Pope Benedict XVI, in his eighth year as pontiff, is making his mark on a new generation of future priests, who have embraced many of his ideas and priorities. For Danny Pabon, a seminarian from the Archdiocese of Newark, who just began studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, reading Pope Benedict’s account of the meaning of Jesus’ life and teachings was a turning poin...

Vandals burned the door of a Trappist monastery outside Jerusalem and spray-painted a wall with the names of illegal Israeli outposts, one of which had been evacuated two days earlier. In addition to the names of the outposts – Jewish enclaves not approved by the Israeli government – the vandals scrawled slogans against Christianity including “Jesus is a monkey” on the walls on the Latru...

By Carol Glatz Devotion to Mary “collapsed” in some parts of the United States after the Second Vatican Council even though the council fathers had upheld her critical place within the Catholic faith, said a leading American expert in Marian studies. The council’s decision to integrate a draft text on Mary into a larger dogmatic text – Lumen Gentium – rather than publish it as a separate do...

The Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy was granted bail on September 7 after three weeks in police custody. The judge, who ordered the girl’s release on a bail of about US $5,282, said there was insufficient evidence to justify continuing to hold Rimsha Masih in jail. However, the case against her was not dismissed. Investigations continue both into accusations that Rims...

In addition to the usual teen and children’s programs and the expected selection of workshops on such topics as the power of God and healing relationships, the 41st annual Catholic Renewal Convention sponsored by Southern California Renewal Communities offered a look into the reality of evil in the world today. But the conference workshops focusing on exorcism and deliverance ministry we...

Australia's new Ambassador to the Holy See has held his first formal reception at the Australian Embassy in Rome, promoting the upcoming Australian tour of a relic of St Francis Xavier. John McCarthy and wife Christine hosted a veritable who's who of Australia's Rome-based Religious leaders, as well the Roman Curia's most senior official for the New Evangelisation, Archbishop Rino Fisich...

By James Martone When Alice Khakame knew she was pregnant again, she set off to get blood tests at the government maternity clinic where she lives in Kangemi, a poverty-ridden area of about 100,000 people on the outskirts of Nairobi. Her husband had accompanied her for such tests in the past, but this time he refused to go. He was gone when she got back, before her blood tests showed ...

Italian Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, a renowned biblical scholar and former archbishop of Milan, died on August 31 at the age of 85 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Pope Benedict XVI met privately with the cardinal during a visit to Milan in June, and was informed of his ailing health on August 30. In a telegram to Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan, Pope Benedict praised Ca...

By Cindy Wooden Father Caesar Atuire is not naive enough to ask his pilgrims to leave their smartphones at home. However, the CEO of a Vatican-related pilgrimage agency does ask his pilgrims to at least look at the holy sites – perhaps even say a prayer – before clicking and capturing the moment in a photo, text message, Tweet or Facebook post. Father Atuire, a Ghanaian-born priest...

A Pakistani court considering the case of a Christian girl allegedly found with burned pages of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, adjourned on August 30 without granting bail. The girl, Rimsha Masih, 11, who has Down syndrome, was charged under the country’s strict blasphemy law and has been held since August 18. Chances for her release received a boost on August 29 when district court...