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Italy's most prominent Muslim commentator is converting to Catholicism by being baptized by the pope at an Easter vigil, the Vatican announced Saturday. Magdi Allam is the deputy editor of the Corriere della Sera newspaper and writes often on Muslim and Arab affairs. Born in Egypt, he has described himself as a non-practicing Muslim. He has long spoken out against extremism and in favor of tolerance.

What's wrong with big Papal Masses? [Back when John Paul II made his second visit to our country (I forget the year off the top of my head -- and blogs are done off the top of one's head), I was invited to concelebrate the "stadium Mass" at the Meadowlands with the Holy Father, along with every other priest in the region who had been ordained recently. I declined, not out of any disrespect for the Holy Father, but out of respect for the Blessed Eucharist. Before entering the seminary, I attended his Mass on the Mall in Washington, and...

That last post ended on what some might call an inflammatory note. The suggestion that some priests would react to a “re-reform” of the Roman Liturgy by setting their priesthood aside may seem hyperbolic to some; but I’m a priest, and know a lot of priests, and am confident that I’m not just whistling Dixie here (especially since whistling Dixie here could get you thrown out of some finer eating establishments). The operative question for any priest whose ministry has been exclusively post-conciliar is this: Does he view his style of ministry, his personal spirituality, his manner of celebrating the...

I've come across a real gem (or, rather, a friend of mine came across it and alerted me to it): a letter from 2003, written by then Cardinal Ratzinger, in answer to a letter requesting wider permission throughout the Latin Church for the use of the Missal of John XXIII. Dear Dr. Barth ! My heartfelt thanks for your letter of April 6, which I didn't have time to answer until now. You're asking me to lobby for a wider permission of the old Roman Rite. As you well know, I am very open to such requests, as my efforts...

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - - More than 100,000 people filled St Peter's Square on Sunday in a show of support for Pope Benedict XVI after protests by scientists forced him to cancel a university speech. The pilgrims gave a roar of approval when the Pope Benedict, speaking after his weekly blessing, said: "I encourage all of you, dear academics, to always be respectful of the opinions of others, and to seek the truth and the good with an open and responsible mind." The 80-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church cancelled a planned speech at Rome's La Sapienza university Thursday...

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE1 JANUARY 2008THE HUMAN FAMILY, A COMMUNITY OF PEACE1. At the beginning of a New Year, I wish to send my fervent good wishes for peace, together with a heartfelt message of hope to men and women throughout the world. I do so by offering for our common reflection the theme which I have placed at the beginning of this message. It is one which I consider particularly important: the human family, a community of peace. The first form of communion between persons is that...

MARIAZELL, Austria (CNS) -- When Pope Benedict XVI came to the Austrian Marian shrine of Mariazell, he spoke a lot about Jesus Christ and said relatively little about Mary. That was indicative of the “style” of this pope’s Marian devotion, which Vatican officials have described as prudent, thoughtful and very Christocentric. In general, the pope sees attachment to Mary as a wonderful way for the faithful to draw closer to Christ, but has been wary of anything that tends to exaggerate or over-sentimentalize her role in the church. “We rest awhile with the mother of the Lord, and we pray...

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican sought to calm Jewish anger yesterday over the pope's meeting with a prominent Polish priest accused of anti-Semitism, declaring the encounter did not imply any change in the Church's desire for good relations with Jews. The Vatican issued the assurances after Pope Benedict XVI's brief meeting Sunday with the Rev. Tadeusz Rydzyk, which drew protests from worldwide Jewish organizations. Photos showing the pope at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo with Rydzyk, along with two other Polish priests, were published in Polish newspapers on Tuesday. Rydzyk, who runs a conservative media empire that includes the...

ON JUNE 29, 2007, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), with Benedict XVI’s approval, published “Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church.” Our local paper carried a short article on it entitled “Pope Says Others Are Not True Churches.” The writer portrayed the Vatican document as anti-ecumenical and as a return to the pre-Vatican II teaching that “Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation.” Similar accounts appeared elsewhere in the popular press. Many commentators linked the statement to Benedict XVI’s approval of the Motu Mass, and treated it as...

Pope Benedict XVI has drawn fire from Protestants worldwide for saying in early July of 2007, that they are not part of the “true church.” Protestants have weighed in and the response has included everything from disappointment to anger.

On the same day that he attacked the GOP as being "scared of black folks," CNN contributor Roland Martin posted a column on CNN.com in which he proclaimed the "irrelevancy" of Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church, specifically in the context of a recent document that clarified what the Catholic Church teaches about other Christian denominations. He advised non-Catholic Christians that they "shouldn't even bother getting upset" over the recent document issued by the Catholic Church. "Just chalk up to an old man trying to get a little attention," he said of Pope Benedict XVI. Martin also described the...

