammed the campaign, which also showed US President Barack Obama<...

Vatican protests Benetton ad showing pope kissing imam

2011-11-16T11:30:15Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican on Wednesday protested to Italian clothing firm Benetton over its use of an image of Pope...

U.S. Catholic Church prepares to accept Episcopalians

2011-11-16T07:01:09Z

(Reuters) - The U.S. Roman Catholic Church will establish a body in January to house disaffected members of the Episcopal Church, beginning with a few dozen ministers and at least two congregations seeking communion, U.S. bishops were told Tuesday.

Some 35 of 67 Anglican ministers who have applied to join the C...

Catholic Church prepares to accept Episcopalians

2011-11-15T16:00:09Z

Some 35 of 67 Anglican ministers who have applied to join th...

African music stars sing for new Vatican CD

2011-11-14T17:30:15Z

Three popular African singers have released a CD in collaboration with Vatican Radio to spread the message of the African Synod and mark the pope's upcoming trip to Benin, the Vatican said Monday.

The most famous is Congolese rumba musician Papa Wemba -- who says he underwent a spiritual conversi...

Pope plans visit to Mexico, Cuba in 2012: Vatican

2011-11-10T05:00:08Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict plans to visit Mexico and Cuba next year, the Vatican<...

Irish Vatican closure saddens dwindling faithful

2011-11-07T03:00:38Z

DUBLIN (Reuters) - In the week that Ireland announced it was closing its embassy to the Vatican, the pews at Dublin's main Roman Catholic church are less than a third full for Sunday morning mass...

Vatican stunned by Irish embassy closure

2011-11-04T07:30:22Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Catholic Ireland's stunning decision to close its embassy to the Vatican is a huge blow to the Holy See

European rabbis urge Vatican to fight anti-Semitic rebels

2011-10-19T11:00:14Z

PARIS (Reuters) - European rabbis and Holocaust survivors in the United States urged the Vatican Wednesday to suspend unity talks with ultra-traditionalist Catholics until their movement pledged to renounce anti-Semitic members in its ranks.

European rabbis urge Vatican to renounce rebels

2011-10-19T09:31:56Z

PARIS (Reuters) - European rabbis urged the Vatican Wednesday to suspend unity talks with an ultra-traditionalist Catholic rebel society until the movement pledged to fight what they called anti-Semitism in its ranks.

The

Weary pope uses mobile platform for first time

2011-10-16T10:30:16Z

Pope Benedict XVI made use of the same mobile platform used by his long-ailing predecessor John Paul II for the first time on Sunday, with the Vatican saying it was to "ease his tiredness."

The 84-year-old pope used the wheeled platform to make his way from the sacristy t...

German-speaking Catholics want reform from Rome

2011-09-21T04:30:25Z

Pope Benedict XVI faces a clamour for change as he heads to Germany for his first state visit, with calls for reform on many fronts -- from recognising gays to ordaining women to the priesthood.

Grievances over the Vatican's "out of touch" attitudes towards sexuality and the fam...

Pope 'looking forward' to trip home to Germany

2011-09-17T18:30:14Z

Pope Benedict XVI says he is looking forward to his upcoming trip to his homeland Germany, while stressing that God, not "spectacle," is the focus.

The main aim of his visit, from Thursday to next Sunday, will be to help "God to penetrate our field of vision," the pope said late Saturday.

In a rare move, he made his comments on a German television programme that has...

Vatican says open to accord with traditionalists

2011-09-14T07:00:11Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican on Wednesday told an ultra-traditionalist splinter group they will have to accept some non-negotiable doctrinal principles before they can fully rejoin the Roman Catholic Church.

Leaders of the dissident

Child abuse victims accuse pope of crimes against humanity

2011-09-13T14:30:34Z

An international group for victims of sexual abuse by priests said Tuesday it was asking the International Criminal Court to prosecute Pope Benedict XVI for crimes against humanity.

The Survivors Network of tho...

