James Martin, S.J.

The Vatican s Secretariat of State nbsp has issued an official nbsp statement on the Society of St Pius X this morning here nbsp nbsp nbsp It has nbsp a clear message The acceptance of Vatican II and the authority of the last five popes is an indispensable condition for full communion for t

The statement of Francis Cardinal George president of the USCCB on the lifting of the ban of excommunication on the four bishops of the nbsp Society of St Pius X Statement of Cardinal Francis George President USCCBPope Benedict XVI has lifted the personal penalty of excommunication incurred by f

David Gibson has nbsp a story that has been percolating on the web for the last few days about the late founder of the ultraconservative Legionaries of Christ Father Marcial Maciel Degollado who had been publicly sanctioned in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI after an extensive investigation of charges

Here is something new nbsp Michael Paulson of the Boston Globe notes that the new Catholic cathedral in Oakland California includes a memorial to victims of sexual abuse by clergy Here is Paulson The new lakeside cathedral here commands attention with its oval shape and glass and steel sheat

The ongoing debate over Pope Benedict s decision to lift the ban of excommunication on four bishop-members of the Society of St Pius X has been split into to general discussions First the currently nbsp more explosive issue of the reception of Bishop Williamson into nbsp full communion with

Robert Mickens the Rome correspondent for the London Tablet has a lengthy article on the SSPX saga in this week s Tablet here nbsp He also sent us this much more nbsp personal reflection which he has allowed us to post here Pope Benedict XVI said at his general audience on Wednesday that the

Today Pope Benedict offered nbsp an explanation of why he sought a rapprochement with the four excommunicated Lefebvrite bishops members of the Society of St Pius X nbsp His remarks are summarized by CNS below nbsp H t to David Gibson at Dotcommonweal nbsp At the same time the chief rabbi

This just in from John Allen at NCR nbsp nbsp Bishop Fellay of the Society of St Pius X has released this statement in response to the controversy over Bishop Williamson s recent remarks We have become aware of an interview released by Bishop Richard Williamson a member of our Fraternity

John Updike one of the great nbsp American writers has died at the age of 76 nbsp Besides two Pulitzer Prizes and countless other awards Mr Updike also received the St Edmund Campion Award from America rsquo s editorial board for achievement in Christian letters in 1997 One of my fondest