(CNN) -- Non-Catholics who are up in arms of the proclamation by Pope Benedict XVI that the only true church in the world is that of Catholicism shouldn't even bother getting upset. Just chalk it up to an old man trying to get a little attention. For him to even suggest that only the Catholic Church can provide true salvation to believers in Christ shows that he is wholly ignorant of the Scriptures that I have known all my life. Sorry, let me take that back. I've really only known the Bible for the last 13 of my 38 years....

It was good to read that Pope Benedict sent a message of support to the Scout movement on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. August 1 marks the centenary of the first Scout camp, organized by Sir Robert (later Lord) Baden-Powell on the island of Brownsea, in England. Boy Scouts, and the values which the Scouting movement inculcates, have attracted the admiration of great men from the movement's earliest days. Its beginnings were Edwardian, and it has preserved much of the best of that sunny and admirable period of Western civilization. In a letter addressed to Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, president...

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITHRESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTSOF THE DOCTRINE ON THE CHURCH IntroductionThe Second Vatican Council, with its Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, and its Decrees on Ecumenism (Unitatis redintegratio) and the Oriental Churches (Orientalium Ecclesiarum), has contributed in a decisive way to the renewal of Catholic ecclesiolgy. The Supreme Pontiffs have also contributed to this renewal by offering their own insights and orientations for praxis: Paul VI in his Encyclical Letter Ecclesiam suam (1964) and John Paul II in his Encyclical Letter Ut unum sint (1995).The consequent duty of theologians to expound with...

Pope broadens access to 1962 Mass (news/analysis) by Phil Lawler Vatican, Jul. 7, 2007 (CWNews.com) With a motu proprio entitled Summorum Pontificum, made public on July 7, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) has provided for a much broader use of the Roman Missal of 1962, explaining that he hopes to encourage "interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church." The long-awaited motu proprio, which had been the subject of intensive speculation within the Church for more than a year, gives every priest the right to celebrate the Mass using the 1962 Missal, and instructs pastors to "willingly accept" requests...

My dear Brother Bishops, With great trust and hope, I am consigning to you as Pastors the text of a new Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" on the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. The document is the fruit of much reflection, numerous consultations and prayer. News reports and judgments made without sufficient information have created no little confusion. There have been very divergent reactions ranging from joyful acceptance to harsh opposition, about a plan whose contents were in reality unknown. This document was most directly opposed on account of two fears, which I would...

LITTERAE APOSTOLICAEMOTU PROPRIO DATAEBENEDICTUS XVI Summorum Pontificum cura ad hoc tempus usque semper fuit, ut Christi Ecclesia Divinae Maiestati cultum dignum offerret, «ad laudem et gloriam nominis Sui» et «ad utilitatem totius Ecclesiae Suae sanctae». Ab immemorabili tempore sicut etiam in futurum, principium servandum est «iuxta quod unaquaeque Ecclesia particularis concordare debet cum universali Ecclesia non solum quoad fidei doctrinam et signa sacramentalia, sed etiam quoad usus universaliter acceptos ab apostolica et continua traditione, qui servandi sunt non solum ut errores vitentur, verum etiam ad fidei integritatem tradendam, quia Ecclesiae lex orandi eius legi credendi respondet»1.Inter Pontífices qui talem debitam...

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VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI has approved a document that relaxes restrictions on celebrating the Latin Mass used by the Roman Catholic Church for centuries until the modernizing reforms of the 1960s, the Vatican said Thursday. Benedict discussed the decision with top officials in a meeting on Wednesday and the document will be published in the next few days, the statement said. The meeting was called to ``illustrate the content and the spirit'' of the document, which will be sent to all bishops accompanied by a personal letter from the pope. The decision comes after months of debate....

Sunday, June 17, 2007 For the Record - Tornielli: "Benedict XVI has signed" Andrea Tornielli, one of the most respected religious journalists in Italy, confirms in this Sunday's edition of Il Giornale the reports of the past few days, adding some interesting new historical information. We keep our great caution on possible dates and note again the oddity that so much could be apparently known, yet a simple piece of information -- the very title of the document, its first Latin words -- seems to be ignored. Ratzinger's turning point on the liturgy - All clear for the Ancient Latin...

