Vatican Radio reports that discussions are under way to try to arrange for Pope Benedict to speak to two Italian astronauts onboard the space station. The planned link-up would happen on May 4 and will coincide with the final mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, which is scheduled to leave from the Kennedy Space Center Read more
There’s a flourishing gay scene for priests in Rome, according to a new book due out soon. Sex and the Vatican: a secret journey in the reign of the chaste, will publish testimonies from priests and from undercover reporting. Carmelo Abbate, an investigative journalist, authored the book which will be published in Italian and French. Abbate Read more
John Paul is already on the road to sainthood; his beatification takes place on Sunday. It is a move that has caused a mixed reaction. But everybody needs heroes and John Paul, as the response to his death demonstrated, is an inspiration and role model for millions of people. He is a holy hero. During his pontificate John Paul changed the Catholic Read more
The second miracle John Paul needs to become a saint may be lying in wait in Rome: that is to find a room during his beatification. Predictions of upward of 1 million people pouring into Rome for the May1 event has seen the price of accommodation skyrocket. Rev Gregory Apparcel, rector of the Santa Susanna church, Read more
Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, the head of the Catholic Church in Belgium, described former-Bishop Roger Vangheluwe’s TV confession that he had sexually abused two of his nephews as “inappropriate and shocking”. During the interview Vangheluwe described the abuse with one of his nephews as “a kind of game”. Disturbed by Vangheluwe’s detached and vacant tone, Archbishop Leonard said “He should not Read more
Pope Benedict admitted to asking himself why so many children had to suffer in natural disasters such as the Japanese earthquake. The admission came on a television programme the pontiff participated in. Pope Benedict went on to say “We don’t have the answers, but we know that Jesus suffered as innocent children suffer.” The pope’s comments on Read more
Once again, Good Friday sees Filipinos nailed to crosses, re-enacting Jesus’ suffering and death. Yesterday tourists flocked to see at least 24 Filipinos take part in the annual ritual which Church leaders reject as extreme devotion and a distortion of the Easter message. “The Church asks you to deny yourself through mortification, prayer and sacrifice. Read more
Addressing a rally outside the Faslane naval base on Gare Loch, Scotland’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien labelled the UK Government’s nuclear weapons “shameful.” He urges the govenment to “do the right thing” and give up the weapons. Quoting the words of Pope Benedict XVI, he said: “In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only Read more
Lady Gaga’s new single ‘Judas’ is a boring and mundane stunt according to Bill Donoghue, President of the US Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. “This is a stunt … Lady Gaga tries to continue to shock Catholics and Christians in general: she dresses as a nun … she swallows the rosary. She has now Read more
The Vatican’s official newspaper L’Osservatore Romano is now online. The online version was launched on April 19, marking the anniversary of Pope Benedict’s election. The full version of L’Osservatore Romano, “The Roman Observer” is available in Italian and English. Until now the full daily version was printed only in Italian. A weekly version in English Read more