Exclusive: Orthodox leader urges Vatican to resolve dispute

2011-09-12T09:00:13Z

ROME (Reuters) - A senior leader of the Russian Orthodox Church on Monday called on the Vatican to do more to resolve outstanding disputes so that a meeting between Raul Vera Lopez, the Catholic bishop of Saltillo, Mexico has vowed to continue his outreach to the gay community

Raul Vera Lopez, the Catholic bishop of Saltillo, Mexico has vowed to continue his outreach to the gay community.

The Vatic...

Vatican admits 'grave failures' over Ireland abuse scandal

2011-09-03T18:30:14Z

The Vatican on Saturday acknowledged "grave failures" in handling a child sex abuse scandal involving priests in southern Ireland as Dublin insisted the Holy See helped block investigations.

In its long-awaited response to an o...

Austrians support priests' call for reform: survey

2011-08-29T15:30:31Z

A drive for reform by Austrian priests, urging the ordination of women and an end to celibacy, is meeting with widespread support, according to a new survey published Monday.

A total 71.7 percent of Austrians found the initiative "fair and adequate," with 64.7 percent saying they would even sign a "call for insurbodination" launched in June, according to the Oekonsult polling institute.

The so-called "Priests' Initiative," signed by at least 200 clergymen, wants women and mar...

China moves Tibet hardliner to heavily Catholic province

2011-08-28T21:30:05Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - The hardline Chinese official removed last week as Communist Party chief of restive Tibet has been made head of the province in the center of contention over China's Catholics, giving him an influential role in another sensitive religious issue.

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U.S. lawyer says Vatican knew of priest's sex abuse

2011-08-22T14:30:21Z

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - A lawyer representing a victim of priest abuse in a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic church said on Monday Vatican documents show the church hierarchy and the pope were ultimately responsible.

A lawyer for the church disagreed, sayi...

Storm lashes pope, pilgrims at youth festival

2011-08-20T19:30:15Z

A violent storm lashed Pope Benedict XVI and around one million pilgrims at an open-air service in Madrid, forcing him to cut short his speech and drenching the faithful who had waited for hours in blistering heat.

As the heavens opened during World Youth Day celebrations Saturday night, Benedict's skullcap was swept off and an assistant tried to shelter the 84-year-old po...

Vatican releases confidential papers on abuse case

2011-08-17T18:30:34Z

The Vatican on Wednesday took the unprecedented decision to release confidential files about an abuse case in the United States in an attempt to defend itself against accusations of a cover-up.

The documents are a response to a high-profile lawsuit revolving around the sovereign immunity status of the Vatican in relation to the case of a now-de...

St. Peter's Square to be restored to former glory

2011-08-12T15:30:25Z

Saint Peter's Square will be restored to its 17th-century Baroque glory with a major renovation project due to be completed in 30 months, the Vatican's official daily said on Friday.

Work has already begun on part of the famous colonnade designed by Gian Lorenzo B...

Vatican to display Martin Luther's excommunication ruling

2011-08-11T12:30:23Z

The Vatican will display the papal ruling to excommunicate Germany's Martin Luther dated January 3, 1521 in an exhibition of hundreds of priceless documents from its secret archives from February 2011.

A website for the exhibition said Pope Leo X...

Toilet paper in Vatican colours on sale ahead of papal visit

2011-08-10T13:30:43Z

Renova, one of Europe's biggest producers of household paper products, has launched toilet paper in the colours of the Vatican flag in honour of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Spain next week.

Each pack contains two perfumed rolls of toilet paper, one ye...

Vatican Investigates Mexican Bishop's Outreach To The Gay Community

2011-08-01T06:00:07Z

The Vatican is investigating the outreach work of Raul Vera, the Catholic bishop of Saltillo, Mexico

The Vatican is investigating the outreach work of Raul Vera, the Catholic bishop of Saltillo, Mexico.

Vera confirmed to the Zocalo...

Catholic priest says denied entry to China

2011-07-26T14:31:01Z

An outspoken Hong Kong Catholic priest said Tuesday he has been denied entry into China due to an escalating row between the Vatican and Beijing over the ordination of bishops.
Italian-born Franco Mella said Ch...

