Benedict XVI Names Bishop of Cheyenne

Benedict XVI appointed the vice president of the Pontifical Academy For Life, Monsignor Jean Laffitte, as secretary of the Pontifical Council of the Family, and named him a bishop. Born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France, Bishop-designate Laffite, 57, entered the French Pontifical Seminary of Rome in 1984. He was ordained priest in 1989 for the Diocese of Autun. He received a doctorate in moral theology from the John Paul II Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family… Read more »

(Strasbourg) An “opportunity for a political debate”, a “chance of a live exchange on topical issues” regarding European integration. José Manuel Barroso judges with these words the first “question time” in the history of the European Parliament. The procedural novelty, that has been tested today, is that, during the session, the party leaders ask questions to the president of the EU Commission for half an hour on any issue whatsoever, then, in the second half an hour, any MEP can ask questions on the previous issues, so that the head of the EU Executive can prepare an answer… Read more »

The bishop of Kontum celebrated World Mission Sunday by announcing that 30,000 Vietnamese from his region became Catholic in the last year.

On Sunday, Bishop Michael Hoang Duc Oanh also reported to AsiaNews that 20,000 more of the Central Highlands people, called Montagnards, are currently preparing to enter the Church.

“It is the work of the Holy Spirit,” he said, “with the sincere participation and contribution of so many people.”

This year, the country is celebrating the 350th anniversary since the arrival of Catholic missionaries… Read more »

This morning the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of Yves Gazzo, head of the delegation to the Holy See of the Commission of the European Communities.

In his address, the Pope referred to the values of the European Union which, he said, “are the fruit of a long and complex history in which, it cannot be denied, Christianity has played a primordial role… Read more »

There is a need for Catholics to engage modern culture, understanding and appreciating its positive aspects while debating its negative points, said the former president of the Italian bishops’ conference.
Cardinal Camillo Ruini affirmed this Thursday in a Vatican Radio interview regarding the recent publication of a book, “Confini” (Limits), that features a discussion between the cardinal and historian Ernesto Galli della Loggia.
The prelate stated that if humanity “wishes to go forward, if it wishes to seriously address the great problems it faces, it must have a broader reason, a reason free from the scientific spirit and from relativism.”
He explained that Benedict XVI’s invitation to “broaden the spaces of rationality” is directed to all of society, although in a more specific way he was indicating for the Church the “path of a genuine evangelization” of the West… Read more »