Germany: A departure and a new start The German Church is holding its bi-annual meeting, more commonly known as Katholikentag, in Mannheim, with over 30 thousand participants and guests assembled to discuss, to worship, to celebrate and to share the current state of the Church in Pope Benedict XVI’s homeland. From Mannheim, Father Bernd Hagenkord S.J. reports. Listen
The book containing all the events of this „Katholikentag“ is nearly 600 pages long, all 1.200 events show the breadth and length of the catholic Church in Germany. There are lectures and discussions, there are presentations and new initiatives, and as during every „Katholikentag“ the city is strewn with white tents, every one of them containing an initiative, parish, diocese, association, or other catholic organization. Ecumenism, mission, parish ...»
Pope: Caritas, serving those most in need During his Wednesday audience Pope Benedict XVI had a very special greeting for the President of Caritas Internationalis, Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, and Members of the Executive Board and Representative Council of the global Catholic organisation.
Speaking in English he said: “Your presence here today expresses your communion with the Successor of Peter and your readiness to welcome the ...»
Holy See Press Office: communiqué on SSPX Below, please find Vatican Radio's translation of the text of the communiqué released by the Press Office of the Holy See regarding the Ordinary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in connection with the Session's consideration of the ongoing dialogue between the CDF and the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X (SSPX).
Pope: No human cry that God does not hear Continuing his catechesis on Christian prayer, this Wednesday Pope Benedict turned to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, whose letters show us that “in reality there is no human cry that is not heard by God” and that “prayer does not exempt us from trial and suffering”, “but allows us to live and cope with a new force, with the same confidence of Jesus”.
Pope: A family’s right to work and Sunday rest Marking the World Day for the Family, Pope Benedict XVI has appealed for the right to work and to rest for families worldwide. In comments following his Wednesday lesson on prayer in the life of the early Church, the Holy Father said : “Yesterday, Tuesday, May 15th, we celebrated the World Day of Families, established by the United Nations and dedicated this year to balance between two closely ...»
Pope: telegram to French president Pope Benedict XVI wrote to the newly sworn-in President of France, Francois Hollande. In his telegram, the Holy Father expresses the hope that France continue to be, "a factor of peace and solidarity in the active search for the common good, respect for life and the dignity of every person and all peoples," in Europe and the international community. The Pope prays also that the French President ...»
Church
Insights into the Feast of the Ascension Christ’s Ascension into Heaven which the Church commemorates this week is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. It took place 40 days after the resurrection and celebrates the reality of Christ’s return to the Father before the Second Coming.
But how can we explain this biblical event and what is its main importance and symbolism? Susy Hodges spoke to Father Luke Buckles, a Dominican priest ...»
Religion and media in multifaith Britain To mark World Communications Day in England and Wales this week, the Archbishop of Cardiff George Stack celebrated a special Mass on Monday evening, attended by journalists, producers and PR professionals, as well as priest, seminarians and lay people involved in the world of Catholic media. The Mass at the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception in the heart of London was followed by a lecture delivered by the BBC’s Head of Religion and Ethics, Aaqil Ahmed. As the first Muslim in the history of the BBC to be appointed to this post in ...»
Imagination and faith: "updating Saint Ignatius..." Jesuit Michael Paul Gallagher went from being a lecturer in Modern Literature at University College, Dublin to Professor of Fundamental Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
Veronica Scarisbrick went round to interview him and began by asking if she might describe him as an imaginative theologian. I hope, he replied, that might be true sometimes! And when prompted further as to ...»
Archbishop Gregory: defending traditional marriage The right understanding of what marriage really is, the role of the Church in public life, and the challenge of the New Evangelization in light of the coming Year of Faith, were the topics that Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta, Georgia, discussed in an exclusive interview with Vatican Radio during the course of his ad limina visit. Archbishop Gregory began by offering his consideration of ...»
Nigerian Bishop of Sokoto explains 'Boko Haram' .... During the dry season the harmattan wind blows here from the Sahara desert bringing dust and disease into the ocre coloured savanna, coating over the occasional baobab tree.
Until the rainy season sweeps all the dust and disease away and the fertile land is suddenly green again overnight.
This is Sokoto once one of the largest empires in Africa. Here lay the centre of politics and economics of ...»
While the rest of the world was seething with the war and its evils in a lonely corner of Europe 1917 three young children had a vision of Our Lady.That apparition sparked off the devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, an inspiration for millions to work and pray for peace.
Since that time not only have millions prayed the Rosary and done penance but have made the pilgrimage to Fatima.
Near East food security drying up? Experts and officials from some 30 countries across the Middle East and North Africa are meeting this week at the Rome headquarters of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to coordinate responses to food insecurity and climate change.
Eurozone fears for Greece After nine days of talks on Tuesday political leaders in Greece admitted defeat in a bid to form a governing coalition. This political uncertainly has ...»
An English girl, forced into prostitution in Italy, was among the key speakers at an international conference on combating human trafficking hosted by the Pontifical Justice and Peace Council in the Vatican on Tuesday. The meeting, jointly organised ...»
It’s the second most profitable worldwide criminal enterprise after the illegal arms trade. We’re talking about human trafficking where men, women and children are bought and sold into slavery every day, whether for the sex trade, domestic ...»
One of the participants at the anti Human Trafficking conference sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland of London's Metropolitican Police who specialises in the fight against this brutal and ...»
Germany: A departure and a new start
Experts and officials from some 30 countries across the Middle East and North Africa are meeting this week at the Rome headquarters of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to coordinate responses to food insecurity and climate change.
After nine days of talks on Tuesday political leaders in Greece admitted defeat in a bid to form a governing coalition. This political uncertainly has 
Caritas Europa is calling on the European Commission and EU Member States to guarantee the effective right to family life and family reunification for 
Greece's president will ask politicians on Tuesday to stand aside and let a government of technocrats steer the nation away from bankruptcy, but 
It was announced Saturday morning that the 2012 Templeton Prize has been awarded to the Dalai Lama.
