VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI launched his own Twitter feed this week (Dec. 3) to worldwide media coverage — it’s hard to resist the story of an octogenarian pontiff mixing it up with the digerati — and to considerable acclaim from church insiders. The praise was understandable. After the spate of missteps that have Read more
While the Catholic Church teaches that “the whole body of the faithful . . . cannot error in matters of belief”, this does not mean Catholic beliefs are open to popular vote, Pope Benedict XVI has told a group of theologians. The Pope said an authentic “sensus fidei” (“sense of faith”) can come only when Read more
Pope Benedict XVI has for the second time in two months appealed for the international community to send aid to the suffering people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The eastern part of the African nation is being convulsed by a second wave of violence and spreading hunger, leading the Pope to describe the suffering Read more
A warning from Pope Benedict XVI about lack of faith among Catholics in France has coincided with new research revealing a decline in fervour among Catholics in the United States and a weakening of belief among Catholics in Ireland. Speaking to visiting French bishops, the Pope described ignorance of religion, even “among the Catholic faithful”, Read more
Pope Benedict XVI has asked bishops to take greater steps to ensure that Catholic charities operating in their dioceses adhere to Catholic teaching and retain their Catholic identity. The Pope said it is the duty of diocesan bishops and parish priests to see that the faithful “are not led into error of misunderstanding” through charitable Read more
Pope Benedict XVI sent a clear signal about the universality of the Catholic Church when he created six new cardinals on November 24. For the first time in decades, all of the new cardinals came from countries outside Europe. “I want to highlight in particular the fact that the Church is the Church of all Read more
In the final volume of his trilogy on the life and teachings of Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI strongly affirms the authenticity of the Gospel accounts of his birth and childhood by Matthew and Luke. He says the two evangelists set out to “write history, real history that had actually happened, admittedly interpreted and understood in Read more
The task of evangelisation is closely linked to the work of ecumenism, Pope Benedict XVI has told participants in a plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. “We cannot follow a truly ecumenical path while ignoring the crisis of faith affecting vast areas of the world, including those where the proclamation of Read more
The practical atheism of those who say they are Christian but live as if God does not exist is more destructive than actual atheism, Pope Benedict XVI has said. Speaking to a crowd of nearly 7000 in Rome, he presented three ways to more fully discover God and combat indifference towards faith. Continue reading
The Vatican intends to launch a papal Twitter account for Pope Benedict XVI, a move officials hope will eliminate dozens of unofficial papal Twitter feeds. The recent Synod of Bishops, on the New Evangelisation, encouraged Catholics to use social networks and other new media environments. It described these as places where “consciences are often formed, Read more