Pope Benedict XVI

Today Benedict XVI visited a Lutheran church in Rome with the purpose of promoting unity by emphasizing the ways in which Catholics and other Christians bear common witness to Christ.

In the German-language service, in which both the Pope and a Lutheran pastor gave homilies, the Pontiff affirmed, “We hear many laments about the fact that there are no new developments in ecumenism, but we must say, and we can say it with much gratitude, that there have already been elements of unity.”

In his address, which the Holy Father delivered without a written script, he invited his listeners to be thankful for the fact that “we are here together on this Laetare Sunday, that we sing together, that we listen to the Word of God together, that we listen to each other, all looking to the one Christ and, thus, rendering testimony to the one Christ.”

Benedict XVI was welcomed with prolonged applause in the Christuskirche on the Via Sicilia in Rome… Read more »

Pope Benedict XVI

The Vatican has denounced attempts to link Pope Benedict XVI to a child abuse scandal in his native Germany. Spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said there had been “aggressive” efforts to involve the Pope, but added: “It’s clear that these attempts have failed.” The Holy See’s prosecutor meanwhile said that “to accuse the current Pope of hiding [cases of abuse] is false”… Read more »

On Friday, 12th March, 2010, Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. led the Lenten penitential pilgrimage with the Miraculous Statue of Christ the Redeemer. This statue boasts a widespread devotion in the Maltese islands. After the pilgrimage, the Archbishop celebrated Mass at the Senglea Basilica.

Click on the photo to enlarge… Read more »

On Thursday, 11th March, 2010, Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. visited PBS studios in G’Mangia where he met the Chairman, the board of directors, management and staff of the national radio and television station. Archbishop Cremona was shown around the premises and individually met all employees. The Archbishop also celebrated Mass in one of the TV studios. During his homily, Archbishop Cremona spoke about the important role and impact of the media in today’s society and the responsibility which comes along on those who work in the media industry… Read more »

On Wednesday, 10th March, 2010, Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. celebrated Mass at Christ the King Parish, Paola, for those for those who participate in the organisation of Feasts.

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Married person participating in online conference

This month, couples are being offered a chance to strengthen their marriages from within their own homes in a series that combines John Paul II’s teachings with psychology’s clinical experience.

The Institute for Marital Healing, directed by Catholic psychiatrist Richard Fitzgibbons, will begin its first series of free webinars on March 27 with a conference on the theme, “The Angry Spouse.”  Fitzgibbons, who is also a consultant for the Holy See’s Congregation for Clergy, explained to ZENIT that this series allows couples to participate anonymously from their own homes, with opportunities to email comments and questions… Read more »

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Before the “loss of the sense of sin” and “the crisis” of “the sacrament of penance” there is a need to establish a “dialogue of salvation” with penitents, following the example of the Holy Curé of Ars, and to “get back to the confessional” also seen as a “place in which to ‘dwell’ more often”.

Benedict XVI addressed this invitation to the participants in the course promoted by the Pontifical Penitentiary received in audience today… Read more »

vatican

About 100 traditionalist Anglican parishes in the United States have decided to join the Catholic Church as a group. Meeting in Orlando, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America voted to seek entry into the Catholic Church under the guidelines established in Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic constitution “Anglicanorum Coetibus” (“Groups of Anglicans”), said a March 3 statement.

The Anglican Church in America is part of the Traditional Anglican Communion, a group of churches which separated from the worldwide Anglican Communion in 1991… Read more »