Signs Of the Times

Pope Benedict XVI advanced the sainthood causes of Pope John Paul II and Pope Pius XII, declaring that both had lived lives of “heroic virtues.”

Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, the chair of the committee, called for the development of “specific criteria” for troop withdrawal.

“The U.S. is not becoming less Catholic because the Roman Catholic Church is becoming more Hispanic,” said Allan Figueroa Deck, S.J., at a Fordham University forum on “Being Latino.”

This year’s Vatican Christmas tree is from the Wallonia region of Belgium.

Negotiators from small nations were outraged when an agreement was leaked that included generous emissions for industrialized nations.

“We shall discover the meaning of Christmas in a quiet way and hope for the return of harmony and peace,” said Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore.

Thirty faith-based institutional investors are using their shareholder clout to urge 21 health companies to disclose the compensation packages for their top executives.

Cardinal Cahal Daly was remembered for his “sustained efforts in the promotion of justice and peace in Northern Ireland.”

Edward Schillebeeckx, O.P., served as theological adviser to the Dutch bishops during the Second Vatican Council and was seen as the main inspiration behind the Dutch catechism for adults.

A critical factor will be the doctors’ evaluation concerning the woman’s mental state and whether or not she was “of sound mind.”