Florida bishops urge halt to execution, say all life ‘a gift from God’
Florida's Catholic bishops urged Gov. Rick Scott to stay the Feb. 26 execution of Paul Howell, saying that "all human life has dignity and is sacred, created in God's image -- even those who have done great harm."
Vatican denounces press reports on papal transition
Vatican officials released a pair of unusual statements Feb. 23 condemning some press coverage of the papal transition. A communique from the Secretariat of State called "deplorable" the "widespread distribution of often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories" intended to exert "pressures on the election of the pope."
Pope Benedict: I am not abandoning the Church
In one of his last public appearances, Pope Benedict XVI told an overflow crowd in St. Peter's Square Feb. 24 that his upcoming retirement does not mean he is abandoning the Church, but that he will be serving it in a new way, through prayer and meditation.
Cardinal Ravasi, Bible scholar, uses culture as bridge to unite people
A prominent voice at the Vatican in the run-up to the papal election, Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi is a well-known biblical scholar who can quote just as easily from Sufi poets, Dante and Danish philosophers as he can from sacred Scripture.
Changing rules, pope allows cardinals to move up conclave date
In his last week as pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI issued new rules for conclaves, including a clause that allows the College of Cardinals to move up the date for the beginning of the conclave to elect his successor.
Timeline of recent papal transitions
The last few popes have been elected and installed within a fairly short period of time after the deaths of their predecessors. The conclave to choose Pope John XXIII began June 19 and lasted two days.
Austrian cardinal-theologian known for patient pastoral approach
Since his installation as Vienna's archbishop in 1995, Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schonborn has weathered several major storms with his patient pastoral approach.
Phones out, but iPads in at Catholic schools nationwide
iPads are making their way onto the educational scene. Some Catholic high schools, like Brophy College Preparatory, have provided every student with some type of personal computing device for years. This year’s freshmen class was the first Brophy students to receive iPads. Junior high students from at least three other Catholic campuses in the Phoenix Diocese use them too, which means ‘iGrad’ generations are coming as early as May.
Rural radio station airs part-time yet yields full benefits for villagers
Villagers didn't want a radio station, but the volunteer-run station launched in West Africa through the help of Catholic Relief Services has been broadcasting 10 years now.
Cardinal Sandri on those who doubt church: ‘We must prove them wrong’
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 69, may have very little direct pastoral experience, but remarks he made to a group of U.S. bishops last year seem to show he knows the church has an image problem, and it's up to the church to fix it.
