[NYer]

Should be an interesting synod.

[NYer]

Ping!

[escapefromboston]

If less people go to Church is there really a Priest shortage?

[B Knotts]

The Vatican said Saturday that 256 bishops from 118 countries would participate

Did anyone else here think, "hey, that's 0x100 bishops in hexadecimal?"

[Petrosius]

Solve the problem of the lack of faith among the laity and the priest shortage will solve itself. We have had a celibate priesthood in the West for 2000 years. If this were the reason for the priest shortage we would have known it long before now.

[NYer]

AP - Sun Oct 2, 7:48 AM ET Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005. The pontiff opened a three-week meeting of the world's bishops inaugurating his first major Vatican event since being elected. More than 250 bishops, cardinals, heads of religious orders and others from about 118 countries will take part in the Synod of Bishops. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)

AP - Sun Oct 2, 8:12 AM ET Bishops and Cardinals attend a mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005. The pontiff opened a three-week meeting of the world's bishops inaugurating his first major Vatican event since being elected. More than 250 bishops, cardinals, heads of religious orders and others from about 118 countries will take part in the Synod of Bishops.(AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)