Benedictions: The Pope in America

By Daniel Burke c. 2008 Religion News Service WASHINGTON — Pope Benedict XVI’s address to Catholic educators on Thursday (April 17) has become one of the most anticipated moments of his first U.S. trip as pontiff. Already there is debate over how strict Benedict — himself a former university professor — should be in insisting…

Associated Press – April 16, 2008 Remarks by Pope Benedict XVI at the White House on Wednesday, as transcribed by the White House. Mr. President, thank you for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I deeply appreciate your invitation to visit this great country. My…

Associated Press – April 16, 2008 A joint statement by the White House and Holy See on the Oval Office meeting Wednesday between Pope Benedict XVI and President Bush: His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and President George W. Bush met today in the Oval Office of the White House. President Bush, on behalf of all…

While Pope Benedict voiced his revulsion at the sexual abuse scandal for the first time yesterday, it is important to understand that the genesis of his statements went back to a meeting that took place more than four years ago, not with other bishops, but with leaders of the lay review board set up to…

The indefatigable American Papist, to whom the papal presence is what caffeine is to the rest of us, has a very cool entry on the history of meetings between American presidents and Roman pontiffs, including great photos like this one of JFK & PPVI. He starts with Woodrow Wilson meeting another Pope Benedict, this one…

Yesterday’s strong and welcome words by Benedict XVI to reporters on the papal plane saying he was “deeply ashamed” at the clergy sexual abuse scandal set the tone for his visit–first impressions are important, and those words did a great deal to signal to Americans that Benedict “gets it” in a way too many, though…

Yeah, so at the media hotel this morning there they were, on the buffet table (a.k.a. the feeding trough), eggs benedict. I steered clear. At my age, c’mon. They didn’t look like these at the right, but I was convinced the hotel set them out to honor His Holiness. The server was puzzled when I…

(Yes, I’m a day behind, but please forgive.) Today’s question regards the debate over whether there was once a woman pope–a story that has had a longer life than even “The Da Vinci Code”… Q: Was there really a Pope Joan? Read more from the papal answer man, Chris Bellitto and his new book, 101…

By Daniel Burke c. 2008 Religion News Service ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. — Pope Benedict XVI, the shepherd of the world’s 1 billion Roman Catholics, arrived here Tuesday (April 15) for his first U.S. visit as pontiff and was warmly greeted by President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna. Neither the…

The Baltimore Sun, Maryland Apr. 14–Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the United States this week amid a full-throttle presidential campaign, with Sens. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain seeking support from the same engaged Catholics the pontiff hopes to reach. The pope won’t directly weigh in on the presidential race during stops in Washington…

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