Irish President Says Abuse Report Findings Didn't Come as a Shock

May 28, 2009 - DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's president said on Thursday a harrowing report into how Catholic priests and nuns had abused children had not come as a shock after her own convent school experiences. "I had a fair idea it was happening," Mary McAleese said in an interview with state broadcaster RTE. "I was educated by Mercy Nuns, my brothers went to Christian Brothers schools. - 11 Comments

Vatican hosts Darwin Conference

Mar 03, 2009 - From the BBC Online: Vatican hosts Darwin conference By David Willey BBC News, Rome The Vatican is sponsoring a five day conference to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species. The subject is the compatibility of evolution and creation. It is one of two separate international academic conferences being sponsored by the Vatican this year. - 11 Comments

Brazilian rape and excommunications!

Mar 05, 2009 - This is from the BBC website....I was shocked when I read this! :jawdrop: Rape row sparks excommunications By Gary Duffy BBC News, Sao Paulo A Brazilian archbishop says all those who helped a child rape victim secure an abortion are to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church. The girl, aged nine, who lives in the north-eastern state of Pernambuco, became pregnant with twins. - 29 Comments

Catholic Church makes some changes

Oct 20, 2009 - http://news.aol.com/article/vatican-creates-new-structure-to-ease/728295?icid=main|main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fvatican-creates-new-structure-to-ease%2F728295 Catholic Church Makes 'Stunning' Move By JAMES GRAFF, World Editor ,   (Oct. 20) -- The number of married Catholic priests could grow sharply as the result of the Vatican's epochal decision to welcome thousands of disaffected Anglicans and Episcopalians into the Catholic Church. At press conferences in Rome and London on Tuesday, Vatican officials announced that the Church would set up a special canonical structure that will ease the conversion of members of the Anglican Communion without them having to give up what the Vatican called "the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony." - 40 Comments

Not one Jew killed by gas chambers': bishop

Jan 27, 2009 - This story is coming out of the National Post (for those of you who are unfamiliar, it's the right-leaning Canadian national newspaper). JERUSALEM -- Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and the Simon Wiesenthal Center yesterday slammed Pope Benedict XVI for cancelling the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying British bishop . "It is scandalous that someone of this stature in the Church denies the Holocaust," the institution said in a statement, referring to Bishop Richard Williamson, who has publicly denied the murder of six million Jews during the Second World War. - 4 Comments

Reuters: Pope likens "saving" gays to saving the rainforest

Dec 23, 2008 - VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said on Monday that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behavior was just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction. "(The Church) should also protect man from the destruction of himself. A sort of ecology of man is needed," the pontiff said in a holiday address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration. - 4 Comments

Italy collector finds Galileo's lost tooth, fingers

Nov 20, 2009 -   Source   Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:17pm EST ROME (Reuters) - An art collector has found a tooth, thumb and finger of the renowned Italian scientist Galileo Galilei who died in the 17th century, Florence's History of Science museum announced on Friday.   The body parts, along with another finger and a vertebrae, were cut from Galileo's corpse by scientists and historians during a burial ceremony held 95 years after his death in 1642.   Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti, a science historian who cut away the parts and wrote about the ceremony, "confessed he had found it hard to resist the temptation to take away the skull which had housed such extraordinary genius," the museum said. - 11 Comments

Diocese: Pedophile priests should get benefits

Nov 20, 2009 -     Source   Nov 20 11:47 AM US/Eastern By RANDALL CHASEAssociated Press Writer WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington says it is obligated to keep paying retirement benefits to six priests who church officials have confirmed are pedophiles. The diocese filed for Chapter 11 protection last month. - 8 Comments

Catholic Charities Threaten DC over Same Sex Bill

Nov 12, 2009 - The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn't change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care. Under the bill, headed for a D.C. Council vote next month, religious organizations would not be required to perform or make space available for same-sex weddings. - 34 Comments

Human Rights Group Against the Cross - WWJS?

Nov 12, 2009 - Greek Church acts on crucifix ban http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8358027.stm By Malcolm Brabant BBC News, Athens The Strasbourg ruling caused outrage in the Italian media The Greek Orthodox Church is urging Christians across Europe to unite in an appeal against a ban on crucifixes in classrooms in Italy. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled last week that the presence of crucifixes violated a child's right to freedom of religion. Greece's Orthodox Church fears the Italian case will set a precedent. - 18 Comments