Rome, Jun 8, 2007 / 09:03 am (CNA).- Christ’s incarnation and presence in the Eucharist “puts into crisis the wisdom of men”.  So the Pope spoke this past Thursday, at 7 p.m., on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).  To mark the feast, Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, and afterwards presided over a Eucharistic Procession from St. John’s Basilica until the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.  The Pope greeted the Romans gathered there, together with the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, Mons. Camillo Ruini, and other cardinals and bishops...

After 2 Years, Pope Turns RightAP - 04/17/07 VATICAN CITY - As he approaches the third year of his reign, Pope Benedict XVI is hardening into the kind of pontiff that liberals feared and conservatives hoped for. Elected April 19, 2005, to succeed his dear friend John Paul II, the leader of the world's Roman Catholics slid smoothly into his job as pastor of an enormous flock. He reached out to dissidents, other faiths and countries long hostile to the church. But recently, as his 80th birthday approached, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has drawn a tougher line. He has...

Commentary: After a quiet and cautious start, major reforms are on their wayBy Damian ThompsonLast Updated: 11:55pm BST 14/04/2007Commentary Many popes have celebrated their 80th birthday, but few have reached this milestone in such good form as Benedict XVI. Fighting form, perhaps. After two cautious and successful years, in which he has surprised critics by writing about God's love rather than raging against contraception and homosexuality, the Pope is preparing a series of reforms of the Catholic Church. Just how far he will go remains to be seen. But there are many nervous bishops at the moment - especially in...

16 April 2007, 13:51 Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia’s greetings letter to Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of his 80th birthday Your Holiness, I cordially greet you on the occasion of your 80th birthday. On this solemn day of your jubilee, may I express my special admiration of your life that has wholly been dedicated to the church ministry. You were young when you were ordained and since then you have led a praiseworthy life culminating in your election to high and eminent position of the Primate of the Roman Catholic Church. As a minister of the...

April 16, 2007 issue - April 19 marks the second anniversary of Benedict XVI's election as pontiff, and in a few weeks he heads to Brazil. Not long ago, when a pope traveled to the region it didn't occasion much comment; John Paul II was a globe-trotter who hit Mexico and the Caribbean during his first 100 days. But Benedict, who turns 80 this month, has rarely left home and seems most interested in trying to revive European Catholicism. It also underscored just how conservative—and far from the mainstream—Benedict is. That will cause more trouble in the future, especially in...

"God’s passionate love for his people — for humanity — is at the same time a forgiving love. It is so great that it turns God against himself, his love against his justice.”This is a startling, radical, statement about divine mercy — the kind of declaration that one might expect to see attributed to Pope John Paul II. But it was Pope Benedict XVI who wrote it, in his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love).Seven years after Pope John Paul II first announced the creation of Mercy Sunday, many priests are still wary of the feast. Why do...

Pope: 'Nothing Positive' From Iraq Apr 8 12:20 PM US/Eastern By FRANCES D'EMILIO Associated Press Writer VATICAN CITY (AP) - In an Easter litany of the world's suffering, Pope Benedict XVI lamented that "nothing positive" is happening in Iraq and decried the unrest in Afghanistan and bloodshed in Africa and Asia. "How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world," the pontiff told tens of thousands gathered Sunday at St. Peter's Square on what is Christianity's most joyful feast day. Benedict, delivering his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, read...

Discipline, freedom lead to true happiness, pope tells youths in detention centerBy John Thavis 3/19/2007Catholic News Service ROME (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI visited a Rome juvenile detention center and told young people that true happiness involves discipline as well as freedom. The pope celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Casal del Marmo Prison for Minors March 18, then met with the 49 young detainees in a gym. Greeting them individually, he gave each one a blessing and a rosary. The young people, including many immigrants and non-Catholics, said they were moved by the fact that a pope would...

Pope once tried to bar Dylan concert March 08, 2007 5:16 PM EST VATICAN CITY, Mar 8, 2007 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Pope Benedict XVI tried to bar Bob Dylan from a Roman Catholic youth rally in Italy, fearing he was a prophet whose message differed from Pope John Paul II's. In his memoirs about his predecessor, Pope Benedict recalled events of the World Eucharist Congress in Bologna, Italy, in 1997, and the 300,000-plus crowd about to hear Dylan's songs and their messages that didn't necessarily mirror church teachings, the Telegraph said Wednesday. "The Pope appeared tired, exhausted. At that...

Joseph Ratzinger and Carlo Maria Martini were once considered the two great heavyweights of the College of Cardinals. Ratzinger has, of course, gone on to become Benedict XVI while Martini has long since stepped down as Archbishop of Milan. But their sometimes clashing views on doctrine are more relevant than ever to the future of the Catholic Church. The Pope has confirmed the Vatican's strictly traditional party line on questions of doctrine and moral theology. But his more progressive counterpart, the former Archbishop, has hardly disappeared. Officially, having stepped down from his Milan post in 2003 after reaching the prescribed...

