200 students receive JPII awards in Kildare and Leighlin More than 200 students received their John Paul II awards in a celebration at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow. Of the 209 recipients, 46 received papal crosses, 115 gold medals, 34 silver medals and 14 bronze medals. Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Denis Nulty said…
How churlish we are on the late Pope
Dear Editor, With the noble exception of yourself, it seems that our media was virtually incapable of finding a single commentator who had anything positive to say about the late Pope Benedict XVI. To call a lot of the coverage petty and churlish would be an understatement. No one should expect that the passing of…
Vatican Roundup
Get out of your comfort zone to seek God like the Magi, Pope Francis says On the Solemnity of the Epiphany, Pope Francis said that if the Magi had remained comfortable, they never would have encountered the Lord in Bethlehem. In his homily for the Church’s celebration of the Three Kings on January 6, the…
Future Doctor of the Church?
Scholars say German professor-pope stands the test of time writes Maria Wiering Beginning well before he was elected pope in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI made substantial contributions to theology and Catholic thought through his prolific writing, academic lectures and long-form interviews, say scholars who study his work. In the wake of his death, Benedict has been…
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI: ‘Lord I love you’
Fr John Harris OP During the last week I have been remembering the times I met with Cardinal Ratzinger when I was studying in Rome. I never met him after his election as pope. Back in November 1993 I wrote a letter to an Irish national newspaper, when an article in that paper had described…
At funeral, Pope remembers Benedict’s ‘wisdom, tenderness, devotion’
Carol Glatz/OSV Pope Benedict XVI “spread and testified to” the Gospel his entire life, Pope Francis told tens of thousands of people gathered January 5 for his predecessor’s funeral Mass. “Like the women at the tomb, we too have come with the fragrance of gratitude and the balm of hope, in order to show him…
Notable quotes from Pope Benedict XVI
Joy and Hope “Know that God will never abandon you. Turn your eyes to him often. He gave his life for you on the cross because he loves you. Contemplation of this great love brings a hope and joy to our hearts that nothing can destroy. Christians can never be sad, for they have met…
The Spiritual Testament of Pope Benedict XVI
My spiritual testament When, at this late hour of my life, I look back on the decades I have wandered through, I see first of all how much reason I have to give thanks. Above all, I thank God himself, the giver of all good gifts, who has given me life and guided me through…
A prophet who was not afraid of standing alone
In an age when so many seek safety in groupthink, Pope Benedict was never afraid to offer a contrasting point of view, writes Prof. Francis Campbell There is an image I will always recall when I think of Benedict XVI. It was a side view of him as he spoke. Beyond him, watching him intently,…
Nigerian bishop: Pre-Christmas massacre part of ‘a deliberate plan’
A Nigerian bishop has denounced “a deliberate plan to unleash evil” on Christian villagers following reports that dozens of people were killed in a violent attack December 18 in Kaduna State. “The motivation for these attacks as far as we know is that it’s a deliberate plan to unleash evil and to terrify our people…