Finally, Allen does a nice job explaining Benedict’s views on the importance of New Movements, and how it fits in with his previous statements on Christianity as a "creative minority" In making this reference, the pope had in mind not so much specific groups such as Communion and Liberation or the Focolare, which meet the…

Allen summarizes the controversy this week over the Pope’s words at Auschwitz-Birkenau: From a communications point of view, the pope’s Achille’s heel is that by refusing to satisfy prevailing expectations, Benedict can sometimes send the wrong signal to people who, quite naturally, interpret his words and deeds through the prism of those expectations. Thus by…

From John Allen’s interview, linked below: You’ve seen the recent letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze to Bishop William Skylstad in the United States. What do you make of it? It’s just stating what the situation is. It’s sometimes useful to be reminded of the basic verities. Those would be fidelity to the principles of Liturgiam…

John Allen’s Word From Rome: The Pope on Islam: Popes only rarely lead by decree. Far more often, their example is decisive, pointing a new direction by what they do and say. Such has been the case under Benedict XVI on Islam. There’s been no Vatican edict, but everyone recognizes something has changed. It’s not…

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