China bars HK activist priest as Vatican tension

2011-07-26T04:30:13Z

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China blocked a Hong Kong Catholic priest and rights activist from entering the mainland last week in what he said may have been a show of unhappiness with the Vatican for excommunicating two bishops rece...

Vatican recalls envoy to Ireland after child abuse report

2011-07-25T14:30:45Z

The Vatican on Monday recalled its envoy to Ireland to formulate an official response to a damning report on the Catholic Church's handling of child abuse by priests that sparked government outrage.
"Apostolic Nuncio Giuseppe Leanza has been recalled for consultations" after the publication of the judicial report into abuses in an Irish diocese "and in par...

China criticizes Vatican for excommunicating bishops

2011-07-25T02:30:12Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Monday the Vatican's recent excommunication of two Chinese bishops who were ordained without papal approval was "unreasonable" and "rude," in a sign of escalating tensions between the Vatican and ...

China to ordain more bishops amid Vatican spat

2011-07-22T01:30:37Z

China's state-controlled Catholic church plans to ordain at least seven more bishops, a top church official said Friday, after a series of such ordinations worsened already tense Vatican ties.
Liu Bainian, deputy head of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), said the new bishops would be ordained "on an auspicious day", w...

Vatican, Malaysia establish diplomatic ties

2011-07-18T11:30:21Z

The Vatican and Malaysia have established official diplomatic ties, the Holy See announced on Monday after talks between Pope Benedict XVI and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
"In the cordial conversations, the positive dev...

Vatican excommunicates China bishop, criticizes Beijing

2011-07-16T05:00:04Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican said on Saturday that a Chinese bishop ordained without papal approval has been excommunicated from the Catholic Church, bringing relations between the Vatican and Beijing

China ordains third bishop without Pope's approval

2011-07-15T10:02:18Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China ordained a third bishop without the Pope's approval on Thursday, the honorary president of the state-backed church said, in a move likely to further strain tense relations between the Chinese government and the
2011-07-15T10:02:13Z

ROME (Reuters Life!) - Italian police said on Thursday they had found a fitting temporary home for an accused jewelry robber whose priestly disguise failed to help him slip past their dragnet.
Police said they tracked down and arrested the 37-year-old male suspect by reviewing closed circuit television footage around Via del Corso and

Vatican's ties with Beijing suffer fresh setback

2011-07-07T20:30:24Z

Ties between the Vatican and Beijing have been fraught further with the Holy See excommunicating a Chinese bishop and threats by the China's state-run Church to continue defying Pope Benedict XVI.
China's 5.7 million Catholics are increasingly caught...

Malaysian PM to meet pope, eyes ties with Vatican

2011-07-05T04:30:36Z

Prime Minister Najib Razak is due to meet Pope Benedict XVI mid-July as Malaysia embarks on a plan to establish diplomatic relations with the Vatican, a top official said Tuesday.
"The meeting with Pope Benedict XVI is set for J...

Pope opens Vatican art show

2011-07-04T14:30:32Z

Pope Benedict XVI on Monday reviewed work by 60 artists during the debut of a programme he spearheaded hoping to strengthen links between the cultural world and the Roman Catholic Church.
The exhibition, titled "Splendour of the truth, beauty of the Truth", featured mainly European artists, sculptures, architects and musicians who agree...

Vatican goes online in struggle against child abuse

2011-07-02T15:30:11Z

The Vatican is turning to the Internet in its struggle against child abuse with a new website allowing clergy around the world to share information on eradicating the problem.
A key figure behind the initiative is German psychologist priest Hans Zollner from the Vatican's Gregorian University

China detains Vatican-backed Catholic priest

2011-06-30T05:30:44Z

Chinese police detained a Vatican-backed Catholic priest and blocked his ordination as a bishop, a parishioner said Thursday, in a move likely to raise tensions with the Holy See.
The detention of Joseph Sun Jigeng came as China's state-run Catholic church reportedly ordained another bishop with...

