Catholic Church

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With Benedict Out, the Secrecy Begins

Cardinals prepare to meet Monday

(Newser) - Pope Benedict is officially retired, and it's time for deliberations on his successor to begin in earnest. The "princes of the Church," top cardinals worldwide, will soon meet informally to discuss plans; on Monday, formal talks begin, Reuters reports. In closed-door general congregations, cardinals will assess potential...

Inside Benedict's Final Day as Pope

Pontiff meets with cardinals, tells them, 'Among you is the future pope'

(Newser) - It's Pope Benedict XVI's last day on the job, but don't expect much fanfare: There won't be a major ceremony or declaration, Reuters reports. Clad in a red ceremonial cape called a mozzetta, the AP notes that he met with some 100 cardinals at the Apostolic...

Benedict's Farewell: Sometimes Lord Seemed to Sleep

Crowd tops 150K for his last general audience

(Newser) - It's Benedict XVI's penultimate day of pontificating, and tens of thousands of the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for an emotional farewell in which the pope recalled the "great burden" God had given him in 2005 and noted that his papacy had weathered difficult moments...

Britain's Top Cardinal Quits Amid Scandal

Keith O'Brien accused of inappropriate contact with 4 priests

(Newser) - The UK's top Roman Catholic cleric has resigned amid accusations of inappropriate behavior dating back 33 years. Cardinal Keith O'Brien was set to retire next month after voting on the next pope ; but after the scandal exploded over the weekend, Pope Benedict has accepted his immediate resignation, the...

Top UK Cardinal Accused in 'Inappropriate' Acts

Keith O'Brien has long condemned homosexuality

(Newser) - Britain is buzzing today over allegations that the nation's top Catholic cleric engaged in "inappropriate behavior." Three priests and a former priest are accusing Cardinal Keith O'Brien in incidents they say date back to the 1980s, according to the AP . O'Brien, who is set to...

Benedict Gives Final Blessing
 Benedict Gives Final Blessing 
Feb 24, 2013 5:55 AM CST

Benedict Gives Final Blessing

Says God called him to a life of prayer

(Newser) - Pope Benedict has given his final Sunday blessing as pontiff from his window on St. Peter's Square, telling thousands of cheering well-wishers that "in prayer, we will always be close," reports the BBC . The pope, who steps down on Thursday, said in his final Angelus address that...

Italian Paper: Benedict Quit Amid Crazy Scandal

Report says gay priests were blackmailed

(Newser) - Here's a conspiracy theory on Pope Benedict's sudden resignation that wasn't in the first rush of speculation —what if Benedict's decision was linked to a network of gay priests in the Vatican who were being blackmailed by outsiders? That's the premise of a report...

Benedict's Pension: $3.3K/Month

Which is kind of a lot, considering the Vatican will pay his living expenses

(Newser) - Thinking about "pope" as your career goal? Consider the retirement package, which is apparently around $3,340 per month. That's how much Pope Benedict will get when he abdicates later this month, and while it may seem a bit low for someone who was the leader of the...

'Catholicism Inc.' Needs a Turnaround Artist

The pope is really a CEO: Bill Keller

(Newser) - The Catholic Church will be getting a new leader soon, and the cardinals making the selection would do well to think of the church as a business, writes Bill Keller in a New York Times op-ed titled, "Catholicism Inc." After all, the church employs more than a million,...

Benedict: Pray for Me, Next Pope

It's his second-to-last Angelus blessing until he steps down

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI is blessing the faithful from his window overlooking St. Peter's Square for the first time since announcing his resignation, cheered by an emotional crowd of tens of thousands of well-wishers from around the world. Speaking in Spanish, Reuters notes that Benedict implored the crowd, "I...

Benedict: I'll Be 'Hidden From the World'

Church unsure what to do with the Vatican's new famous lodger

(Newser) - What do you do with an ex-pope? If you happen to know, call Rome, because the Church isn't sure yet. Many fear Benedict will become an implicit rival to the new pope, despite his apparent desire to keep a low profile. He told Roman diocese priests yesterday that he...

Pope: I'm Leaving for 'Good of the Church'

Offers first public comments since retirement announced

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI has publicly addressed his retirement for the first time, saying it's for "the good of the Church," NBC News reports. Speaking during his weekly general audience, he asked that listeners "continue to pray for me, for the Church, and for the future pope,...

Disgraced LA Cardinal to Vote on Next Pope

But Benedict won't

(Newser) - It's been less than two weeks since Roger Mahony was pulled from all public duties over his role in covering up child molestation cases. But that won't stop the LA cardinal from heading to Rome to help pick a successor to Pope Benedict, the LA Times reports. The...

Now, the Pope Benedict Conspiracy Theories

Sex scandal? Nazi history? Prophecy?

(Newser) - With Pope Benedict suddenly announcing his resignation today, we've looked at his legacy and the process for choosing his replacement . Now—forgive us—we delve into the inevitable conspiracy theories that "explain" his resignation:
  • His Nazi History. Benedict has acknowledged he was forced to serve in the Hitler
...

How the Papal Conclave Works


 How the Papal Conclave Works 
Feb 11, 2013 3:27 PM CST

How the Papal Conclave Works

Process will be basically the same as if the pope died

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI is the first pope to step down since 1294 , so you probably have quite a few questions about what happens next. But it turns out the process the papal conclave will use to elect the next pope will be fairly familiar: With the exception of a period...

Benedict&#39;s Legacy? A List of Unachieved Goals
Benedict's Legacy?
A List of Unachieved Goals
OPINION Roundup
Feb 11, 2013 1:54 PM CST

Benedict's Legacy? A List of Unachieved Goals

But others say his comments on contraception may endure

(Newser) - As the world comes to terms with the sudden and incredibly unusual resignation of the papacy by Pope Benedict XVI, the general consensus appears to be that Joseph Ratzinger was a scholarly, introverted conservative who will ultimately be remembered most for the controversies that surrounded him. Among the opinions:
  • Despite
...

Who Will Be the Next Pope?
 Who Will Be the Next Pope? 
Feb 11, 2013 10:33 AM CST

Who Will Be the Next Pope?

Cardinal Marc Ouellet a favorite

(Newser) - With Pope Benedict unexpectedly stepping down in a couple of weeks, who will take up the papacy next? USA Today , Reuters , and Bloomberg list some of the frontrunners. Could the church decide it's time to elect its first non-European leader? Quite a few of the choices fit that bill:...

Pope Benedict to Resign Feb. 28

Pontiff will step down Feb. 28 in surprise move, church confirms

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI has today become the first pope since the Middle Ages to resign his post, announcing he will do so at the end of the month because he lacks the strength needed for the job, reports Reuters . The move was "entirely unexpected," the BBC notes. In...

Church Treated Rule Violations More Seriously Than Abuse

LA Times reports on newly released personnel files of priests

(Newser) - Priests sexually abusing boys and girls? Tut-tut. Priests performing baptisms without permission? Oh, the horror! Sad, but true: The Catholic Church often treated "ecclesiastical missteps" more seriously than reports of priestly abuse, reports the Los Angeles Times , which has been poring over the local archdiocese's newly released personnel...

In 'Extraordinary' Move, Cardinal Relieved of Duties

Former LA archbishop Roger Mahony remains 'in good standing': rep

(Newser) - The former archbishop of Los Angeles has been removed from all public duties due to the central role he played in the coverup of child abuse . Tens of thousands of pages revealing the extent of the abuse crisis, now posted on the church's website, are "brutal and painful...

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