Vatican News

Vatican City, Aug 16, 2010 / 03:32 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Pontifical Council for Social Communications (PCCS) has organized a conference to examine the role of the Catholic press in today's world. Among the themes to be addressed is the Catholic media response to controversy within the Church.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 15, 2010 / 01:48 pm (CNA).- The destination of Mary assumed is a reality founded on the love of God, taught the Pope on Sunday. The Christian promise of heaven, he said, brings great joy and encourages believers to work for the construction of a "world of God."

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 15, 2010 / 09:30 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Although Mary was assumed into heaven, she "has not abandoned her mission of intercession and salvation" on Earth, explained Pope Benedict, using the words of one of his predecessors. Before the Marian prayer at noon on Assumption Sunday, he highlighted Mary's historic role in the Church, inviting continued trust in the Mother of God and prayer for her aid on earth.

CNA STAFF, Aug 15, 2010 / 05:11 am (CNA).- Today, Catholics and many other Christians will celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The significant feast day recalls the spiritual and physical departure of the mother of Jesus Christ from the earth, when both her soul and her resurrected body were taken into the presence of God.

Vatican City, Aug 13, 2010 / 03:04 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- "Only the Catholic university that conserves its identity will have a future," said the prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education just days before the 20th anniversary of John Paul II's document "Ex Corde Ecclesiae." Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, in speaking about the continued relevance of the document on Catholic higher education, explained that if a Catholic university loses its identity, it becomes just like any other.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 13, 2010 / 09:36 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Early on Sunday morning the Holy Father will walk out of the gates of his summer villa to celebrate Mass at the local pontifical parish in Castel Gandolfo. The Pope has celebrated Mass at the parish of St. Thomas of Villanova every Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, since his election to the papacy in 2005.

Rome, Italy, Aug 12, 2010 / 05:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Speaking to the Italian magazine 30 Giorni (30 Days), Dominican Fr. Charles Morerod said that Pope Benedict's way of carrying out his ministry leads to his being liked by the Orthodox Church. It is a question of his being similar in nature to the Orthodox bishops, he observed.

Vatican City, Aug 12, 2010 / 01:14 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The rights of girls and Catholic lay faithful to carry out certain roles on the altar are not prescribed as "rights" within the Church, according to the Church's top legal authority, Archbishop Raymond Burke. The statement came in a clarification he wrote about the consequences of the reintroduction of the Latin Rite Mass by Pope Benedict.

Vatican City, Aug 11, 2010 / 04:20 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict has joined himself in prayer with the Taize community as the anniversary of the death of their founder, Brother Roger, and the milestone of the community's 70th year, approach. The Pope called the founder "a pioneer" in building the unity of Christians.

Vatican City, Aug 11, 2010 / 01:53 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The director of the Vatican's website, Msgr. Lucio Adrian Ruiz explained this week in an interview that the site is going through an extensive redesign to improve the Church's evangelization efforts.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 11, 2010 / 06:24 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Christians are asked to dedicate their lives to the Lord in the same way as the martyrs, taught Pope Benedict on Wednesday. While it may not be their vocation to literally give up their lives, he said, Christians are called to an always greater love of God and neighbor, "to transform our world."

Vatican City, Aug 10, 2010 / 11:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Following the decision of a group of plaintiffs in Kentucky to drop a lawsuit against the Holy See, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi praised the move, saying it was "good news" that the allegations were ultimately proven "unfounded."

Rome, Italy, Aug 9, 2010 / 05:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Children must not be deprived of the Eucharist, source of grace and assistance to them as they begin their walk with Jesus, stressed the Vatican prefect of the congregation for sacraments. In an article in L'Osservatore Romano to mark the 100-year anniversary of a papal decree which lowered the age of first communicants, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares underscored that children should still be allowed to receive the Eucharist as soon as they are able.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 8, 2010 / 10:59 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Before Sunday's Angelus prayer, Pope Benedict XVI taught the importance of leading our lives with trust and hope in the coming of the Lord. This hope, he said, should encourage us to "an intense life, rich with good works."

Vatican City, Aug 7, 2010 / 05:05 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The place of Raphael's "Transfiguration" in an art museum and not in a place of worship means the "most beautiful painting in the world" has lost most of its ability to speak, an article in L'Osservatore Romano has claimed. The Vatican newspaper says that the venue rendered the artwork into little more than an object.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 7, 2010 / 04:37 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a symbolic gesture, the Holy Father went to the mountains to pray on the Feast of the Transfiguration. During the day trip away from his summer residence he visited a number of places, taking the time also to drop in on some old friends.

Rome, Italy, Aug 6, 2010 / 04:53 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy Father's September visit "speaks of rapprochement" - that is, cordial relations - between the Vatican and the United Kingdom, explained the nation's ambassador to Holy See. Speaking to CNA, he said that the "principal symbolic moment" on the schedule of events, even for the state, is the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham.

Rome, Italy, Aug 5, 2010 / 05:09 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The pilgrimage that brought altar boys and girls to Rome en masse this week concluded on a high note at Wednesday's general audience. Bringing tens of thousands of young people together in what appeared to be a small scale World Youth Day, the event showed the true colors of Church and the communion of its youth.

Rome, Italy, Aug 4, 2010 / 05:56 pm (CNA).- The secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, wrote an article for today's feast of St. John Marie Vianney, the Cure of Ars. The Vatican prelate highlighted the saint's untiring service to God and neighbor, calling him a true "revolutionary of love."

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 4, 2010 / 02:23 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- After Wednesday's general audience, the Holy Father prayed for the victims of the recent natural disasters in different regions in Asia.