Pope's first tweet marks Vatican social media revolution

2011-06-29T09:30:36Z

The sight of Pope Benedict XVI tweeting on an iPad reveals a transformation underway in the tradition-bound Vatican to reach a younger global audience and improve a scandal-tainted image.
A bemused pope can be seen tapping on the tablet device in his Vatican palace in footage put up on...

Pope praises Jesus in first Twitter message

2011-06-28T14:30:32Z

Pope Benedict XVI wrote a message on Twitter on Tuesday praising Jesus and announcing the launch of a new Vatican website in the first "tweet" by a leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
"Dear Friends, I just launched www.news.va. Praised be our Vatican news online, officials said on Monday.
"news.va" will go live on Wednesday, launched by Pope Benedict XVI, as a sign of his personal interest in communication with the modern world, said Claudio China's state-controlled Catholic church wants to ordain at least 40 bishops "without delay", its vice president said Friday, in a move likely to further irritate ties with the Vatican.
Liu Bainian, deputy head of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, confirmed an official Pope Benedict XVI voiced concern Sunday at the effects of the economic crisis, especially on the youth, during his first visit to tiny San Marino, nestled on the eastern slopes of Italy's Apennine Mountains.
Twenty-nine years after his predecessor

Popemobile 'to become green machine': report

2011-06-18T09:30:15Z

Mercedes-Benz is making a greener hybrid Popemobile for Benedict XVI, the Wirtschaftswoche weekly paper said Saturday.
However a Vatican spokesman denied the paper's...

Vatican on fresh charm offensive with artists

2011-06-17T14:30:32Z

The Vatican on Friday said 60 artists will present their works there next month following an invitation by Pope Benedict XVI who is trying to link Christian faith with contemporary art.
Titled "Splendour of the truth, beauty of the Truth," sculptors, painters, architects, musicians, writers and filmmakers will showcase their works at th...

Liberal U.S. Catholics say Church not listening

2011-06-12T15:00:09Z

DETROIT (Reuters) - Members of a liberal group of U.S. Roman Catholics on Sunday called on Church leaders to open talks with their members on controversies ranging from the ordination of women to allowing priests to marry.
Members of the American Catholic Council, meeting in Detroit, said they had grown concerned the church's hierarc...

Christian gays ask Vatican to condemn homophobia

2011-06-10T14:30:19Z

Christian homosexuals wrote an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI on Friday ahead of Rome's EuroPride festival, asking the Vatican to defend people who are persecuted for their sexual orientation.
"We ask Your Holiness to condemn violence against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transse...

Chinese church mulling ordination of bishop

2011-06-03T06:30:31Z

China's state-controlled Catholic Church said Friday it was considering ordaining a bishop not supported by the Vatican in a move likely to further strain ties with the Holy See.
Father Joseph Shen Guo'an has been put forward as bishop for Wuhan

Backing for divorce rises in Philippines

2011-06-02T02:31:40Z

Support for divorce is rising in the mainly Roman Catholic Philippines, the only territory where it is still banned aside from the Vatican, according to a nationwide survey released Thursday.
Half of adult Filipinos surveyed by Social Weather Stations in March said estranged couples who are living apart should be allowed to divorce so they could fi...

Belgian abuse victims to file suit against Vatican

2011-06-01T11:30:12Z

GHENT, Belgium (Reuters) - Belgians molested by Catholic priests will go ahead with their legal proceedings against the Vatican for damages despite an offer by local bishops to compensate them, their lawyers said on Wednesday.

Pope shuts down famous monastery that liked to party

2011-05-24T16:30:31Z

Pope Benedict XVI has shut down a famous community in Rome that organised dances by a former nightclub dancer nun and hosted VIPs like Madonna, earning the disfavour of the Vatican.
The closure of the monastery of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, which holds some of the Church's most pr...

Bishops cite '60s turmoil in sex abuse scandal: report

2011-05-17T21:30:08Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A study commissioned by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops concludes that neither the all-male celibate priesthood nor homosexuality caused the church's sexual abuse crisis, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The five-year study says the abuse occurred because priests who wer...

