News

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

C.R.S. Will Not Leave Despite Tension in Kenya A church aid worker said Catholic aid agencies in Kenya will not evacuate their staff, but he expressed concern over the increasing insecurity across the country. “We will continue to keep a close eye on security issues and take action accordingl

Rector of Seminary in Kenya Murdered A Catholic priest of the Diocese of Nakuru, Kenya, was killed on Jan. 26 as vicious interethnic violence claimed more lives in the Rift Valley. The Rev. Michael Kamau Ithondeka, 41, was killed at an illegal roadblock set up by armed youths on the Nakuru–Eld

Jesuits Elect New Superior General at Rome Gathering Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., moderator of the Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania, was elected superior general of the Society of Jesus on Jan. 19. Pope Benedict XVI was informed of the election of Father Nicolás before the Jesuits annou

Pope Addresses Diplomats Addressing diplomats from around the world, Pope Benedict XVI warned that numerous armed conflicts and social disorders have left global stability in a fragile situation. The pope said Jan. 7, that the latest attack on Christian churches in Iraq reflects a continuing climate

Theater Founder Says Disability Is a Gift The life of the imagination has no physical boundaries, and people with physical disabilities can use their imagination to face lifes difficulties. That is the enduring message of Rick Curry, a Jesuit brother, and the organization he founded 30 years ago in

Bishops Warn: Book Could Mislead Faithful A Vietnamese-American theologian’s 2004 book on religious pluralism contains “pervading ambiguities and equivocations that could easily confuse or mislead the faithful,” the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine said in a Dec. 10 statem

Pope’s New Encyclical, ‘Spe Salvi,’ Addresses Modern Crisis of Hope In an encyclical on Christian hope, Pope Benedict XVI said that without faith in God, humanity lies at the mercy of ideologies that can lead to “the greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice.&#8221