News

White House Welcome Pope Benedict XVI, meeting at the White House with President George W. Bush, said it was important to preserve the traditional role of religion in American political and social life. Religious values helped forge “the soul of the nation” and should continue to inspire

U.S. Urged to Share Iraqi Refugee Burden The ambassadors of Syria and Jordan called on the United States to share the burden of the unprecedented Iraqi refugee crisis. “The situation is terrible, and the burden on Syria’s resources and population is horrendous,” said Imad Moustaph

Bishops Urge Bill to Protect Farm Workers Expressing “deep concern for the men and women” who labor in the fields of southwestern Arizona and northern Mexico, the bishops of Tucson, Ariz., and Mexicali, Mexico, have issued a joint statement calling for legislation to end “exploitat

Vatican Comments on Muslim Convert When Pope Benedict XVI welcomed into the Catholic Church a Muslim-born journalist who has often been critical of Islam, it was not a sign that the pope accepts everything the journalist believes, said the Vatican spokesman. The Italian journalist, Magdi Allam, &ldq

Founder of Focolare Movement Dies at 88 Chiara Lubich, the 88-year-old founder and perpetually smiling symbol of the Focolare movement, died early March 14 after what Pope Benedict XVI said was “a long and fruitful life” marked by her love for Jesus. Lubich died in her room near the Foc

Pope and Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew Pray Together Pope Benedict XVI and Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople spent almost half an hour speaking privately March 6 before going into a small Vatican chapel to pray together. Although it was the patriarch’s first visit t

Chaldean Archbishop Kidnapped in Mosul Kidnappers abducted Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul, Iraq on Feb. 29, and killed the three people who were traveling with him. Chaldean Bishop Rabban al Qas of Arbil told the Rome-based missionary news service AsiaNews that Mosul’

Pope Meets With Jesuit Delegates Pope Benedict XVI asked the Jesuits to continue to be pioneers in dialogue, theological research and work for justice, but insisted that they also must make clear their faith and their acceptance of the teachings of the Catholic Church. “The church needs you,

Glendon Arrives as New U.S. Ambassador in Rome The new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Mary Ann Glendon, arrived in Rome Feb. 15 and said she looked forward to working with the Vatican on issues of religious freedom and religious tolerance. Glendon, a Harvard University law professor, has served w

Proposal on Islamic Law Stirs Controversy Dr. Rowan Williams (above), the archbishop of Canterbury, provoked controversy in Britain and the worldwide Anglican Communion Feb. 7 when he suggested, during an interview with the BBC prior to addressing a meeting of British jurists, that it “seems u