Freudian take on Vatican life makes Cannes smile

2011-05-13T06:00:15Z

CANNES, France (Reuters) - The Vatican got a dose of Freudian analysis at Cannes on Friday with "Habemus Papam," a gentle Italian comedy about a newly elected pope who gets cold feet when the weight of ...

Vatican increases pressure to allow Latin mass

2011-05-13T04:30:20Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican told Catholic bishops around the world on Friday they had to obey a papal order allowing priests to say the old-style Latin mass for traditionalist Catholics, whether they liked it or not.
The Vatican issued an "instruc...

Sacked bishop accuses Vatican of authoritarianism

2011-05-03T01:30:16Z

An Australian bishop who said he was forced to resign after a dispute with the Vatican on Tuesday accused the Catholic Church of "creeping authoritarianism".
William Morris announced his early retirement on Sunday after being told that Pope Benedict XVI

John Paul II laid to rest in Saint Peter's basilica

2011-05-02T18:30:29Z

Late pope John Paul II's coffin was laid to rest on Monday in Saint Peter's basilica near the famous Pieta statue by Michelangelo, a day after the ceremony that put him on the path to sainthood.
The coffin was sealed under the altar in a chapel at a private ceremony attended by a few senior clergy -- in contrast to the grand Vatican

A million cheers as John Paul II declared 'blessed'

2011-05-02T14:30:42Z

Pope Benedict XVI bestowed the status of "blessed" on his predecessor John Paul II in front of a million people in a ceremony that puts the late pope one step away from sainthood.
A giant banner bearing a smiling portrait of the charismatic Polish pope was unveiled over the facade of Vatican ceremony on Sunday in which Pope Benedict XVI will honour his late predecessor John Paul II with near-sainthood status.
After an emotional prayer vigil in an ancient Roman arena that revived memories of Jo...

200,000 pilgrims attend vigil for John Paul II

2011-04-30T18:30:29Z

Some 200,000 pilgrims attended an emotional vigil in memory of the late pope John Paul II late Saturday, on the eve of a ceremony that will bring him a step closer to sainthood.
Tens of thousands of the faithful held up candles to light up the Roman-era stadium, where charioteers once raced before emperors. The crowd heard from some of those who had worked closely with the beloved pontiff.
"I feel his presence ...

Pilgrims gather for beatification of John Paul II

2011-04-30T13:30:09Z

Thousands of pilgrims thronged Rome on Saturday amid tight security, on the eve of a grand ceremony that the Vatican called a "Feast of Faith" to bring late pope John Paul II close to sainthood.
"May this feast of faith be a precious occasion to open the door to Christ,"

Fired-up pilgrims prepare for John Paul II ceremony

2011-04-29T19:30:23Z

Thousands of excitable pilgrims swarmed into central Rome on the eve of a ceremony to mark late pope John Paul II's step towards sainthood, as the Vatican geared up for the show.
"I couldn't miss this, I had to be a part of such a historical moment. We've only just arrived but the ...

Pope John Paul body exhumed ahead of beatification

2011-04-29T05:00:13Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul's coffin was exhumed on Friday ahead of his beatification as tens of thousands of people began arriving in Rome for one of the biggest events since his funeral in 2005.
President Barack Obama and wife Michelle revealed to day time talk queen Oprah Winfrey that one of their biggest thrills as president and first lady had been seeing their kids meet Pope Benedict XVI.
Obama and his wife were asked about their best moments as a family since they moved into the

John Paul II 'miracles' posted on Vatican website

2011-04-27T13:30:43Z

Stories of miraculous healings attributed to late pope John Paul II are being posted on a Vatican website that has already collected thousands of reports ahead of his beatification on May 1.
Tales of lives saved, sicknesses cured and families reunited from across Europe have been ...

Pope John Paul II - a halo too soon?