Pope Benedict XVI spoke out amid a debate over plans to legalise civil partnerships in Italy, defending traditional marriage in an address to Catholic worshipper. "We know very well how the family based on marriage forms the natural setting for the birth and education of children, and is therefore a guarantee of the future of all humanity," the pope said at his Angelus prayers. A debate is raging in predominantly Catholic, socially conservative, Italy as the government prepares to put forward a bill later this month to grant legal status to unmarried couples regardless of sexual orientation. The plan has...

The following is the English translation (via Rorate Caeli). Castrillón speaks: "The Holy Father will extend the permission" In an interview published by the Argentinian periodical Panorama Católico Internacional (the Argentinian edition of the German monthly Kirchliche Umschau), a translation of which is given below. The interview was first published by El Catolicismo, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Bogotá, Colombia. By Victor Ricardo Moreno Holguín, Pbro. [Presbyter]Rome Correspondent ... What is the current challenge in "Ecclesia Dei"? We take care of those who did not wish to follow Archbishop Lefebvre -- which is not exactly a schism [sic]....

Pope Benedict's comments that caused an uproar among the Muslim population of the world were accurate. His quote was as follows: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus, 1391. ~ There is nothing here to apologize for, and yet the Pope has found it necessary to visit mosques and bow toward Mecca, as onlookers described, "like a Muslim". By performing such an act, he may as well have opened...

During the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of St. Andrew the Ecumenical Patriarch gave a homily that got my attention. Remember how important the Divine Liturgy is for the identity of the Orthodox. Frankly, I think liturgy is a serious issue for ecumenical dialogue with the East. Think about this. They look at the stupid things the Latins have done and are doing to the sacred liturgy, about how those desiring traditional liturgy from lay people to priests, are marginalized and berated. They see the leaders of a group of "traditionalists" are ecommunicated. And they are going to get closer...

When the last election for Pope was announced I was dubious, skeptical, uncertain of the choice made. I am not Roman Catholic but like many Christians around the world I came to realize over time the enormous positive influence John Paul had upon Christendom and upon the affairs of the world as a whole. It had also, by the time of the death of John Paul Magnus, come to be my realization that the Pope, no matter whether one was Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant, could be the de facto representative of all Christians, if he behaved in a manner...

[...] Nineteen months after being selected pope, Benedict is transforming the Vatican with a different style and a different stance. Beneath his blunt words and rigid style lies a profound divergence from John Paul's buoyant optimism. Pope Benedict believes that the Roman Catholic Church must stand apart from the world of today rather than embrace it. ohn Paul II was the master of the grand overture -- from praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to kissing a copy of the Quran -- which dissolved tensions with even his harshest foes. For Benedict, the modern age is defined by growing...

When Pope Benedict XVI travels to Turkey Nov. 28-Dec. 1, he faces a series of challenges that, like concentric circles, become larger and more daunting as they’re arranged around one another. Coupled with the intense media attention the trip is certain to draw -- more than 2,000 journalists are expected to follow the pope on his first visit to a majority Muslim state -- these complexities make Turkey the trickiest high-wire act of his pontificate to date. Benedict is scheduled to make stops in Ankara, Ephesus and Istanbul. Among the conundrums awaiting him: How to reassure Muslims that he’s a...

Pope Benedict, who has completed writing the first volume of a life of Jesus, says that the soon to be published volume outlines his own "interpretation of the figure of Jesus" and "therefore, everyone is free to contradict me". Reuters reports that Pope Benedict has decided to publish the first volume of the planned biography of Jesus because he doesn't know "how much time and strength" he has left. The Holy See yesterday announced that Jesus of Nazareth, a personal, historical-theological analysis of Jesus as the central figure of the Christian faith, would be published in March next year. It...

French clerical rebellion grows, but Pope intent on moving forward for traditionalists Brian Mershon November 2, 2006 From the Nov. 9 issue of The Wanderer, the oldest Catholic weekly in the U.S. Up to 50 French priests and 10 French bishops have publicly stated their opposition to reported plans of the Holy See to ease restrictions on the use of the Classical Roman rite of Holy Mass and sacraments. However, the Italian daily Il Giornale reported that the Pope is intent on moving forward with plans to free up the Traditional rite and attempt to shore up relations with the...

