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World Joins John Paul II in Anniversary CelebrationAs voices from around the world offered congratulations and encouragement, Pope John Paul II celebrated a 25th anniversary Mass and prayed for the wisdom, holiness and strength to keep leading the church. The Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Oct.

Pope Launches Anniversary CelebrationsBuoyed by the cheers of pilgrims and serenaded by Polish choirs, a frail Pope John Paul II kicked off 25th-anniversary celebrations with a reflection on prayer and divine grace. Addressing some 20,000 people in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 15, the pope spoke

Papal Envoy Says Events Proved Vatican Right About Iraqi WarSeven months after he tried to convince President George W. Bush not to invade Iraq, Cardinal Pio Laghi, papal envoy, said events have proved the Vatican right about the consequences of war and the difficulties of consolidating peace. Cardi

Proposed Vatican Document on Liturgy Returned to CommitteeA proposed Vatican document on liturgical norms was sent back to its drafting committee after cardinals and bishops raised objections and encouraged changes. Among other things, the draft, presented to consulting prelates in June, reportedly

Pope, Physically Fading, Crisscrosses Slovakia On a trip that taxed his fading physical powers, Pope John Paul II crisscrossed Slovakia to celebrate liturgies, beatify two 20th-century martyrs and offer people inside and outside the church a message of hope. But he had trouble delivering that messag

Boston Archdiocese Settles Abuse Cases for $85 MillionLess than six weeks after becoming head of the Archdiocese of Boston, Archbishop Sean P. O’Malley, O.F.M., has made the largest financial settlement in U.S. church history with hundreds of victims of sexual abuse by Boston priests. The sett

Jerusalem’s Christian Churches Denounce Israeli-Built WallThe Israeli-built wall separating Israel and the Palestinian territories constitutes a grave obstacle to peace in the Middle East, said the heads of Christian churches in Jerusalem. For both nations, the wall will result in a feeling of

Conservatives to Meet With Bishops on Sex Abuse CrisisSeveral leading U.S. bishops are expected to attend a discussion forum with self-styled conservative Catholic voices on the clergy sexual abuse crisis on Sept. 8 in Washington, D.C. We should be talking about the 25-year legacy of our pope and ho

Pope Deplores Bombings in Iraq, Jerusalem, Urges End to ViolencePope John Paul II deplored deadly bombings in Iraq and Jerusalem and urged steps to end the new spiral of violence in the Middle East. The pope spoke at a general audience on Aug. 20, a day after a U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, wa

Vatican Says Same-Sex Unions Are Harmful to Society’Amid increasing worldwide initiatives to grant legal recognition to same-sex unions, the Vatican called on lawmakers to offer clear and emphatic opposition to such measures, which it said were contrary to human nature and ultimately harmful t