2011-04-27T03:30:16Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Is Pope John Paul II approaching his halo too fast?
As the Vatican prepares to elevate the late pontiff one step closer to sainthood this Sunday, the Ca...

Vial of John Paul II's blood to be venerated

2011-04-26T13:30:32Z

A vial containing the blood of the late pope John Paul II has been prepared as a relic for veneration at his beatification ceremony this weekend, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
The blood was drawn "during the last days of the pope's life" in case a transfusion might be necessary, the Vatican said in a statement, noting that an anti-coagul...

Tacky John Paul II mania takes off in Rome

2011-04-24T07:30:17Z

With life-size statues and T-shirts with John Paul II's famous phrase "Be Not Afraid", pope mania is well underway in Rome ahead of a May 1 ceremony that will put him on the path to sainthood.
As the Italian capital -- and the reference point for the world's one billion plus Catholics -- prepares for the arrival of some 300,000 pilgrims for the festivities, the ...

Pope shows candid side in chat-show debut

2011-04-22T13:30:21Z

Pope Benedict XVI said Friday he had no answers to the misery of global calamities during an unusually candid televised question-and-answer session in a first for a leader of the Catholic Church.
Asked by a seven-year-old Japanese girl why she had to be hit by an earthquake and tsunami, the pope answered: "I also have the same questions: why is it this way? Why do you have to suffer so much while others live in ease?...

Italian book exposes Rome gay priest scene

2011-04-19T16:30:24Z

A new book due out later this month claims to reveal a flourishing gay scene for priests in Rome -- a thorny issue as the Catholic Church imposes chastity on its clergy and condemns homosexuality.
Investigative journalist Carmelo Abbate's book "Sex and the Vatican: a secret journey in the reign of the chaste" will come o...

Pope's shrink film stirs controversy in Italy

2011-04-19T01:30:15Z

A new film about a panic-prone pope who needs a psychoanalyst has divided Italy's Catholics, with a call for its boycott coming from the pages of an influential bishops' newspaper.
Writing in the Avvenire daily, Vatican expert Salvatore Izzo said Italian director Nanni Morett...

"Technology can't replace God": Pope

2011-04-18T12:01:58Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict led Roman Catholics into Holy Week celebrations, telling a Palm Sunday crowd that man will pay the price for his pride if he be...

Manila's Aquino risks Church ire on contraception bill

2011-04-18T12:01:50Z

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino pledged on Sunday to push for the passage of a reproductive health bill in Congress as a tool to fight poverty even at the risk of excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church.
Efforts to enact a law that would promote access to sex education...

Vatican says China's move to beatify Christian sign of hope

2011-04-15T13:30:42Z

One of the earliest Christian missionaries in China is to be beatified in Shanghai, the Vatican said Friday, in a sign of hope for improved relations between Beijing and the Holy See.
"It's a pleasing l...

All invited to John Paul beatification: Vatican

2011-04-05T09:30:26Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican urged the faithful on Tuesday not to let reports of huge crowds or unscrupulous hoteliers deter them from coming to Rome for the beatification of the late VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, in a new book, has personally exonerated Jews of allegations they were responsible for Jesus Christ's death, repudiating the concept of collective guilt that has haunted...

Pope book says Jews not guilty of Christ's death

2011-03-02T09:30:20Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, in a new book, has personally exonerated Jews of allegations they were responsible for Jesus Christ's death, repudiating the concept of collective guilt tha...

Call to extend Catholic-Jewish amity to Islam

2011-02-28T14:30:37Z

PARIS (Reuters) - The historic reconciliation between Jews and Roman Catholics over the past 40 years should be extended to Muslims to deal with the challenges of the 21st century, a senior Jewish official has said.
The regular dialogue the two faiths have maintained since the Catholic Church renounced anti-Semitism at the Taiwan's Cardinal Paul Shan, who will embark on a high-profile trip to China this summer, says he hopes that the Vatican and Beijing can be "mature" and reconcile their bitter differences.
Shan, 89, a highly revered religious leader on the island, made the re...

