NEWS
Had time to kill this afternoon since only a tiny number of journalists were able to accompany Pope Benedict on his visits to Park East Synagogue and St. Joseph's Church. So I wandered around St. Patrick's Cathedral, the very heart of Catholic New York. Half a block away, I was accosted by two young men wearing tight T-shirts, jeans and sneakers.
They came to see the Pope
By Catholic News ServiceThanking the hired help
By Catholic News ServiceHow many world leaders come and go at the United Nations headquarters in New York with nary a word to say to the staff? Almost all, I would daresay. But not Pope Benedict XVI. Before rushing off to his next even after his major address April 18 to the UN General Assembly, he dallied a while to talk to the hired help.
Thanking the hired help
By Catholic News ServiceToronto's priestly vocation healthy
By Carolyn Girard, The Catholic Register{mosimage}TORONTO - Vocations in Toronto might seem healthier from the perspective of other Canadian dioceses. Where some areas of the country generate zero priestly vocations on a yearly basis, the archdiocese of TorontoöÏÓãÊÓƵapp mean average is four or five. In fact, Toronto will be ordaining seven priests for the archdiocese in May.
100 years of Italian heritage celebrated
By Fr. John Iverinci, Catholic Register Special{mosimage}TORONTO - The Italian priests of the archdiocese of Toronto and their parishes are preparing for the 100th anniversary of the first Italian church of Toronto. On Nov. 8, 1908, Archbishop Fergus McEvay gave the old St. PatricköÏÓãÊÓƵapp Church to the Italian community, under the new name of “Our Lady of Mount Carmel.â€
Pope challenges universities, meets with abuse victims
By Catholic News Service{mosimage}WASHINGTON - Day three of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Washington and New York covered the gamut of events and emotions — from the joy of a papal Mass to a no-nonsense challenge to Catholic universities, to a tear-filled visit with victims of clergy sexual abuse.
In an April 17 address at the Catholic University of America, Pope Benedict XVI said he believes in academic freedom, but at a Catholic university, it has limits. And he drew a line in the sand in a speech to leaders of the United States' Catholic education institutions.
An unscheduled meeting
By Catholic News ServiceAn unscheduled meeting
By Catholic News ServiceIt's not clear whether Pope Benedict XVI expected he would have to concentrate so much on dealing with the fallout of the clergy sexual abuse on this, his first visit to the United States. But he is devoting a significant part of his time to trying to heal this very open wound. Besides his three strong public comments on it, he also met privately with a small group of abuse victims on April 17.
Benedict hits a home run
By Catholic News ServiceThe Nationals Stadium is one of those brand new baseball facilities designed to bring back the excitement and intimacy of those old-time ball parks. It was only finished March 30 and has held 2 games of the Washington Nationals so far, reportedly to critical acclaim. But a Catholic Mass for 46,000 people is a much different kind of test.