News/International
{mosimage}WASHINGTON - American Catholic voters in 2008 tend to be more moderate and less liberal than U.S. voters as a whole, according to a survey commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and released Oct. 14.
“A plurality of Catholic voters, 39 per cent, are Democrats, and 45 per cent describe themselves as moderate. Only 19 per cent say they are liberal,” the survey said.
“A plurality of Catholic voters, 39 per cent, are Democrats, and 45 per cent describe themselves as moderate. Only 19 per cent say they are liberal,” the survey said.
Number of conflicts worldwide up slightly
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}TORONTO - War has been in decline since the end of the Cold War, but last year it had a slight rebound, according to Project Ploughshares’ annual Armed Conflicts Report.
In 2007 the world hosted 30 wars, up from the 29 Kitchener-based Project Ploughshares counted in 2006. The new total is the result of adding two new conflicts and removing one brief Middle Eastern clash.
In 2007 the world hosted 30 wars, up from the 29 Kitchener-based Project Ploughshares counted in 2006. The new total is the result of adding two new conflicts and removing one brief Middle Eastern clash.
Chief rabbi seeks Catholic help to protect Israel
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
{mosimage}VATICAN CITY - Israeli Rabbi Shear-Yashuv Cohen, the chief rabbi of Haifa, asked Pope Benedict XVI and top Catholic leaders to continue learning to appreciate the Jewish people and to speak out to defend Israel.
“I thank God who has kept us alive to be together and work for a future of peace and co-existence the world over,” the 80-year-old rabbi told the world Synod of Bishops on the Bible.
“I thank God who has kept us alive to be together and work for a future of peace and co-existence the world over,” the 80-year-old rabbi told the world Synod of Bishops on the Bible.
Synod seeks to help Catholics read Bible
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
{mosimage}VATICAN CITY - As children of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus, Christians must learn how to listen to what God is saying to them today in the Scriptures, said Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec.
The cardinal, recording secretary of the Oct. 5-26 world Synod of Bishops on “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church,” outlined the main themes for the synod’s debate during an Oct. 6 speech in Latin.
The cardinal, recording secretary of the Oct. 5-26 world Synod of Bishops on “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church,” outlined the main themes for the synod’s debate during an Oct. 6 speech in Latin.
Pope explains history, importance of synod meetings
By John Thavis, Catholic News Service
{mosimage}VATICAN CITY - At the beginning of the world Synod of Bishops on the Bible, Pope Benedict XVI explained why he thinks such meetings are important.
He did it in typical Benedict style — reviewing a bit of church history and explaining the roots of the Greek word "synodos" to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.
He did it in typical Benedict style — reviewing a bit of church history and explaining the roots of the Greek word "synodos" to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Trust factor lacking for Wall St. bailout
By Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service
{mosimage}WASHINGTON - To those entrusted with husbanding the financial portfolios of Catholic foundations and institutions, the Sept. 29 rejection by the U.S. House of a $700-billion package to shore up the nation’s financial systems posed new concerns about the economy and those charged with overseeing it.
“The government is saying, ‘Trust us,’ ” said Frank Rauscher, the senior principal at Aquinas Associates in Dallas, but “there’s no fundamental basis as to why anybody should.”
“The government is saying, ‘Trust us,’ ” said Frank Rauscher, the senior principal at Aquinas Associates in Dallas, but “there’s no fundamental basis as to why anybody should.”
Rabbi's synod invite a message of hope
By Judith Sudilovsky, Catholic News Service
{mosimage}JERUSALEM - The Vatican invitation to participate in the upcoming world Synod of Bishops on the Bible is a “signal of hope,” said Israeli Rabbi Shear-Yashuv Cohen, who will lead a one-day discussion on the Jewish interpretation of the Scriptures.
Cohen, co-chairman of the Israeli-Vatican dialogue commission and chief rabbi of Haifa, is the first non-Christian ever invited to address the world Synod of Bishops. He will speak the second day of the Oct. 5-26 synod at the Vatican.
Cohen, co-chairman of the Israeli-Vatican dialogue commission and chief rabbi of Haifa, is the first non-Christian ever invited to address the world Synod of Bishops. He will speak the second day of the Oct. 5-26 synod at the Vatican.
Cardinal George named Saint Paul U's alumnus of the year
By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News
{mosimage}OTTAWA - Cardinal Francis George had never studied French before attending Saint Paul University as an Oblate scholastic 40 years ago, but he found the language necessary “if you wanted to eat,” he joked at a banquet Sept. 19 at the bilingual university.
Pope shows French dimensions of his ministry
By John Thavis, Catholic News Service
{mosimage}LOURDES, France - Being Pope is not a one-dimensional job, a fact that was clearly evident during Pope Benedict XVI’s four-day visit to France.
Arriving in Paris Sept. 12, the Pope first engaged in an important political encounter that attempted to build on the new openness shown the church by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Arriving in Paris Sept. 12, the Pope first engaged in an important political encounter that attempted to build on the new openness shown the church by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Medjugorje priest sanctioned by the Vatican
By Simon Caldwell, Catholic News Service{mosimage}LONDON - The Vatican has authorized "severe cautionary and disciplinary measures" against a priest who served as spiritual director to the visionaries in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has written to Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar-Duvno, whose diocese covers Medjugorje, to inform him that they are investigating the case of Franciscan Father Tomislav Vlasic.
McCain chooses pro-life running mate
By Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service{mosimage}WASHINGTON - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, selected by John McCain Aug. 28 as his vice-presidential running mate, won the praise of Catholic leaders earlier this year for embracing the arrival of her fifth child, born with Down syndrome in April.
The Republican governor, who says she was baptized Catholic but has always attended nondenominational Christian churches, knew from early testing that her son Trig “would face special challenges,” according to a family statement, but she and her husband Todd felt “privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives.”