The possession of possibly the earliest Christian writings in existence is being disputed. Apparently only discovered around six years ago, these books have the potential to change the fundamental understandings of Christianity. The group of 70 or so books, with between 5 and 15 lead leaves bound by lead rings were located inside a northern Jordanian cave sometime Read more
Pope Benedict has made repeated appeals for peace in Libya. He has expressed “anxiety for the safety and security of civilians” and urged that dialogue rather than military force be used in order to reach a peaceful solution. He appealed to international organisations and to “those who bear political and military responsibilities to immediately begin talks aimed at the Read more
A legal case in Philadelphia is drawing special attention, because for the first time, prosecutors are charging a church official for allegedly transferring predator priests to new parishes without warning. If found guilty, former secretary for the clergy, Monsignor William Lynn faces a possible 28 years in prison. On Friday, Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes said Read more
Statues of John Paul II are in high demand with Polish sculptor Czeslaw Dzwigaj already fulfilling 70+ orders, and more continue to “pour in”. “With the beatification, priests now want a statue in their church with a reliquary at the base so parishioners can practice the cult of devotion of John Paul II,” Dzwigaj said. Read more
Churches are to be trained in running community festivals as part of their outreach during the 2012 London Olympic Games. Many training events are planned to show churches how they can put on simple events that build community spirit and demonstrate the Gospel. Australian organisation Fusion Youth and Community festivals director, Marty Woods, has moved Read more
Catholic Relief Services has been allowed to resume its work in Darfur among the 400,000 people relying on its emergency food and supplies. “As of Thursday we received the news that we would be allowed to resume operations,” Catholic Relief Services spokeswoman Sara Fajardo said. “We are working with the local government to ensure that Read more
A Vatican initiative to promote dialogue between believers and atheists, ended over the weekend with the Pope urging youth to put God back in the debate and to “tear down the barriers of fear of the other, the foreigner, of those who are not like you” that mutual ignorance can create. Benedict said religions had Read more
A validity of a study claiming Catholics are more supportive of gay and lesbian rights than the general population and other Christians is being seriously questioned. The study “fails the “gold standard” of social surveys’ according to Dr Mark M. Gray, director of CARA Catholic Polls and a research associate for the Center for Applied Read more
Vatican Radio and the Vatican’s official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano mourned the passing of Elizabeth Taylor on Friday. “The curtain falls on the violet eyes of Hollywood” read the L’Osservatore headline. It is reported that L’Osservatore Romano said Taylor was the “last remaining star in the firmament of old Hollywood” and it praised her contributions on AIDS and other Read more
The US Oregon Province of the Jesuits, has agreed to pay US$166.1 million to compensate more than 450 native American child victims of sexual abuse. The “Northwest” Jesuits paid the compensation for what has been described as “horrific”, the sexual abuse at it’s religious mission schools, mainly on Indian reservations from the 1940’s through to the Read more