Pope John Paul's coffin to be exhumed for faithful

2011-02-18T08:30:18Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Faithful attending the beatification of Pope John Paul in Rome will be able to pray before his coffin, which will be exhumed for the event, the Vatican<...

Rome booked out for John Paul II beatification

2011-02-10T03:30:38Z

More than two million pilgrims are expected to throng the streets of Rome for the beatification ceremony of John Paul II on May 1, leaving travel agencies desperate for accommodation and hotel prices soaring.
The Vatican expects as many as two and a half million people...

Vatican bans confession by iPhone

2011-02-09T14:30:52Z

The Vatican put its foot down Wednesday over the idea of "confessing" by iPhone, after news that US users can now download an application for the Apple gadget that helps the faithful gain absolution.
"It is essential to understand that th...

German Catholics urge reforms as papal visit nears

2011-02-04T07:32:24Z

PARIS (Reuters) - Over 140 Roman Catholic theologians in Germany have urged the church to embrace far-reaching reforms to end priestly celibacy, ordain women, welcome same-sex couples and let lay people help pick their bishops.
The appeal, the second reform call in two weeks, came as the German church is struggling to overcome a wave...

Reluctant peace doves refuse to leave Vatican

2011-01-30T20:30:34Z

Doves of peace released by Pope Benedict XVI during the weekly Angelus prayer on Sunday refused to leave the Vatican and flew straight back in through the open window, an AFP photographer said.
Embarrassed officials only managed to catch and re-release one of the birds.
The pope was accompanied at the window of his studio in

Pope warns of alienation risk in social networks

2011-01-24T04:30:31Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict gave a qualified blessing to social networking Monday, praising its potential but warning that online friendships are no substitute for real human contact.
The 83-year-old pontiff, who does not have his own

Top Sunni body freezes dialogue with Vatican

2011-01-20T14:30:37Z

Al-Azhar, the chief centre of Sunni Muslim learning, suspended on Thursday its ties with the Vatican, accusing the pope of attacking Islam, but the Holy See says it wants to continue its bi-annual meetings with the Egypt-based institute.
"The freez...

Vatican names board of new financial authority

2011-01-19T06:30:11Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict on Tuesday named a cardinal, three academics and a finance expert to the board of the Vatican's new internal watchdog to check that its bank and...

Ex-Anglican bishops become Catholic priests

2011-01-15T12:30:06Z

Three former Anglican bishops were ordained into the Catholic Church on Saturday, making history as the first converts under a scheme launched by Pope Benedict XVI to accept dismayed Anglicans.
Former bishop of Ebbsfleet Andrew Burnham, ex-bishop of Richborough, Keith Newton, and John Broadhurst, who was bishop of Fulha...

Pope John Paul nears sainthood, to be beatified

2011-01-14T05:30:58Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The late Pope John Paul II moved a big step closer to Roman Catholic sainthood on Friday when his successor approved a decree attributing a miracle to him and announced that he will be beatified on May 1.
The ceremony in Vatican's colonnade, at the Vatican, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
Copyright 2011 AP News

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Vatican Pope

2011-01-02T05:31:37Z
Pope Benedict XVI, framed by marbles statues, delivers his blessing during the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Copyright 2011 AP News

Vatican Bank

2010-12-30T04:01:13Z
FILE - This Sept. 21, 2010 file photo shows Italian financial Police officers talking to each other with St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in the background, in Rome. On Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010 the Vatican created a new financial watchdog agency and issued new laws to comply with interna...

Vatican Pope Christmas

2010-12-26T05:01:02Z
Vatican Swiss guards leave following Pope Benedict XVI's "Urbi et Orbi" (to the City and to the World) message, in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Saturday, Dec. 25, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI in his Christmas Day message Saturday urged Catholics loyal to him in

Vatican Britain Pope's Message

2010-12-24T10:01:06Z
This photo taken on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 and made available by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano on Friday, Dec. 24, 2010, shows Pope Benedict XVI recording his message at the Vatican for the BBC radio 4 show to be aired Friday. Benedict XVI m...