Latin Mass revival moves step closer as Pope set to grant approval15 October 2006 By Kieron Wood Senior officials of two of the world’s biggest traditional Catholic orders are to visit Ireland over the next few weeks, as reports from Rome indicate that Pope Benedict is set to give approval for worldwide use of the old Latin Mass. Senior officials of two of the world’s biggest traditional Catholic orders are to visit Ireland over the next few weeks, as reports from Rome indicate that Pope Benedict is set to give approval for worldwide use of the old Latin Mass. The...

Published: 09/25/2006 12:00 AM (UAE) ASGHAR KHAN/Gulf News Jose Maria Aznar, former Spanish Prime Minister, says the West is constantly under attack from Muslims. Jose Maria Aznar, former Spanish prime minister, defended Pope Benedict XVI’s comments about Islam, saying on Friday the pontiff had no need to apologise and asking why Muslims never did. the Spanish media said yesterday. “Why do we always have to say sorry and they never do?” Aznar told a conference in Washington on “global threats” on Friday. On Saturday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was quoted as saying that more European leaders should have...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians must have the courage to ask God for help and encouragement when their faith is troubled or shaken by uncertainty, Pope Benedict XVI said. It is often difficult to understand what God is teaching or asking of his children, the pope said during his Sept. 27 weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square. But, he said, people must find "the courage to say, 'I don't understand you, Lord. Listen to me. Help me understand.'" Christians have "the right, so to speak, to ask Jesus for an explanation," the pope said, and asking for further clarification...

John Salazar is one of the most vulnerable Congressman in the country. He tries to get by pretending to be "moderate," though his staff is mainly composed of former Pelosi staffers. He is running against Rightroots endorsed candidate Scott Tipton:Scott Tipton is trying to knock off Democratic incumbent John Salazar in a district that went 55%-44% for George Bush in 2004. This is a seat that should be held by a Republican, but it's a huge district, and Tipton needs lots of cash to overcome the name recognition advantage Salazar holds. If he gets the money he needs, this is...

Every time I hear someone refer to Islam as a “The Religion Of Peace,” I suddenly see an image of Bill Clinton, angrily wagging his finger in my face, and saying, “I did not have sex with that woman…. (pause, as he desperately tries to remember her name) …Miss Lewinsky.” Radical Muslims, and their hypocritical, passive collaborators who look the other way with a wink and a nod, are hypocrites, and so are liberals, but that is hardly “breaking news.” Radical Muslims need about as much reason to riot as rabbits need to reproduce. Last September, it was some Danish...

"Lessons of the Past Must Help Us to Seek Paths of Reconciliation" CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 25, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered today in the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, to leaders of Muslim communities in Italy and ambassadors of Muslim countries accredited to the Holy See. * * * Dear Cardinal Poupard, Your Excellencies, Dear Muslim Friends, I am pleased to welcome you to this gathering that I wanted to arrange in order to strengthen the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the Holy See and Muslim communities throughout the...

Two good columns in USA Today's 'On Religion / Monday Focus' series: Golberg - Islam needs a central authority — such as a pontiffWeigel - Pope posed tough questions that the world must answer

Pope Benedict XVI has received Muslim envoys in his summer residence in Vatican on September 25. The Pontific has called for an inter-religious dialog. The meeting is being held on the days of Ramadan, so regulations of the Muslim holiday are carefully observed at the meeting. There is even no...

Benedict the Bombthrower Why the pope's speech in Germany really was outrageous. By Adele M. Stan When I heard of Pope Benedict XVI's unfortunate comments about Islam, uttered via the voice of an ancient Byzantine emperor, my initial supposition was that the pontiff had simply been a bit ham-fisted, making an ill-advised choice of source material to illustrate a point about the nature of God. Then I actually read the speech that has set the Islamic world aflame. At best, the address delivered by the pontiff to what the Vatican calls “representatives of science” at Germany's University of Regensburg is...

Rep. Tom Tancredo challenged one of his Colorado colleagues but drew no response on Thursday in a flap touched off by the pope’s controversial comments about Islam. On Wednesday, Tancredo sent a letter to Pope Benedict XVI, urging him to resist calls to apologize over a recent speech that quoted a 14th century emperor who suggested that the Prophet Mohammed had inspired "things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." Tancredo’s letter, which included criticisms of specific passages in The Koran, drew a strong response from Nayyera Haq, the Muslim...

Whereas Turkey began accession negotiations with the European Union on October 3, 2005; (Introduced in House) HRES 999 IH 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 999Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarch. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 12, 2006 Mrs. MALONEY (for herself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. WATSON, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. LOWEY, and Mr. BACA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations RESOLUTIONUrging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Whereas Turkey...